Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 7 · Doctrines 1 · Question 21
Quest. 21. Whether the Romane or Turkish Empire be signified by this fourth beast.
1. The Rabbines by this fourth beast vnderstand the Empire of the Turkes, of which opinion are R. Ab. Ezra, and R. Saadiah; because mention is made afterward of one like the sonne of man, to whom power and dominion was giuen, which sheweth that the Messiah should raigne after this fourth kingdome should be dissolued, whom because they hold not yet to be come, they would hauehave this vision vnderstood of the Turkish Empire. And to make their opinion more probable, they ioyne the Greeke and Romane Empire together, comprehending them both vnderunder the third beast: And Ab. Ezra, doubteth not to call Alexander king of the Romanes. So by this deuise they would prooue Christ Iesus not to be the Messiah, because he was borne vnderunder the third Empire.
Contra. 1. Herein the Rabbines shew their great ignorance in confounding the Greeke and Romane Empire: vnlesse it be because Constantinople was called newe Rome, and they finde that one of the Romane Emperours was called Alexander, which are slender reasons to confound the two Empires. 2. neither was Alexander knowne vntounto the Romanes, who yet at time were of great power, and mightier then diuerse kings. 3. this vision cannot be applyed vntounto the Empire of the Turkes: for it cannot be shewed, how he hath 10. hornes, that is, so many kings, nor what that little horne should be, before the which three other were pluckt away.
2. Some doe apply this vision to the Romane Empire alone, and that but vntounto the first comming of Christ, as Calvin.
3. Some doe vnderstand the Romane Empire, that it shall continue to the ende of the world: as Hierome saith, that toward the ende of the world when the Romane Empire shall be destroyed, there shall rise tenne kings, which shall deuide the Empire among them: But neither of these opinions can stand: for whereas these kingdomes are described by the similitude of beasts, whose crueltie they should imitate toward the people of God; before the first comming of Christ the Romanes had not practised such crueltie against the Iewes, as that therein they should hauehave beene vnlike to all which went before them: neither yet is the Romane Empire to continue vntounto the ende of the world, which was long since dissolued.
4. Pappus thinketh that both the Turkish tyranie, and the proud iurisdiction of the Popes of Rome, are described vnderunder this last beast, shewing how all the properties of the little horne agree vntounto them both, in their small beginnings, their subtiltie and hypocrisie, their blasphemie against Christ and his gospel: Neither neede it seeme strange saith he, that two diuerse gouernements are signified by one horne, because they both propound vntounto them the same ende and scope, the subuersion of the Church, and vse the same weapons in generall, crueltie, and blasphemie.
Contra. 1. This fourth kingdome shall be destroyed by the comming of the Messiah in the flesh, as was prophesied before in the vision of the image, c. 2. 44. and here also, v. 13. one like the sonne of man came in the clouds, which is to be vnderstood not of his second commming to iudgement, but of his first comming to finish the worke of our redemption, as shall be shewed more at large, when we come to that place: now neither Turke nor Pope were then head of the world, when the Sonne of man came in the flesh, nor diuerse hundred yeares after. 2. this fourth beast should be more cruell, then any of the rest toward the people of God then, for whose comfort this vision was reuealed to Daniel: but the Romanes before the comming of Christ had beene more equall toward the Iewes, then any of the other Monarchies. 3. this horne came forth of the fourth beast: the beast signifieth but one Monarch or kingdome, as the other three before: therefore two kingdomes, and the same opposite the one to the other, cannot be comprehended vnderunder one horne: other reasons why the Romane Monarchie is not understood neither in this, nor that other vision tending to the same ende, c. 2. see at large, c. 2. quest. 49.
5. Seeing then that the Romane Empire is here excluded, all that labour may be spared which Pererius taketh to shew wherein the Romane power consisted, by what meanes they attained vntounto their large dominion, and whether iustly or vniustly, as impertinent to this place: yet it shall not be amisse, to take a short viewe of that, which is set downe by him touching these three questions. 1. Their greatnesse consisted, first in the largenesse of their dominion,Wherein the Romane power chiefely consisted. which extended Westward to Spaine, Southward to Ethiopia, and Eastward to Armenia: in so much that Appian affirmeth, that the other three Monarchies had not the half part, of the Romane Empire. Secondly, in their prouision for warre: the Romanes had alwaies in a readines 200. thousand footemen, 40. thousand horsemen, 300. Elephants for warre, 3000. chariots, amour in store for 300. thousand, 2000. shippes, 1500. gallies, 80. great shippes: this strength they were of vnderunder Adrian the Emperour, as Appian writeth. Thirdly, their strength consisted in their riches and treasure: they had of treasure in a readinesse in diuerse places, 75. thousand Egyptian talents: a talent of Egypt weighed 80…. which is equiualent to 8000. Italian peices of gold: the whole summe will amount to 600 times tenne hundred thousand, that is, 600 millions of gold. 2. Touching the means whereby they enlarged their Empire, they were these. 1. the louelove of libertie. 2. their ambitious desire to rule. 3. their affecting of praise and renowne. 4. their militarie discipline. 5. their curtesie to their friends, and seueritie against their enemies. 3. Some part of their kingdome they got vniustly, as Pompey tooke Asia from the rightfull kings: Cyprus they tooke from Ptolome, Sardinia from Carthage. Some countries were giuen and bequeathed vntounto them, as Asia by Attalus will, Bythinia by Nicodemus testament: the Cyrenians, and Pentapolis by Ptolome, Lybia by king Appio…, Perer. But all this discourse here is superfluous, seeing in this place we hauehave nothing to doe with the Romanes, but as it is typically shadowed forth in the kingdome of the Seleucians.
6. It remaineth then that this fourth beast must represent the kingdome of Syria, wherein tenne kings succeeded one another, the last of which was Antiochus Epiphanes, who is the little horne here spoken of: That this interpretation is most probable, shall appeare in the handling of the seuerall parts of this vision: neither is it new, taken vp by Iunius onelyonly, Polanus, and others; but Hierome maketh mention of one Polichronius, who so vnderstood it and Theodoret also sheweth the same to hauehave beene the opinion of some, though he resolue vponupon the Romanes: And yet we denie not but that typically also vnderunder the kingdome of the Seleucians, is shadowed forth the Monarchie of the Romans, as S. Iohn in the description of the beast with seuen heads and tenne hornes, hath relation vntounto this vision, thereby implying the Romane Monarchie, Apocal. 13. 1.