DANIEL HIS CHALDIE VISIONS AND HIS HEBREW: BOTH TRANSLATED AFTER THE Original: and expounded both, by reduction of heathen most famous stories unto the exact propriety of his words (which is the surest certainty what he must mean:) and by joining all the Bible, and learned tongues to the frame of his work.  
Let him that readeth (Daniel) understand.  Mat. 24. 
The wise will understand.  Dan. 12. 
AT LONDON Printed by Richard Field, for William Young dwelling near the great North door of Paul's, where the other works of the same author are to be sold. 1596.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LL. OF HER M. MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNSEL.  
THE Prophet Nathan (right H. 
2. Sam. 7.14. ) told David of a son that should build a temple unto God, and sit upon a throne for ever: touching whom, as Daniel penneth all his book which I present unto your Lordships, I request your patience to judge by a short sum▪ what use my explication may have in our Church and state. That speech of nathan's was commonly understood of Solomon: but indeed belongeth more unto his brother 
1. Chron. 3.5 Luke. 3.31.  Nathan to whom David gave the Prophet's name▪ that by it the godly might see from what line he should come, which always sat on the right hand of the father. And that the Elder son of Bathsheba, for whom David made the most heavenly Psalm of repentance, 
Psal. 51.  should not want his dignity, God gave him praerogatives very fit to allure the world unto higher matters. He built by God's commandment a temple of Mason's work: & sat after a sort (in God's speech, 
1. Chr. 29.23 ) upon the throne of the Eternal. 
1. King. 9.6.  Yet God spoke unto him for the people, and he unto God before the people, 
1. King. 8.47.  words touching that his kingdom should not stand. 
Eccl. 1.  And in his whole book that teacheth how all things under the sun are vanity, the whole drift is to expound the truth of the promised throne. When his line should end in je-choniah, the Eternal jah sweareth, that if Choniah were a signet upon his finger he would pluck him thence and plucked his name from the kings: 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jah & Choniah made the king's name.  and preacheth, o earth, earth, earth, writ him childless: for none of his seed shall sit upon David's throne. Him Nebuchadnezar kept in prison 37. y, and overthrew salomon's kingdom and temple, 
2. King. 25.27  with all the implements: that judah should look to the other house of David, for the true throne. Then jerusalem was to be taught a new, in what sort they should see to peace. For them the book of Daniel is a Commentary handling principal points of their 
Chap. 1. & 9  seventy years thraldom: & seven times that space unto Christ his ascension, to reign in the house of David for ever: 
Chap. 7.  who destroyeth utterly as with a flood City and temple: to show that such outward things of man's work could not be fit for to be meant in the most glorious promise unto David. So jerusalem surprised by the Chaldean, and razed by the Roman, is the limits of his story. For the middle space he handled certain principal heads, touching zorobabel's people, and the enemies. Zorobabel was the only of Nathan that bare rule: and that, to build a temple: and to receive the promise of Christ, as in Ag. 2. Then his family hath an express declaration what throne belongeth unto them. 
Chap. 7.  For they are termed the Saints of the high Trinity: who shall possess a kingdom for ever, yea for ever and ever. And Daniel showeth thrones set up, & one like the son of man coming into the world, and again, ascending unto the king everlasting, and reigning aey over all nations. And this much is the sum of their comfort. Touching the kingdom: he nameth the nations that should successively take it from them with open injury to their Religion. The Chaldeans had begun. 
* Alexander's injury was in that the Priests for one year should name their sons alexander's: & all judah should take their dates from his reign, & he their Emperor would be a God.  The Persians conquering them should continue. Next Great Alexander. So interchangeably, the Seleucidae and Lagidae, unto ten tyrannical kings. But afterwards they should be weakened: that daniel's people might hold their own kingdom. He nameth the Romans: but not as enemies here, unto their Religion: yet toucheth their coming up: that all might know by what nation Christ should be killed: when by his birth time the fourth kingdom should fall through the Romans. And they should be the second Babylon to jerusalem. But seeing they meddled not with the jews, until they called for their help: & that, when the Maccabees had usurped long a kingdom against jacob's will, no less enemies to zorobabel's house then the others (as their family perished alike utterly:) so the severity of God was not to prophecy a comfort against the jews calamities, called for by their own profaneness, & as it were, open request. For Caesar and Pompey were called into partaking by striving Maccabees: and before had made league and friendship with judah Therefore comforts in such dealings might not be sent from heaven. The plainness of Daniel is great: 
daniel's plainness.  telling of matters that all the world would note. Strabo knew Nebuchadnezars' greatness: 
* In Theoph.  Berosus better. 
* Euseb. 9  Abydenus toucheth his prophetical trance: as hearing of that his Proclamation or Epistle sent unto all the world. Cyrus' Conquest of Babel all nations knew: Xerxes' fall was more in speech & Alexander's stories better known in most people than their own: his victories, ambition of Godhead, quick death, and ruin of family. And again his captains partitions of spoils: their falling to four chief kingdoms: and two of them principal, Syria and Egypt, coming unto perpetual strife among themselves: these heathen observed: who knew likewise the strange success of Ptolemie Lagidas: 
Diod lib. 18. and 19 Pausan. in Attic.  the stranger of Seleucus Nicator: their league in friendship: their sons falling out: their seeking atonement by that Marriage of Berenice: 
App. in Sylli.  their greater wars upon her death: the overrunning of Syria, to win the surname 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: 
Polyb. 5.  a further revenge in Philopators victory. Again the other sides conquests to surname Antiochus great: 
Appian. Strabo.  his Cleopatras marriage with Ptolemie: his invading Grece▪ his fall by Rome his Church robbing: his two sons Church robbing: their three extraordinary deaths: these matters be most famous among the heathen: And Antiochus Epiphanes subtlety in overreaching his brother and two nephews: his coming up in Syria: his three invasions of Egypt: 
Tacitus.  his endeavour and cruelty to have extinguished judah's Religion: these matters, are the most famous of any in heathen stories. 
Macrob. 2.  When we add unto them the jest of Augustus, how it was better to be Herod's hog then his son: 
Aegl. Su●tonius. Tacitus.  because of his slaughter at our lords birth: and Vergil's harping at a child coming from heaven, noised doubtless by jews: 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 jerusalems' fall the last part: then we shall have open, all the human points of daniel's book. When we join from Divinity story nathan's prophecy for Nathan: 
Ben Arama upon Exod.  salomon's Eldership in a touch of throne and Temple: the threefold charge to write jechonias childless: 
jerem. 22.  the counsel of God in the kingdoms fall: the blessed title of nathan's house: the high Saints and kings for ever: 
Dan. 7.  the thrones, one for God, and an other for the 
* R. Akiba. upon Dan. 7: in Sanedrin. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  son of David: the setting up of kingdoms to deal with David's throne, to take notice of their Religion: the time of a kingdom eternal prefixed in a most plain speech long before, and made famous by 120. 
Dan▪ 9.24 Dan. 6. Extra. 1.  nations paying juda a subsidy to return: and our lords mediation from the Gospel: this being done daniel's matters willbe all known unto us. The tongues which he useth may somewhat trouble us: why he should write the greater part of his book in Chaldie, and the same matter again in Hebrew: and why his Hebrew hath affected peculiarity of phrases: yet reasons sensible may soon be rendered. The Chaldie tongue was both known to his nation, & should soon be their usual, when they had lost their own in Babylon. Besides the North, East, South Dialectes, Syriac, Arabic, Aethiopian were near the Chaldie: so that with a little pains they might learn it. Now it was fit for David's throne ruling all the world, to be penned into the largest language of the world, and then most flourishing. So he showeth: that God setteth up kingdoms, and putteth down kingdoms: and how a kingdom from heaven standeth for ever. This he teacheth in Chaldie: as also the state of the world to come: never showed so clearly before. He declareth how the faithless tyrants perish for ever: and juda reigneth by Christ: as by him also all nations do. When his visions name the oppressors: and his nation the oppressed, than he writeth in Hebrew, and prophetic phrases known only to his learned brethren. The sum of him is this: and his phrase is thus. I think my commentations upon 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. government.  
Your Lordships to command. HUGH BROUGHTON.   

To the Christian Reader: of daniel's plainness.  
WHen this Prophet is cleared, from the opinion of hardness, which men do conceive of him, then with hope of perfecting labour, desire to read him will increase. And the holy man must be cleared. For otherwise men would think Daniel a tormenter of souls rather th●n a teacher, if he wrote unto all nations (in their greatest perplexities) matters unfit for their capacity. Besides the duty of clearing him, facility will be at hand. For the matters which only make him hard, are soon taught. Stolen errors still hinder the negligent in the truth, who run upon custom, and will take no pains to examine the right. But thus it doth stand. When the promise of Nathan is considered touching the throne of David to stand for ever, and the case of Salomon● house weighed, how in Iech●nias it failed utterly: & then the house of Nathan the next brother cometh in, first Zorchabel, than two families of him, Abiud, for the King's right, Rhesa, father unto our Lord, than the hardest part is gone. All must grant that this hath been long hid. For scant any of the world mark our Lords right line, from the text. Yet a few words might open it fully. Only many unpatient of the truth, cause grief, and thereupon some more difficulty: otherwise all here requisite might be soon known. For the matter is the easiest, standing upon a plain story: and the principles are so few, that a child might write them. They are often handled, that such as care for them may be instructed many ways. The next matter of darkness ariseth touching the nations oppressors and oppressed. The doubt sprang, for that Daniel in his Chaldy visions nameth neither. The solution is easy. In his Hebrew visions he nameth both the one and the other: and they can contain no other matters than the Chaldy. Therefore the nations in all are doubtless. And seeing Cham 8. in a vision upon Babel's fall, Elam first, next javan have all the dealings unto the end of wrath: the last dealer must be javan. Also the afflicted in the last dealings are termed daniel's people, and the holy people: and they are afflicted for the holy covenant. Where any may see of what times he was to speak. For who knoweth not, that the last afflictions that the holy jews had, with losing their lands revenues, was under Antiochus Epiphanes. Now the nations being known, the places will be known. And for undoubted certainty the land Tzeby on the holy mountain is named, The soil of the afflicted. The middle sea and dead sea have it betwixt them: and Tzeby is in Ezekiel the attrihute of judaea. And the places of the visions are the fittest for these points. At Eular and Tigris the plain sights were showed. Which should import dealings from Kings of those quarters. All this while nothing bringeth in the Romans. They are reserved to greater harms. And such as bring them into Daniel, where they are not blamed, disturb learning as much as they disturb the world. But Daniel is not to blame. He giveth no cause why men should so deceive themselves. And thus these parcels the most in difficulty are made easy. Another is no less unjustly blamed: the time which he hath most clear, & telleth plainly. Yea only he telleth when the first captivity began: & how he was of it. The end is most famous in him. And the phrases for our Lord's death time, would make a learned Varro amazed: The seventy Hebdomades. We have here greater matters than how he at 84. had written seventy Habdomades of books. And never any could be plainer than he in that. If we will not believe him, but heathen forged studies, we should try particulars. So true heathen would bear record unto Daniel. Now, heathen 2000 years have filled all Libraries full of lies: with forged Olympiades', forged Chaldeans, forged Atchontes of Athens, and forged Consuls, that the unstaid and unlearned now adays can triumph to see, what store of leasings can be brought against Daniel. But the same will not see, how all the million of judah, & of Christians upon the other captivity writings, check the error. So again Daniel is cleared. One point remaineth, his tongues: where any may see, that in the Chaldy he studied for plainness: writing in the most general tongue, yet near Arabic, and so as most general yet. For his Hebrew, the learned may not complain: for to them it is easy. And all should be senseless, if in plain matters, and matters of danger, he might not have leave to hide his mind from the wicked. Further difficulties we have not in him: after the consideration of David's throne and two families, salomon's falling, nathan's standing for ever: of the nations oppressed, long kept close for safety, in his later speeches named for certainty: of the oppressors likewise and of their countries: and last of his times and tongues. The difficulties of which being softened, none can tell what to imagine hard. And to mollify the reader's labour, I will contrive into matter following, introductions to his whole sum and Graces: and join the kings and Pictures for him: pictures afore set in another book: which coming forth, greater with greater, dareth Daniel the former willingly. To him they belong.   

The sum and graces of Daniel.  
THe holy Prophet Daniel telleth what Kingdoms shall oppress David's house from judah's captivity unto the birth of our Lord: 
Few words contain the whole sum of Daniel for all his chief heads.  and endeavour to control their Religion. Also of our Lord he showeth: his continual protection, and payment of his foes, his coming into the world, his making strong the Covenant for all nations, his precious death, his glorious ascension, and his kingdom over all nations. And lastly how he will destroy the City and Temple, finishing the policy which he gave by Moses, that jews and Gentiles may be equally God's people. Those kingdoms which Daniel setteth forth, are first the Chaldeans, 
What kingdoms in Daniel oppress the religion of God's people.  who destroyed the City, Temple, Kingdom and house of Solomon: and meant in Babel to have set up idolatry. The next is a joint power of the Medes and Persians, who overthrew them and would have made their own kings as Gods, & stayed the building of God's Temple, and sought to destroy the jews nation. The third is compact of all the States of Greeke-land (who put down the former): In Alexander's power, which King in his pride earnestly laboured to be holden as a God: and caused the Levites to name their sons Alexander's, and all the jews to take their dates from his reign. The fourth and last, is of the same nation for their Kings (called Seleucidae and Lagidae, by the first of their houses) dwelling North and South from juda situated betwixt them both. By these juda was most vexed, and endeavour used to have abrogated the holy Covenant. At our Lord's birth these nations were fully spoiled of all government, and 
* 
Romans, that meddled not with religion.  
How every kingdom is seven times spoken of.   another set up, to whom tribute was paid over all the world. In plentiful variety Daniel setteth them forth. First in a huge image of four metals beaten to powder: and he expoundeth the Image so, that by a profane king he is therefore highly advanced. Long after he seethe them in a sort fit for a spiritual man to judge of: in four savage beasts cast into the fire: & joineth a most heavenly exposition and comfort of his nation: how from his people, an eternal kingdom shall fill all the earth. Again, the kingdom of Babel is figured by a Tree, touching in height the heavens, in breadth the corners of the earth: and to that also Daniel affordeth an exposition. Likewise the other kingdoms are semblanced by a Ram and Goat-bucke, and both in sundry horns: and now all the Nations are plainly named, 
This vision should have cut off all doubt for daniel's kingdoms. This specially might end all controversy.  who be therein contained. So six times every one State is declared all over, the later declarations adding clearness to the former. Moreover, the seventh Narration most plain (as teaching in proper language) is not wanting: for the coming up, idolatry chastisement, and overthrow of these kingdoms. A skilful Reader must fetch from others the daily dealings, which the wisdom of God knew at needless to foretell by Daniel: and therefore he passeth them over; in their due places the Reader shall find them marked in observations upon the Prophet. The comfort of the holy people is most sweet in this Book. 
The degrees of his visions.  Christ in profane eyes is a base stone, and heathen Kings goodly metals: but he beateth them to dust, and becometh a great mountain. In daniel's e●en they are beasts cast into fire, and the Son of man coming in the clouds into the world: afterwards going unto the Ancient of days, he, sitteth on an eternal throne. 
The times 2300 days. Chap. 8.  Sundry other heavenly apparitions Daniel hath: as when the wonderful Numberer (called in Daniel, Palmoni) calleth an Angel, Gabriel: and biddeth him teach Daniel the very days from the first of the rage against Moses laws, unto the last of the Grecians dealing against the Temple. And after that his senses had been acquainted with so exact an account unto the very day, for a particular hindrance of the truth, he seethe a hand writing, 
Chap. 5. Chap. 9  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 MENE MENE: and soon the former Angel numbereth most exactly the time unto our Lord's death. And again, soon after he hath a vision like that of Christ in the 
* 
Chap. 1.13. Chap. 12. Three years and half, and days 1290 and days 1335 all these are, the first from the polluting of the holy Temple unto the recovery: the other two: unto several comforts against Antiochus: which the present Age should mark, even to the exact days.  
The whole sum of Daniel is 600 years: from since the Chaldeans took jerusalem, until the Romans took it.  
The tongues of Daniel.   Revelation, and of three Angels, one silent, another teaching him the sum of his book in plain speeches: another ask a question of times, and taking an answer, with the very particular days of two famous near matters. These two confirm the wonderful account of Christ his own set time for redemption. Dan. 9.24. Farther than 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 revolutions, men might know, that Christ would grant them the like space to repentance, that they loosed not their land: as he gave in the wilderness to prepare them that should enter into the land. And so it fell out alike: 40. years they spent in the wilderness, 40 after our Lord's death in the land. And so the whole warning that Daniel gave the jews to beware of their Deluge, is just in space the same that Lamech gave to the old world at Noah's birth, 600 years afore the flood. From Nebuchadnezers' first year, 70 of captivity: thence 7 times that space in expressed words, laid down in Scripture, and 40 afterwards not recorded, nor to have been recorded in scripture, but marked of heathen by the event. This is the compass of daniel's times: which they that cast not aright, shall be disturbed.  
The state of the world when he wrote, and the tongues which he used, call us to farther admiration. His Prophecy was written in the most distressed times of the world, to be such a jewel, that being seen, it might have redressed the calamities of those days. For, when the kingdom of judah was to be plagued by the tust God: all the world was plagued also, with more alterations of kingdoms and wars than had been afore. 
The Zohar noteth this, truly and wonderfully  And then God by Daniel writeth first in the heathens language the Syriac or Chaldy tongue: which East & South best knew. In that he showeth how the Image of the worldly pomp, & all the wicked are made as dust before the wind: and profane Empires are as beasts troubling the sea of life: 
A general knowledge of Law & Gospel is taught in Daniel by kingdoms, many perishing & one standing.  perishing at the last in a fiery lake: from the throne of a judge everlasting, with whom there is no shadow of change. Also he telleth of the kingdom that cannot be corrupted, set up by one like the Son of man coming in the clouds, and going again unto the ancient of days, to sit for ever in glory. All this, and other matters of the present Age, Daniel penneth in the language most known of any one: that the heathen might be benefited. Notwithstanding the jews have in this work their prerogative. For in the tongue used only of them; he penneth the self same matter: naming plainly what people he afore spoke off, and that in sundry sorts for exact certainty. And he limiteth the time, 
The phrase of 70 sevens, being compared with former times, will show that God ruled all times of judah: in an order easy to consider.  when all nations should be brought into the holy covenant, in a more wonderful sweet speech, for the present matter, and for the frame of all the Bible, than a man's mind could ever have thought upon. Yea though one had an hundred mouths and an hundred tongues, & a voice of steel, he should not be able to show the use of his two tongues, how plentiful commodities they have, his Chaldy or Syriac, and his Hebrew. We have no Chaldy save two Chapters of Ezra, so ancient as his by 400. years. And of such as write thence in Chaldy, translating the Hebrew, 
Chaldy, Syriac, Aethiopian, Arabic: all four use daniel's Syriac.  Onkelos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and the author of Targum jerusalemy upon the Law, jonathan Ben Vziel upon the Prophets, and the uncertain translator of the other holy books, all their works make great use of half his, the Chaldy part: and so doth the Syriac translator of the New testament continually frequent his style. Neither was the 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 2.26. is in no Chaldy, but in the Aethiopian. Heb. 2. and 4. etc.  Aethiopian ignorant of him, or negligent to use his phrases. Also the Arabic translator of both Testaments, challenge as good a part in him as any of the former: And although none, but Linguists, can thoroughly judge of this commodity, yet any man may see what great honour God gave to the Prophet, that draweth his little Chaldy through so many and so large works of those diverse nations. 
A wonderful recompense to the Chaldeans for using Daniel well.  Even as the Chaldeans gave cups of cold water to Daniel when he requested it, rather than of the King's wine, God would not have them lose their reward: but made that language which they taught him, to have honour through all the world unto this day. I omit how his Chaldy style teacheth to distinguish old Rabbins in either Talmuds from new, by the tenor of the Grammar, and stirreth judgement to mark by the style later Rabbins from the elder. Yet I may not choose but warn somewhat of this. Also in our days the Chaldy paraphrastes are beholding to him. For whereas they were so confused, that to Grammar of them could be made, the learned Mercerus and others after him, 
daniel's Chaldy caused the Chaldy paraphrastes new honour in our age: so perpetual is the holy man's glory. Elias Leuita moved a question whether the Chaldy could be brought to Art. That Gordian knot was cut, by breaking all their uncerteinty with daniel's sword by our learned Christians.  vowel them after daniel's Chaldy, to their great honour, and all wisemen's contentment. Now touching his Hebrew style, wherein he penneth the vision of the Ram and Goat, his own heavenly prayer, Gabriels' speech for the name and office of Christ, containing all skill of knowledge: an heavenly vision of Christ, in holy view, the Hebrew style of all this: and yet more specially for a long oration of the stouter Persian king's fall: of great Alexander, his rising and fall: his houses rooting out: his Captains, many parting the spoil, but four principal: and of them two houses dealers with the jews, and their particular dealings unto Antiochus Epiphanes: his rage from placing of his Idol three years and an half, his falls after the placing of that Idol, 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 only wisdom, but wit for specialty of style; that blasphemous Porphyry and all might have seen more than a man's 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 Christ's servants, what enemies they should have, and what those should suffer, how and when Christ by himself would make reconciliation for sin, and sit on the throne of glory: how in the most common tongue, the matter is spoken, so far as men than could quietly accept it: how peculiarly it was spoken for the peculiar persons, and in a peculiar phrase: where the wicked otherwise would have raged intolerably. And we may see how Daniel joineth both Testaments, ending the Ceremonies, and breaking the partition brickwall of the old: and laying the foundation and groundwork of the New. Also how God (perfect in all knowledge) draweth the Heathen Stories (from Herodotus unto Livy) to be servants unto Divinity: 
Prophecies in the East tongues, for matter recorded in the Western, should stir study & honour of study for both.  that when all the world had marked all the particulars of the Persians and Greeks, fallen out according as it was foretold, they might assure themselves, that the matters touching their calling into the heavenly jerusalem, should be likewise in due time accomplished. This much may be holden in some sort the sum of the gracious Daniel his Graces: but the thunder of God's power (as job speaketh in a like matter) who but he in his text, or one of daniel's wisdom is able to declare? Now let us hasten to his matter: taking by the way the Kings of his narrations: and using graven pictures to the pictures of his pen in due place. But by the way the Reader must be showed faults of printing.   

Faults escaped.  
In B 2. read sooner killed than Euergetes died. And in Prol. Epiphanes, 8. horn, not 9 In Chap. 9.14 the Lord was watchful. In H 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3. not 4. In I 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the sentence is, Search and you shall find it. In the Arab. Geogr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Abel Phada Ishmael, I trow is the author. I thought by the notation that γ was the letter, and not #: but the notation in the Arabic, Psal. 3. Lifted up, is fittest. In pag. vlt. l. 1. who heard, not, was heard. Lin. vlt. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Further faults the gentle reader must search.   

THE KING'S BELONGING to the Image in DANIEL.  

Chaldeans.  
NEbuchadnezar: by notation, Nabo (Esa. 46.1. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) is Lord of keeping or storing.  
Euil-Merodac: a principal is Merodac. jer. 50.2. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉   
Bel-She-Azar: Bel is he that storeth. Bel-Tash-Azar daniel's name is of the same notation. And Bel-Azar or Belesis in Diodorus Siculus, book second: where he hath most noble stories, doubtless meant of our Daniel, how in wars he prevailed: encouraging nations by prophecies of victory. Here the three kings bear names of three Babylonian Gods: Nabo, Merodac, Bel: as Abbakuk noteth, that the Chaldean would attribute this his strength unto his God. Ab. 1.11. 
The planets were their chief 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, jer. 25 and Kimchi in ALN. Nego, Venus in Rabbins commonly.  The Massorites upon the fift of Daniel note for both their names thus; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is, from the beginning of the book unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that night was killed etc. 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 warn, because even the Hebrew printers, whom eye sight should have guided, have not observed the difference, none of all without some negligence: so that but for the Massorites the text had been corrupted: and my observations should be thought to disagree with the original upon Chap. 1.5.7.8. and 10. These three Chaldean kings make the golden head, the Lion, & the 〈◊〉: as the Persians and sundered Greeks have their arms,   

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

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Darius.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Cyrus.  

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Artaxashta: Artaxasata or Artaxiasata, as Strabo writeth towns, named from the king's name.  

or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Ahashueroth.  
The fourth: Daniel 11.2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  

called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Darius Artaxashta, or Artaxasta: through Ezra, from Chap. 7. as the Massorites there note.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Darius. These three are passed over in Nehemiah.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Artaxerxes. These three are passed over in Nehemiah.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Ochus. These three are passed over in Nehemiah.  

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Darius. Neh. 12.   

The Greeks whole.  

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  Alexander the great, the notable horn in the forehead of the Goate-bucke.  

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  His posterity, Hercules and Alexander. These with the principal parters of his kingdom, make the belly and the sides of brass: the Leopard with four heads: and the Goate-buckes notable horn: and the four that came up for it.   

The Greeks parted.  

The Southern all are in Strabo. Geog. 17.  

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  Ptolemy Lagides 1. horn, the king of the South. Dan. 11.5.  
Ptolemy Philadelphus. 3. horn. v. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Bernice his daughter is married to the king of the North, and killed.  
Ptolemy Euergetes her brother. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. One that standeth up from the Imp of her roots. 5. horn. v. 7.  
Ptolemy Philopator. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 7. horn. v. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. He in whose times the lawless jews will be stirring and perish.  
Ptolemy Epiphanes. He had with his wife Cleopatra Syria in dowry. v. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. ● horn.   

The Northern all are in Appians Syriac.  
Seleucus 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  Nicator, 2. horn. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 5.  
Antiochus Soter, who dealt in no special sort against the jews: and therefore is omitted in Gabriels' speech.  
Antiochus Theos. 4. horn. v. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Seleucus Callinicus: soon killed.  
Antiochus the great v. 10. 6. horn. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. He that marrieth his daughter to the king of the South, he shall also consume judaea.  
Seleucus Philopater: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the taxer: 9 horn. v. 20.  
Antiochus Epimanes: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vile: the 10. horn. v. 21.   
These kings make the iron of the two legs, and somewhat of the iron and clay: thinking by marriages to make atonement, for Syria and judaea, but further falling out. These also such as are noted with Hebrew, make the ten horns of the fourth beast: and in these days the jews the high Saints begin to recover their kingdom. In particularity Daniel speaketh no further of them.   

The clay weakness of the Images legs.  

Southern.  
Ptolemy Philometor and Ptolemy Physcon.  
Ptolemy Lathurus.  
Ptolemy Auletes the Piper.  
Cleopatra. Strab. 17. All after the third Ptolemy, were corrupt in wantonness, and ruled cruelly. But the seventh and eighth the Piper specially.   

Northern two at once.  

