Exposition of the Prophecy of Daniel, Title page – To the reader
A MOST COMFORTABLE EXPOSITION OF The laſt and moſt difficult part of the prophecie of Daniel from the 26. verſe of the 11. chap, to the end of the 12. chapter.
Wherin the reſtoring of the Iewes and their callinge to the faith of Christ, after the utter overthrow of their three laſt enemies, is ſet forth in livelie coulours, By the labour and ſtudie of that bright and worthie man of God, THOMAS BRIGHTMAN Engliſhman & once fellowe of Queenes College in Cambridge.
Rom: 11.25.26. J would not brethren, that ye ſhould bee ignorant of this ſecret, that partly obſtinacie is come to Iſrael, vntil the fulnes of the gentiles be come in: and ſo all Iſrael ſhall bee ſaved, as it is written, The Deliverer ſhall come out of Sion, and ſhall turn awaie the ungodlines from Iacob.
Anno 1635.
To the friendly READER
ALthough the revealing of the Revelation and the ſong of ſonges doe yeeld cleere and notable arguments, ſufficiently to make knowne the happie and longed for vocation of the Iewes, yet the due regard of ſuch a divine myſterie doth require that we bring forth & laie to every litle ſparke, taken from the aultar of God, which maie yeeld more cleere and evidēt proofe of that truth which mortall men doe not yet ſufficiently conceive & ſee into. Behold therefore how this truth is confirmed not of one or two, but of three ſuch wittneſſes, as are beyond all exception. Daniel is added to Iohn and Salomon,Dan. 12.1.2. With. 10. 14. who among the viſions of God almightie, doe plainly teſtifie that this deliverance of his nation to be performed in the laſt times was alſo revealed, what ſpeciall account the good & great God made of all theſe, doe thoſe ſingular commendations teſtifie, which the Scriptures have honoured them withall. Iohn he is the diſciple whō Ieſus loved, Salomon was the king beloved of his God,Ioh. 13.23. whom his name was called Iedediah;Nehe. 13.26. Dan. 10.11.19. 2. Sam. 12.25, Daniel alſo is a man of deſires, becauſe in his time he was moſt accepted and beloved of God. It muſt not therfore ſeeme ſtrange, if God made known his ſecrets unto them after a ſpeciall maner,Pſal. 25.14. Eccl. 4.12. for the ſecret of the Lord is preſent to them that feare him. Vnited forces do allwais beſt prevaile, and the more helpes they aſſociate and ioyne together, the ſtronger they are, A three fold coard is not eaſily broken.
Although therfore thou doe ſomtime doubtinglie read over the Revelation of Iohn, & the ſonge of Salomon for the newnes and ſtrangenes of the matter, yet when by Daniels coming in, ſuch an admirable cōſent of Scripture, giveth ſuch cleere lighte to confirme the matter in hand, feare not to embrace the truth with thankfullnes unto God: for here all theſe, not by mutuall conſpiration, but by divine inſpiration, doe proclaime one and the ſame thinge.
How much alſo Daniels teſtimonie is to be accounted of in this matter, thou ſhalt farre better perceive by his owne words wel underſtood, thē by mine, as the ēſuing expoſitiō plainly ſheweth.
That truly is of great weight that Daniels prophecie is deputed and appointed for the Iewes, to whom notwithſtanding he bringeth no comfort, if that reſurrection ſpoken of 12.2. be underſtood of the laſt and generall reſurrection, properly ſo called, which without all doubte both in matter and time doth fall-in together with their deliveraunce in verſe. 1. Beholde then after the Iewes three laſt enemies be vtterly overthrowne; that is to ſaie, The Romane empire, which is called the King ch. 11.36. and is deſcribed by his properties verſe 37.38.39. and the Saracens, whom he noteth and nameth, The King of the South verſ. 40. and laſtly, the Turkiſh empire ſtiled with the title of the King of the North verſ. 40. &c. Behold I ſaie, a plaine and cleere pourtraiture of the Iewes vocatiō, not onelyonly vndertaken and begun 44.45. but conſummate and perfect ch. 12.1.2.3. where it ſhall bee made manifeſt (I think) without obſcuritie. That the reſurrection there, is the full reſtoring of the Iewiſh nation out of the duſt of deſtruction and their calling to the faith in Chriſt, wherby thoſe that are dead in ſinne are truly raiſed up againe according to that of the Apoſtle, If the caſting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what ſhall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead. Rom. 11.15.Rom. 11.15.
And that the mindes of good men maie the leſſe be diſquieted in the expectation of ſo great a felicity and happines. Lo the very times of this deliveraunce opened to thee, as well of it begun whē tidings out of the Eaſt ſhall trouble the Turk verſ. 7. and 11. as when fulfilled, when the Turkiſh name and empire both ſhall bee vtterly aboliſhed, The greatnes of the Kingdomes vnderunder the whole heaven ſhalbee given to the people of the Saints of the moſt high, verſ. 12. True it is indeed that almoſt all theſe thinges are otherwiſe caried and applied by interpreters very wel deſerving of the Church: but Truth is ever wel accepted and enterteined of the ingenuous, to which none can preſcribe a rule, or overrule, not ſpace of times, of patronage (or authority) of perſons,Lib. 1. de Virgin. Velan. c. 1. Auguſt. de lib. arbitr. 3. as Tertullian ſpeaks well. Yea, if a ſcandall be taken (or ariſe) becauſe of the truth, it is more, profitable to permitt the ſcandall, thē that the truth ſhould be left. He doth ſparingly refute other mens opinions, but mildly after his maner alwaies, where they prejudice and hinder the truth.
The controverſy is cheifly concerning Antiochus, whom he endevoureth to proove by a multitude of weighty reaſons, That he muſt of neceſſitie be excluded out of every particle of this prophecie which he hath here vndertakē to handle. Aſſuredly he bringeth admirable light to the right vnderſtanding of the whole prophecie of Daniel. Weighing then all thinges in an equall ballance, lay apart all prejudice againſt the truth diſcovered, and pray earneſtly with mee. That the Deliverer may come out of Sion, who may vtterly overthrow his enemies, the Beaſt with Gog and Magog, and that he may thorowly turne away vngodlines from Iacob. Farewel.