Daniel his Chaldie visions and his Ebrevv: both translated after the original: and expounded both, by reduction of heathen most famous stories vnto the exact proprietie of his wordes (which is the surest certaintie what he must meane:) and by ioyning all the Bible, and learned tongues to the frame of his worke

DANIEL HIS CHALDIE VISIONS AND HIS EBREVV: BOTH TRANSLATED AFTER THE Original: and expounded both, by reduction of heathen moſt famous ſtories vnto the exact proprietie of his wordes (which is the ſureſt certaintie what he muſt meane:) and by ioyning all the Bible, and learned tongues to the frame of his worke.

Let him that readeth (Daniel) vnderſtand.

Mat. 24.

The vviſe vvill vnderſtand.

Dan. 12.

AT LONDON Printed by Richard Field, for William Young dwelling neare the great North doore of Paules, where the other workes of the ſame author are to be ſold. 1596.

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LL. OF HER M. MOST HONORABLE PRIVIE COVNSEL.

THE Prophet Nathan (right H. 2. Sam. 7.14. ) told Dauid of a ſonne that should build a temple vnto God, and ſit vpon a throne for euer: touching whom, as Daniel penneth all his booke which I preſent vnto your Lordships, I requeſt your pacience to iudge by a short ſumme▪ what vſe my explicatiō may haue in our Church and ſtate. That ſpeech of Nathans was commonly vnderſtood of Salomon: but indeede belōgeth more vnto his brother 1. Chron. 3.5 Luke. 3.31. Nathan to whom Dauid gaue the Prophets name▪ that by it the godly might ſee from what line he should come, which alwayes ſate on the right hand of the father. And that the Elder ſonne of Bathsheba, for whom Dauid made the moſt heauenly Pſalme of repētance, Pſal. 51. should not want his dignitie, God gaue him praerogatiues verie fit to allure the world vnto higher matters. He built by Gods commaundement a temple of Maſons worke: & ſate after a ſort (in Gods ſpeech, 1. Chr. 29.23 ) vpon the throne of the Eternall. 1. King. 9.6. Yet God ſpake vnto him for the people, and he vnto God before the people, 1. King. 8.47. wordes touching that his kingdome should not ſtand. Eccl. 1. And in his whole booke that teacheth how all things vnder the ſunne are vanitie, the whole drift is to expoūd the truth of the promiſed throne. VVhen his line should end in Ie-Choniah, the Eternall Iah ſweareth, that if Choniah were a ſignet vpō his finger he would plucke him thence and pluckt his name from the kings: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Iah & Choniah made the kings name. and preacheth, ô earth, earth, earth, write him childleſſe: for none of his ſeede shall ſit vpon Dauids throne. Him Nebuchadnezar kept in priſon 37. y, and ouerthrew Salomons kingdome and temple, 2. King. 25.27 with all the implements: that Iudah should looke to the other houſe of Dauid, for the true throne. Then Ieruſalem was to be taught a new, in what ſort they should ſee to peace. For them the booke of Daniel is a Commētary handling principal points of their Chap. 1. & 9. ſeuentie yeares thraldome: & ſeuen times that ſpace vnto Chriſt his aſcention, to reigne in the houſe of Dauid for euer: Chap. 7. who deſtroyeth vtterly as with a floud Citie and tēple: to shew that ſuch outward things of mans worke could not be fit for to be meant in the moſt glorious promiſe vnto Dauid. So Ieruſalem ſurpriſed by the Chaldeā, and razed by the Romane, is the limites of his ſtory. For the middle ſpace he hādled certaine principall heads, touching Zorobabels people, and the enemies. Zorobabel was the onely of Nathan that bare rule: and that, to build a temple: and to receaue the promiſe of Chriſt, as in Ag. 2. Then his familie hath an expreſſe declaration what throne belongeth vnto them. Chap. 7. For they are termed the Sainctes of the high Trinitie: who shall poſſeſſe a kingdome for euer, yea for euer and euer. And Daniel sheweth thrones ſet vp, & one like the ſonne of man comming into the world, and againe, aſcending vnto the king euerlaſting, and reigning aey ouer all nations. And this much is the ſumme of their comfort. Touching the kingdome: he nameth the nations that should ſucceſsiuely take it from thē with open iniurie to their Religion. The Chaldeans had begun. Alexāders iniurie was in that the Prieſts for one yeare ſhould name their ſonnes Alexanders: & all Iudah ſhould take their dates from his raigne, & he their Emperour would be a God. The Perſians cōquering them should continue. Next Great Alexander. So interchangeably, the Seleucidae and Lagidae, vnto ten tyrannical kings. But afterwardes they should be weakened: that Daniels people might hold their own kingdome. He nameth the Romanes: but not as enemies here, vnto their Religion: yet toucheth their comming vp: that all might know by what nation Chriſt should be kild: when by his birth time the fourth kingdome should fall through the Romanes. And they should be the ſecond Babylon to Ieruſalem. But ſeeing they medled not with the Iewes, vntill they called for their helpe: & that, when the Machabees had vſurped long a kingdome againſt Iacobs will, no leſſe enemies to Zorobabels houſe then the others (as their familie perished alike vtterly:) ſo the ſeueritie of God was not to prophecie a comfort againſt the Iewes calamities, called for by their own prophaneſſe, & as it were, open requeſt. For Caeſar and Pompey were called into partaking by ſtriuing Machabees: and before had made league and friendship with Iudah Therefore comforts in ſuch dealings might not be ſent frō heauē. The plainneſſe of Daniel is great: Daniels plainneſſe. telling of matters that all the world would note. Strabo knew Nebuchadnezars greatnes: In Theoph. Beroſus better. Euſeb. 9. Abydenus toucheth his propheticall traunce: as hearing of that his Proclamation or Epiſtle ſent vnto all the world. Cyrus Conqueſt of Babel all nations knew: Xerxes fall was more in ſpeech & Alexāders ſtories better knowen in moſt people then their owne: his victories, ambition of Godhead, quick death, and ruine of familie. And againe his Captaines partitions of ſpoyles: their falling to foure chiefe kingdomes: and two of them principall, Syria and Aegypt, comming vnto perpetuall ſtrife among them ſelues: theſe heathē obſerued: who knew likewiſe the strāge ſucceſſe of Ptolemie Lagidas: Diod lib. 18. and 19. Pauſan. in Attic. the ſtranger of Seleucus Nicator: their league in friendship: their ſonnes falling out: their ſeeking atonement by that Mariage of Berenice: App. in Syri. their greater warres vpon her death: the ouerrunning of Syria, to win the ſyrname 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : Polyb. 5. a further reuenge in Philopators victory. Againe the other ſides conqueſts to ſyrname Antiochus great: Appian. Strabo. his Cleopatras mariage with Ptolemie: his inuading Grece▪ his fall by Rome his Church robbing: his two ſonnes Church robbing: their three extraordinarie deathes: theſe matters be moſt famous amōg the heathē: And Antiochus Epiphanes ſubtiltie in ouerreaching his brother and two nephewes: his comming vp in Syria: his three inuaſiōs of Aegypt: Tacitus. his endeuour and crueltie to haue extinguished Iudahs Religiō: theſe matters, are the moſt famous of any in heathen ſtories. Macrob. 2. VVhen we adde vnto them the ieſt of Auguſtus, how it was better to be Herods hog then his ſonne: Aegl. Su • tonius. Tacitus. becauſe of his ſlaughter at our Lordes birth: and Vergils harping at a child comming from heauen, noyſed doubtleſſe by Iewes: and the expectation of all the Eaſt of a king ariſing then to rule all the world: and Tacitus for Chriſt, Pilate, and Chriſtians: & laſtly the manifold writers of Ieruſalems fall the laſt part: then we shal haue open, all the humane points of Daniels booke. VVhen we ioyne from Diuinitie ſtorie Nathans prophecie for Nathan: Ben Arama vpon Exod. Salomons Eldership in a touch of throne and Temple: the threefold charge to write Iechonias childleſſe: Ierem. 22. the counſell of God in the kingdomes fall: the bleſſed title of Nathans houſe: the high Sainctes and kings for euer: Dan. 7. the thrones, one for God, and an other for the R. Akiba. vpon Dan. 7: in Sanedrin. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ſonne of Dauid: the ſetting vp of kingdomes to deale with Dauids throne, to take notice of their Religion: the time of a kingdome eternall prefixed in a most plaine ſpeech long before, and made famous by 120. Dan▪ 9.24. Dan. 6. Extra. 1. nations paying Iuda a ſubſidie to returne: and our Lordes mediation from the Goſpell: this being done Daniels matters wilbe all knowen vnto vs. The tongues which he vſeth may ſomewhat trouble vs: why he should write the greater part of his booke in Chaldie, and the ſame matter againe in Ebrew: and why his Ebrew hath affected peculiaritie of phraſes: yet reaſons ſenſible may ſoone be rendred. The Chaldie tongue was both knowē to his natiō, & should ſoone be their vſuall, whē they had loſt their owne in Babylon. Beſides the North, Eaſt, South Dialectes, Syriaque, Arabique, Aethiopian were neare the Chaldie: ſo that with a little paynes they might learne it. Now it was fit for Dauids throne ruling all the world, to be penned into the largest language of the world, and then most florishing. So he sheweth: that God ſetteth vp kingdomes, and putteth down kingdomes: and how a kingdome frō heauē ſtādeth for euer. This he teacheth in Chaldie: as alſo the ſtate of the world to come: neuer shewed ſo clearely before. He declareth how the faithles tyrants perish for euer: and Iuda raigneth by Chriſt: as by him alſo all nations do. VVhē his viſions name the oppreſſours: and his nation the oppreſſed, then he writeth in Ebrew, and prophetique phraſes knowen onely to his learned brethren. The ſumme of him is this: and his phraſe is thus. I thinke my commentations vpon him ſomewhat profitable to the good of our ſtate. Them I commend to your L L. to be regarded according to the ſage honour of her M. gouernement.

Your Lordſhips to commaund. HVGH BROVGHTON.

To the Chriſtian Reader: of Daniels plainneſſe.

WHen this Prophet is cleared, from the opinion of hardneſſe, which men do conceiue of him, then with hope of perfecting labour, deſire to reade him wil increaſe. And the holy man muſt be cleared. For otherwiſe men would think Daniel a tormēter of ſoules rather th • n a teacher, if he wrote vnto all nations (in their greateſt perplexities) matters vnfit for their capacitie. Beſides the duty of clearing him, facilitie will be at hand. For the matters which onely make him hard, are ſoone taught. Stale errours ſtill hinder the negligent in the truth, who runne vpon cuſtome, and will take no paines to examine the right. But thus it doth ſtand. When the promiſe of Nathan is conſidered touching the throne of Dauid to ſtand for euer, and the caſe of Salomon • houſe weighed, how in Iech • nias it fayled vtterly: & then the houſe of Nathan the next brother cometh in, firſt Zorchabel, then two families of him, Abiud, for the Kings right, Rheſa, father vnto our Lord, then the hardeſt part is gone. All muſt graunt that this hath bene long hid. For ſcant any of the world marke our Lords right line, from the text. Yet a few words might open it fully. Onely many vnpatient of the truth, cauſe griefe, and thereupon ſome more difficulty: otherwiſe all here requiſite might be ſoone knowne. For the matter is the eaſieſt, ſtanding vpon a plaine ſtorie: and the principles are ſo few, that a child might write them. They are often handled, that ſuch as care for thē may be inſtructed many wayes. The next matter of darkeneſſe ariſeth touching the nations oppreſſors and oppreſſed. The doubt ſprang, for that Daniel in his Chaldy viſions nameth neither. The ſolution is eaſie. In his Ebrew viſions he nameth both the one and the other: and they can containe no other matters then the Chaldy. Therefore the nations in all are doubtleſſe. And ſeeing Cha. 8. in a viſion vpon Babels fall, Elam firſt, next Iauan haue all the dealings vnto the ende of wrath: the laſt dealer muſt be Iauan. Alſo the afflicted in the laſt dealings are termed Daniels people, and the holy people: and they are afflicted for the holy couenant. Where any may ſee of what times he was to ſpeake. For who knoweth not, that the laſt afflictions that the holy Iewes had, with looſing their lands reuenues, was vnder Antiochus Epiphanes. Now the nations being knowne, the places wil be known. And for vndoubted certenty the land Tzeby on the holy mountaine is named, The ſoyle of the afflicted. The middle ſea and dead ſea haue it betwixt them: and Tzeby is in Ezekiel the attrihute of Iudaea. And the places of the viſions are the fitteſt for theſe poincts. At Eular and Tigris the plaine ſights were ſhewed. Which ſhould import dealings from Kings of thoſe quarters. All this while nothing bringeth in the Romanes. They are reſerued to greater harmes. And ſuch as bring them into Daniel, where they are not blamed, diſturbe learning as much as they diſturbe the world. But Daniel is not to blame. He giueth no cauſe why men ſhould ſo deceiue themſelues. And thus theſe parcels the moſt in difficulty are made eaſie. Another is no leſſe vniuſtly blamed: the time which he hath moſt cleare, & telleth plainly. Yea onely he telleth when the firſt captiuitie began: & how he was of it. The end is moſt famous in him. And the phraſes for our Lords death time, would make a learned Varro amazed: The ſeuēty Hebdomades. We haue here greater matters thē how he at 84. had written ſeuenty Habdomades of books. And neuer any could be plainer then he in that. If we will not beleeue him, but heathen forged ſtudies, we ſhould try particulars. So true heathen would beare record vnto Daniel. Now, heathen 2000. yeares haue filled all Libraries full of lyes: with forged Olympiades, forged Chaldeans, forged Atchontes of Athens, and forged Conſuls, that the vnſtayed and vnlearned now adayes can triumph to ſee, what ſtore of leaſings can be brought againſt Daniel. But the ſame wil not ſee, how all the milliōs of Iudah, & of Chriſtians vpon the other captiuitie writings, checke the errour. So againe Daniel is cleared. One poinct remaineth, his tongues: where any may ſee, that in the Chaldy he ſtudied for plainneſſe: writing in the moſt generall tongue, yet neare Arabique, and ſo as moſt generall yet. For his Hebrew, the learned may not complaine: for to them it is eaſie. And all ſhould be ſenſleſſe, if in plaine matters, and matters of daunger, he might not haue leaue to hide his minde from the wicked. Further difficulties we haue not in him: after the conſideration of Dauids throne and two families, Salomons falling, Nathans ſtanding for euer: of the nations oppreſſed, long kept cloſe for ſafetie, in his later ſpeeches named for certaintie: of the oppreſſors likewiſe and of their countreys: and laſt of his times and tongues. The difficulties of which being ſoftened, none can tell what to imagine hard. And to mollifie the readers labour, I will contriue into matter following, introductions to his whole ſumme and Graces: and ioyne the kings and Pictures for him: pictures afore ſet in another booke: which coming foorth, greater with greater, lendeth Daniel the former willingly. To him they belōg.

The ſumme and graces of Daniel.

THe holy Prophet Daniel telleth what Kingdomes ſhall oppreſſe Dauids houſe from Iudahs captiuitie vnto the birth of our Lord: Few wordes containe the whole ſūme of Daniel for all his chiefe heads. and endeuour to controll their Religion. Alſo of our Lord he ſheweth: his continuall protection, and payment of his foes, his coming into the world, his making ſtrong the Couenant for all nations, his precious death, his glorious aſcention, and his kingdome ouer all nations. And laſtly how he will deſtroy the Citie and Temple, finiſhing the policie which he gaue by Moſes, that Iewes and Gentiles may be equally Gods people. Thoſe kingdomes which Daniel ſetteth forth, are firſt the Chaldeans, What kingdoms in Daniel oppreſſe the religion of Gods people. who deſtroyed the Citie, Temple, Kingdome and houſe of Salomon: and meant in Babel to haue ſet vp idolatrie. The next is a ioynt power of the Medes and Perſians, who ouerthrew them and would haue made their owne kings as Gods, & ſtayed the building of Gods Temple, and ſought to deſtroy the Iewes nation. The third is compact of all the States of Greeke-land (who put downe the former): In Alexanders power, which King in his pride earnestly laboured to be holden as a God: and cauſed the Leuites to name their ſonnes Alexanders, and all the Iewes to take their dates from his reigne. The fourth and laſt, is of the ſame natiō for their Kings (called Seleucidae and Lagidae, by the firſt of their houſes) dwelling North and South from Iuda ſituated betwixt them both. By theſe Iuda was moſt vexed, and endeuour vſed to haue abrogated the holy Couenant. At our Lords birth theſe nations were fully ſpoyled of all gouernement, and

Romanes, that medled not with religion.

How euerie kingdome is ſeuen times ſpoken of.

another ſet vp, to whom tribute was payd ouer all the world. In plentifull varietie Daniel ſetteth them forth. Firſt in a huge image of foure mettals beaten to powder: and he expoundeth the Image ſo, that by a prophane king he is therefore highly aduaunced. Long after he ſeeth them in a ſort fit for a ſpirituall man to iudge of: in foure ſauage beaſts caſt into the fire: & ioyneth a moſt heauenly expoſition and comfort of his nation: how from his people, an eternall kingdome ſhall fill all the earth. Againe, the kingdome of Babel is figured by a Tree, touching in height the heauens, in breadth the corners of the earth: and to that alſo Daniel affordeth an expoſition. Likewiſe the other kingdomes are ſemblanced by a Ramme and Goat-bucke, and both in ſundrie hornes: and now all the Nations are plainly named, This viſion ſhould haue cut off all doubt for Daniels kingdomes. This ſpecially might end all controuerſie. who be therein contained. So ſixe times euery one State is declared all ouer, the later declarations adding cleareneſſe to the former. Moreouer, the ſeuenth Narration moſt plaine (as teaching in proper language) is not wanting: for the coming vp, idolatrie chaſtiſement, and ouerthrow of theſe kingdomes. A skilfull Reader muſt fetch from others the dayly dealings, which the wiſedome of God knew at needleſſe to foretell by Daniel: and therefore he paſſeth them ouer; in their due places the Reader ſhall find them marked in obſeruations vpon the Prophet. The comfort of the holy people is moſt ſweete in this Booke. The degrees of his viſiōs. Chriſt in prophane eyes is a baſe ſtone, and heathen Kings goodly mettals: but he beateth them to duſt, and becometh a great mountaine. In Daniels e • en they are beaſts caſt into fire, and the Sonne of man coming in the clouds into the world: afterwards going vnto the Ancient of dayes, he, ſitteth on an eternall throne. The times 2300 dayes. Chap. 8. Sundry other heauenly apparations Daniel hath: as when the wonderfull Numberer (called in Daniel, Palmoni) calleth an Angel, Gabriel: and biddeth him teach Daniel the verie dayes from the first of the rage against Moſes lawes, vnto the laſt of the Grecians dealing against the Temple. And after that his ſenſes had bene acquainted with ſo exact an accompt vnto the very day, for a particular hinderance of the truth, he ſeeth a hand writing, Chap. 5. Chap. 9. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 MENE MENE: and ſoone the former Angel numbreth moſt exactly the time vnto our Lords death. And againe, ſoone after he hath a viſion like that of Christ in the

Chap. 1.13. Chap. 12. Three yeres and half, and dayes 1290 and dayes 1335 al theſe are, the firſt from the polluting of the holy Temple vnto the recouerie: the other two: vnto ſeuerall comforts againſt Antiochus: which the preſent Age ſhould marke, euen to the exact dayes.

The whole ſumme of Daniel is 600 yeares: frō ſince the Chaldeans tooke Ieruſalem, vntill the Romans toke it.

The tongues of Daniel.

Reuelation, and of three Angels, one ſilent, another teaching him the ſumme of his booke in plain ſpeeches: another asking a queſtion of times, and taking an anſwer, with the very particular dayes of two famous neare matters. Theſe two confirme the wonderfull accompt of Chriſt his owne ſet time for redemptiō. Dan. 9.24. Farther then which the date of times might not go in the Prophets, beyond the glorifying of the King: but therein it was to reſt. By like reuolutions, men might know, that Christ would graunt them the like ſpace to repentance, that they loſed not their land: as he gaue in the wilderneſſe to prepare them that ſhould enter into the land. And ſo it fell out alike: 40. yeares they ſpent in the wilderneſſe, 40 after our Lords death in the land. And ſo the whole warning that Daniel gaue the Iewes to beware of their Deluge, is iuſt in ſpace the ſame that Lamech gaue to the old world at Noahs birth, 600 yeares afore the flood. From Nebuchadnezers firſt yeare, 70 of captiuitie: thence 7 times that ſpace in expreſſed wordes, layd downe in Scripture, and 40 afterwards not recorded, nor to haue bene recorded in ſcripture, but marked of heathen by the euent. This is the compaſſe of Daniels times: which they that cast not aright, ſhal be disturbed.

The ſtate of the world when he wrote, and the tongues vvhich he vſed, call vs to farther admiration. His Prophecie was written in the moſt diſtreſſed times of the world, to be ſuch a iewell, that being ſeene, it might haue redreſſed the calamities of thoſe dayes. For, when the kingdome of Iudah was to be plagued by the tuſt God: all the world was plagued alſo, with more alterations of kingdomes and warres then had bene afore. The Zohar noteth this, truely and wonderfully And then God by Daniel writeth firſt in the heathens language the Syriaque or Chaldy tong: which East & South beſt knew. In that he ſheweth how the Image of the worldly pōpe, & all the wicked are made as duſt before the winde: and prophane Empires are as beaſts troubling the ſea of life: A generall knowledg of Law & Goſpel is taught in Daniel by kingdomes, many periſhing & one ſtanding. periſhing at the laſt in a fierie lake: frō the throne of a Iudge euerlaſting, with whom there is no ſhadow of change. Alſo he telleth of the kingdome that cannot be corrupted, ſet vp by one like the Sonne of man coming in the cloudes, and going againe vnto the ancient of dayes, to ſit for euer in glory. All this, and other matters of the preſent Age, Daniel penneth in the language moſt knowne of any one: that the heathen might be benefited. Notwithſtanding the Iewes haue in this worke their prerogatiue. For in the tongue vſed onely of them; he penneth the ſelfe ſame matter: naming plainly what people he afore ſpake off, and that in ſundrie ſortes for exact certaintie. And he limiteth the time, The phraſe of 70 ſeuens, being cōpared with former times, wil ſhew that God ruled al times of Iudah: in an order eaſie to conſider. when all nations ſhould be brought into the holy couenant, in a more wonderfull ſweet ſpeech, for the preſent matter, and for the frame of all the Bible, then a mans minde could euer haue thought vpon. Yea though one had an hundred mouthes and an hundred tongues, & a voyce of ſteele, he ſhould not be able to ſhew the vſe of his two tongues, how plentifull commodities they haue, his Chaldy or Syriaque, and his Hebrew. We haue no Chaldy ſaue two Chapters of Ezra, ſo ancient as his by 400. yeares. And of ſuch as write thence in Chaldy, tranſlating the Hebrew, Chaldy, Syriaque, Aethiopian, Arabique: all foure vſe Daniels Syriaque. Onkelos 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and the author of Targum Ieruſalemy vpon the Law, Ionathan Ben Vziel vpon the Prophets, and the vncertaine tranſlaters of the other holy bookes, all their workes make great vſe of halfe his, the Chaldy part: and ſo doth the Syriaque tranſlater of the New teſtament continually frequent his ſtyle. Neither was the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Dan.2.26. is in no Chaldy, but in the Aethiopian. Heb. 2. and 4. &c. Aethiopian ignorant of him, or negligent to vſe his phraſes. Alſo the Arabique Tranſlaters of both Teſtaments, chalenge as good a part in him as any of the former: And although none, but Linguiſts, can throughly iudge of this commoditie, yet any man may ſee what great honour God gaue to the Prophet, that draweth his little Chaldy through ſo many and ſo large workes of thoſe diuerſe nations. A wonderful recompence to the Chaldeans for vſing Daniel well. Euen as the Chaldeans gaue cups of cold water to Daniel when he requeſted it, rather than of the Kings wine, God would not haue them looſe their reward: but made that language which they taught him, to haue honour through all the world vnto this day. I omit how his Chaldy ſtyle teacheth to diſtinguiſh old Rabbines in either Talmuds from new, by the tenour of the Grammer, and ſtirreth iudgement to marke by the ſtyle later Rabbines from the elder. Yet I may not chooſe but warne ſomewhat of this. Alſo in our dayes the Chaldy paraphraſtes are beholding to him. For whereas they were ſo confuſed, that to Grammer of them could be made, the learned Mercerus and others after him, Daniels Chaldy cauſed the Chaldy paraphraſtes new honour in our age: ſo perpetuall is the holy mans glorie. Elias Leuita moued a queſtion whether the Chaldy could bee brought to Art. That Gordiā knot was cut, by breaking all their vncerteinty with Daniels ſword by our learned Chriſtians. vowell them after Daniels Chaldy, to their great honour, and all wiſemens contentment. Nowe touching his Hebrew ſtyle, wherein he penneth the viſion of the Ramme and Goate, his owne heauenly prayer, Gabriels ſpeech for the name and office of Chriſt, containing all skill of knowledge: an heauenly viſion of Chriſt, in holy view, the Hebrew ſtyle of all this: and yet more ſpecially for a long oration of the ſtouter Perſian kings fall: of great Alexander, his riſing and fall: his houſes rooting out: his Captaines, many parting the ſpoyle, but foure principall: and of them two houſes dealers with the Iewes, and their particular dealings vnto Antiochus Epiphanes: his rage from placing of his Idoll three yeares and an halfe, his falles after the placing of that Idoll, one at the day 1290. another at the day 1335. his comfort by an argument from the reſurrection in all theſe troubles: this rare matter hath not onely wiſdome, but wit for ſpecialty of ſtyle; that blaſphemous Porphyry and all might haue ſeene more than a mans wit in the Hebrew phraſe. Such his matter and languages be. To conclude, we ſee how in troubles he pictures the camping of the Angels about Chriſts ſeruants, what enemies they ſhould haue, and what thoſe ſhould ſuffer, how and when Chriſt by him ſelfe vvould make reconciliation for ſinne, and ſit on the throne of glorie: how in the most common tongue, the matter is ſpoken, ſo farre as men then could quietly accept it: how peculiarly it was ſpoken for the peculiar perſons, and in a peculiar phraſe: vvhere the wicked otherwiſe would haue raged intollerably. And we may ſee how Daniel ioyneth both Testaments, ending the Ceremonies, and breaking the partition vvall of the old: and laying the foundation and groundworke of the New. Alſo how God (perfect in all knowledge) draweth the Heathen Stories (from Herodotus vnto Liuie) to be ſeruants vnto Diuinitie: Prophecies in the Eaſt tongues, for matter recorded in the Weſterne, ſhould ſtirre ſtudie & honor of ſtudie for both. that vvhen all the world had marked all the particulars of the Perſians and Greekes, fallen out according as it vvas foretold, they might aſſure themſelues, that the matters touching their calling into the heauenly Ieruſalem, ſhould be likewiſe in due time accompliſhed. This much may be holden in ſome ſort the ſumme of the gracious Daniel his Graces: but the thūder of Gods power (as Iob ſpeaketh in a like matter) vvho but he in his text, or one of Daniels vviſedome is able to declare? Now let vs haſten to his matter: taking by the vvay the Kings of his narrations: and vſing grauē pictures to the pictures of his pen in due place. But by the vvay the Reader muſt be ſhewed faults of printing.

Faults eſcaped.

In B 2. reade ſooner killed then Euergetes died. And in Prol. Epiphanes, 8. horne, not 9. In Chap. 9.14 the Lord was watchfull. In H 4. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Rom. 3. not 4. In I 3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the ſentence is, Search and you ſhall find it. In the Arab. Geogr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Abel Phada Iſmael, I trow is the author. I thought by the notatiō that γ was the letter, and not #: but the notation in the Arabique, Pſal. 3. Lifted vp, is fitteſt. In pag. vlt. l. 1. who heard, not, was heard. Lin. vlt. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Further faults the gentle reader muſt ſearch.

THE KINGS BELONGING to the Image in DANIEL.

Chaldeans.

NEbuchadnezar: by notation, Nabo (Eſa. 46.1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) is Lord of keeping or ſtoring.

Euil-Merodac: a principall is Merodac. Ier. 50.2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

Bel-She-Azar: Bel is he that ſtoreth. Bel-Taſh-Azar Daniels name is of the ſame notation. And Bel-Azar or Beleſis in Diodorus Siculus, book ſecōd: where he hath moſt noble ſtories, doubtleſſe meant of our Daniel, how in warres he preuayled: encouraging nations by prophecies of victorie. Here the three kings beare names of three Babylonian Gods: Nabo, Merodac, Bel: as Abbakuk noteth, that the Chaldean would attribute this his ſtrēgth vnto his God. Ab. 1.11. The planets were their chiefe Gods: termed of foretelling as Nabo or of kinghood, as Ched. is mat. 26. in Arabike Mar, Dan. 2. Rac. Gen. 42. in Onkelos. Shed, in Mat. 27. in Arab. Sac, Ier. 25 and Kimchi in ALN. Nego, Venus in Rabbines cōmonly. The Maſſorites vpon the fift of Daniel note for both their names thus; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 That is, frō the beginning of the booke vnto 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that night was kild &c. Ch. 5.30. Belteſh-Azar-Bel-ſh-Azar. ω Shin is written before κ Aleph. But after, That night. Chap. 5.30. Belt-κſh-zar. Bel κſh-zar. κ Aleph is written afore ω Shin. Of this I was ſpecially to warne, becauſe euen the Hebrew printers, whom eye ſight ſhould haue guided, haue not obſerued the difference, none of all without ſome negligence: ſo that but for the Maſſorites the text had bene corrupted: and my obſeruations ſhould be thought to diſagree with the originall vpon Chap. 1.5.7.8. and 10. Theſe three Chaldean kings make the golden head, the Lion, & the 〈◊〉 : as the Perſians and ſundred Greekes haue their armes,

Of the Perſian kings, whereof they whoſe names are in Hebrew are extant in ſcripture. The Greeke names are as heathen write and terme them.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Darius.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Cyrus.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Artaxaſhta: Artaxaſata or Artaxiaſata, as Strabo writeth townes, named from the kings name.

or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Ahaſhueroth.

The fourth: Daniel 11.2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , alſo 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Darius Artaxaſhta, or Artaxaſta: thorough Ezra, from Chap. 7. as the Maſſorites there note.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Darius. Theſe three are paſſed ouer in Nehemiah.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Artaxerxes. Theſe three are paſſed ouer in Nehemiah.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Ochus. Theſe three are paſſed ouer in Nehemiah.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Darius. Neh. 12.

The Greekes whole.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Alexander the great, the notable horne in the forehead of the Goate-bucke.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 His poſteritie, Hercules and Alexander. Theſe with the principall parters of his kingdome, make the bellie and the ſides of braſſe: the Leopard with foure heads: and the Goate-buckes notable horne: and the foure that came vp for it.

The Greekes parted. The Southerne all are in Strabo. Geog. 17. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ptolemy Lagides 1. horne, the king of the South. Dan. 11.5. Ptolemy Philadelphus. 3. horne. v. 6. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Bernice his daughter is married to the king of the North, and killed. Ptolemy Euergetes her brother. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . One that ſtandeth vp from the Impe of her rootes. 5. horne. v. 7. Ptolemy Philopator. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . 7. horne. v. 11. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . He in whoſe times the lawleſſe Iewes will be ſtirring and periſh. Ptolemy Epiphanes. He had with his wife Cleopatra Syria in dowrie. v. 18. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . • horne. The Northerne all are in Appians Syriac. Seleucus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Nicator, 2. horne. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 v. 5. Antiochus Soter, who dealt in no ſpecial ſort againſt the Iewes: and therfore is omitted in Gabriels ſpeech. Antiochus Theos. 4. horne. v. 6. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Seleucus Callinicus: ſoone killed. Antiochus the great v. 10. 6. horne. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Hee that marrieth his daughter to the king of the South, he ſhall alſo conſume Iudaea. Seleucus Philopater: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the taxer: 9. horne. v. 20. Antiochus Epimanes: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the vile: the 10. horne. v. 21.

Theſe kings make the iron of the two legs, and ſomewhat of the iron and clay: thinking by mariages to make attonement, for Syria and Iudaea, but further falling out. Theſe alſo ſuch as are noted with Hebrew, make the ten hornes of the fourth beaſt: and in theſe dayes the Iewes the high Saintes begin to recouer their kingdome. In particularitie Daniel ſpeaketh no further of them.

The clay weaknes of the Images legs.

Southerne.

Ptolemy Philometor and Ptolemy Phyſcon.

Ptolemy Lathurus.

Ptolemy Auletes the Piper.

Cleopatra. Strab. 17. All after the third Ptolemy, were corrupt in wantonneſſe, and ruled cruelly. But the ſeuenth and eighth the Piper ſpecially.

Northerne two at once. Demetrius Soter. Demetrius Nicator. Antiochus brother to Demetrius, he killed himſelfe. Cleopatra wife to Demetrius killed him: ſhe had maried her brother Antiochus: and had children by Demetrius. Seleucus and Ant. Grypus. Seleucus was kild by his mother Cleopatra. Grypus poiſoned his mother. Sele • cus. he droue out Cyzicen, & was killed. by Antiochus. An. Cyzicenus, he droue out Grypus. Antiochus, who maried his mother in lawe Selene. Tigranes droue him out. And Pompey refuſed to ſuffer his ſonne to raign • . Antiochus Eupator. Alexander. Diodotus, who maried Ptolemies daughter. Tryphon killed by Antiochus.

Trogus Pompeius noteth, that thus by the diſcord of the brethren of conſanguinitie, the Eaſt became vnder the people of Rome. And ſo all may ſee how iron and clay the mixture in mans ſeed not cleauing together, giueth teſtimonie to Daniels viſion.