Demetrius Soter.  
Demetrius Nicator.  
Antiochus' brother to Demetrius, he killed himself. Cleopatra wife to Demetrius killed him: she had married her brother Antiochus: and had children 

by Demetrius. 

Seleucus and Ant. Grypus.  
Seleucus was killed by his mother Cleopatra.  
Grypus poisoned his mother.  
Sele●cus. he drove out Cyzicen, & was killed.    
by Antiochus. 

An. Cyzicenus, he drove out Grypus.  
Antiochus, who married his mother in law Selene. Tigranes drove him out. And Pompey refused to suffer his son to raign●.       

Antiochus Eupator.  
Alexander.  
Diodotus, who married Ptolemies daughter.  
Tryphon killed by Antiochus.   
Trogus Pompeius noteth, that thus by the discord of the brethren of consanguinity, the East became under the people of Rome. And so all may see how iron and clay the mixture in man's seed not cleaving together, giveth testimony to daniel's vision.    

Of the times and years which these kings reigned.  
WHereas these profane kings are compared with Scripture, we must take heed lest we grant unto them a longer time of reign then the holy text hath for the same ages: for so we disannul the authority of God's word. Yet former ages have been in that blame a long time. This may be spoken of them in general: that the whole years of no kings out of God's people, have or were to have their whole sum in holy record. Besides, heathen are so uncertain, that they agree not for the years of any one king betwixt Nebucadnezar and julius Caesar. Yet when heathen are thoroughly examined from age to age, by particular testimonies, and by the lives of most famous men, they shall be found to agree very well so: with that which Scripture testimonies & lives require. Though strong errors like hedges of thorns stop the passage of the truth. The truth must be confirmed from them: for better satisfaction of such as brave more in heathen studies than Divinity.   

Of the Chaldeans time of reign.  
THe jews agree universally, that from the first of Nebuchadnezar unto the death of Belshazar, the time is seventy years. And if Christian Commenters had followed them in that agreement and truth, it had been better with us. Whereas the second captivity by some, the third by some others, is made the beginning of the seventy years: so a great rent is made in the holy story.   

Of the Persians true times: and erroneous 
* The negligent ancient give Cyrus Cambyses, Darius y. spent together & before Babel sell, the same distinct, & after: and to Darius 46. who lived but 43 Codoman giveth Artax. I. 59 fully: & Pl●t. to Art. II. 62. to help out the 100 erroneous The record of Euripid. 75. in Suid. & of Timoth. being in those his times, in which Philip reigned, this will end the strife: & heathen other lives infinite: as Aristides daughters, & Dem. Phal. Lais and Demost. acquaintance; Plato's & Dionys and all commonly then of fame will cut about 40. y. off at a clap.  sleights that deceived.  
From Darius Hystaspeos age about 20. at Babel's fall he living but 43. unto Xerxes' war 6. years after his death, are 30. years. Then Artaxerxes reigned, at home Herod. and Ctes.  
Artaxerxes in all 42. Clem. 1. Storm. He died in the seventh of the Peloponnesian wars. Thuc.  
Ochus 8. clear y. 16. with his father, 11. with his son.  
Artaxerxes 42. Clem.  

* Alexander's Epistle to Darius in Arrianus, argueth that Ochus reigned but a little afore Philip's death. Yet Olympikes give him liberally a score of years.  Ochus three. Darius about five.  
Sum 130.   

Of the Grecians times from Clemens: (but Epiphanius differeth in twelve years excess, and Maximus Monachus cometh shorter.)  
Alexander six years.  
Ptolemie Lagides forty.  
Ptolemie Philadelphus seven and thirty.  
Ptolemie Euergetes five and twenty.  
Ptolemy Philopator seventeen.  
Ptolemie Epiphanes four and twenty.  
In this age juda recovereth their own government.  
Ptolemy Philometor five and thirty.  
Physcon nine and twenty.  
Lathurus six and thirty.  
Auletes nine and twenty.  
Cleopatra two and twenty.  
Sum 300.  
The Romans unto our Lord's death threescore years, so arise 490.  
Thus we may see, how they little examined the heathen, who could not see that some agreed most exactly with the Scripture. Now 
* The Arabians in an Arabike commentary upon Gen. 10. have Suidas just number at our lords birth: so belike agreeing here, with Suidas.  Suidas hath for all the Greeks times about thirty years less than Clemens. They who think that true, may pardon the Greeks, thirty in their forty of excess: past from Lysander's unwalling Athens, or Phyle stirs in the life of them who saw it: and heard Dinarchus cite their testimony against Demosthenes, after Alexander's death: of which sort Aeschines and Demetrius Phalereus are cited by themselves and others. Such as heard not of grecia's most monstrous lying, may pay the one with the other. In sound learning and religion, that must stand in sum which best agreeth with scripture for the same times: otherwise Greeks disagree, for each king's years.   

The Nobles of juda, that touch principally the book of Daniel.  
IN sundry parts and sundry manners spoke God of Redemption to the fathers, before the days of David: and to him he promised that his seed should sit upon a throne for ever. That speech was fit to allure all men unto searching of the spiritual kingdom. But the carnal still understood that carnally. The ten tribes despised it, and went to Ohelehem, and Elohehem, to their own tents and Gods. salomon's house hoped to hold still that outward kingdom, & would not believe otherwise, the most of them, till the Chaldean took away, and overthrew all their state. When the visible kingdom fell, all juda was to be resolved what should become of David's throne. The whole book of Daniel is a satisfaction for that perplexity, & clear, being considered for that point, how salomon's house being extinct in jechoniah, the house of Nathan, from Salathiel, Pedaiah, and 
* For zorobabel's house, the only then true and right princes, of all the world, Daniel hath his revelations, and his 490. years are to be compared with their lives in two families.  Zorobabel, come to be heirs of the kingdom. But as the kingdom of Christ first suffers & hath glory after: so they and their faithful shall be conformed. Babel, the Medes with Elam, and Greeks, whole and parted, shall rob them: but they shall possess a kingdom for ever and ever. And when the seventy years of Babel's rage give a taste of God's defence and revenge, they are told of that celestial speech, how at seven times that space, the most holy will bring an eternal kingdom opened for all. Thereupon the faithful of the nation go from Babel unto jerusalem, where the Lord should be king, and restore the state, and build the Temple. Ezra and Nehemia declare their story unto 
* The testimony of josephus that jaduah and Sanballat saw Gre●● Alexander, wherein both jews and Gentiles hitherto agree, that, by Ezra and Nehemias' personages utterly confutes all heathen used chronicles.  jaduah, who and Sanballat saw great Alexander. The troops of them are stars for the story under the Persians: to check heathen that with false register of times, as poetical Heliades, or Phaetontiades, will disannul the prophecy of the due season. And specially the kingly families of Zorobabel: whose register in the two Evangelists is more worth than all heathen records. Thus it standeth.  

Zorobabel.  
1. Abiud.  
2. Eliakim.  
3. Azor.  
4. Sadok.  
5. Achin.  
6. Eliud.  
7. Eleazar.  
8. Matthan.  
9 jacob.  
10. joseph.   
The succession of these ten heirs to the Crown, must with our Lords three and thirty years, make up 490. They were afflicted, to be about 45. years each one before they took to build families.  

Zorobabel.  
1. Rhesa.  
2. johanna.  
3. juda.  
4. joseph.  
5. Semei.  
6. Matthathie.  
7. Maath.  
8. Nag.  
9 Hesli.  
10. Nahum.  
11. Amos.  
12. Matthathie.  
13. joseph.  
14. janna.  
15. Melchi.  
16. Levy.  
17. Matthat.  
18. Helie.  
19 Marie.  
20. jesus.     
Daniel.  


CHAPTER. 1. The beginning and the end of the seventy years captivity.  
IN the 
* Here consider an easy account of God's provident government, since Moses times. In the seventh year the land was parted. Thence the first of Samuel falleth in the seventh jubilee: & thence unto this year, are seven seaventies. See verse 21.  third year of the reign of jehoiakim king of judah, 
Y. W. 3402.  came Nebuchadnezar king of Babel unto jerusalem, and laid siege against it.  
And the Lord gave into his hands jehoiakim king of judah, and part of the vessels of the house of God: and he carried them into the land of Shinar, the house of his gods: and he carried the vessels into the treasury of his gods.  
And the king spoke to Aspenaz lord Chamberlain, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, of the kings 
* Esay told of this. Ch. 39.7.  seed, and of the noblest:  
springals without any blemish, and goodly in favour, and skilful in all wisdom, and well seen in knowledge, and witty of understanding, and of ability in them to stand in the kings Palace: and to teach them the learning & tongue of the Chaldeans.  
And the king appointed them a provision day by day of a portion of the kings meat, and of the wine of his drinks: so to noorysh them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.  
Now among these were certain of the children of judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:  
On whom the Lord chamberlain set (other) names: and he set on Daniel, 
* 
They had been all named: of God, a judge, merciful, and strong.  
That is, Belkeepeth treasure: but see Cham 10. how he altereth it.   Belteshazar, and on Hananiah, Shadrach, and on Mishael, Meshach, and on Azariah, Abednego.  
But Daniel set in his heart, that he would not defile himself with the portion of the kings meat, nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore he made request to the chief Chamberlain, that he should not 
§ A practice of Leuit. 11.  defile himself.  
Now God had caused the chief Chamberlain to 
‡ The effect of salamon's prayer. 1. king. 8, 50.  favour and pity Daniel.  
And the chief Chamberlain said unto Daniel: I fear my Lord the king, who hath appointed your meat, and your drink. Wherhfore should he see your faces worse lykeing than the other springalles, which are of your sort? then shall you make guilty my head unto the king.  
Then said Daniel to 
* Or to the Melzar, that is, Steward, a name of an office.  Melzar, whom the chief Chamberlain had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.  
O prove thy servants ten days: and let be given to us some Pulse to eat, and water to drink.  
Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenances of the springalles that eat of the portion of the kings meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.  
So he gave ear to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.  
And at the end of ten days, their countenances appeared fairer, and fatter in flesh, than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.  
And Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink, and gave them Pulse.  
And to these springalles all four, to them God gave knowledge, and skill in all learning and wisdom: also Daniel had understanding in all 
‡ Therein his whole book excelleth, declaring the coming up, idolatry, chastisement, fall: of the Babylonians, Medes-&-Persians, Greeks, whole & parted: and how Christ defendeth the holy jews, until the redemption.  visions and dreams.  
At 
§ 3407.3471.  the end of the days that the king had commanded to bring them in, than the chief Chamberlain brought them before Nebuchadnezar.  
And the king communed with them: and none of them all was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: and they stood before the king.  
And in all matters for wisdom of understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the enchanters, and astrologians, that were in all his realm.  
And Daniel continued unto the 
* Then the 70. of Captivity ended, and the seven seaventies are told for redemption, out of Satan's captivity: by our lords death, erecting a kingdom over all the earth.  first year of king Cyrus.   

CHAP. 2. The state of the Hebrews, until the birth of our Lord, under the Chaldeans, Medes-Persians, and the Grecians: The kingdom of Christ shall after that fill the whole earth. Daniel is a new joseph.  
IN the second 
* As joseph in the second after skill in dreams expoundeth Pharaohs, so God disposeth these times alike, the enchanters alike, guideth & advanceth joseph & Daniel alike  year afterwards (in the reign of Nebuchadnezar) Nebuchadnezar dreamt dreams: and his spirit was disquieted, and his sleep broke on him.  
Then the king commanded to call the Enchanters, Astrologians, and the Sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to declare to the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.  
And the king said unto them: I have dreamt a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.  
Then spoke the Chaldeans to the king in 
* While the visions are general, and cause the jews no danger: so far Daniel writeth in the Syriac tongue, general over the east, all hence to the 8. chapter. But when the oppressors be named, Medes & Persians, and Greeks, both whole and also parted, about juda: into Egypt, and to the North, and the jews are plainly described the people whom god defendeth: then the eight chapter, and all after, he writeth in Hebrew: & hath a commandment to keep close the plain exposition in ch. 12.4  Syriac: O king, live for ever. Tell to thy servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.  
And the king answered, and said to the Chaldeans: the thing is gone from me, if ye will not make me know my dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shallbe cut in pieces, and your houses shallbe made a dunghill.  
But if you show the dream, and the interpretation of it, ye shall receive of me gifts, and rewards, and great honour: therefore, show me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.  
They answered the second time, and said: let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation thereof.  
Then the king answered, and said: of a certainty know I, that ye would buy the time: because you see the thing is gone from me.  
But if you will not make known to me the dream, there is but one decree over you. For ye have prepared lying, & corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed. Therefore tell me the dream, that I may know if ye can show me the interpretation thereof.  
Then the Chaldeans answered before the king, and said: there is no man upon earth that can show the thing that the king speaketh off. Yea there is neither King, Prince, nor Lord, that asked such things at an Enchanter, or Astrologian, or Chaldean.  
Yea, the thing which the king demandeth is rare: and there is none other that can show it unto the king except the Gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.  
Hereupon the king was in anger, & great fury, and commanded to destroy all the Sages of Babel.  
And a decree came forth, and the Sages were killed: and they sought Daniel and his fellows, that they might be killed.  
Then Daniel stayed the counsel and edict, through Arioch the kings Provost martial, which came forth to kill the sages of Babel.  
He spoke and said to Arioch the kings officer, Why hasteneth the decree from the king? Then Arioch made known the matter unto Daniel.  
So Daniel went, and prayed the king, that he would give him time, and he would show the king the interpretation.  
Then Daniel went to his house, and made known the matter to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his fellows:  
That they should beseech the God of heaven for grace in this secret, that Daniel & his fellows should not perish with the rest of the sages of Babel.  
Then to Daniel in a vision by night was this secret revealed. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.  
Daniel spoke & said, The name of God be praised for ever and ever. For wisdom and courage are his.  
And he changeth the times and seasons: he taketh away kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom to the wise, and understanding to those that have understanding.  
He discovereth the deep and the hid things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and light dwelleth with him.  
I thank, and praise thee, O God of my fathers, that thou hast given me wisdom and courage, and hast made known to me now the thing wherefore we prayed to thee, making known unto us the kings matter.  
Hereupon Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the sages of Babel: he came and said thus unto him: Destroy not the sages of Babel, but bring me before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation.  
Then Arioch in all haste brought Daniel before the king, and thus said unto him: I have found a man of the captives of judah, that will make known to the king the interpretation.  
Then answered the king, and said unto Daniel, whose name was Belteshazar: Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?  
Daniel answered before the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded, no Sages, Astrologians, Enchanters, entral-lookers, are able to show unto the king.  
But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezar what shall be 
* Or, in the end of days: that is, unto Christ: as Eb. 1.1. and so Gen. 49. Esa. 2. Ezek. 38  in the days following. The dream, and the visions of thine head upon thy bed, are thus.  
O king, thy thoughts on thy bed ascended, what should come hereafter, and he that revealeth secrets, maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.  
As for me, not for any wisdom that I have, more than any other living, is this secret revealed unto me: but that the king may know the interpretation, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thine heart.  
O king, thou behewest, and so, there was a huge 
* In holy daniel's eyes they are four beasts: which to profane men's capacity god showeth as goodly ●owers.  Image: this Image was great, and his brightness was excellent: it stood before thee, and was terrible to behold.  
The Kingdoms that overruled the holy hebrews  
Babylon .70. years. Medes & persians .150. Alexander state .6. Magog & Egypt .294. the Image reigned .500. y●  
This Image had his 
* Babel alone 70. years, not Assur.  Head of fine Gold, his 
§ Medes and Persians, two kingdoms here as one against the jews 130. years.  Breast and Arms of Silver, his 
‡ Great Alexander, with the whole power of Greek states, which made him then king for the Persian war. Diod. book▪ 16. six year.  Belly and his Sides of Brass,  
His 
† 
The Legs are in Cham 11, the successors of Alexander, in two, the mightiest kingdoms, Egypt and the North the one 294. years.  
The error of taking in hither the Romans is hurtful, to all daniel's book, and to all christianity, and other stories, & hath no colour of truth from Daniel.   Legs of Iron, and his Feet part of Iron, and part of Clay.  
Thou beheldest till a Stone 
* The Stone is the power of Christ, weak & base in men's eyes, unless they look on the f●●●e throne Dan. 7.  was cut without hands, which smote the Image upon his feet of Iron and Clay, and broke them in pieces.  
Then was broken togeyther, the Iron, the Clay, the Brass, the Silver, and the Gold, and became like the chaff of a summer batne-floore, and the wind carried them away, and no place was found for them: and the Stone that smote the Image, became a great Mountain, and filled the whole earth.  
This is the dream: and the interpretation thereof will we tell before the king.  
O King, thou shalt be a King of Kings: For the God of heaven giveth thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.  
And of all places where the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field, the fowls of the heaven, giveth he into thy hands, and maketh thee ruler over them all: thou art the Head of Gold.  
And after thee shall arise another Kingdom, under thee, of Silver: and another a third kingdom of Brass, which shall rule over all the earth.  
And the fourth kingdom shall be hard, like iron. For as much as iron breaketh and beateth to powder all things. Even as iron bruiseth all these, shall it break 
¶ Whom? even the jews nation: but the witty prophet hideth that, which would cause them to be more hated of the heathen.  and bruise.  
Whereas thou sawest the feet and tooes, part of the Potter's clay, part of Iron, it shallbe a divided kingdom: and there shallbe in it some, of the rigour of Iron, as thou sawest Iron mixed with earthy clay.  
As the tooes of the feet were part of iron, part of clay: the kingdom shallbe partly 
* In comparison of juda, and in dealing against them, unto Antiochus Epiphanes, or somewhat further.  hard, and shallbe partly brittle.  
Also, whereas thou sawest iron mixed with earthy clay, they shall 
§ In marriages which are handled in cha. 11.6. & 17.  mingle themselves in the seed of man: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron can not be mixed with clay.  
And in the 
† When the kingdoms of the Selucides, and the Ptolemy's are fallen.  days of these kings, shall the God of 
‡ john the Baptist looked to this, and our Lord also, saying, the kingdom of heaven is come: and so did S. Paul. 1. Tim. 1.17.  heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be corrupted: and the kingdom shall not be given to an other people: but it shall break and finish all these kingdoms: and it shall stand for ever.  
Whereas thou sawest that the Stone was cut out of the Mountain without hands, and that it broke in pecces the 
¶ witty Daniel telleth first, how the last shallbe destroyed, & not how Nebuchadnezars' house first should fall. So he dealeth in Chap. 7. verse 11. & 12.  Iron, the Brass, the Clay, & the Silver, and the Gold, the great God maketh known to the king, what shall come to pass hereafter. Thus the dream is true, & the interpretation thereof is sure.  
Then the king Nebuchadnezar, fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded to offer oblation and sweet odours unto him.  
The king spoke unto Daniel, and said, Of truth your God is the God of Gods, and the Lord of kings, and the revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldst open this secret.  
So the king made 
* This was about two years afore the captivity of jechonias: an encouragement for the faithful to go willingly to Babylon, their own nobles being so advanced there.  Daniel a great man, and gave unto him many great gifts: he made him governor over the whole province of Babel, and high chancellor over all the sages of Babel.  
Then Daniel prayed the king and he set Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, over the charge of the Province of Babel: & Daniel was in the gate of the king.   

CHAP. 3. The king having dreamt of the Image, soon after maketh an Image of gold, wherein th● idolatry of Babel is confuted by daniel's advanced fellows, the angel of God accompanying them in the fire: and the king by decree confirming the honour of their God.  
NEbuchadnezar the king 
* Y.W. 3408  made an Image of Gold: whose height was sixty cubits, his breadth six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babel.  
And Nebuchadnezar the king sent to assemble the 
* Chaldy officers must be termed of us after ours, next theirs in use & notation.  Princes, Dukes and Lords, judges, Receivers, Counsellors, Shyrefes, & all the officers of the Province, to come to the dedication of the Image which Nebuchadnezar the king set up.  
Then assembled the Princes, Dukes & Lords, judges, Receivers, Counsellors, Shyrefes, and all the officers of the Province, unto the dedication of the Image which Nebuchadnezar the king set up: and they stood before the Image which Nebuchadnezar set up.  
And an Herald cried aloud: To you it is spoken, O people, nations, and tongues.  
At what time ye hear the sound of the Cornet, Trumpet, harp, Sackbut, Psaltery, Dulcimer, and all instruments of music, falldowne and worship the Image of gold, that Nebuchadnezar the king set up.  
And who so ever falleth not down & worshippeth, the same hour he shallbe cast into the mids of a furnace of burning fire.  
Hereupon at the same time, when all the people heard the sound of the Cornet, Trumpet, harp, Sackbut, psaltery, and all instruments of music, all people, nations, and tongues fell-downe and worshipped the Image of gold which Nebuchadnezar the king set up.  
Hereupon at the same time came certain Chaldeans, and made their accusations against the jews.  
They spoke, and said to Nebuchadnezar the king, O king live for ever.  
Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that hearrth the sound of the Cornet, Trumpet, harp, Sackbut, psaltery and Dulcimer, and all instruments of music, shall falldowne and worship the Image of gold.  
And who so ever falleth not down, and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the mids of the furnace of burning fire.  

Seeing only the captived with Daniel are accused, we may know that this was afore jechonias captivity, some year or two about Nebucadnezar's seventh year.  There are certain jews, whom thou hast set over the charge of the Province of Babel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: these men O king, nothing regard thy decree: thy gods they serve not, nor worship the Image of gold which thou hast set up.  
Then Nebuchadnezar in wrath and choler commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego. Then those men were brought before the king.  
Nebuchadnezar spoke, and said unto them. Is it of purpose Shadrach, Meshach▪ and Abednego▪ Will not you serve my gods? and, will not you worship the Image of gold which I have set up?  
Now, if ye be ready, that at what time ye hear the sound of the Comet, Trumpet, harp, Sackbut, Psaltery and Dulcimer, and all instruments of music, ye falldowne and worship the Image that I have made 
* The unperfect speech argueth his heat : And if ye worship not, the same hour ye shallbe cast into the mids of the furnace of burning fire. And what God is he that can save you from my hands?  
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered, and said to the king: Nebuchadnezar, we want not an answer for thee concerning this matter.  
Behold, our God whom we serve, is able to save us from the furnace of burning fire: and from thy hand O king, he will save:  
But if not: be it known to thee O king, that we will not serve thy Gods, nor worship the Image of gold which thou hast set up.  
Then Nebuchadnezar was full of choler, and the image of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He spoke, and commanded to heat the Furnace one seaven-folde more than it was wont to be heat.  
And he commanded certain valiant men of his army, to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, to cast them into the mids of the furnace of burning fire.  
Then those men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their cloaks, & their other garments, and cast into the mids of the furnace of burning fire.  
Hereupon, by reason that the kings commandment urged haste, and the furnace was heat exceedingly, those men which took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, them the flame of the fire killed.  
And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the mids of the furnace of burning fire.  
Then Nebuchadnezar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste: He spoke, and said to his rulers: Did not we cast three men bound into the mids of the fire? They answered and said to the king: True, O king.  
He spoke & said, Ho, I see four men lose, walking in the mids of the fire, and they have no hurt: and the form of the fourth is like 
* The doubtful words in the Heathens speech have been well taken of the ancient, as they best might mean.  the son of God.  
Then approached Nebuchadnezar unto the mouth of the furnace of burning fire. He spoke and said: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the servants of the high God, come-foorth, come. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth from the mids of the fire.  
And the Princes, Dukes, and Lords, and the kings rulers, came together, to see these men, because the fire had no power over their bodies, and no hair of their head was burnt: neither were their coats changed, nor any smell of fire came upon them.  
Nebuchadnezar spoke and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his Angel and saved his servants, that trusted in him, and changed the kings commandment, and yielded their bodies, rather than they would serve and worship any God, save their own God.  

* Yet wicked joakim would not cease to deal amiss in judah, until he was buried as an Ass, and had his carcase made as dung, being cast away unburied. jer. 22. &. 36.  And I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language, which speaketh amiss of the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shallbe cut in pieces, and their houses shallbe made a dunghill: because there is not any other God, which can deliver in this sor●.  
Then the king advanced Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babel.  
The story of the Kings, jeremy, and Ezekiel, will show about 28. years acts done betwixt this and the matters of the next Chapter.   

CHAP. 4. The Golden bead imputeth his victories, not to the God of heaven, but to himself, and his God, until he had been mad seven years: then he proclaimeth God's power over all the world.  

* 
The common distinction of the chapter here agreed not with the argument, wherefore I left it.  
The chastisement of the Idolatrous king.   NEbuchadnezar king 
‡ . Y.W. 3443.  unto all the people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth, peace be multiplied unto you.  
I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought towards me.  
His signs how great be they, and his wonders how mighty are they: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his power from generation to generation.  
I 
* He had not conquered Egypt until after 27. of jechonias, or his own 34 Ezek 30. Wherefore this vision should be about his 36. Y. And this proclamation about an year or two before his death, at 45. Y. reign, 8. years after the vision.  Nebuchadnezar being at rest in mine house, and floryshing in my palace.  

