Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 9 · Controversies
5. Places of controversie.
1. Controv. That prayer and fasting is not meritorious.
v. 3. I turned my face vntounto the Lord, &c. with supplications, with fasting, and sackecloth: Fasting is not of it selfe a thing acceptable vntounto God, but as it is vsed as a meanes to make …ur prayers more feruent: the Romanists then are in an errour, which make fasting a thing meritorious, Calvin. the contrarie is euident in the Pharisie, who boasted of his almes deeds, and of his fasting twice in a week, yet his prayer was not accepted of God, Luk. 18. If prayer then and true contrition, with hartie repentance, and vnfained humilitie, doe accompanie fasting, it is regarded, and had in remembrance with God, otherwise it is an vnprofitable exercise: as S. Paul saith, Bodily exercise profiteth little, but godlinesse is profitable vntounto all things, 1. Tim. 4. 8.
2. Controv. God onelyonly is to be invocated, not Saints or Angels.
v. 3. Daniel onelyonly turneth his face vntounto the Lord: now if Saints were to be prayed vntounto, Daniel had here occasion to turne himselfe vntounto Ieremie, whose prophesie he maketh mention of before: who had beene fitter to assist Daniel praying for deliuerance after the 70. yeares captiuitie, then he, who was the minister of that prophesie and promise. By this then it is well gathered, that the invocation of Saints was not in vse in the old Testament, Bullinger. and therefore the Prophet Dauid saith, Psal. 73. 25. Whom hauehave I in heauen but thee? And the Scripture commandeth vsus to worship God onelyonly and serue him, Deut. 6. 13. Matth. 4. v. 10. If God onelyonly is to be worshipped, he alone must be prayed vntounto, for prayer is a part of his worship.
The Romanistes, for the invocation of Angels and Saints, doe alleadge these places of Scripture: 1. Gen. 48. 16. Iakob saith, the Angel which hath deliuered me, blesse the children: But this was no created Angel, it was Christ the sonne of God: for in the former verse he is called God, the God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Izaak did walke, the God which hath fedde me all my life long vntounto this day, blesse, &c. then it followeth in the next verse, the Angel which hath deliuered me, &c. what other Angel was it which deliuered Iacob, but he that fedde him, which he saith was God?
2. That place also is vrged, Iob. 19. 21. hauehave pitie vponupon me, hauehave pitie vponupon me, O yee my friends: Bellar. lib. 1. de sanctor beatitud. c. 19.which Bellarmine vnderstandeth of the Angels: But it is euident, that Iob speaketh vntounto his friends which came to visit him, who seemed to hauehave small compassion on him, but with tauntes and rebukes, condemning him as an hypocrite, did adde more affliction vntounto him: for it followeth in the next verse, Why doe ye persecute me as God? they were not the Angels of God that persecuted him, but Sathan was the chiefe instrument of his afflictions, and his friends helped it forward.
3. That place also Apocal. 1. 4. is abused to the same purpose: Grace vntounto you, and peace from him which was, which is, and which is to come, and from the seuen spirits which are before the throne: by these seuen spirits they vnderstand the Angels: But that cannot be. 1. these spirits are ioyned as in equall authoritie with God the Father, and the Sonne, grace is here ascribed indifferently to proceede from them all. 2. these spirits are set betweene the father and the sonne, as beeing of the same power. 3. the Lambe is said to hauehave 7. hornes, and seuen eyes, which are the 7. spirits, c. 5. 6. these spirits then were of the same essence and substance with the Sonne. 4. and by the vertue of these seuen spirits the Lambe openeth the booke with 7. seales, c. 5. 5. But Christ receiueth no vertue from the Angels. 5. Wherefore these 7. spirits are vnderstood to be the holy Ghost, which is called septiformis, seuenfold, quia licet vnus natura, gratiarum distributione multiplex, who though he be one in nature, yet is manifold in the distribution of the graces, gloss. ordinar. And because Christ did worke so effectually by the cōmunication of his graces in the seuen Churches, as if there were seuen seuerall spirits,Iustin. in paraenes. ad Grac. therefore is the spirit so described. Thus also Iustinus of auncient time expounded, foreign, &c. the holy Prophets say that one and the same spirit is diuided into seuen spirits.