Of the times and yeares which theſe kings raigned.

WHereas theſe prophane kings are compared with Scripture, we muſt take heede leſt we grant vnto them a longer time of raigne then the holy text hath for the ſame ages: for ſo we diſanull the authoritie of Gods word. Yet former ages haue bene in that blame a long time. This may be ſpoken of them in generall: that the whole yeares of no kings out of Gods people, haue or were to haue their whole ſumme in holy record. Beſides, heathen are ſo vncertaine, that they agree not for the yeares of any one king betwixt Nebucadnezar and Iulius Caeſar. Yet when heathen are throughly examined from age to age, by particular teſtimonies, and by the liues of moſt famous men, they ſhall be found to agree very well ſo: with that which Scripture teſtimonies & liues require. Though ſtrong errors like hedges of thornes ſtop the paſſage of the truth. The truth muſt be confirmed from them: for better ſatisfaction of ſuch as braue more in heathen ſtudies then Diuinitie.

Of the Chaldeans time of raigne.

THe Iewes agree vniuerſally, that from the firſt of Nebuchadnezar vnto the death of Belſhazar, the time is ſeuentie yeares. And if Chriſtian Commenters had followed them in that agreement and truth, it had bene better with vs. Whereas the ſecond captiuitie by ſome, the third by ſome others, is made the beginning of the ſeuentie yeares: ſo a great rent is made in the holy ſtorie.

Of the Perſians true times: and erronious The negligēt auncient giue Cyrus Cambyſes, Darius y. ſpent together & before Babel ſel, the ſame diſtinct, & after: and to Darius 46. who liued but 43 Codoman giueth Artax. I. 59. fully: & Pl • t. to Art. II. 62. to helpe out the 100 erronious The record of Euripid. 75. in Suid. & of Timoth. being in thoſe his times, in which Philip raigned, this will ende the ſtrife: & heathē other liues infinite: as Ariſtides daughters, & Dem. Phal. Lais and Demoſt. acquaintance; Platoes & Dionys and all commonly then of fame will cut about 40. y. off at a clap. ſleights that deceiued.

From Darius Hyſtaſpeos age about 20. at Babels fal he liuing but 43. vnto Xerxes warre 6. yeares after his death, are 30. yeres. Then Artaxerxes raigned, at home Herod. and Cteſ.

Artaxerxes in all 42. Clem. 1. Storm. He died in the ſeuenth of the Peloponneſian warres. Thuc.

Ochus 8. cleare y. 16. with his father, 11. with his ſon.

Artaxerxes 42. Clem.

Alexanders Epiſtle to Darius in Arrianus, argueth that Ochus raigned but a litle afore Philips death. Yet Olympikes giue him liberally a ſcore of yeares. Ochus three. Darius about fiue.

Summe 130.

Of the Grecians times from Clemens: (but Epiphanius differeth in twelue yeares exceſſe, and Maximus Monachus cometh shorter.)

Alexander ſixe yeares.

Ptolemie Lagides fortie.

Ptolemie Philadelphus ſeuen and thirtie.

Ptolemie Euergetes fiue and twentie.

Ptolomie Philopator ſeuenteene.

Ptolemie Epiphanes foure and twentie.

In this age Iuda recouereth their owne gouernement.

Ptolomie Philometor fiue and thirtie.

Phyſcon nine and twentie.

Lathurus ſixe and thirtie.

Auletes nine and twentie.

Cleopatra two and twentie.

Summe 300.

The Romans vnto our Lords death threeſcore years, ſo ariſe 490.

Thus we may ſee, how they litle examined the heathen, who could not ſee that ſome agreed moſt exactly with the Scripture. Nowe The Arabiās in an Arabike commentarie vpon Gen. 10. haue Suidas iuſt number at our Lordes birth: ſo belike agreeing here, with Suidas. Suidas hath for all the Greekes times about thirtie yeares leſſe then Clemens. They who thinke that true, may pardon the Greekes, thirtie in their fortie of exceſſe: paſt from Lyſanders vnwalling Athens, or Phyle ſtirres in the life of them who ſawe it: and heard Dinarchus cite their teſtimony againſt Demoſthenes, after Alexanders death: of which ſort Aeſchines and Demetrius Phalereus are cited by them ſelues and others. Such as heard not of Greciaes moſt mōſtrous lying, may pay the one with the other. In ſound learning and religion, that muſt ſtand in ſumme which beſt agreeth with ſcripture for the ſame times: otherwiſe Greekes diſagree, for ech kings yeres.

The Nobles of Iuda, that touch principally the booke of Daniell.

IN ſundrie partes and ſundrie maners ſpake God of Redemption to the fathers, before the dayes of Dauid: and to him he promiſed that his ſeed ſhould ſit vpon a throne for euer. That ſpeech was fit to allure all men vnto ſearching of the ſpirituall kingdome. But the carnall ſtill vnderſtood that carnally. The ten tribes deſpiſed it, and went to Ohelehem, and Elohehem, to their owne tents and Gods. Salomons houſe hoped to hold ſtill that outward kingdome, & would not beleeue otherwiſe, the moſt of them, till the Chaldean tooke away, and ouerthrew all their ſtate. When the viſible kingdome fell, all Iuda was to be reſolued what ſhould become of Dauids throne. The whole booke of Daniel is a ſatisfaction for that perplexitie, & cleare, being conſidered for that point, how Salomons houſe being extinct in Iechoniah, the houſe of Nathan, from Salathiel, Pedaiah, and For Zorobabels houſe, the onely then true and right princes, of all the world, Daniell hath his reuelations, and his 490. yeares are to be compared with their liues in two families. Zorobabel, come to be heires of the kingdome. But as the kingdome of Chriſt firſt ſuffers & hath glorie after: ſo they and their faithfull ſhall be conformed. Babel, the Medes with Elam, and Greekes, whole and parted, ſhall rob them: but they ſhall poſſeſſe a kingdome for euer and euer. And when the ſeuentie yeares of Babels rage giue a taſt of Gods defence and reuenge, they are told of that celeſtiall ſpeech, how at ſeuen times that ſpace, the moſt holy will bring an eternall kingdome opened for all. Thereupon the faithfull of the nation go from Babell vnto Ieruſalem, where the Lord ſhould be king, and reſtore the ſtate, and build the Temple. Ezra and Nehemia declare their ſtorie vnto The teſtimonie of Ioſephus that Iaduah and Sanballat ſaw Gre •• Alexāder, wherin both Iewes and Gentils hitherto agree, that, by Ezra and Nehemias perſonages vtterly cōfutes all heathen vſed chronicles. Iaduah, who and Sanballat ſaw great Alexander. The troupes of them are ſtarres for the ſtorie vnder the Perſians: to checke heathen that with falſe regeſter of times, as poeticall Heliades, or Phaetontiades, will diſanull the prophecie of the due ſeaſon. And ſpecially the kingly families of Zorobabel: whoſe regeſter in the two Euangeliſtes is more worth then all heathē records. Thus it ſtandeth.

Zorobabel. 1. Abiud. 2. Eliakim. 3. Azor. 4. Sadok. 5. Achin. 6. Eliud. 7. Eleazar. 8. Matthan. 9. Iacob. 10. Ioſeph.

The ſucceſſion of theſe ten heires to the Crowne, muſt with our Lordes three and thirtie yeares, make vp 490. They were afflicted, to be about 45. yeares eache one before they tooke to build families.

Zorobabel. 1. Rheſa. 2. Iohanna. 3. Iuda. 4. Ioſeph. 5. Semei. 6. Matthathie. 7. Maath. 8. Nagge. 9. Heſli. 10. Nahum. 11. Amos. 12. Matthathie. 13. Ioſeph. 14. Ianna. 15. Melchi. 16. Leuie. 17. Matthat. 18. Helie. 19. Marie. 20. Ieſus.

Daniel.

CHAPTER. 1. The beginning and the ende of the ſeauentie yeeres captiuitie.

IN theHere conſider an eaſie accompt of Gods prouident gouernement, ſince Moſes tymes. In the ſeuenth yeere the lande was parted. Thence the firſt of Samuel falleth in the ſeuenth Iubilie: & thence vnto this yeere, are ſeauen ſeauenties. See verſe 21.thirde yeere of the reigne of Iehoiakim king of Iudah,Y. W. 3402. came Nebuchadnezar king of Babel vnto Ieruſalem, and layde ſiedge agaynſt it.

And the Lorde gaue into his handes Iehoiakim king of Iudah, and part of the veſſels of the houſe of God: and he caried them into the lande of Shinar, the houſe of his goddes: and he caried the veſſelles into the treaſurie of his goddes.

And the king ſpake to Aſpenaz lord Chamberlaine, that he ſhould bring certaine of the children of Iſrael, of the kinges Eſay tolde of this. Ch. 39.7. ſeede, and of the nobleſt:

Springalles without any blemiſhe, and goodly in fauour, and ſkilful in al wiſedome, and wel ſeene in knowledge, and witty of vnderſtanding, and of abilitie in them to ſtande in the kinges Palace: and to teach them the learning & tongue of the Caldeans.

And the king appoynted them a prouiſion day by day of a portion of the kinges meate, and of the wine of his drinkes: ſo to nooryſh them three yeeres, that at the ende thereof they myght ſtande before the kinge.

Now among theſe were certayne of the chyldren of Iudah, Daniel, Hananiah, Miſhael, and Azariah:

On whom the Lord Chamberlayne ſet (other) names: and he ſet on Daniel,

They had ben all named: of God, a iudge, mercifull, and ſtrong.

That is, Belkeepeth treaſure: but ſee Cha. 10. how he altereth it.

Belteſhazar, and on Hananiah, Shadrach, and on Miſhael, Meſhach, and on Azariah, Abednego.

But Daniel ſet in his hart, that he woulde not defile hymſelfe with the portion of the kinges meate, nor with the wine which he dranke. Therefore he made requeſt to the chiefe Chamberlayne, that he ſhoulde not A practiſe of Leuit. 11. defile hym ſelfe.

Now God had cauſed the chiefe Chamberlaine to The effect of Salamons prayer. 1. king. 8, 50. fauour and pittie Daniel.

And the chiefe Chamberlaine ſayde vnto Daniel: I feare my Lord the king, who hath appoynted your meate, and your drinke. VVherefore ſhould he ſee your faces worſe lykeing then the other ſpringalles, which are of your ſort? then ſhall you make guylty my head vnto the king.

Then ſayd Daniel to Or to the Melzar, that is, Stewarde, a name of an office. Melzar, whom the chiefe Chamberlaine had ſet ouer Daniel, Hananiah, Miſhael, and Azariah.

O proue thy ſeruantes tenne dayes: and let be geuen to vs ſome Pulſe to eate, and water to drinke.

Then let our countenances be looked vpon before thee, and the countenances of the ſpringalles that eate of the portion of the kinges meate: and as thou ſeeſt, deale with thy ſeruantes.

So he gaue eare to them in this matter, and prooued them tenne dayes.

And at the ende of ten dayes, their countenances appeared fayrer, and fatter in fleſh, then all the chyldren which did eate the portion of the kings meate.

And Melzar tooke away the portion of their meate, and the wine that they ſhoulde drinke, and gaue them Pulſe.

And to theſe ſpringalles all foure, to them God gaue knowledge, and ſkill in all learnyng and wyſedome: alſo Daniel had vnderſtanding in all Therein his whole booke excelleth, declaryng the commyng vp, idolatry, chaſtiſement, fall: of the Babylonians, Medes-&-Perſians, Grekes, whole & parted: and how Chriſt defendeth the holy Iewes, vntyll the redemptiō. viſions and dreames.

At 3407.3471. the ende of the dayes that the king had commaunded to bring them in, then the chiefe Chamberlaine brought them before Nebuchadnezar.

And the king communed with them: and none of them all was founde like Daniel, Hananiah, Miſhael, and Azariah: and they ſtoode before the king.

And in all matters for wyſedome of vnderſtanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them tenne tymes better then all the enchaunters, and aſtrologians, that were in all his realme.

And Daniel continued vnto the Then the 70. of Captiuity ended, and the ſeauen ſeauenties are told for redemption, out of Satans captiuity: by our Lordes death, erectyng a kingdome ouer al the earth.firſt yeere of king Cyrus.

CHAP. 2. The ſtate of the Hebrewes, vntill the birth of our Lord, vnder the Caldeans, Medes-Perſians, and the Graecians: The kingdome of Chriſte ſhall after that fill the whole earth. Daniel is a new Ioſeph.

IN the ſecond As Ioſeph in the ſeconde after ſkil in dreames expoundeth Pharaohs, ſo God diſpoſeth theſe times alyke, the enchanters alyke, guydeth & aduanceth Ioſeph & Daniel alike yeere afterwardes (in the raigne of Nebuchadnezar) Nebuchadnezar dreamed dreames: and his ſpirite was diſquieted, and his ſleepe brake on him.

Then the king commanded to call the Enchanters, Aſtrologians, and the Sorcerers, and the Caldeans, for to declare to the king his dreames. So they came and ſtoode before the king.

And the king ſayd vnto them: I haue dreamed a dreame, and my ſpirite was troubled to knowe the dreame.

Then ſpake the Caldeans to the king in While the viſions are generall, and cauſe the Iewes no danger: ſo farr Daniel writeth in the Syriaque tongue, general ouer the eaſt, al hence to the 8. chapter. But when the oppreſſors be named, Medes & Perſians, and Greekes, both whole and alſo parted, about Iuda: into Egypt, and to the North, and the Iewes ar plainly deſcribed the people whom god defendeth: then the eyght chapter, and al after, he writeth in Ebrew: & hath a commandement to keepe cloſe the playne expoſition in ch. 12.4 Syriaque: O king, lyue for euer. Tell to thy ſeruauntes the dreame, and we wyll ſhew the interpretation.

And the king anſwered, and ſayd to the Caldeans: the thing is gone from me, yf ye wyll not make me know my dreame, with the interpretation thereof, ye ſhalbe cut in peeces, and your houſes ſhalbe made a dunghill.

But yf you ſhew the dreame, and the interpretation of it, ye ſhall receiue of me guyftes, and rewardes, and great honour: therefore, ſhew me the dreame, and the interpretation thereof.

They anſwered the ſeconde tyme, and ſayde: let the king tell his ſeruantes the dreame, and we wyll ſhew the interpretation thereof.

Then the king anſwered, and ſayd: of a certaintie know I, that ye woulde buy the time: becauſe you ſee the thing is gone from me.

But yf you wyl not make knowen to me the dreame, there is but one decree ouer you. For ye haue prepared lying, & corrupt wordes to ſpeake before mee, tyll the time be changed. Therefore tell me the dreame, that I may know if ye can ſhew me the interpretatiō therof.

Then the Caldeans anſwered before the king, and ſayd: there is no man vpon earth that can ſhewe the thing that the king ſpeaketh off. Yea there is neyther King, Prince, nor Lord, that aſked ſuch thinges at an Enchanter, or Aſtrologian, or Caldean.

Yea, the thing which the king demaundeth is rare: and there is none other that can ſhew it vnto the king except the Goddes, whoſe dwelling is not with fleſh.

Herevpon the king was in anger, & great furie, and commanded to deſtroy all the Sages of Babel.

And a decree came foorth, and the Sages were killed: and they ſought Daniel and his felowes, that they might be killed.

Then Daniel ſtayed the counſell and edict, through Arioch the kinges Prouoſt martial, which came forth to kill the ſages of Babel.

He ſpake and ſayd to Arioch the kinges officer, Why haſteneth the decree from the king? Then Arioch made knowen the matter vnto Daniel.

So Daniel went, and prayed the king, that he would giue him time, and he would ſhew the king the interpretation.

Then Daniel went to his houſe, and made knowen the matter to Hananiah, Miſhael, and Azariah, his fellowes:

That they ſhoulde beſeeche the God of heauen for grace in this ſecret, that Daniel & his felowes ſhould not periſh with the reſt of the ſages of Babel.

Then to Daniel in a viſion by nyght was this ſecret reuealed. Then Daniel bleſſed the God of heauen.

Daniel ſpake & ſayd, The name of God be prayſed for euer and euer. For wiſedome and courage are his.

And he changeth the times and ſeaſons: he taketh away kinges, and ſetteth vp kinges: he giueth wiſedome to the wiſe, and vnderſtanding to thoſe that haue vnderſtanding.

He diſcouereth the deepe and the hid thinges: he knoweth what is in the darknes, and lyght dwelleth with him.

I thanke, and prayſe thee, O God of my fathers, that thou haſt giuen me wyſedome and courage, and haſt made knowen to me now the thing wherfore we prayed to thee, making knowen vnto vs the kinges matter.

Hereupon Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appoynted to deſtroy the ſages of Babel: he came and ſayd thus vnto him: Deſtroy not the ſages of Babel, but bring me before the king, and I wyll ſhew the king the interpretation.

Then Arioch in all haſte brought Daniel before the king, and thus ſayd vnto him: I haue found a man of the captiues of Iudah, that wyll make knowen to the king the interpretation.

Then anſwered the king, and ſayd vnto Daniel, whoſe name was Belteſhazar: Art thou able to make knowen vnto me the dreame which I haue ſeene, and the interpretation thereof?

Daniel anſwered before the king, and ſayd, The ſecrete which the king hath demaunded, no Sages, Aſtrologians, Enchanters, entral-lookers, are able to ſhew vnto the king.

But there is a God in heauen that reuealeth ſecretes, and maketh knowen to the king Nebuchadnezar what ſhall be Or, in the end of dayes: that is, vnto Chriſt: as Eb. 1.1. and ſo Gen. 49. Eſa. 2. Ezek. 38 in the dayes folowing. The dreame, and the viſions of thine head vpon thy bed, are thus.

O king, thy thoughtes on thy bed aſcended, what ſhould come hereafter, and he that reuealeth ſecretes, maketh knowen to thee what ſhall come to paſſe.

As for me, not for any wiſedome that I haue, more then any other liuing, is this ſecret reuealed vnto me: but that the king may knowe the interpretation, and that thou mighteſt know the thoughtes of thine hart.

O king, thou beheweſt, and ſoe, there was a huge In holy Daniels eyes they are foure beaſtes: which to prophane mens capacity god ſheweth as goodly • owers. Image: this Image was great, and his brightneſſe was excellent: it ſtoode before thee, and was terrible to beholde.

The Kingdomes that ouerruled the holy Ebrewes

Babylō .70. yeares. Medes & Perſianes .150. Alexander ſtate .6. Magog & Egypt .294. y• Image reigned .500. y •

This Image had his Babel alone 70. yeeres, not Aſſur. Head of fine Golde, his Medes and Perſians, two kingdoms here as one agaynſt the Iewes 130. yeeres. Breſt and Armes of Siluer, his Great Alexander, with the whole power of Greeke ſtates, which made him then king for the Perſian warre. Diod. book▪ 16. ſyxe yeere. Bellie and his Sides of Braſſe,

His

The Legs are in Cha. 11, the ſucceſſours of Alexander, in two, the mightieſt kingdōes, Egypt and the North the one 294. yeres.

The errour of taking in hyther the Romās is hurtful, to al Daniels booke, and to all chriſtianity, and other ſtories, & hath no colour of trueth from Daniel.

Legges of Iron, and his Feete part of Iron, and part of Clay.

Thou beheldeſt tyll a Stone The Stone is the power of Chriſt, weake & baſe in mens eyes, vnles they looke on the f ••• e throne Dan. 7. was cut without handes, which ſmote the Image vpon his feete of Iron and Clay, and brake them in peeces.

Then was broken togeyther, the Iron, the Clay, the Braſſe, the Siluer, and the Golde, and became like the chaffe of a ſommer batne-floore, and the winde caried them away, and no place was founde for them: and the Stone that ſmote the Image, became a great Mountayne, and filled the whole earth.

This is the dreame: and the interpretation thereof wyll we tell before the king.

O King, thou ſhalt be a King of Kinges: For the God of heauen giueth thee a kingdome, power, and ſtrength, and glory.

And of all places where the chyldren of men dwell, the beaſtes of the fielde, the foules of the heauen, giueth he into thy handes, and maketh thee ruler ouer them all: thou art the Head of Golde.

And after thee ſhall ariſe another Kingdome, vnder thee, of Siluer: and another a thirde kingdome of Braſſe, which ſhall rule ouer all the earth.

And the fourth kingdome ſhall be hard, lyke iron. For as much as iron breaketh and beateth to powder all thinges. Euen as iron bruſeth all theſe, ſhall it breake Whom? euen the Iewes nation: but the wittie prophet hydeth that, which woulde cauſe them to be more hated of the heathen. and bruſe.

Whereas thou ſaweſt the feete and tooes, part of the Potters clay, part of Iron, it ſhalbe a deuided kingdome: and there ſhalbe in it ſome, of the rigour of Iron, as thou ſaweſt Iron mixed with earthy clay.

As the tooes of the feete were part of iron, part of clay: the kingdome ſhalbe partly In compariſō of Iuda, and in dealing againſt them, vnto Antiochus Epiphanes, or ſomwhat further. hard, and ſhalbe partly brittle.

Alſo, whereas thou ſaweſt iron mixed with earthy clay, they ſhall In mariages which are handled in cha. 11.6. & 17. mingle them ſelues in the ſeede of man: but they ſhall not cleaue one to another, euen as iron can not be mixed with clay.

And in the When the kingdomes of the Selucides, and the Ptolomies are fallen. dayes of theſe kinges, ſhall the God of Iohn the Baptiſt looked to this, and our Lord alſo, ſaying, the kingdome of heauē is come: and ſo did S. Paul. 1. Tim. 1.17. heauen ſet vp a kingdome, which ſhall neuer be corrupted: and the kingdome ſhall not be giuen to an other people: but it ſhall breake and finiſhe all theſe kingdomes: and it ſhall ſtande for euer.

Whereas thou ſaweſt that the Stone was cut out of the Mountaine without handes, and that it brake in pecces the witty Daniel telleth firſt, how the laſt ſhalbe deſtroyed, & not how Nebuchadnezars houſe firſt ſhould fall. So he dealeth in Chap. 7. verſe 11. & 12. Iron, the Braſſe, the Clay, & the Siluer, and the Gold, the great God maketh knowne to the king, what ſhall come to paſſe hereafter. Thus the dreame is true, & the interpretation therof is ſure.

Then the king Nebuchadnezar, fell vpon his face, and worſhypped Daniel, and commaunded to offer oblation and ſweete odours vnto him.

The king ſpake vnto Daniel, and ſayd, Of trueth your God is the God of Goddes, and the Lorde of kinges, and the reuealer of ſecretes, ſeeing thou couldeſt open this ſecrete.

So the king made This was about two yeres afore the captiuity of Iechonias: an encoragement for the faythful to go willingly to Babylon, their owne nobles being ſo aduaunced there. Daniel a great man, and gaue vnto him many great gyftes: he made him gouernour ouer the whole prouince of Babel, and high Chauncelour ouer all the ſages of Babel.

Then Daniel prayed the king and he ſet Shadrach, Meſhach and Abednego, ouer the charge of the Prouince of Babel: & Daniel was in the gate of the king.

CHAP. 3. The king hauing dreamed of the Image, ſoone after maketh an Image of golde, wherein th • idolatrie of Babel is confuted by Daniels aduanced felowes, the angell of God accompanying them in the fyer: and the king by decree confirming the honour of their God.

NEbuchadnezar the king Y.W. 3408 made an Image of Golde: whoſe height was ſixtie cubites, his breadth ſixe cubites. He ſet it vp in the playne of Dura, in the prouince of Babel.

And Nebuchadnezar the king ſent to aſſemble the Chaldy officers muſt be tearmed of vs after ours, next theirs in vſe & notation. Princes, Dukes and Lordes, Iudges, Receauers, Counſellers, Shyrefes, & all the officers of the Prouince, to come to the dedication of the Image which Nebuchadnezar the king ſet vp.

Then aſſembled the Princes, Dukes & Lordes, Iudges, Receauers, Counſellers, Shyrefes, and all the officers of the Prouince, vnto the dedication of the Image which Nebuchadnezar the king ſet vp: and they ſtoode before the Image which Nebuchadnezar ſet vp.

And an Heralde cryed aloude: To you it is ſpoken, O people, nations, and tongues.

At what tyme ye heare the ſounde of the Cornet, Trumpet, Harpe, Sackbut, Pſaltery, Dulcimer, and all inſtrumentes of muſicke, fall-downe and worſhyp the Image of golde, that Nebuchadnezar the king ſet vp.

And who ſo euer falleth not downe & worſhyppeth, the ſame houre he ſhalbe caſt into the middes of a furnace of burnyng fyre.

Hereupon at the ſame time, when al the people heard the ſound of the Cornet, Trumpet, Harpe, Sackbut, Pſalterie, and al inſtrumentes of muſicke, al people, nations, and tongues fell-downe and worſhypped the Image of golde which Nebuchadnezar the king ſet up.

Hereupon at the ſame tyme came certaine Chaldeans, and made their accuſations againſt the Iewes.

They ſpake, and ſayd to Nebuchadnezar the king, O king lyue for euer.

Thou, O king, haſt made a decree, that euery man that hearrth the ſounde of the Cornet, Trumpet, Harpe, Sackbut, Pſalterie and Dulcimer, and all inſtrumentes of muſicke, ſhall fall-downe and worſhyp the Image of golde.

And who ſo euer falleth not downe, and worſhyppeth, that he ſhould be caſt into the middes of the furnace of burning fyre.

Seeing onely the captiued with Daniel are accuſed, we may know that this was afore Iechonias captiuitie, ſome yeere or two about Nebucadnezars ſeauenth yeere. There are certayne Iewes, whom thou haſt ſet ouer the charge of the Prouince of Babel, Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego: theſe men O king, nothing regarde thy decree: thy gods they ſerue not, nor worſhyp the Image of golde which thou haſt ſet vp.

Then Nebuchadnezar in wrath and choller commaunded to bring Shadrach, Meſhach, & Abednego. Then thoſe men were brought before the king.

Nebuchadnezar ſpake, and ſayd vnto them. Is it of purpoſe Shadrach, Meſhach ▪ and Abednego ▪ Will not you ſerue my goddes? and, wyll not you worſhyp the Image of golde which I haue ſet vp?

Now, yf ye be ready, that at what time ye heare the ſounde of the Comet, Trumpet, Harpe, Sackbut, Pſaltery and Dulcimer, and all inſtrumentes of muſicke, ye fall-downe and worſhyp the Image that I haue made The vnperfect ſpeach argueth his heate : And yf ye worſhyp not, the ſame houre ye ſhalbe caſt into the middes of the furnace of burning fyre. And what God is he that can ſaue you from my handes?

Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego, anſwered, and ſayd to the king: Nebuchadnezar, we want not an anſwere for thee concernyng this matter.

Beholde, our God whom we ſerue, is able to ſaue vs from the furnace of burnyng fyre: and from thy hand O king, he wyll ſaue:

But yf not: be it knowen to thee O king, that we wyll not ſerue thy Gods, nor worſhyp the Image of golde which thou haſt ſet vp.

Then Nebuchadnezar was full of choler, and the image of his face was changed agaynſt Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego. He ſpake, and commanded to heate the Furnace one ſeauen-folde more then it was wont to be heat.

And he commanded certaine valient men of his armie, to binde Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego, to caſt them into the middes of the furnace of burning fyre.

Then thoſe men were bounde in their coates, their hoſen, and their cloakes, & their other garmentes, and caſt into the middes of the furnace of burning fyre.

Hereupon, by reaſon that the kinges commandement vrged haſte, and the furnace was heat exceedingly, thoſe men which tooke vp Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego, them the flame of the fyre kilde.

And theſe three men, Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego, fell bounde into the middes of the furnace of burning fyre.

Then Nebuchadnezar the king was aſtonyed, and roſe vp in haſt: He ſpake, and ſayd to his rulers: Did not we caſt three men bounde into the middes of the fyre? They anſwered and ſayd to the king: True, O king.

He ſpake & ſaid, Ho, I ſee foure men looſe, walking in the middes of the fyre, and they haue no hurt: and the forme of the fourth is lyke The doubtful wordes in the Heathens ſpech haue been wel taken of the ancient, as they beſt myght meane. the ſonne of God.

Then approched Nebuchadnezar vnto the mouth of the furnace of burnyng fyre. He ſpake and ſayd: Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego, the ſeruantes of the high God, come-foorth, come. Then Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego, came foorth from the middes of the fyre.

And the Princes, Dukes, and Lordes, and the Kinges rulers, came togeather, to ſee theſe men, becauſe the fyre had no power ouer their bodyes, and no hayre of their head was burnt: neyther were their coates changed, nor any ſmel of fyre came vpon them.

Nebuchadnezar ſpake and ſayde, Bleſſed be the God of Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego, who hath ſent his Angel and ſaued his ſeruantes, that truſted in him, and changed the kinges commandement, and yeelded their bodyes, rather then they woulde ſerue and worſhyp any God, ſaue their owne God.

Yet wicked Ioakim would not ceaſſe to deale amyſſe in Iudah, vntyl he was buried as an Aſſe, and had his carcaſe made as dung, being caſt away vnburied. Ier. 22. &. 36. And I make a decree, that euery people, nation, and language, which ſpeaketh amiſſe of the God of Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego, ſhalbe cut in peeces, and their houſes ſhalbe made a dung-hill: becauſe there is not any other God, which can deliuer in this ſor • .

Then the king aduanced Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego, in the prouince of Babel.

The ſtorie of the Kinges, Ieremie, and Ezekiel, will ſhew about 28. yeeres actes done betwixt this and the matters of the next Chapter.

CHAP. 4. The Golden bead imputeth his victories, not to the God of heauen, but to himſelfe, and his God, vntill he had been madd ſeauen yeeres: then he proclaymeth Gods power ouer all the worlde.

The common diſtinction of the chapter here agreed not with the argument, wherfore I left it.

The chaſtiſement of the Idolatrous king.

NEbuchadnezar king .Y.W. 3443. vnto all the people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth, peace be multiplyed vnto you.

I thought it good to ſhew the ſignes and wonders that the high God hath wrought towardes mee.

His ſignes how great be they, and his wonders how mighty are they: his kingdome is an euerlaſtyng kingdome, and his power from generation to generation.

I He had not conquered Egypt vntil after 27. of Iechonias, or his owne 34 Ezek 30. Wherefore this viſion ſhould be about his 36. Y. And this proclamation about an yeere or two before his death, at 45. Y. reigne, 8. yeeres after the viſion. Nebuchadnezar being at reſt in mine houſe, and floryſhing in my palace.

.Y.W. 3435. Sawe a dreame, which made me afrayde: and the conceytes vpon my bed, and the viſions of myne head troubled me.

Then I made a decree to bring all the Sages of Babel before me, that they myght make knowen vnto me the interpretation of the dreame.

Then came the Enchanters, the Aſtrologians, the Caldeans, and the entral-lookers: and I colde the dreame before them, but they could not make knowen to me the interpretation thereof.

And at the laſt came before me Daniel, whoſe name was Belteſhaſar (according to the name of my This place argueth that he forſooke not wholy his Idolatry. God) who hath the ſpirite of the holy goddes in him: and before him I colde the dreame.

O Belteſhaſar, Prouoſt of the Enchanters, of whom I know, that thou haſt the ſpirite of the holy goddes, and no ſecrete is hard to thee, tell the viſions of my dreame that I haue ſeene: I meane the interpretation thereof.

Thus were the viſions of my head vpon my bed: I behelde, and loe: there was a Tree in the middes of the Earth, and his height was great.

The Tree was great and ſtrong, and his height reached to the heauens, and his ſhewe to the endes of all the earth.

His leaues were fayre, and his fruite much, and in it was meate for all: vnder it were ſhadowed the beaſtes of the feelde, and in his branches dwelt the foules of the heauen, and from it was fed all fleſh.

I behelde in the viſions of my head vpon my bed, and loe, a watcher, and an holy one came downe from heauen:

He cryed aloude, and ſayde thus: Cut downe the Tree, and croppe of his branches, ſhake of his leaues, and ſcatter his fruite. Let the beaſtes flee from vnder it, and the foules from his branches.

But leaue the ſtumpe of his rootes in the earth, and that in a bande of Iron and Braſſe in the tender graſſe of the feelde, and let it be wet with the deawe of heauen, and let his portion be with the beaſtes in the graſſe of the earth.

Let his hart be changed from mans, & let a beaſtes hart be geuen to him: and let As Salomons Temple, that ſeuen yeeres work • of many thouſandes, was by him deſtroyed. ſeauen ſeaſons paſſe ouer him.

By the decree of the watchers is this matter, & according to the wordes of the holy ones is this petition: to the intent that the lyuing may know, that the moſt high ruleth ouer the kingdome of men, and

Babel is a tree Dan▪ 4. as before Aſsur had bene Ezek. • 1.

Nabucadnez • r driue from his Kingdome: liueing with beaſtes. 7. yeares reſtored to his honour. da. 4

geueth it to whom he wyll: and ſetteth ouer it the moſt abiect among men.

This dreame I king Nebuchadnezar haue ſeene: therefore O Belteſhaſar, tel the interpretation therof, for as much as all the Sages in my kingdome are not able to ſhew me the interpretation. But thou art able: for the ſpirite of the holy Gods is in thee.

Then Daniel, whoſe name was Belteſhaſar, was aſtonied for an houre, & his thoughtes troubled hym. The king ſpake, and ſayd. Belteſhaſar, Let neyther the dreame, nor the interpretation therof trouble thee. Belteſhaſar anſwered and ſayd: My Lord, the dreame be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.

The Tree that thou ſaweſt, which grew and got hardneſſe, whoſe height to • ched vnto the heauen, and his ſhew through all the earth:

Whoſe leaues were fayre, and his fruite mirch, and in which was meate for all▪ vnder which the beaſtes of the helde dwelt, and 〈◊〉 branches of which, the foules of the heauen kept.

