Commentary on Daniel, Appendix · Exercise 9
The ninth exercise.
Wherein Graserus expoundeth the 44. v. applying the same still to the Romane Antichrist and his proceedings.
Argum. 1. By the rumors from the East and North, he vnderstandeth the euill newes, both from the East, of the Turkes victories, and of his taking of Constantinople, ann. 1453. the hearing whereof did terrifie all Europe: but more afterward, when in the yeare, 1481. Geduces a Bassa of the Turkes inuaded Calabria, and made the Pope himselfe Sixtus 4. and all Rome afraid: the rumors from the North, was the fame of Luthers preaching, and of others which set forth the gospel, and discouered the hypocrisie and false doctrine of the Bishop of Rome, p. 410. 413.
2. These reports make him fret and fume, so that he prepareth himselfe to goe forth against them: for as Antiochus hearing of the rumors of warres from Parthia, and of the rising of the Macchabees in Iudea, diuided his armie, and left halfe thereof with Lysias to suppresse the Iewes, and the other halfe he tooke with him into Persia: So the Pope bendeth his force partly against the Turke in the East, but more against the Protestants in the North that trouble him, p. 407.
3. He goeth forth in great wrath, the word here vsed is chema, with aleph, which properly signifieth butter, but with he, it betokeneth wrath: here he is put for aleph, to insinuate what manner of wrath this should be, vnderunder pretence of amitie: his words should be as oyle and butter, while he meditateth mischiefe in his heart: as was euidently seene in the massaker at Paris some 34. yeares since, p. 418.
4. He shall goe forth and destroy many: no speciall enemie is named, but he shall intend a generall persecution: in which behalfe this prophesie cannot be so fitly applyed vntounto Antiochus, who had his certaine enemies: here the great number also is noted, that should be destroyed: and so one hath noted, that within the space of 30. yeares, from the yeare 1550. to the yeare 1580.…. hundred thousand in 30. yeares space flaine by the Popish Spanish faction. not so fewe as 900000. hauehave beene slaine, partly by the Spanish inquisition, and the Spanish warres, p. 429. And thus Graserus would perswade, that this prophesie, is most fitly applyed to the Romane Antichrist.
Answ. 1. No man can mislike Graserus diligence, in setting forth by so liuely demonstration the Antichristian proceedings of the Popes of Rome: And it cannot be denied, but that there is a neere resemblance betweene Antiochus exploits and Antichrists: and this his application of these rumors is not without great probabilitie: But yet the historicall sense of this prophesie will direct vsus thus rather to vnderstand those rumors, that from the East out of Parthia and Persia, and then out of the North from Iudea, troubled Antiochus, as hath beene further shewed, c. 11. quest. 50.
2. In that he maketh Antiochus a type of the Romane Antichrist, and specially in the diuiding of his forces against his two cheife aduersaries the one in the East, the other in the North, we take no exception to it: We affirme the same, that historically Antiochus is here described, and typically Antichrist.
3. It is vsuall among the Hebrewes to vse indifferently aleph, in stead of he, and contrariwise: as sometime chemah with he is taken for butter, as Iob. 29. 6. and chema with aleph without he for wrath, as in this place: Graserus collection then vponupon this change of the letter, though it be fitly applyed to his purpose, it is not of such weight as to exclude Antiochus out of this prophesie: nay it fitly describeth Antiochus, whose captaine intending mischiefe, vponupon his flattering words, and faire speeches was receiued into the citie, 1. Macc. 1. 31.
4. Antiochus likewise in his beastly rage destroyed many: for in 3. dayes space, he put to the sword 80. thousand, and tooke 40. thousand prisoners, 2. Macchab. 5. 14. So that herein he was a type of the great Antichrist, that should shed so much blood.