4. Then followeth the example of Iohn, who saith he fell downe at the feete of the angel to worship him, Apoc. 19. 10. and 22. 8. where Bellarmine saith, that so great an Apostle, and Prophet would not hauehave offred to hauehave worshipped the Angel, if it had beene vnlawfull: he was deceiued in his person, taking him to be Christ, he erred not in offring to adore him: for then, if it had beene an error, he would not hauehave done it twice: once before, c. 19. and now againe, c. 22.
Contra. 1. it is euident by the text, that Iohn is reprooued of the Angel, for offring to worship him, therefore therein was Iohns error. 2. And Iohn was not ignorant that it was an Angel, and not Iesus himselfe: for he saith, c. 22. v. 6. the Lord God of the holy Prophets sent his Angel to shewe vntounto his seruants the things which shortly must come to passe: and againe, v. 16. I Iesus hauehave sent mine Angel, to testifie vntounto you these things. 3. Polanus thinketh that Iohn did not commit this error twice in seeking to worship the Angel: but that it is a repetition of that before mentioned, c. 19. But it may appeare by comparing the places, that Iohn fayled herein twice: for as Peter not twice, but thrice together offended in denying his master: so might Iohn thorough forgetfulnesse, beeing astonished with the preseuce of so glorious an Angel, once againe shewe his infirmitie herein.
3. Controv. That Christ is the onelyonly Mediator.
v. 17. Heare the prayer of thy seruant, &c. for the Lords sake, that is, for thy Christs sake. But this place is corrupted by the Iewes, and by the Romanists. 1. the Rabbines some of them, as R. Moses, R. Saadiah, doe here vnderstand Abraham: But the faithfull of the old Testament vsed not to call Abraham (beeing dead) their Lord: and the Prophet I say saith, c. 63. 16. that Abraham is ignorant of vsus: how could he then be a mediator for them, whose affaires he knewe not? Some other of them doe say, that the noune is put here for the pronoune, as it is vsuall in the Scriptures: so that for the Lords sake is as much, as for thine owne sake: But this phrase is vsed to take away ambiguitie: as Gen. 1. 27. God created man after his image, after the Image of God created he him: for if he had said, after his image, it had beene doubtfull, whether it had beene Gods or mans image: but there is no such occasion of doubt here.
2. The Romanists here also following the Latine translation, read, propter teipsum, for thy selfe, or for thine owne sake: But they corrupt the text euidently, the word is, Adonai, Lord.
3. Thus Christ was acknowledged to be the Mediator in the old testament, as Psal. 80. 15. the Church prayeth, that God would visite his vine, which he had planted, and that for his sonnes sake, whom he had made strong for himselfe: for so it is in the originall: and so in that place read Montanus, Iunius; and the Latine interpreter, howsoeuer he fayleth here, there readeth right. Thus Dauid desireth to be heard, for thy words sake, meaning Christ, 2. Sam. 7. 21. And it is said he called the name of Salomon Iedidiah, beloued of God, propter Iehouam, for Iehouahs sake.
4. Thus also in the newe Testament, there is the same confession of Christ to be the Lord and Mediator: as S. Peter Act. 2. 36. whom God hath made both Lord and Christ. And Heb. 1. 2. he is called, the heire of all things: and Elizabeth confesseth him to be her Lord, Luk. 1. 43. So Christ is the Lord both by his naturall right, as the Lord and Creator of all: and iure acquisito, by the right of purchase, which is threefold: by the right of inheritance: because God the father hath giuen vsus as an inheritance to his sonne, as Psal. 2. v. 8. Aske of me and I will giuegive thee the nations for thy possession, &c. by the right of redemption we are Christs, because he hath redeemed and purchased vsus with his blood, as S. Paul saith, 1. Cor. 6. 19. 20. You are not your owne, ye are bought for a price. And Christ is our Lord, by the right of his spiritual marriage: for the husband is Lord and head of his wife, and so Christ is of his Church.