Thou art it O King, who art great and ſtrong • for thy greatnes is growen, and wa • heth vnto heauen, and thy power to the 〈◊〉 of the earth.

And whereas the king ſaw a Watcher, & an Holy one, that came downe from heauen, and ſayde: Cut downe the Tree, & deſtroy it: yet leaue the ſtumpe of his rootes in the earth, & that, in a bande of Iron and Braſſe in the graſſe of the fielde, & let it be wet with the death of heauen: and let his portion be with the beaſtes of the field • tyll Hauen • eaſons paſſe ouer it:

This is the interpretation, O King, and the decree of the moſt high, which is come vpon my Lorde the king: 〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈2… pages missing〉 and they haue brought the veſſels of his houſe before thee: and thou, and thy nobles, thy wyues & thy concubines, haue drunke wine in them, & haſt prayſed Goddes of Silver and Golde, Braſſe, Acon, Wood, and Stone, which ſee not, nor heare, nor underſtande. But thou diddeſt not honour God, in whoſe hand thy breath ſtandeth: and whoſe are all thy wayes.

Then the peece of an hand was ſent from before him: and this Scripture written.

And this is the Scripture which is written, MENE, That is, He hath numbred, he hath weighed, and they deuide. MENE, TEKEL, Ʋ-PARSIN.

This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, We may ſee many reaſons why the Chaldeans coulde not reade this Scripture. They knew not God, to be one, and to rule mens affayres. Beſides, they knew not their owne impietie: but ſayd in their hart: There is no God. Wherefore they knew not who ſhould be weighed, ſpecially in the Ballance. And touching the Medes and Perſians, now their beſiegers, they litle thought that they could ſurpriſe the ſtrong Babel: and bragged, how they were victualled for 20▪ yeeres ſiege, as Xenophon recordeth. Thus the matter was hard for them. The wiſedome of Daniel is rare in his commentaries: in telling firſt, the storie of the true God, in whom we liue, mooue, and haue our beeing: after, of Nebuchadnezars greatneſse, and iust fall; of worſe dealing in Belſhazar: and therevpon how God numbred the yeeres of his kingdome; and how the twiſe In MENE MENE. telling, imported a numbring with a witneſſe, and full ending of it: and whom ſpecially God weighed: and how he maketh the partition by Madaj and Paras, who are the Parſin partners: he departeth ſomewhat from the wordes to cleare the matter the better. And we are to marke the liuely prouidence touching the families of Scripture. Babel the oldest wicked monument which was buylt, to the great ruine of all the godly Families, by Nimrod the Nephew of curſed Cham, to the great griefe of Sem and Iapheth: wherevpon Adams one tongue was made 70. which Babel ended the Iewes language, the first tongue, that it was common in no Kingdome after that: This kingdome is ouerthrowen by Madaj of Iapheth, and Elam of Sem: that all ſhould here remember Noahs time, and his ſpeach touching Iapheth and Sem. The kinges of which two Patriarkes, are preſently called to the fayth, ioyned in Conquest and Empire, and proclayming of Gods trueth ouer all the worlde: and both are taught in the heauenly Oration of Gabriel, the cleare ſumme of both Testamentes, from Dan. 9, 24. And touching the ſyllables of Paras & Peres, as Gods eye regarded the alluſion: So Madai a Meater or Meaſurer, is more euident, and to be as well noted, but leſse needed wanting, being the playner, that we might looke euen vnto Iapheths tongue, how God ruled it in the geuing of a name to his thirde ſonne, Madaj. God hath numbred thy kingdome, and finiſhed it.

TEKEL, thou art weighed in the ballance, and art founde wanting.

PERES, thy kingdome is parted, and geuen to Madaj and Paras.

Then commaunded Belſhazar, and they cleathed Daniel with Purple, and a chaine of Golde about his necke, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he ſhoulde beare rule the thirde in the kingdome.

The ſame nyght was Belſhazar king of the Chaldeans Xenophon had heard, how Cyrus entred Babel on a nyght, when the Chaldeans kept a great Feaſt: and brake into the Palace (when the Courtiers were banqueting) & kild the King. ſlayne.

And Darius being • 2: at the fall of Babel, which reigned 70. yeeres, falleth to be borne at the eight yeere of Nebuchadnezar, when he caried the king Iechoniah captiue, and all the Nobles▪ and ten thouſande valiant men: and all Ieruſalem, and all ſauing the baſe of the land: and had caried away all the treaſure of the houſe of the Lord, and brake all the veſsels of the Temple which king Salomon made. Then Madai, who with Elam muſt reuenge the cauſe of Iudah, had a Prince borne. Doubtleſſe the wyſe Iewes woulde tell the Medes of their expectation: and the King would better affect Iudah. I can not ſee to what better purpoſe Daniel ſhould tel the kinges age: then, how God prouided a Darius Madaj a ſearcher out, and a requiter. Ezra the learned Scribe cha. 10, 16. vſeth the worde Darios, beſide all ordinarie forme of grammer, for to ſearch: iuſt in the letters of Darius: in ſearching out impietie: alluding vnto the kings name & office: & Pſal. 10, 15. remed •• when he ſtrake. Darius In that there were Parſin part •• s, not of Madai onely, but alſo of Elam: we muſt know that Cyrus king of Paras or Elam▪ was f • l •• in Empire with Darius. And of that we haue expreſse warrant in 2. Chr. 36, 20. where the Iewes are ſeruantes to the Chaldeans vntill Paras reigneth. And there Cyrus telleth, that the Eternall, the God of heauen had giuen him all the kingdomes of the earth. Which kingdomes, if he had gotten them by inheritance quietly, had not bin ſo in ſpeciall ſort ſayd to be geuen him. And this vniting was knowen to the heathen Greekes, in whom the Perſian armies are called Medes. Aeſch. con. Cteſ. and accordingly the 70. Tranſlaters put for the Hebrew text Paras, the terme Medes in this text 2. Chr. 36, 20. applying themſelues to the prophane Greekes kinde of phraſe. But Daniel here nameth Darius onely, becauſe matter touching him onely of the two Kinges foloweth in the next Chapter, that the Reader ſhoulde not be troubled with any further queſtions touching Cyrus: Whereas yet Arrianus no • eth that Cyrus was by Law-worſhipped as a God: No leſſe then, the decree folowing here, geueth that honour to Darius ▪ in Cha. 6. Madai receiued the kingdome, being about threeſcore and two yeeres olde.

CHAP. 6. The idolatrie of Madaj and Paras, in making their Kinges Goddes, with brutiſh penaltie vpon the contemners: confuted by Daniel, and iudged by the Lyons, euen vnto a publique imperiall honour by decree for Daniels God. The Chaldy wherein this Chapter is written by Daniel, is mixt with Arabique: which tongue the Perſians here ſeeme to haue much vſed.

AND Y.W. 1471. A wonderfull yere: for Babels fal, Lionshumblenes, the Angels oratiō, two Emperours chriſtian Proclamations, & a generall ſubſidy ouer 120, nations for Iudahs returne. Darius thought it good, to ſet ouer the Kingdome an hundreth and twentie Princes, which ſhould rule the whole Kingdome.

And ouer theſe, three Stewardes: of whom Daniel was Chaldy one: but in ver. 3 it is playne that principall is meant. principall: to whom thoſe Princes ſhould giue accompt, that the King ſhould haue no damage.

When the originall is alſo our language: as 15 tymes y-then or by thē, in this chap. in Daniels tonge: it is an ouerſight not to marke it. Than this Daniel vſed authoritie touching the Stewardes and Princes: as the ſpirite was excellent in him: ſo that the King thought to ſet him ouer the whole kingdome.

Than the Stewardes and Princes ſought to finde occaſion againſt Daniel, concerning the Kingdome. But they coulde not finde any occaſion or fault. Becauſe he was faythfull: that nothing amiſſe and faultie could be found in him.

Than thoſe men ſayd: We can not finde againſt this Daniel any occaſion, vnleſſe we finde it againſt him concerning the law of his God.

Than thoſe Stewardes and Princes The Chaldy terme of Daniel is alſo Ebrew: & from pſal. 2. in, Wherefore did the heathē RAGE, or keepe a ſtir. And doubtles Daniels ſpirite thought of Dauid his fathers terme. aſſembled with a ſtirre to the King, and thus they ſayd vnto him: King Darius, lyue for euer.

All the Stewardes of the kingdome, Dukes and Princes, Rulers and Lordes, haue taken counſell, to ſet a Statute imperiall, and to confirme an Act: that who ſo euer ſhall ſeeke a petition of any God or man, for thirtie dayes, ſaue of thee O King, ſhalbe caſt into the Lyons den.

Now, O king, ſet thou the Act, and write a letter to be vnchangeable: according as the law of Madaj and Paras, is not to be altered.

Hereupon king Darius wrote the Letter, and Act.

And Daniel when he knew that the letter was written, went into his houſe: and his windowes being open in his chamber, towarde Ieruſalem three times a day he kneeled on his knees, and prayed, and gaue thankes before his God, as he did afore-time.

Than thoſe men beſtirred them togeather, and found Daniel making petition, and crauing grace before his God.

Than they came, and ſpake before the King, concerning the Act imperiall: Haſt not thou written an Act, that euery man that ſeeketh to any God or man, for thirtie dayes, ſaue to thee, O king, ſhalbe caſt into the Lyons denne? The King anſwered, and ſayd: The thing is true: According to the law of Madaj and Paras, which is not to be altered.

Than they ſpake, and ſaid before the king: Daniel, Chap. 5, 13. of the children of the Captiuitie of Iehude, Chap. 2, 12. nothing regardeth, O king, thy decree, nor the Act which thou haſt written. For, three times a day he maketh his petition.

Than the King, when he heard the matter, was much diſpleaſed with himſelfe, and for Daniel ſet his hart to ſaue him: and till the Sunne went downe he labored to deliuer him.

Than thoſe men kept a ſtirre with the King, and ſayd to the King: Know king, that it is the law of Madai and Paras, that no Act or Statute which the King ſetteth, may be changed.

Than the King gaue-ſentence: and they brought Daniel, and caſt him into the Lyons denne. The king ſpake and ſayd to Daniel: Thy God whom thou ſerueſt alway, he will ſaue thee.

And a ſtone was brought, & ſayde vpon the mouth of the denne: and the King ſealed it with his Seale, & with the Seale of his Nobles: that the That the wyl of none ſhould ſeeke further meanes to deſtroy Daniel. wil might not be changed concerning Daniel.

Than the King went vnto his Palace, and So Bath, the Arabi que here, & in Mat. 21, 17. is taken. Tenath faſting Dacheu • n muſic que Cau • n windowes Bal an hart, be Arabi que in Daniels termes, as Aben Ezra noteth. conceaued-all-nyght faſting, and would haue no muſicke to come before him: Alſo his ſleepe fled from him.

Than the King aroſe in the dawning, at day breake, and went in all haſte vnto the Lyons denne.

And when he approched vnto the denne, he cryed vnto Daniel with a pitious voyce. The king ſpake, and ſayd vnto Daniel, O Daniel, the ſeruant of the liuing God: Thy God whom thou ſerueſt alway, hath he been able to ſaue thee from the Lyons?

Than Daniel With a voyce not diſtreſſed as that of the king was. talked with the King: O King liue for euer.

My God ſent his Angel, and ſhut the mouth of the Lyons, that they haue not hurt mee, becauſe before him clearenes was founde in mee: and alſo before thee, O king, I had done no hurt.

Than the King was exceeding glad for him, and commaunded to take-vp Daniel out of the Lyons denne. And Daniel was taken-vp out of the denne, and no hurt was found on him, becauſe he beleeued in his God.

Alſo by the Kinges commandement they brought thoſe men which made the accuſation againſt Daniel, and into the denne of the Lyons did they caſt them, their children, & their wiues: and or-euer they came at the ground of the denne, the Lyons had the maiſterie ouer them, and brake-in peeces all their boones.

Then Darius the King wrote Chap. 4, 1. to all people, nations, and languages, which dwell in all the earth, Peace be multiplyed vnto you:

I Chap. 4, 6. make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdome, men tremble and feare before the God of Daniel. For he is the lyuing God, and continueth for euer: And his Chap. 2, 44. kingdome is that which ſhall neuer be corrupted, and his dominion ſhalbe vnto the ende.

He ſaueth, and deliuereth, and worketh ſignes and wonders in heauen and in earth: who hath ſaued Daniel from the power of the Lyons.

So this Daniel proſpered in the reigne of Darius, and in the reigne of Cyrus the Perſian.

CHAP. 7. The Kingdomes which were ſhowed for the capacitie of Nebuchadnezar in a goodly Image, are now agayne ſhewed, aboue 60. yeeres after the other, to the prophet Daniel him ſelfe, in the formes of foure Beaſtes. And whereas their worldly deſtruction, was likened to chaffe caried away by the winde: now their eternal puniſhment is expreſſed by fire. And the Stone afore cut from the Mountayne, is here the Sonne of Man, honored with the throne of the eternall Father.

IN the firſt yeere of Daniel tranſpoſeth ye dome-letter, Aleph in ye kinges name, geuing him cloſely a notation fit for the viſion. Bel-ſhe-Azar, is: Bel is he that ſtoreth ryches. But this name is: Bel on fire by the enemy (God) as I touched it afore. The Maſſorites note the diuerſitie of the writing vpō Dan. 5 and tranſlaters ſhold not omit that. Bel-Eſhe-zar king of Babel, Daniel ſaw a dreame, and viſions of his head vpon his bed. Then he wrote the dreame: euen the head of the matters he declared.

Daniel ſpake, and ſayd▪ I ſaw in my viſion by night, and lo, the foure mindes of the heauen did ſtriue vpon the great Sea.

The Jmages metalles, in Daniels ſight ar • beaſtes *

The Golden head is nou • a Lion▪ the armes▪ and breaſt are a bear • ſetting vp, on Gouernment from • Eaſt to three coſtes * 〈◊〉

The Grekes are boeth theſe beaſtes firſt the ſtate whole, and ſon • ▪ after come to foure chiefe▪ thence they of Magōg and Egypt *

And foure great Beaſtes came vp from the Sea, For Babel deſtroyed Iudahs kingdome. Paras meant once to haue deſtroyed the whole natiō in one day. Alexander required Iudah to take the date from his conqueſtes, & to name the Prieſtes ſonnes Alexanders, all borne in one yeere: & meant to haue been a God. The Seleucidae meant to haue altered all Iudahs religion: & to deuoure ye whole wealth of the nation. one diuers from an other.

The firſt was like a The golden head, and the great tree: the power of Babel Lyon, & had Eagles winges. I behelde til his winges were pluckt off, by which he mounted aboue ye earth, and he was forced to ſtand on the feete as a man: and a mans hart was geuen him.

And lo, an other Beaſt, the ſecond, was like a Beare: which erected one Chaldy, Shetar: which terme, is a gouernment ſtyl: and neuer (as I finde) for aſide, Madaj & Paras, 2. armes in one breaſt, now ſet vp a ioynt gouernment. gouernement, and had Three coſtes of the worlde, from the eaſt, which afore it helde: Weſt, North, South, as it is tolde chap. 8, 4. three or, coſtes. ribbes in his mouth betwixt his teeth: and thus they ſayd Eſay. 21. Vp Elam, aſcende Madaj. vnto it: Ariſe, and eate much fleſh.

After this I behelde, and loe, there was an other like Alexander the great and Graece for the firſt partition, that was brought vnto foure: Perdicas or Antigonus, Ptolemy, Seleucus, and Lyſimachus. a Leoparde: which had foure winges of a birde vpon his backe. And that Beaſt had foure heades. Alſo, dominion was geuen vnto it.

After this I behelde in viſions by nyght, and loe, the The Seleucidae, & Lagidae; the two legges fourth Beaſt was exceeding fearefull, terrible and hard: as hauing great iron teeth. It deuoured and brake in peeces, and ſtamped the reſidue vnder his feete: and it was vnlike all the beaſtes which were before it: and it had ten hornes.

As I conſidered the hornes, loe, the laſt Antiochus Epiphanes. horne came vp, a litle one, amongſt them: & three former Kinges. hornes were pluckt away before it. And loe, eyes like the eyes of Antiochus Epiphanes was not right heire, but as a priuate man: & as a friend to the kinges, whom by much policie he defeated. a man were in that horne: and a mouth ſpeaking preſumptuous thinges.

I behelde till One for God, the other for (Ben) Dauid: as R. Akibah confeſſeth in the Talmud Sanadrin in Dine Mammonoth. page. 38. b. Thrones were ſet vp: and the Ancient of dayes ſate. His garment was white as Snow, & the heare of his head like ye pure Wooll. His throne was flames of fire: the wheeles of it, a burning fire.

A ſtreame of fire iſſued & came foorth from before him: a thouſand thouſandes miniſtre • vnto him: and a million of millions ſtoode before him. Iudgement was ſeated, and the bookes were opened.

I behelde then, for the voyce of the preſumptuous wordes which the horne ſpake: I behelde, vntyll the beaſt was ſlayne, and his body deſtroyed, and geuen to be brent in the fire.

As in the Images ruine he began with the legges firſt, and not with the head that firſt periſhed: • o here firſt he ſpeaketh of the laſt, for ye ſafetie of his owne nation, that the Chaldeans ſhould pike no quarrel for this viſion. Now the reſt of the Beaſtes, they had had their dominion taken away: The Iewes graunt Chriſt to be here ſo termed and yf we had not deceyued them by misſing of reconcilyng S. Mathew & S. Luke▪ by forging a generall fourth Monarchie, and by a falſe chronicle: refuſing the playnnes of Daniel chap. 9, • 4. by al lykelyhood they wold long ago haue come to the fayth. as ſpace in lyfe was geuen them, for a time and a ſeaſon.

I behelde in the viſion • by nygh • , and loe, in the cloudes of ye heauens The incarnation of our Lord, & comming into the world in the yeere 3927. came one like the When our Lord continually tearmeth him ſelfe the Sonne of Man in the foure Euangeliſtes▪ he moſt graciouſly calleth vs to weigh this text. SONNE OF MAN. Our Lord h • s aſcent • ō ▪ at 490 after Daniels yeere of praying for returne: Y.W. 3960. ſubduct thence three yeeres & an halfe for our Lord his preachyng: by Dan. 9, 25. and full 29▪ yeeres for his age by the Law in N • m. 4.3. for 30. yeere • of age to do worke in the Tabernacle▪ as S. Luke noteth his age: and you may ſee how Daniel knew when our Lord ſhould be borne. After Babels fall yeeres 457. Afterwardes he went to the ancient of dayes: and before him they brought him.

And to him was geuen The concluſion of our Lordes prayer, moſt heauenly calleth into our myndes this ſpeach and • eacheth of the king, of eternity the vncorruptible: which ioyneth Iewes and Gent • les in one kingdome. power, and glory, and kingdome: that all people, nations, and tongues, ſhould ſerue him. His power is a power eternall, which can not alter▪ and his kingdome is that which ſhall neuer be corrupted.

I Daniel felt my ſpirite perted within my body, and the viſions of my head troubled me.

I approched vnto one of the wayters, & ſought from him the The proper meanyng. trueth of all this: and he ſpake vnto me, and made me know the interpretation of the matters.

Theſe They are ſauage beaſtes in conſideratiō of theyr dealyng agaynſt the familyes of our Lordes anceſtours the houſe of Zorobabel, & the nation that ſhold haue their kinges from it. great Beaſtes which are foure, are foure He ſpeaketh ye terme kinges rather the kingdomes, that the next verſe ſhort in the Chaldy, ſhoulde not be miſtaken, and ye none ſhould thinke of foure kings to hold a kingdome for euer, yea for euer and euer. He was to ſpeake ſhort: as wyllyng to hyde his mynde from ſauage heathen. Kinges, Theyr aryſing, what it meaneth, it may be gathered by the next verſe: aryſing ouer the kingdomes of the ſainctes, and withholdyng it. ariſing from the earth.

But the The houſe of Zorobabel, Abiud, Rheſa, and the godly of theyr nation. Sainctes of the Higheſt is in the plurall number: in the Chaldy for the ſingular, as Aben Exra noteth. We may be ſure that it is ſpoken ſo, to teach vs of the diuine perſons: as Abraham ſpeaketh Gen. 20, 13. and Dauid 2. Sam. 7, 22. Here it was fit, in a diſtinct viſion of the ſonne, and the father, as thrones are plurall. verſ 9. higheſt ſhall The tranſlation vſed in our Churches is ſinguler in this poynt: and the Geneua can not ſtand with colour of diuinity, reaſon, or with the termes: For euer & euer.take the kingdome, The houſe of Zorobabel, who ſhould haue inherited the kingdome of Iudah: hath in lieu of that, the cheefeſt glory that can be geuen, to be pronounced ſaued for euer, before they were many of them borne. Theyr names haue notation fitted hyther, Zoro-Babel, fanne Babel, that the Golden head (as the reſt of the Image) became lyke cha • fe. Dan. 2, 35. So theſe names are: agaynſt the Perſians. Abi-hud▪ My father oweth the glory. Eliakim, God is he that ſetleth: &c. All ſtyll had relation vnto this text: and ſo we may ſee what a ſtately Vlam or Porch the Genealogy maketh, before the temple of the New Teſtament: and a goodly commentary vpon this place. and holde a kingdome for euer, yea for euer and euer.

Then, I deſired the trueth, concerning the fourth beaſt: which was Partly vnlyke, becauſe two kinges, Syria and Egypt, both claymed ryght ouer Iudah, ſince the dayes of Seleucus Nicator, and Ptolemy Lag • , and made continuall warres for it: but vnlyke alſo in cruel ſpoylyng, and hatred of relygion: which Babel, Madaj, & Alexander, more fauoured. vnlyke to them all, exceeding fearefull: whoſe teeth were of iron, and his nayles of ſteele: which did eate, and brake to peeces, & ſtamped the reſidue vnder his feete.

Alſo, concerning the Of the kings Seleucidae & Lagidae, which greatly troubled the kingdōe wher the houſe of Zorobabel ſhould haue reigned, to the glory & comfort of all the worlde. ten hornes that were in his head: and concerning the laſt which came vp: before which, three fell. And that was the horne which had thoſe eyes, and the mouth ſpeaking preſumptuous thinges, and his looke was ſtouter then his felowes.

I behelde, and the horne made battayle againſt the Sainctes: and preuayled ouer them,

Vntyll the ancient of dayes came, and iudgement was geuen to the Iudah. Sainctes of the moſt high: and the time approched that the ſainctes ſhould holde the kingdome.

Thus he ſayd: The fourth beaſt ſhalbe the fourth kingdome in the lande: which ſhalbe vnlyke to all the kingdomes, and ſhall deuoute the whole lande, and ſhall treade it downe, and ſhall breake it in peeces.

And ten hornes from the kingdome, are ten kinges that ſhall ariſe: and the Antiochus Epiphanes, who defeated his brother Seleucus his brothers ſonne, & the ſonne of his ſiſter Queene of Egypt. laſt ſhall ariſe in the ende of them, and he ſhalbe vnlike the former, and ſhall put downe Daniel cha. 8 & 11. enlargeth this: of the vilenes of Antiochus Epiphāes, & further of his endeuour to haue abrogated ye Iewes religiō. three kinges.

And he ſhall ſpeake wordes againſt the moſt High, and conſume the Sainctes of the moſt High, and thinke to alter the Sabbathes, Paſſeouer, Pentecoſt, Expiatiō day, the feaſt of Tabernacles, new Moones, ye ſeuenth yeres reſt, & ſuch. tymes and All Moſes ceremonies. Law: and they ſhalbe geuen into his hand A tyme, here is a yere: tymes, two yeere: and halfe a tyme, halfe a yeere. for a time, and times, and halfe a time.

And iudgement ſhalbe ſeated: & they ſhal take away his kingdome, About 150. yere before our Lords birth are ſpent in this waſtyng, to the vttermoſt of Syria & Egypt, where warres among them ſelues & the Machab • es, & moſt of all▪ the Romans, cōſumed thē: which long deſtructiōs are handled in Ezekiel 38. & 39. to waſt & to deſtroy it, vnto the ende.

And the Saluation commeth from the Iewes. kingdome, and the power, and the greatneſſe of the kingdomes vnder all the heauens ſhalbe geuen to the people of the ſainctes of the moſt high. Vpon this al the new Teſtament goeth, & Paul to Timothe ſpeaketh, when he checketh the Iewes, not knowyng whereof they ſpake, & aduanced the Goſpel, and prayſe of the king eternal, vncorrupt, vnuiſible, God only wyſe. Alſo the Reuelatiō, after the deſtruction of Ieruſalem, is a heauenly commentarie vpon this part. His kingdome is an euerlaſting kingdome: and all dominions ſhall ſerue and obey him.

Hitherto reacheth ye ende of ye matter. I Daniel was greatly troubled in my thoughtes, & my brightnes was changed in me: & I kept the matter in my hart.

Here ende the viſions of Daniel: which the Prophet penned in the tongue knowen ouer the East and South: wherein the Iewes are not deſcried playnely to be the people, for whom God plagueth the kingdomes: and the Heathen might be drawen to thinke ſomewhat better of the God of heauen.

Of the Ʋiſions penned in the Iewes proper language.

HEnce, vnto the end of Daniel, the viſions are penned in the language ſpoken onely in Daniels owne nation. Moreouer the ſpeaches be full of artificiall tearmes, knowen onely to the Iewes: and ſome neuer ſpoken afore: yet by their compoſition eaſie. This was needefull to be done. For the Perſians would hate the Iewes, yf the prophecie of their fall by the Greekes, had been publiſhed in the tongue knowen ouer the Eaſt. Alſo, the Greekes would haue raged much more; yf their ſhame had been written in a common language. And none could abide the Iewes to clayme onely to be the nation onely good: or yet to be capable of heauenly matters, to be ſo familiarly tolde, as Daniel had taught them. Therefore he was not to giue ſuch pearles to Hogges: but to write them in the holy tongue: which the Heathen ſtudied not.

Cloſe phraſes, vſed in chap. 8.

To ſaue the Iewes from hatred & danger, theſe cloſe phraſes Daniel vſeth. For the Sonne of God, The Prince of princes. Ʋerſ. 25. And Palmony, The wonderful numberer: a tearme eaſie by compoſition, and by the matter, proper to God: but neuer vſed, ſaue verſe 23. And Prince of the armie, called Michael, from chap. 10. and 12. So Aben Ezra calleth him Michael. The Angels name is, An holy one. And a peculiar name: Gabriel, a man of the mightie: meaning God. Frō theſe viſions, the Hebrewes note in Ieruſalemy Ros haſana: that their Fathers brought Angels names with them from Babel. Perek. 1. page. 56. col. 4. The Iewes are called the Armie of heauen, the Starres, the Armie, and Holy people. Their religion, the Trueth: their Temple, the Sanctuarie, and the Holy. Antiochus dealyng againſt them, the treading of the Sanctuarie and Armie vnder foote. Iudea is called Tzeby, as in Ezekiel chap. 20. an ornament, or Roe, of all landes: and ſo in Dan. cha. 11, 16, & 41, & 4 • . Therfore I holde it beſt, to haue it a proper name to Iudea. Some equiuocations touching Gods enemies, were to be verſ. 23. ſpoken in tearmes doubtfull, to the vn • br •• ed, as when the Angel calleth the King, whom the Machabees ſtorie ſheweth to be the worſt that euer the earth had borne: a King hard faced, and minding hid thinges: that is in deede, impudent, and practiſing moſt vnhumane dealinges againſt women and chyldren: and prophanneſse againſt God, & all religion, Atheneus further ſetteth foorth Antiochus Epiphanes. The vnheedy might take the wordes: For fierce of countenance, and vnderſtanding darke ſentences: For in deede the wordes will abide both. But the wittie Daniel woulde maruell, that any ſhould miſse, to giue to an enemie of Gods people, the worſt that coulde be, thoſe attributes which beſt agreed with his whole dealings, ſpoken in ver. 10, 11, 12, & 14. And thus for this Chapter, and the other, we are to weigh Gods counſell, why they are vnlike the other viſions, in Ebrew, ſpoken cloſely to the Iewes: and alſo, why God commaundeth to cloſe ſome of them, as here verſe. 26.

A litle muſt be ſpoken of the euening morning 2300. at touching the ſtory. Thus Abraham Aben ezra expoundeth it. I think this the plaine meaning of it: that ſixe yeeres and certaine monthes Iſrael continued in the dayes of Antiochus in great affliction. And ſo it is written in the Greeke ſtorie. And beholde this number is of meere dayes: and the ſenſe: Two thouſand and three hundreth morninges, or dayes. And they make ſixe yeeres of the Sunnes yeeres, and three And almoſt the fourth, as Ralbag noteth full monethes. And they are dayes after the Moones yeere neare ſixe yeeres and an halfe. Therefore the Angel ſayd: And the viſion of the euening & the morning is true: he meaneth, that ſo it is properly. This much Aben ezra confeſſeth: which confesſion of his, will ch • cke all the Iewes further errours, for the fourth kingdome. Likewiſe Ralbag holdeth the reſt of the ſpeach to be of Antiochus that tormented the Iewes. This muſt be againe touched, with the phraſe, the laſt ende of wrath. verſ. 19. that the Romans thereby are none of Daniels foure kingdomes.

Here properly are they named that folow ye head a • lion Babel

The Ramme i • the Kinges of Madai and paras. The buck is the Kinge of Iauan the horne betwixt his eyes is the firſt King Alexander. ye foure are the foure Chriſt Kingdomes, one ly • le horne i • Antiochu • Epiphan •• .

CHAP. 8.

Daniel ſeeth now, not in a dreame in the night (as in Cha. 2. & Cha. 7. oppreſsours of the Iewes vnnamed:) but in a viſion, awaked, nations properly termed: ariſing, and cut off: Madaj and Paras. Iauan or Grece. And what maner a Greeke ſhall practiſe the ende of Gods wrath againſt the Holy Daniels people. This chapter expoundeth the ſecond and the ſeuenth, and telleth by implication, the certaintie of Babels fall, by the ariſing of the Perſians. Remember that in time, this matter went afore that of the 5. chapter.

IN the The Iewes cōmonly hold, as in the Paln • ud in Megilah, that this was the laſt Y. of Belſhazar: not long before the m • ttars of the fift chapter. thirde yeere of the reigne of king Belſhazar, a viſion was ſeene to mee: to mee Daniel, after that which was ſeene to me In the firſt of Belſhazar. cha. 7.1. afore.

And I ſaw

Not in a dreame on night but awaked, in a viſion.

The armes & breſt, and the Beare, are here now in ye 〈◊〉 viſion, that u • ah ſhould be •• ll •• ll in this matter.

in a viſion: and thus it was. In the ſeeing, I was then in Suſan, the palace Royal, which is in the Prouince of Ela • . Now I ſaw in a viſion: and when I ſaw it, I was at the Vbal in Dan. is not in the Bible, but in this viſion twyce: Iubal in Ebrew is a Riuer The affinity of Eulai the flood, ſheweth that there it ſhould be ſo takē for a r • uer. Riuer Vlaj ▪

Then I lyfted vp myne eyes, and ſaw, and beholde a Ramme ſtoode before the Riuer, and he had Madaj & Paras were kingdomes of great fame before they conquered Babel. Madaj of olde the ſtouter: and Paras kinges Cyrus, Cambyſes, Darius Hiſtaſpis, had reygned all in ſeuerall authority ſome good yeeres before Babel fell, as theyr yeeres by Greekes are reckoned. two hornes: and the two hornes we •• high: but the one was higher then the other, and the higheſt came vp laſt.

I ſaw the Ramme puſhyng VVeſtwarde; and Northwarde, and Southwarde, and no beaſtes could ſtande before hym, and none coulde delyuer out of his power: but he did as he lyſted, and became great. And as I minded this, behold, a Al the Braſſe and • ron. cha. 2 Alſo the Leoparde, and the fourth beaſt, ar in this Bucke; and this is a ſweete cōmentarie vpon thē. Goate Bucke came ouer the face of the whole earth, and touched So ſwiftly great Alexander conquered the Eaſt in ſixe yeeres, as flying rather then going on ye earth. not the ground: and this Bucke had a As in deede Alexander was ye notableſt for his ſtrange ſucceſſe in wars of any king that euer warred. notable horne betweene his eyes.

And he came vnto the Ramme that had the two hornes, whom I ſaw ſtandyng by the Riuer, and ranne vnto him in the This place is a ſweete abridgment of all great Alexanders cōqueſtes.heate of his ſtrength.

And I ſaw him come euen vnto the Ramme, and he dealt At Granicon water, in his firſt fought field he did wel. fiercely with him: and he At Isſicon, the ſecōd battel he did better. ſmote the Ram. & Thirdly, at Gaugamela, he killed of Darius men about 600000. and gate ye Empire. brake his two hornes. And there was no ſtrength in the Ramme to ſtande agaynſt him: but he caſt him downe to the ground, and ſtamped on him. And none coulde delyuer the Ramme from his power.

And the Goate Bucke became exceeding great: and when he was at the ſtrongeſt, that great horne was broken: and foure, the moſt notable grew for it, towarde the foure windes of the heauens.

And from one of them came foorth a litle ſmall horne▪ but became great exceedingly, towardes the South, and towardes the Eaſt, and towardes the So in Eze. 20 6▪ the land flowyng wt mylke and hony geuē to Iſrael, is the Tzeby of all landes: the ornament, pleaſure, and noblenes, or as it were the Roe: ſo much Tzeby ſignifieth in Dan. 11. Daniel in this phraſe, putteth Iudah in minde of that oration which God maketh in Ezekiel. Tzeby.