§ . Y.W. 3435.  Saw a dream, which made me afraid: and the conceits upon my bed, and the visions of mine head troubled me.  
Then I made a decree to bring all the Sages of Babel before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.  
Then came the Enchanters, the Astrologians, the Chaldeans, and the entral-lookers: and I cold the dream before them, but they could not make known 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 forsook not wholly his Idolatry.  God) who hath the spirit of the holy gods in him: and before him I cold the dream.  
O Belteshasar, Provost of the Enchanters, of whom I know, that thou hast the spirit of the holy gods, and no secret is hard to thee, tell the visions of my dream that I have seen: I mean the interpretation thereof.  
Thus were the visions of my head upon my bed: I beheld, and lo: there was a Tree in the mids of the Earth, and his height was great.  
The Tree was great and strong, and his height reached to the heavens, and his show to the ends of all the earth.  
His leaves were fair, and his fruit much, and in it was meat for all: under it were shadowed the beasts of the field, and in his branches dwelled the fowls of the heaven, and from it was fed all flesh.  
I beheld in the visions of my head upon my bed, and lo, a watcher, and an holy one came down from heaven:  
He cried aloud, and said thus: Cut down the Tree, and crop of his branches, shake of his leaves, and scatter his fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it, and the fowls from his branches.  
But leave the stump of his roots in the earth, and that in a band of Iron and Brass in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth.  
Let his heart be changed from man's, & let a beasts heart be given to him: and let 
* As Salomon's Temple, that seven years work● of many thousands, was by him destroyed.  seven seasons pass over him.  
Babel is a tree Dan▪ 4. as before Assur had been Ezek. ●1.  
Nabucadnez●r drive from his Kingdom: living with beasts. 7. years restored to his honour. da. 4  
This dream I king Nebuchadnezar have seen: therefore O Belteshasar, tell the interpretation thereof, for as much as all the Sages in my kingdom are not able to show me the interpretation. But thou art able: for the spirit of the holy Gods is in thee.  
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshasar, was astonished for an hour, & his thoughts troubled him. The king spoke, and said. Belteshasar, Let neither the dream, nor the interpretation thereof trouble thee. Belteshasar answered and said: My Lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.  
The Tree that thou sawest, which grew and got hardness, whose height touched unto the heaven, and his show through all the earth:  
Whose leaves were fair, and his fruit mirth, and in which was meat for all▪ under which the beasts of the held dwelled, and 〈◊〉 branches of which, the fowls of the heaven kept.  
Thou art it O King, who art great and strong for thy greatness is grown, and washes unto heaven, and thy power to the 〈◊〉 of the earth.  
And whereas the king saw a Watcher, & an Holy one, that came down from heaven, and said: Cut down the Tree, & destroy it: yet leave the stump of his roots in the earth, & that, in a band of Iron and Brass in the grass of the field, & let it be wet with the death of heaven: and let his portion be with the beasts of the field● till Haven ●easons pass over it:  
This is the interpretation, O King, and the decree of the most high, which is come upon my Lord the king: and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee: and thou, and thy nobles, thy wives & thy concubines, have drunk wine in them, & hast praised Gods of Silver and Gold, Brass, Acon, Wood, and Stone, which see not, nor hear, nor understand. But thou didst not honour God, in whose hand thy breath standeth: and whose are all thy ways.  
Then the piece 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 numbered, he hath weighed, and they divide.  MENE, TEKEL, V-PARSIN.  
This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, 
* We may see many reasons why the Chaldeans could not read this Scripture. They knew not God, to be one, and to rule men's affairs. Besides, they knew not their own impiety: but said in their heart: There is no God. Wherefore they knew not who should be weighed, specially in the Balance. And touching the Medes and Persians, now their besiegers, they little thought that they could surprise the strong Babel: and bragged, how they were victualled for 20▪ years siege, as Xenophon recordeth. Thus the matter was hard for them. The wisdom of Daniel is rare in his commentaries: in telling first, the story of the true God, in whom we live, move, and have our being: after, of Nebuchadnezars' greatness, and just fall; of worse dealing in Belshazar: and thereupon how God numbered the years of his kingdom; and how the twice 
* In MENE MENE.  telling, imported a numbering with a witness, 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 words to clear the matter the better. And we are to mark the lively providence touching the families of Scripture. Babel the oldest wicked monument which was built, to the great ruin of all the godly Families, by Nimrod the Nephew of cursed Cham, to the great grief of Sem and japheth: whereupon Adam's one tongue was made 70. which Babel ended the jews language, the first tongue, that it was common in no Kingdom after that: This kingdom is overthrown by Madaj of japheth, and Elam of Sem: that all should here remember Noah's time, and his speech touching japheth and Sem. The kings of which two patriarchs, are presently called to the faith, joined in Conquest and Empire, and proclaiming of God's truth over all the world: and both are taught in the heavenly Oration of Gabriel, the clear sum of both Testaments, from Dan. 9, 24. And touching the syllables of Paras & Peres, as Gods eye regarded the allusion: So Madai a meter or Measurer, is more evident, and to be as well noted, but less needed wanting, being the plainer, that we might look even unto japheth's tongue, how God ruled it in the giving of a name to his third son, Madaj.  God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.  
TEKEL, thou art weighed in the balance, and art found wanting.  
PERES, thy kingdom is parted, and given to Madaj and Paras.  
Then commanded Belshazar, and they cleathed Daniel with Purple, and a chain of Gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should bear rule the third in the kingdom.  
The same night was Belshazar king of the Chaldeans 
† Xenophon had heard, how Cyrus entered Babel on a night, when the Chaldeans kept a great Feast: and broke into the Palace (when the Courtiers were banqueting) & killed the King.  slain.  
And 
§ Darius' being ●2: at the fall of Babel, which reigned 70. years, falleth to be borne at the eight year of Nebuchadnezar, when he carried the king jechoniah captive, and all the Nobles▪ and ten thousand valiant men: and all jerusalem, and all saving the base of the land: and had carried away all the treasure of the house of the Lord, and broke all the vessels of the Temple which king Solomon made. Then Madai, who with Elam must revenge the cause of judah, had a Prince borne. Doubtless the wise Jews would tell the Medes of their expectation: and the King would better affect judah. I can not see to what better purpose Daniel should tell the kings age: then, how God provided a remeder when he struck.  Darius 
‡ In that there were Parsin part●●s, not of Madai only, 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 have express warrant in 2. Chr. 36, 20. where the jews are servants to the Chaldeans until Paras reigneth. And there Cyrus telleth, that the Eternal, the God of heaven had given him all the kingdoms of the earth. Which kingdoms, if he had gotten them by inheritance quietly, had not been so in special sort said to be given him. And this uniting was known to the heathen Greeks, in whom the Persian armies are called Medes. Aesch. con. Ctes. and accordingly the 70. translator put for the Hebrew text Paras, the term Medes in this text 2. Chr. 36, 20. applying themselves to the profane Greeks kind of phrase. But Daniel here nameth Darius only, because matter touching him only of the two Kings followeth in the next Chapter, that the Reader should not be troubled with any further questions touching Cyrus: Whereas yet Arrianus noveth that Cyrus was by Law-worshipped as a God: No less then, the decree following here, giveth that honour to Darius▪ in Cha. 6.  Madai received the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.   

CHAP. 6. The idolatry of Madaj and Paras, in making their kings Gods, with brutish penalty upon the contemners: confuted by Daniel, and judged by the Lions, even unto a public imperial honour by decree for daniel's God. The Chaldy wherein this Chapter is written by Daniel, is mixed with Arabic: which tongue the Persians here seem to have much used.  
AND 
* Y.W. 1471. A wonderful year: for Babel's fall, Lionshumblenes, the Angel's oration, two Emperors christian Proclamations, & a general subsidy over 120, nations for judah's return.  Darius thought it good, to set over the Kingdom an hundredth and twenty Princes, which should rule the whole Kingdom.  
And over these, three Stewards: of whom Daniel was 
a Chaldy one: but in ver. 3 it is plain that principal is meant.  principal: to whom those Princes should give account, that the King should have no damage.  

b When the original is also our language: as 15 times y-then or by them, in this chap. in daniel's tongue: it is an oversight not to mark it.  Than this Daniel used authority touching the Stewards and Princes: as the spirit was excellent in him: so that the King thought to set him over the whole kingdom.  
Than the Stewards and Princes sought to find occasion against Daniel, concerning the Kingdom. But they could not find any occasion or fault. Because he was faithful: that nothing amiss and faulty could be found in him.  
Than those men said: We can not find against this Daniel any occasion, unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.  
Than those Stewards and Princes 
§ The Chaldy term of Daniel is also Hebrew: & from psal. 2. in, Wherefore did the heathen RAGE, or keep a stir. And doubtless daniel's spirit thought of David his father's term.  assembled with a stir to the King, and thus they said unto him: King Darius, live for ever.  
All the Stewards of the kingdom, Dukes and Princes, Rulers and Lords, have taken counsel, to set a Statute imperial, and to confirm an Act: that who so ever shall seek a petition of any God or man, for thirty days, save of thee O King, shallbe cast into the lions den.  
Now, O king, set thou the Act, and write a letter to be unchangeable: 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 windows being open in his chamber, toward jerusalem three times a day he kneeled on his knees, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.  
Than those men bestirred them together, and found Daniel making petition, and craving grace before his God.  
Than they came, and spoke before the King, concerning the Act imperial: Hast not thou written an Act, that every man that seeketh to any God or man, for thirty days, save to thee, O king, shallbe cast into the lions den? The King answered, and said: The thing is true: According to the law of Madaj and Paras, which is not to be altered.  
Than they spoke, and said before the king: Daniel, 
* Chap. 5, 13.  of the children of the Captivity of jehude, 
§ 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 himself, and for Daniel set his heart to save him: and till the Sun went down he laboured to deliver him.  
Than those men kept a stir with the King, and said 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 gave-sentence: and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the lions den. The king spoke and said to Daniel: Thy God whom thou servest always, he will save thee.  
And a stone was brought, & said upon the mouth of the den: and the King sealed it with his Seal, & with the Seal of his Nobles: that the 
a That the will of none should seek further means to destroy Daniel.  will might not be changed concerning Daniel.  
Than the King went unto his Palace, and 
b So Bath, the Arabic here, & in Mat. 21, 17. is taken. Tenath fasting Dacheu●n music Cau●n windows Bal an heart, be Arabic in daniel's terms, as Aben Ezra noteth.  conceaved-all-nyght fasting, and would have no music to come before him: Also his sleep fled from him.  
Than the King arose in the dawning, at day break, and went in all haste unto the lions den.  
And when he approached unto the den, he cried unto Daniel with a piteous voice. The king spoke, and said unto Daniel, O Daniel, the servant of the living God: Thy God whom thou servest always, hath he been able to save thee from the Lions?  
Than Daniel 
c With a voice not distressed as that of the king was.  talked with the King: O King live for ever.  
My God sent his Angel, and shut the mouth of the Lions, that they have not hurt me, because before him clearness was found in me: and also before thee, O king, I had done no hurt.  
Than the King was exceeding glad for him, and commanded to take-up Daniel out of the lions den. And Daniel was taken-up out of the den, and no hurt was found on him, because he believed in his God.  
Also by the kings commandment they brought those men which made the accusation against Daniel, and into the den of the Lions did they cast them, their children, & their wives: and or-ever they came at the ground of the den, the Lions had the mastery over them, and brake-in pieces all their bones.  
Then Darius the King wrote 
Chap. 4, 1.  to all people, nations, and languages, which dwell in all the earth, Peace be multiplied unto you:  
I 
Chap. 4, 6.  make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom, men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, and continueth for ever: And his 
Chap. 2, 44.  kingdom is that which shall never be corrupted, and his dominion shallbe unto the end.  
He saveth, and delivereth, and worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth: who hath saved Daniel from the power of the Lions.  
So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.   

CHAP. 7. The Kingdoms which were showed for the capacity of Nebuchadnezar in a goodly Image, are now again showed, above 60. years after the other, to the prophet Daniel himself, in the forms of four Beasts. And whereas their worldly destruction, was likened to chaff carried away by the wind: now their eternal punishment is expressed by fire. And the Stone afore cut from the Mountain, is here the Son of Man, honoured with the throne of the eternal Father.  
IN the first year of 
* Daniel transposeth the dome-letter, Aleph in the kings name, giving him closely a notation fit for the vision. Bel-she-Azar, is: Bel is he that storeth riches. But this name is: Bel on fire by the enemy (God) as I touched it afore. The Massorites note the diversity of the writing upon Dan. 5 and translator should not omit that.  Bel-Eshe-zar king of Babel, Daniel saw a dream, and visions of his head upon his bed. Then he wrote the dream: even the head of the matters he declared.  
Daniel spoke, and said▪ I saw in my vision by night, and lo, the four minds of the heaven did strive upon the great Sea.  
The images metals, in daniel's sight ar● beasts *  
The Golden head is nou● a Lion▪ the arms▪ and breast are a bear● setting up, on Government from ● East to three costs * 〈◊〉  
The Greeks are both these beasts first the state whole, and son●▪ after come to four chief▪ thence they of Magong and Egypt *  
And four great Beasts came up from the Sea, 
* For Babel destroyed judah's kingdom. Paras meant once to have destroyed the whole nation in one day. Alexander required judah to take the date from his conquests, & to name the priests sons Alexanders, all borne in one year: & meant to have been a God. The Seleucidae meant to have altered all judah's religion: & to devour the whole wealth of the nation.  one divers from an other.  
The first was like a 
1 The golden head, and the great tree: the power of Babel  Lion, & had Eagles wings. I beheld till his wings were plucked off, by which he mounted above the earth, and he was forced to stand on the feet as a man: and a man's heart was given him.  
And lo, an other Beast, the second, was like a Bear: which erected one 
2 Chaldy, Shetar: which term, is a government still: and never (as I find) for aside, Madaj & Paras, 2. arms in one breast, now set up a joint government.  government, and had 
§ Three costs of the world, from the east, which afore it held: West, North, South, as it is told chap. 8, 4.  three 
‡ or, costs.  ribs in his mouth betwixt his teeth: and thus they said 
* Esay. 21. up Elam, ascend Madaj.  unto it: Arise, and eat much flesh.  
After this I beheld, and lo, there was an other like 
3 Alexander the great and Graece for the first partition, that was brought unto four: Perdiccas or Antigonus, Ptolemy, Seleucus, and Lysimachus.  a leopard: which had four wings of a bird upon his back. And that Beast had four heads. Also, dominion was given unto it.  
After this I beheld in visions by night, and lo, the 
4 The Seleucidae, & Lagidae; the two legs  fourth Beast was exceeding fearful, terrible and hard: as having great iron teeth. It devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue under his feet: and it was unlike all the beasts which were before it: and it had ten horns.  
As I considered the horns, lo, the last 
‡ Antiochus Epiphanes.  horn came up, a little one, amongst them: & three former 
‖ Kings.  horns were plucked away before it. And lo, eyes like the eyes of 
¶ Antiochus Epiphanes was not right heir, but as a private man: & as a friend to the kings, whom by much policy he defeated.  a man were in that horn: and a mouth speaking presumptuous things.  
I beheld till 
* One for God, the other for (Ben) David: as R. Akibah confesseth in the Talmud Sanadrin in Dine Mammonoth. page. 38. b.  Thrones were set up: and the Ancient of days sat. His garment was white as Snow, & the hear of his head like the pure Wool. His throne was flames of fire: the wheels of it, a burning fire.  
A stream of fire issued & came forth from before him: a thousand thousands ministre● unto him: and a million of millions stood before him. judgement was seated, and the books were opened.  
I beheld then, for the voice of the presumptuous words which the horn spoke: I beheld, until the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to be brent in the fire.  

‡ As in the Images ruin he began with the legs first, and not with the head that first perished: ●o here first he speaketh of the last, for the safety of his own nation, that the Chaldeans should pike no quarrel for this vision.  Now the rest of the Beasts, they had had their dominion taken away: 
§ The jews grant Christ to be here so termed and if we had not deceived them by missing of reconciling S. Matthew & S. Luke▪ by forging a general fourth Monarchy, and by a false chronicle: refusing the plainness of Daniel chap. 9, ●4. by all likelihood they would long ago have come to the faith.  as space in life was given them, for a time and a season.  
I beheld in the vision● by night, and lo, in the clouds of the heavens 
* The incarnation of our Lord, & coming into the world in the year 3927.  came one like the 
§ When our Lord continually termeth himself the Son of Man in the four Evangelists▪ he most graciously calleth us to weigh this text.  SON OF Man. 
; Our Lord h●s ascension▪ at 490 after daniel's year of praying for return: Y.W. 3960. subduct thence three years & an half for our Lord his preaching: by Dan. 9, 25. and full 29▪ years for his age by the Law in N●m. 4.3. for 30. years of age to do work in the Tabernacle▪ as S. Luke noteth his age: and you may see how Daniel knew when our Lord should be borne. After Babel's fall years 457.  Afterwards he went to the ancient of days: and before him they brought him.  
And to him was given 
† The conclusion of our lords prayer, most heavenly calleth into our minds this speech and reaches of the king, of eternity the uncorruptible: which joineth Jews and Gentiles in one kingdom.  power, and glory, and kingdom: that all people, nations, and tongues, should serve him. His power is a power eternal, which can not alter▪ and his kingdom is that which shall never be corrupted.  
I Daniel felt my spirit perted within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.  
I approached unto one of the waiters, & sought from him the 
¶ The proper meaning.  truth of all this: and he spoke unto me, and made me know the interpretation of the matters.  
These 
a They are savage beasts in consideration of their dealing against the families of our lords ancestors the house of Zorobabel, & the nation that should have their kings from it.  great Beasts which are four, are four 
b He speaketh the term kings rather the kingdoms, that the next verse short in the Chaldy, should not be mistaken, and the none should think of four kings to hold a kingdom for ever, yea for ever and ever. He was to speak short: as willing to hide his mind from savage heathen.  Kings, 
c Their arising, what it meaneth, it may be gathered by the next verse: arising over the kingdoms of the saints, and withholding it.  arising from the earth.  
But the 
d The house of Zorobabel, Abiud, Rhesa, and the godly of their nation.  Saints of the 
e Highest is in the plural number: in the Chaldy for the singular, as Aben Exra noteth. We may be sure that it is spoken so, to teach us of the divine persons: as Abraham speaketh Gen. 20, 13. and David 2. Sam. 7, 22. Here it was fit, in a distinct vision of the son, and the father, as thrones are plural. verse 9  highest shall 
f The translation used in our Churches is singular in this point: and the Geneva can not stand with colour of divinity, reason, or with the terms: For ever & ever.  take the kingdom, 
g The house of Zorobabel, who should have inherited the kingdom of judah: hath in am of that, the chiefest glory that can be given, to be pronounced saved for ever, before they were many of them borne. Their names have notation fitted hither, Zoro-Babel, fan Babel, that the Golden head (as the rest of the Image) became like chaafe. Dan. 2, 35. So these names are: against the Persians. Abi-hud▪ My father oweth the glory. Eliakim, God is he that settleth: etc. All still had relation unto 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 upon this place.  and hold a kingdom for ever, yea for ever and ever.  
Then, I desired the truth, concerning the fourth beast: which was 
h Partly unlike, because two kings, Syria and Egypt, both claimed right over judah, since the days of Seleucus Nicator, and Ptolemy Lag●, and made continual wars for it: but unlike also in cruel spoiling, and hatred of religion: which Babel, Madaj, & Alexander, more favoured.  unlike to them all, exceeding fearful: whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of steel: which did eat, and broke to pieces, & stamped the residue under his feet.  
Also, concerning the 
i Of the kings Seleucidae & Lagidae, which greatly troubled the kingdom where the house of Zorobabel should have reigned, to the glory & comfort of all the world.  ten horns that were in his head: and concerning the last which came up: before which, three fell. And that was the horn which had those eyes, and the mouth speaking presumptuous things, and his look was stouter than his fellows.  
I beheld, and the horn made battle against the Saints: and prevailed over them,  
Until the ancient of days came, and judgement was given to the 
a judah.  Saints of the most high: and the time approached that the saints should hold the kingdom.  
Thus he said: The fourth beast shallbe the fourth kingdom in the land: which shallbe unlike to all the kingdoms, and shall devout the whole land, and shall tread it down, and shall break it in pieces.  
And ten horns from the kingdom, are ten kings that shall arise: and the 
c Antiochus Epiphanes, who defeated his brother Seleucus his brother's son, & the son of his sister Queen of Egypt.  last shall arise in the end of them, and he shallbe unlike the former, and shall put down 
d Daniel cha. 8 & 11. enlargeth this: of the vileness of Antiochus Epiphanes, & further of his endeavour to have abrogated the Jews religion.  three kings.  
And he shall speak words against the most High, and consume the Saints of the most High, and think to alter the 
e Sabbaths, Passeover, Pentecost, Expiation day, the feast of Tabernacles, new Moons, the seventh years rest, & such.  times and 
f All Moses ceremonies.  Law: and they shallbe given into his hand 
g A time, here is a year: times, two year: and half a time, half a year.  for a time, and times, and half a time.  
And judgement shallbe seated: & they shall take away his kingdom, 
h About 150. year before our Lord's birth are spent in this wasting, to the uttermost of Syria & Egypt, where wars among themselves & the Machab●es, & most of all▪ the Romans, consumed them: which long destructions are handled in Ezekiel 38. & 39  to waste & to destroy it, unto the end.  
And the 
i Salvation cometh from the jews.  kingdom, and the power, and the greatness of the kingdoms under all the heavens shallbe given to the people of the saints of the most high. 
k Upon this all the new Testament goeth, & Paul to Timothe speaketh, when he checketh the jews, not knowing whereof they spoke, & advanced the Gospel, and praise of the king eternal, uncorrupt, unvisible, God only wise. Also the Revelation, after the destruction of jerusalem, is a heavenly commentary upon this part.  His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom: and all dominions shall serve and obey him.  
Hitherto reacheth the end of the matter. I Daniel was greatly troubled in my thoughts, & my brightness was changed in me: & I kept the matter in my heart.   
Here end the visions of Daniel: which the Prophet penned in the tongue known over the East and South: wherein the jews are not descried plainly to be the people, for whom God plagueth the kingdoms: and the Heathen might be drawn to think somewhat better of the God of heaven.   

Of the Visions penned in the jews proper language.  
HEnce, unto the end of Daniel, the visions are penned in the language spoken only in daniel's own nation. Moreover the speeches be full of artificial terms, known only to the jews: and some never spoken afore: yet by their composition easy. This was needful to be done. For the Persians would hate the jews, if the prophecy of their fall by the Greeks, had been published in the tongue known over the East. Also, the Greeks would have raged much more; if their shame had been written in a common language. And none could abide the jews to claim only to be the nation only good: or yet to be capable of heavenly matters, to be so familiarly told, as Daniel had taught them. Therefore he was not to give such pearls to Hogs: but to write them in the holy tongue: which the Heathen studied not.  


Close phrases, used in chap. 8.  
To save the jews from hatred & danger, these close phrases Daniel useth. For the Son of God, The Prince of princes. Vers. 25. And Palmony, The wonderful numberer: a term easy by composition, and by the matter, proper to God: but never used, save verse 23. And Prince of the army, called Michael, from chap. 10. and 12. So Aben Ezra calleth him Michael. The Angel's name is, An holy one. And a peculiar name: Gabriel, a man of the mighty: meaning God. From these visions, the Hebrews note in jerusalemy Ros hasana: that their Fathers brought Angels names with them from Babel. 
Perek. 1. page. 56. col. 4.  The jews are called the Army of heaven, the Stars, the Army, and Holy people. Their religion, the Truth: their Temple, the Sanctuary, and the Holy. Antiochus dealing against them, the treading of the Sanctuary and Army under foot. judea is called Tzeby, as in Ezekiel chap. 20. an ornament, or Roe, of all lands: and so in Dan. cha. 11, 16, & 41, & 4●. Therefore I hold it best, to have it a proper name to judea. Some equivocations touching Gods enemies, were to be 
* vers. 23.  spoken in terms doubtful, to the vn●br●●ed, as when the Angel calleth the King, whom the Maccabees story showeth to be the worst that ever the earth had borne: a King hard faced, and minding hid things: that is in deed, impudent, and practising most unhuman dealings against women and children: and profaneness against God, & all religion, Atheneus further setteth forth Antiochus Epiphanes. The unheedy might take the words: For fierce of countenance, and understanding dark sentences: For in deed the words will abide both. But the witty Daniel would marvel, that any should miss, to give to an enemy of God's people, the worst that could 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 God's counsel, why they are unlike the other visions, in Hebrew, spoken closely to the jews: and also, why God commandeth to close some of them, as here verse. 26.  
A little must be spoken of the evening morning 2300. at touching the story. Thus Abraham Aben ezra expoundeth it. I think this the plain meaning of it: that six years and certain months Israel continued in the days of Antiochus in great affliction. And so it is written in the Greek story. And behold this number is of mere days: and the sense: Two thousand and three hundredth mornings, or days. And they make six years of the suns years, and three 
* And almost the fourth, as Ralbag noteth  full months. And they are days after the moons year near six years and an half. Therefore the Angel said: And the vision of the evening & 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 jews further errors, for the fourth kingdom. Likewise Ralbag holdeth the rest of the speech to be of Antiochus that tormented the jews. This must be again touched, with the phrase, the last end of wrath. vers. 19 that the Romans thereby are none of daniel's four kingdoms.  
Here properly are they named that follow the head a● lion Babel  
The Ram i● the Kings of Madai and paras. The buck is the King of javan the horn betwixt his eyes is the first King Alexander. the four are the four Christ Kingdoms, one ly●le horn i● Antiochu● Epiphan●●.   

