An Advertisement of Corruption in our Handling of Religion, Part 4 – Part 15
Of Daniels ſeauens: the right meaning and corruption commended by our Eccleſiasticall, and Stationers.
SInce Adamfell, on the day of his creation, and brought death before he walked in any obediēce, to kindle Gods anger to the full, yet God in mercy vſed many meanes to breed faith in the redeemer: beſide the warnings of his word. The flood deſtroyed all but eight, & of all the men nothing remaineth but ſpirites in priſon, except eight ſaued in the Arke. That ſeverity might hauehave made them all wiſe. Yet Cham was not bettered: but his race called out Idolatry and Babels Tower for that. wherevpon God bereft theſe builders of the tongue that ſpake of hope in the redeemer, that they ſhould no more heare of him, till Babel ſhould fall by Sem in Cyrus and by Iapheth in Darius, when Perſians and Medes tooke Babell. And amongſt his owne people he reckoned the worldes age to that time, moſt exactly and plainly, yeares 3470. And then his Angell telleth Daniel for Darius and Cyrus, and all nations, of the kingdome of Salvation: and nameth the redemer the moſt holy: Meſſias the Governer: Meſſias that ſhall confirme the covenaunt with many: and telleth of his kingdome, how it ſhalbe in ſufferings. Iudah ſaw the fall of Salomons kingdome, their hope: and the fall of Babel the glorie of nations▪ and now firſt experience might teach that the kingdomes of this world vnderunder the ſun, had nothing but vexation of ſpirit. At that time it was fit to tell all the world of the kingdome of heauen: when Iewes & Gentiles ſaw all the earth curſed. The Iewes kingdome had fallen: and they were told they ſhould never hauehave an earthly kingdome more: and Hethen kingdomes were ſhewed to be as ſavage beaſtes coaming out of the great ſea toſſed with many windes. So in that opportunitie an Angel, called Gabriel, the mighty man of God, whom Daniel had ſeene before, cometh in the Evening to Daniel praying for a return home, for his people to reſtore their religion: and telleth him that his prayer was heard, that Ieruſalem ſhalbe reſtored, as Eſaie foretold Cyrus ſhould do it, that mount Sion ſhould hauehave ſacrifices ſeaven times the ſpace of ſeaventy yeares captivity, that is, 490. yeres. But exactly then the Son of God would conſecrate him ſelfe to end Moſes and to bring in an Eternall redemption: and as he had Oxen and ſheepe in ſacrifices for his body, and their blood for the blood of his covenant: hee would confirme a covenaunt for all nations. As the Goſpell recordeth what he hath done, leaving bread for his body in ſeale of covenaunt, and wine for the new teſtament by his covenant: So at his death he ſhould end Moſes Lawes, and all Leviticall function: that no Moſaicall ſacrifice ſhould afterwardes be lefull. And the time of all this matter is clearely and ſtrictly ſet downe: that Cyrus & Darius knew when the ſonne of God would worke redemption: in which hope 49000. Iewes leaue Babel for Ieruſalem, and ſo many of Iſrael as had hope of Salvation, thought of Ieruſalem in all countreys where they were ſcattered. Alſo the Sonne of God is called by Gabriel, as was ſaid, Meſſias: in ſuch Ebrew as it muſt needes be a propre name: which it is not againe in all the old teſtament: and Saint Iohn for Meſſias cha. 1. and 4. forceth vsus to looke vntounto the Angells ſpeach: and ſtill the name of CHRIST through the new Teſtament: in ſo much that to deny MESSIAS here to meane Our Lord and Saviour, that is nothing els but to deny all the New Teſta. Beſides, for certainty of all: God telleth that by the tenth part of this time exactly, from the leaue to returne, Ieruſalem ſhalbe walled, but not without much adoe: ſo forty nine yeres are ſet alone, with the ſtories of 4900. thouſand Iewes interlaced, leaſt Heathen lyes ſhould break the trueth of the Chronicle. When God had given Cyrus all the kingdomes of the earth, then he maketh a decree to build the Temple: and to giuegive a ſubſidie throw 120. nations, to helpe the Iewes home. Long warres had Cyrus afore he became ſo great. Eſay did name him by his name, and foretold of his victories. And Heathen doe record them: and Lucian recordeth, that Cyrus liued 100. yeares: and Xenophon, that he very yong began warre: ſo his glory might well by Greekes begin where ſcripture placeth the Chaldean: to whom Heathen Greekes giuegive no ſuperioritie over the Perſians. After Cyrus tooke Babel, he reigned three yeares: when Daniel faſted becauſe the building of the Temple was hindred by letters written to Artaxata named in Ezra 4. and called Prince of Perſia, Dan. 10. And