Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 11 · Moral observations
6. Morall obseruations.
1. Observ. The Angels assist Princes in the defence of the Church.
v. 1. I stood to encourage him: that is, the Angel assisted Darius in his godly purpose in sending the people of God out of captiuitie: If the Angels assist infidels, when they fauour the Church, much more faithfull Princes: for the speciall office of the Angels is to be empolyed for their sakes, which shall be heires of saluation, Heb. 1. 14.
2. Observ. Ambition and couetousnesse the causes of the ruine of kingdomes.
v. 2. By his riches he shall stirre vp all against the Realme of Grecia: Xerxes, who by oppression grewe rich, and by his riches waxed proud, and thorough pride mooued vnnecessarie warre, warring against the Grecians with 800. thousand men, was the occasion of the ruine and fall of the kingdome of the Persians: for these warres continued still; and though sometimes intermitted, yet were not fully ended vntill Alexanders time, who tooke occasion by those warres to goe against the Persians.
3. Observ. God resisteth and punisheth the proud.
v. 4. And when he shall stand vp his kingdome shall be broken, &c. Alexander beeing lifted vp in minde for his great successe, made himselfe equall vntounto God: when he heard that the Arabians worshipped two gods, the heauens which did beare the Sunne, and Dyonisius because he went with an armie against the Indians, thought himselfe worthie to be the third god: and sometime he would come forth like Iupiter, sometime like Diana: for this his pride and vnthankfulnes to God, he continued not long, beeing cut off in the 32. yeare of his age, and all his posteritie and kinred, his mother, sister, sonnes, and wiues, within a short time after his death, were all slaine: this is the ende of proud persons. So it befell vntounto proud Pharaoh king of Egygt, who was drowned in the redde Sea, and vntounto Herod, that was deuoured of wormes, Act. 12.
4. Observ. Incestuous marriages vnhappie.
v. 6. The kings daughter of the South, shall come to the kings daughter of the North. Ptolomeus Philadelphus gaue vntounto Antiochus Theos first his daughter Laodice, and then afterward his other daughter Berenice: they … two sisters, as Appian in Syriac. whome Polanus followeth: But whether they were sisters or not, Antiochus did repudiate his lawfull wife Laodic, by whome he had two sonnes Seleucus Callinicus, and Hierax: but this mariage prospered not, for Berenice was slaine by Callinicus: which sheweth what is the ende of such vnlawfull marriages: and that all leagues and confederacies combined by such meanes, can not hold. So Ferdinand gaue vntounto Sigismund king of Polonia first one of his daughters, and after her death an other, by the Popes dispensation: And in this age the Pope hath dispensed with the like incestuous mariages, for the vniting and maintaining of some great houses, Polan.
5. Observ. Princes that are enemies to the Church shall not long prosper.
v. 12. But he shall not preuaile. Ptolomeus Philopator, hauing obtained an exceeding great victorie against Antiochus Megas, because he was listed vp in minde, and afflicted the people of God, profaned the Temple, and cast many of them before the Elephants in open shewes; he was giuen ouer to a reprobate sense, spending his daies in most filthie pleasure, and liued not long after: such is the ende of those, which are enemies to the people of God: according to the prayer of the Prophet Dauid, Vp Lord, disappoint them, cast them downe, Psal. 17. 13.
6. Observ. There can be no firme peace among the wicked.
v. 27. They shall talke of deceit at one table. Antiochus Epiphanes, and Ptolome Philometor made semblance and shew of friendship, but it was not in truth: such are the truces betweene Princes that professe not true religion: as betweene the kings of France & Spaine in times past, as Sleidan and Gnicciardine note in their stories: so the Prophet Isai saith, c. 57. 21. There is no peace to the wicked.
7. Observ. Peace betweene Princes enemies to the Church, dangerous.
v. 28. His heart shall be against the holy couenant. As this peace betweene Antiochus Epiphanes, and Ptolome Philometor redounded much to the hurt of Gods people: such are the leagues made in these daies betweene the Princes of the Popes faction, which tende to the ruine of the Church: as Herod and Pilate were made friends by persecuting of Christ. But God shall breake the bonds of all such carnall deuices, and not suffer his Church to be troden downe.
8. Observ. That we be not dismaied, when religion is hindred.
v. 31. They shall pollute the Sanctuarie. As Antiochus Epiphanes caused an idol to be set vp in the Temple, and the daily sacrifice to be intermitted: so for a while God may suffer his Church to be tried, and his seruice to cease: as here in England in the daies of Queene Marie, when the Churches were defiled with idols: but as Antiochus tyrannie continued not much aboue sixe yeares, so God shortned those wicked daies, which were vnderunder that time not full out sixe yeares.
9. Observ. The ende of the wicked shall be sudden and fearefull.
v. 45. He shall come to his ende, and none shall helpe him. As Antiochus was plagued of God for his wickednes, and so he died: the like ende wicked tyrants shall hauehave: as Psal. 37. 37. Marke the vpright man, for the end of that man is peace: but the transgressors shall be destroied together, &c.