Commentary on Daniel, Title page 1 – Preface
HEXAPLA IN DANIELEM: THAT IS, A SIX-FOLD COMMENTARIE vponupon the most diuine prophesie of DANIEL, wherein according to the method propounded in HEXAPLA vponupon Genesis and Exodus, sixe things are obserued in eueryevery Chapter. 1. The Argument and Method. 2. The diuers readings. 3. The Questions discussed. 4. Doctrines noted. 5. Controversies handled. 6. Morall observations applyed. Wherein many obscure visions, and diuine Prophesies are opened, and difficult questions handled with great breuitie, perspicuitie, and varietie, which are summed to the number of 536. beside the Controversies 134. in the Table, in the end of the booke: and the best Interpreters both old and new are therein abridged. Diuided into two bookes: the first containing the historicall part of this Prophesie, in the 6. first Chapters: the propheticall, in the 6. last.
By ANDREVV WILLET Professour of Diuinitie.
THE FIRST BOOKE.
Ezek. 28. 3.
Behold thou art wiser then Daniel, there is no secret that they can hide from thee.
Printed by CANTRELL LEGGE, Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge. 1610
TO THE MOST CHRISTIAN, RIGHT NOBLE, MOST excellent, and mightie Prince, IAMES by the grace of God, KING of great BRITTAIN, France, and Ireland, Defender of the true Christian Faith, &c.
THat which PLATO saw but in contemplation,Tum de num beatas fore respub. cum aut eas regerent Philosophi, aut reges philosopharentur. that Commonwealths should be then happie when either Philosophers gouerned them, or the gouernours became Philosophers; we see by Gods goodnes now brought into action (your Christian Maiestie beeing not onelyonly a princely Patron of humane learning, and Philosophie, but a peerelesse professor of Theologie.) King HENRIE the eight your Highnes noble predecessor in the royall Diademe of this Imperiall Kingdom, for writing against Luther in defense of the Papal religion, had giuen vntounto him the Title of Defensor Fidei: but that princely Epithete is more due vntounto your Maiestie, who both by your penne and sword doe vphold and maintaine the truth,Scripsi…i tu… totam epistolā manu, vt ipsi apices fidem tuam, pietatem que loquerentur: Epist. 26. that the saying of Ambrose of the Emperour GRATIAN may be worthily spoken of your Maiestie: You wrote (not an whole Epistle onelyonly as he saith, but whole Bookes) with your owne hand, that the very letters doe proclaime your faith and pietie. This your diuine fauour vntounto Religion and princely exercise in writing, hath emboldened me diuers times heretofore to present my Commentaries vponupon certaineaHexapla on Genesis. Harm, vponupon the 1. of Sam. Hexapla on Exod. bookes of the Scripture vntounto your sacred hands: and your gracious acceptance of them hath emboldened me also to exhibite this Worke vntounto your princely view. Here in all humble dutie I doe offer a Treatise and explanation of the most difficult booke of the Old Testament the Prophesie of DANIEL: what I hauehave performed therein, and especially in the vnfolding of Daniels 70. weekes, the Worke it selfe shall testifie. I trust, that by this my trauell, that which seemed before obscure, will appeare plaine and easie; and the depth which would before hauehave taken vp an Elephant,Prophetia obscura est, quod alio tempore canitur, alio cernitur. De vi…. perfect. will affoard footing for a lamb. Hierome saith, A prophesie is obscure, because it is said at one time, and seene at an other: But now we see that which the Prophet said, and so that which was wrapped vp in obscuritie, is now fulfilled in historie.
These my labours I most humbly submit to your princely iudgement and direction, and your MAIESTIE with bended knees of my heart, I commend vntounto the diuine and highest protection.
Your Maiesties most humble Subiect, ANDREVV WILLET,
THE PREFACE TO THE Christian Reader.
AVGVSTINE thus wrote to a friend of his, excusing the prolixitie of his Preface,August. praefat ad Valeri…m. Scio me non esse oneri tibi, si prolixum aliquod mitto, quia legendo diutiùs sis nobiscum, I know I am not burthensome vntounto you, if I send you any prolix writing, because you are so much the longer with me: But I will forbeare by any long or tedious Preface to keepe the Reader in suspence; though if I should, I presume of his courtesie, that he would vouchsafe it the reading. The length of the Worke, doth make me more short in the Preface: a smal entrance in, may serue to a large house: and the greatest cities hauehave not the greatest gates. I shall not neede in many words to shew the excellent vse of this prophecie of Daniel, nor what I hauehave performed in it: the generall Questions set before the Booke, shall satisfie the Reader in the one, and the worke it selfe shall speake for the other. I hauehave gathered together the best things, and most worthie of obseruation, out of writers both old and new, both Protestants and others: that the Reader may in few houres finde that, which I was many weekes in setting together: for here I say and professe with Hierome, ad Vigilant.Operis est & studij mei, multos legere, vt ex plurimis diversos flores carperem, non tam probaturus omnia, quam bona electurus: assumo multos in manus, vt à multis multa cognoscam: It is mine endeauour and studie, to read many, and out of sundrie to take diuerse floures, not to that ende to approoue all, but to sort out the best: I take many into mine hands, that from many I may know much; and impart to others, that which I know.
In the reading of this Booke, let the Reader take these directions: I hauehave followed the same course, which I propounded vntounto my selfe in other Commentaries, as the title of the booke sheweth: But I thought it best to set downe the whole text, for more plainenesse and perspicuitie, and not the diuers Readings onelyonly: wherein C. standeth for Chalde: H. for the Hebrew: L. for the Latine: S. for the Septuagint: P. for Pagnine: A. for Arias Montanus: V. for Vatablus: B. for the great English Bible: G. the Geneva translation: I. for Iunius: det. is put for detract: add. for adding: The Authors names which are cited in this Booke, are summed in the Epistle set before the second part thereof.
If by these my trauels I may profit the Church of God, I hauehave my desire: it is mine onelyonly terrene reward and encouragement, if my poore labours may finde acceptance: other rewards they sooner carie that labour not, then they which labour:Hos ego v…iculos feci, tulit alter honores. Virgil. as the Poet sometime complained, that he made the verses, and other had the honour: As for my selfe, I finde by experience that saying of Augustine most true, In eo quod amatur, aut non labor autur, aut labor ipse amatur: in that which one delighteth in, either there is no labour at all, or the labour it selfe is loued: and it giueth me encouragement, that I am not in the number of them,Metth. 6. 2. of whome our blessed Sauiour saith, Receperunt mercedem suam, they hauehave receiued their reward. God graunt vsus all faithfully to labour in our vocations in this life, that we may receiue our euerlasting reward in heauen with Christ our blessed Lord and onelyonly Sauiour, to whome be praise for euer.