CHAP. 8.  
Daniel seethe now, not in a dream in the night (as in Cham 2. & Cham 7. oppressors of the jews unnamed:) but in a vision, awaked, nations properly termed: arising, and cut off: Madaj and Paras. javan or Grece. And what manner a Greek shall practise the end of God's wrath against the Holy daniel's people. This chapter expoundeth the second and the seventh, and telleth by implication, the certainty of Babel's fall, by the arising of the Persians. Remember that in time, this matter went afore that of the 5. chapter.  
IN the 
a The jews commonly 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.  third year of the reign of king Belshazar, a vision was seen to me: to me Daniel, after that which was seen to me 
b In the first of Belshazar. cha. 7.1.  afore.  
And I saw 
c 
Not in a dream on night but awaked, in a vision.  
The arms & breast, and the Bear, are here now in the 〈◊〉 vision, that utah 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 Province of Ela●. Now I saw in a vision: and when I saw it, I was at the 
d Vbal in Dan. is not in the Bible, but in this vision twice: jubal in Hebrew is a River The affinity of Eulai the flood, showeth that there it should be so taken for a r●uer.  River Vlaj▪  
Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold a Ram stood before the River, and he had 
e Madaj & Paras were kingdoms of great fame before they conquered Babel. Madaj of old the stouter: and Paras kings Cyrus, Cambyses, Darius Histaspis, had reigned all in several authority some good years before Babel fell, as their years by Greeks are reckoned.  two horns: and the two horns we●● high: but the one was higher than the other, and the highest came up last.  
I saw the Ram pushing Westward; and Northward, and southward, and no beasts could stand before him, and none could deliver out of his power: but he did as he listed, and became great. And as I minded this, behold, a 
a All the Brass and ●ron. cha. 2 Also the leopard, and the fourth beast, are in this Buck; and this is a sweet commentary upon them.  Goat buck came over the face of the whole earth, and touched 
b So swiftly great Alexander conquered the East in six years, as flying rather then going on the earth.  not the ground: and this Buck had a 
c As in deed Alexander was the notablest for his strange success in wars of any king that ever warred.  notable horn between his eyes.  
And he came unto the Ram that had the two horns, whom I saw standing by the River, and ran unto him in the 
d This place is a sweet abridgement of all great Alexander's conquests.  heat of his strength.  
And I saw him come even unto the Ram, and he dealt 
e At Granicon water, in his first fought field he did well.  fiercely with him: and he 
f At Issicon, the second battle he did better.  smote the Ram. & 
g Thirdly, at Gaugamela, he killed of Darius men about 600000. and gate the Empire.  broke his two horns. And there was no strength in the Ram to stand against him: but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped on him. And none could deliver the Ram from his power.  
And the Goat buck became exceeding great: and when he was at the strongest, that great horn was broken: and four, the most notable grew for it, toward the four winds of the heavens.  
And from one of them came forth a little small horn▪ but became great exceedingly, towards the South, and towards the East, and towards the 
h So in Eze. 20 6▪ the land flowing with milk and honey given to Israel, is the Tzeby of all lands: the ornament, pleasure, and nobleness, or as it were the Roe: so much Tzeby signifieth in Dan. 11. Daniel in this phrase, putteth judah in mind of that oration which God maketh in Ezekiel.  Tzeby.  
And it became great against the army of heaven: and it fell unto the ground some of the army, and of the stars, and stamped upon them,  
And he would be great against the Prince of the army, and by him was taken away the continual Sacrifice: and the place of his Sanctuary was cast down.  
And an army was set against the continual Sacrifice for sin, and it cast down truth unto the ground, and prevailed and prospered.  
And I heard an holy one speak, and an holy one said to PALMONI that was speaking: How long shall endure the vision of the continual Sacrifice? and of sin, causing desolation, to set the 
* Temple.  Holy, and Army, to be stamped upon?  
And HE said unto me: unto the 
a This phrase is taken from Gen. 1, 5. The evening & the morning was made one day.  evening-morning two thousand and three hundredth: Then shall the Holy be cleansed.  
Now when I Daniel had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, behold, there stood before me like the similitude of a man.  
And I heard the voice of a man at the middle of Ulat, which called and said, 
b The only bare Angel in scripture, which hath a proper name: given here in distinction from Daniel, to one being like the similitude of a man: his name was told: A man of God.  Gabriel, make him there to understand the vision.  
So he came where I stood. And when he came, I was frighted, and fell upon my face. And he said unto me: Understand, O son of 
c Ezekiel and Daniel only, being in visions of angels, are so spoken to: Son of man: as Aben ezra, and Abr▪ Shallum note.  Man, that, for the time of the end the vision is.  
Now as he was speaking unto me, I fell in a slumber upon my face to the ground. But he touched me, and made me stand up, where I stood.  
And he said: Behold, I will show thee what shallbe in the 
d This place most strongly overthroweth their error, which feign the Roman Monarchy to be meant by the legs of the Image chap. 2. or by the fourth beast, chap. 7. seeing that the Greeks are the dealers in the end of wrath, spoken of daniel's people. And it had been a strange thing, that this last vision, repeating the former, should leave out the Romans, if they had been spoken of before. Seeing it were good to have had that told: and God never omitted the good of the Church.  last end of wrath.  
The Ram which thou sawest, having two horns, are the kings of Madaj and Paras.  
the 
e Genesis. 25, 25.  hairy Buck is the king of 
f Grecia. This place proveth, that of javan the Greeks come.  javan. And the great horn between his eyes, is the first 
g Great Alexander.  king.  
And that being broken, the four that stood up for it, are 
h Of many kingdoms arising from Alexander, four in the end bear the sway: and in time, two: whereof the chap. 11. will speak.  four kingdoms, that shall stand up 
a The Angel speaking to witty Daniel a word beside form of Grammar jagnamednah, drawing the masculine gen. into a feminines place, Iod put for Tan, in one letter, showeth as much as Daniel saw by the attribute Notable, in the four horns verse▪ 8. These witty speeches in the servants of the holy spirit, require diligence & care to mark them.  stoutly from the nation. But not in the strength of the other.  
And in the end of their 
b That is, full power over the jews: otherwise they reigned as long again, in their own country.  kingdom, when sinners shall come to the full: there shall stand up a King 
c Impudent Antiochus Epiphanes spoken in the Machabbes, and of heathen very much for impudency against all divinity, humanity, and common w●t, is here described. Of Polyb us he was called Epimanes: that is, Mad.  hard faced, and minding 
d Eb. Chidd●th, is properly hid things, as in Psal. 78, 2. And whereas to understand hard sentences, that is a matter of a wise spirit: it can not be that the Angel would so think of Epimanes, as to make him understand dark sentences, who knew least of any that way▪ hid mischiefs he minded, not hid parables.  hid things.  
And his strength shallbe strong and not by his own strength. And wonderfully shall he destroy, and prosper, and prevail, and shall destroy the strong and the holy people.  
For through craft he shall cause deceit to prosper in his hands: And in his heart he shallbe great, and in peace he shall destroy many, and he will stand up against the Prince of princes: But he shallbe broken-downe without 
e By sickness, and by the hand of God.  hand.  
And the vision of the evening and of the morning which was told is 
f Proper and needing no further explication.  true. Now shut thou up the vision: for it shallbe after 
g abouts 300. years are from the death of Balshazar, unto the death of Antiochus Epiphanes.  many days.  
And I Daniel was stricken & sick certain days: and I arose, and did the kings business: and I was astonished at the vision: But none could 
h As I had a commandment to shut up the matter, so I refrained my countenance from, open expressing of my grief.  mark it.    

CHAP. 9 At the end of the 70. years captivity, Daniel praying for return, is told that the delivery to jerusalem is presently granted him: and the eternal, by our lords death is showed: that it shallbe at seven times seventy Y. from the hour of his prayer. So long jerusalem shall have the prerogative to be the holy City. But then the Heathen shallbe equal in the covenant, and all Moses ceremonies must cease. For enforcement to behold that, Christ will destroy the City and Holy place, in the age following. His prayer is penned with special regard, even of the very Hebrew syllables to the prophets, from whom the matter of his speech is taken. Those places must be marked.  
IN the 
a After he had been taken out of the Lion's den, & caused God's truth to be advanced generally, he prayeth for jerusalem.  first year of Darius the son of Achashuerosh, of the seed of 
* Gen. 10. 1 Chro. 1.  Madaj, in which he was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans.  
In the first year of his reign, I Daniel marked by books, the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord had been unto jeremy, for accomplishing in the 
b Daniel hath the very Hebrew term of jeremy Chorboth: And by jeremy he must be expounded. Thus stand jeremies' words. cha. 2●. And this land shall be-come Chorbah (that is, a wilderness) an astonishment: and these nations shall serve the king of Babel seventy years. In a known matter his shortness of speech was fittest. Properly the utter ruins of jerusalem was not but 52. years. The Geonym (the Hebrew Doctors so termed) said, that Daniel was deceived. His strictness of phrase might have told them, that he had jeremy before his eyes, & could not be deceived, though he had not been that Daniel the wise. But termeth all jerusalems' state in the captivity, by a term properly true only in the greater part, sending the reader to jeremy for the full meaning. Also, God in Moses. Leu. 26, 34. useth the same synecdoche and short speech: whom the holy man delighted to follow.  ruins of jerusalem seventy years.  
And I turned my face unto the Lord, the God, and sought by prayer and supplication, and fasting, and sackcloth and ashes.  
And I prayed unto the Lord my God, saying, 
‡ E●od. 32, 31.  Oh Lord, 
§ Deut. 10, 16.  the mighty God, the great and fearful, who 
* Deut. 7, 9  keepeth the covenant and the mercy, toward them which love him, and toward them which keep his commandements.  

a He keepeth even the very letters of salomon's prayer. 1. king. ●, 47.  We have sinned, we have transgressed, we have done wickedly, we have rebelled, and we have turned back from thy commandements, and from thy judgements.  
And we have not 
* levit. 26.  obeyed thy servants the Prophets, which spoke in thy name, to our Kings, to our Princes, and to our Fathers, and to all the people of the land.  
Thou hast, O Lord, the righteousness: and we open shame, even this day: every one of judah, and the dwellers of jerusalem: and all Israel, the near and the far off, through all the countries whither thou hast 
‡ Levi. 26, 32. Deut. 30.  driven them, for their 
b He hath the very phrase of levit. 16, 4.  offence wherein they have offended thee.  
O Lord, we have open shame, our Kings, our Princes, and our Fathers: as we have sinned against thee.  
The Lord our God hath the tender mercies, and forgiveness: albeit we have rebelled against him:  
And have not obeyed the voice of the Eternal our God, to walk in his laws which he hath laid before us, by the ministery of his Servants the Prophets.  
Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, and turned back, that they would not hear thy voice. Wherefore there is poured upon us the 
* Deut. 29, 28. levit. 26.  curse, and the oath, that is written in the law of Moses, the servant of God: Because we have sinned against him.  
And he hath confirmed his words, which he spoke against us, 
Deut. 28.  and against our judges that judged us. For under the whole heaven hath not been done the like as hath been 
a This may be the abridgement of jeremies' Lamentations.  done upon jerusalem.  
As it is written in the Law of Moses: all this evil is come upon us. Yet have not we besought the eternal our God: that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.  
Therefore the Lord our God was 
b In jeremy, Chap. 2. an allusion is used: for in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shakad: signifying both speedy and watchful caring: and the almond tree, that buddeth most speedily of any: in which sense, the almond tree flourishing, is used in Ecclesiastes 12. for grey hairs soon arising in our shortage. daniel's term here in the Hebrew, honoureth and remembranceth that text.  watchful concerning the evil, and brought it upon us. For the Lord our God is righteous in all the works which he hath done: seeing we obeyed not his voice.  
And now O Lord our God, 
c levit. 26. If they confess their sins, and the sins of their fathers, I will remember the covenant 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 thyself a name as this day, we have done wickedly.  
O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, let now thine anger and thy wrath be turned away, from thy 
d Esay. 52.1.  city jerusalem, thine holy mountain. For, because of our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, jerusalem & thy people are a reproach to all that are about us.  
And now, hear, O my God, the prayer of thy servant, and his supplication, and make thy face to 
e Num. 6. verse. 25. The blessing of the high sacrificer is in the same speech.  shine upon thy sanctuary, that lieth desolate, for the lords sake.  

f daniel's Hebrew hath the very letters of Ezekias' prayer, Esa. 37.17.  Incline O my God, thine ear, and hear, open thine eyes and see, our desolations, and the city whereupon thy name is called: for we present not our supplications before thee, for our righteousness, but for thy great tender mercies.  

Esay. 38.2.  O Lord hear: o Lord forgive o Lord give ear, & do, defer not for thine own sake, o my God. For thy 
a The cursed jews at this day, repeat on their expiation feast, this prayer often, in Cether Malcuth: a book of their common prayers: But stop their ears against the Angels words from God, touching Christ, the true worker of this expiation 490. years exactly from the time of this prayer: as appeareth vers. 24 where our tottering for the meaning of it, hath furthered the jews destruction, and more hardened their hearts.  name is called upon thy city, & upon thy people.  
And as I was yet speaking and praying and confessing my sin, and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplications before the Eternal my God for the holy mountain of my God.  
Even as I was yet speaking, the man 
b When this Angel telleth Zachary, of his name Gabriel, and is sent unto Mary, he calleth them to think upon this text: that by conference of Moses Num. 4. and Daniel here, they might better consider the time of the promise. And, to have that cause hodlen in peculiar dignity, by the message of this Gabriel, no other Angel, being a created spirit, hath a proper name. Michael is Christ with the best learned Christians, & no less than jehovah & the Angel jehovah, in the words of Zoar, & many other Hebrew DD.  Gabriel whom I had seen afore in a vision, came unto me flying with vehemency until he touched me, at the 
c Oblation had with it, prayer: and evening prayer time was at their ninth hour, our three of the clock: as appeareth by Act. 3.1. At the same hour, the Lord made himself that oblation which here the Angel telleth: even most exactly when it should be performed.  time of the evening oblation.  
And he gave understanding, and talked with me & said: Daniel, I am come forth to give thee 
d 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 clearness unto all. Therefore the time considered with the matter, is that which he calleth here the skill of understanding: and it must be counted a great error, to hold that a small matter, and specially the disannulling of God's truth, by heathen forged and most vain and jarring antiquities, to make from Babel's fall to Tiberius 18. wherein our Lord died. 590. against the express 490. which the Angel counteth to be wisdom which he speaketh off: yet old Greeks did so.  skill of understanding.  
At the beginning of thy prayers came forth the word: which I am come to tell, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  because thou art 
e Chamudoth is the most amiable term of any which can be given. As the attribute is, so is the matter here, Chamudoth full of grace.  greatly beloved. Therefore 
f By this commandment doubled for vehementer charge, he condemneth the world, that regardeth not to be instructed in this doctrine, sent from heaven by an Angel unto Daniel, and penned for all nations use. Wherefore we must give better heed unto the speech, lest we flow and fall. For if the word spoken by Angels fall out sure, and every trespass received just recompense, how shall we escape, neglecting so great a charge of looking unto our own salvation, where the vision is so clear that no doubt can be moved by any plain heart, that will rest in God's authority: nor yet from heathen studies, by such as thoroughly search the ancient of them: and the only fit to bear authority.  conceive the word: and perceive the clear vision.  The clear vision for the certain time of redemption, wherein the jews through all the Gospel agreed: and also all the East, as josephus recordeth: and Tacitus and Suetonius, do both touch it. 
seventy sevens (of years) 
a A verb singular to a substant▪ plural teacheth in Hebrew an exact account then meant: as Auenarius noteth upon this phrase. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  is pared out for thy people, and for thy holy city: to consume wickedness, and to abolish sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring righteousness everlasting, and to seal vision and prophet, and to shew-Messias the Holy of Holiest.  

Of the 70. sevens.  
seventy sevens make 490. in ordinary speech. But that Daniel might conceive how at the beginning of his prayer upon considering of jeremy for that 70. years of captivity ended, God took notice of his meditation, the Angel toucheth that seventy: showing how exactly seven times that space is declared afore hand: for the jews prerogative, continuance of Ceremonies and meditation, how reconciliation of sin is truly made: That every Sabbath in the mean while they might learn to enter into the rest of Christ.   

How the 70. seven end the holy Chronicle.  
Five, as it were, chains of time are in Scripture: all drawn through so many several matters. The first is continued through the Ages of the Fathers unto the death of Terah: who falling into Idolatry, gave occasion to end that honour, of making the Fathers to draw the worlds age in theirs. After the death of Terah, Abraham hath the promise of Christ, and is called unto Chanaan. For that promise: one tenor of certainty is linked unto the Lamb, Temple and salomon's death, after his Idolatry: and held on, while Abraham's tribes held the faith of Christ. Thence a new state, measure of it, as a third chain, cometh in. judah holdeth a kingdom, unto Sedekiah's captivity: and jeroboam draweth Israel to sin: which time is termed Israel's sin: by God to Ezekiel, chap. 4. when he showeth unto him the fall of jerusalem: with which fall, also famous 40. years of judah's warning must end. Which 40. are complete from jeremies' prophesying in the 13. of josias, at the beginning of the 19 of Nebuchadnezer when the city was brent. And that continuance of judah's kingdom is in one sum given by God. 390. y. Ezek. 4. The particulars whereof are cast by the kings of judah & Israel, just into that sum, by sundry learned. And Abraham Ben David in Cabala showeth that the jews universally, but that they hide their mind, held the time so. The fourth chain containeth the continuance of Nebuchadnezars' 70. years. Whereof 18. are passed afore the kingdom of judah falleth. And this chain was made afore hand, and when it came to the last link, the hand writeth upon the wall that God MENE MENE, had numbered, had numbered: and Daniel had a chain of gold for expounding of it. As Ovid giveth the Sun four horses which draw him: Pyroeis, Eous, Aethon, Phlegon: So more fitly may these four drawers of the Sun be termed: The first a fiery Pyrocis: The next where Abraham cometh from the East is Eous: The third when the temple is burnt, is Aethon truly. And the fourth in heat against Babel is verily from the fiery throne aparching Phlegon. The fift passeth all admiration: that which here the Angel giveth, to draw all the world unto Christ.   

How the Chain of jubilees attendeth upon this.  
IF this chain be made by him that made also that of jubilees, which must begin when jesus conquereth and parteth the land: (that is in his eight year:) it will, by fifties end with this sum: and if it do so, there is a double strength. Now it doth so most exactly. For years are by this chain beginning at josuahs' eight 1400. jubilees 28. at our Lord's death. Wherefore that golden chain which Homer giveth unto his jupiter: by which all the Gods drawing could never pluck him down, but he could hang them, land and sea in the midst of the air: fastening it in the top of the heavens: that is nothing in Imagination to the strength of this: at which though jews and Gentiles, pluck now adays never so feloniously, or boisterously, they shall not prevail: But when this findeth particular trial even by heathen approbation, as men's lives, it draweth them to be set in balances and found higher than vanity: as I showed for Hebrew lives in the Preface.   

Of daniel's People.  
AS Daniel prayed for God's People, so he had this kingly honour, that they are termed his People: even such of the nature. As Aben, Ezra rightly doth take it for to seal Messiah.   

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

b Our Lord Mat. 24. giveth the same commandment for this oration. Let him that readeth Daniel understand. The contempt of which commandment hath been the ruin of the world. Cyrus' in Ezra maketh proclamation of suffering and helping Israel to return to dwell at jerusalem. In that grant the building of the City for houses and distinction of streets, must needs be understood. at .49. y. troubles it is by clearer grant, walled: in a tithe of this time: by Nehemiah having special regard unto this parcel of Prophecy.  Know then mark. From the outgoing of the 
* Ezra. 1.1.  word to restore and to build jerusalem, unto 
c Here only in Hebrew and twice here Messiah cometh a mere proper name: hence made famous john. 1.41. and 4 25. Also hence the time of his coming was granted by all sides. Now the 62. sevens are parceled alone only, that the last may be handled alone, for our Lord's story: in speech of which he handleth first the principal matter: our Lord's death: nothing to him being just, but for us, and nothing to hold him in the grave, who can raise up himself; So he expounds reconciliation for sin with bringing in of eternal justice. Also he expoundeth how thereupon the City's prerogative shall cease: from being an holy City. That he doth with most vehement terms: Knowing how the jews joyed in their City: mark the words.  Messiah the governor seven be, 
john. 1.41.4.25.  seven: afterwards, seven sixty and two. In the other, it shallbe restored and builded street & wall and 
* See Ezra & Nehem.  troublous shall these times be.  
In that after seven sixty & two 
* Mat. 16.21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 *  Messiah shallbe 
d Hence doth S. Paul say: I taught nothing but that which Moses and the Prophets taught: that Christ was to suffer and being the first from the dead, should show light unto the People (Jews) and to the nations. And afore, jesus our Saviour, after his Disciples knew assuredly that he was the Christ the son of God, the Rock. Deut. 32.7. thence he teacheth how he must be killed and rise again: but they did hardly conceive it. Now they who doubt in what part of the seven our Lord should die: are too diligent. For that was taught first of all: before any partition: even at 490. from his speech.  killed, and 
* Mat. 17.1.  nothing to himself. Thereupon the City 
* Act. 6. to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * plainly meaneth so.  and holy place shall he destroy: even the governors own people, in the next 
* Mat. 24.34.  generation: and their end shallbe with a flood: and at the end of the war shallbe a final judgement of utter desolations.  
But he shall make strong the Testament, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many, not Jews but all As Rom. 5.15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, all, & Mat. 26, 28.  to the Many the last seven. Yea half that seven shall bring to an end sacrifice and offering. Afterward by an army of loathsome infidels he shall make desolation, even till utter waist and final judgement be powered upon the desolate. 
e The heathens calling, into the rest of Christ, sealed in Baptism, bread & wine: the burying of Moses, the loathsomeness of Rome, that killed our Lord, and judah's just fall for infidelity conclude all: handled here severally as they belonged not but collaterally, unto the former speech of v. 24.    