And it became great againſt the armie of heauen: and it fell vnto the ground ſome of the armie, and of the ſtarres, and ſtamped vpon them,

And he would be great agaynſt the Prince of the armie, and by him was taken away the continuall Sacrifice: and the place of his Sanctuarie was caſt downe.

And an armie was ſet againſt the continuall Sacrifice for ſinne, and it caſt downe trueth vnto the ground, and preuayled and proſpered.

And I heard an holy one ſpeake, and an holy one ſayde to PALMONI that was ſpeaking: How long ſhall endure the viſion of the continuall Sacrifice? and of ſinne, cauſing deſolation, to ſet the Temple. Holy, and Armie, to be ſtamped vpon?

And HE ſaid vnto me: vnto the This phraſe is taken from Gen. 1, 5. The euenyng & the mornyng was made one day. euening-mornyng two thouſand and three hundreth: Then ſhal the Holy be clenſed.

Now when I Daniel had ſeene the viſion, and ſought for the meaning, beholde, there ſtoode before me like the ſimilitude of a man.

And I heard the voyce of a man at the middle of Vla • , which called and ſayd, The only bare Angel in ſcripture, which hath a proper name: geuen here in diſtinctiō frō Daniel, to one being like ye ſimilitud of a man: his name was told: A man of God. Gabriel, make him there to vnderſtand the viſion.

So he came where I ſtoode. And when he came, I was frighted, and fell vpon my face. And he ſayd vnto me: Vnderſtande, O ſonne of Ezekiel and Daniel onely, being in viſions of angels, are ſo ſpokē to: Sonne of man: as Aben ezra, and Abr▪ Shallum note. Man, that, for the time of the ende the viſion is.

Now as he was ſpeaking vnto me, I fell in a ſlumber vpon my face to the grounde. But he touched me, and made me ſtande vp, where I ſtoode.

And he ſayd: Beholde, I will ſhew thee what ſhalbe in the This place moſt ſtrongly ouerthroweth their errour, which feigne the Romane Monarchy to be ment by the legges of the Image chap. 2. or by ye fourth beaſt, chap. 7. ſeeyng that the Greekes are the dealers in the ende of wrath, ſpoken of Daniels people. And it had bin a ſtrange thyng, that this laſt viſion, repeating the former, ſhould leaue out the Romans, yf they had bin ſpoken of before. Seeyng it were good to haue had that told • : and God neuer omitted the good of the Church. laſt ende of wrath.

The Ramme which thou ſaweſt, hauing two hornes, are the kinges of Madaj and Paras.

the Geneſis. 25, 25. hearie Bucke is the king of Grecia. This place proueth, that of Iauan the Greekes come. Iauan. And the great horne betweene his eyes, is the firſt Great Alexander. king.

And that being broken, the foure that ſtoode vp for it, are Of many kingdomes aryſing from Alexander, foure in the ende beare the ſway: and in tyme, two: whereof the chap. 11. wyl ſpeake. foure kingdomes, that ſhall ſtande vp The Angel ſpeaking to witty Daniel a worde beſide forme of Grā mer Iagnamednah, drawing ye maſculine gen. into a foeminines place, Iod put for Tan, in one letter, ſheweth as much as Daniel ſaw by the attribute Notable, in the foure hornes verſ▪ 8. Theſe witty ſpeaches in the ſeruants of the holy ſpirite, require diligence & care to marke them. ſtoutely from the nation. But not in the ſtrength of the other.

And in the ende of their That is, full power ouer the Iewes: otherwyſe they reigned as long agayne, in theyr owne country. kingdome, when ſinners ſhall come to the full: there ſhall ſtande vp a King Impudent Antiochus Epiphanes ſpoken in the Machabbes, and of heathen very much for impudencie agaynſt all diuinity, humanity, and common w • t, is here deſcribed. Of Polyb us he was called Epimanes: that is, Madde. hard faced, and mindyng Eb. Chidd • th, is properly hyd thyngs, as in Pſal. 78, 2. And whereas to vnderſtand hard ſentences, that is a matter of a wyſe ſpirit: it can not be that the Angel would ſo thynke of Epimanes, as to make hym vnderſtande darke ſentences, who knew leaſt of any that way▪ Hyd myſchiefes he minded, not hyd parables. hid thinges.

And his ſtrength ſhalbe ſtrong and not by his owne ſtrength. And wonderfully ſhall he deſtroy, and proſper, and preuayle, and ſhall deſtroy the ſtrong and the holy people.

For through craft he ſhall cauſe deceite to proſper in his handes: And in his hart he ſhalbe great, and in peace he ſhal deſtroy many, and he wil ſtande vp againſt the Prince of princes: But he ſhalbe broken-downe without By ſicknes, and by the hand of God. hand.

And the viſion of the euenyng and of the mornyng which was tolde is Proper and needyng no further explication. true. Now ſhut thou vp the viſion: for it ſhalbe after Aboutes 300. yeares are from the death of Balſhazar, vnto the death of Antiochus Epiphanes. many dayes.

And I Daniel was ſtriken & ſicke certayne dayes: and I aroſe, and did the kinges buſines: and I was aſtonied at the viſion: But none could As I had a commaundement to ſhut vp the matter, ſo I refrayned my countenance from, open expresſing of my griefe. marke it.

CHAP. 9. At the ende of the 70. yeeres captiuitie, Daniel praying for returne, is tolde that the deliuerie to Ieruſalem is preſently graunted him: and the eternall, by our Lordes death is ſhewed: that it ſhalbe at ſeuen times ſeuentie Y. from the houre of his prayer. So long Ieruſalem ſhall haue the prerogatiue to be the holy Citie. But then the Heathen ſhalbe equal in the couenant, and al Moſes ceremonies muſt ceaſe. For enforcement to beholde that, Chriſt will deſtroy the Citie and Holy place, in the age folowyng. His prayer is penned with ſpeciall regarde, euen of the very Ebrew ſyllables to the prophets, from whom the matter of his ſpeach is taken. Thoſe places muſt be marked.

IN the After he had been taken out of the Lions denne, & cauſed Gods truth to be aduanced generally, he prayeth for Ieruſalem. firſt yeere of Darius the ſonne of Achaſhueroſh, of the ſeede of Gen. 10. 1 Chro. 1. Madaj, in which he was made king ouer the realme of the Chaldeans.

In the firſt yeere of his reigne, I Daniel marked by bookes, the number of the yeeres, whereof the word of the Lord had been vnto Ieremie, for accomplyſhing in the Daniel hath the very Ebrew terme of Ieremie Chorboth: And by Ieremy he muſt be expounded. Thus ſtand Ieremies words. cha. 2 • . And this lande ſhall be-come Chorbah (that is, a wilderneſſe) an aſtoniſhment: and theſe nations ſhall ſerue the king of Babel ſeauentie yeeres. In a knowen matter his ſhortnes of ſpeach was fitteſt. Properly the vtter ruines of Ieruſalem was not but 52. yeeres. The Geonym (the Ebrew Doctors ſo tearmed) ſayd, that Daniel was deceiued. His ſtrictnes of phraſe might haue told them, that he had Ieremy before his eyes, & could not be deceiued, though he had not bin that Daniel the wyſe. But tearmeth all Ieruſalems ſtate in the captiuity, by a terme properly true only in the greater part, ſending the reader to Ieremy for the full meanyng. Alſo, God in Moſes. Leu. 26, 34. vſeth the ſame ſynecdoche and ſhort ſpeach: whom the holy man delighted to folow. ruines of Ieruſalem ſeuentie yeeres.

And I turned my face vnto the Lord, the God, and ſought by prayer and ſupplication, and faſting, and ſackcloth and aſhes.

And I prayed vnto the Lord my God, ſaying, E • od. 32, 31. Oh Lord, Deut. 10, 16. the mightie God, the great and fearefull, who Deut. 7, 9. keepeth the couenant and the mercie, toward them which loue him, and towarde them which keepe his commandementes.

He keepeth euen the very letters of Salomons prayer. 1. king. • , 47. VVe haue ſinned, we haue tranſgreſſed, we haue done wickedly, we haue rebelled, and we haue turned backe from thy commandementes, and from thy iudgementes.

And we haue not Leuit. 26. obeyed thy ſeruantes the Prophets, which ſpake in thy name, to our Kinges, to our Princes, and to our Fathers, and to all the people of the land.

Thou haſt, O Lord, the righteouſneſſe: and we open ſhame, euen this day: euery one of Iudah, and the dwellers of Ieruſalem: and all Iſrael, the neare and the farre off, through al the countries whither thou haſt Leui. 26, 32. Deut. 30. dryuen them, for their He hath the very phraſe of Leuit. 16, 4. offence wherein they haue offended thee.

O Lord, we haue open ſhame, our Kinges, our Princes, and our Fathers: as we haue ſinned againſt thee.

The Lord our God hath the tender mercies, and forgiueneſſe: albeit we haue rebelled againſt him:

And haue not obeyed the voyce of the Eternall our God, to walke in his lawes which he hath layde before vs, by the miniſterie of his Seruantes the Prophetes.

Yea, all Iſrael haue tranſgreſſed thy law, and turned backe, that they woulde not heare thy voyce. Wherefore there is poured vpon vs the Deut. 29, 28. Leuit. 26. curſe, and the oth, that is written in the law of Moſes, the ſeruant of God: Becauſe we haue ſinned agaynſt him.

And he hath confirmed his wordes, which he ſpake againſt vs, Deut. 28. and againſt our iudges that iudged vs. For vnder the whole heauen hath not bene done the like as hath bene This may be the abridgemēt of Ieremies Lamentations. done vpon Ieruſalem.

As it is written in the Law of Moſes: all this euil is come vpon vs. Yet haue not we beſought the eternall our God: that we might turne from our iniquities, and vnderſtand thy truth.

Therefore the Lord our God was In Ieremy, Chap. 2. an alluſion is vſed: for in the Ebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ſhakad: ſignifying both ſpeedy and watchful caring: and the almōd tree, that buddeth moſt ſpeedely of any: in which ſence, the almond tree flouriſhing, is vſed in Eccleſiaſtes 12. for gray haires ſoone ariſing in our ſhortage. Daniels terme here in the Ebrew, honoreth and remēbranceth that text. watchfull concerning the euill, and brought it vpon vs. For the Lord our God is righteous in all the works which he hath done: ſeeing we obeyed not his voyce.

And now O Lord our God, Leuit. 26. If they confeſſe their ſinnes, and the ſins of their fathers, I will remember the couenant with the former, how I brought them out of the land of Egypt. that haſt brought forth thy people out of the land of Egypt, by a mighty hand, and haſt gotten thy ſelfe a name as this day, we haue done wickedly.

O Lord, according to all thy righteouſneſſe, let now thine anger and thy wrath be turned away, from thy Eſay. 52.1. citie Ieruſalem, thine holy mountaine. For, becauſe of our ſinnes, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Ieruſalem & thy people are a reproch to all that are about vs.

And now, heare, O my God, the prayer of thy ſeruant, and his ſupplication, and make thy face to Num. 6. verſ. 25. The bleſſing of the high ſacrificer is in the ſame ſpeech. ſhine vpon thy ſanctuarie, that lyeth deſolate, for the Lordes ſake.

Daniels Ebrew hath the very letters of Ezekias prayer, Eſa. 37.17.Encline O my God, thine eare, and heare, open thine eyes and ſee, our deſolations, and the citie whereupon thy name is called: for we preſent not our ſupplications before thee, for our righteouſneſſe, but for thy great tender mercies.

Eſay. 38.2. O Lord heare: ô Lord forgiue ô Lord giue eare, & do, defer not for thine own ſake, ô my God. For thy The curſed Iewes at this day, repeat on their expiation feaſt, this prayer often, in Cether Malcuth: a booke of their cō mon prayers: But ſtop their eares againſt the Angelles wordes from God, touching Chriſt, the true worker of this expiation 490. years exactly frō the time of this prayer: as appeareth verſ. 24 where our tottering for the meaning of it, hath furthered the Iewes deſtruction, and more hardened their hearts.name is called vpon thy citie, & vpon thy people.

And as I was yet ſpeaking and praying and confeſſing my ſinne, and the ſinne of my people Iſrael, and preſenting my ſupplications before the Eternall my God for the holie mountaine of my God.

Euen as I was yet ſpeaking, the man When this Angell telleth Zachary, of his name Gabriel, and is ſent vnto Mary, he calleth them to thinke vpon this text: that by conference of Moſes Num. 4. and Daniel here, they might better conſider the time of the promiſe. And, to haue that cauſe hodlen in peculiar dignitie, by the meſſage of this Gabriel, no other Angel, being a created ſpirite, hath a proper name. Michael is Chriſt with the beſt learned Chriſtians, & no leſſe then Iehouah & the Angel Iehouah, in the words of Zoar, & many other Ebrew DD. Gabriel whom I had ſeene afore in a viſion, came vnto me flying with vehemencie vntill he touched me, at the Oblation had with it, prayer: and euening prayer time was at their ninth houre, our three of the clock: as appeareth by Act. 3.1. At the ſame houre, the Lord made himſelfe that oblation which here the Angell telleth: euen moſt exactly when it ſhould be performed. time of the euening oblation.

And he gaue vnderſtanding, and talked with me & ſaid: Daniel, I am come forth to giue thee His oration containeth an abridgement of the new Teſtament, and a light of the old: and Daniel knew all afore, but the time, which bringeth a greater cleareneſſe vnto all. Therefore the time conſidered with the matter, is that which he calleth here the skill of vnderſtanding: and it muſt be counted a great errour, to hold that a ſmall matter, and ſpecially the diſanulling of Gods trueth, by heathen forged and moſt vayne and iarring antiquities, to make frō Babels fall to Tiberius 18. wherein our Lord died. 590. againſt the expreſſe 490. which the Angel counteth to be wiſedome which he ſpeaketh off: yet old Greekes did ſo. skill of vnderſtanding.

At the beginning of thy prayers came forth the word: which I am come to tell, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 becauſe thou art Chamudoth is the moſt amiable terme of any which can be giuen. As the attribute is, ſo is the matter here, Chamudoth full of grace.greatly beloued. Therefore By this commaundement doubled for vehementer charge, he condemneth the world, that regardeth not to be inſtructed in this doctrine, ſent from heauen by an Angel vnto Daniel, and penned for all nations vſe. Wherefore we muſt giue better heede vnto the ſpeach, leaſt we flowe and fall. For if the word ſpoken by Angels fall out ſure, and euery treſpaſſe receaued iuſt recompence, how ſhall we eſcape, neglecting ſo great a charge of looking vnto our owne ſaluation, where the viſion is ſo cleare that no doubt can be moued by any plaine heart, that will reſt in Gods auctoritie: nor yet from heathen ſtudies, by ſuch as throughly ſearch the auncient of them: and the onely fit to beare auctoritie. conceiue the word: g and perceiue the cleare viſion.

The cleare viſion for the certaine time of redemption, vvherein the Iewes through all the Goſpell agreed: and alſo all the Eaſt, as Ioſephus recordeth: and Tacitus and Suetonius, do both touch it.

Seuentie ſeuens (of yeares) A verbe ſingular to a ſubſtant▪ plural teacheth in Ebrew an exact accoūt then meant: as Auenarius noteth vpon this phraſe. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .is pared out for thy people, and for thy holy citie: to conſume wickedneſſe, and to aboliſh ſinnes, and to make reconciliation for iniquitie, and to bring righteouſneſſe euer-laſting, and to ſeale viſion and prophet, and to ſhew-Meſſias the Holy of Holieſt.

Of the 70. ſeuens.

SEuentie ſeuens make 490. in ordinary ſpeach. But that Daniel might conceaue how at the beginning of his prayer vpon conſidering of Ieremy for that 70. yeares of captiuitie ended, God tooke notice of his meditation, the Angel toucheth that ſeuentie: ſhewing how exactly ſeuen times that ſpace is declared afore hand: for the Iewes prerogatiue, continuance of Ceremonies and meditation, how reconciliation of ſinne is truly made: That euery Sabbath in the meane vvhile they might learne to enter into the rest of Chriſt.

How the 70. ſeuens end the holy Chronicle.

FIue, as it were, chaines of time are in Scripture: all drawen through ſo many ſeuerall matters. The firſt is cō tinued through the Ages of the Fathers vnto the death of Terah: who falling into Idolatrie, gaue occaſion to end that honour, of making the Fathers to draw the worldes age in theirs. After the death of Terah, Abraham hath the promiſe of Christ, and is called vnto Chanaan. For that promiſe: one tenour of certaintie is linked vnto the Lambe, Temple and Salomons death, after his Idolatrie: and held on, while Abrahams tribes held the faith of Chriſt. Thēce a new ſtate, meaſure of it, as a third chaine, cōmeth in. Iudah holdeth a kingdome, vnto Sedekiahs captiuitie: and Ieroboam draweth Iſrael to ſinne: vvhich time is termed Iſraels ſinne: by God to Ezekiel, chap. 4. vvhen he ſheweth vnto him the fall of Ieruſalem: with which fall, alſo famous 40. yeares of Iudahs vvarning must end. Which 40. are complete from Ieremies prophecying in the 13. of Ioſias, at the beginning of the 19. of Nebuchadnezer when the citie vvas brent. And that continuance of Iudahs kingdome is in one ſumme giuen by God. 390. y. Ezek. 4. The particulars vvherof are caſt by the kings of Iudah & Iſrael, iust into that ſumme, by ſundry learned. And Abraham Ben Dauid in Cabala ſheweth that the Iewes vniuerſally, but that they hid their minde, held the time ſo. The fourth chaine containeth the cōtinuance of Nebuchadnezars 70. yeares. Whereof 18. are paſt afore the kingdome of Iudah falleth. And this chaine vvas made afore hand, and when it came to the laſt linke, the hād writeth vpō the wall that God MENE MENE, had numbred, had numbred: and Daniel had a chaine of gold for expounding of it. As Ouid giueth the Sun foure horſes which draw him: Pyroeis, Eous, Aethon, Phlegon: So more fitly may theſe foure drawers of the Sunne be termed: The first a fierie Pyrocis: The next vvhere Abraham commeth from the Eaſt is Eous: The third vvhen the temple is burnt, is Aethon truely. And the fourth in heat against Babel is verily from the fierie throne aparching Phlegon. The fift paſſeth all admiratiō: that vvhich here the Angel giueth, to draw all the vvorld vnto Chriſt.

How the Chaine of Iubilees attendeth vpon this.

IF this chaine be made by him that made alſo that of Iubilees, vvhich must begin vvhen Ieſus conquereth and parteth the land: (that is in his eight yeare:) it will, by fifties end vvith this ſumme: and if it do ſo, there is a double ſtrength. Now it doth ſo most exactly. For yeares are by this chaine beginning at Ioſuahs eight 1400. Iubilees 28. at our Lords death. Wherefore that golden chaine vvhich Homer giueth vnto his Iupiter: by vvhich all the Gods drawing could neuer plucke him downe, but he could hang them, land and ſea in the middest of the ayer: faſtning it in the top of the heauens: that is nothing in Imagination to the strength of this: at which though Iewes and Gentiles, plucke now adayes neuer ſo feloniouſly, or boyſterouſly, they ſhall not preuaile: But vvhen this findeth particular triall euen by heathē approbation, as mens liues, it draweth them to be ſet in balances and founde higher then vanitie: as I ſhewed for Ebrew liues in the Preface.

Of Daniels People.

AS Daniel prayed for Gods People, ſo he had this kingly honour, that they are termed his People: euen ſuch of the nature. As Aben, Ezra rightly doth take it for to ſeale Meſſias.

An expoſition of the former Law phraſes: by the common termes of men.

Our Lord Mat. 24. giueth the ſame commaundement for this oration. Let him that readeth Daniel vnderſtand. The contempt of which commaundement hath bene the ruine of the world. Cyrus in Ezra maketh proclamation of ſuffring and helping Iſrael to returne to dwell at Ieruſalem. In that graunt the building of the Citie for houſes and diſtinction of ſtreetes, muſt needs be vnderſtood. at .49. y. troubles it is by clearer graunt, walled: in a tyth of this time: by Nehemiah hauing ſpeciall regard vnto this parcell of Prophecie. Know then marke. From the outgoing of the Ezra. 1.1. word to reſtore and to build Ieruſalem, vnto Here onely in Ebrew and twiſe here Meſſias commeth a meere proper name: hence made famous Iohn. 1.41. and 4 25. Alſo hence the time of his comming was granted by all ſides. Now the 62. ſeuens are parcelled alone onely, that the laſt may be handled alone, for our Lords ſtorie: in ſpeach of which he handleth firſt the principall matter: our Lords death: nothing to him being iuſt, but for vs, and nothing to hold him in the graue, who can raiſe vp him ſelfe; So he expounds reconciliation for ſinne with bringing in of eternall iuſtice. Alſo he expoundeth how thereupon the Cities prerogatiue ſhall ceaſe: from being an holy Citie. That he doth with moſt vehement termes: Knowing how the Iewes ioyed in their Citie: marke the wordes. Meſſias the gouernour ſeuens be,Iohn. 1.41.4.25. ſeuē: afterwards, ſeuens ſixtie and two. In the other, it ſhalbe reſtored and builded ſtreet & wall and See Ezra & Nehem. troublous ſhall theſe times be.

In that after ſeuens ſixtie & two Mat. 16.21. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 * Meſſias ſhalbe Hence doth S. Paule ſay: I taught nothing but that which Moſes and the Prophetes taught: that Chriſt was to ſuffer and being the firſt from the dead, ſhould ſhew light vnto the People (Iewes) and to the nations. And afore, Ieſus our Sauiour, after his Diſciples knewe aſſuredly that he was the Chriſt the ſonne of God, the Rocke. Deut. 32.7. thence he teacheth how he muſt be killed and riſe againe: but they did hardly conceiue it. Now they who doubt in what part of the ſeuen our Lord ſhould die: are too diligent. For that was taught firſt of all: before any partition: euen at 490. from his ſpeech.kild, and Mat. 17.1.nothing to himſelfe. Thereupon the CitieAct. 6. to come 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 * plainly meaneth ſo. and holy place ſhall he deſtroy: euen the gouernours owne people, in the next Mat. 24.34. generation: and their end ſhalbe with a flood: and at the end of the warre ſhalbe a finall iudgement of vtter deſolations.

But he ſhall make ſtrong the Teſtament, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Many, not Iewes but all As Rom. 5.15. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , all, & Mat. 26, 28. to the Many the laſt ſeauen. Yea halfe that ſeauen ſhall bring to an end ſacrifice and offering. Afterward by an armie of lothſome infidels he ſhall make deſolation, euen till vtter waſt and finall iudgement be powred vpon the deſolate.The heathens calling, into the reſt of Chriſt, ſealed in Baptiſme, bread & wine: the burying of Moſes, the lothſomneſſe of Rome, that killed our Lord, and Iudahs iuſt fall for infidelitie conclude all: handled here ſeuerally as they belonged not but collaterally, vnto the former ſpeech of v.24.

A reduction of the Goſpell vnto the oration of Gabriel.

THe oration of Gabriel containeth an abridgement of the new Teſtament: and all the Goſpell may be eaſily reduced vnto it. The booke of S. Matthew will be ſufficient for example: when we touch by the way ſome ſpeciall poinctes of the other Euangeliſts. And firſt of all, the beginning from Abraham and holding on to Ioſeph by the kings right, that toucheth how Chriſt is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Gouernour, is here twiſe the attribute of Meſſias: and erroniouſly applyed in the later place vnto the Romane Emperour, by the Iewes & by vs, thorough vnheedineſſe in one Hebraiſme. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 King, prince and gouernour of Iudah. And there the ſpeech of Emmanuel declareth how he is the moſt holy: and the name Ieſus for ſauing his people from their ſinnes, that plainely ſheweth who maketh reconciliation for ſinne. Now the coming of the wiſemen, called in Perſique, Magi, vnto Ieruſalem, that had his plaine ground hence. For by the holy citie, none but Ieruſalem was meant: and vnder the Perſians this doctrine was firſt embraced and made famous: of a king to ariſe at Ieruſalem: at 490. y. which matter ſo cleare, was eaſily kept in memory 457. that when 33. afore the end a Comet did in the aire argue in the Eaſt a cleare fauour of a noble light, they knew that a king was meant: and could thinke of none, but of the famous one, whoſe kingdome was foretold that it ſhould be at Ieruſalem by the 490. yeares, and begin at 30. later then their preſent time. Likewiſe when 30. y. after, Iohn cometh baptizing, and telling that the kingdome of heauen was come, the nation was nothing aſtoniſhed: but knew the phraſe vſed in Daniel, Chap. 2. for the ſtate which ſhould be in Iudah, next after the manifest aboliſhing of the image there: The age of 30. yeares is made ſo famous: by rare men & by the Law that almight looke for ſomewhat in Chriſt aunſwerable vnto that. which began when our Lord was born in Bethleem, and the Angels proclaimed his birth, (and the tribute of the Romanes ouer the world, argued all the images ruine, by the exaction of a generall tribute ouer all nations) and was to be proclaimed openly in the ſtate when the king was 30. yeares old: as Dauid was raigning in Ebron: the Leuites by the Law Num. 4. entring into the worke of the tabernacle, a token of this worke: and fitteſt at that age as Ioſeph at 30. ruled Aegypt: and three of each other fathers, from Selah, he, the next ſaue one, Peleg, the next to him ſaue one Serug were fathers at 30. where God would neuer haue diſpoſed thriſe equalitie of yeares in fathers, but for a monument 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and treſadmirable.

Now the Baptizing argueth moſt of all a common conſent of the nation, that an admiſſion into a new kingdome, of troupes together was then looked for. The Babylonian Talmud recordeth in Iebamoth pag. 76. and Rambam (the expounder of it in plaine Ebrew) in Aſure Biah. perek 13. that in the dayes of Dauid and Salomon, Baptizing was vſed in Iudah for proſelytes. Autoriſed hence for the reſt of Chriſt; from Moſes toyle of Ceremonies. when many thouſands of heathen became Proſelytes: they were admitted onely by Baptiſme without Circumciſion: as the Iewes in Aegypt waſhed their garments vpon their calling thence: and the leapers their bodies: and likewiſe the ſacrificers waſhed their bodies, at their function. So now when the teſtament was to be made for the Many, that is, for all nations, Baptiſme was not ſtrange, neither is Iohn an aſtoniſhment for that: but demaunded whether he be Elias or Chriſt, or that ſpeciall Prophet named in Deuteronomie: where the agreement in time gaue occaſion of all the demands. Moreouer In that our Lord repeateth in chap. 7 19. the very ſyllables of Iohns words, 3.10. he therin approueth his authoritie. The like do the Prophets often. when our Lord preacheth openly, he confirmeth Iohns ſpeech: ſaying, repent, for the kingdome of heauen is come: & ſpeaketh as Daniel of the kingdome that neuer ſhall be corrupted, Chap. 2. which kingdome is here expounded. Likewiſe when the Lord maketh that famous Sermon vpon the mount, all his ſpeech tendeth to ſhew the nature of the kingdome of heauen: how it is not pompous, but for the poore in ſpirite, for the mourning, for the meeke, for hungrie and thirſtie of iuſtice: and to be ſhort, for the godly perſecuted. And the reſt of his Sermon remoueth Phariſaicall hinderances of acceſſe into ſuch a kingdome.

Hither belong the miracles moſt clearely, to ſhew that God ſpake by his ſonne Pſal. 2. the The Syriaque 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Heb. 1.3. frō Eſa. 4. & the 70 in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and Ionathā expounding all that of Chriſt with Ieremie and Zacharies both for the ſame, theſe by one terme open all the couenant. Brightneſſe of glorie, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Eſa. 4. which waſheth the vncleanneſſe of the daughters of Sion, bringing in eternall iuſtice. The raiſing vp of dead by his owne authoritie, the making wine of water preſently, the multiplying of corne and fiſh: theſe were works proper vnto the Sonne of God. And theſe, fit for the ſtriker and the healer. The cleanſing of leproſies, the ſtrengthening of palſique nerues and lunatique braines, the cooling of burning agues: the raiſing vp of the bowed▪ the ſight-gift vnto the blind, the freſhing of the withered hands, the gift of legs to the lame, eares to the deaffe, tongue to the dumbe, eloquence vnto the ſtammering, and healing of all ſickneſſes: theſe doings expound Eſay, and ſhew who taketh away all our infirmities, and bringeth in iuſtice eternall So the caſting out of deuils might make any Iannes or Iambres confeſſe the finger of God: and the kingdome of heauen to be come in the due time: the deuils expreſly confeſſed the holy one of God, & the Sonne of God: as the deuilliſh Aben Ezra doth vpon v. Where only Chriſt is named plainly Meſſias, there the Iewes denie the terme to be a Nowne proper: and yet to the verſe afore they ioyne Meſſiah: as meant there. Such a ſpirit of giddineſſe is in them. Chriſtians of iudgement ſhould more ioye in the twiſe ſpoken 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 his nāe here by the Angel, thē in anie worldly delight. This well-handled might turne Turke and Iewe. For on this they ſtagger in this, whether Meſſias was to be killed, and was the ſon of God after the ſpirit of ſanctification. 24. acknowledge Chriſt the moſt holy: though where twiſe he is named Meſſias and onely there, and in the expoſition, he there would place earthly ſinfull perſons. But the Phariſies were openly pronounced of our Lord to be of their father the deuill: that ſtood not in the truth, but became a murtherer from the beginning. The Pſalmiſt might ſee a walker on the ſea. The breaches of the waues were mightie: but his voyce rebuked the ſeas: As the ſea was his and he made it: ſo it bare him vp like the dry land: yea the ſea reioyced and the ſtore of it, when a fiſh payed tribute: and ſhewed that Chriſt knew what fiſh had ſwallowed a ſtater: and how the ſame would come quicke to Peters angle: when alſo fiſh at his commaundement came ſo into the nets, that they ouer-laded two botes: and did come alſo great ones 153. into the net, and brake it not: there Dauid muſt be remembred how the fiſh of the ſeas, that paſſe through the paſſage of the paths of the ſeas, ſhew vnto what man all things were made ſubiect. Here Iob might ſee a walker vpon the mountaines of ſea: and glorie larger then the ſea: and here the fiſh would tell him this much. Alſo the earth could not ſtand ſtill, but must acknowledge who ſetled it. Here Ezekiel might haue ſeene after an earthquake, the fountaine of all reſurrection: & Amos vvould tell, that vvhen the Sonne darkened the Sunne at noone day, Iſrael ſhould take heede of vtter darkneſſe: where Malachie would teach, that there the Sunne of iuſtice aroſe with health in the skirts of his garments. Moreouer Elias would tell, that the mind which rent the ſtones, if they ſaw not God in it, would after ſend a fire vpon Citie and Sanctuarie, when the Lord ſhould not be in it. Vpon theſe miracles the Centurion ſayd▪ Truely he is the Sonne of God, and ſo the moſt holy. The faſting a • Moſes and Elias: and ſhining before Moſes and Elias talking of his Exodus paſſing at Ieruſalem, there Law & Prophet ſay: here in Daniel is told the wiſedome, and here is the place of vnderſtanding. The reſurrection maketh the Iewes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by their owne terme in Ieruſalemy, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in S. Paul. When they make Iſaak to beare his owne croſſe, to be after a ſort recouered from death, to be thereby as it were the ground of all their prayers. They ſpeake many things of open trial by the third day: & make this the glory of all. Thus in Midras Bereſhith they do ſpeake. Vpon the third day Abraham did lift vp his eyes. It is written he will quicken vs after two dayes: the third day he will raiſe vs vp: and we ſhall liue afore him. In the third day of the Patriarkes it is written: and Ioſeph ſpake vnto them the third day: in the third day of the ſpies it is written; & hide your ſelues there three dayes. Ioſ. 2. In the third day of the Law it is written; and it fell out on the third day: ſo in the third day for Ionah: as it is written; and Ionah was in the whales bellie three dayes and three nights. And in the third day of the aſcending from captiuitie it is written: and we were there three daies, & in the third day ſhalbe the reſurrection (as it is written:) he will make vs aliue after two daies Hoſea 6. and in the third day it is ſpoken in Eſter: In the third day Eſter did put on the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (properly) kingdome: the kingdom of her fathers houſe. By what iuſtice? Thus do the Rabbines ſpeake: Now all theſe looked vnto the reſurrection: wherin the Church and her aſſemblie of the righteous put on the kingdome: now alſo the aſcention ſheweth iustice brought in, confirmed by the wind, fires tongues, & ſpeaking of theſe matters to all nations vnder the heauen: a • all the miracles of the Goſpell belong directly hither. All further ſpeeches of doctrine keepe them within this compaſſe which followe after the ſermon vpon the mountain: or yet went afore it. The chiefe heads ſhalbe touched: for our Lords ſpeeches in the Goſpel, & his doings or ſuffrings, which all tend to the ſtrēgthening of this teſtament for the many. And ſeeing this must be in effect the ſame that Moſes law was: the chief of it, the difficulties taught in ceremonies, and poin • ts peruerted by the Phariſees, were to be handled by our Lord, and the knowne matters to be recorded by his Apostles: as where S. Luke recordeth his line to Adam, that chaine draweth all the ſtorie vnto it: and all the times be ſtarres for the ſame. Such things were to be penned. But our Lords ſpeeches How they belōg to the ſpeech here of making ſtrong the couenant. touch vs. Many orations are of his Godhead in S. Iohn. They are a cōmentary vpon the firſt entrance of Geneſis: as Iohn beginneth with a commentarie for it and him. How God reſteth on the Sabbath and yet worketh, the Sonne doth teach: and the ioyning from God, of Adam and Eue, this is brought as a ground of expounding Deut. 24. Adams fall from the beginning, with Satans murther is taught expreſly: that none of vs ſhould ſtagger in that: and how, as Phariſies, all naturall be Satans childrē. Abel is termed the iuſt: & his death applyed vnto Ieruſalems destruction here told. The careleſſe at the flood are remembred: and the calling of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from Eaſt and Weſt directly belongeth hither. Abraham for that is cited, as vvith whom they ſhall feaſt in heauen: ſo in forſaking all for Christ, and for ſeeing his paſſion in Iſaak, for immortalitie, in that God was, after his death the God of Abraham, Iſaac and Iacob. The name of Iſrael, and Angels aſcending and deſcending, are mentioned principally. Moſes cometh vvholly as a Martyr and witneſſe of Christ. Matth. 17. His miracles be glaunced at, by the finger of God: where 2. Tim. 3.8. Menachoth. 9. fol 85. Aegyptians in Numenius. lib. 3. Euſeb. pr • p. 9. Iannes and Iambres damne the Phariſies. The 12. in the Apoſtles number, and the 70. in the Diſciples, ſhew that our Lord honoured and made glorious the Law, as Eſay told of him. The Law for euery commandement is expounded by him, as by one that could ſeaſon speech: the two tables: by two generall commandements: to heare that Iehouah, our God, Iehouah is one, who must be loued vvith all the minde, ſoule and ſtrength: And the neighbour, as a man vvould vviſh to be loued Againſt Ieruſalemy. Nedar▪ Per. 9. that doth teach to ſtrik one that ſtriketh. of another. Meſſiah is taught with faith for the firſt commandement: for the ſecond, ſpirituall idolatrie maketh the Iewes Satans ſonnes: their ſwearing, as by Their Talmud ſtil hath the phraſe. their heads in priuate ſpeeches is corrected as a light naming of God: the ſuperstitious befooling of the Sabbaths reſt is often controlled: honour to parents is applyed against Pope-like greedie begging for the Church. Murther is drawen (againſt the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the rabbines later then Ezra. Kadmonim or old Rabbines the cited, and rested vpon, the bare vvords; vnto vniust anger or taunts. Likewiſe adulterie vnto the ſole deſire. Witneſſes are taught to testifie vvithout ſinne: and the ambition of deſiring thy neighbours, is drawen alſo vnto giuing all away, that Christ may be followed. The Iudicials in ſundry heads are drawen to a greater charitie, then the ciuill officer can force: and all by this lavv: Thou ſhalt be perfect vvith Iehouah thy God. And there the ground of all learning is handled: the applying of all actiōs vnto the nature of God, manifested in his creation: in ſhining and rayning vpon good and bad. All Leuiticus vvas expounded to the Samaritan • : in that the ceremonies of it ſhould haue their end: and the Iubilie for ſetting all free, is explaned from Eſay. The lifting vp of the ſerpent is opened vnto Nicodemus: & from Deuteronomie the hanging vpon the tree past not vnhandled: vvhere Chriſt being lifted vp vvill dravv all vnto him. Moreouer the commaundement, Giue glorie vnto the Eternall, the ROCKE, that is conueyed vnto the chiefest ſpeech of all the nevve Testament, and ſcope here: vvhere Christ is acknowledged the ROCKE. A matter vvhere Iew & Pope make ſhipwracke of al. The Iewes In Ieruſalemy Thaan. where the bloud commeth vp to the horſe bridles. Perek. 4. fol. 69. col. 1. cōfeſſe, that the ROCKE gaue them vp to the Romanes. And Rome vvill haue the Rock to be vnder them. As though for killing of Christ they had deſerued that honor: and cannot ſee, that God vnchangeable must needes plague them for euer for that, aboue all all nations vnder the cope of heauen. And vvhere as in that ſame ſong of Moſes, Our Lordes holy wordes, though few, & his works open all the Law. the Iewes are reiected: that is ſpoken often by our Lord. So he affoordeth vnto vs the marrow of all the Law. His going to Aegypt, ſuffering, and fortie dayes viewing the land, is ouer-ſet in vvorkes: to Iſrael, Lambe, Iſaacke, and twelue ſpies, and his ſhining like the ſunne, with his aſcenſion to Enoch, his aſſumption & yeres according to the ſonnes courſe. As the Prophets are commentaries vpon the Law: ſo it belōging vnto the ſuffrings here told, they muſt all likewiſe, belong.