ſoone Cyrus might dye. Otherwiſe Daniel would ſtirr him to further his own decree: and Herodot bringeth his death neare Babels fall, by Scythian Thamar. Artaxata or Cambyſes had reigned ſo long with his father, that he had put to death all the chief Nobility: By Lucian citing Perſique writers: and after his hinderance of the Temple, Chriſt with his eyes, like a flame of fire, Dan. 10. would rewarde him according to his workes: being Can-byſhes, a Prince of ſhame: and Herodot ſheweth his badnes and quick death after his ſole governement. And as counſellers prevayled al his dayes to hinder the Temple, which counſels hardly could be long vniforme, that record in Ezra 4. argueth, that he reigned not long ſole Emperour: though Heathen in Clemens giuegive him 19. yeares, which might be almoſt all vnderunder his Father. Next cometh the King which maried Atoſſa Hester famous in Hellanicus for inventing Epiſtles, as he thought. Mardochai telleth of her Letters through 127. Provinces for the Iewes ſafety: And of them Hellanicus might ſpeake. Hester was maried to him in his ſeaventh yeare. So her ſonne Darius Artaxasta mentioned Ezra 6: ver. 14. might be ſix yeares old in his fathers twelfth, mentioned by Mardochai then actiue, though he were caried to Babel with King Iechonias. This King Esters huſband is called Darius in Herodot, and Cteſias: and he liued by Cteſias 43 yeres, and by Herodotus he was 20. when Cyrus went to Scythia, vponupon the taking of Babel: and dreamed of his Empire. So if Cambyſes called Artaxata by his Imperiall name, reigned after Babels fall 7. yeares. Darius had 16. who by his Imperiall name is Oxyares, Aſſuerus or Xerx. Two ſonnes he left, who gently ſtrove for the Empire, while neither ſought to defeate the other, as Iustine recordeth: and Herodot recordeth that Athoſſaes ſonne borne after the father was Emperour, prevailed. The wiſedome of Mardochai and Nehemias and Ester, might cauſe that quietneſſe: Seeing Mardochai was a chief in the kingdome. And ſomwhat the yong yeares of Atoſſaes ſonne: ten at his fathers death. So the other brother hath his fathers Imperiall name Xerx, Est. 10. by the Ieruſalem copy in the Maſſoreth. This Xers ſix yeares prepared warre for Grecia, in his brothers minority. When he was in Grecia, then was Atoſſaes ſonne 16. and might well licence the building of the Temple: and take the other Imperiall name Artaxasta, being king of Aſſur, or Babel: before he was ſole Emperour, and mention prayer for the Kinges ſonnes: and acknowledge Gods wrath in the overthrow of Xerx, for hindering the Temple. And the ſtyle of Aggei ſheweth that he exhorted the returned whereof ſome had ſene Salomons Temple, to build before the King gaue leaue: otherwiſe exhortation were cold. And ſeeing Heſter was of Beniamin, in whoſe tribe the Temple was built, Sems ſonne by Elam and Arphaxad was fit to be the builder. And God proſpered him and his ſonne, and his grand child. No other would ſo favour Iuda: In his ſecond he authoriſeth the Temple, with great charges for ſacrifice, & with menacies vponupon the hinderers: in his ſixt it is built: In his ſeaventh he ſendeth Ezra to ſet forward lawes, with great giftes from the Perſian worthies: being taught with the King the religion of God. In his twentieth Nehemias the third in the Cataloge of the returned, walleth the City: by ſeaven ſeavens from the ſeaventieth of Babel. And Ieruſalem is not more walled by ſtones, then trueth of ſtorie: to check Heathē, by the Chronicle. Whē 49000. Iewes teach vsus to make frō Cyrus decree to build Ieruſalē vntounto the building but 49. yeres, wher Perſians hauehave ſince their own chalēge of Empire 149. So that 100. muſt be cut off: when we examine their time as they touch the 490. yeares, told vntounto the Kings of Sem and Iaphet, for perſuading Iapheth to dwell in the tentes of Sem: And there the Heathen deceyue, where prophets moſt clearly correct their deceipt: that Daniels ch. 10. and 11. and Ezra 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. And Nehem: and Ester, and Aggei, Zacharie, and Malachi, chaſe their errour, who can not ſtick to Heathen, but will wreſt Gods word more groſſely then any thing is ſpoken in all the Alkoran. Yet our Eccleſiaſticall bragg what Maiſter Liuely hath done againſt all theſe holy bookes. Particular texts and ſtories of Kings ſhalbe compared with his learning: and our right reverend fathers ſhal ſee who be the lyers againſt all duty, and raylers againſt all honeſty, foming out their owne ſhame as the raging waves of the Sea, they ſhall reſume their owne phraſes: and by their eares heare their tongue.