A reduction of the Gospel unto the oration of Gabriel.  
THe oration of Gabriel containeth an abridgement of the new Testament: and all the Gospel may be easily reduced unto it. The book of S. Matthew will be sufficient for example: when we touch by the way some special points of the other Evangelists. And first of all, the beginning from Abraham and holding on to joseph by the king's right, that toucheth how Christ is 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Governor, is here twice the attribute of Messiah: and erroneously applied in the later place unto the Roman Emperor, by the jews & by us, through unheedinesse in one hebraism.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King, prince and governor of judah. And there the speech of Emmanuel declareth how he is the most holy: and the name jesus for saving his people from their sins, that plainly showeth who maketh reconciliation for sin. Now the coming of the wisemen, called in Persique, Magi, unto jerusalem, that had his plain ground hence. For by the holy city, none but jerusalem was meant: and under the Persians this doctrine was first embraced and made famous: of a king to arise at jerusalem: at 490. y. which matter so clear, was easily kept in memory 457. that when 33. afore the end a Comet did in the air argue in the East a clear favour of a noble light, they knew that a king was meant: and could think of none, but of the famous one, whose kingdom was foretold that it should be at jerusalem by the 490. years, and begin at 30. later than their present time. Likewise when 30. y. after, john cometh baptizing, and telling that the kingdom of heaven was come, the nation was nothing astonished: but knew the phrase used in Daniel, Chap. 2. for the state which should be in judah, next after the manifest abolishing of the image there: 
* The age of 30. years is made so famous: by rare men & by the Law that all might look for somewhat in Christ answerable unto that.  which began when our Lord was born in Bethleem, and the Angels proclaimed his birth, (and the tribute of the Romans over the world, argued all the images ruin, by the exaction of a general tribute over all nations) and was to be proclaimed openly in the state when the king was 30. years old: as David was reigning in Ebron: the Levites by the Law Num. 4. entering into the work of the tabernacle, a token of this work: and fittest at that age as joseph at 30. ruled Egypt: and three of each other fathers, from Selah, he, the next save one, Peleg, the next to him save one Serug were fathers at 30. where God would never have disposed thrice equality of years in fathers, but for a monument 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and tresadmirable.  
Now the Baptizing argueth most of all a common consent of the nation, that an admission into a new kingdom, of troops together was then looked for. The Babylonian Talmud recordeth in jebamoth pag. 76. and Rambam (the expounder of it in plain Hebrew) in Azure Biah. perek 13. that in the days of David and Solomon, 
* Baptizing was used in judah for proselytes. Authorised hence for the rest of Christ; from Moses toil of Ceremonies.  when many thousands of heathen became Proselytes: they were admitted only by Baptism without Circumcision: as the jews in Egypt washed their garments upon their calling thence: and the lepers 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, Baptism was not strange, neither is john an astonishment for that: but demanded whether he be Elias or Christ, or that special Prophet named in Deuteronomie: where the agreement in time gave occasion of all the demands. Moreover 
* In that our Lord repeateth in chap. 7 19 the very syllables of john's words, 3.10. he therein approveth his authority. The like do the Prophets often.  when our Lord preacheth openly, he confirmeth john's speech: saying, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is come: & speaketh as Daniel of the kingdom that never shall be corrupted, Chap. 2. which kingdom is here expounded. Likewise when the Lord maketh that famous Sermon upon the mount, all his speech tendeth to show the nature of the kingdom of heaven: how it is not pompous, but for the poor in spirit, for the mourning, for the meek, for hungry and thirsty of justice: and to be short, for the godly persecuted. And the rest of his Sermon removeth pharisaical hindrances of access into such a kingdom.  
Hither belong the miracles most clearly, to show that God spoke by his son Psal. 2. the 
* The Syriac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1.3. from Esa. 4. & the 70 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and jonathan expounding all that of Christ with jeremy and Zacharies both for the same, these by one term open all the covenant.  Brightness of glory, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esa. 4. which washeth the uncleanness of the daughters of Zion, bringing in eternal justice. The raising up of dead by his own authority, the making wine of water presently, the multiplying of corn and fish: these were works proper unto the Son of God. And these, fit for the striker and the healer. The cleansing of leprosies, the strengthening of palsique nerves and lunatic brains, the cooling of burning agues: the raising up of the bowed▪ the sight-gift unto the blind, the freshing of the withered hands, the gift of legs to the lame, ears to the deaf, tongue to the dumb, eloquence unto the stammering, and healing of all sicknesses: these doings expound Esay, and show who taketh away all our infirmities, and bringeth in justice eternal So the casting out of devils might make any jannes' or jambres confess the finger of God: and the kingdom of heaven to be come in the due time: the devils expressly confessed the holy one of God, & the Son of God: as the devilish Aben Ezra doth upon v. 
Where only Christ is named plainly Messiah, there the jews deny the term to be a Noun proper: and yet to the verse afore they join Messiah: as meant there. Such a spirit of giddiness is in them. Christians of judgement should more joy in the twice spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his name here by the Angel, them in any worldly delight. This well-handled might turn Turk and jewe. For on this they stagger in this, whether Messiah was to be killed, and was the son of God after the spirit of sanctification.  24. acknowledge Christ the most holy: though where twice he is named Messiah and only there, and in the exposition, he there would place earthly sinful persons. But the pharisees were openly pronounced of our Lord to be of their father the devil: that stood not in the truth, but became a murderer from the beginning. The Psalmist might see a walker on the sea. The breaches of the waves were mighty: but his voice rebuked the seas: As the sea was his and he made it: so it bore him up like the dry land: yea the sea rejoiced and the store of it, when a fish paid tribute: and showed that Christ knew what fish had swallowed a stater: and how the same would come quick to Peter's angle: when also fish at his commandment came so into the nets, that they over-laded two botes: and did come also great ones 153. into the net, and broke it not: there David must be remembered how the fish of the seas, that pass through the passage of the paths of the seas, show unto what man all things were made subject. Here job might see a walker upon the mountains of sea: and glory larger than the sea: and here the fish would tell him this much. Also the earth could not stand still, but must acknowledge who settled it. Here Ezekiel might have seen after an earthquake, the fountain of all resurrection: & Amos would tell, that when the Son darkened the Sun at noon day, Israel should take heed of utter darkness: where Malachi would teach, that there the Sun of justice arose with health in the skirts of his garments. Moreover Elias would tell, that the mind which rend the stones, if they saw not God in it, would after send a fire upon City and Sanctuary, when the Lord should not be in it. Upon these miracles the Centurion said▪ Truly he is the Son 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 jerusalem, there Law & Prophet say: here in Daniel is told the wisdom, and here is the place of understanding. The resurrection maketh the jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by their own term in jerusalemy, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in S. Paul. When they make Isaak to bear his own cross, to be after a sort recovered from death, to be thereby as it were the ground of all their prayers. They speak many things of open trial by the third day: & make this the glory of all. Thus in Midras Bereshith they do speak. Upon the third day Abraham did lift up his eyes. It is written he will quicken us after two days: the third day he will raise us up: and we shall live afore him. In the third day of the patriarchs it is written: and joseph spoke unto them the third day: in the third day of the spies it is written; & hide yourselves there three days. 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 jonah: as it is written; and jonah was in the whales belly three days and three nights. And in the third day of the ascending from captivity it is written: and we were there three days, & in the third day shallbe the resurrection (as it is written:) he will make us alive after two days Hosea 6. and in the third day it is spoken in Ester: In the third day Ester did put on the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (properly) kingdom: the kingdom of her father's house. By what justice? Thus do the Rabbins speak: Now all these looked unto the resurrection: wherein the Church and her assembly of the righteous put on the kingdom: now also the ascension showeth justice brought in, confirmed by the wind, fires tongues, & speaking of these matters to all nations under the heaven: a● all the miracles of the Gospel belong directly hither. All further speeches of doctrine keep them within this compass which follow after the sermon upon the mountain: or yet went afore it. The chief heads shallbe touched: for our Lords speeches in the Gospel, & his doings or sufferings, which all tend to the strengthening 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 points perverted by the Pharisees, were to be handled by our Lord, and the known matters to be recorded by his Apostles: as where S. Luke recordeth his line to Adam, that chain draweth all the story unto it: and all the times be stars for the same. Such things were to be penned. But our Lords speeches 
* How they belong to the speech here of making strong the covenant.  touch us. Many orations are of his Godhead in S. john. They are a commentary upon the first entrance of Genesis: as john beginneth with a commentary for it and him. How God resteth on the Sabbath and yet worketh, the Son doth teach: and the joining from God, of Adam and Eve, this is brought as a ground of expounding Deut. 24. Adam's fall from the beginning, with Satan's murder is taught expressly: that none of us should stagger in that: and how, as pharisees, all natural be Satan's children. Abel is termed the just: & his death applied unto jerusalems' destruction here told. The careless at the flood are remembered: and the calling of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from East and West directly belongeth hither. Abraham for that is cited, as with whom they shall feast in heaven: so in forsaking all for Christ, and for seeing his passion in Isaak, for immortality, in that God was, after his death the God of Abraham, Isaac and jacob. The name of Israel, and Angels ascending and descending, are mentioned principally. Moses cometh wholly as a Martyr and witness of Christ. Matth. 17. His miracles be glanced at, by the finger of God: where 
* 2. Tim. 3.8. Menachoth. 9 fol 85. Egyptians in Numenius. lib. 3. Euseb. pr● p. 9  jannes' and jambres damn the pharisees. The 12. in the Apostles number, and the 70. in the Disciples, show that our Lord honoured and made glorious the Law, as Esay told of him. The Law for every commandment is expounded by him, as by one that could season speech: the two tables: by two general commandments: to hear that jehovah, our God, jehovah is one, who must be loved with all the mind, soul and strength: And the neighbour, as a man would wish to be loved 
* Against jerusalemy. Nedar▪ Per. 9 that doth teach to strike one that striketh.  of another. Messiah is taught with faith for the first commandment: for the second, spiritual idolatry maketh the Jews Satan's sons: their swearing, as by 
* Their Talmud still hath the phrase.  their heads in private speeches is corrected as a light naming of God: the superstitious befooling of the Sabbaths rest is often controlled: honour to parents is applied against Pope-like greedy begging for the Church. Murder is drawn (against the 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rabbins later than Ezra.  Kadmonim or old Rabbins the cited, and rested upon, the bare words; unto unjust anger or taunts. Likewise adultery unto the sole desire. Witnesses are taught to testify without sin: and the ambition of desiring thy neighbours, is drawn also unto giving all away, that Christ may be followed. The judicials in sundry heads are drawn to a greater charity, than the civil officer can force: and all by this la: Thou shalt be perfect with jehovah thy God. And there the ground of all learning is handled: the applying of all actions unto the nature of God, manifested in his creation: in shining and raining upon good and bad. All Leviticus was expounded to the Samaritan●: in that the ceremonies of it should have their end: and the jubilee for setting all free, is explained from Esay. The lifting up of the serpent is opened unto Nicodemus: & from Deuteronomie the hanging upon the tree passed not unhandled: where Christ being lifted up will draw all unto him. Moreover the commandment, Give glory unto the Eternal, the ROCK, that is conveyed unto the chiefest speech of all the new Testament, and scope here: where Christ is acknowledged the ROCK. A matter where jew & Pope make shipwreck of al. The jews 
* In jerusalemy Thaan. where the blood cometh up to the horse bridles. Perek. 4. fol. 69. col. 1.  confess, that the ROCK gave them up to the Romans. And Rome will have the Rock to be under them. As though for killing of Christ they had deserved that honour: and cannot see, that God unchangeable must needs plague them for ever for that, above all all nations under the cope of heaven. And where as in that same song of Moses, 
Our Lords holy words, though few, & his works open all the Law.  the jews are rejected: that is spoken often by our Lord. So he affordeth unto us the marrow of all the Law. His going to Egypt, suffering, and forty days viewing the land, is over-set in works: to Israel, Lamb, Isaac, and twelve spies, and his shining like the sun, with his ascension to Enoch, his assumption & years according to the sons course. As the Prophets are commentaries upon the Law: so it belonging unto the sufferings 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 mar all, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  And in his expositions, in his phrases, and in his actions he goeth through them all. Besides the express Prophets, the hebrews particular decrees, and learned speeches were to be confirmed. Such as plain reason of all knew to be good. Our Lord reverenced the divine school of Sanedrin at twelve: sitting amongst them, hearing them and posing them: the reverence of all gestures, which their decrees have for the synagogue, & reading of the Law, was showed by himself. Just excommunication allowed: and their law of excommunicating them who misuse authority practised even upon the Scribes and pharisees and all jerusalem. And all their doctrine of traditions now in the Talmud utterly damned. Yet what they had from the ancient, worthy praise he alloweth, all that terms, phrases, and proverbial sentences: The world to come, the dead, tasting death, resurrection of the dead, 
Their Gemara. Berachoth. 9  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, forgiveness in this world, Paradise, Gehenna, and Gehenna large 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. in Mid. Til. eating and drinking the object of faith, eating and drinking in the world to ●ome, carrying of the cross of Christ. These are taken from E●r●e Doctors common use, yet abiding in record, yea and to singular use, jod and prick: and in the Greek proverbial speech Α and Ω after the Ebrews, from Aleph unto Tha●. In Ben Arama. So he taunteth the Talmuds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Raka: the swearing by the head: the Corban: their Abothenu & Rab. Such he blamed. And thus, he that was in the form of God, and held it no robbery to be equal with God, yet took the form of a servant: and the speeches of the base. Yea and to look back to some of his works and words, we shall see more how he condescended unto us. From the water of jews Purification he made his wine: From Baptism used of them without commandment, and of small authority: he autorizeth a seal of entering into the rest of Christ: using the jews weakness as an allurement thither. From bread 
* In Rambam, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, at the Passeover, washing, a special sort of sitting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bidding celebrated, remembering Messiah days, and Egypt's thraldom, dipping their sops, thanks or blessing with a loaf, and a cup of wine, & thereupon a Psalm song: all these our Lord went through.  and wine used with the Lamb, being without all commandment of Moses, but resting upon the common reason given by the Creator, he autorizeth a seal of his own self, of his very flesh and blood, that we should still eat and drink it, and feed upon the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world, until we grow into the perfect man, into the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. And as the householder at the lambs suppers end, blessed God, first taking bread: and again taking the wine: so, that we should not turn his seal into superstition he followeth that plainness. Showing the sum the same: a Lamb for Lamb: and bread with wine of higher authority, and likewise after, as they used, he sung the Psal 113. fit for the matter. From the jews synagogue, where they meddled not with ceremonies no more than we now, (they with Circumcision as we with Baptism) from their sincere orders, grounded upon the plain light of reason, (against which nothing but ambition can once open the mouth) he settled an order for ever for his Church: whereof his Apostles show the practice: and he caused their enemies even the pharisees, to record all the Apostles manner to have been from Ezra. And gave special charge to his Apostles, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
Rambam & jerusalemy in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agree much with the Apostles.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and not to be titled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by which term Demosthenes distinguisheth Athens from policies of Kings, titled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. This should have been marked by the Bishop of that City through whose policy Christ was crucified: who will be titled Soter and Euergetes, yea and Theos, more to be skopht of all jews and Turks, than the Seleucidae and Lagidae were of Plutarch in Aristide, and such others. Our Lord forbade not his disciples to desire to be first: but requireth that their superiority should be in service. And their practice taught the world, how rightly they understood 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 win a superiority, to continue in blindness, and to be openly guilty of whole ignorance touching the kingdom of heaven. But I must return unto the lords speeches, for reduction of all the holy hebrews learning unto the Gospel. One thing here he was not to stand upon: the Massorites or Hebrew Grammarians diligence for the Hebrew text. But in two words he confirmeth all their pains: borrowing terms from them: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Twenty times doth the spirit handle the alphabet order: once in Psal. 25. 
But for one Greek copy where the names of the letters are found, that would not soon be seen, by reason of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in other letters.  37.111.112. eight times in 119. once in 145. in Solomon once, six times most distinctly for the confusion of judah, in jeremies' Lamentations. Yet all this while no one letter is named. Belike when juda came from Babel, and kept their tongue by schools, not by daily speech, they first used those names. And before that, Greeks had them: as Sigma or San, old in Herod. And Homer's books are named after the letters. To confirm the hebrews the Lord nameth one of two kinds. One with a name, Hebrew and Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. In Homer. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Likewise in the elder Talmud the jerusalemy 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 express: one an accusation of Solomon, expressed in Hebrew by jod: another of more difficulty: the third shall come after the jerusalemy. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
This speech the jerusalemy hath for jod: 
jerusalemy 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 Greek having not in their tongue, could not so augment, but were fame to use the augmentation in r, to make Sarra: which point the holy Ghost followeth 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4 19.9.9. Heb. 11.11. 1. Pet. 3.6.  still in the Greek new Testament, calling therein still to mind, jod rejected. But when jod taken from Saraj, being the last letter of a woman's name, cometh first to make jesus, in the son of Nun, jod appeareth 
The Ebrews hold it a law to be straightly observed, as from God's majesty, that Saraj and Abram should be no further their names. The Prophets & Apostles keep it.  not contemned, that well might it be a proverbial 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 balance, yet descendeth unto our speeches for the least letter of all the Hebrew, and unto the name of it, to the countenancing of the Grammar study, as a most learned profession: that the Hebrew and Greek should not be despised without open contempt of Christ his authority. Now the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prick is rare. Plutarch hath the term. None beside of heathen that I remember. S. Matthew and S. Luke both have it. Though punctum hath no quantity, yet the term here is of great quantity and dignity. The jews note fifteen words in the Law with Psalms and Prophets, 
The Massoreth in Nu. 3.39. doth show which be they.  pricked over the heads, for special deep consideration: and so written from the first copies: and Ramban prefacing to Moses, declareth how all the hebrews' honour the warning of weighty matter in them. They call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. For Aethiop. letters I take Greek.  But that term is not used in the Ebrewish of S. Mat. nor in the Syriac, or Arabic. Neither be any of all their terms ancient. The Aethiop. is near the Greek. So that we are to search whether pricks as the fifteen strange: or other pricks which are vowels or accents be meant. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pricks only of marking, and likewise accents are no part of the word. Therefore, I trow, vowel pricks must needs be meant. Which point containeth the most exquisite depth of the Hebrew tongue. And so far doth our L. condescend to our studies: as to omit neither Hebrew nor Greek: but taketh a touch that authorizeth all the rest. Now as I made this long digression, of our Lords confirming the covenant, with descending unto rabbin studies, I think it not amiss to join Rabbins hither: not for one jod: but for all the twenty and two letters how often they are used. Thus the case standeth. Rabbi Sadaias' learning from the Massorites how often every letter came in Hebrew: searched for Scriptures which had the like number: most from Numeri and Ezra: and from such sentences made Tetrasticon or four verses for memory from those matters: not unto 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 every letter: & taketh words whose first letters arithmetic being taken for so many thousands in the first verse: and in 
* Only the final forms which you see put alone in the margin, argue that the same in the text must be meant for hundreds as they mean.  ordinary arithmetic in the second: matcheth the number of the letter. So in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
Aleph in the first telleth, that of Aleph he entreateth. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being 42 in arithmetic, and the first letters of their words make here 42000. the other three first letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make 377 in ordinary Hebrew arithmetic. So Aleph is used times 42 377. By this the student may help himself. Only this warning may withal go, that sometime his texts, which I writ in rubrique, could not afford an exact agreement: but come very near. Now the sonnet of the rabbin shall speak.   

The certainty of the Hebrew. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  

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Thus we have a miraculous record for the Scriptures certainty. In explication somewhat more may be added. Great capital letters are in certain distances: as Gimel in Heath Gallach: distant 2600 from the great Vau in Leuit. 11. These and such are known to few. Now whereas 848 margin terms are used: according to which they read and not according to the text: some (as David Kimchi) thought that done, as to help a corruption of the text in Captivity. Elias defendeth most learnedly the Massorites text against all colour of arguments brought against it from Talmuds or other. And this much for the Hebrew writ, in this end, as it were, of Daniel. But now I will go on unto his last vision, expounding the 8. Chapter. The 9 Chapter is the last for time: and so plain for Christ, that no further exposition could be. The contempt of which note hath caused Jews to perish still, and hindered all nations.    

CHAP. 10. Daniel hath one vision describing Christ the most holy: and an other of an Angel: who showeth unto him in general, the affairs of the jews distress under the Persians: And how the Persians are ruled by this Angel, until the king of javan, Alexander the great cometh.  
IN the 
a When the work of the Temple was hindered. Ezra 4, 14.  third year of Cyrus' king of Paras, a speech was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called 
b That is: He braced out a fire upon the enemy: even the Chaldean. By displacing a dumb letter, he maketh his name to mean so. See what it was. Cham 1, 7.  Belteshazar. And the speech was 
c Ebr. Truth expounding signs. Eb. Zaba: army by Aben ezra, meaning the wars told here. Time it is by Ralbag. Both fall out fitly: therefore I thought good to join both.  proper: and the army-like ordered time, great. And he understood the 
d Contained in cha. 11, & 12.  speech, and had understanding in the 
e Of this that he saw upon Tigris.  vision.  
In those days, I Daniel 
f Because judah's enemies had prevailed, to the hindrance of the Temples building.  was in heaviness three sevens of 
g He putteth a distinction, for the sevens of years, told chap. 9, 24. And for them the translation must be a like: though, Weeks be the ordinary fit term here.  days.  
Pleasant bread ate I none: and flesh or wine came none within my mouth: and ointment used I none, till three sevens of days were fulfilled.  
And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, I was by the side of the great river: that is, 
h Called Tigris of Greeks: in notation, Sharp-swift. The Persians chief glory was in those quarters: and likewise the Sel●ucianes Throne. And Seleucus Nicator built upon Tigris Seleucia; the most famous town of all, which he built.  Hiddekel.  
And I lift up mine eyes, and looked: and behold, there was a man clothed in Linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Vphaz.  
His body was like the Turquis, and his face like the sight of lightning, and his eyes like Lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like the colour of polished Brass: and the voice of his words, like the voice of a multitude.  
Now I Daniel only saw the vision, and the men which were with me saw not the vision▪ But a great quaking fell upon them, and they fled away to hide themselves.  
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 retained no strength.  
Yet I heard the voice of his words. And when I heard the voice of his words, I fell in a slumber on my face: and my face was towards the ground.  

a The person that next speaketh, termed a resemblance in fight as a man, is thought to be Gabriel, named chapt. 8, 16. at whose commying to him Daniel was frighted, & fell in a slumber on his face to the ground: and was touched by him, & set upon his feet. who also chap. 9, 25. telleth of Christ: as here again,  Now behold, an hand touched me, and set me upon my knees, and upon the palms of mine hands.  
And he said unto me, O Daniel, thou gracious man, understand my words, which I speak unto thee: and stand upright. For now am I sent to thee. And when he had spoken this speech to me, I stood trembling.  
Then he said unto me: Fear not Daniel. For from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.  
But the prince of the kingdom of Paras stood against me. And behold, 
b That is, Archangel. jude. 9 which term is hence taken: here Angels are the first princes in comparison with rulers on the earth: and the captain of their host is the first of this company.  Michael the first of the chief Princes came to help me: and I remained there by the king of Paras.  
Now I am come to show thee what shall befall thy people in the time hereafter. For yet the vision is for those days.  
And when he had spoken these words unto me, I set my face towards the ground, and I became dumb.  
And behold, that resemblance in sight as a man touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth, and spoke, and said unto him that stood before me: O my Lord, by the vision my 
a Or, my sorrows turned: but the matter telleth whether is principally fit, though both go together.  joints are loosed in me, and I retain no strength.  
And how can this servant of my Lord, talk with this my Lord: thus am I: since even now no strength standeth in me, nor breath is left in me?  
Than again he in sight as a man, touched me, and made me strong:  
And said, fear not gracious man: peace be to thee, be strong, again, I say be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said: Let my Lord speak, for thou hast strengthened me.  
Than said he: Knowest thou 
b Even to show what shall befall thy people, as it was told vers. 14.  wherefore I am come unto thee? And now I will return to 
c A 120 years after this vision, great Alexander set on Asia. Now whereas Cyrus perished in the Scythian wars, soon after the hindrance of the Temple: and Cambysessone after by a wound in the thigh▪ given by himself against his will: and Darius Hystaspis lived but 43. Y. (in Ctesias) aged about 20. Y. at Tomyris and Cyrus war, and for ester's sake, had somewhat a longer reign, that Darius her son (by the jews) might be of some good years to help judah, when he reigned in Xerxes' absence, & still after: and Xerxes great army perished, to the astonishment of all the world: we must in all those affairs, look unto the Angel's speech: and consider the government of God, by the army of heaven for judah, termed the Army of heaven. And likewise for the kings that reigned after Darius, that built jerusalem: that they had somewhat better success: if we enter into the sanctuary of this vision, we may see what the counsel of God was touching them: and use heathen stories, for a commentary upon this place.  fight with the Prince of Paras: and when I am 
c A 120 years after this vision, great Alexander set on Asia. Now whereas Cyrus perished in the Scythian wars, soon after the hindrance of the Temple: and Cambysessone after by a wound in the thigh▪ given by himself against his will: and Darius Hystaspis lived but 43. Y. (in Ctesias) aged about 20. Y. at Tomyris and Cyrus war, and for ester's sake, had somewhat a longer reign, that Darius her son (by the jews) might be of some good years to help judah, when he reigned in Xerxes' absence, & still after: and Xerxes great army perished, to the astonishment of all the world: we must in all those affairs, look unto the Angel's speech: and consider the government of God, by the army of heaven for judah, termed the Army of heaven. And likewise for the kings that reigned after Darius, that built jerusalem: that they had somewhat better success: if we enter into the sanctuary of this vision, we may see what the counsel of God was touching them: and use heathen stories, for a commentary upon this place.  gone away, the Prince of javan cometh.  
But I will show thee what is written in the Scripture of truth. And there is none that strengtheneth himself with me in these things, but Michael 
d This attribute showeth who Michael must needs be holden: not a created angel: but the only Archangel, & the captain of the host of the Lord, the son of God, who thought it no robbery to be equal with God. And so much the name signifieth. Only Christ standeth for his church: which all the world seeketh to oppress.  your Prince.   

CHAP. 11. Gabriel giveth now an exposition of the matters figured by the Image: great, goodly, and tirrible: by the beasts that came out of the Sea: and by the other that battered at the river Vlai, in more particular sort, than the former three expositions of those three visions showed the matter: so that this is the seventh time, that the same nations are spoken off: thrice figured, and as often expounded afore. This speech teacheth of their particular dealings, in such plainness, as the Heathen afterwards penned their doings. He reckoneth how many kings of Persia shallbe soon cut off, or overthrown, for hindering the work of the Temple. Thence, he passeth over to great Alexander, and giveth an abridgement of all his stories: his arising, his fall, and his houses: of his four principal successors, of the many others lesser than they, of two the mightiest: whose families should all their time, both, claim the kingdom of judah: And he giveth an history aforehand of ten Kings, the ten horns of the fourth Beast: showing in them the rigour of the iron legs, and iron teeth: how not only they devoured judah in their taxes, and other yearly revenues, but trod it more down, by their continual camping in it, from both their chief kingdoms. And in Antiochus Epiphanes, the last instrument of wrath against the Holy covenant; he continueth a long speech, as he was chief to be looked unto: of his treacherous coming up in Syria, by poisoning his brother: of his preparing against Egypt (where by the way judah felt the beginning of the 2300. days oppression:) of his great success in his first voyage into Egypt: of the second, with bad success: and his vehementer rage against the Temple, by his return through judea: which rage held three years and an half: of a third voyage, wherein he spoiled Egypt exceedingly, and returned through judea to Elymais: and of his death by the hand of God. All these things are handled of him so particularly, that all the wise of those days might be confirmed to stand to the truth, seeing aforehand what should be their event: and all of all ages mark in whom the last visions of Daniel ended, that the prophecies might draw men unto Christ: and not beyond him, as the jews now adays would pervert his sayings, and turn them in most senseless wise against Christianity, and to their own eternal ruin. For all this, Heathen stories are for us sure witnesses, of the Angel's meaning.  

A repetition of Babel's fall.  
AND in the first year of Darius the Madaj, 
a So that by the Angel the golden head was broken to powder: by the petition of the watcher, the axe was laid to the root of the tree, & the Lion plucked, and Balshazar slain: that the Stones power might be known, and the highest might be seen to sit upon the fiery throne, with books open: and the hand writing might be perceived to come from God: and Michael to stand up. We are likewise to regard Christ a governor, through all these kings, that shall reign before the building up of the Temple. So this angelique oration, may be unto us as a book of the wars of God: even to call profane writers to the use of holy stories, and proof of the Gospel, which after these so many particulars, was in the set time to be showed.  I stood a strength and a fortress unto him.   

¶ Of 4. Persian kings, plagued for the Temple.  
And now I will tell thee the 
b That is, propriety of the visions of the Image & Beasts: which we may not expound, but according to the Angel's commentary: which standeth in matters so famous, that men out of the Church, will bring us stories most exactly agreeing with the Angels words: that our enemies may be good judges  truth. Yet 
c After Darius named afore, Cyrus, Artaxasta, or Artaxerxes called of the Greeks Cambyses: and Achashuerosh, that married Ester, called Darius, son of Hystaspis. To these three, the Persians gave these attributes: Cyrus was a father, Cambyses a master, Darius a whorder up. Herodot in Thalia  three kings stand up to Paras: and the 
d Xerxes, that received from Darius' great store, besides the yearly revenues. Aeschylus the Greek poet, in Persis a tragedy, made upon Xerxes' flight, bringeth in Atossa (that is) Adassa, talking of this great wealth & how God brought the Persian pride into a net, to spoil all their riches. So famous God would have every part of the Angel's oration: that the stages in Graecia might hear, how for some angering of God, that huge camp and that cloud of men, as Themistocles speaketh, in Heredot▪ was s●attered, beside all hope of men.  fourth shallbe far richer than they all: and through his strength by his riches, he shall 
a 
Daniel knew without any further telling, what would be the success, for hindering the Temples building from the fiery throne Chap. 7. and from the flaming eyes Chap. 10. even that they should feel the discomfiture of all their strength for that: and have their former kings soon cut off. How soon they were cut off, Herodotus and Ctesias will conclude that to us. For Herodotus maketh Darius Hystaspis to be aged about 20. years, when Cyrus prepared wars against Tomyris, and to die, 6. years before Xerxes entering into Graecia: and by Ctesias he lived but 43. years. So about 30. years after Cyrus' voyage, this story of the Persians fell out: and like the waters of sharp swift Tigris, the other kings days fled away.  What times of the Persians Gabriel passeth over. 
Soon after Xerxes' voyage, Darius a young king at home, furthereth the Temple's work, and acknowledgeth the hand of God to have paid Kings and people for their hindrance. Seeing his 20. toucheth the 49. for building jerusalem: as it was showed else where, his second falleth at 32. from the return. That jews and Gentiles may be found to agree for one purpose by several occasions. The Temple and religion had no further hindrance by the Persians: Wherefore the Angel passeth over all their times unto Alexander, years near 100 Ester, Ezra, Nehemiah, Aggai, and Zachari, show the further dealings of those years.   stir up all against the kingdom of javan.   

❧ Of Alexander, and his family.  
Afterwards a mighty 
b The belly of brass, the body of the Leopard: and the notable horn, Alexander the great: with all speed he conquered Asia, and would needs be made a God: upon the success, that he did what he listed. Of judea he required, that their dates should be taken from his reign: and all the Sacrificers sons borne that year, should be called Alexander's. Into Graecia he sent to be helden a God of them. And calisthenes the Philosopher, that dissuaded him from seeking that honour, was carried 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 stand up, and bear a great dominion, and do as he list.  
And when he standeth up, his 
c Arideus his brother, Philip's son, was made king in Macedonia: Olympias, Alexander's mother killed him: Cassander killed her, and poisoned Alexander's two sons, Hercules and Alexander, Paus. in Boeot. So Alexander's family was rooted out. He that will see further streams of fire, issuing from God's throne, upon all these families, how Cassander and his house fell, and how all the rest, shall find this most plentifully marked in Greeks, even to every one of his Macedonian Captains, how all their families perish, saving too: as God ordained afflicters of judah. Diodorus Siculus recordeth much of this, in his books 18.19.20. Appian, Pausanias, and Polybius parcels. Thus it was. After Alexander's death, his principal Captains agreed, that Alexander's brother Arridaeus, should be King, until his sons came to be elder: And Perdiccas should be Regent: and Seleucus in his office, Master of the Horse: an office next the highest. And by counsel, the Provinces were thus appointed: Ptolemy, should have Egypt: Laomedon, Syria: Phylotas, Lycia: Python, Media: Eumenes, Paphlagonia: Antigonus, Pamphylia, Lycia, and great Phrygia: Cassander, Caria, Meleager, Lydia: Leonnatus, Phrygia upon Hellespontus: Lysimachus, Thrace: Antipater, Macedonia: other provinces should continue with such as Alexander had placed in them. Hereupon, rivers of fire flamed from the Throne. Dan 7. and the spoilers spoil themselves. Perdiccas quickly killeth Meleager. Ptolemy settled in Eg●pt, killed the former incumbent Cleomenes, a friend to Perdiccas. Perdiccas cometh against him with all his power: is soon killed, beyond all man's expectation. Antipater is then Regent: and the partition altered, and Antigonus made Bishop (Episcopos) of Asia: and Seleucus Duke of Babylon. After this, Ptolemy also removeth Laomedon from Syria (and judea) and holdeth it. Philotas killed Python: he, and Eumenes are killed by Antigonus. Antipater died by old age: thereupon stirs in Macedonia root out Alexander's house, when Olympias killed Arrideus and Cassander, son to Antipater, killed both Alexander's children. Antigonus he grew mighty, and driveth Seleucus to flight, from Babylon to Egypt: and becometh so great, that in Persia he was holden void of all controversy, the Lord of Asia: he had rob Seleucus of Babylon, and wan Syria from Ptolemy, and subdued unto himself all from Media to Hellespontus. But Ptolemy recovered much of Syria again. He & Cassander ruling Macedonia in his father's room, and Ptolemy and Seleucus, make now the four heads of the Leopard, and the four notable HORNS. Lysimachus only of the small Dukes was least: he also joineth against Antigonus. Antigonus the principal of the four, prepareth against them, and driveth Ptolemies Garrisons from Syria, and Phoenicia or judea. Ptolemy sendeth Seleucus to Babylon: who recovereth his own Country: and Antigonus overcame Ptolemy by sea at Cyprus: where Demetrius his son is named a King, by the soldiers. Thereupon the rest also, are, of their soldiers, crowned. At the last, Antigonus is killed, and his Countries parted among the four Conquerors. Seleucus obtained Syria, from Euphratres unto the sea, and high Phrygia: And soon all thence to the river Indus. Here judea becometh litigious, in that Ptolemy had it, lost it, won it, and lost it again: and at ●he last it falleth by a kind of agreement, for the most part to Seleucus. Lysimachus after this was killed by Seleucus▪ App. in Syr. And Cassander's children were all killed. Paus. So, exactly and properly, two houses only remain of all Macedonians, that were soldiers with Alexander to be mighty in the world: the one in Babylon and the North parts, the other in Egypt. Further matters of these two houses, we may pursue upon occasion offered from the texts following.  kingdom shallbe broken, & shallbe divided toward the four winds of the heaven: and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he bore: For his kingdom shallbe plucked up, and be for others beside those.   