The ſynagogues godly diſcipline, was the ſame which the Lord ſpeaketh off: and the Apoſtles practiſed: as any may yet ſee, in the Talmud. Though Phariſaical parts marre all, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 And in his expoſitions, in his phraſes, and in his actions he goeth through them all. Beſides the expreſſe Prophets, the Ebrewes particular decrees, and learned ſpeeches were to be confirmed. Such as plaine reaſon of all knevv to be good. Our Lord reuerenced the diuine ſchoole of Sanedrin at twelue: ſitting amongst them, hearing them and poſing them: the reuerence of all geſtures, which their decrees haue for the ſynagogue, & reading of the Law, was ſhewed by him ſelfe. Iuſt excommunication allowed: and their law of excommunicating them who miſuſe authoritie practized euen vpon the Scribes and Phariſies and all Ieruſalem. And all their doctrine of traditions now in the Talmud vtterly damned. Yet what they had from the ancient, worthy praiſe he alloweth, all that termes, phraſes, and prouerbiall ſentences: The world to come, the dead, taſting death, reſurrection of the dead, Their Gemara. Berachoth. 9. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , forgiueneſſe in this world, Paradiſe, Gehenna, and Gehenna large 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . in Mid. Til. eating and drinking the obiect of faith, eating and drinking in the world to • ome, carying of the croſſe of Chriſt. Theſe are taken from E • r • e Doctors common vſe, yet abiding in record, yea and to ſingular vſe, jod and pricke: and in the Greeke prouerbiall ſpeech Α and Ω after the Ebrews, from Aleph vnto Tha • . In Ben Arama. So he taunteth the Talmuds 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Raka: the ſwearing by the head: the Corban: their Abothenu & Rab. Such he blamed. And thus, he that was in the forme of God, and held it no robberie to be equall with God, yet tooke the forme of a ſeruant: and the ſpeeches of the baſe. Yea and to looke backe to ſome of his workes and wordes, we ſhall ſee more how he condeſcended vnto vs. From the water of Iewes Purification he made his wine: From Baptiſme vſed of them without commaundement, and of ſmall authoritie: he autorizeth a ſeale of entring into the reſt of Chriſt: vſing the Iewes weakneſſe as an allurement thither. From bread In Rābam, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , at the Paſſeouer, waſhing, a ſpeciall ſort of ſitting 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 bidding celebrate, remē bring Meſſias dayes, and Egypts thral dom, dipping their ſoppes, thankes or bleſſing with a loafe, and a cup of wine, & thereupon a Pſalm ſong: all theſe our Lord went through. and wine vſed with the Lambe, being without all commaundement of Moſes, but reſting vpon the common reaſon giuen by the Creator, he autorizeth a ſeale of his owne ſelfe, of his very fleſh and bloud, that vve ſhould ſtill eate and drinke it, and feede vpon the Lambe of God which taketh away the ſinnes of the world, vntill we grow into the perfect man, into the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſſe of Christ. And as the houſholder at the Lambes ſuppers end, bleſſed God, firſt taking bread: and againe taking the wine: ſo, that we ſhould not turne his ſeale into ſuperſtition he followeth that plainneſſe. Shewing the ſumme the ſame: a Lambe for Lambe: and bread with wine of higher authoritie, and likewiſe after, as they vſed, he ſong the Pſal 113. fit for the matter. From the Iewes ſynagogue, where they medled not with ceremonies no more then we now, (they with Circumciſion as we with Baptiſme) from their ſincere orders, grounded vpon the plaine light of reaſon, (againſt which nothing but ambition can once open the mouth) he ſetled an order for euer for his Church: whereof his Apoſtles ſhew the practiſe: and he cauſed their enemies euen the Phariſies, to record all the Apoſtles maner to haue bene from Ezra. And gaue ſpeciall charge to his Apoſtles, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Rambam & Ieruſalemy in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 agree much with the Apoſtles. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and not to be titled 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by vvhich terme Demoſthenes diſtinguiſheth Athens from policies of Kings, titled 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . This ſhould haue bene marked by the Biſhop of that Citie through vvhoſe policie Chriſt was crucified: who will be titled Soter and Euergetes, yea and Theos, more to be skopht of all Iewes and Turkes, then the Seleucidae and Lagidae were of Plutarch in Ariſtide, and ſuch others. Our Lord forbad not his diſciples to deſire to be firſt: but requireth that their ſuperioritie ſhould be in ſeruice. And their practiſe taught the world, how rightly they vnderſtood his charge. Our Lord and his Apoſtles laboured to teach all men, renowming and making glorious all the Law. The Pope and his, to diſgrace and to corrupt all: to winne a ſuperioritie, to continue in blindneſſe, and to be openly guiltie of whole ignorance touching the kingdome of heauen. But I must returne vnto the Lordes ſpeeches, for reduction of all the holy Ebrewes learning vnto the Goſpell. One thing here he was not to ſtand vpon: the Maſſorites or Ebrew Grammarians diligence for the Ebrew text. But in two wordes he confirmeth all their paines: borowing termes frō them: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Twentie times doth the ſpirit handle the alphabet order: once in Pſal. 25. But for one Greeke copy where the names of the letters are found, that would not ſoone bee ſeene, by reaſon of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in other letters. 37.111.112. eight times in 119. once in 145. in Salomon once, ſixe times moſt diſtinctly for the confuſion of Iudah, in Ieremies Lamentations. Yet all this while no one letter is named. Belike when Iuda came from Babel, and kept their tong by ſcholes, not by dayly ſpeech, they firſt vſed thoſe names. And before that, Greekes had them: as Sigma or San, old in Herod. And Homers books are named after the letters. To confirme the Ebrewes the Lord nameth one of two kinds. One with a name, Ebrew and Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . In Homer. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . And 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Likewiſe in the elder Talmud the Ieruſalemy jod is handled moſt famouſly, and ſo fit for this matter, as any thing lightly can be found. Three matters of jod are handled: the two firſt ſomewhat hard to expreſſe: one an accuſation of Salomon, exprest in Ebrew by jod: another of more difficulty: the third ſhall come after the Ieruſalemy. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

This ſpeech the Ieruſalemy hath for jod: Ieruſalemy in Cohen Gadol. fol. 20 b. how it is not a ſmall matter that jod is taken away from Saraj to make Sarah: which the Greeke hauing not in their tongue, could not ſo augment, but were fame to vſe the augmentation in r, to make Sarra: which poinct the holy Ghoſt followeth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Rom. 4 19.9.9. Heb. 11.11. 1. Pet. 3.6. ſtill in the Greeke new Testament, calling therein ſtill to mind, jod reiected. But when jod taken from Saraj, being the laſt letter of a womans name, cometh firſt to make Ieſus, in the ſonne of Nun, jod appeareth The Ebrews hold it a law to be ſtraitly obſerued, as from Gods maieſty, that Saraj and Abram ſhould be no further their names. The Prophets & Apoſtles keepe it. not contemned, that well might it be a prouerbiall ſpeech: One jod in the Law will not be found idle. And ſo we ſee how he before whom all the earth is like the duſt of a ballance, yet deſcendeth vnto our ſpeeches for the leaſt letter of all the Ebrew, and vnto the name of it, to the countenancing of the Grā mer studie, as a moſt learned profeſſion: that the Ebrew and Greeke ſhould not be deſpiſed without open contempt of Christ his authoritie. Now the name of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a prick is rare. Plutarch hath the terme. None beſide of heathen that I remember. S. Mathew and S. Luke both haue it. Though punctum hath no quantitie, yet the terme here is of great quantitie and dignity. The Iewes note fifteene wordes in the Law with Pſalmes and Prophets, The Maſſoreth in Nu. 3.39. doeth ſhew which be they. pricked ouer the heads, for ſpeciall deepe conſideration: and ſo written from the firſt copies: and Ramban prefacing to Moſes, declareth how all the Ebrewes honour the warning of waightie matter in them. They call them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . For Aethiop. letters I take Greeke. But that terme is not vſed in the Ebrewiſh of S. Mat. nor in the Syriaque, or Arabique. Neither be any of all their terms anciēt. The Aethiop. is neare the Greek. So that we are to ſearch whether prickes as the fifteene ſtrange: or other prickes which are vowels or accentes be meant. The 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 prickes onely of marking, and likewiſe accents are no part of the word. Therefore, I trow, vowel prickes muſt needs be meant. Which poinct conteyneth the moſt exquiſite depth of the Ebrew tongue. And ſo far doth our L. condeſcēd to our ſtudies: as to omit neither Ebrew nor Greek: but taketh a touch that authorizeth all the reſt. Now as I made this long digreſſion, of our Lords confirming the couenant, with deſcending vnto Rabbine ſtudies, I thinke it not amiſſe to ioyne Rabbines hither: not for one jod: but for all the twenty and two letters how often they are vſed. Thus the caſe ſtandeth. Rabbi Sadaias learning from the Maſſorites how oftē euery letter came in Ebrew: ſearched for Scriptures which had the like number: moſt from Numeri and Ezra: and from ſuch ſentences made Tetraſticon or foure verſes for memory from thoſe matters: not vnto any further wit for ſenſe. Now he beginneth his verſes with Aleph: where he ſpeaketh of Alephs number: with Beth for the like: and ſo for euery letter: & taketh wordes whoſe firſt letters arithmetique being taken for ſo many thouſands in the firſt verſe: and in Onely the finall formes which you ſee put alone in the margent, argue that the ſame in the text muſt be meant for hundreds as they meane. ordinarie arithmetique in the ſecond: matcheth the number of the letter. So in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

Aleph in the firſt telleth, that of Aleph he intreateth. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 being 42 in arithmeticke, and the firſt letters of their wordes make here 42000. the other three firſt letters 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 make 377 in ordinarie Ebrew arithmeticke. So Aleph is vſed times 42 377. By this the ſtudent may helpe himſelfe. Onely this warning may withall go, that ſometime his textes, which I write in rubrique, could not affoord an exact agreement: but come very neare. Now the ſonnet of the Rabbine ſhall ſpeake.

The certaintie of the Ebrew. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Here the reader muſt helpe the print: where the text of the right colume ſhould chaunge place with the left. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

Thus we haue a miraculous record for the Scriptures certainty. In explication ſomewhat more may be added. Great capital letters are in certain diſtances: as Gimel in Hith Gallach: diſtant 2600 frō the great Vau in Leuit. 11. Theſe and ſuch are knowne to few. Now whereas 848 margine termes are vſed: according to which they reade and not according to the text: ſome (as Dauid Kimchi) thought that done, as to helpe a corruption of the text in Captiuitie. Elias defendeth moſt learnedly the Maſſorites text againſt all colour of arguments brought againſt it from Talmuds or other. And this much for the Ebrew writ, in this end, as it were, of Daniel. But now I will go on vnto his laſt viſion, expounding the 8. Chapter. The 9 Chapter is the laſt for time: and ſo plaine for Christ, that no further expoſition could be. The contēpt of which note hath cauſed lewes to periſh ſtill, and hindred all nations.

CHAP. 10. Daniel hath one viſion deſcribing Chriſt the moſt holy: and an other of an Angel: who ſheweth vnto him in generall, the affayres of the Iewes diſtreſſe vnder the Perſians: And how the Perſians are ruled by this Angel, vntil the king of Iauan, Alexander the great commeth.

IN theWhen the worke of the Temple was hindered. Ezra 4, 14. thirde yeere of Cyrus king of Paras, a ſpeach was reuealed vnto Daniel, whoſe name was called That is: He braſt out a fyre vpō the enemy: euen the Chaldean. By diſplacing a dumme letter, he maketh his name to meane ſo. See what it was. Cha. 1, 7. Belteſhazar. And the ſpeach was Ebr. Trueth expounding ſignes. Eb. Zaba: army by Aben ezra, meanyng the wars told here. Time it is by Ralbag. Both fall out fitly: therefore I thought good to ioyne both. proper: and the army-like ordered time, great. And he vnderſtoode the Conteyned in cha. 11, & 12. ſpeach, and had vnderſtanding in the Of this that he ſaw vpon Tigris. viſion.

In thoſe dayes, I Daniel Becauſe Iudahs enemies had preuailed, to the hindrance of ye Temples buylding. was in heauineſſe three ſeauens of He putteth a diſtinction, for the ſeauens of yeeres, tolde chap. 9, 24. And for them the tranſlation muſt be a lyke: though, Weekes be the ordinary fit tearme here. dayes.

Pleaſant bread ate I none: and fleſh or wine came none within my mouth: and oyntment vſed I none, till three ſeauens of dayes were fulfilled.

And in the foure and twenteth day of the firſt moneth, I was by the ſide of the great riuer: that is, Called Tigris of Greekes: in notation, Sharp-ſwift. The Perſians chiefe glory was in thoſe quarters: and likwyſe the Sel • ucianes Throne. And Seleucus Nicator buylt vpon Tigris Seleucia; the moſt famous towne of all, which he buylt. Hiddekel.

And I lift vp mine eyes, and looked: and beholde, there was a man cloathed in Linnen, whoſe loynes were girded with fine golde of Vphaz.

His body was like the Turkis, and his face like the ſight of lightnyng, and his eyes like Lampes of fire, and his armes and his feete like the colour of polyſhed Braſſe: and the voyce of his wordes, like the voyce of a multitude.

Now I Daniel onely ſaw the viſion, and the men which were with me ſaw not the viſion▪ But a great quaking fell vpon them, and they fled away to hide them ſelues.

So I was left alone, & ſaw this great viſion: But no ſtrength was left in me. For my vigour was turned in me into corruption, & I reteyned no ſtrength.

Yet I heard the voyce of his wordes. And when I heard the voyce of his wordes, I fell in a ſlumber on my face: and my face was towardes the ground.

The perſon that next ſpeaketh, termed a reſemblance in fight as a man, is thought to be Gabriel, named chapt. 8, 16. at whoſe cōmying to hym Daniel was frighted, & fel in a ſlumber on his face to the ground: and was touched by him, & ſet vppon his feete. who alſo chap. 9, 25. telleth of Chriſt: as here agayne,Now beholde, an hand touched me, and ſet me vpon my knees, and vpon the palmes of myne handes.

And he ſayd vnto me, O Daniel, thou gracious man, vnderſtande my wordes, which I ſpeake vnto thee: and ſtande vpright. For now am I ſent to thee. And when he had ſpoken this ſpeach to me, I ſtoode trembling.

Then he ſayd vnto me: Feare not Daniel. For from the firſt day that thou diddeſt ſet thine hart to vnderſtande, and to chaſten thy ſelfe before thy God, thy wordes were heard, and I am come for thy wordes.

But the prince of the kingdome of Paras ſtoode againſt me. And beholde, That is, Archangel. Iude. 9. which terme is hence taken: here Angels are the firſt princes in compariſon with rulers on the earth: and the captayne of their hoſt is the firſt of this company. Michael the firſt of the chiefe Princes came to helpe me: and I remayned there by the king of Paras.

Now I am come to ſhew thee what ſhall befall thy people in the time hereafter. For yet the viſion is for thoſe dayes.

And when he had ſpoken theſe wordes vnto me, I ſet my face towardes the grounde, and I became dum.

And beholde, that reſemblance in ſight as a man touched my lyppes. Then I opened my mouth, and ſpake, and ſayd vnto him that ſtoode before me: O my Lord, by the viſion my Or, my ſorrowes turned: but the matter telleth whether is principally fit, though both go togeather. ioyntes are looſed in me, and I retayne no ſtrength.

And how can this ſeruant of my Lord, talke with this my Lord: thus am I: ſince euen now no ſtrength ſtandeth in me, nor breath is left in me?

Than againe he in ſight as a man, touched me, and made me ſtrong:

And ſayd, feare not gracious man: peace be to thee, be ſtrong, againe, I ſay be ſtrong. And when he had ſpoken vnto me, I was ſtrengthened, and ſayd: Let my Lord ſpeake, for thou haſt ſtrengthened me.

Than ſayd he: Knoweſt thou Euen to ſhew what ſhal befal thy people, as it was tolde verſ. 14. wherefore I am come vnto thee? And now I will returne to A 120 yeeres after this viſiō, great Alexander ſet on Aſia. Now whereas Cyrus periſhed in the Scythian warres, ſoone after the hinderance of the Temple: and Cambyſesſone after by a wound in the thigh▪ geuen by himſelf againſt his wyll: and Darius Hyſtaſpis lyued but 43. Y. (in Cteſias) aged about 20. Y. at Tomyris and Cyrus warre, and for Eſters ſake, had ſomewhat a longer reigne, that Darius her ſonne (by the Iewes) myght be of ſome good yeres to helpe Iudah, whē he reigned in Xerxes abſence, & ſtyl after: and Xerxes great army periſhed, to the aſtoniſhment of all the world: we muſt in all thoſe affayres, looke vnto the Angels ſpeach: and conſider the gouernment of God, by the army of heauen for Iudah, tearmed the Army of heauen. And likewyſe for the kings that reigned after Darius, that buylt Ieruſalem: that they had ſomewhat better ſucceſſe: yf we enter into the ſanctuary of this viſion, we may ſee what the counſell of God was touching them: and vſe heathen ſtories, for a commentary vpon this place. fight with the Prince of Paras: and when I am A 120 yeeres after this viſiō, great Alexander ſet on Aſia. Now whereas Cyrus periſhed in the Scythian warres, ſoone after the hinderance of the Temple: and Cambyſesſone after by a wound in the thigh▪ geuen by himſelf againſt his wyll: and Darius Hyſtaſpis lyued but 43. Y. (in Cteſias) aged about 20. Y. at Tomyris and Cyrus warre, and for Eſters ſake, had ſomewhat a longer reigne, that Darius her ſonne (by the Iewes) myght be of ſome good yeres to helpe Iudah, whē he reigned in Xerxes abſence, & ſtyl after: and Xerxes great army periſhed, to the aſtoniſhment of all the world: we muſt in all thoſe affayres, looke vnto the Angels ſpeach: and conſider the gouernment of God, by the army of heauen for Iudah, tearmed the Army of heauen. And likewyſe for the kings that reigned after Darius, that buylt Ieruſalem: that they had ſomewhat better ſucceſſe: yf we enter into the ſanctuary of this viſion, we may ſee what the counſell of God was touching them: and vſe heathen ſtories, for a commentary vpon this place. gone away, the Prince of Iauan commeth.

But I will ſhew thee what is written in the Scripture of trueth. And there is none that ſtrengtheneth him ſelfe with me in theſe thinges, but Michael This attribute ſheweth who Michael muſt needes be holden: not a created angel: but the only Archangel, & the captayne of the hoſt of the Lord, the ſonne of God, who thought it no robbery to be equal with God. And ſo much ye name ſignifieth. Only Chriſt ſtandeth for his church: which al the world ſeeketh to oppreſſe. your Prince.

CHAP. 11. Gabriel geueth now an expoſition of the matters figured by the Image: great, goodly, and tirrible: by the beaſtes that came out of the Sea: and by the other that battered at the riuer Vlai, in more particuler ſort, then the former three expoſitions of thoſe three viſions ſhewed the matter: ſo that this is the ſeauenth time, that the ſame nations are ſpoken off: thrife figured, and as often expounded afore. This ſpeach teacheth of their particular dealinges, in ſuch playnnes, as the Heathen afterwardes penned their doinges. He reckoneth how many kinges of Perſia ſhalbe ſoone cut off, or ouerthrowen, for hindering the worke of the Temple. Thence, he paſſeth ouer to great Alexander, and geueth an abridgement of all his ſtories: his ariſing, his fall, and his houſes: of his foure principall ſucceſſours, of the many others leſser then they, of two the mightieſt: whoſe families ſhould all their time, both, clayme the kingdome of Iudah: And he geueth an hiſtorie aforehand of ten Kinges, the ten hornes of the fourth Beaſt: ſhewing in them the rigour of the iron legges, and iron teeth: how not only they deuoured Iudah in their taxes, and other yeerely reuenues, but trode it more downe, by their continuall camping in it, from both their chiefe kingdomes. And in Antiochus Epiphanes, the laſt inſtrument of wrath againſt the Holy couenant; he continueth a long ſpeach, as he was chiefly to be looked vnto: of his treacherous comming vp in Syria, by poyſoning his brother: of his preparing againſt Egypt (where by the way Iudah felt the beginning of the 2300. dayes oppreſſion:) of his great ſucceſſe in his firſt voyage into Egypt: of the ſeconde, with bad ſucceſſe: and his vehementer rage againſt the Temple, by his returne through Iudea: which rage helde three yeeres and an halfe: of a thirde voyage, wherein he ſpoyled Egypt exceedingly, and returned through Iudea to Elymais: and of his death by the hand of God. All theſe thinges are handled of him ſo particularly, that all the wyſe of thoſe dayes might be confirmed to ſtande to the trueth, ſeeing aforehand what ſhould be their euent: and all of all ages marke in whom the laſt viſions of Daniel ended, that the prophecies might draw men vnto Chriſt: and not beyonde him, as the Iewes now adayes woulde peruert his ſayinges, and turne them in moſt ſenſeleſse wyſe againſt Chriſtianitie, and to their owne eternall ruine. For all this, Heathen ſtories are for vs ſure witneſses, of the Angels meaning.

A repetition of Babels fall.

AND in the firſt yeere of Darius the Madaj, So that by the Angel the golden head was broken to powder: by the petition of the watcher, the axe was layde to the roote of the tree, & the Lion pluckt, and Balſhazar ſlaine: that the Stons power might be knowen, and the higheſt myght be ſeene to ſit vpon the fiery throne, with bookes open: and the hand wryting might be perceiued to come from God: and Michael to ſtand vp. We are lykewyſe to regard Chriſt a gouerner, through al theſe kinges, that ſhal reigne before the buyldyng vp of the Temple. So this angelique oration, may be vnto vs as a booke of the warres of God: euen to call prophane writers to the vſe of holy ſtories, and profe of the Goſpel, which after theſe ſo many particulers, was in the ſet time to be ſhewed. I ſtoode a ſtrength and a fortreſſe vnto him.

¶ Of 4. Perſian kinges, plagued for the Temple.

And now I will tell thee theThat is, propriety of the viſions of the Image & Beaſtes: which we may not expound, but according to the Angels commentary: which ſtandeth in matters ſo famous, that men out of the Church, wyl bring vs ſtories moſt exactly agreeyng with the Angels wordes: that our enemies may be good iudges trueth. Yet After Darius named afore, Cyrus, Artaxaſta, or Artaxerxes called of the Grekes Cambyſes: and Achaſhueroſh, that maryed Eſter, called Darius, ſonne of Hyſtaſpis. To theſe three, the Perſians gaue theſe attributes: Cyrus was a father, Cambyſes a maiſter, Darius a whorder vp. Herodot in Thalia three kinges ſtande vp to Paras: and the Xerxes, that receyued from Darius great ſtore, beſides the yeerely reuenues. Aeſchylus the Greeke poet, in Perſis a tragedy, made vpon Xerxes flight, bringeth in Atoſſa (that is) Adaſſa, talking of this great wealth & how God brought the Perſian pride into a net, to ſpoyle all their riches. So famous God would haue euery part of the Angels oration: that the ſtages in Graecia myght heare, how for ſome angring of God, that huge campe and that cloude of men, as Themiſtocles ſpeaketh, in Heredot▪ was ſ • attered, beſide al hope of men. fourth ſhalbe farre richer then they all: and through his ſtrength by his riches, he ſhall

Daniel knew without any further telling, what would be the ſucceſſe, for hinderyng the Temples buyldyng from the firy throne Chap. 7. and from the flamyng eyes Chap. 10. euen that they ſhold feele the diſcomfiture of all their ſtrength for that: and haue their former kinges ſoone cut off. How ſoone they were cut off, Herodotus and Cteſias will conclude that to vs. For Herodotus maketh Darius Hyſtaſpis to be aged about 20. yeeres, when Cyrus prepared warres againſt Tamyris, and to die, 6. yeeres before Xerxes entring into Graecia: and by Cteſias he lyued but 43. yeeres. So about 30. yeeres after Cyrus voyage, this ſtory of the Perſians fell out: and like the waters of ſharpe ſwift Tigris, the other kinges dayes fled away.

What times of the Perſians Gabriel paſſeth ouer.

Soone after Xerxes voyage, Darius a young king at home, furthereth the Temples worke, and acknowledgeth the hand of God to haue payde Kings and people for their hinderance. Seeing his 20. toucheth the 49. for buyldyng Ieruſalem: as it was ſhewed els where, his ſecond falleth at 32. from the returne. That Iewes and Gentiles may be founde to agree for one purpoſe by ſeuerall occaſions. The Temple and religion had no further hinderance by the Perſians: Wherefore the Angel paſſeth ouer all their tymes vnto Alexander, yeeres neare 100. Eſter, Ezra, Nehemiah, Aggai, and Zachari, ſhew the further dealinges of thoſe yeeres.

ſtirre vp all agaynſt the kingdome of Iauan.

❧ Of Alexander, and his family.

Afterwardes a mightie The belly of braſſe, the body of the Leopard: and the notable horne, Alexander the great: with all ſpeede he conquered Aſia, and would needes be made a God: vpon the ſucceſſe, that he did what he liſted. Of Iudea he required, that their dates ſhould be taken from his reigne: and all the Sacrificers ſonnes borne that yeere, ſhould be called Alexanders. Into Graecia he ſent to be helden a God of them. And Calliſthenes the Philoſopher, that diſſwaded him from ſeeking that honour, was caried about in a cage, in a moſt opprobrious ſort. That made him to be cut off quickly, & his family to be rooted out, as the Angel foretelleth. king ſhall ſtande vp, and beare a great dominion, and do as he lyſt.

And when he ſtandeth vp, his Arideus his brother, Philips ſonne, was made king in Macedonia: Olympias, Alexanders mother killed him: Caſſander killed her, and poyſoned Alexanders two ſonnes, Hercules and Alexander, Pauſ. in Boeot. So Alexanders family was rooted out. He that wil ſee further ſtreames of fyre, iſſuing from Gods throne, vpon all theſe families, how Caſſander and his houſe fell, and how all the reſt, ſhall finde this moſt plentifully marked in Greekes, euen to euery one of his Macedonian Captaynes, how all their families peryſh, ſauyng two: as God ordeyned afflicters of Iudah. Diodorus Siculus recordeth much of this, in his bookes 18.19.20. Appian, Pauſanias, and Polybius parcels. Thus it was. After Alexanders death, his principal Captaynes agreed, that Alexanders brother Arridaeus, ſhould be King, vntyll his ſonnes came to be elder: And Perdiccas ſhould be Regent: and Seleucus in his office, Maiſter of the Horſe: an office next the hygheſt. And by counſayle, the Prouinces were thus appoynted: Ptolemy, ſhould haue Egypt: Laomedon, Syria: Phylotas, Lycia: Pithon, Media: Eumenes, Paphlagonia: Antigonus, Pamphylia, Lycia, and great Phrygia: Caſſander, Caria, Meleager, Lydia: Leonnatus, Phrygia vpon Helleſpontus: Lyſimachus, Thrace: Antipater, Macedonia: other prouinces ſhould continue with ſuch as Alexander had placed in them. Hereupon, riuers of fire flamed from the Throne. Dan 7. and the ſpoylers ſpoyle them ſelues. Perdiccas quickly killeth Meleager. Ptolemy ſetled in Eg • pt, killed the former incumbent Cleomenes, a friende to Perdiccas. Perdiccas commeth agaynſt hym with all his power: is ſoone killed, beyonde all mans expectation. Antipater is then Regent: and the partition altered, and Antigonus made Byſhop (Epiſcopos) of Aſia: and Seleucus Duke of Babylon. After this, Ptolemy alſo remoueth Laomedon from Syria (and Iudea) and holdeth it. Philotas kilde Pithon: he, and Eumenes are kylde by Antigonus. Antipater dyed by olde age: thereupon ſtyrres in Macedonia roote out Alexanders houſe, when Olympias kilde Arrideus and Caſſander, ſonne to Antipater, kilde both Alexanders chyldren. Antigonus he grew myghty, and dryueth Seleucus to flight, from Babylon to Egypt: and becommeth ſo great, that in Perſia he was holden voyde of all controuerſie, the Lord of Aſia: he had robbed Seleucus of Babylon, and wan Syria from Ptolemy, and ſubdued vnto hym ſelfe all from Media to Helleſpontus. But Ptolemy recouered much of Syria agayne. He & Caſſander rulyng Macedonia in his fathers roome, and Ptolemy and Seleucus, make now the foure heades of the Leopard, and the foure notable HORNES. Lyſimachus onely of the ſmall Dukes was leaſt: he alſo ioyneth agaynſt Antigonus. Antigonus the principal of the foure, prepareth agaynſt them, and dryueth Ptolemies Garriſons from Syria, and Phoenice or Iudea. Ptolemy ſendeth Seleucus to Babylon: who recouereth his owne Countrey: and Antigonus ouercame Ptolemy by ſea at Cyprus: where Demetrius his ſonne is named a King, by the ſouldiers. Thereupon the reſt alſo, are, of their ſouldiers, crowned. At the laſt, Antigonus is kylde, and his Countries parted among the foure Conquerours. Seleucus obteyned Syria, from Euphratres vnto the ſea, and hygh Phrygia: And ſoone all thence to the ryuer Indus. Here Iudea becommeth litigious, in that Ptolemy had it, loſt it, wan it, and loſt it agayne: and at • he laſt it falleth by a kinde of agreement, for the moſt part to Seleucus. Lyſimachus after this was killed by Seleucus▪ App. in Syr. And Caſſanders chyldren were all kylde. Pauſ. So, exactly and properly, two houſes onely remayne of all Macedonians, that were ſouldiers with Alexander to be myghty in the worlde: the one in Babylon and the North partes, the other in Egypt. Further matters of theſe two houſes, we may purſue vpon occaſion offered from the textes folowyng. kingdome ſhalbe broken, & ſhalbe deuided toward the foure windes of the heauen: and not to his poſteritie, nor according to his dominion which he bare: For his kingdome ſhalbe pluckt vp, and be for others beſide thoſe.