5. But it will be obiected, that in the old Testament this phrase is often vsed, for Dauid my seruants sake: as 1. king. 11. v. 12. 13. and 2. king. 19. 34. Hereunto it may be answered: that the meaning is not, that for the worthinesse of Dauid, or by his mediation and intercession God would hauehave respect vntounto them, but because of the Promises which the Lord made vntounto Dauid, as Psal. 89. 50. where are the auncient mercies, which thou swarest vntounto Dauid in thy truth? and Psal. 132. v. 11. The Lord hath swore in truth vntounto Dauid, and he will not shrinke from it, Polan.
4. Controv. Against prayer and invocation of the dead.
v. 18. Whereupon thy name is called: that is, which is called by thy name, for so this phrase is vsed, as Isay 4. 1. seuen women shall take hold of one man, saying, we will eat our owne bread, &c. onelyonly let thy name be called vponupon vsus. And so is that place to be vnderstood, Gen. 48. 16. where Iacob saith of Ephraim and Manasses, let my name be invocated or called vponupon ouer them: which words the Romanists doe wrest, as though Iacob would hauehave them to pray vntounto him: whereas he meaneth nothing else, but that they should be counted among his sonnes, and called by the name of Israel, as the other of Iacobs sonnes: So in this place, though the name of God were indeede invocated and called vponupon in Ierusalem, yet the meaning here onelyonly is, that they were called by the name of God, they were counted his citie and people, Polan.
5. Controv. Of the name of the Catholike Church, that it is but vsurped by the Romanists.
As it was not enough for Ierusalem to be called by the name of God, but their profession and couersation also must be agreeable thereunto, for otherwise, while they said, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, and yet did steale, murther, commit adulterie, &c. the Prophet saith they did trust in lying words, Ierem. 7. 8. And therefore because of their idolatrie and other sinnes, the Lord suffered his own Temple to be defiled and destroyed by the Chaldeans: So neither now is it a sure note to know the Church of God by, to be called Chatholike, if the Catholike faith be not held and maintained. The Romanists thē are but vsurpers of this name Catholike, seeing they are departed from the Catholike faith: He is not a Catholike that dependeth vponupon the Pope of Rome, but he which professeth the holy Catholike doctrine of Christ: which they that corrupt and denie, are no more Catholikes, then a dried sceleton, (the bones of a dead man hanging together) is to be counted a man: And as there is great difference betweene a painted woman, such as Iezabel was, and a faire woman by her naturall complexion; euen so a Catholike in name differeth from a Catholike in deed.
6. Controv. That no man is perfect in this life.
v. 20. While I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sinne: The interlinearie gloss. here hath this note: this he saith, either because in many things we offend all, or ex humilitate, of humilitie, he ioyneth himselfe with the people: But it was better inferred, and concluded out of this place in the Mileuitane Councell, c. 7. that euen Daniel confessed his own sinne: for Daniel saith, confessing my sinne, and the sinne of my people: Daniel then confesseth not in the name of the people onelyonly, but he confesseth his owne sinnes, beside the sinnes of the people: And further, whereas eueryevery one is taught to say in the Lords prayer, forgiue vsus our sinnes, that Councel further decreeth him to be anathema, and accursed, who should say, that a righteous man saying this petition, pro alijs potius, quam pro se petere intelligatur, &c. must be vnderstood rather to pray for others, then for himselfe, Bulling.
7. Controv. That the prayers of the faithfull are not meritorious.
v. 23. For thou art a man greatly beloued, &c. Daniel was not accepted of God because of his prayers, but his prayers were heard because he was a man beloued before and accepted of God in Christ: So that it is not the merit or worthinesse of our prayer, that maketh vsus to be respected with God: but the respect which God hath to vsus in Christ causeth our prayers to hauehave entrance vntounto God. As it is said Gen. 4. 4. God had respect vntounto Habel, and vntounto his offring: first his person by faith was accepted, and then his prayer because of his person admitted: So S. Iames saith, the prayer of a righteous man avayleth much, c. 5. 16. that is, of a man righteous and iustified by faith; as a little before he saith, the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke.