¶ Of the two legs, joined to the belly and sides. cha. 2. the two kingdoms which remained of Alexander's Princes: which make the fourth beast with ten horns.  
And the 
a Ptolemy Lagides the first HORN.  king of the 
b Egypt, named vers. 8. & 42. & 43. where Edom, Moab, and Ammon, joined together, help very much to keep the speech certain, of what men it was to be understood. The countries of Ptolemy Lagides are reckoned by the Poet Theocritus thus: Eidyl. 17. Egypt, Pheoenice, the Arabia's, Syria, Lybia, Ethiopia, Pamphylia, Cylicia, Lycia, Caria, the Cycladeses: the knowledge of this will help us for some speeches following in this prophet: and for Ezekiels 38. chapter.  South shallbe 
c Daniel should regard his strength principally, how it toucheth judah. And so it fell out. For Ptolemy soon after he held Egypt, invaded judea: and took jerusalem on a Sabbath, pretending friendship, and not hostility. Agatharchides Chius, and joseph. Antiquit. 12.  strong: and an 
d Seleucus Nicator, or, Conqueror: the second HORN.  other of 
e Alexander's, not Ptolemyes: though some take it so, the whole tenor of the speech will have it meant of a several kingdom, and not of Pto. Philadelphus. The Angel speaking to Daniel, knew that he would help himself by the matter, in all doubtful terms. And as I touched it afore, he was to speak somewhat darkly, for that jews safety.  his Princes, who shallbe 
f Even touching judea. For though Ptolemy won it from Laomedon, and often recovered it from Antigonus, yet in the last conquest over Antigonus, it was agreed upon, that Seleucus should hold Syria: as his house pleadeth in Polyb. book. 5.  stronger than he, and bear dominion. His dominion shallbe the 
g Seleucus had kingdoms underneath him 72. and was the greatest of all Alexander's successors. He was so strong, that when upon a time a Bull going to be sacrificed of Alexander, broke lose, he alone set upon him, and killed him with his hands, and no other weapon. Whereupon, he bore in his arms Horns. App. in Syriac. This heathens observation is not unfit to draw men further to consider: how from his house horns arise, in an other respect. He built cities through his whole kingdom: Sixteen Antiochias, after his father's name, and five Laodiceas, after his mother's name: nine after his own, Seleucias: four after his wives, three Apameas, and one Stratonicea. Now the most famous of them were the Seleuciae: the one upon the Sea (the middle Sea) and Seleucia upon Tig●is, and Laodiciea in Phoenicia (or the land of Is●ael) and Antiochia under mount Libanus, and Apamea of Syria. Other cities he termed by Grecian or Macedonian cities: or by his own works, or king Alexander's. Wherefore you shall find in Syria, and further many of Greek, 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 himself: Nicephorion in Mesopotamia▪ and Nicopolis in that Armenia which is next to Cappadocia. This heathen catalogue of Towns built by one man, is a condemnation of the Rabbins, that will not take notice, what king and kingdom must be meant by the Angel, in this place▪ Aben Ezra confesseth, that the king Gog is here meant: and it is their common grant (a● Kimchi showeth in many of the Psalms) that when the house of Gog is overthrown, the Messiah reigneth. Then let us examine Ezekiel with Daniel. Ezekiel chap. 38. nameth Gog, Magog, Meshec, Tubal, Gomer, Togarma: & the North quarters. Paras, Cush and Put, shall join with them. The Greeks there rightly speak, for Mosoch (as they read it) Tubal and Thorgam●▪ that the Nations about Pontus, Cappadocians, Galathians, Iberes and Armenians, are meant. For in those quarters, those sons of japhet left monuments in the names of Nations, Mountains, or Rivers: which argue who left them, with less change in consonantes and vowelles, than Strabo often complaineth that he findeth in Greek 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 God's goodness: 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 overthrown, the Lord would be glorified over all the earth. Now seeing the Seleucidae were greeks, and continued their strength by Greeks officers and armies: as also the Ptolemy's: by this means the Greek tongue spread long before over the west, bare sway also over the East & South. And when Romans, whose own proper language was Latin, had overrun all those dominions and spoke in all their government a strange language in Seleveus towns: all might know that Christ was to be borne soon after. And to this day the jews hold, that upon God's fall, Christ's coming aught to be: as Kimchi named by me above very often, and Rambam in More Nebuchim. Christians who make Ezekiel in Gog speak of things to fall out after the coming of Christ, unto the end of the world, have been a great furtherance of many jews eternal destruction: and entangling also much of this Chapter and their own ruin.  greatest dominion.   

Of the mixture of Iron and Clay, how the two parted Kingdom, the two legs; Dan. 2. joined in man's seed, and Marriages, cleaveth together as Iron and Clay: a daughter of the South king being given to the Northern.  
And at the end of 
a About 70. after Alexander's death.  certain years, 
b The Lagidae and the Seleucidae.  they shallbe joined together: and the king's 
c Bernice D. to Pt. Philadelphus.  daughter of the South, shall come to the king of the 
d Antiochus Theos, or the God: who had already a wife called Laodice, by whom he was poisoned: Berenice, by her sons killed with her child and all her train: & Philadelphus soon after this marriage, died.  North to make agreement. But she shall not retain the strength of the arm: Neither shall he stand and his arm. And she shall be given over, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and 
e The states of Asia, just. 27.  her strengthener, in those days.  
But an 
f Ptol. Euergetes.  imp from her roots shall stand up in his 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word not used afore.  place and he shall come against the army: & shall come into the force of the 
g Seleucus Callinicus.  king of the North, and deal against them, and win.  
And their Gods, with their 
h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnuowelled is either Idols, or else high states That maketh translator differ. And the allusion is pleasant: how the Angel comforteth juda, in that the Idolatrous are as the Idols with God: And extremely taunteth the superstition, of Magog or Hierapolis.  states, with their precious vessels of silver and gold, shall he carry into captivity into 
i The name of Egypt in a story of Alexander's successors, must needs cut off all controversy, touching the king of the North, and Magog: that none but Seleucidae can be the men. So that the very name Egypt being used here, in the story which all Heathen would presently acknowledge to set forth Ptolemie surnamed Euergetes, that is, Gracious Lord, for spoiling Syria, and again in the end of the Chapter. vers. 42. and 43. and in an history no less than a Prophecy of Antiochus Epiphanes king of Syria, spoiling Egypt: this one term might have kept both jews and Gentiles, from bringing the Romans or Turks to be meant here, in these stories, opening properly the Image, and the Beast. But as we bring the profane Empire into those sayings which are spoken of Antiochus Epiphanes: So the jews Raloag and Aben Ezra saw no reason why the continuers of the Empire, Constantine▪ and other Christians: and the Turk might not be brought in: If once men grant that these matters fall out in the last days: and not as reason required draw unto Christ his first coming. And because it is evident, that Christ was not to come, until these matters fell out: upon a false supposition borrowed from us, they continue a leprosy of the world. A sufficient preservative against which, the Angel left one word, even Egypt: using it once, twice, thrice. So one word spoken in due form, is like Apples of gold, and witty works of silver. Prou. 25.10.  Egypt. And he shall stand, years, above the king of the North.   

How Heathen that never knew Daniel record the event of this matter.  
THe Heathen for this story, as in my former of Greeks, must be my warrant. Thus it dependeth upon the friendship which was betwixt Ptolemie Lagides and Seleucus Nicator: who 
* Diodorus book 17.18.19.20.  joined help continually, to make themselves strong. Magas, son to Ptolemie Lagides, brother by mother also unto Pt. Philadelphus married the daughter of Antiochus Soter, son to Seleucus. He, undertaking wars against his brother Philadelphus, caused his father in law to break the league, which Seleucus and Lagides their two fathers made. Thereupon Philadelphus sendeth forces into Antiochus countries, 
Which falleth out after the death of Soter, and not long before the death of Philadelphus.  to busy him at home. This much Pausanias recordeth in Atticis. This breach wearying both sides, might well force them to seek a new atonement, which here the Angel telleth: and Appiane the profane writer, doth record for good divinity use, in these words in Syriac. After Seleucus, the first successor was Antiochus, surnamed Soter, that is, a Saviour: because he drove the 
* Brennus from Brittany and France then did war into the East.  French out of Asia: He married his stepmother Stratonice, like to die for love of her: the Physician Erasistratus told the father. Which matter is most famous in many Heathen writers: and among them infamous. And 2. Cor. 5. the H. Gh. seemeth to call his story into mind. Next, unto him was Antiochus begotten by that marriage, called of the Milesians Theos, the God, because he did put down their Tyrant Timark. This God was poisoned by his wife: two he had, Laodice, and Berenice, the DD. of Ptolemie Philadelphus. Laodice killed him, and after him Berenice, and an infant of Berenice's. In revenge of that, Ptolemie her brother, being then king, killeth Laodice, marcheth unto Syria, and unto Babylon: and now first the Parthians rebel, upon the stirs in the kingdom of the Seleucidae. 
Deut. 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  Thou all might see who is the true God, when the very enemies are sufficient judges. Foretell events without help, none but God can. Here an Angel from God foretelleth matter most fit for the Iron & Clay showed to Nebuchadnezar 68 years ago: and ●n heathen is an indifferent recorder of the event. And we see then who be the persons which the Angel speaketh off, what daughter, of a father king of Egypt, is married, and to what king of Syria, what success it had: and who being an imp from her roots revengeth her death, and invadeth the others kingdom: 
The not marking of this point hath postered all libraries with books giving strength unto jews and Turks, to make Christians thought senseless, and condemning their own selves: in far the greatest part of our own writings. The learned of late see it. The unlearned should not strive. To the legs of the Image these matters belong.  how they seek by marriages to make agreement: which cleaveth together no better, than Iron and Clay, but that the marier and marie●, die for it: and the killers with the killed, pay for their doings. These be most noble examples: to show the justice of the judge sitting upon a fiery Throne. He that married his father's wife: (which very marriage is most famous and infamous among the Heathen) first is troubled with wars for his own daughter: that his incestuous son is driven for peace, to marry unto the disturbance of all his kingdom: and admitting a title of God, dieth not a men, but by poisoning from his own wife. Of Seleucus Callinicus justine writeth▪ and bestoweth his ●7. B●oke to be a very fit Commentary for the story of this Prophecy, and for the justice of God's judgement. There Seleucus, through Laodice's pricking forward, beginneth his reign with the death of his stepmother Bernice, and her child Ptolemy her brother warreth: the Cities in Asia reu●●●. Seleucus' fleate wra●●: he scant saved his naked bodie● 〈◊〉 brother Antiochus banked for his kingdom, tell robbers killed him: Eumenes was much from him: Ptolemy, and the French spoiled him: He died by a fall off an house: so paying for his murder▪ This the Heathen noteth.  
So the king of the South shall come into the kingdom: and 
a If by sedition at home he had not been called home: he had easily won all the kingdom of Syria just. 27  return into his own land.   

Of Antiochus surnamed the Great .6. horn.  
But his 
b Seleucus Ceraunus and Antiochus the Great. Of them Appian Alexandreus wrote thus. After Theos, Seleucus the son of Theus and Laodice reigneth in Syria, surnamed Callinicus. After Seleucus, two sons of Seleucus: (either according to his age) Seleucus and Antiochus. Seleucus being weak and poor, & unable to rule his army, was poisoned by his friends, and reigned only two years. Antiochus was surnamed Megas, or the great: and reigned 37. years. These be the two kings which here be meant. And an heathen indifferent, even Appian showeth unto us why the Angel ●hould name them in the plural number: & soon turn ●o the singular. Polybius recordeth to the same effect: Book 4. in these words. Antiochus was the younger son of Seleucus Callinicus. He upon his father's death, when the kingdom came to his brother, at the first led a private life, in the higher part of the kingdom. Soon after, when his brother passed over the Mount Taurus with his forces, and was killed by guile, he obtained the kingdom: being than not past fifteen. Also for the time Polybius writeth thus. About one time Ptolemy left this life by sickness, & 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 kingdom of Assyria. This was by his account about 100 years after Alexander's death. These be thou are good co● enters for this, too as for all the rest.  sons shall war, and gather a multitude of great forces: And the one shall 
c Antiochus' continued voyages and overflowed with prosperous success. Now he was restored▪ a● the Angel telleth Polybius unwares expoundeth Daniel▪ Book .5. He showeth how Diodotus Lieutenant to Philopator in Coelesyria, (wherein judea is) evil recompensed for good service, agreed with Antiochus to yield unto him the Cities in Coelesyria. He willingly accepted that hope: and the matter was put in speedy execution. By the way he won Seleucus his ancestors strongest hold, situated betwixt Cilicia and Phoenicia, upon the sea that is betwixt Cyprus and Phoenicia, which Euergetes wan from his father, and Philopator held. Presently Diodotus sent him word, that he held Ptolemais himself for him, and Tyrus by one Panaetolus. One Nicolaus from Philopator besieged Diodotus: but Antiochus camp raised the siege, & won both Towns well furnished for wars. Then lesser towns yielded without resistance. When Ptolemy openly betrayed, neither could, nor sought to help. So Antiochus recovered the most places of Syria and Phoenicia.  continue voyages, and overflow and overrun, & shallbe restored, and shall war at the others fortress.   

Of the great Armies of Antiochus and Ptolemy Philopator.  
Polybius recordeth, how Antiochus was put in hazard for all his kingdom beyond Taurus, by Molon & Alexander two brethren, who despising his young years, meant to have hold all. Christian's must mark, that God will have his word true besides man's hope. His elder brother Sel. Cerannus was soon dispatched. But that God's word may be clear: the other finding his own mightiest servants rebels: God, beside his hope, doth bring them to horrible kill of themselves, & hath his enemies (as Theodotus above named) mightiest traitors for him: he represseth (being a child) his home enemies: and also beside hope, prevaileth by his foreign: so far as God had foretold. But when so much is accomplished, then as far again beyond man's expectation, God poiseth the balance to the other side. Ptolemy Philopator fled to Memphis his chief strength. Agathocles and Sosibius, his chief governors and counsellors, had no better hope of safety, then to seek delay by sending Ambassadors for peace: and stirred the Rhodians, Byzantians, Cyzicens, and Actolos to do the same. Whence when they came to both kings, they found opportunity for Ptolemy to prepare all things needful for wars. Captains of Greeks of best fame, and of all sor●●● are obtained. Soldiers from other bands called unto this service, are daily practised for all chivalry: and the Ambassadors from Antiochus unto Ptolemy are ●n Memphis most gently entertained: but see not what preparation he maketh in Alexandria. Antiochus having obtained the most part of Syria and Phoenicia, had no great care to practise his Army: but thought, that he should without war have the rest to yield: and that Ptolemy durst never now hazard his whole estate. In this hope he thought to match Ptolemies Ambassadors, who came to him unto Seleucia, as much by pretence of justice, as by strength. 

Here we may see how the counsel of God is brought about in man's confusion: that judaea should be still vexed, betwixt two kingdoms mighty North and South: & the legs of daniel's Image bear a proportion from him which proportioned all the earth.  
This particular naming of places near judaea may serve to many good purposes, beside the present argument of showing what special care the gracious goodness of God had, for to make these matters clear which might allure all the world unto Christ.   Antiochus said, that his surprising of Seleucia was no injury unto Ptolemie: because those quarters were won from Antigonus Monophthalmus by Ptolemies help for Seleucus, not for himself: and that then also Coele Syria by agreement was granted unto Seleucus, that Ptolemy warred for Seleucus, and not for himself: and that this was the common grant of all the Kings. When Cassander, Lysimachus, Seleucus overcame Antigonus, they swore that Coele Syria should belong to Seleucus. The Ambassador, from Ptolemy spoke for their side, of great Leage-breach, of Theodotus treason, of Antiochus invasion of Ptolemy Lagides possessions: saying, that Lagides helped Seleucus upon this condition, that Seleucus should have Asia, and he should hold Coele Syria and Phoenicia to himself: but after long debuting nothing was concluded: and thereupon Antiochus prepared to win the rest of Syria. But Gaza is fortified by Ptolemy. Sundry towns Polybius reckoneth that he conquered: Through he cometh to Berytos, recovering Botrys and Theou Prosopon. He burned Trieris and Calamus by the way. Of Sidon he miss: but wan Philoteria set upon jordan. Thence he cometh to Atabyrion, (Tabor) on a Mountain fifteen furlongs high, and surpriseth it. There Hippolochus a Thessalian falleth unto him from Philopator, to his great encouragement, having four 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 pains: & thereupon Rabat Aman, where, companies that shrunk unto him, he sent to keep the quarters of Samaria. All this Polybius recordeth, that we may look unto the Angel's words, how he should prosper, so far as the Angel said: Make voyages, and overflow, and recover his father's losses: and come even unto the fortress of Egygt, to fight with the King of the South, at his own Fortress at Raphia: Of which town Strabo speaketh thus; Beyond Gaza standeth 
* In th'Arab. Geogr. it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: that is, standing high after the Arab. is the fittest notation.  Raphia, where the field was fought between Ptolemy the fourth, and Antiochus the great. Then Rinocolura, Syrbonis, and other parts of Egypt. So famous God would have the Angels term here of Fortress to be.   

Of Ptolemy Philopator, and his Army gotten to be great, against Antiochus the great: after which victory he is a seventh Horn to judah.  
And the king of the South shall 
* The Angel useth daniel's term, Cham 8.7. spoken no elsewhere, showing his notice, reverence, and love to Daniel.  deal fiercely, and 
d Polybius living with Scipio the noble warrior in this age recordeth this war, in more particulars, than Penelope saw the description of the Trojan: where was Simois, where Priamus' palace, where Achilles, where Ulysses' tents: and all other affairs. He describeth Raphia where they fought: how it is the next City to Egypt after Rinocolura: and near Gaza. He reckoneth the chieftains, of what nation they were: what companies, and what nations they had under them: of what number, as Ptolemies footmen 70000. Horse 5000. Elephants 73. Antiochus' footmen 62000. Horse 6000. Elephants 102. Also he telleth all the fight: where at the last, beyond all hope, Philopater hath a great victory, and such an hand over Antiochus, that if he could have pursued with courage, he might have spoiled him of his kingdom. The 12. v. may well contain the pride of Philopater against God, and destruction of the jews: handled Mach. 3. And as well may be applied unto the greatness of his victory, and licentiousness thereupon: which justine book 30. doth note to have been the beginning of the decay of his court. Also Polybius noteth, that Cleomenes king of Spar●, being with him a prisoner, seeing his behaviour, upon advantage slew 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 given into his hand.  
And that multitude shallbe overthrown: and his heart will be haughty: and having cast down tens of thousands, yet he shall not be of force.  
For the king of the North shall again 
e All these matters may best be handled together: proceeding in one tenor of victories. We may see here most lively how judaea is wasted by the fourth beast, which hath teeth of iron & steely weapons: & how it treadeth under foot that which it doth not eat. joseph. Ant. 12.3. toucheth the most of all this. How Antiochus wan judea: how after philopater's death, Antiochus Epiphanes sent Scopas into Syria, who recovered many towns, and by wars overcame judea: how Antiochus not long after overcame Scopas, & destroyed a great part of his army: how the jews yielded unto him willingly: and holp him to besiege Ptolemies garrisons which held the castle. For all this, Polybius book 16. is cited of josephus, that the heathen still may be judges of Daniel. Also he recordeth the placing of his daughter Cleopatra to Ptolemy Epiphanes: yielding unto him Coele Syria, Samaria, judea & Phoenicia, in the name of a dowry. Moreover he recordeth what favour he showed unto the jews for their willingness of subjection, and affording victuals unto his army: how he restored jerusalem, left almost void of men (so it was wasted by his armies afore, and wars of contrary victors) and how he granted many immunities for the Citizens and the Priests. All this from the very Decree of Antiochus. Moreover he touched Lydia & Phrygia reigned by Antiochus: and how from Mesopotamia and Babylonia he removed thither 2000 families of jews: as the most trusty of all his subjects, & fittest to repress all stirs there that the Lagidae made upon loss of those countries. And for proof of his narration he bringeth an whole Epistle of Antiochus written to his General Zeuxis. That record testifieth how many jews resisted the king of the North. Now touching them which were carried away by philopater's allurements, to be lawless, and to forsake religion, Antiochus Decree granting all judah their own laws, containeth also in effect the rooting out of the other: and plain reason would tell that judah would stir him unto that. Their allurements from religion is touched. Machab. 3. how the king of Egypt enticed Jews unto Atheism. Appian also in his Syriaques toucheth much of this: how Antiochus wan from Ptolemy, Syria and Cilicia: and came with an exceeding great army: how he pretended the giving of his daughter in marriage to Ptolemy: and yet thought to have invaded Egypt: and missing of that hope gave to Ptolemy his daughter, and Syria in dowry. This much the heathen knew. The Angel telleth even his heart and counsel: that by his daughter he thought to have dispatched Ptolemy Philometor: and noteth his dullness: how when he meant to dispatch the other, his action tended rather to destroy her. But that she took another safer course. Also for the Isles, that is Greeks countries, and the beginning of falling out with the Romans Appian doth record that. He nameth Hellesponteos, Aeoleas, jonas, Phocaea, Euboia, Delos, Samos, conquered by him: and also his going over unto Thrace. And how Smyrnaei with Lampsaceni and other● resisting him, sent Ambassadors unto the Roman Proconsul: who debated the matter with Antiochus, why he should come from Media to Hellespontus with so great an army: and why he took Syria and Cilicia from Ptolemie: how after many other Ambassages, nothing toward peace falling out, & Antiochus reigning over many and mighty nations set upon the sea coasts, and Romans being killed and captived in Delos, the Roman wars broke out▪ and Lucius Scipio the Consul●s ordained General: The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or state here named: To whom the famous warrior Scipio Africanus the first is joined an assistant. Now Annibal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, his adversary, the Carthaginian was with Antiochus: yet that God's counsel might stand, he could not rule Antiochus with his best counsels, to have invaded Italy and have wasted it: as Annibal had done. But in Graecia he fought, and upon small losses he fled: void of all counsel, leaving strong holds full of treasure, armour, and victuals whole for the enemy; still complaining that God was against him: and dealing as one from whom: God had taken away all judgement. He sought after this peace with great offers: but liked not of refusal, and fought again, and was put to extreme shame, as the Angel here doth term it. These were the conditions. That he should relinquish all Europe, and all Asia, unto the Mount, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, called so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by the greatness, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Which name showeth the East tongues much alike: through the East it reached. He might not come further West: besides he should yield up all his Elephants: and so many ships as he should be commanded: should give twenty hostages such as the General should prescribe, and for the charges of the wars forthwith 500 Euboica Talents, and in 12. years twelve hundredth, by equal yearly portions, and restore all captives. These conditions of shame he was feign to take. And among the pledges Antiochus his son was one: who, being of as bad disposition as an Antichrist, starteth hereafter from Rome to be over the people of God: that we should less marvel, when the like should arise there again. Appian recordeth these matters for Greeks: Livy, more at large for the countries of Latin studies: and justine for children: that if we had applied these stories of Cleopatra's marriage in Egypt, and Berenice's into Syria, Assyria, or Babylonia, we might see the legs of daniel's Image expounded: and when we marked such sedition springing hence that overthrew both kingdoms, and the chiefest here handled and all written even of heathen, we might see how sure daniel's words are: who saw, that as iron could not be mixed with clay, so these affinities of one Macedonian kindred should never hold sure atonement.  set forth a greater multitude than the former. And at the end of times (that is, years) he shall come often with a mighty army and great riches.  
Wherefore in those times many shall stand against the king of the South. But the lawless children of thy people will be carried away, at the stablishing of the vision, and shall come to nothing.  
And the king of the North shall come and cast up mounts, and shall surprise any the strongest town: & the arms 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 kingdom, pretending matter of agreement: which he shall bring about. For he shall give him a daughter of women, even as to destroy her. But she will not stand: I mean, she will not be for him.  
And he shall turn his face unto the 
† So in Gen. 10. the countries of Graecia all about Hellespont, are termed: as Daniel knew & heathen should not know.  Isles, and take many. But a state shall make his shame rest on himself: without his own shame he shall pay him again.   

The death of Antiochus the great.  
And he shall turn his face unto the forts of his own land: but he 
f justin. b. 32. showeth that Antiochus being priest by the Romans with an heavy tribute, either for covetousness or for necessity, as he went to spoil a temple Dindymei iovis, he was killed. Strabo an ancienter, speaketh more likely: that going about to rob a temple of Bel in Elam, the nation did set upon him and killed him. The Angel telleth that his ruin should be in his own land. Now the Angel's speech: He shallbe no more found: that, toucheth the manner of his death: as he was killed by a tumult Barbarian in sacrilege: and left void of all glory. Thus the sixth horn was broken: as the seventh Ptolemie Philopator by Cleomenes. Polyb. 5.  shallbe overthrown and fall, and be no more found.   

Of Seleuc. Philopator, the 9 Horn.  
Then shall stand up in his 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. am or steed, the Angels term, new, but plain in form.  place, a sender forth of an extortioner: in the honour of the kingdom. But he shallbe broken within few days: yet not in open anger nor in battle.   