¶ Of the two legges, ioyned to the belly and ſides. cha. 2. the two kingdomes which remayned of Alexanders Princes: which make the fourth beaſt with ten hornes.

And the Ptolemy Lagides the fyrſt HORNE. king of the Egypt, named verſ. 8. & 42. & 43. where Edom, Moab, and Ammon, ioyned togeather, helpe very much to keepe the ſpeach certayne, of what men it was to be vnderſtoode. The countries of Ptolemy Lagides are reckoned by the Poet Theocritus thus: Eidyl. 17. Egypt, Pheoenice, the Arabias, Syria, Lybia, Ethiopia, Pamphylia, Cylicia, Lycia, Caria, the Cyclades: the knowledge of this wyl helpe vs for ſome ſpeaches folowyng in this prophet: and for Ezekiels 38. chapter. South ſhalbe Daniel ſhould regard his ſtrength principally, how it toucheth Iudah. And ſo it fell out. For Ptolemy ſoone after he helde Egypt, inuaded Iudea: and tooke Ieruſalem on a Sabbath, pretending frendſhyp, and not hoſtilitie. Agatharchides Chius, and Ioſeph. Antiquit. 12. ſtrong: and an Seleucus Nicator, or, Conquerer: the ſeconde HORNE. other of Alexanders, not Ptolemyes: though ſome take it ſo, the whole tenour of the ſpeach wyll haue it meant of a ſeuerall kingdome, and not of Pto. Philadelphus. The Angel ſpeaking to Daniel, knew that he would helpe hym ſelfe by the matter, in all doubtfull tearmes. And as I touched it afore, he was to ſpeake ſomewhat darkely, for tht Iewes ſafety. his Princes, who ſhalbeEuen touching Iudea. For though Ptolemy wan it from Laomedon, and often recouered it frō Antigonus, yet in the laſt conqueſt ouer Antigonus, it was agreed vpon, that Seleucus ſhould hold Syria: as his houſe pleadeth in Polyb. book. 5. ſtronger then he, and beare dominion. His dominion ſhalbe the Seleucus had kingdomes vnderneath hym 72. and was the greateſt of all Alexanders ſucceſſours. He was ſo ſtrong, that when vpon a tyme a Bull going to be ſacrificed of Alexander, brake looſe, he alone ſet vpon hym, and killed hym with his handes, and no other weapon. Whereupon, he bare in his armes Hornes. App. in Syriac. This heathens obſeruation is not vnfit to draw men further to conſider: how from his houſe hornes aryſe, in an other reſpect. He buylt cities through his whole kingdome: Sixteene Antiochias, after his fathers name, and fiue Laodiceas, after his mothers name: nyne after his owne, Seleucias: foure after his wyues, three Apameas, and one Stratonicea. Now the moſt famous of them were the Seleuciae: the one vpon the Sea (the myddle Sea) and Seleucia vpon Tig • is, and Laodiciea in Phoenice (or the land of Iſ • ael) and Antiochia vnder mount Libanus, and Apamea of Syria. Other cities he tearmed by Grecian or Macedonian cities: or by his owne workes, or king Alexanders. Wherefore you ſhall finde in Syria, and further many of Greeke, many Macedonian cities names: Berroea, Edeſſa, Perinthos, Maronea, Callipolis, Achaia, Pell • , Oropus, Amphipolis, Arethuſa, Aſtacos, Tegea, Chalcis, Lariſſa, Herea, Apolonia: and in •• rthia, S ••• ra, Calliope, Charis, Hecatompolis, Achaia. In the Indian • Alexandreſchata. Some are named by victories of Seleucus himſelfe: Nicephorion in Meſopotamia▪ and Nicopolis in that Armenia which is next to Cappadocia. This heathen catalogue of Townes built by one man, is a condemnation of the Rabbine • , that wil not take notice, what king and kingdome muſt be meant by the Angel, in this place▪ Aben Ezra confeſſeth, that the king Gog is here meant: and it is their common graunt (a • Kimchi ſheweth in many of the Pſalmes) that when the houſe of Gog is ouerthrowen, the Meſſias reigneth. Then let vs examine Ezekiel with Daniel. Ezekiel chap. 38. nameth Gog, Magog, Meſhec, Tubal, Gomer, Togarma: & the North quarters. Paras, Cuſh and Put, ſhall ioyne with them. The Greekes there rightly ſpeake, for Moſoch (as they reade it) Tubal and Thorgam • ▪ that the Nations about Pontus, Cappadocians, Galathians, Iberes and Armenians, are meant. For in thoſe quarters, thoſe ſonnes of Iaphet left monumentes in the names of Nations, Mountaines, or Riuers: which argue who left them, with leſſe change in conſonantes and vowelles, then Strabo often complaineth that he findeth in Greeke writers for Nations names. So that the confeſſion of Aben Ezra, and the arguments of many our learned, that Seleucidae are meant by Gog in Ezekiel, may well be conſidered here, touching the king of the North. And ſpecially Gods goodneſſe: how by the ſtate of the time, all the world might know, when Chriſt was to come into the world: and be acquainted with one tongue wherein the Apoſtles might write. Ezekiel telleth that when Gog, the Seleucidae were ouerthrowē, the Lord would be glorified ouer all the earth. Now ſeeing the Seleucidae were Greekes, and continued their ſtrength by Greekes officers and armies: as alſo the Ptolomies: by this meanes the Greeke tongue ſpread long before ouer the weſt, bare ſway alſo ouer the Eaſt & South. And whē Romans, whoſe owne proper language was Latin, had ouerrun all thoſe dominions and ſpake in all their gouernmēt a ſtrange language in Seleueus townes: all might know that Chriſt was to be borne ſoone after. And to this day the Iewes hold, that vpon Gogs fall, Chriſtes comming ought to be: as Kimchi named by me aboue very often, and Rambam in More Nebuchim. Chriſtians who make Ezekiel in Gog ſpeake of things to fall out after the comming of Chriſt, vnto the end of the world, haue been a great furtherance of many Iewes eternall deſtruction: and entang •• ng alſo much of this Chapter and their owne ruine. greateſt dominion.

Of the mixture of Iron and Clay, how the two parted Kingdome, the two legges; Dan. 2. ioyned in mans ſeede, and Mariages, cleaueth together as Iron and Clay: a daughter of the South king being giuen to the Northren.

And at the ende of About 70. after Alexā ders death. certaine yeares, The Lagidae and the Seleucidae. they ſhalbe ioyned together: and the kings Bernice D. to Pt. Philadelphus. daughter of the South, ſhall come to the king of the Antiochus Theos, or the God: who had already a wife called Laodice, by whō he was poyſoned: Berenice, by her ſonnes kilde with her child and all her traine: & Philadelphus ſoone after this mariage, dyed. North to make agreement. But ſhe ſhall not retaine the ſtrength of the arme: Neither ſhall he ſtand and his arme. And ſhe ſhall be giuen ouer, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and The ſtates of Aſia, Iuſt. 27. her ſtrengthener, in thoſe dayes.

But an Ptol. Euergetes. impe from her roots ſhall ſtand vp in his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a word not vſed afore. place and he ſhall come againſt the army: & ſhall come into the force of the Seleucus Callinicus. king of the North, and deale againſt them, and win.

And their Goddes, with their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Vnuowelled is either Idols, or elſe high ſtates That maketh Tranſlaters differ. And the alluſion is pleaſant: how the Angell comforteth Iuda, in that the Idolatrous are as the Idolles with God: And extremely taunteth the ſuperſtition, of Magog or Hierapolis. ſtates, with their precious veſſels of ſiluer and gold, ſhall he cary into captiuitie into The name of Egypt in a ſtorie of Alexanders ſucceſſours, muſt needes cut off all controuerſie, touching the king of the North, and Magog: that none but Seleucidae can be the men. So that the verie name Egypt being vſed here, in the ſtorie which all Heathen would preſently acknowledge to ſet forth Ptolemie ſurnamed Euergetes, that is, Gracious Lord, for ſpoyling Syria, and againe in the end of the Chapter. verſ. 42. and 43. and in an hiſtory no leſſe then a Prophecie of Antiochus Epiphanes king of Syria, ſpoyling Egypt: this one terme might haue kept both Iewes and Gentiles, from bringing the Romans or Turkes to be meant here, in theſe ſtories, opening properly the Image, and the Beaſt. But as we bring the prophane Empire into thoſe ſayings which are ſpoken of Antiochus Epiphanes: So the Iewes Raloag and Aben Ezra ſaw no reaſon why the continuers of the Empire, Conſtantine▪ and other Chriſtians: and the Turke might not be brought in: If once men graunt that theſe matters fall out in the laſt dayes: and not as reaſon required drawe vnto Chriſt his firſt comming. And becauſe it is euident, that Chriſt was not to come, vntill theſe matters fell out: vpon a falſe ſuppoſit on borrowed from vs, they continue a leproſie of the worlde. A ſufficient preſeruatiue againſt which, the Angell left one word, euen Egypt: vſing it once, twiſe, thriſe. So one word ſpoken in due forme, is like Apples of gold, and wittie workes of ſiluer. Prou. 25.10. Egypt. And he ſhall ſtand, yeares, aboue the king of the North.

How Heathen that neuer knew Daniel recorde the euent of this matter.

THe Heathē for this ſtory, as in my former of Greeks, muſt be my warrāt. Thus it dependeth vpō the friendſhip vvhich vvas betwixt Ptolemie Lagides and Seleucus Nicator: vvho Diodorus booke 17.18.19.20. ioyned helpe continually, to make them ſelues ſtrong. Magas, ſonne to Ptolemie Lagides, brother by mother alſo vnto Pt. Philadelphus maried the daughter of Antiochus Soter, ſonne to Seleucus. He, vndertaking warres againſt his brother Philadelphus, cauſed his father in law to breake the league, vvhich Seleucus and Lagides their two fathers made. Therupon Philadelphus ſendeth forces into Antiochus countries, Which falleth out after the death of Soter, and not long before the death of Philadelphus. to buſie him at home. This much Pauſanias recordeth in Atticis. This breach wearying both ſides, might wel force them to ſeeke a new attonement, which here the Angell telleth: and Appiane the prophane writer, doth recorde for good diuinitie vſe, in theſe wordes in Syriac. After Seleucus, the firſt ſucceſſour vvas Antiochus, ſurnamed Soter, that is, a Sauiour: becauſe he droue the Brennus from Britanie and Fraunce then did warre into the Eaſt. French out of Aſia: He married his stepmother Stratonice, like to dye for loue of her: the Phiſitian Eraſistratus told the father. Which matter is most famous in many Heathen vvriters: and among them infamous. And 2. Cor. 5. the H. Gh. ſeemeth to call his storie into minde. Next, vnto him vvas Antiochus begotten by that mariage, called of the Mileſians Theos, the God, becauſe he did put downe their Tyrant Timark. This God vvas poyſoned by his wife: two he had, Laodice, and Berenice, the DD. of Ptolemie Philadelphus. Laodice kild him, and after him Berenice, and an infant of Berenices. In reuenge of that, Ptolemie her brother, being then king, killeth Laodice, marcheth vnto Syria, and vnto Babylon: and now firſt the Parthians rebell, vpon the stirres in the kingdome of the Seleucidae. Deut. 32. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Thou all might ſee vvho is the true God, whē the very enemies are ſufficient iudges. Foretel euents vvithout helpe, none but God can. Here an Angell from God foretelleth matter moſt fit for the Iron & Clay ſhewed to Nebuchadnezar 68. yeares ago: and • n heathen is an indefferent recorder of the euent. And vve ſee then vvho be the perſons vvhich the Angell ſpeaketh off, what daughter, of a father king of Egypt, is maried, and to what king of Syria, vvhat ſucceſſe it had: and vvho being an impe from her rootes reuengeth her death, and inuadeth the others kingdome: The not marking of this point hath poſtered all libraries with books giuing ſtrength vnto Iewes and Turkes, to make Chriſtiās thought ſenſleſſe, and condemning their owne ſelues: in far the greateſt part of our own writings. The learned of late ſee it. The vnlearned ſhould not ſtriue. To the legs of the Image theſe matters belong. how they ſeeke by mariages to make agreement: vvhich cleaueth together no better, then Iron and Clay, but that the marier and marie • , dye for it: and the killers vvith the killed, pay for their doings. Theſe be moſt noble examples: to ſhew the iustice of the Iudge ſitting vpon a fierie Throne. He that maried his fathers vvife: (vvhich verie mariage is most famous and infamous among the Heathen) firſt is troubled vvith warres for his owne daughter: that his inceſtuous ſonne is driuen for peace, to mary vnto the diſturbance of all his kingdome: and admitting a title of God, dyeth not a men, but by poyſoning from his owne vvife. Of Seleucus Callinicus Iuſtine vvriteth▪ and beſtoweth his • 7. B • oke to be a verie fit Commentarie for the ſtorie of this Prophecie, and for the iuſtice of Gods iudgement. There Seleucus, through Laodices pricking forward, beginneth his reigne vvith the death of his ſtepmother Bernice, and her child Ptolemy her brother warreth: the Cities in Aſia reu ••• . Seleucus fleate vvra •• : he ſcant ſaued his naked bodie • 〈◊〉 brother Antiochus banked for his kingdome, tell robbers kild him: Eumenes was much from him: Ptolemy, and the French ſpoyled him: He dyed by a fall off an houſe: ſo paying for his murther▪ This the Heathen noteth.

So the king of the South ſhall come into the kingdome: and If by ſeditiō at home he had not bene called home: he had eaſily won all the kingdome of Syria Iuſt. 27 returne into his owne land.

Of Antiochus ſurnamed the Great .6. horne.

But his Seleucus Ceraunus and Antiochus the Great. Of them Appian Alexandreus wrot thus. After Theos, Seleucus the ſonne of Theus and Laodice reigneth in Syria, ſyrnamed Callinicus. After Seleucus, two ſons of Seleucus: (either according to his age) Seleucus and Antiochus. Seleucus being weake and poore, & vnable to rule his armie, was poyſoned by his friends, and reigned onely two yeares. Antiochus was ſyrnamed Megas, or the great: and reigned 37. yeares. Theſe be the two kings which here be meant. And an heathē indifferēt, euē Appiā ſheweth vnto vs why the Angel • hould name thē in the plural nūber: & ſoone turne • o the ſingular. Polybius recordeth to the ſame effect: Booke 4. in theſe words. Antiochus was the yonger ſonne of Seleucus Callinicus. He vpon his fathers death, whē the kingdome came to his brother, at the firſt led a priuate life, in the higher part of the kingdome. Soone after, whē his brother paſſed ouer the Mount Taurus with his forces, and was killed by guile, he obteined the kingdome: being then not paſt fifteene. Alſo for the time Polybius writeth thus. About one time Ptolemy left this life by ſickneſſe, & Ptolemy called Philopator ſucceeded in the kingdom. At the ſame time Seleucus fitz Seleucus Callinicus or Pogon departed this life, & Antiochus his brother ſucceeded in the kingdome of Aſſyria. This was by his account about 100. yeares after Alexanders death. Theſe be thou are good co • enters for this, too as for all the reſt. ſonnes ſhall warre, and gather a multitude of great forces: And the one ſhall Antiochus continued voyages and ouerflowed with proſperou • ſucceſſe. Now he was reſtored▪ a • the Angel telleth Polybius vnwares expoundeth Daniel▪ Booke .5. He ſheweth how Diodotus Lieutenant to Philopator in Coeleſyria, (wherein Iudea is) euill recompenced for good ſeruice, agreed with Antiochus to yeeld vnto him the Cities in Coeleſyria. He willingly accepted that hope: and the matter was put in ſpeedy execution. By the way he wan Seleucus his ance • tour • ſtrongeſt hold, ſituated betwixt Cilicia and Phoenice, vpon the ſea that is betwixt Cyprus and Phoenice, which Euergetes wanne from his father, and Philopator held. Preſently Diodotus ſent him word, that he held Ptolemais himſelfe for him, and Tyrus by one Panaetolus. One Nicolaus from Philopator beſieged Diodotus: but Antiochus campe raiſed the ſiege, & wan both Townes well furniſhed for warres. Then leſſer townes yeelded without reſiſtance. When Ptolemy openly betrayed, neither could, nor ſought to help. So Antiochus recouered the moſt places of Syria and Phoenice. continue voyages, and ouerflow and ouer-run, & ſhalbe reſtored, and ſhall warre at the others fortreſſe.

Of the great Armies of Antiochus and Ptolemy Philopator.

Polybius recordeth, how Antiochus was put in hazard for all his kingdome beyond Taurus, by Molon & Alexander two brethren, who deſpiſing his young yeares, meant to haue hold all. Chriſtiās muſt marke, that God wil haue his word true beſides mans hope. His elder brother Sel. Cerannus was ſoone diſpatched. But that Gods word may be cleare: the other finding his owne mightiest ſeruants rebels: God, beſide his hope, doth bring them to horrible killing of themſelues, & hath his enemies (as Theodotus aboue named) mightieſt traytors for him: he repreſſeth (being a child) his home enemies: and alſo beſide hope, preuaileth by his forraine: ſo farre as God had foretold. But whē ſo much is accompliſhed, then as farre againe beyond mans expectation, God peyſeth the ballaunce to the other ſide. Ptolemy Philopator fled to Memphis his chief ſtrength. Agathocles and Soſibius, his chiefe gouernors and counſellers, had no better hope of ſafetie, then to ſeeke delay by ſending Ambaſſadors for peace: and ſtirred the Rhodians, Byzantians, Cyzicens, and Actolos to do the ſame. Whēce whē they came to both kings, they found oportunity for Ptolemy to prepare all things needfull for warres. Captaines of Greekes of best fame, and of all ſor ••• are obtained. Souldiers from other bandes called vnto this ſeruice, are dayly practiſed for all cheualrie: and the Ambaſſadors from Antiochus vnto Ptolemy are • n Memphis most gently entertained: but ſee not what preparation he maketh in Alexandria. Antiochus hauing obtained the moſt part of Syria and Phoenice, had no great care to practiſe his Armie: but thought, that he ſhould without warre haue the rest to yeeld: and that Ptolemy durſt neuer now hazard his whole eſtate. In this hope he thought to match Ptolemies Ambaſſadours, who came to him vnto Seleucia, as much by pretence of iuſtice, as by ſtrength.

Here we may ſee how the counſell of God is brought about in mans cōfuſiō: that Iudaea ſhould be ſtil vexed, betwixt two kingdomes mightie North and South: & the legs of Daniels Image beare a proportiō from him which proportioned all the earth.

This particular naming of places neare Iudaea may ſerue to many good purpoſes, beſide the preſent argument of ſhewing what ſpecial care the gracious goodnes of God had, for to make theſe matters cleare which might allure all the world vnto Chriſt.

Antiochus ſayd, that his ſurprizing of Seleucia was no iniurie vnto Ptolemie: becauſe thoſe quarters were won from Antigonus Monophthalmus by Ptolemies helpe for Seleucus, not for him ſelfe: and that then alſo Coele Syria by agreement was graunted vnto Seleucus, that Ptolemy warred for Seleucus, and not for him ſelfe: and that this was the common graunt of all the Kings. When Caſſander, Lyſimachus, Seleucus ouercame Antigonus, they ſware that Coele Syria ſhould belong to Seleucus. The Ambaſſadour, from Ptolemy ſpake for their ſide, of great Leage-breach, of Theodotus treaſon, of Antiochus inuaſion of Ptolemy Lagides poſſeſſions: ſaying, that Lagides helpt Seleucus vpon this condition, that Seleucus ſhould haue Aſia, and he ſhould hold Coele Syria and Phoenice to himſelfe: but after long debuting nothing was concluded: and thereupon Antiochus prepared to winne the reſt of Syria. But Gaza is fortified by Ptolemy. Sundrie townes Polybius reckeneth that he conquered: Through he commeth to Berytos, recouering Botrys and Theou Proſopon. He burnt Trieris and Calamus by the way. Of Sidon he miſſed: but wanne Philoteria ſet vpon Iordan. Thence he commeth to Atabyrion, (Tabor) on a Mountaine fifteene furlongs high, and ſurpriſeth it. There Hippolochus a Theſſalian falleth vnto him from Philopator, to his great encouragement, hauing foure hundred horſe. Pella, Camous, Gephron, Abila, Galatis, became alſo his. And Gadara, one of the ſtrongeſt holds there. In Arabia, Tarabata Maſſana was won by him with much paines: & thereupon Rabat Aman, where, companies that ſhrunke vnto him, he ſent to keepe the quarters of Samaria. All this Polybius recordeth, that we may looke vnto the Angels words, how he ſhould proſper, ſo farre as the Angel ſayd: Make voyages, and ouerflowe, and recouer his fathers loſſes: and come euen vnto the fortreſſe of Egygt, to fight with the King of the South, at his owne Fortreſſe at Raphia: Of which towne Strabo ſpeaketh thus; Beyonde Gaza ſtandeth In th'Arab. Geogr. it is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : where 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : that is, ſtanding high after the Arab. is the fitteſt notation. Raphia, where the field was fought betweene Ptolemy the fourth, and Antiochus the great. Then Rinocolura, Syrbonis, and other parts of Egypt. So famous God would haue the Angels terme here of Fortreſſe to be.

Of Ptolemy Philopator, and his Armie gotten to be great, againſt Antiochus the great: after which victorie he is a ſeauenth Horne to Iudah.

And the king of the South ſhall The Angel vſeth Daniels terme, Cha. 8.7. ſpoken no elſewhere, ſhewing his notice, reuerence, and loue to Daniel. deale fiercely, and Polybius liuing with Scipio the noble warrier in this age recordeth this warre, in more particulars, then Penelope ſaw the deſcription of the Troian: where was Simois, where Priamus palace, where Achilles, where Vlyſſes tents: and all other affaires. He deſcribeth Raphia where they fought: how it is the next Citie to Egypt after Rinocolura: and neare Gaza. He reckeneth the chieftaines, of what nation they were: what companies, and what nations they had vnder them: of what number, as Ptolemies footemen 70000. Horſe 5000. Elephants 73. Antiochus footmen 62000. Horſe 6000. Elephants 102. Alſo he telleth all the fighting: where at the laſt, beyond all hope, Philopater hath a great victorie, and ſuch an hand ouer Antiochus, that if he could haue purſued with courage, he might haue ſpoyled him of his kingdome. The 12. v. may well containe the pride of Philopater againſt God, and deſtruction of the Iewes: handled Mach. 3. And as well may be applied vnto the greatneſſe of his victorie, and licentiouſneſſe thereupon: which Iuſtine booke 30. doth note to haue bene the beginning of the decay of his court. Alſo Polybius noteth, that Cleomenes king of Spar • , being with him a priſoner, ſeeing his behauiour, vpon aduantage ſlue him. come forth and fight with the other, with the king of the North: and ſhall ſet forth a great multitude, and the other multitude ſhall be giuen into his hand.

And that multitude ſhalbe ouerthrowne: and his hart will be hautie: and hauing caſt downe tennes of thouſands, yet he ſhal not be of force.

For the king of the North ſhall againe All theſe matters may beſt be hādled together: proceeding in one tenor of victories. We may ſee here moſt liuely howe Iudaea is waſted by the fourth beaſt, which hath teeth of iron & ſteely weapons: & how it treadeth vnder foote that which it doth not eat. Ioſeph. Ant. 12.3. toucheth the moſt of all this. How Antiochus wanne Iudea: how after Philopaters death, Antiochus Epiphanes ſent Scopas into Syria, who recouered many townes, and by warres ouercame Iudea: how Antiochus not long after ouercame Scopas, & deſtroyed a great part of his armie: how the Iewes yeelded vnto him willingly: and holpe him to beſiege Ptolemies garriſons which held the caſtle. For all this, Polybius booke 16. is cited of Ioſephus, that the heathen ſtil may be iudges of Daniel. Alſo he recordeth the placing of his daughter Cleopatra to Ptolemy Epiphanes: yeelding vnto him Coele Syria, Samaria, Iudea & Phoenice, in the name of a dowrie. Moreouer he recordeth what fauour he ſhewed vnto the Iewes for their willingneſſe of ſubiection, and affording victuals vnto his armie: how he reſtored Ieruſalem, left almoſt voyd of men (ſo it was waſted by his armies afore, and warres of contrarie victors) and how he graunted many immunities for the Citizens and the Prieſts. All this from the verie Decree of Antiochus. Moreouer he touched Lydia & Phrygia reigned by Antiochus: and how from Meſopotamia and Babylonia he remoued thither 2000. families of Iewes: as the moſt truſtie of all his ſubiectes, & fitteſt to repreſſe all ſtirres there that the Lagidae made vpon loſſe of thoſe countreys. And for proofe of his narration he bringeth an whole Epiſtle of Antiochus written to his Generall Zeuxis. That record teſtifieth how manie Iewes reſiſted the king of the North. Now touching them which were caried away by Philopaters allurements, to be lawleſſe, and to forſake religion, Antiochus Decree graunting all Iudah their owne lawes, containeth alſo in effect the rooting out of the other: and plaine reaſon would tell that Iudah would ſtirre him vnto that. Their allurements from religion is touched. Machab. 3. how the king of Egypt entiſed Iewes vnto Atheiſme. Appian alſo in his Syriaques toucheth much of this: how Antiochus wanne from Ptolemy, Syria and Cilicia: and came with an exceeding great armie: how he pretended the giuing of his daughter in mariage to Ptolemy: and yet thought to haue inuaded Egypt: and miſſing of that hope gaue to Ptolemy his daughter, and Syria in dowrie. This much the heathen knew. The Angell telleth euen his heart and counſell: that by his daughter he thought to haue diſpatched Ptolemy Philometor: and noteth his dulneſſe: how when he meant to diſpatch the other, his action tended rather to deſtroy her. But that ſhe tooke another ſafer courſe. Alſo for the Iſles, that is Greekes countreys, and the beginning of falling out with the Romanes Appian doth record that. He nameth Helleſponteos, Aeoleas, Ionas, Phocaea, Euboia, Delos, Samos, conquered by him: and alſo his going ouer vnto Thrace. And how Smyrnaei with Lampſaceni and other • reſiſting him, ſent Ambaſſadours vnto the Romane Proconſul: who debated the matter with Antiochus, why he ſhould come from Media to Helleſpontus with ſo great an armie: and why he tooke Syria and Cilicia from Ptolemie: how after many other Ambaſſages, nothing toward peace falling out, & Antiochus raigning ouer many and mightie nations ſet vpon the ſea coaſts, and Romanes being killed and captiued in Delos, the Romane warres brake out▪ and Lucius Scipio the Conſul • s ordained General: The 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or ſtate here named: To whom the famous warrior Scipio Africanus the firſt is ioyned an aſſiſtant. Now Annibal 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , his aduerſarie, the Carthaginian was with Antiochus: yet that Gods counſel might ſtand, he could not rule Antiochus with his beſt counſels, to haue inuaded Italie and haue waſted it: as Annibal had done. But in Graecia he fought, and vpon ſmall loſſes he fled: voyd of all counſell, leauing ſtrong holds full of treaſure, armour, and victuals whole for the enemie; ſtill complaining that God was againſt him: and dealing as one from whom: God had taken away all iudgement. He ſought after this peace with great offers: but liked not of refuſall, and fought againe, and was put to extreme ſhame, as the Angel here doth terme it. Theſe were the conditions. That he ſhould relinquiſh all Europe, and all Aſia, vnto the Mount, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , called ſo 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by the greatnes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Which name ſheweth the Eaſt tongues much alike: through the Eaſt it reached. He might not come further Weſt: beſides he ſhould yeeld vp all his Elephants: and ſo many ſhips as he ſhould be commaunded: ſhould giue twenty hoſtages ſuch as the Generall ſhould preſcribe, and for the charges of the warres forthwith 500. Euboica Talents, and in 12. yeares twelue hundreth, by equall yearely portions, and reſtore all captiues. Theſe conditions of ſhame he was faine to take. And among the pledges Antiochus his ſonne was one: who, being of as bad diſpoſition as an Antichriſt, ſtarteth hereafter from Rome to be ouer the people of God: that we ſhould leſſe maruell, when the like ſhould ariſe there againe. Appian recordeth theſe matters for Greekes: Liuie, more at large for the countreys of Latine ſtudies: and Iuſtine for children: that if we had applyed theſe ſtories of Cleopatras mariage in Egypt, and Berenices into Syria, Aſſyria, or Babylonia, we might ſee the legges of Daniels Image expounded: and when we marked ſuch ſedition ſpringing hence that ouerthrew both kingdomes, and the chiefeſt here handled and all written euen of heathen, we might ſee how ſure Daniels words are: who ſaw, that as iron could not be mixed with clay, ſo theſe affinities of one Macedonian kindred ſhould neuer hold ſure atonement. ſet foorth a greater multitude then the former. And at the end of times (that is, yeares) he ſhall come often with a mightie armie and great riches.

Wherfore in thoſe times many ſhal ſtand againſt the king of the South. But the lawleſſe children of thy people will be caried away, at the ſtabliſhing of the viſion, and ſhall come to nothing.

And the king of the North ſhall come and caſt vp mounts, and ſhal ſurpriſe any the ſtrongeſt towne: & the armes of the South ſhall not be able to withſtand him: nor his choſen people, nor any kind of ſtrength be to withſtand.

But he that cometh againſt him ſhall do what he liſt, and none ſhall ſtand before him. And he ſhall ſtand in the land Tzeby: and it ſhall he waſted by his Heb. hand. forces.

And he ſhall ſet his face to come with the might of all his kingdome, pretending matter of agreement: which he ſhall bring about. For he ſhall giue him a daughter of women, euen as to deſtroy her. But ſhe will not ſtand: I meane, ſhe will not be for him.

And he ſhall turne his face vnto the So in Gen. 10. the countreys of Graecia all about Helleſpont, are termed: as Daniel knew & heathen ſhould not know. Iſles, and take many. But a ſtate ſhal make his ſhame reſt on him ſelfe: without his owne ſhame he ſhall pay him againe.

The death of Antiochus the great.

And he ſhall turne his face vnto the fortes of his owne land: but he Iuſtin. b. 32. ſheweth that Antiochus being preſt by the Romanes with an heauie tribute, either for couetouſneſſe or for neceſſitie, as he went to ſpoyle a temple Dindymei Iouis, he was killed. Strabo an ancienter, ſpeaketh more likely: that going about to rob a temple of Bel in Elam, the nation did ſet vpon him and killed him. The Angel telleth that his ruine ſhould be in his own land. Now the Angels ſpeech: He ſhalbe no more found: that, toucheth the maner of his death: as he was killed by a tumult Barbarian in ſacriledge: and left voyd of all glorie. Thus the ſixt horne was broken: as the ſeuenth Ptolemie Philopator by Cleomenes. Polyb. 5. ſhalbe ouerthrowne and fall, and be no more found.

Of Seleuc. Philopator, the 9. Horne.

Then ſhall ſtand vp in his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . lieu or ſteed, the Angels terme, new, but plaine in forme. place, a ſender foorth of an extortioner: in the honour of the kingdom. But he ſhalbe broken within few dayes: yet not in open anger nor in battell.

Of Antiochus Epiphanes the 10. horne, in whom the iron of the Syriaque legge doth end, and on whom the reſt of Daniel goeth: how he is a litle horne, a plucker away of three before him: of his Seleueus Philopater loued his fathers ſteps of Church-robbing. Iaſon of Cyren abridged by him which wrote the ſecond of the Machabees, ſheweth how Seleucus would haue robbed the Temple of Ieruſalem. Although that booke is full of Rabbique trickes, and hath ſome openly Talmudicall, as making Nehemias to be all one with Zorobabel, the builder of Altar and Temple, as the Babylonian Talmud doth in Sanedrin, & hath many childiſh flouriſhes, yet as we vſe heathen euen fables for ſubſtance of a narration, though couered with light ſtuffe: we may cite that author for ſo much: hearing from God by heathen what Seleucus would be. His poyſoning is here deſcribed: a breaking, not by face to face, not by warres. So cloſe guile, as poyſoning muſt be the third kind. Appian in Syriaques ſheweth all: thus, When Antiochus the Great was dead, Seleucus his ſonne ſucceeded. And he did ſet free his brother Antiochus from the Romanes hoſtage, yeelding his ſonne Demetrius in lieu of him. Now when Antiochus returned from hoſtage, and was about Athens, Seleucus dyeth by the trecherie of one Heliodorus that was about him. That Heliodorus vſurped the reigne: but Eumenes and Attalus remoue him: and ſettle Antiochus in it, winning that mans fauour: being now vpon offences in ſuſpition of the Romanes. And ſo Antiochus the ſonne of Antiochus the great obteined the reigne of Syria. He had his ſyrname Epiphanes, becauſe the kingdome being catched at by others, he cometh to be ſeene their king. Mark how the Angel touched all theſe matters and moe.brother (by Heliodorus ſleight, though he after would haue raigned,) of his brothers ſonne, and of his ſiſter Cleopatras ſonne: and how he had eyes like a priuate man: and a mouth ſpeaking preſumptuous things.