8. Controv. That we are not iustified by any inherent righteousnesse, but imputed onelyonly by faith.
v. 24. To reconcile iniquitie, and to bring in euerlasting righteousnesse: This then is our iustification: when our sinnes, which we hauehave don, are not imputed, as it is in the Psalme, and so cited by the Apostle, Rom. 5. 8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not his sinne: and beside the righteousnesse of the Lawe, which we could not doe, but Christ hath wrought for vsus, is imputed also vntounto vsus: as the Apostle teacheth, 2. Cor. 5. 21. he hath made him sinne for vsus, that knewe no sinne, that we should be made the righteousnesse of God in him, Contrarie to this truth of doctrine are these assertions following.
1. The Iesuites in Censur. Coloniens. fol. 186. doe define the iustice of God, which is reuealed in the newe Testament, to be virtutem in Deo, quam iuxta vniuscuiusque dignitatem singulis distribuit, vertue in God, which he distributeth to eueryevery one according to their worthinesse, &c. not much vnlike hereunto is the opinion of Andreas Osiander, that we are iustified, per essentialem Dei iustitiam in nobis habitantem, by the essentiall iustice of God dwelling in vsus, and stirring vsus vp vntounto good workes. But this is an absurd opinion. 1. because it confoundeth Gods iustice and righteousnesse, with the effects and operation thereof. 2. if our righteousnesse be the essentiall iustice of God. then Christs obedience is excluded: for that is not the essentiall iustice of God. 3. this opinion tendeth to blasphemie, making the essentiall iustice of God, to be a qualitie in man. 4. it commeth neere the heresie of the Manichees, who held that the essentiall iustice of God was transfused into men.
2. An other opinion is, that our righteousnesse, whereby we are iustified, is an inherent vertue, infused into vsus by the merit of Christ: Synod. Trident. sess. 6. c. 16. And the same is the generall opinion of the Romanists: that we are not iustified formally by the righteousnesse of Christ, in beeing accounted or reputed iust, but by an inherent iustice, whereby we are made iust in deede:Synop…. Centur. 4. err. 56. so the Rhemistes, to whom Bellarmme consenteth: which is directly against the doctrine of the Apostle, Abraham beleeued God, and it was counted to him for righteousnesse: Abrahams iustice was imputatiue by faith. There is indeed in euerie faithfull man a iustice inherent, and dwelling in him, which is nothing else but our regeneration and sanctification, which is the fruits of our iustification: by this inherent and inhabiting holynesse we are not iustified before God, but thereby our iustifying faith is approoued and ratified: which S. Paul calleth, saith working by louelove, Galat. 5. 6.
9. Controv. Whether sinne after forgiuenesse may be said any way to remaine in the faithfull.
Pererius vponupon these words, to finish wickednesse, and take away iniquitie, as the Latine translator readeth; inferreth, that sinnes in the faithfull are not onelyonly not imputed, but are vtterly taken away: and therefore he by the scandalous name of Heretikes noteth the Protestants, that they should hold, remanere peccata, sed non imputari propter Christum, that sinnes doe remaine in those which are iustified. but they are not imputed vntounto condemnation for Christs sake: And to this purpose he alleadgeth Thomas Aquin. Thom. in 4. c. epist. ad Romā ▪who obserueth 4. things in sinne. 1. the offence toward God, which is said to be remitted, as one man forgiueth the trespasse of an other. 2. there is an act of sinne, which beeing once done, cannot be vndone: but this is said to be couered, because God seeth it not to punish it. 3. there is reatus poenae, the guiltinesse of punishment, which the Lord remitteth in forgiuing sinne, that it shall not be imputed vntounto punishment. 4. there is macula, the blot and staine of sinne, whereby the soule is defiled, and this is taken away when a man is iustified: and therefore he is said to be washed: hence Pererius inferreth, that sinnes to them which are iustified, nulla ex parte remanere, doe not remaine at all: And this he would further prooue by that place, 1. Cor. 15. 17. If Christ be not raised, ye are yet in your sinnes: the Apostle counteth it an absurd and impossible thing, that sinne should remaine in a man regenerate.