Of Antiochus Epiphanes the 10. horn, in whom the iron of the Syriac leg doth end, and on whom the rest of Daniel goeth: how he is a little horn, a plucker away of three before him: of his 
* Seleveus Philopater loved his father's steps of Church-robbing. jason of Cyren abridged by him which wrote the second of the Maccabees, showeth how Seleucus would have rob the Temple of jerusalem. Although that book is full of Rabbique tricks, and hath some openly talmudical, 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 use heathen even fables for substance of a narration, though covered with light stuff: we may cite that author for so much: hearing from God by heathen what Seleucus would be. His poisoning is here described: a breaking, not by face to face, not by wars. So close guile, as poisoning must be the third kind. Appian in Syriaques showeth all: thus, When Antiochus the Great was dead, Seleucus' his son succeeded. And he did set free his brother Antiochus from the Romans hostage, yielding his son Demetrius in am of him. Now when Antiochus returned from hostage, and was about Athens, Seleucus dieth by the treachery of one Heliodorus that was about him. That Heliodorus usurped the reign: but Eumenes and Attalus remove him: and settle Antiochus in it, winning that man's favour: being now upon offences in suspicion of the Romans. And so Antiochus the son of Antiochus the great obtained the reign of Syria. He had his surname Epiphanes, because the kingdom being catched at by others, he cometh to be seen their king. Mark how the Angel touched all these matters and more.  brother (by Heliodorus sleight, though he after would have reigned,) of his brother's son, and of his sister Cleopatra's son: and how he had eyes like a private man: and a mouth speaking presumptuous things.  
In his place there shall 
g Here six years story is comprised: how Antiochus was vile as an hostage & prisoner, but viler for his manners▪ called therefore Epimanes, witless, of Polybius in Athenaeus: in whom his manners are noted to be strange: part of them shall be here laid down. He would (saith Polybius) sometimes steal out of the Court from his servants, into any part of the city, and be a second or a third in any company: often found in golddsmithes' shops, and a companion with the common sort, and the basest strangers that came to town: & when he should perceive any youths minding a drinking together, he would steal upon them, with his pot and Music: that the most part would for the strangeness leave the company. Also oftentimes casting off his royal robes, he would walk in a gown in the courts, craving an office, and taking one by the hand, embracing another, he would desire them to give him a voice: sometimes that he might be Steward of the market: sometimes Sheriff: and obtaining his office he would sit in an ivory chair, after the Romans manner, and hear the market bargains with great sadness: whereby the better sort could not tell what to think of him: some thought him very simple: some others stark mad. Likewise in his gifts he was no wiser. He would give some, dise, some, dates, some gold: & meeting some whom he never saw afore, he would bestow upon them unhoped rewards: in sacrifices and honouring the God, he passed all that have reigned. The Olympeion of Athens, and the huge image at Delos altar show that. He used to wash him in the common baths, full of the basest sorts: and had tankards of the dearest ointments carried in for him. Where when a certain man said: Happy are you Kings, which use such sweet sentes: he said nothing then, but on the morrow, as the other was bathing himself, he came upon him, and caused a very great pot of the dearest ointment stacte, to be powered on his head, that all standing by tumbled in ointment: & some falling down for the slipperiness caused laughter, as did the King himself. What infinite thousands of pounds he bestowed on a Triumph, having heard of Paulus Aemylius the Roman General, it would be too long to tell. That fell out when he had spoiled Egypt, in his last voyage. And this of Polybius will serve, to show his spoiling nature here touched. How he came by his kingdom, and was able to overflow. Appian above showed that, even by two wealthy kings helps. His pretence of right was the society made with his brother: who (I think) is here named the Prince of the covenant, or agreement. To mean it of Ptolemy Philometor who reigned first six years after him, it may be thought somewhat harder. The spoiling and robbing of his own country, may well be understood to be for Attalus and Eumenes armies that made him king against the states will: who denied him the honour of the kingdoms. He began to reign in. 137 of the Greeks. 1. Mach. Which account must be taken from Alexander's death and not begin 14 years later: where men imagine, that because then Alexander's family was utterly rooted out, & the Captains were called first kings, they fixed their date. For if Claudius Ptolemie say true, that from the first of Nabonassar 424. Alexander died, & the seventh of Philometor is thence 574. The first of Philometor being at 142. after Alexander's death, his seventh should be at Antiochus his first, and so he could not be set upon by Antiochus. This showeth what uncertainty heathen have in their supposed exquisite particulars. And herein Codoman deserveth praises for amending the common error from Greeks: as we expound them. Likewise the Romans records for Paulus Aemilius go hard, whose triumph falleth after Antiochus' death by the former reckonings. My partner Beroaldus herein twice followed the common error, which by the way I was to amend.  stand up a vile person: to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come quietly, and get the kingdom by subtleties.  
And by arms overthrowing they shallbe overthrown before him, and shallbe broken, as also the 
* Seleveus Philopater loved his father's steps of Church-robbing. jason of Cyren abridged by him which wrote the second of the Maccabees, showeth how Seleucus would have rob the Temple of jerusalem. Although that book is full of Rabbique tricks, and hath some openly talmudical, 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 use heathen even fables for substance of a narration, though covered with light stuff: we may cite that author for so much: hearing from God by heathen what Seleucus would be. His poisoning is here described: a breaking, not by face to face, not by wars. So close guile, as poisoning must be the third kind. Appian in Syriaques showeth all: thus, When Antiochus the Great was dead, Seleucus' his son succeeded. And he did set free his brother Antiochus from the Romans hostage, yielding his son Demetrius in am of him. Now when Antiochus returned from hostage, and was about Athens, Seleucus dieth by the treachery of one Heliodorus that was about him. That Heliodorus usurped the reign: but Eumenes and Attalus remove him: and settle Antiochus in it, winning that man's favour: being now upon offences in suspicion of the Romans. And so Antiochus the son of Antiochus the great obtained the reign of Syria. He had his surname Epiphanes, because the kingdom being catched at by others, he cometh to be seen their king. Mark how the Angel touched all these matters and more.  Prince of the covenant.  
Through the joining together with whom, he shall work deceitfully: and shall come up and overcome with a small people.  
Unto a quiet state, and unto the fatness of the country shall he come: and he shall do that which his fathers have not done: nor his father's fathers: he shall spoil and rob: and scatter riches among them: also he shall forecast devices against the strong holds: and this for a good while.   

The dealings of Antiochus Epiphanes touching Ptolemie Philometor and judah: whence the troubles of juda. 1. Mach. begin.  
Also he 
h With Antiochus' dealings against Egypt his doings against judaea fall out. it he was to take still in his way. His invasion of Egypt is handled in Livy book. 45. How he pretended to help there one brother against the other, (two Ptolemies they were:) and won all Egypt 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 thank him but only for a fashion for all his help: here it is told. The brethren agreed: Antiochus returned with a fleet by sea, and camp by land into Egypt, and requireth Cyprus to be granted him, with Pelusium and the soil about it. Ptolemie craveth the Romans aid: who then had their fleet near, Popilius is sent with letters from the Roman state commanding Antiochus to departed from Egypt: the king taking the letters said he would consult upon an answer: Then Popilius draweth a circle about him with his staff, and biddeth him consult within that. He was fain to yield, though it grieved him to the heart. Ptolemie thanketh the Romans as having his kingdom by their favour: and Antiochus likewese sendeth to Rome word that they shall in all things command him. So we see how these legs draw now to be clay like: and how the little horn hath broken once three horns, his brother, his son Demetrius and his sister's son king of Egypt, whereby the marriages make iron to be clay.  shall stirre-up his strength and his heart against the king of the South, with a great army: and the king of the South shall combat in war with an army very great and strong: But he shall not stand, because they will cast devices for him.  
And they that eat 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used Daniel 1. only and here.  the portion of his meat shall break him: and the other army shall overflow, and many slain shall fall.  
And both the king's hearts shallbe set on mischief: & at one table leasing will they speak: But it shall not prosper: for the end is yet to come at a set time.  
And he shall return into his land with great riches: And shall set his heart against the holy covenant: and practise, and prevail, and return into his own land.  
And at a set time he shall come again into the South: but it shall not be as the former, and as a later voyage.  
For ships of Chittim shall come against him: wherefore he shall fret, yet return, and fume against the holy covenant: and practise, and return and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.  
And arms shall stand on his part, which shall pollute the Sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the continual sacrifice, & they shall set up their loathsome faithless worker of desolation.   

The dealing of Antiochus against judaea.  
I Think it good to touch briefly all Antiochus dealings against judaea here together: which are contained vers. 28. and from vers. 30. unto vers. 40. wholly. Thus it standeth: at his going to Egypt he dealt with the jews that forsake God's Law: and there begin the days 2300. in the 142. since Alexander's death. In 143. he returneth and dealeth in open cruelty: then he had further intelligence with them than forsake thet holy covenant. This is plentifully handled in 1. M●ch. 1. vers. 23. how he polluted and rob the temple. After two full years. 145. of the Greeks. jason a mischievous dealer against the holy covenant with 1000 men did set upon jerusalem, and made great slaughter, sparing none. Now Antiochus returning, from Egypt, and knowing this, thought that the nation would rebel, and minded to weaken them more. 2. Mach. 5.11. He surprised the holy City, having Menelaus his leader: who most wickedly forsook the holy covenant: he destroyed 80000. in three days some slain: some sold: and he charged that no age nor sex should be spared: and such as fled unto the hous-toppes should be killed cruelly. So young and old, men and women, boys, girls and infants were slain. This the Angel foretold, that they should fall, by sword, fire, captivity, spoils, & he should not regard the tenderness of woman. Now touching Antiochus dealings over Religions, which the Angel termeth, against every God, and which phrase S. Paul translateth: against all that is called God or worship, and how he exalteth himself against the God of Gods: Polybius toucheth the former, and the books of Maccabees the later. Thus Polybius in Athenaeus writeth: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. In sacrifices and honours about Gods he surmounted all that ever reigned: Olympieum in Athens: and the huge Images at Delos altar, argue that. The profane Polybius might think of his Religion's vehemency for the urging, which was for the jews, unto it: which must be countenanced with great charges. And concerning his exalting of himself against God for all the Law, days 2300. for the temple, jerusalem, and God's people with torments and death three years and an half, the Maccabees show that: whither, once for all I refer the reader. There it will appear how he did set his heart against the holy covenant: how he had intelligence with the forsakers of the holy covenant, jason, Menelaus and such which were come to the fullness of sin: how he by great promises alured to mischief the covenant, and much prevailed: how he advanced in honour heathen whom he favoured to rule the many in juda, and parted the land into a gain, how arms from his polluted the Sanctuary with banqueting, harlots and Idolatrous sacrifices; and inhibited all Moses Religion: and required practise of his heathen, and punished the refusers, many days by sword, flame, captivity, spoil: how the Maccabees were helped with little help: how the teachers by all good example, and givers of true knowledge in holy covenant were overthrown: As Eleazar their old Scribe, with his most grave oration: and the seven brethren, who handled this Angel's oration most divinely: all these matters may thence be fetched. And specially how he never was moved with the tenderness of women, but tormented them, against all nation's humanity, for their laws: that is often and much recorded. But touching his own concubines, Tarsenses and Malleotae rebel, (by Theodoret) for that their towns were given to queans allowance. Now for the God of all might, how in his place he honoureth, yea a God he honoureth whom his fathers knew not, jupiter Olympius, and causeth the forces of the God of all might to have a strange God, and maintained by Apollonius the author of abominations, the most loathsome infidels as the loathsome beasts in Leviticus and soldiers working desolation: these points all together may be fetched better from the Maccabees than here mixed. The Angel was here to take special heed that his phrases should be dark for heathen, and clear for them that knew the Hebrew Prophets style. In opening of them a, speech somewhat long must come in after their translation.  
And the wicked dealers against the covenant he shall make profane by guile: but the people that know their God shall 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  lay hold and practise.  
And the teachers among the people shall give instruction to many: who shall be overthrown by sword and by flame, by captivity and by spoil many days.  
And when they are overthrown, they shallbe helped with a little help: But many shall join unto them feignedly.  
And some of the teachers shallbe overthrown, to be tried, and to be purged, and to be whited, unto the times end. For the set time is 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 24 6.5. Is a most oratorious exposition of the phrase.  yet to come.  
And the king shall do what he list: and exalt himself, and magnify himself above all (
† 2. Thess. 2 4. Translateth this better than man's wit would.  that is called) God: and against the God of Gods shall he speak 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 2. Pet. 2.  swelling things, and prosper until the anger be finished: for a severe judgement is to be executed.  
And unto the Gods of his fathers will he have no regard: likewise unto the tenderness of women, or unto any God he will have no regard, but will magnify himself above all.  
As for the God 
* The Angel to Daniel or jere. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is plain, which term is for God: & not an Idol. jere. 16.19. He of purpose useth all hard terms? What could be hard unto a learned Hebrew and who would let enemies know his mind.  almighty: in his place he will honour; yea a God whom his fathers knew not will he honour, with gold & with silver, and with precious stones and with jewels.  
So he shall deal that the forces of the almighty shall have a strange God. Whom he favoureth he shall greatly advance and make them rulers over 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 shall 
* as chap. 8. ●.  push at him: & the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind with chariot, & horses and ships many: and shall come through countries, and flow and pass over.  
Also he shall come into the 
Ezek. 20.  Tzeby land: and many lands shallbe overthrown. But these shallbe safe from his hand: Edom and Moab and the chief of the sons of Ammon.  
Also he shall stretch forth his hand over countries: specially the land of Egypt shall not escape.  
But he shall have power over the hid treasure of gold and silver, and over all the jewels of Egypt: and Lubin and Cushim shallbe with his passages.   

How Antiochus bestowed the spoils of Egypt and of other countries, as Polybius in Atheneus recordeth, as a witness unto the holy Angel.  
I Think good to lay down here Polybius words touching Antiochus, who came up poorly, and saw his father distressed and his brother likewise, when both were forced to Church-robbing. The sum is this, that he bestowed infinite cost upon a triumph to imitate Paulus Aemilius: having gotten the wealth by spoiling young Philometor, and breaking league with him: by the contributions of his friends: and by robbing most Churches. Wherein he would manifestly be above every God. The learned will best like the authors own words: neither can our tongue so well express them. Thus Athenae●s bringeth Polybius words.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
This record I hold much worth, seeing it agreeth so fitly with the robbing of Egypt: and also might well be the cause of his necessity (proceeding from prodigality) to spoil the temple of Persepolis mentioned. 2. Mach. 9 
* The Romans can not be held any of daniel's four kingdoms.  An old opinion that the Romans are one of the four kingdoms in Daniel, made men draw them as enemies to God's people into this oration. They are in the comers with ships from 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moses phrase Num. 24. used here, made Daniel know by like revolutions: that the Romans hear arising should afflict: as these four kingdoms: and hold on unto the end: and he knew that they should be the killers of Christ.  Chittun indeed: & therein Daniel remembering Balaam, knew that hence the Romans might should increase: to afflict Assur and Eber, whose chief Christ was, and that they should hold-on unto the end: and specially be the loathsome infidels which should destroy jerusalem. But the Romans dealt not against the holy Jews laws of Religion, which matter here was to be handled: nor meddled with the jews till the nation by sedition called for them: and God's severity was not to give them comfort touching ill called for, by their own looseness, but against such as by force continued the withholding of their kingdom: And no word here will agree with the Romans: unless we dare make Scripture a nose of wax. The jews indeed since the days of Methargem jerusalemy would have the Romans meant, one of daniel's four kingdoms: and yet themselves the only nation blessed. Eusebius and other Christians would draw the Romans in, but would also have heathen Christians to be afflicted here; So the Angel is made to speak in the clouds, and all gracious Daniel sealed up, as unexplicable: and the stories drawn beyond Christ, afore they reach near unto him, and jews hardened, and Christianity weakened, and all Libraries pestered with errors of infinite confusion. And unless we be content to rovoke our erroneous notes for the Romans in Daniel. chap. 2.7. and here, 11. and likewise for Ezek. 38. and a little upon Zacharie 6. for the four Monarchies, we shall do ourselves great injury: and break the law which forbiddeth to lay a stumbling block afore the blind: and, I fear, be counted of small conscience in Religion. He that would willingly continue an error to disturbance of the Bible, is no better affected then those four beasts that go into the river of burning fire. Herein Printers should specially show conscience, that their actions continue not error for gain, after blame just and profitable.   

Of Antiochus Parthian war and breaking without hand, chap. 8. and casting into the fire, chap. 7.  
But 
* The blasphemer of Christians Cornelius Tacitus, commending this Antiochus, saith, that if he had not been hindered by the Parthian wars, he had drawn the jews from their (as the blasphemer spoke) barbarous superstition. As the testimony of Satan is cited in the Gospel, so may his be hither, for this. Florus in Liuies abridgement LIX doth touch the war of Anthiochus king of Syria and Phraates the Parthian. But Tacitus cometh near the words: To destroy and sack many. Who the many be, the next verse doth show: they that dwell between seas at holy mount Tzeby. Now Tzeby used vers. 16. and chap. 8.9▪ in daniel's own phrase, from Ezek. 20. was a plain designation of judaea. Moreover the Babylonian term of a court Aphadno should argue a Babylonian king. The term hard to Greeks, and plainest to Jews, and fittest for the matter, to teach and save them from harm, that here beareth a sweet grace in it. Moreover the phrase planting of the tents of his court is most fit for Antiochus: who chase at judas Machabaeus prosperities, stayed half his army and his son with Lysias ruler of all from Euphrates unto Egypt: to have destroyed jerusalem, and the jews memory utterly. Now the coming to his end is plain, that of one man, not of a Roman aristocraty all must be understood: and the breaking without hand, touched in chap. 8. is in effect the same here: where all man's help is removed, and sickness from God's hand is closely meant. 1. Mach. 3. and 6. the 2. Mach. chap. 9, clear this. And now we are come unto the end of wrath. The Angel touched Babel's fall: the Persians punishment in Xerxes' camp, the speedy coming up of Alexander, his pride, death and rooting out of his house: his four chief: their reduction unto a couple, their place in North and South: their falling out and seeking agreement by marriages: and what ten afflicted judah 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 daniel's difficulties are opened by himself: and for Antiochus Epiphanes he writeth rather a story than a prophecy. Observations more, touching the afflictions, for comfort be added, with explications, but no new Prince's matters.  tidings shall trouble him from the East, and from the North: and he shall go forth with great heat to destroy and sack many.  
And he shall plant the tents of his 
a Eb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Babylonian term, often used in the Babylonian Talmud. The Greek kept it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  court between seas at holy mount Tzeby: and he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.    

CHAP. 12. A further explication of the afflictions under Antiochus Epiphanes: and notes upon the whole oration.  
ANd at that 
The name is in jud. 9 and Apoo. 12.7.  time shall stand up 
* When Antiochus going to war against Parthia leaveth Lysias behind him, to have rooted out the jews: then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Michael, that is, he who is in the form of God and holdeth it no robbery to be equal with God, even the Angel of the covenant, shall stand in the jews defence.  Michael the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy 
* The term of daniel's people in this place must needs mean the jews: and here their troubles for Religion, not the heathen Christians affliction must be understood.  people: 
* Now it is evident that the holy Jews nation were never tormented for true Religion through their whole state, but under Antiochus Epiphanes. Therefore it is clear, that the Angel spoke here of those days. And this one speech might have 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 shallbe a time of trouble; such as hath not been, since there began a nation, unto that time and at that time thy 
* 
The pronouncing of Jews salvation in troubles and suffering persecution, maketh the cause yet plainer, and every argument here should be reckoned of high price, specially the end of afflictions, that they bring us unto salvation: through which afflictions, all must go, who will live godly in Christ, as they are chosen of eternity unto this state. This term of book, from Moses and book of life, Philip. 4▪ 3. Apoc. 3 5.13.8.20.15. all these are chained with references of the later unto the former: and that of Moses is expounded in the verse following, with open, clear and proper naming of the resurrection: in Moses properly never named, but taught by strong consequences: as in telling that the earth was cursed, unable to afford blessedness here: in showing enoch's years and taking away (into paradise,) as the Arabic translation of Hebrew 11. hath for the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Also in Abraham, Isaac, jacob and Sarah, who being pilgrims and strangers in Chanaan, without all purpose of returning to Mesopotamia, professed that they looked for a City whereof God was the builder.  
When the Eternal Angel jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaak and jacob containeth in describing of himself the gift of life to those patriarchs, by reason that he is the God of the living and not of the dead, the doctrine of life Eternal is sure: but so taught that profane 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 containeth the resurrection: and the best meaning that can be grounded by Religion and propriety upon God's words, that is the right meaning. The hebrews upon Leviticus 26. render a great reason why Moses never nameth life Eternal, nor death Eternal plainly: but the general term LIFE signifieth the one: and so by death meaneth the other: and for keeping the law, promiseth, corn, wine, peace, victories, many children: and containeth not life eternal but under a covering, thus: My tabernacle shallbe amongst 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: weighty matter do they bring of Moses counsel. When the law was given scant any were in the world who believed that God was▪ & made the world, and ruled it. Where if open speeches of Eternal state after this world had been told: their unbelief therein would have kept them from all searching touching the present world his government, and of God his being and unity. Therefore by open things he provoketh them unto the unvisible closely. The Prophets did the like, alluring by outward blessings unto the Eternal, and by outward sorrows, as weeping, gnashing of teeth, fire and brimstone Topheth and such, betokening Eternal misery. But for the time when the holy jews were to lose land and life, then plainly the resurrection is named, even here. In Chapter the seventh: A kingdom for ever: yea for ever and ever, is named: but so in phrase that some translator turned that unto 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 showeth our weakness touching speeches of Eternal life: when we know not whether the phrases touch the blessed or the cursed. The speech here expoundeth the former: And the holy Ghost in the Epistle to the hebrews handleth this place most properly, as one spoken for the comfort of the jews that lived in Antiochus persecutions▪ hebrews'. 11.35. They were racked, refusing to be set free: that they might obtain the better resurrection. Who cannot see that the phrase of better resurrection calleth us unto this place?  
Moreover the Gospel, hath a special relation unto this place. john. 5.21. The feast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was kept (the dedication told. 1. Mach. 4.59.) at jerusalem: & it was winter: and jesus walked in the Temple, in the porch of Solomon: and the jews compassed him about, & said: how long dost thou keep our souls in doubt, if thou be Christ, tell us plainly. jesus said unto them: my sheep here my voice: and I give them life everlasting, and none can take them from my hand. My Father, who gave them me, is above all: and no man can take them from my Father's hand: I and the father am one. Here we see the notation of Michael, one with the Father. Now the giving of life Eternal unto them whom the father gave him, that is, which are found written in the book: and keeping them that none can take them out of his hand, these show who is Michael that standeth up for his people: And the attribute of great Prince, as afore the first of the chief Princes, that is, translated by the Saints Paul and Jude, Archangel. And as the voice of the trumpet is God's voice (Psal. 47.6.) where the Lord ascendeth with the voice of a trumpet, (so he did at the law giving) and Christ saith john. 5. the dead shall here the voice of the son of God: all which are in the grave shall here his voice, and they shall go such as have done good into the resurrection of life, and such as have done evil into the resurrection of judgement: In like manner S. Paul speaking of the resurrection, taketh his phrases partly hence, and partly from the Psalm and Gospel: 1. Thess. 4.16. The Lord will come down from heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (that is) with the voice of Archangel, with the trumpet of God: and the dead shall arise. Mentioning the resurrection which here in Daniel is most clearly taught, he could not do better then touch some phrase hence: as translating: The GREAT PRINCE, by ARCHANGEL. The jews, who cite Daniel in their Zohar, Talmuds and Commentaries but seldom, 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. Paul speaking of the resurrection, doth by a special phrase call them unto this text of the resurrection, according unto their own manner: and showeth that the Archangel is God, and Lord of the trumpet. But our Lord doth press them more with it, showing himself to be the son of God▪ john. 5. And using continual speeches that expound this of Michael, and touch the resurrection, here named.   people shallbe saved, all that shallbe found written in the book.  

The better resurrection and the worse: Eb. 11. to life, and to judgement, john. 5.  
For the many of them 
† john. 11.  that sleep in the 
* Gene. 1.  earth of 
† Gene. 3.  dust, shall 
* Esa. 26.  awake: some to life everlasting, and some to all shame, to 
† Es. 66. vlt. The Scripture of like phrases teach us to make the force of every word here used.  loathsomeness everlasting. 
With the naming of life Eternal, he toucheth the glory of it: which here is laid before the eyes in shining terms: a taste whereof Daniel felt in the glory of the Angel Gabriel that came to him now, chap. 10. Whose brightness he could not abide: and the description of Christ was more glorious. Now all that be faithful are told here, that they shallbe like Angels. Our Lord translateth this sentence thus: Then the just shall shine as the sun, in the kingdom of their father. Here the Angels was to name in troubles, for the more stay of the people: The wise counsellors: and keepers of the people in the holy covenant: As Mattathias, & judas that had M. C.B.I. in his standard, the first letters of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Who is like unto thee o Eternal, among the Gods? Such was Eleazar the old man, and valiant Martyr: such were the seven brethren and the mother that suffered together: and the holy Ghost doth record their salvation in their hope of the better resurrection, & that they saw the promise afore hand: as they might unto the very hour. But we may not think that any other faithful be less in glory. A poor trades man who in small knowledge overcometh Satan, fighteth as valiant a combat as Daniel, who hath openly the army of heaven to assist him. Now all the just are of understanding in God's covenant, learned and wise: and show occasion unto others of the like: though some are more employed herein and sooner called, and bear longer the burden: who have the timelier joy. In justice given be Christ equal to all, we are saved: & thereby every one faithful shall shine as the sun. This Conclusion is heavenly against the persecutions of Antiochus: and Daniel might know hence that when our Lord, who is acy in the form of God, came in the flesh, he would show a taste of his glory, as he showed to Peter, james, and john upon the mountain, which as he commanded the Disciples not to tell, until his resurrection, so Daniel hides it from profane enemies, who would turn all into flowers, or fables: and as hogs rend the holy people, for casting pearls unto them. Therefore an holy charge followeth.  And the wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament: & they that turn the many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.   

Of keeping close these Prophecies.  

The like commandment was given. chap. 8.26. Where Elam and Mada●, and javan were named. Here though they be not named, they are so plainly described, that any learned heathen would tell rightly what kingdoms must be meant. Now that the Prophet should not sorrow for closing such profitable matter, he is comforted: that when these matters out: many will search further to abound in knowledge: as the jews in the Maccabees are testified to have done. And Romans too deal with these matters, as Vergil, Aeg. 4. Polybius, Dion Cassius, Tacitus and many others, and Porphyry in Eusebius commendeth the jews skill in Prophecy, which doubtless this book gave them: to tell events for these days.  And thou Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, till the end of the time. Many will search through, and this knowledge shall increase.   

