Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 7 · Doctrines 1 · Question 27
Quest. 27. Who is signified by the little horne, ver. 8.
The diuerse opinions here conceiued about the interpre…ation of these words, are of fiue sorts. 1. Some apply them to the Empire of the Turkes. 2. Some vnderstand them of the Romane Empire. 3. Some of both ioyned together. 4. Some of Antichrist. 5. Some of the Syrian kingdome, and hold Antiochus Epiphanes, that cruell enemie of the Iewes to be this little horne. All these opinions shall now be examined in their order.
1. That this little horne should be the Turke, it is the opinion of Melancthon and O…iander, and of Vatablus and Pintus, among the Romanists: vntounto whom they make all the properties of this little horne to agree: for as this is called a little horne, so Mahomet was of obscure beginning, who vnderunder the Emperors Heraclius and Honorius, about the yeare 600. by craft, cousenage, and sorcerie did drawe many after him: he is said to hauehave the eyes of a man, because he was most cunning to deceiue: he spake proud things: for Mahomet fayned that he had familiar conference with Angels, and that he was a great Prophet, and he said his lawe was better, then Moses or Christs.
Melancthon to the same purpose, sheweth, how these fowre things doe fitly agree vntounto the Turkish Empire, the time of their rising vp, their doctrine, power, and place of their dominion.
1. For the time, they sprang vp, when the Romane Empire was decaying, and vnderunder the Emp…rours before named. 2. for their doctrine, they abolish the writings of the Prophets, and Apostles, they denie Christ to be the Sauiour of the world, and many horrible blasphemies doe they vtter against the Son of God. 3. their power exceedeth all other Monarchies: they hauehave vnderunder their Empire the most part of Africa, and a great part of Europe, and Asia. 4. For their place, they came from the North, from the mount Caucasus, as Ezekiel prophesieth that Gog and Magog shall come from the North, Ezeck. 39. 2.
But Pererius sheweth by these two arguments, that the Turke is not here meant to be this little horne. 1. because when Mahomet did rise, there were not tenne kings in the Romane Empire, it was not yet dissolued and deuided into tenne kingdomes, but remayned whole vnderunder the obedience of the Emperor. 2. This horne shall afflict the people of God a time, two times, and an halfe, that is three yeares and an halfe: but Mahomet and his followers, hauehave persecuted the Church of God many hundred yeares. 3. Burgensis addeth further this reason: that the Turke doth not make the fourth beast, which is the fourth Monarchie here described, nor that set forth in the Image, c. 2. because before the first comming of Christ, which is there spoken of, there was no mention at all of the Turkes and Saracenes: and the fowre Monarchies were absolute in their times, that no other kingdome was able to resist them: So is not the Turke, for he is encountred with other enemies equivalent vntounto him: 4. But this further may disprooue this opinion for the Turkes: this fourth kingdome shall make warre with the Saints and the people of God, which then were vnderstood to be the Iewes, the knowne, people of God: But the Turkes are at this day great friends vntounto the Iewes, of whom they borrowe the greater part of their religion. This little horne then vponupon the reasons aforesaid, is not the great Turke, to whome by way of analogie many of the properties of this horne may agree, but historically it is not meant of him.
2. Of the second sort that here vnderstand the Romane Empire, is R. Leui, who sometime maketh the next after the tenth Caesar, which was Traiane, to be this horne, sometime Constantine: But both of these were commendable Emperours: Traiane is renowned euen among the Gentiles, and Constantine was a vertuous and religious Emperour, as all our histories doe write of him.
3. Calvin would hauehave this little horne to be Iulius Caesar, Augustus, and the other which succeeded him: But seeing that the tenne hornes are expounded to be tenne kings, the little horne beeing the last of the tenne, cannot be the first, nor the second, or the rest in order: Iulius Caesar was the first Emperour, next to him was Augustus, and so the rest that follow.
4. Oecolampadius doth indifferently vnderstand this little horne to be both the Pope in the West, and the Turke in the East; which he expoundeth to be the beast with two hornes, Apocal. 13. 11. the one pushing in Europe by …ypocrisie and deceite, the other in Asia and Africa, by tyrannie and violence, so also Pap. But v. 24. the Angel expoundeth the tenne hornes to be tenne kings of one kingdome: the Pope and Turke make not one kingdome, therefore they cannot both be this horne.
5. Some apply this prophesie vntounto Antichrist, whom they suppose shall come in the end of the world after the Romane Empire is destroyed, and deuided among tenne kings: Hier. Lyran. Hugo. who out of Andr…as reporteth, that this Antichrist shall drawe the Iewes vntounto him, and reedifie the Temple at Ierusalem: But this is an olde dreame, that such an Antichrist shall come toward the ende of the world: this phansie is receiued both of Turkes, who in their Alcaron speake of Antichrist that shall come, whom Christ shall destroy, and the Papists expect the like Antichrist to come, three yeare and an halfe before the second comming of Christ: Both of them are grossely deceiued: for the little horne here described, should make warre with the Saints, that then were the Iewes, whose commonwealth long since was dissolued, and they through the world dispersed.
6. Bullinger vnderstandeth this little horne to be the Pope, shewing, how from small beginnings that Sea did growe vp at the first, as a little horne, partly by the graunt of the Emperours, as Boniface the 3. obtained of the Emperour Phocas to be called the Vniuersall Bishop, partly by their pride and ambition: But still this principle must be held, that Daniel describeth here by this horne, a great enemie and persecutor of the Iewish nation, the people of God then: therefore this vision, although analogically it may be referred to the Pope the verie Antichrist, of whom Antiochus Epiphan…s might well be a type and figure, yet literally and historically it is not so intended.
7. But the Hebrewes of all other are the most malicious and absurd, who most blasphemously make Iesus Christ our Blessed Lord and Sauiour, this little horne: for so they say, his beginning was small and base, he came out of the fourth beast, he ioyned with the Romane Empire as appeared in Constantine: he spake presumptuous things, in making himselfe equall vntounto God, and changed times, in abrogating the ceremonies of Moses lawe, ex Paul. Burgensi. But all this is malitiously and ignorantly deuised of the Iewes. 1. because this horne is little at the first, it followeth not, that whosoeuer is little and smal at the first, should be this horne. 2. neither is the Romane Empire this fourth beast: and though the Imperiall authoritie did set forth and maintaine the gospel of Christ, there is great difference betweene terrene dominion, and the spirituall kingdome of Christ. 3. out Blessed Sauiour was equall to his father as God, and as the true Messiah was to determine and abolish the legall ceremonies: The Iewes therefore thus obiecting, doe but bewray their own ignorance, concerning the true Messiah.
8. It remaineth then, that this little horne was historically Antiochus Epiphanes, who was the te…th king of Syria from Seleucus Nicanor, and yet typically also Antichrist, as bath beene shewed in the former questions: and to him best agree all properties of the little horne, as shall be shewed in the questions next ensuing: Thus Polychronius interpreted this place, whose opinion Hierome misliketh: lunius thus expoundeth, and Polanus following him.