Contra. 1. Pererius not citing any Protestant that so affirmeth speaketh, but by gesse and …urmise: for the Protestants doe not hold that in the regenerate their former sinnes still remaine, beeing onelyonly couered: but that they are forgiuen and remooued indeede, neuer to be remembred againe. This is that we affirme, that for the sinnes past, they are abolished: but for the time to come, there remaineth an aptnesse to sinne, with some staine and blemish, which continueth with the faithfull as long as they are in the flesh.
2. Thomas obseruations may be admitted all but the …ast: in that he holdeth the staine or blot of sinne to be washed away: if he speake of such a blot, qua, sublato nitore gratiae, animus per p…ccatum foedatur, whereby the soule, the brightnesse of grace beeing taken away, is defiled by sinne, as his words are, such a staine, to the extinguishing of grace, cannot be in the righteous: but such a blemish and staine remaineth, whereby the soule is hindered in euerie good worke, and whereby the flesh resisteth against the spirit: which combate and strife betweene the fl…sh and the spirit remaineth euen in the righteous, as S. Paul giueth instance in himselfe, Rom. 7. 22. 23.
3. We must distinguish with the Apostle betweene the dwelling of sinne, and the raigning of sinne, Rom. 6. 12. and between the warring after the flesh, and walking in the flesh, 2. Cor. 10. 3. Though sinne raigne not in the regenerate, yet it is in the regenerate, as the Apostle saith, 1. Iohn. 1. 8. if we say we hauehave no sinne, we deceiue our selues, and the truth is not in vsus.
4. In that place, 1. Cor. 15. 17. the Apostle meaneth that if Christ were not risen againe, they could not hauehave remission of their sinnes: for then our redemption had not beene perfited: he speaketh not of evacuating of sinne, that it should hauehave no more beeing in the faithfull, but of the not imputing of sinne, as the next words before shewe: if Christ be not risen againe, your faith is in vaine, &c. that is, by faith ye could hauehave no remission of sinne: But see more of this question, how farre sinne remaineth in the regenerate, Synops. Papis. Centur. 3. quest. 10.
10. Controv. That charitie is not more principall in the matter of iustification, then faith.
v. 24. To bring in euerlasting righteousnesse: Hence Pererius would prooue, that charitie is the cheifest, and preferred before faith in the worke of iustification: because this iustice is euerlasting, and therefore faith is not this iustice, which remaineth not alwayes: but charitie remaineth for euer, and therefore the Apostle concludeth, that the chiefest of these is louelove.
Contra. 1. We doe not say, that faith is the iustice it selfe, whereby we are iustified: but it apprehendeth instrumentally the iustice of Christ, whereby we are iustified: and therefore he concludeth not to the purpose. 2. though faith remaine not, yet the effect of faith, which is our iustification, abideth for euer: no more shall the preaching of Gods word be necessarie in the next world: yet it is called the immortail seede, 1. Pet. 1. 13. because it is the seede whereby God begetteth vsus, who liueth for euer: and in respect of the euerlasting fruite that commeth by the word, it begetteth faith, and faith bringeth euerlasting righteousnesse. 3. charitie is euerlasting, but it is not the euerlasting righteousnesse here spoken of, which is the righteousnesse of Christ applyed by saith. 4. And charirie is the chiefest, not simply, but in respect of the perpetuitie: it is not preferred, as more avayleable then faith to iustification: wherefore it followeth not, charitie is chiefer then faith, because it endureth longer: therefore euerie way it is the chiefest.
11. Controv. That the Pope doth blasphemously vsurpe the title of Christ, to be called most holy.
v. 24. To anoint the most holy: Pererius here maketh this collection, that not onelyonly Christ is called holy, but whatsoeuer belongeth vntounto Christ, as the Church is called holy, the faithfull are called Saints, that is holy: And the Pope, because he is Christs Vicar, and representeth him in earth, is called most holy, yea sanctitas, holines it selfe.