In his place there ſhall Here ſixe yeares ſtorie is compriſed: how Antiochus was vile as an hoſtage & priſoner, but viler for his manners▪ called therefore Epimanes, witleſſe, of Polybius in Athenaeus: in whom his maners are noted to be ſtrange: part of them ſhall be here layd downe. He would (ſaith Polybius) ſometimes ſteale out of the Court from his ſeruants, into any part of the citie, and be a ſecond or a third in any companie: often found in golddſmithes ſhops, and a companion with the cōmon ſort, and the baſeſt ſtrangers that came to towne: & when he ſhould perceiue any youths minding a drinking together, he would ſteale vpon them, with his pot and Muſique: that the moſt part would for the ſtrangeneſſe leaue the company. Alſo oftentimes caſting off his royall robes, he would walke in a gowne in the courtes, crauing an office, and taking one by the hand, embracing another, he would deſire them to giue him a voyce: ſometimes that he might be Steward of the market: ſometimes Shiriffe: and obtaining his office he would ſit in an iuorie chaire, after the Romanes maner, and heare the market bargains with great ſadneſſe: wherby the better ſort could not tell what to thinke of him: ſome thought him verie ſimple: ſome others ſtarke mad. Likewiſe in his gifts he was no wiſer. He would giue ſome, diſe, ſome, dates, ſome gold: & meeting ſome whom he neuer ſaw afore, he would beſtow vpon them vnhoped rewards: in ſacrifices and honouring the God, he paſſed all that haue reigned. The Olympeion of Athens, and the huge image at Delos altar ſhew that. He vſed to waſh him in the common bathes, full of the baſeſt ſortes: and had tankards of the deareſt ointments caried in for him. Where when a certaine man ſayd: Happy are you Kings, which vſe ſuch ſweete ſentes: he ſayd nothing then, but on the morow, as the other was bathing him ſelfe, he came vpon him, and cauſed a verie great pot of the deareſt ointment ſtacte, to be powred on his head, that all ſtanding by tombled in ointment: & ſome falling downe for the ſlipperineſſe cauſed laughter, as did the King him ſelfe. What infinite thouſandes of poundes he beſtowed on a Triumph, hauing heard of Paulus Aemylius the Romane Generall, it would be too long to tell. That fell out when he had ſpoyled Aegypt, in his laſt voyage. And this of Polybius will ſerue, to ſhew his ſpoiling nature here touched. How he came by his kingdom, and was able to ouerflow. Appian aboue ſhewed that, euen by two wealthie kings helpes. His pretence of right was the ſociety made with his brother: who (I thinke) is here named the Prince of the couenant, or agreement. To meane it of Ptolemy Philometor who reigned firſt ſixe yeares after him, it may be thought ſomewhat harder. The ſpoiling and robbing of his owne countrey, may well be vnderſtood to be for Attalus and Eumenes armies that made him king againſt the ſtates will: who denied him the honor of the kingdomes. He began to reigne in. 137 of the Greeks. 1. Mach. Which account muſt be taken from Alexanders death and not begin 14 yeares later: where men imagine, that becauſe then Alexanders family was vtterly rooted out, & the Captaines were called firſt kings, they fixed their date. For if Claudius Ptolemie ſay true, that from the firſt of Nabonaſſar 424. Alexander dyed, & the ſeuenth of Philometor is thence 574. The firſt of Philometor being at 142. after Alexanders death, his ſeuenth ſhould be at Antiochus his firſt, and ſo he could not be ſet vpon by Antiochus. This ſheweth what vncertaintie heathen haue in their ſuppoſed exquiſite particulars. And herein Codoman deſerueth prayſes for amending the common errour from Greekes: as we expounde them. Likewiſe the Romanes recordes for Paulus Aemilius go hard, whoſe triumph falleth after Antiochus death by the former recknings. My partener Beroaldus herein twiſe followed the common errour, which by the way I was to amend. ſtand vp a vile perſon: to whom they ſhall not giue the honour of the kingdome: but he ſhall come quietly, and get the kingdome by ſubtleties.

And by armes ouerthrowing they ſhalbe ouerthrowne before him, and ſhalbe broken, as alſo the Seleueus Philopater loued his fathers ſteps of Church-robbing. Iaſon of Cyren abridged by him which wrote the ſecond of the Machabees, ſheweth how Seleucus would haue robbed the Temple of Ieruſalem. Although that booke is full of Rabbique trickes, and hath ſome openly Talmudicall, as making Nehemias to be all one with Zorobabel, the builder of Altar and Temple, as the Babylonian Talmud doth in Sanedrin, & hath many childiſh flouriſhes, yet as we vſe heathen euen fables for ſubſtance of a narration, though couered with light ſtuffe: we may cite that author for ſo much: hearing from God by heathen what Seleucus would be. His poyſoning is here deſcribed: a breaking, not by face to face, not by warres. So cloſe guile, as poyſoning muſt be the third kind. Appian in Syriaques ſheweth all: thus, When Antiochus the Great was dead, Seleucus his ſonne ſucceeded. And he did ſet free his brother Antiochus from the Romanes hoſtage, yeelding his ſonne Demetrius in lieu of him. Now when Antiochus returned from hoſtage, and was about Athens, Seleucus dyeth by the trecherie of one Heliodorus that was about him. That Heliodorus vſurped the reigne: but Eumenes and Attalus remoue him: and ſettle Antiochus in it, winning that mans fauour: being now vpon offences in ſuſpition of the Romanes. And ſo Antiochus the ſonne of Antiochus the great obteined the reigne of Syria. He had his ſyrname Epiphanes, becauſe the kingdome being catched at by others, he cometh to be ſeene their king. Mark how the Angel touched all theſe matters and moe. Prince of the couenant.

Through the ioyning together with whom, he ſhall worke deceiptfully: and ſhall come vp and ouercome with a ſmall people.

Vnto a quiet ſtate, and vnto the fatneſſe of the countrey ſhall he come: and he ſhal do that which his fathers haue not done: nor his fathers fathers: he ſhall ſpoile and rob: and ſcatter riches among thē: alſo he ſhall forecaſt deuiſes againſt the ſtrong holds: and this for a good while.

The dealings of Antiochus Epiphanes touching Ptolemie Philometor and Iudah: whence the troubles of Iuda. 1. Mach. begin.

Alſo heWith Antiochus dealings againſt Aegypt his doings againſt Iudaea fall out. it he was to take ſtill in his way. His inuaſiō of Aegypt is hādled in Liuie booke. 45. How he pretended to helpe there one brother againſt the other, (two Ptolemies they were:) and wan all Aegypt but Alexandria, and left it to th'elder brother: But he had a great garriſon ſtill at Peluſium. That made the elder brother ſuſpect him: and thanke him but onely for a faſhion for all his helpe: here it is told. The brethren agreed: Antiochus returned with a fleet by ſea, and campe by land into Aegypt, and requireth Cyprus to be graunted him, with Peluſium and the ſoyle about it. Ptolemie craueth the Romanes ayde: who then had their fleet neare, Popilius is ſent with letters from the Romane ſtate commanding Antiochus to depart from Aegypt: the king taking the letters ſaid he would conſult vpon an anſwer: Then Popilius draweth a circle about him with his ſtaffe, and biddeth him conſult within that. He was fayne to yeeld, though it greeued him to the hart. Ptolemie thanketh the Romanes as hauing his kingdome by their fauour: and Antiochus likeweſe ſendeth to Rome word that they ſhall in all things commaunde him. So we ſee how theſe legges draw now to be clay like: and how the little horne hath broken once three hornes, his brother, his ſonne Demetrius and his ſiſters ſonne king of Aegypt, whereby the mariages make iron to be clay. ſhall ſtirre-vp his ſtrength and his hart againſt the king of the South, with a great armie: and the king of the South ſhall combat in warre with an armie very great and ſtrong: But he ſhall not ſtand, becauſe they will caſt deuiſes for him.

And they that eate 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 vſed Daniel 1. only and here▪ the portion of his meate ſhall breake him: and the other army ſhall ouerflow, and many ſlaine ſhall fall.

And both the kings harts ſhalbe ſet on miſchief: & at one table leaſing will they ſpeake: But it ſhall not proſper: for the end is yet to come at a ſet time.

And he ſhall returne into his land with great riches: And ſhall ſet his hart against the holy couenant: and practiſe, and preuaile, and returne into his owne land.

And at a ſet time he ſhall come againe into the South: but it ſhall not be as the former, and as a later voyage.

For ſhippes of Chittim ſhall come againſt him: wherefore he ſhall fret, yet returne, and fume againſt the holy couenant: and practiſe, and returne and haue intelligence with them that forſake the holy couenant.

And armes ſhall ſtand on his part, which ſhall pollute the Sanctuary of ſtrength, and ſhall take away the cōtinuall ſacrifice, & they ſhal ſet vp their lothſome faithleſſe worker of deſolation.

The dealing of Antiochus againſt Iudaea.

I Thinke it good to touch briefly all Antiochus dealings againſt Iudaea here together: vvhich are conteind verſ. 28. and from verſ. 30. vnto verſ. 40. vvholly. Thus it ſtandeth: at his going to Aegypt he delt vvith the Iewes that forſake Gods Law: and there begin the dayes 2300. in the 142. ſince Alexanders death. In 143. he returneth and dealeth in open crueltie: then he had further intelligence vvith them tha forſake thet holy couenant. This is plentifully handled in 1. M • ch. 1. verſ. 23. how he polluted and robbed the temple. After two full yeares. 145. of the Greekes. Iaſon a miſchieuous dealer againſt the holy couenant with 1000. men did ſet vpon Ieruſalem, and made great ſlaughter, ſparing none. Now Antiochus returning, from Aegypt, and knowing this, thought that the nation would rebell, and minded to vveaken them more. 2. Mach. 5.11. He ſurpriſed the holie Citie, hauing Menelaus his leader: vvho most vvickedly forſooke the holie couenant: he deſtroyed 80000. in three dayes ſome ſlaine: ſome ſold: and he charged that no age nor ſex ſhould be ſpared: and ſuch as fled vnto the houſ-toppes ſhould be kild cruelly. So young and old, men and vvomen, boyes, gyrles and infants vvere ſlaine. This the Angell foretold, that they ſhould fall, by ſword, fire, captiuitie, spoiles, & he ſhould not regard the tenderneſſe of vvoman. Now touching Antiochus dealings ouer Religiōs, which the Angell termeth, againſt euery God, and which phraſe S. Paul tranſlateth: againſt all that is called God or vvorſhip, and how he exalteth himſelfe againſt the God of Gods: Polybius toucheth the former, and the bookes of Machabees the later. Thus Polybius in Athenaeus vvriteth: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . In ſacrifices and honours about Gods he ſurmounted all that euer reigned: Olympieum in Athens: and the huge Images at Delos altar, argue that. The prophane Polybius might thinke of his Religions vehemencie for the vrging, vvhich vvas for the Iewes, vnto it: vvhich muſt be countenanced vvith great charges. And concerning his exalting of him ſelfe againſt God for all the Law, dayes 2300. for the temple, Ieruſalem, and Gods people vvith torments and death three yeares and an halfe, the Machabees ſhew that: vvhither, once for all I referre the reader. There it vvill appeare how he did ſet his hart againſt the holie couenant: how he had intelligence vvith the forſakers of the holy couenant, Iaſon, Menelaus and ſuch vvhich were come to the fulneſſe of ſinne: how he by great promiſes allured to miſchief the couenant, and much preuailed: how he advaunced in honour heathen vvhom he fauoured to rule the many in Iuda, and parted the land into a gaine, how armes from his polluted the Sanctuarie vvith banquetting, harlots and Idolatrous ſacrifices; and inhibited all Moſes Religion: and required practiſe of his heathen, and puniſhed the refuſers, many dayes by ſword, flame, captiuitie, ſpoile: how the Machabees vvere holpen vvith little helpe: how the teachers by all good example, and giuers of true knowledge in holie couenant vvere ouerthrowne: As Eleazar their old Scribe, vvith his most graue oration: and the ſeuen brethren, vvho handled this Angels oration moſt diuinely: all theſe matters may thence be fetched. And ſpecially how he neuer vvas moued vvith the tenderneſſe of vvomen, but tormented them, againſt all nations humanitie, for their lawes: that is often and much recorded. But touching his owne concubines, Tarſenſes and Malleotae rebell, (by Theodoret) for that their towns were giuen to queanes allowance. Now for the God of all might, how in his place he honoreth, yea a God he honoreth vvhom his fathers knew not, Iupiter Olympius, and cauſeth the forces of the God of all might to haue a ſtrange God, and maintained by Apollonius the authour of abominations, the moſt lothſome infidels as the lothſome beaſtes in Leuiticus and ſouldiers working deſolation: theſe points all together may be fetched better frō the Machabees then here mixed. The Angell vvas here to take ſpeciall heed that his phraſes ſhould be darke for heathen, and cleare for them that knew the Ebrew Prophets ſtyle. In opening of them a, ſpeech ſomwhat long muſt come in after their tranſlation.

And the wicked dealers againſt the couenant he ſhall make prophane by guile: but the people that know their God ſhall 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 lay hold and practiſe.

And the teachers among the people ſhall giue inſtruction to many: who ſhall be ouerthrowen by ſword and by flame, by captiuitie and by ſpoyle many dayes.

And whē they are ouerthrowen, they ſhalbe holpen with a little helpe: But many ſhall ioyne vnto them fainedly.

And ſome of the teachers ſhalbe ouerthrowen, to be tryed, and to be purged, and to be whited, vnto the times end. For the ſet time is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mat. 24 6.5. Is a moſt oratorious expoſitiō of the phraſe. yet to come.

And the king ſhall do what he liſt: and exalt him ſelfe, and magnifie himſelfe aboue all ( 2. Theſſ. 2 4. Tranſlateth this better then mans wit would. that is called) God: and againſt the God of Gods ſhall he ſpeake 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . 2. Pet. 2. ſwelling things, and proſper vntill the anger be finiſhed: for a ſeuere iudgement is to be executed.

And vnto the Gods of his fathers will he haue no regard: likewiſe vnto the tenderneſſe of women, or vnto any God he will haue no regard, but will magnifie himſelfe aboue all.

As for the God The Angel to Daniel or Iere. in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is plain, which terme is for God: & not an Idol. Iere. 16.19. He of purpoſe vſeth all hard terms? What could be hard vnto a learned Hebrew and who would let enemies know his minde. almightie: in his place he will honour; yea a God whom his fathers knew not will he honour, with gold & with ſiluer, and with precious ſtones and with iewelles.

So he ſhall deale that the forces of the almightie ſhall haue a ſtraunge God. Whom he fauoreth he ſhall greatly aduaunce and make them rulers ouer many: and ſhall part the land to be a ſale.

Antiochus his third voyage into Egypt: againſt Ptolemie Philometor.

And at the end of time the king of the South ſhal as chap. 8. • . puſh at him: & the king of the North ſhall come againſt him like a whirlwind with charet, & horſes and ſhippes many: and ſhall come through countreys, and flow and paſſe ouer.

Alſo he ſhall come into the Ezek. 20. Tzeby land: and many landes ſhalbe ouerthrowen. But theſe ſhalbe ſafe from his hand: Edom and Moab and the chiefe of the ſonnes of Ammon.

Alſo he ſhall ſtretch forth his hand ouer countreys: ſpecially the land of Aegypt ſhall not eſcape.

But he ſhall haue power ouer the hid treaſure of gold and ſiluer, and ouer all the iewels of Aegypt: and Lubin and Cuſhim ſhalbe with his paſſages.

How Antiochus beſtowed the ſpoiles of Aegypt and of other countreys, as Polybius in Atheneus recordeth, as a witneſſe vnto the holy Angell.

I Thinke good to lay downe here Polybius wordes touching Antiochus, vvho came vp poorely, and ſaw his father diſtreſſed and his brother likewiſe, when both vvere forced to Church-robbing. The ſumme is this, that he beſtowed infinite coſt vpon a triumph to imitate Paulus Aemilius: hauing gotten the vvealth by ſpoiling young Philometor, and breaking league vvith him: by the contributions of his friendes: and by robbing moſt Churches. Wherein he would manifeſtly be aboue euery God. The learned vvill beſt like the authours owne vvordes: neither can our tongue ſo vvell expreſſe them. Thus Athenae • s bringeth Polybius vvordes.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

This record I hold much worth, ſeeing it agreeth ſo fitly with the robbing of Aegypt: and alſo might well be the cauſe of his neceſſitie (proceeding from prodigalitie) to ſpoyle the temple of Perſepolis mentioned. 2. Mach. 9. The Romanes can not be holdē any of Daniels foure kingdomes. An old opinion that the Romanes are one of the foure kingdomes in Daniel, made men draw them as enemies to Gods people into this oration. They are in the commers vvith ſhippes from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Moſes phraſe Num. 24. vſed here, made Daniel know by like reuolutiōs: that the Romanes here ariſing ſhold afflict: as theſe four kingdomes: and hold on vnto the end: and he knew that they ſhould be the killers of Chriſt. Chittun indeede: & therein Daniel remembring Balaā, knew that hence the Romanes might ſhould encreaſe: to afflict Aſſur and Eber, whoſe chiefe Chriſt vvas, and that they ſhould hold-on vnto the end: and ſpecially be the lothſome infidels vvhich ſhould deſtroy Ieruſalem. But the Romanes dealt not againſt the holie Iewes lawes of Religion, vvhich matter here was to be handled: nor medled vvith the Iewes till the nation by ſedition called for them: and Gods ſeueritie vvas not to giue them comfort touching ill called for, by their owne looſeneſſe, but againſt ſuch as by force continued the vvith-holding of their kingdome: And no vvord here vvill agree vvith the Romanes: vnleſſe vve dare make Scripture a noſe of vvaxe. The Iewes indeede ſince the dayes of Methargem Ieruſalemy would haue the Romanes meant, one of Daniels foure kingdomes: and yet them ſelues the onely nation bleſſed. Euſebius and other Chriſtians vvould draw the Romanes in, but vvould alſo haue heathen Christians to be afflicted here; So the Angell is made to ſpeake in the cloudes, and all gracious Daniel ſealed vp, as vnexplicable: and the ſtories drawen beyond Chriſt, afore they reach neare vnto him, and Iewes hardened, and Chriſtianitie vveakened, and all Libraries peſtered vvith errours of infinite confuſion. And vnleſſe vve be content to rouoke our erroneous notes for the Romanes in Daniel. chap. 2.7. and here, 11. and likewiſe for Ezek. 38. and a little vpon Zacharie 6. for the foure Monarchies, vve ſhall do our ſelues great iniurie: and breake the law which forbiddeth to lay a ſtumbling blocke afore the blind: and, I feare, be counted of ſmall conſcience in Religion. He that vvould vvillingly continue an errour to diſturbance of the Bible, is no better affected then thoſe foure beastes that goe into the riuer of burning fire. Herein Printers ſhould ſpecially ſhew conſcience, that their actions continue not errour for gaine, after blame iuſt and profitable.

Of Antiochus Parthian war and breaking without hand, chap. 8. and casting into the fier, chap. 7.

But The blaſphemer of Chriſtians Cornelius Tacitus, commending this Antiochus, ſaith, that if he had not bene hindered by the Parthian warres, he had drawen the Iewes from their (as the blaſphemer ſpake) barbarous ſuperſtition. As the teſtimonie of Sathan is cited in the Goſpell, ſo may his be hither, for this. Florus in Liuies abridgement LIX doth touch the warre of Anthiochus king of Syria and Phraates the Parthian. But Tacitus commeth neare the wordes: To deſtroy and ſacke many. Who the many be, the next verſe doth ſhew: they that dwell betweene ſeas at holy mount Tzeby. Now Tzeby vſed verſ. 16. and chap. 8.9▪ in Daniels owne phraſe, from Ezek. 20. was a plaine deſignatiō of Iudaea. Moreouer the Babyloniā terme of a court Aphadno ſhould argue a Babylonian king. The terme hard to Greekes, and plaineſt to Iewes, and fitteſt for the matter, to teach and ſaue them from harme, that here beareth a ſweet grace in it. Moreouer the phraſe planting of the tentes of his court is moſt fit for Antiochus: who chaſing at Iudas Machabaeus proſperities, ſtayed halfe his army and his ſonne with Lyſias ruler of all from Euphrates vnto Aegypt: to haue deſtroyed Ieruſalem, and the Iewes memorie vtterly. Now the comming to his end is plaine, that of one man, not of a Romane Ariſtocratie all muſt be vnderſtood: and the breaking without hand, touched in chap. 8. is in effect the ſame here: where all mans helpe is remoued, and ſickneſſe from Gods hand is cloſly meant. 1. Mach. 3. and 6. the 2. Mach. chap. 9, cleare this. And now we are come vnto the end of wrath. The Angell touched Babels fall: the Perſians puniſhment in Xerxes campe, the ſpeedie comming vp of Alexander, his pride, death and rooting out of his houſe: his foure chief: their reduction vnto a couple, their place in North and South: their falling out and ſeeking agreement by mariages: and what ten afflicted Iudah vehemently: and ſetteth forth the laſt ſo fully that none can doubt who the man ſhould be: and for all this heathen are good recorders. So Daniels difficulties are opened by him ſelfe: and for Antiochus Epiphanes he writeth rather a ſtory then a prophecie. Obſeruations more, touching the afflictions, for comfort be added, with explications, but no new Princes matters. tydings ſhall trouble him from the Eaſt, and from the North: and he ſhall go forth with great heate to deſtroy and ſacke many.

And he ſhall plante the tents of his Eb. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Babylonian terme, often vſed in the Babylonian Talmud. The Greeke kept it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . court betweene ſeas at holy mount Tzeby: and he ſhall come to his end, and none ſhall helpe him.

CHAP. 12. A further explication of the afflictions vnder Antiochus Epiphanes: and notes vpon the vvhole oration.

ANd at that The name is in Iud. 9. and Apoo. 12.7. time ſhall ſtand vp When Antiochus going to warre againſt Parthia leaueth Lyſias behind him, to haue rooted out the Iewes: then 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Michael, that is, he who is in the forme of God and holdeth it no robbery to be equall with God, euen the Angell of the couenant, ſhall ſtand in the Iewes defence. Michael the great Prince which ſtandeth for the children of thy The terme of Daniels people in this place muſt needes meane the Iewes: and here their troubles for Religion, not the heathen Chriſtians affliction muſt be vnderſtood. people: Now it is euident that the holy Iewes nation were neuer tormented for true Religion through their whole ſtate, but vnder Antiochus Epiphanes. Therefore it is cleare, that the Angell ſpake here of thoſe dayes. And this one ſpeech might haue kept Daniel in his true meaning, that we ſhould not draw men beyond Chriſt, for theſe troubles ſtories, before we draw them to him. and there ſhalbe a time of trouble; ſuch as hath not bene, ſince there began a nation, vnto that time and at that time thy

The pronouncing of Iewes ſaluation in troubles and ſuffering perſecution, maketh the cauſe yet plainer, and euery argument here ſhould be reckoned of high price, ſpecially the end of afflictions, that they bring vs vnto ſaluation: through which afflictions, all muſt goe, who will liue godly in Chriſt, as they are choſen of eternitie vnto this ſtate. This terme of booke, from Moſes and booke of life, Philip. 4▪3. Apoc. 3 5.13.8.20.15. all theſe are chained with references of the later vnto the former: and that of Moſes is expounded in the verſe folowing, with open, cleare and proper naming of the reſurrection: in Moſes properly neuer named, but taught by ſtrong conſequences: as in telling that the earth was curſed, vnable to afford bleſſedneſſe here: in ſhewing Enochs yeares and taking away (into paradiſe,) as the Arabique tranſlation of Ebrew 11. hath for the Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Alſo in Abrahā, Iſaack, Iacob and Sarah, who being pilgrimes and ſtraungers in Chanaan, without all purpoſe of returning to Meſopotamia, profeſſed that they looked for a Citie whereof God was the builder.

When the Eternall Angell Iehouah, the God of Abraham, Iſaak and Iacob conteineth in deſcribing of him ſelfe the gift of life to thoſe Patriarches, by reaſon that he is the God of the liuing and not of the dead, the doctrine of life Eternall is ſure: but ſo taught that prophane Epicures cannot reach ſo far as to reply once againſt it. Likewiſe where God ſaith Deut. 32. I kill and quicken, the order of the ſpeech conteineth the reſurrection: and the beſt meaning that can be grounded by Religion and proprietie vpon Gods words, that is the right meaning. The Ebrewes vpon Leuiticus 26. render a great reaſon why Moſes neuer nameth life Eternal, nor death Eternal plainly: but the generall terme LIFE ſignifieth the one: and ſo by death meaneth the other: and for keeping the law, promiſeth, corne, wine, peace, victories, many children: and conteineth not life eternal but vnder a couering, thus: My tabernacle ſhalbe amongeſt you: and I will be your God: Likewiſe why for breaking the law he propoundeth but outward puniſhments, and with addition: Of his Face being againſt them: weightie matter doe they bring of Moſes counſell. When the law was giuen ſcant any were in the world who beleeued that God was▪ & made the world, and ruled it. Where if open ſpeeches of Eternal ſtate after this world had bene told: their vnbeliefe therein would haue kept them from all ſearching touching the preſent world his gouernement, and of God his being and vnitie. Therefore by open things he prouoketh them vnto the vnuiſible cloſly. The Prophets did the like, alluring by outward bleſſings vnto the Eternal, and by outward ſorowes, as weeping, gnaſhing of teeth, fire and brimſtone Topheth and ſuch, betokening Eternall miſerie. But for the time when the holy Iewes were to loſe land and life, then plainly the reſurrection is named, euen here. In Chapter the ſeuenth: A kingdome for euer: yea for euer and euer, is named: but ſo in phraſe that ſome tranſlaters turned that vnto the wicked. One Printer did amend the fault, which ſtood by miſtaking a little particle Van: But the next edition wallowed in the former mire. That ſheweth our weakeneſſe touching ſpeeches of Eternall life: when we know not whether the phraſes touch the bleſſed or the curſed. The ſpeech here expoū deth the former: And the holy Ghoſt in the Epiſtle to the Ebrewes handleth this place moſt properly, as one ſpoken for the comfort of the Iewes that liued in Antiochus perſecutions▪ Ebrewes. 11.35. They were racked, refuſing to be ſet free: that they might obteine the better reſurrection. Who cannot ſee that the phraſe of better reſurrection calleth vs vnto this place?

Moreouer the Goſpell, hath a ſpeciall relation vnto this place. Iohn. 5.21. The feaſt 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 was kept (the dedication told. 1. Mach. 4.59.) at Ieruſalem: & it was winter: and Ieſus walked in the Temple, in the porch of Salomon: and the Iewes compaſſed him about, & ſaid: how long doeſt thou keepe our ſoules in doubt, if thou be Chriſt, tell vs plainly. Ieſus ſaid vnto them: my ſheepe here my voyce: and I giue them life euerlaſting, and none can take them from my hand. My Father, who gaue them me, is aboue all: and no man can take them from my Fathers hand: I and the father am one. Here we ſee the notation of Mi-cha-el, one with the Father. Now the giuing of life Eternall vnto them whom the father gaue him, that is, which are found written in the booke: and keeping them that none can take them out of his hand, theſe ſhew who is Michael that ſtandeth vp for his people: And the attribute of great Prince, as afore the firſt of the chiefe Princes, that is, tranſlated by the Sainctes Paul and Iude, Archangel. And as the voyce of the trumpet is Gods voyce (Pſal. 47.6.) where the Lord aſcendeth with the voyce of a trumpet, (ſo he did at the law giuing) and Chriſt ſaith Iohn. 5. the dead ſhall here the voyce of the ſonne of God: all which are in the graue ſhall here his voyce, and they ſhall go ſuch as haue done good into the reſurrection of life, and ſuch as haue done euill into the reſurrection of iudgement: In like maner S. Paule ſpeaking of the reſurrection, taketh his phraſes partly hence, and partly from the Pſalme and Goſpell: 1. Theſſ. 4.16. The Lord will come downe from heauen 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (that is) with the voyce of Archangel, with the trumpet of God: and the dead ſhal ariſe. Mentioning the reſurrectiō which here in Daniel is moſt clearely taught, he could not do better then touch ſome phraſe hence: as tranſlating: The GREAT PRINCE, by ARCHANGEL. The Iewes, who cite Daniel in their Zohar, Talmuds and Commentaries but ſeldome, yet cite this of the reſurrection very much: as in Ros he ſana, Perck. 1. fol. 14. B. and Sanedrin. Perek. 21. fol. 92. It were an ambitious labour to quote how often all their other nobleſt do the ſame. For this cauſe S. Paule ſpeaking of the reſurrection, doth by a ſpeciall phraſe call them vnto this text of the reſurrection, according vnto their owne maner: and ſheweth that the Archangel is God, and Lord of the trumpet. But our Lord doth preſſe them more with it, ſhewing himſelfe to be the ſonne of God▪ Iohn. 5. And vſing continuall ſpeeches that expound this of Michael, and touch the reſurrection, here named.

people ſhalbe ſaued, all that ſhalbe found written in the booke.

The better reſurrection and the worſe: Eb. 11. to life, and to Iudgement, Iohn. 5.

For the many of them Iohn. 11. that ſleepe in the Gene. 1. earth of Gene. 3. duſt, ſhall Eſa. 26. awake: ſome to life euerlaſting, and ſome to all ſhame, to Eſ. 66. vlt. The Scripture of like phraſes teach vs to make the force of euerie word here vſed. lothſomneſſe euerlaſting. With the naming of life Eternall, he toucheth the glorie of it: which here is layd before the eyes in ſhining termes: a taſt whereof Daniel felt in the glorie of the Angel Gabriel that came to him now, chap. 10. Whoſe brightneſſe he could not abide: and the deſcription of Chriſt was more glorious. Now all that be faithfull are told here, that they ſhalbe like Angels. Our Lord tranſlateth this ſentence thus: Then the iuſt ſhall ſhine as the ſun, in the kingdome of their father. Here the Angels was to name in troubles, for the more ſtay of the people: The wiſe counſellers: and keepers of the people in the holy couenant: As Mattathias, & Iudas that had M. C.B.I. in his ſtandart, the firſt letters of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Who is like vnto thee ô Eternal, among the Gods? Such was Eleazar the old man, and valiant Martyr: ſuch were the ſeuen brethren and the mother that ſuffered together: and the holie Ghoſt doth record their ſaluation in their hope of the better reſurrection, & that they ſaw the promiſe afore hand: as they might vnto the verie houre. But we may not thinke that any other faithfull be leſſe in glory. A poore trades mā who in ſmall knowledge ouercommeth Satan, fighteth as valiant a combat as Daniel, who hath openly the armie of heauen to aſſiſt him. Now all the iuſt are of vnderſtanding in Gods couenant, learned and wiſe: and ſhew occaſion vnto others of the like: though ſome are more employed herein and ſooner called, and beare longer the burden: who haue the timelier ioy. In iuſtice giuen be Chriſt equall to all, we are ſaued: & thereby euery one faithfull ſhall ſhine as the ſunne. This Concluſion is heauenly againſt the perſecutions of Antiochus: and Daniel might know hence that when our Lord, who is acy in the forme of God, came in the fleſh, he would ſhew a taſt of his glorie, as he ſhewed to Peter, Iames, and Iohn vpon the mountaine, which as he commanded the Diſciples not to tell, vntill his reſurrection, ſo Daniel hides it from prophane enemies, who would turne all into floures, or fables: and as hogges rent the holy people, for caſting pearles vnto them. Therefore an holy charge foloweth. And the wiſe ſhall ſhine like the brightneſſe of the firmamēt: & they that turne the many to righteouſneſſe, like the ſtarres for euer and euer.

Of keeping cloſe theſe Prophecies.

The like cō mandement was giuen. chap. 8.26. Where Elam and Mada • , and Iauan were named. Here though they be not named, they are ſo plainly deſcribed, that any learned heathen would tell rightly what kingdomes muſt be meant. Now that the Prophet ſhould not ſorow for cloſing ſuch profitable matter, he is comforted: that when theſe matters out: many will ſearch further to abound in knowledge: as the Iewes in the Machabees are teſtified to haue done. And Romanes too deale with theſe matters, as Vergil, Aeg. 4. Polybius, Dion Caſſius, Tacitus and many others, and Porphyrie in Euſebius commendeth the Iewes skill in Prophecie, which doubtleſſe this booke gaue them: to tell euents for theſe dayes. And thou Daniel, ſhut vp the words, and ſeale the booke, till the ende of the time. Many will ſearch through, and this knowledge ſhall encreaſe.

The 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and hiding of the minde, which Daniel vſed.