The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hiding of the mind, which Daniel used.  
ANd here I think it not amiss, to show daniel's own practice in style of sealing up his sense, even where he writeth in the common language the Chalde tongue, following the order of his Chapters. And first of all, 
Daniel only mentioneth the first captivity.  though he only handle the first captivity: yet he would not date it from the first of Nebuchadnezar: as loathing to have a profane king over God's people to bear a date of their thraldom: & taking unto himself, being of judah's kings that honour, of measuring the captivity. So vers. 1. and last of chap. 1. he must be understood, as setting the limits of the 70. years. In chap. 2.1. he wonderfully telleth the date from his own standing afore the king: closely comparing himself with joseph for the like time, and Nebuchadnezar with Pharaoh. In expounding the Image, when he began with telling how the feet perish, and cometh last unto the head that perished first, this pleased Nebuchadnezar, as though he should not soon fall. 
None, without marking an allusion in the Chaldy, can ever know why Daniel should break the native order of speech: for clay, iron, brass, silver, gold.  In the same speech when he joineth iron, brass 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chaspa and Caspa, clay and silver: he showeth his care to please the cruel tyrant, and his own readiness of wit in the allusion: besides the depth of the natures, that silver termed Caspa of desire, is but Chaspa, mere dust. And through the whole matter, his silence touching juda, and leaving the oppressed by the iron, as though all nations had felt the iron of the legs, this holp his people: and the ignorance of his closeness made 1500. years error in us. The third and fourth and fift Chapters, neither needed nor suffered hiding: therein he fully setteth forth the Babylonian shame, and God's glory. So in the sixth he dealt with the Persians. The seventh bears his wit in 
* Five points of great importance have been mistaken in expounding daniel's 7. chap. The name Belash-zar: even of Hebrew Printers: the Saints of the high: who they be, who there hold the kingdom: the speech of the three former beasts: who the fourth beast means and specially all the speeches which in truth are of Antiochus Epiphanes.  Belesh-zar, showing that Bel becometh a fire of sorrow from the fiery throne. Likewise in speaking first of the last beasts ruin: and returning to speak of the former: and using terms of equivocation, as we yet mistake them: that the Chaldeans could pick no quarrel. For thus the words might seem to mean: vers. 12. Concerning the others beasts, they had taken away their dominion: yet their lives were prolonged for a certain time and season. What the argument calleth for, and how the words will abide another sense, all may see. Like vers. 18. Vaughan signifying And, or which, the taking one for the other, would keep daniel's people from blame: and they might see an exposition in the Chapter. Therein also his terming of the jews the Saints of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them the holy Trinity, that contained no danger: yet great wisdom. While the kings of judah lived: jakim, jackin, Zedekias' profane as heathen, God would show kingdoms over them in no worse sort, than they would wish to appear, as in the Image: and then he gave his own people no name: a bad he might not, a good under those kings he could not: But when salomon's house was extinct, and our lords ancestors right cometh in, than it was fit that a name should be given them of the highest approbation. And all this while he durst adventure to write in the commonest language of East and South: to help many, and danger none. But chap. 8. where Babel's fall is gathered by Elam arising: and Elam fell by javans arising, & the nations be named, & judah surely described to any jew: and he is commanded to close it up: then he not only dissembled his grief for his people, that should fall from being stars: but writeth in Hebrew, and useth terms that amaze the unbeedy unto this day: Palmonie, & Tzeby, amazed the wicked jews continually. In the ninth he is wonderful: where, while he penneth his own words, he plainly teacheth by his stile how ready he was in Moses and the Prophets. When he penneth the Angels: he maketh a cloud white towards Israel, black towards Egypt. Thence a true Israel may look to our lords death forward: and turn unto Moses even by Sabbates journeys: and thence may see heathen confusion of stories. In the tenth he hide his mind: not telling wherefore he fasted: because in Persia, he might not blame the king's hindrance of the Temple: when his grief is relieved by showing how four kings & Xerxes' camp shall soon fade he knew that Tigris swift waters were a fit resemsemblance of the speed, and knew that they should be punished for the Temple. By keeping close his mind, he saved his from danger. 
* Arraxasta that granted leave to go forward with the temples work doth acknowledge closely why Xerxes camp was overthrown.  And any that considered the jews state might know his counsel. Now touching judah under the Seleucide, and Lagidae, and the describing of the legs of iron, there he hideth his mind most wittily. Daniel might well think that some heathen would learn Hebrew: and hebrews revolt unto heathen, and tell his secrets, unto the kings spoken off. To prevent that he so filleth his speech with phrases of difficulty, that none but the humble will seek to understand him. So the pronouns for Seleucus Nicator and his whole description, will weary any slothful: vers. 5. and so phrases of Berenice's case, specially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the verb. Likewise in Pt. 
Here in Daniel is the hardest text to translate of any that I know.  Euergetes, vers. 9 the transposing of terms deceived the sleepy. And ofter the term Many signifying the jews nations many, would entangle many an enemy. Now in Antiochus Epiphanes matters, he useth many closures. The holy covenant, for the Religion of Moses: the Sanctuary of Mauz, for, of God: and Mauzim, all strength that is almighty, in, vers. 38. and 39 the forts of Mauzim for the temple of jerusalem, and sundry particles of difficulty, but unto a practised Hebrew in vers. 38. and 39 Also Chaldie terms as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Aphadno, his court, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 treasures, with strange Eb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for agreement, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for, in his steed, these would weary the profane: and all that count not the kingdom of heaven worthy searching for, 
Names of Christ: Palmony. chap. 8. Messiah. chap. 9 Michael. chap. 10. & 12. Also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. 3. even by Midras Rab. Stone cut without hands. chap. 2. and one clothed in white linen etc. chap. 20. and 12. and Prince of the army. 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 would disturb the unstaid: who knew not unto what former person, as Palmony and Messiah, this was to be referred. The notation would teach such as knew the holy Trinity, who the person was no less than we are warranted from Apo. 12. and from S. jude. In the Apocalypse, where Michael and his Angels fight, Christ and his servants come in the exposition. In S. Jude the burier of Moseh is Michael, who in Deut. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Eternal. Also the author of this speech, the Lord rebuke thee Satan, is in Zacharie the Eternal, and the Angel of the Eternal: By this we may well know who Michael must be. And all of stayed judgement will soon acknowledge, that it cannot stand with the plainness which is in Christ, that the Angel should call Daniel unto any speculation of Archangel, but of the son of God: nor to teach him to wade in things which 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 never reacheth of any superiority in created Angels: but as above earthly Princes.  Seraphim: Burners (of the City and Temple) in Ezekiel Cerubim by Mosehs term: in whom one size and measure showeth how all are equally ministering spirits, to be sent on service for such as are to inherit Salvation. As Palmony in the eight Chapter is expounded the most holy Christ in the ninth: and none was there above Gabriel but he, so none here may be. And when our Lord, john. 5. disputeth of the resurrection, as a work for the son of God, therein calling us hither, he expoundeth closely, who Michael must be. These points keep Daniel mystical unto all that be not of the Church. As all his book must needs be hid from them that weigh not, what point of Religion touching David's throne was now to be opened. But they who know that all judah seeing salomon's house at end, would require from God a further explication of David's son and throne Eternal, spoken by Nathan. 2. Sam. 7. and consider that Daniel is a Commentary upon that point: that the crown shallbe overturned, overturned, overturned: (as in Ezekiel,) until he cometh to whom it belongeth: they who know that, will soon know what Daniel must mean: even that all his book is but an explication of that doubt: how salomon's house being extinct, our Lords godly house continueth the right: and how all nations stand up against it: first under Cham's broad, of Babel, next under Sems Elam: all this in the East: and long under japhets Westward, that Greek might be made common for Noah's Prophecy and allusion unto japhets' name: 
Bar Kapra in jerusalemy: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Rabbins saw by Noah's allusion: that the new Testament was to be written in Greek.  of persuading in his language to dwell in Sems tents. This being considered, the whole frame of the holy story will tell how much of the building might belong to Daniel or any Prophet, for to make up. And this was not he to tell in his book: but to give closely an answer, unto the close demand of all his own nation. Little would the heathen have believed him, that the house of Zorobabel were the high Saints: that Zorobabel should be as a signet in due time, that mountains should be plain afore Zorobabel: and that Zorobabel had a name teaching by and for whom the Golden Babylonian head should be fanned. These points would heathen no more regard, than Herod regarded joseph, the carpenter: and the Maccabees, jacob, Matthan Eleazar. So we see that Salathiel and Pedaiah in Babylon, were of no account: and Zorobabel in judah of small authority: and Abiud, Eliakim, Azor, Sadok, Eliud, not so much as named in any place, beside the holy register. The notation of their names compared with Psalm. 89. would teach what their hope was: and that Psalm bringeth Aethan as chiding with God for strange dealing in the promise of the kingdom: so that a certain Spanish jew cited by Aben Ezra being at his wits end, would not read the Psalm. If juda to this day could not conceive a right the nature of their kingdom: 
The jews to this day look for a pompous kingdom, silly caitiffs.  much less would the heathen have rested in plainness, joyful only for the world to come: when they believed not that the world was made: nor that the highest ruled the kingdoms of men. Christ himself speaketh in vers. 10. The wicked will not understand: but the wise will understand. To them it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven: and to them which are without, all things are in Parables. For that cause, both a charge is given here to shut up the words and to seal the book: and in phrases Daniel doth the same, and in all his Method. And as in due time many ran to search, whereby knowledge likewise increased▪ So we should search now that our knowledge might increase.   

An Angel demands how long the wonders of Antiochus dealings shall prevail: and hath an answer from chap. 7.25. that it shall continue three years and an half. And thereupon the Greeks hand set upon the holy people shallbe bruised.  

b The greatness of these matters here is set forth, by the Angel's attendance & desire to look into them: likewise the certainty by the number of witnesses, two, yea three in all, as among men the law holdeth that proof sufficient. That certainty must needs import plainness in the matter. The place at Tigris was fittest to betoken dealings in time at those quarters: As at Eulai the River Daniel saw Paras and Madai rise and fall. Upon Tigris Seleucus built Seleucia. There abouts also this Antiochus after his Church robbing was foiled. Moreover the notation is very fit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sharp, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 swift: As these dealings upon God's enemies should be sharp and swift. Strabo noteth that the rivers name is an arrow in the Medes tongue: and so it is by Curtius in the Persian. And both nations seem to have the same language either wholly or near. The name and fame of the River is ancient. In Adam's Paradise it was one of the four: that, with it, as the first of Hebrew stories began: so the last in the Hebrew Prophets should end. God tendereth in all points man's weakness: to contrive much into a little room, to be easier learned & remembered. There Babel did set up a Tyranny, at the towers building: and Nemrod of the youngest house began rebellious dealings. There Elam son of Sem wan the superiority from Senear and Nemrod: thence they and two more come against Abraham, and fall. And as Egypt in Pharaoh after Babel troubled the Church, so in these dealings they do: that by admonition of place all might be better weighed. Full many be the like revolutions for places and times in the Hebrew stories: which observation will help much. The Angel's demand is like john Baptistes of Christ, for his Disciples sureness, not for his own doubt. The matter was showed to Daniel Chapter 7. There cometh up in the fourth beast one little horn, which broke three horns, & had eyes like a human man, but a mouth speaking great matters, until thrones of judgement were set up, and for the great words which the horn spoke, the beast was k●ld, and the body cast into the fire. There that horn made war with the iholy: until the ancient of days came, and judgement was given to the Saints of the holy Trinity, and the Saints held their kingdom. 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 speak words against the highest, and consume the Saints of the high Trinity, and think to alter times and law: and touching that point, they should be given into his hand, for a time, and two times, and half a time. Now the term time put for a year, was seen chap 4. in Neb. & the Angel could not be ignorant of that: But whereas all Antiochus dealings against Moses were. 2300. days afore the 25 of Casleu, to distinguish the whole rage from the removing of the sacrifice, that was to be noted. And those dealings are termed wonders. Seeing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 continual sacrifice was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as Christ's death was: the counsel of Christ in giving that into a Tyrant's controlment, and the Sabbath which had been since Adam's time, and his holy servants to be tormented; this was indeed a great wonder. The reason was rendered, chap. 11.35. and here vers. 10. Christ telleth it in the same terms that the Angel used: only he altereth their order, as I will show when I come unto the verse. The answer followeth.  Then I Daniel looked: and behold, two others stood, one on this side the brink of the river, and one on the other side the brink of the river.  
And he said unto the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, at what time shallbe the end of these wonders?  

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech of difficulty: to the unebrewed, but plain by the matter.  And I heard the man 
* The attire here, & the whole persons description chap. 10.5.10.5. showeth a sacrificer holy, and higher than the heavens. Moreover the gesture of standing upon the waters importeth that of the Psalm: how as God calmeth the waters, so he calmeth the waves of nations. And this vision answereth unto jobs speech: that God walketh upon the high waves of the seas. The metaphors and visions of the Scripture have a clear resemblance of that which is taught for men's affairs. Besides, the gesture and oath calleth into mind, Deut. 32. a comfort even for these times. I kill and make alive, I strike and I make whole: and none can take away from my hand. When I lift mine hand unto heaven, and say, as I live for ever, if I whet the blade of my sword, and my hand lay hold on judgement, I will requite vengeance unto my adversaries, & pay my foes. I will make drunk my arrows with blood: and my sword shall eat flesh: from blood of slain and captive: from the head of vengeance upon the enemy. Rejoice o heathen with his people. For he will revenge the blood of his servants: and pay vengeance unto his adversaries: and be reconciled unto his people. The words of Moses begin their execution in this place, and hold on unto the full calling of the heathen. So the gesture of lifting up the hand and swearing calleth all this unto daniel's mind. The sum of the matter here containeth two things: the rage of God's enemies, and the punishment. The rage is for three years and an half. So the term, Time, by synecdoche in Dan. 4. as I told was taken: and Greeks commonly at this day: call an year a Time, and three years three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 times. This time was noted by josephus in Bell. jud. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. That is, Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes surprised jerusalem by force, and held it three years, and six months, & is cast out of the country by the sons of Chashmonai, that is: the Maccabees. He presently hindered the continual offering, when his Idolatrous garrisons being abominations through Idolatry, and desolaters by trade, held the holy temple. josephus also here handleth the bruising of the hand set upon the holy people, under the casting of Antiochus out of all the country. The Rabbins commonly note the same: even in the Babylonian Talmud, & Rambam writeth a common place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. john. 10. upon the recovery of the temple. There also the driving out of Antiochus is handled. The jews testimony should be strong against themselves & good for our sureness, for fame of matter here told. Thus Rambam writeth in his first Tome in Megilah & Chanucha Perek 3. Tremellius nameth his work Talmud. In the time of the second temple javan gave decrees over Israel: and abrogated their Policy: and suffered them not to study the law and commandments: and laid hold upon their substance and their daughters: and they went into the temple: and made breaches, and polluted the clean. And Israel was in great distress through them, which oppressed greatly, until the God of our fathers pitied them, and saved them out of the others hand, and delivered them, and the Chashmonaim (The Maccabees) the high Priests killed them, and saved Israel from their hand: & set up a king of the Priests more than 200. years afore the second desolation. And when Israel prevailed against their enemies, and destroyed them, it was the 25. of Chasleu, and they entered into the temple, etc. and for this cause the wise men of that generation ordained that eight days beginning from the 25. of Chasleu should be celebrated with gladness and songs: and they kindled candles, in the evening at their houses doors every night of the eight. And these days are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Dedication, and they admit no mourning nor fasting: as the days of Purim. Thus the goodness of God forced them to keep a famous memory of their deliverance from their persecution. Upon which story, they should look into the Prophecy: which none can deny to be for a vehement persecution: and common reason would tell them that the first which fell out in the vehemency here told, must needs be meant by this. The consideration of this story with the Prophecy, would have taught them of the person, the teller of the time: the high sacrificer: who would himself suffer in like sort, three years & an half, all gain saying of sinners: teaching that which these visions declared. They held their own kingdom about 150. years in reasonable quietness: but they to whom Christ gave victories, disdisdained the office of white linen and continual sacrifice, and would be heathen-like kings, and brought in Saducisme. Yet our Lord called them much unto consideration of this text. For, his disputations that he raised up 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 son of God: his phrase of Lazarus sleeping, taken hence from vers. 2. his speech with Martha that he is the resurrection: his persuasion, that she acknowledged him to be the son of God, which was to come into the world: that is by daniel's phrase the Prince of the people, which honour no created Michael might usurp: and as I touched, his suffering under the pharisees a time, two times and half a time: from the 15. of Tiberius' beginning, unto half his eighteenth, all these dealings still called, unto these matters. And this matter being twice told should have been easy unto them, specially having so many antecedents: that nine horns rushed afore Antiochus Epiphanes, & he was a long dealer not only against Syria, but also against judaea, before this time of placing his garrison in jerusalem cometh to be in record. And seeing thrice here times near half a seven should fall out in strange events, they should look diligently unto our Lords half seven.  clothed in linen which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand, and his left hand unto heaven, and swore by him that liveth for ever, that it shallbe for a time, times, & an half: & at the finishing of bruising the hand, that is, upon the holy people all these things shallbe finished.   

daniel's demands concerning the time when the jews should begin to recover their state from the Greeks: with speeches of Christ touching the darkness of all the oration, and counsel for the afflictions of the godly.  
And I heard, but 
† Daniel having heard of affliction for three years and an half, in general terms, having no note from what special mark the time should begin, was to confess that he understood not. He knew in chap. 8. that by days 2309. from Antiochus first checking of Moses law, the temple should be recovered. But knew not whence this account here should begin. Moreover by reason that the bruising of the hand plaguing the holy hebrews was here joined, and he might well think that it should not fall out presently with the recovery of the temple, he was to require a further explication. The Lord doth answer, and first acquainteth him further with the whole matter: showing that as the Angel bade him close up and seal the words, that pearls should not be cast before hogs, nor holy things before dogs: so these matters were to be spoken in such sort that until the age of their execution, the particulars should not be evident. The trial of the faithful required that: whose practice in martyrdom had not been so great, if the season of their deliverance had been clearly told. For they would have for a time withdrawn themselves. Here the repeating of vers. 35. from chap. 11. of the Angel's speech, though there the order went: tried, purified, whited, this showeth one and the same persecution to be meant. And seeing we expound that of Antiochus times and not of the Romans, this also being spoken, a confirmation of that must be equally of Antiochus: wherein I marvel how antiquity could ever miss. The removing of the continual sacrifice, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be taken for the first removing that could fall. The term Tamyd, or daily sacrifice must stand in his proper sense. For a trope may not be used, but where the hearer may easily discern it from propriety: otherwise the speaker may be charged of untruth. Also the holy people and daniel's people should argue that the jews were meant here: and so they hold universally: & by reason that we carry these stories beyond Christ they do the like. As Aben Ezra maketh the little horn to be the Turk: and locketh for special affliction three years and an half under him. So men make the word of God flexible. And we should have taken heed of the warning here: None of the wicked will understand: But men of skill will understand. Now seeing the very profane heathen speak that of Antiochus Epiphanes, which agreeth exactly with the end of the last, the 11. chap. and these points are but a commoration upon them, and no new states matters: the profane would tell us that we entangle ourself wilfully: & wilfully disturb all the Bible, mistaking whole nations for the Images legs: perverting the marks of marriages in it: mistaking the fourth beast, what kingdoms it containeth, disgracing the speech of the Buck, openly showing 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 revelation: and confounding the tenor of narrations for nations through all the Bible. Moses laid down what nation should be the holy people until Christ came: and how all the other families should strive against that. The Prophets were to be but commenters upon him, to lead unto Christ & not beyond him: and they might term no one nation holy but Israel: and were to show how all the ancient nations of Babel's dispersion would be busy with Israel. While we confound this distinction, we confound with it all narrations of Scripture. The wise will understand it, to be so. Now as he that seeketh doth find, and he that asketh receiveth, & he that knocketh obtaineth opening, always, so to Daniel this now falleth out: By mentioning one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or mark and adding two near matters, touching bruising of the hand set upon the holy people, he is fully contented and satisfied in these words.  understood not: then said I, o my Lord when shallbe the end of these things?  
And he said, go thy way Daniel. For the words are closed up and sealed till the end of the time.  
Many shallbe purified, whited and tried: But the the wicked will do wickedly: and none of the wicked will understand: but the wise will understand.  
And from the time of taking away the continual sacrifice, and of setting up the 
† Infidel garrisons destroying the temple: as in Rambam above was showed.  loathsome of desolation, days shallbe a thousand two hundredth and ninety.  
Happy is he that is patiented, and cometh unto days a thousand three hundredth thirty and five. 
† Daniel knew the end of those wonders mentioned by the Angel, when it should be: from chap. 8. even with the cleansing of the temple: But knew not the special note of their beginning. In answering concerning two points for the bruising Seleucian the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or mark of the other is taken: a mark of sacrifice. Men count the dates of kings reign stately: But God holdeth other matters of greater account: as the promise unto Abraham, Gene. 12.430. afore the law: the persecution and jeroboams idolatry 390. afore the Temples flames: daniel's prayer. 490. afore the passion, and chap. 8. a mark backward, the Temples cleansing after. 2300. days dealing against Religion in some sort. So here, the taking away of the continual sacrifice is made a date for a day of payment, for a double payment from God. Antiochus was enforced to confirm Religion restored by judas in the 148. year of Seleucid●̄n, which in the 145. he hindered. Three years, seven months & some 13. days might be in this while. Another comfort is added, for the patiented in these persecutions: even the death of the persecutor. As the martyrs told him that God would pay him. The close blessing of the patiented imported what kind of comfort was meant in that sum: forty five days after the other: the death of Antiochus should fall out in 149. Seleucid●n. 1. Mach. 6.16. Though man's observation reacheth not commonly unto days: yet when for the years they speak well, by God's authority added, we may gather the just days. And these were the points which were fit for to be revealed in particulars, the restoring of the sacrifice, & the tyrant's death. Now further matters how the clay of the legs should be broken, how the fourth beast should do when his horns hence are broken: and the Bucks unhorned fading body, even how Demetrius and Antiochus son fall out: Antiochus race should end: Demetrius house should be divided: they should match with Egypt, and perish like dogs: these matters might be marked by human skill: and they touched not matter worthy particular prophecy: nor the jews great care. And Daniel knew in what year from his talk he would come into the world: by which time an evident token should be over all the world, that the house of-Seleucid●̄n or Gog perished, by the Latin nation and tongue, reigning in those quarters: and he knew the very nation that should reign, even the next offspring of Cittim unto the Macedonians, the Cetij, which was the first name of Italians, in Sudas, in Latin. And therefore the manner of bruising the Greeks, and particular dealings were to be sealed up, as needing no long warning. And so the Lord concludeth that Daniel should look for no more revelations all his life time: but rest in these, & continue contented with his rare lot, if any thing was sealed touching the Persian king's payment: thirty years hence Ezra should see it: & for the temples hinderers, Agge and Zacharie should reveal it. Now the visions of Zacharie for our Lords coming, and jerusalems' fall, they touched not this argument of sorrow & fasting of Daniel: & some points were to be reserved unto the Temples ornaments.   
And thou, go to the end, and rest, and stand in thy lot unto the end of the days.     

The Conclusion.  
Thus Daniel had a sufficient catechism for all the world: bringing the heavens down unto the earth, that the earth might be exalted unto heaven, Daniel would teach heathen to season their human stories with divinity. Strabo knew that Nebuchadnezar was an Hercules & reached unto Spain, and brought a Colony unto Pontus: But Daniel was to tell him who gave the Lion such wings: Diodorus thought the Chaldeans great Philosophers: but Daniel telleth what deceivers they were: & recordeth their own king's censure: and how young hebrews were found ten times better than they: how corruption & leasing was their practice: how when the king had forgotten his dream, they promise an exposition, when he forgot it not, but told them, they could say nothing: how a matter written from heaven on the wall chap. 5. passed their skill. Hence Diodorus might have been wised. Likewise Abydenus who recordeth Navocodrosors' trance, might by Daniel have seen it clearer. And so Herodotus might have gotten more hearers in Olympia, if to Cyrus surprising of Babel he could have joined daniel's 5. chap. The same text would have made Xenophons Muses more Attic, showing how in banqueting the Chaldean king was killed. Athenaeus with his Berosus and Ctesias for the same feast might see God serve with sauce. So for Cyrus' death Herodotus might have learned the cause: with learning daniel's fasting. And the writers of Susan, the City of Darius Hystaspis, made the glory of Persia, might see in daniel's visions chap. 8. Susan's honours confirm his book. Aeschylus & Herodotus might have penned the one his Tragedy, the other his story, more plentifully than they did of God's stroke in Xerxes' fall, if they had looked into Daniel: much they marked, but might more. Diodorus again with Arrianus, for Alexander might have seen all told in Daniel. And Diodorus might have marked, from what curse Alexander's Captains made such a slaughter among themselves. Here he might have seen, why he should say that Ptolemy Lagides came up by help from heaven: & why Seleucus became soon greatest: and have brought true Prophecies, for that Pausanias might behold to what use he noted the affinity and league betwixt Lagidas and Seleucidas: and how Philadelphus' name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made famous the marriage beginning betwixt the two legs. Appian and justin might have made, not Polybius & Trogus, but Daniel their author: & Polybius in the pleading for Syria, might have beheld judah cast as a bone betwixt two dogs. Here Livy had for him, by whom 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 ears: by whom Antiochus wanted counsel, that he was soon brought to loss of almost all: his death in Strabo & justin, should have been referred to God's counsel in Daniel, & jason of Siren that noted Church robbing in Seleucus, should have noted the text in Daniel. And in Antiochus Epiphanes his coming up into Syria, his 3. voyages into Egypt: his crossing of hebrews laws, his death, his vile nature, Polybius, Livy Athenaeus, Florus, Appian, all might know these dealings foretold. Also Tully that termed judah's Religion a Barbarous superstition, and the people a nation borne to bondage, might guess by Daniel that the judge on the fiery throne, the slander up for daniel's people, would have his tongue pricked for those speeches. And the same orator might have guessed by skill in Daniel, why the Romans feared to help Egypt the clay legs by their feigned Sybils, was heard by some jews counsel, who would tell that when the legs were broken from God, all assisters of them should be as resisters of God. So Brennus of our nation with his great camp, was plagued as a resister while the legs were iron, and Antiochus that drove his company out of Asia, was surnamed Soteria Saviour. And therein Pausanias might have seen the counsel of God. Again where Vergil bringeth in Augustus' triumph, over Cleopatra and Antony, even ultima Bactra, from East hence, Extremos hominum Morino●, he might have seen how God called nations from the rising of the sun unto the going down to behold the breaking of daniel's image: & to think of a child coming from heaven: as Vergil perversely heard. By Daniel, not Venus, Neptune, Minerva nor Actius Apollo should have been the giver of victory, but the God of heaven. Daniel must needs be holden a stately author, that hath all these so much belonging to him, and the goodliest part of all vergil's wit, that, in Augustus' triumph licking the dust of the toes of daniel's image. Yea & former Roman affairs of Pompey and julius Caesar: the one killed in Egypt, for helping the king the Piper out of the dust: the other for Cleopatra: those duly looked unto, would justify the fiery throne of Daniel. Yea all the stories of the Romans coming up, being here yet, not as enemies to Gods holy covenant, but men rewarded for plaguing the legs, all commenteth upon Daniel. Besides Augustus' jest in Macrobius, how it was better to be Herodes hog then his son: that justifieth the story of persecution at our Lords coming from the clouds to make a tabernacle among us. Over and besides all this, the speech of wicked Tacitus against Christ crucified under Pontius Pilate, and of Christian Religion, these have a good use for Daniel, and all the declaration of the jews calamities in the last destruction of jerusalem, or ever since: written by profane heathen, all serve Daniel alike. And the matters are so plain that if men would but grope, they might have found Christ in Daniel: where the pompous of this world be fanned as chaff: the wicked, as beasts burn in fire unquenched, and the humble may find justice Eternal, to shine like the sun in the kingdom of the Father.  Psal. 119.96. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  

 

  

  

  

  

 
* Darius Madaj a searcher out, and a requiter. Ezra the learned Scribe cha. 10, 16. useth the word Darios, beside all ordinary form of grammar, for to search: just in the letters of Darius: in searching out impiety: alluding unto the king's name & office: & Psal. 10, 15.