Contra. 1. True it is, that the things which belong vntounto Christ, are holy by the participation of Christs holinesse, as his spouse the Church, and his members: but they which are neither this spouse, not members (as the Pope is the head of the Antichristian Church) hauehave no part in this holinesse. 2. And though they are called holy, yet the title of most holy, and of holinesse it selfe, cannot without blasphemie simply be giuen vntounto any mortall and sinnefull man. 3. Christ needeth no vniuersall Vicar in earth: and it is impossible that to one man should be committed the dispensation of the whole Church. 4. EueryEvery prince is Gods Vicar and Vicegerent in his kingdome: they are called Gods, beeing in Gods stead, and they are the Lords anointed, and so holy: But yet the title of most holy, is peculiar vntounto Christ: his Vicar and representer may be holy, but the person represented is onelyonly most holy.
12. Controv. Whether the Sacrament of the Altar be most holy.
The Romanists doe giuegive this title of most holy, vntounto the sacrament of the Altar, as they call it: as simply giuing it the preheminence of holinesse before all other things. Contra. 1. If there were present indeede the verie bodie of Christ, which is but their superstitious imagination, then it would followe, that it were most holy: But that is their owne conceit without any ground, for S. Peter saith, that the heauens must containe Christ, vntill the time that all things be restored, Act. 3. 21. And Christs bodie beeing in heauen, is not at the same time in the earth: neither is in more then one place at once: for otherwise the Angel had not reasoned well, Matth. 28. 6. He is not here, for he is risen. 2. As it is a sacrament, and so representeth the bodie and blood of Christ, we confesse that the Eucharist is holy, and to be reuerenced: yet most holy it can not be said to be, as hauing the preheminence before all other things. The word of God is not inferiour to the Sacrament, if not before it: for that which sanctifieth, is greater then that which is sanctified: as our Sauiour reasoneth concerning the Altar, and the offering, Matth. 23. 19. but the Sacrament is sanctified by the word, Eph. 5. 26. That he might sanctifie it by the washing of water through the word: for all things are sanctified by the word of God, and prayer, 1. Tim. 4. 5. Augustine also to this effect saith, Dicite mihi, &c. tell me, which seemeth greater vntounto you, the word of God, or the bodie of Christ… respondere debetis, quod non sit minus verbum Dei, you must answer, that the word of God is not inferiour. Homil. 26. But if the Sacrament were simply most holy, then it should be more holy then the word. 3. Yet may the Sacrament in some respect be called most holy, namely comparatiuely, if it be set against other things which are prophane, or not of like holines: for like as in the Sanctuarie, the most holy place, where the Arke was, had simply that name of most holy; yet other things also comparatiuely were called most holy: as the altar of burnt-offering, Exod. 29. 37. and the perfume, c. 30. 36. the altar was most holy in comparison of all other things in the outward Court, and the perfume beeing set against all other perfumes: So simply the most holy of all, is the sweete smelling sacrifice of our blessed Sauiour vponupon the crosse: as Origen saith, ipse est hostia sancta sanctorum, he is the offering most holy of holies, in Levit.7. comparatiuely the Sacrament and other holy things may also be said to be most holy. 4. But their Sacrament of the altar, which they hauehave made an abominable idol, giuing the highest adoration to a peece of bread, which they make their impanate god, hath no holines at all, and therefore is farre from the title of most holy.
13. Controv. That Christ is mediatour both as God and man.
In that the most holy is saide here to be anointed, first the Arrians inferre, that Christ is not God, for God can not be anointed: secondly, the Romanists collect, that Christ was our Mediatour according to his humane nature onelyonly; because he was anointed onelyonly in his humanitie. Contra. 1. If this anointing be taken onelyonly for the collation of the gifts and graces of the spirit, it is true, that the humane nature of Christ was onelyonly in this sense anointed: But by this anointing also is vnderstood, the ordaining of Christ to be the Mediatour and Sauiour of the world: and so Christ is our Mediatour according to both his natures: for in the office of the Mediatourship there are two things to be vnderstood, a ministerie, and power and authoritie: the ministeriall part, as to be borne, to fast, to preach, to suffer, to die, Christ executed as he was man: but the power to rise againe, to ascend into the heauens, to reconcile vsus vntounto God, must be ascribed vntounto his diuine nature. So the Apostle saith, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe, 2. Cor. 5. 19. Christ then not onelyonly as man, but as God reconciled the world. So Bernard well saith, singula illius opera ad hanc sive illam necesse est pertinere naturam, ad hanc scilicet miseria, ad illam pertinet potestas, &c. all his workes must of necessitie belong either to the one or to the other nature: to his humanitie must be referred his abasing and miserie, to the other his power, &c. Serm. de verb. sapient. See more hereof, Synops. Centur. 5. err. 29.