ANd here I thinke it not amiſſe, to ſhew Daniels owne practiſe in ſtyle of ſealing vp his ſenſe, euen where he vvriteth in the common language the Chalde tongue, folowing the order of his Chapters. And first of all, Daniel onely mentioneth the firſt captiuitie. though he onely handle the firſt captiuitie: yet he vvould not date it from the firſt of Nebuchadnezar: as lothing to haue a prophane king ouer Gods people to beare a date of their thraldome: & taking vnto himſelfe, being of Iudahs kings that honour, of meaſuring the captiuitie. So verſ. 1. and last of chap. 1. he muſt be vnderſtood, as ſetting the limites of the 70. yeares. In chap. 2.1. he vvonderfully telleth the date from his owne ſtanding afore the king: cloſly comparing himſelf with Ioſeph for the like time, and Nebuchadnezar vvith Pharaoh. In expounding the Image, vvhen he began vvith telling how the feete periſh, and commeth last vnto the head that periſhed firſt, this pleaſed Nebuchadnezar, as though he ſhould not ſoone fall. None, without marking an alluſiō in the Chaldy, can euer know why Daniel ſhold breake the natiue order of ſpeech: for clay, iron, braſſe, ſiluer, gold. In the ſame ſpeach vvhen he ioyneth iron, braſſe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Chaſpa and Caſpa, clay and ſiluer: he ſheweth his care to pleaſe the cruell tyrant, and his own readyneſſe of wit in the alluſion: beſides the depth of the natures, that ſiluer termed Caſpa of deſire, is but Chaſpa, mere duſt. And through the whole matter, his ſilence touching Iuda, and leauing the oppreſſed by the iron, as though all nations had felt the iron of the legges, this holpe his people: and the ignorance of his cloſeneſſe made 1500. yeares errour in vs. The third and fourth and fift Chapters, neither needed nor ſuffred hiding: therein he fully ſetteth forth the Babylonian ſhame, and Gods glorie. So in the ſixt he dealt vvith the Perſians. The ſeuenth bears his vvit in Fiue points of great importance haue bene miſtaken in expounding Daniels 7. chap. The name Belaſh-zar: euē of Ebrew Printers: the Sainctes of the high: who they be, who there hold the kingdome: the ſpeech of the three former beastes: who the fourth beaſt means and ſpecially all the ſpeeches which in truth are of Antiochus Epiphanes. Beleſh-zar, ſhewing that Bel becommeth a fire of ſorow from the fierie throne. Likewiſe in ſpeaking firſt of the laſt beaſtes ruine: and returning to ſpeake of the former: and vſing termes of equiuocation, as vve yet miſtake them: that the Chaldeans could picke no quarell. For thus the vvordes might ſeeme to meane: verſ. 12. Concerning the others beaſtes, they had taken away their dominion: yet their liues vvere prolonged for a certaine time and ſeaſon. What the argument calleth for, and how the vvordes will abide another ſenſe, all may ſee. Like verſ. 18. Vau ſignifying And, or vvhich, the taking one for the other, vvould keepe Daniels people from blame: and they might ſee an expoſition in the Chapter. Therein alſo his terming of the Iewes the Sainctes of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 them the holy Trinitie, that conteined no danger: yet great vviſedome. While the kings of Iudah liued: Iakim, Iackin, Zedekias prophane as heathen, God vvould ſhew kingdomes ouer them in no vvorſe ſort, then they vvould vviſh to appeare, as in the Image: and then he gaue his own people no name: a bad he might not, a good vnder thoſe kings he could not: But vvhen Salomons houſe vvas extinct, and our Lordes ancestours right commeth in, then it was fit that a name ſhould be giuen them of the highest approbation. And all this vvhile he durst aduenture to vvrite in the commoneſt language of Eaſt and South: to helpe many, and danger none. But chap. 8. vvhere Babels fall is gathered by Elam ariſing: and Elam fell by Iauans ariſing, & the nations be named, & Iudah ſurely deſcribed to any Iew: and he is commaunded to cloſe it vp: then he not onely diſſembled his griefe for his people, that ſhould fall from being starres: but vvriteth in Ebrew, and vſeth termes that amaze the vnbeedy vnto this day: Palmonie, & Tzeby, amazed the vvicked Iewes continually. In the ninth he is vvonderfull: vvhere, while he penneth his own words, he plainly teacheth by his ſtile how ready he was in Moſes and the Prophetes. When he penneth the Angels: he maketh a cloude white towards Iſrael, blacke towards Aegypt. Thence a true Iſrael may looke to our Lordes death forward: and turne vnto Moſes euen by Sabbates iourneys: and thence may ſee heathen confuſion of stories. In the tenth he hid his minde: not telling vvherefore he faſted: becauſe in Perſia, he might not blame the kings hinderance of the Temple: vvhen his griefe is relieued by ſhewing how foure kings & Xerxes campe ſhall ſoone fade he knew that Tigris ſwift vvaters vvere a fit reſemſemblance of the ſpeede, and knew that they ſhould be puniſhed for the Temple. By keeping cloſe his minde, he ſaued his from danger. Arraxaſta that granted leaue to go forward with the temples worke doth acknowledge cloſly why Xerxes campe was ouerthrowē. And any that conſidered the Iewes ſtate might know his counſell. Now touching Iudah vnder the Seleucide, and Lagidae, and the deſcribing of the legges of iron, there he hideth his minde moſt vvittily. Daniel might vvell thinke that ſome heathen vvould learne Ebrew: and Ebrewes reuolt vnto heathen, and tell his ſecrets, vnto the kings spoken off. To preuent that he ſo filleth his ſpeech vvith phraſes of difficultie, that none but the humble vvill ſeeke to vnderstand him. So the pronounes for Seleucus Nicator and his vvhole deſcription, vvill vvearie any ſlouthfull: verſ. 5. and ſo phraſes of Berenices caſe, ſpecially 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the verbe. Likewiſe in Pt. Here in Daniel is the hardeſt text to tranſlate of any that I know. Euergetes, verſ. 9. the tranſpoſing of termes deceaued the ſleepy. And ofter the terme Many ſignifying the Iewes nations many, vvould entangle many an enemy. Now in Antiochus Epiphanes matters, he vſeth many cloſures. The holy couenant, for the Religiō of Moſes: the Sanctuary of Mauz, for, of God: and Mauzim, all ſtrength that is almighty, in, verſ. 38. and 39. the fortes of Mauzim for the temple of Ieruſalem, and ſundry particles of difficultie, but vnto a practiſed Ebrew in verſ. 38. and 39. Alſo Chaldie termes as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Aphadno, his court, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 treaſures, vvith ſtrange Eb. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for agreement, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for, in his ſteed, theſe vvould vvearie the prophane: and all that count not the kingdome of heauen vvorthy ſearching for, Names of Chriſt: Palmony. chap. 8. Meſſias. chap. 9. Michael. chap. 10. & 12. Alſo 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 chap. 3. euen by Midras Rab. Stone cut without hands. chap. 2. and one clothed in white linnen &c. chap. 20. and 12. and Prince of the armie. chap. 8. Michael there by Aben Ezra. as an hid treaſure. Alſo Michael the great Prince, named great by an Angel, in the company of two other Angels, this vvould diſturbe the vnstayed: vvho knew not vnto vvhat former perſon, as Palmony and Meſſias, this vvas to be referred. The notation vvould teach ſuch as knew the holy Trinitie, vvho the perſon vvas no leſſe then vve are vvarranted from Apo. 12. and from S. Iude. In the Apocalypſe, vvhere Michael and his Angels fight, Christ and his ſeruantes come in the expoſition. In S. Iude the burier of Moſeh is Michael, vvho in Deut. is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Eternal. Alſo the authour of this ſpeech, the Lord rebuke thee Satan, is in Zacharie the Eternal, and the Angel of the Eternal: By this vve may vvell know vvho Michael muſt be. And all of ſtayed iudgement will ſoone acknowledge, that it cannot ſtand vvith the playnneſſe vvhich is in Chriſt, that the Angel ſhould call Daniel vnto any ſpeculation of Archangel, but of the ſonne of God: nor to teach him to vvade in things vvhich he could not ſee, to hold any created Angel our great Prince. Angels are in Eſay of one degree called by the Argument in handling, The Scripture neuer reacheth of any ſuperioritie in created Angels: but as aboue earthly Princes. Seraphim: Burners (of the Citie and Temple) in Ezekiel Cerubim by Moſehs terme: in whom one ſiſe and meaſure ſheweth how all are equally miniſtring ſpirites, to be ſent on ſeruice for ſuch as are to inherite Saluation. As Palmony in the eight Chapter is expounded the moſt holy Christ in the ninth: and none vvas there aboue Gabriel but he, ſo none here may be. And vvhen our Lord, Iohn. 5. diſputeth of the reſurrection, as a vvorke for the ſonne of God, therein calling vs hither, he expoundeth cloſly, vvho Michael muſt be. Theſe points keepe Daniel myſticall vnto all that be not of the Church. As all his book muſt needs be hid from them that vveigh not, vvhat point of Religion touching Dauids throne vvas now to be opened. But they vvho know that all Iudah ſeeing Salomons houſe at end, vvould require from God a further explication of Dauids ſonne and throne Eternal, ſpoken by Nathan. 2. Sam. 7. and conſider that Daniel is a Commentarie vpon that point: that the crowne ſhalbe ouerturned, ouerturned, ouerturned: (as in Ezekiel,) vntil he commeth to vvhom it belongeth: they vvho know that, vvill ſoone know vvhat Daniel must meane: euen that all his booke is but an explication of that doubt: how Salomons houſe being extinct, our Lords godly houſe continueth the right: and how all nations ſtand vp againſt it: firſt vnder Chams brode, of Babel, next vnder Sems Elam: all this in the Eaſt: and long vnder Iaphets Weſtward, that Greeke might be made common for Noahs Prophecie and alluſion vnto Iaphets name: Bar Kapra in Ieruſalemy: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Rabbins ſaw by Noahs alluſion: that the new Teſtament was to be written in Greeke. of perſwading in his language to dwel in Sems tentes. This being conſidered, the vvhole frame of the holy ſtorie vvill tell how much of the building might belong to Daniel or any Prophet, for to make vp. And this vvas not he to tell in his booke: but to giue cloſly an anſwere, vnto the cloſe demaund of all his owne nation. Little vvould the heathen haue beleeued him, that the houſe of Zorobabel were the high Sainctes: that Zorobabel ſhould be as a ſignet in due time, that mountaines ſhould be playne afore Zorobabel: and that Zorobabel had a name teaching by and for vvhom the Golden Babylonian head ſhould be fanned. Theſe points would heathen no more regard, then Herod regarded Ioſeph, the carpenter: and the Machabees, Iacob, Matthan Eleazar. So vve ſee that Salathiel and Pedaiah in Babylon, vvere of no account: and Zorobabel in Iudah of ſmall authoritie: and Abiud, Eliakim, Azor, Sadok, Eliud, not ſo much as named in any place, beſide the holy regiſter. The notation of their names compared vvith Pſalme. 89. vvould teach vvhat their hope was: and that Pſalme bringeth Aethan as chiding with God for ſtraunge dealing in the promiſe of the kingdome: ſo that a certaine Spaniſh Iew cited by Aben Ezra being at his wittes end, would not reade the Pſalme. If Iuda to this day could not conceaue a right the nature of their kingdome: The Iewes to this day looke for a pompous kingdome, ſilly caytifes. much leſſe vvould the heathen haue reſted in plainneſſe, ioyfull onely for the vvorld to come: when they beleeued not that the vvorld was made: nor that the higheſt ruled the kingdomes of men. Chriſt him ſelfe ſpeaketh in verſ. 10. The wicked will not vnderſtand: but the wiſe will vnderſtand. To them it is giuen to know the myſteries of the kingdome of heauen: and to them which are without, all things are in Parables. For that cauſe, both a charge is giuen here to ſhut vp the wordes and to ſeale the booke: and in phraſes Daniel doth the ſame, and in all his Methode. And as in due time many ranne to ſearch, whereby knowledge likewiſe encreaſed▪ So we ſhould ſearch now that our knowledge might encreaſe.

An Angel demaundes how long the wonders of Antiochus dealings shall preuaile: and hath an anſwere from chap. 7.25. that it ſhall continue three yeares and an halfe. And thereupon the Greekes hand ſet vpon the holy people ſhalbe bruſed.

The greatnes of theſe matters here is ſet forth, by the Angels attē dance & deſire to looke into them: likewiſe the certaintie by the number of witneſſes, two, yea three in all, as among men the law holdeth that proofe ſufficient. That certaintie muſt needes import plainneſſe in the matter. The place at Tigris was fitteſt to betoken dealings in time at thoſe quarters: As at Eulai the Riuer Daniel ſaw Paras and Madai riſe and fall. Vpon Tigris Seleucus built Seleucia. There abouts alſo this Antiochus after his Church robbing was foyled. Moreouer the notation is very fit. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ſharpe, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ſwift: As theſe dealings vpon Gods enemies ſhould be ſharpe and ſwift. Strabo noteth that the Riuers name is an arrow in the Medes tongue: and ſo it is by Curtius in the Perſian. And both nations ſeeme to haue the ſame language either wholly or neare. The name and fame of the Riuer is ancient. In Adams Paradiſe it was one of the foure: that, with it, as the firſt of Ebrew ſtories began: ſo the laſt in the Ebrew Prophetes ſhould end. God tendereth in all points mans weakeneſſe: to contriue much into a little roome, to be eaſier learned & remembred. There Babel did ſet vp a Tyrannie, at the towres building: and Nemrod of the yongeſt houſe began rebellious dealings. There Elam ſonne of Sem wanne the ſuperioritie from Senear and Nemrod: thence they and two more come againſt Abraham, and fall. And as Aegypt in Pharaoh after Babel troubled the Church, ſo in theſe dealings they do: that by admonition of place all might be better wayed. Full many be the like reuolutions for places and times in the Ebrew ſtories: which obſeruation will helpe much. The Angels demaund is like Iohn Baptiſtes of Chriſt, for his Diſciples ſureneſſe, not for his owne doubt. The matter was ſhewed to Daniel Chapter 7. There commeth vp in the fourth beaſt one little horne, which brake three hornes, & had eyes like a humane man, but a mouth ſpeaking great matters, vntill thrones of iudgement were ſet vp, and for the great words which the horne ſpake, the beaſt was k • ld, and the body caſt into the fier. There that horne made warre with the iholy: vntill the auncient of dayes came, and Iudgement was giuen to the Sainctes of the holy Trinitie, and the Sainctes held their kingdome. There the Angel expoundeth it of one king that ſhould abaſe three: which Antioch. did: firſt to Seleucus, next to Demetrius, thirdly to Ptol. Philometor. The ſame ſhould ſpeake wordes againſt the higheſt, and conſume the Sainctes of the high Trinitie, and thinke to alter times and law: and touching that point, they ſhould be giuen into his hand, for a time, and two times, and halfe a time. Now the terme time put for a yeare, was ſeene chap 4. in Neb. & the Angel could not be ignorant of that: But whereas all Antiochus dealings againſt Moſes were. 2300. dayes afore the 25 of Caſleu, to diſtinguiſh the whole rage from the remouing of the ſacrifice, that was to be noted. And thoſe dealings are termed wonders. Seing the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 continuall ſacrifice was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as Chriſtes death was: the counſell of Chriſt in giuing that into a Tyrants controlment, and the Sabbath which had bene ſince Adams time, and his holy ſeruants to be tormented; this was indeede a great wonder. The reaſon was rendred, chap. 11.35. and here verſ. 10. Chriſt telleth it in the ſame termes that the Angel vſed: onely he altereth their order, as I will ſhew when I come vnto the verſe. The anſwere foloweth.Then I Daniel looked: and behold, two others ſtood, one on this ſide the brinke of the riuer, and one on the other ſide the brinke of the riuer.

And he ſaid vnto the mā clothed in linnen, which was vpō the waters of the riuer, at what time ſhalbe the end of theſe wonders?

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a ſpeech of difficultie: to the vnebrewed, but plaine by the matter. And I heard the manThe attire here, & the whole perſons deſcription chap. 10.5.10.5. ſheweth a ſacrificer holy, and higher then the heauens. Moreouer the geſture of ſtanding vpon the waters importeth that of the Pſalme: how as God calmeth the waters, ſo he calmeth the waues of nations. And this viſion anſwereth vnto Iobs ſpeach: that God walketh vpon the high waues of the ſeas. The metaphors and viſions of the Scripture haue a cleare reſemblance of that which is taught for mens affaires. Beſides, the geſture and oth calleth into minde, Deut. 32. a comfort euen for theſe times. I kill and make aliue, I ſtrike and I make whole: and none can take away from my hand. When I lift mine hand vnto heauen, and ſay, as I liue for euer, if I whet the blade of my ſword, and my hand lay hold on iudgement, I will requite vengeance vnto my aduerſaries, & pay my foes. I wil make drunke my arrowes with bloud: and my ſword ſhall eate fleſh: from bloud of ſlaine and captiue: from the head of vengeance vpon the enemy. Reioyce ô heathen with his people. For he will reuenge the bloud of his ſeruants: and pay vengeance vnto his aduerſaries: and be reconciled vnto his people. The wordes of Moſes begin their execution in this place, and hold on vnto the full calling of the heathen. So the geſture of lifting vp the hand and ſwearing calleth all this vnto Daniels minde. The ſumme of the matter here conteineth two things: the rage of Gods enemies, and the puniſhment. The rage is for three yeares and an halfe. So the terme, Time, by ſynecdoche in Dan. 4. as I told was taken: and Greekes commonly at this day: call an yeare a Time, and three yeares three 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 times. This time was noted by Ioſephus in Bell. Iud. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . That is, Antiochus ſyrnamed Epiphanes ſurpriſed Ieruſalem by force, and held it three yeares, and ſix monethes, & is caſt out of the countrey by the ſonnes of Chaſhmonai, that is: the Machabees. He preſently hindred the continual offring, when his Idolatrous garriſons being abominations through Idolatry, and deſolaters by trade, held the holy temple. Ioſephus alſo here handleth the bruſing of the hand ſet vpon the holy people, vnder the caſting of Antiochus out of all the countrey. The Rabbines commonly note the ſame: euen in the Babylonian Talmud, & Rambam writeth a common place 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Iohn. 10. vpon the recouerie of the temple. There alſo the driuing out of Antiochus is handled. The Iewes teſtimonie ſhould be ſtrong againſt them ſelues & good for our ſureneſſe, for fame of matter here told. Thus Rābam writeth in his firſt Tome in Megilah & Chanucha Perek 3. Tremellius nameth his worke Talmud. In the time of the ſecōd temple Iauan gaue decrees ouer Iſrael: and abrogated their Policie: and ſuffred them not to ſtudie the law and commaundementes: and layd hold vpon their ſubſtance and their daughters: and they went into the temple: and made breaches, and polluted the cleane. And Iſrael was in great diſtreſſe through them, which oppreſſed greatly, vntill the God of our fathers pitied them, and ſaued them out of the others hand, and deliuered them, and the Chaſhmonaim (The Machabees) the high Prieſts kild them, and ſaued Iſrael from their hand: & ſet vp a king of the Priſts more then 200. yeares afore the ſecōd deſolation. And when Iſrael preuailed againſt their enemies, and deſtroyed them, it was the 25. of Chaſleu, and they entred into the temple, &c. and for this cauſe the wiſe men of that generation ordeined that eight dayes beginning from the 25. of Chaſleu ſhould be celebrated with gladneſſe and ſonges: and they kindled candels, in the euening at their houſes doores euery night of the eight. And theſe dayes are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Dedication, and they admit no mourning nor faſting: as the dayes of Purim. Thus the goodneſſe of God forced them to keepe a famous memorie of their deliuerance from their perſecution. Vpon which ſtorie, they ſhould looke into the Prophecie: which none can denie to be for a vehement perſecution: and common reaſon would tell them that the firſt which fell out in the vehemency here told, muſt needes be meant by this. The conſideration of this ſtorie with the Prophecie, would haue taught them of the perſon, the teller of the time: the high ſacrificer: who would himſelfe ſuffer in like ſort, three yeares & an halfe, all gaine ſaying of ſinners: teaching that which theſe viſions declared. They held their owne kingdome about 150. yeares in reaſonable quietneſſe: but they to whom Chriſt gaue victories, diſdiſdained the office of white linen and continuall ſacrifice, and would be heathen-like kings, and brought in Saduciſme. Yet our Lord called them much vnto conſideration of this text. For, his diſputations that he raiſed vp the dead at the later day, his preſent miracles of the raiſing Talitha, his being at the Dedication feaſt: his ſpeech there that he was the ſonne of God: his phraſe of Lazarus ſleeping, taken hence from verſ. 2. his ſpeech with Martha that he is the reſurrection: his perſwaſion, that ſhe acknowledged him to be the ſonne of God, which was to come into the world: that is by Daniels phraſe the Prince of the people, which honour no created Michael might vſurpe: and as I touched, his ſuffring vnder the Phariſies a time, two times and halfe a time: from the 15. of Tiberius beginning, vnto halfe his eighteenth, all theſe dealings ſtill called, vnto theſe matters. And this matter being twiſe told ſhould haue bene eaſie vnto them, ſpecially hauing ſo many antecedents: that nine hornes ruſhed afore Antiochus Epiphanes, & he was a long dealer not onely againſt Syria, but alſo againſt Iudaea, before this time of placing his garriſon in Ieruſalem commeth to be in recorde. And ſeeing thriſe here times neare halfe a ſeuen ſhould fall out in ſtraunge euentes, they ſhould looke diligently vnto our Lordes halfe ſeuen. clothed in linen which was vpon the waters of the riuer, when he held vp his right hand, and his left hand vnto heauen, and ſware by him that liueth for euer, that it ſhalbe for a time, times, & an halfe: & at the finiſhing of bruſing the hand, that is, vpō the holy people all theſe things ſhalbe finiſhed.

Daniels demaundes concerning the time when the Iewes should begin to recouer their ſtate from the Greekes: with ſpeeches of Chriſt touching the darkneſſe of all the oration, and counſel for the afflictions of the godly.

And I heard, but Daniel hauing heard of affliction for three yeares and an halfe, in generall termes, hauing no note from what ſpeciall marke the time ſhould begin, was to confeſſe that he vnderſtood not. He knew in chap. 8. that by dayes 2309. from Antiochus firſt checking of Moſes law, the temple ſhould be recouered. But knew not whence this account here ſhould begin. Moreouer by reaſon that the bruſing of the hand plaguing the holy Ebrewes was here ioyned, and he might well thinke that it ſhould not fall out preſently with the recouerie of the temple, he was to require a further explication. The Lord doth anſwere, and firſt acquainteth him further with the whole matter: ſhewing that as the Angel bad him cloſe vp and ſeale the words, that pearles ſhould not be caſt before hogs, nor holie things before dogges: ſo theſe matters were to be ſpoken in ſuch ſort that vntil the age of their execution, the particulars ſhould not be euident. The triall of the faithfull required that: whoſe practiſe in martyrdome had not bin ſo great, if the ſeaſon of their deliuerance had bene clearely told. For they would haue for a time withdrawen thē ſelues. Here the repeating of verſ. 35. from chap. 11. of the Angels ſpeech, though there the order went: tried, purified, whited, this ſheweth one and the ſame perſecution to be meant. And ſeeing we expound that of Antiochus times and not of the Romanes, this alſo being ſpokē, a confirmation of that muſt be equally of Antiochus: wherein I maruell how antiquitie could euer miſſe. The remouing of the continuall ſacrifice, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 muſt be takē for the firſt remouing that could fall. The terme Tamyd, or daily ſacrifice muſt ſtand in his propre ſenſe. For a trope may not be vſed, but where the hearer may eaſily diſcerne it from proprietie: otherwiſe the ſpeaker may be charged of vntruth. Alſo the holy people and Daniels people ſhould argue that the Iewes were meant here: and ſo they hold vniuerſally: & by reaſon that we cary theſe ſtories beyond Chriſt they do the like. As Aben Ezra maketh the litle horne to be the Turke: and locketh for ſpeciall affliction three yeares and an halfe vnder him. So men make the word of God flexible. And we ſhould haue taken heede of the warning here: None of the wicked will vnderſtand: But men of skill will vnderſtand. Now ſeeing the very prophane heathen ſpeake that of Antiochus Epiphanes, which agreeth exactly with the ende of the laſt, the 11. chap. and theſe points are but a commoration vpon them, and no new ſtates matters: the prophane would tell vs that we entangle our ſelfe wilfully: & wilfully diſturbe all the Bible, miſtaking whole nations for the Images legs: peruerting the markes of mariages in it: miſtaking the fourth beaſt, what kingdomes it conteineth, diſgracing the ſpeech of the Buck, openly ſhewing therein the end of wrath, diſgracing extremely all this laſt oration, drawing likewiſe Ezekiel for Gog and Magog out of place: confounding Daniel with the reuelation: and confounding the tenour of narrations for nations through all the Bible. Moſes layd downe what nation ſhould be the holy people vntill Chriſt came: and how all the other families ſhould ſtriue againſt that. The Prophets were to be but commenters vpon him, to lead vnto Chriſt & not beyond him: and they might terme no one nation holy but Iſrael: and were to ſhew how all the auncient nations of Babels diſperſion would be buſie with Iſrael. While we confound this diſtinction, we confound with it all narrations of Scripture. The wiſe will vnderſtand it, to be ſo. Now as he that ſeeketh doth find, and he that asketh receaueth, & he that knocketh obteineth opening, alwayes, ſo to Daniel this now falleth out: By mentioning one 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or marke and adding two neare matters, touching bruſing of the hand ſet vpon the holy people, he is fully contented and ſatisfied in theſe wordes. vnderſtood not: then ſaid I, ô my Lord when ſhalbe the end of theſe things?

And he ſaid, go thy way Daniel. For the words are cloſed vp and ſealed till the end of the time.

Many ſhalbe purified, whited and tryed: But the the wicked will do wickedly: and none of the wicked will vnderſtand: but the wiſe will vnderſtand.

And from the time of taking away the continuall ſacrifice, and of ſetting vp the Infidel garriſōs deſtroying the temple: as in Rambam aboue was ſhewed. lothſome of deſolation, dayes ſhalbe a thouſand two hundreth and ninetie.

Happie is he that is patient, and commeth vnto dayes a thouſand three hundreth thirty and fiue.Daniel knew the end of thoſe wonders mentioned by the Angel, when it ſhould be: from chap. 8. euen with the clenſing of the tēple: But knew not the ſpeciall note of their beginning. In anſwering cōcerning two points for the bruſing Seleuci • n the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or mark of the other is taken: a marke of ſacrifice. Men count the dates of kings reigne ſtately: But God holdeth other matters of greater account: as the promiſe vnto Abraham, Gene. 12.430. afore the law: the perſecution and Ieroboams idolatrie 390. afore the Temples flames: Daniels prayer. 490. afore the paſſion, and chap. 8. a marke backward, the Temples clenſing after. 2300. dayes dealing againſt Religion in ſome ſort. So here, the taking away of the continuall ſacrifice is made a date for a day of payment, for a double payment from God. Antiochus was inforced to confirme Religion reſtored by Iudas in the 148. yeare of Seleucid • ̄n, which in the 145. he hindered. Three yeares, ſeuen moneths & ſome 13. dayes might be in this while. Another cōfort is added, for the patiēt in theſe perſecutiōs: euē the death of the perſecutour. As the martyrs told him that God would pay him. The cloſſe bleſſing of the patient imported what kind of comfort was meant in that ſumme: fortie fiue dayes after the other: the death of Antiochus ſhould fall out in 149. Seleucid • n. 1. Mach. 6.16. Though mans obſeruation reacheth not commonly vnto dayes: yet when for the yeares they ſpeake well, by Gods authoritie added, we may gather the iuſt dayes. And theſe were the points which were fit for to be reuealed in particulars, the reſtoring of the ſacrifice, & the tyrants death. Now further matters how the clay of the legges ſhould be broken, how the fourth beaſt ſhould do when his hornes hence are broken: and the Buckes vnhorned fading body, euen how Demetrius and Antiochus ſonne fall out: Antiochus race ſhould end: Demetrius houſe ſhould be deuided: they ſhould match with Aegypt, and periſh like dogges: theſe matters might be marked by humane skill: and they touched not matter worthy particular prophecie: nor the Iewes great care. And Daniel knew in what yeare from his talke he would come into the world: by which time an euident token ſhould be ouer all the world, that the houſe of-Seleucid • ̄n or Gog periſhed, by the Latin natiō and tongue, reigning in thoſe quarters: and he knew the very nation that ſhould reigne, euen the next ofſpring of Cittim vnto the Macedonians, the Cetij, which was the firſt name of Italians, in Sudas, in Latine. And therefore the maner of bruſing the Greekes, and particular dealings were to be ſealed vp, as needing no long warning. And ſo the Lord concludeth that Daniel ſhould looke for no mo reuelatiōs all his life time: but reſt in theſe, & continue contented with his rare lot, if any thing was ſealed touching the Perſian kings payment: thirtie yeares hence Ezra ſhould ſee it: & for the temples hinderers, Agge and Zacharie ſhould reueale it. Now the viſions of Zacharie for our Lordes comming, and Ieruſalems fall, they touched not this argument of ſorow & faſting of Daniel: & ſome points were to be reſerued vnto the Temples ornaments.

And thou, go to the end, and reſt, and ſtand in thy lot vnto the end of the dayes.

The Concluſion.

Thus Daniel had a ſufficient Cathechiſme for all the world: bringing the heauens downe vnto the earth, that the earth might be exalted vnto heauen, Daniel would teach heathen to ſeaſon their humane ſtories with diuinitie. Strabo knew that Nebuchadnezar was an Hercules & reached vnto Spaine, and brought a Colonie vnto Pontus: But Daniel was to tell him who gaue the Lion ſuch wings: Diodorus thought the Chaldeās great Philoſophers: but Daniel telleth what deceiuers they were: & recordeth their own kings cenſure: and how yong Ebrewes were found ten times better then they: how corruptiō & leaſing was their practiſe: how whē the king had forgotten his dreame, they promiſe an expoſition, when he forgot it not, but told them, they could ſay nothing: how a matter written from heauen on the wall chap. 5. paſſed their skill. Hence Diodorus might haue bene wiſed. Likewiſe Abydenus who recordeth Nauocodroſors traūce, might by Daniel haue ſeene it clearer. And ſo Herodotus might haue gottē more hearers in Olympia, if to Cyrus ſurpriſing of Babel he could haue ioyned Daniels 5. chap. The ſame text would haue made Xenophōs Muſes more Attique, ſhewing how in bāquetting the Chaldeā king was kild. Athenaeus with his Beroſus and Cteſias for the ſame feaſt might ſee God ſerue with ſauce. So for Cyrus death Herodotus might haue learned the cauſe: with learning Daniels faſting. And the writers of Suſan, the Citie of Darius Hyſtaſpis, made the glory of Perſia, might ſee in Daniels viſions chap. 8. Suſans honours confirme his booke. Aeſchylus & Herodotus might haue penned the one his Tragoedy, the other his ſtory, more plentifully then they did of Gods ſtroke in Xerxes fall, if they had looked into Daniel: much they marked, but might more. Diodorus again with Arrianus, for Alexander might haue ſeene all told in Daniel. And Diodorus might haue marked, frō what curſe Alexanders Captaines made ſuch a ſlaughter among thē ſelues. Here he might haue ſeene, why he ſhould ſay that Ptolemy Lagides came vp by helpe frō heauē: & why Seleucus became ſoone greateſt: and haue brought true Prophecies, for that Pauſanias might behold to what vſe he noted the affinitie and league betwixt Lagidas and Seleucidas: and how Philadelphus name 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 made famous the mariage beginning betwixt the two legges. Appian and Iuſtin might haue made, not Polybius & Trogus, but Daniel their author: & Polybius in the pleading for Syria, might haue beheld Iudah caſt as a bone betwixt two dogs. Here Liuy had for him, by whō it fell out, that Antiochus came into the Weſt with a camp of nations ſcant heard of in Italy, Medes, Caduſians, & ſuch many names ſtrange in Weſt eares: by whō Antiochus wanted counſell, that he was ſoone brought to loſſe of almoſt all: his death in Strabo & Iuſtin, ſhould haue bin referred to Gods counſell in Daniel, & Iaſon of Syren that noted Church robbing in Seleucus, ſhould haue noted the text in Daniel. And in Antiochus Epiphanes his comming vp into Syria, his 3. voyages into Aegypt: his croſſing of Ebrewes lawes, his death, his vile nature, Polybius, Liuie Athenaeus, Florus, Appian, all might know theſe dealings foretold. Alſo Tully that termed Iudahs Religion a Barbarous ſuperſtition, and the people a nation borne to bondage, might gueſſe by Daniel that the iudge on the fierie throne, the ſtander vp for Daniels people, would haue his tongue pricked for thoſe ſpeeches. And the ſame orator might haue gueſſed by skill in Daniel, why the Romanes feared to helpe Aegypt the clay legs by their faigned Sybilles, was heard by ſome Iewes counſell, who would tell that when the legges were broken from God, all aſſiſters of them ſhould be as reſiſters of God. So Brennus of our nation with his great campe, was plagued as a reſiſter while the legges were iron, and Antiochus that droue his company out of Aſia, was ſyrnamed Soteria Sauiour. And therein Pauſanias might haue ſeene the counſell of God. Again where Vergil bringeth in Auguſtus triumph, ouer Cleopatra and Antonie, euen vltima Bactra, frō Eaſt hence, Extremos hominum Morino • , he might haue ſeene how God called nations from the riſing of the ſunne vnto the going downe to behold the breaking of Daniels image: & to thinke of a child comming from heauen: as Vergil peruerſly heard. By Daniel, not Venus, Neptune, Minerua nor Actius Apollo ſhould haue bene the giuer of victorie, but the God of heauen. Daniel muſt needes be holden a ſtately authour, that hath all theſe ſo much belonging to him, and the goodlieſt part of all Vergils wit, that, in Auguſtus triumph licking the duſt of the toes of Daniels image. Yea & former Romane affaires of Pompey and Iulius Caeſar: the one kild in Aegypt, for helping the king the Piper out of the duſt: the other for Cleopatra: thoſe duly looked vnto, would iuſtifie the firie throne of Daniel. Yea all the ſtories of the Romanes comming vp, being here yet, not as enemies to Gods holy couenant, but men rewarded for plaguing the legges, all commenteth vpon Daniel. Beſides Auguſtus ieſt in Macrobius, how it was better to be Herodes hog then his ſonne: that iuſtifieth the ſtorie of perſecution at our Lordes comming from the cloudes to make a tabernacle among vs. Ouer and beſides all this, the ſpeech of wicked Tacitus againſt Chriſt crucified vnder Pontius Pilate, and of Chriſtian Religion, theſe haue a good vſe for Daniel, and all the declaration of the Iewes calamities in the laſt deſtructiō of Ieruſalem, or euer ſince: written by prophane heathen, all ſerue Daniel alike. And the matters are ſo plaine that if men would but grope, they might haue found Chriſt in Daniel: where the pompous of this world be fanned as chaf: the wicked, as beaſtes burne in fire vnquenched, and the humble may finde iuſtice Eternal, to ſhine like the ſunne in the kingdome of the Father.

Pſal. 119.96. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