14. Controv. Against the sacrifice of the Masse.
v. 27. He shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease: All externall sacrifices then ceased, and were abolished in the death of Christ. They then which would bring in a new externall sacrifice into the Church, as the Romanists, which doe hold, that in the Masse they doe offer vp in sacrifice the bodie and blood of Christ, doe denie the sufficiencie and efficacie of Christs death, and make the couenant, confirmed by his blood, of no effect: for the testament beeing once confirmed and ratified by the death and sacrifice of Christ, there neede no iteration of that sacrifice, vnlesse they will make void the confirmation of the couenant by Christs death: for as the Apostle saith, Christ with one offering hath consecrated for euer, them that are sanctified, Hebr. 10. 14. there needeth no more offering, but onelyonly a fruitfull application of that offering, which is by a thankefull commemoration of Christs death and passion in the Sacrament receiued by faith. Oecolampad.
15. Controv. Against the Iewes, that the Messiah who was expected of the fathers, is alreadie come into the world.
By this prophecie of Daniels 70. weekes, in the ende whereof the Messiah should be slaine, the Iewes are euidently conuinced, that the Messiah is come: which may further be confirmed by these reasons taken out of this prophesie.
1. The holy ointment, wherewith they anointed their Kings and Princes, which was a type of the spirituall anointing of the Messiah, is now abolished, and out of vse among the Iewes: the type was to remaine vntill the bodie and substance came: it beeing now ceased, it followeth that the Messiah, the true anointed of God, is exhibited to the world.
2. The Messiah was to be slaine before the ende of Daniels weekes, or together with the expiring of them: but Daniels weekes are long since ended, euen by the testimonie of the Iewes themselues: therefore the Messiah is come, and they did vntounto him what they would.
3. When the Leuiticall sacrifices should cease, the Messiah was come, for his most perfect and holy sacrifice should determine the imperfect sacrifices of the law: But the legal and Leuitical sacrifices are ended: Ergo.
4. The blessed Messiah was to come before the destruction of the second Temple: and therefore the Prophet saith, Hagg. 2. 10. The glorie of this last house, shall be greater then the first: because the Messiah should come, the second Temple yet standing: as the Prophet saith in the same place, v. 7, 8. Yet a little while, and I will mooue all nations, and the desire of all netions shall come. And for the further euidence and confirmation hereof, we hauehave thereceiued opinion of many of the Iewes themselues.
R. Moses of Tyrol, and Bioces, looked for the comming of Christ toward the ende of the second Temple: which they gathered partly out of this prophesie of Daniel, partly out of that place, Isa. 66. 7. Before her throwes came vponupon her, shee was deliuered of a man child: therefore some of the Rabbins hold, that the Messiah was borne the same day, that the Temple was destroied.
In their booke called Bereshith Rabba, there is this parable: how a certaine Arabian passing by a certain Iew, as he was at plow, hearing one of his oxen low, he bad him vnyoke, for the destruction of Ierusalem was at hand: and hearing the other low also, he bad him vnyoke againe, for the Messiah was alreadie come. R. Aaron telling the same parable, saith, what neede we learne it of an Arabian, seeing the text it selfe declareth it.
Iosephus l. 7. de bell. Iudaic. c. 12. writeth, that therewas a prophecie found in holy Scripture, that at the time of the ouerthrow of Ierusalem, there should come a king which should raigne ouer the world, which he in flattering wise interpreted of Vespaesian.
There was an other prophesie bruted among the Iewes, that Doctor Hillels schollers should neuer faile till Christ were come: the yongest of them was R. Iochanan the sonne of Zacheus, who liued to see the destruction of the Temple: a little before, a certaine gate opened it selfe, which Iosephus speaketh of in his 7. booke, c. 12. where at R. Iochanan beeing amazed, remembred that place, Zachar. 11. 1. Open thy gates, O Lebanon, and let fire consume thy cedars: which he applied to the destruction of the citie, which was set on fire.
Hereof it was, vponupon this common receiued opinion, that the Messiah should come before the destruction of Ierusalem, that diuers taking aduantage of the time, tooke vponupon them to be Christ: as one Theudas a Iugler, made the people beleeue, that he was a Prophet, and that he would diuide the waters of Iordan before them, as in the time of Ioshuah: and when Felix was gouernour, an other comming out of Egypt, making himselfe a Prophet, perswaded the people, that if they would follow him to mount Olivet, they should see the walls of Ierusalem fall downe. By these testimonies of the Iewes, and their owne practises it is euident, that they expected the comming of Messiah, before the destruction of the second Temple.
Hereunto may be added that notable confession of R. Samnel, sent in an epistle to R. Isaak aboue 600. yeares since, who vponupon the euidence of this prophesie of Daniel, was conuinced to confesse, that the Messiah was come: which testimonie beeing very notable, it shall not be amisse to set it downe at large,A notable confession of a learned Iewe, that the Messiah was come long since. as Dyonts. Carthusian. hath it in his commentarie vponupon this 9. chapter of Daniel: Videtur (Domine mi) Danielis Prophetia, quae scribitur nono capite iam completa esse, &c. It seemeth (reverent Syr) that the prophesie of Daniel, which is written in the 9. chapter, to be now fulfilled: after 62. weekes Messiah shall be slaine, and a people shall come with a Prince to come, and destroy the citie, and the house, and the destruction and desolation thereof shall be perpetuall. Now it is not to be doubted (my good Syr) but this is the perpetuall destruction and desolation in this captiuitie, wherein we are: for now there are a thousand yeares since, and the Lard plainly saith by his Prophet, that the desolation shall be perpetuall for the killing of Christ, as our desolation is after the slaying of Christ: for the Lord threatned not perpetuall desolation, but after the slaying of Christ. And if we will say, that before the killing of Christ, we were in desolation, the Christians will answer vsus, that before his death we had but a desolation for 70. yeares: and after this we were brought into the land of promise, and were in grace and fauour with God. Truely (Sir) I see no evasion: for it is prooued vntounto vsus in fact, that after seuentie weekes of yeares were fulfilled from the reedifying of the Temple, then was Iesus slaine of our fathers: and afterward came a captaine, euen Titus, and the people of Rome, and did vntounto vsus according to this prophesie. Now a thousand yeares are past, and we are notwithstanding vnderunder Gods wrath, and yet we trust in him, expecting a Messiah to come: and that we shall returne into the land of promise, and restore the citie and Temple, and that we shall be in fauour with God, and so this desolation not to be perpetuall, but temporall. Alas (Sir) this excuse and euasion hangeth not together, and such expectation seemeth to be altogether vaine.
A more plentifull and euident testimonie can we not hauehave, then from this learned Rabbin, who giueth a most perfect and sound exposition of Daniels propheticall weekes. Seeing then it is euident, that the Messiah is come, who els can he be but Christ Iesus: in whome all these things are fulfilled, prophesied of the Messiah. 1. the anointing is now ceased. 2. so are all the Leuitical sacrifices since his death. 3. he came while the second Temple stood. 4. and suffered after 490. yeares from the reedifying of the citie and Temple. 5. immediatly vponupon his death the citie and Temple was destroied. 6. and the same destruction is like to be perpetuall, hauing continued almost 1600. yeares, according to this prophesie of Daniel. So that if they were not wilfully blinded, they must needes confesse with R. Samuel, that the Messiah is come, and that he was that IESVS, whome their forefathers killed.