Of 2. Chro. 36. or Ezra 1.
THus ſaith Cyrus King of Paras: The Eternall the God of heaven hath given me all the kingdomes of the earth: and hath commaunded me to build him a Temple in Ieruſalem which is in Iudah, Who is amongſt you of all his people, The Eternall his God be with him: and let him go vp, &c.
Of Cyrus first yeare, what it meaneth.
SEeing Cyrus came vp as a warrier vntounto all the kingdomes of the earth, reaſon would tell that in his firſt yeare of reigne in Perſia, he overcame not 120. countreis: but his firſt yeare of Empire aboue all mightie is meant: yet our Eccleſiaſticall make the FIRST, here the firſt of Cyrus thirty: in M. Liuelies thirty yeares ſkill for Ebrew writers▪ when he bringeth one Ebrew of his minde, the Earth ſhall beare ſtarres, and the sky ſhalbe plowed.
Of Ezra Chap. 3. ver. 8.
IN the ſecond yere after returne vntounto the houſe of God in Ieruſalem the ſecond monethmonth, Zorobabel ſonne of Salathiel, and Ieſus ſonne of Ioſadak, and the reſt of their brethren the Sacrificers and the Levites, and all they which came from the captiuity, to Ieruſalem, began to lay the foundation of the Temple, &c. then this Epiſtle was written to hinder the building to Artax. King of Paras, Ezr. 4.12. Be it knowen to the King, that the Iewes which are come from him to vsus, are come to Ieruſalem, and builde the rebelleous and miſchevous Citie: &c. And ver. 24. Then the worke of the houſe of God was ſtayed. For this ſtaying Daniel faſted, as he writeth, Cha. 10. v. 1. & 2. And the Ebrewes that write vponupon Daniel, would tell M. Liuely ſo. And reaſon telleth that this Artax. was ruler whē the Iewes vnderunder Cyrus came home.
M. Liuelies corruption.
Cyrus reigned 30. yeares.
Cambyſes 7.
Darius 36.
Xerxes 21.
Artaxerxes 40. And by him the Temple was hindered by M. Liuely: So he would make about 100. yeares of a few monethes, and Zorobabel and Ieſus aliue all the while: and the Temple without going forward, ſo long where none hindred. Neuer any authour was made ſo ſenſeles as M Liuely would make Ezra. And in deed the Artax. whom he maketh the hinderer, was the builder, Ezra 6. Such thankes M. Liuely giueth him, where God did moſt highly renowme him: & calleth his nobles WORTHIES.
In the ſecond of Darius Nothus the Temple goeth forward: by M. Lively, ſo, Zorobabel & Ieſus were 137. yeres together in office: and further abſurdities folow: as againſt Ezra. Ch. 6. The Elders of the Iewes builded by the cō mandment of Darius Artaxerxes. In his ſecond yere, they beganne to builde, and proſpered by the prophecy of Aggai and Zacharie: in the ſixt of King Darius the returned from the captiuitie celebrate the dedication of the houſe of God, and the returned from captiuitie, celebrate the Paſſeover: So 49000. of the returned (Ezra 2) ſhould be aliue and actiue the troupes of them 138. in midle age. And this is more ſtrange: In the ſeaventh of Artax. Ezra (ſonne to Saraias kild with Sedekias children 52. before Babel fell, 2. King. 25.) cometh from Babel 26. after Aggei prophecieth, by M. Liuely, aged at the leaſt by him 216. yeres. Since ages were halfed vponupon the building of Babel not many liued ſo longe: yet Ezra ſeeth many deſcentes of high Prieſtes after all this. So by M. Liuely and our Eccleſiaſticall auctoritie, Ezra ſhould liue longer then any borne ſince Babell fell: ſo ready he is in Ezra, by 30. yeeres profeſſion. Such a cunning profeſſour ſhould not halt before creples.
Of Nehemias. Chap 1.
In trueth but 14. but 25. by M. Lively.NEhemias walleth Ieruſalē after Ezraes returne 25. yeres, and in Perſia before his returne, he aſked his brethrē: how his brethren did, the remnant of captiuitie by M. Liuely twenty yeres after the end of the Peloponneſian warres, that is in propre Greeke trueth tenne yeares before the reigne of Alexand. Macedon. And the returned from Babylon ſhould be then at home 175. yeare. and 187. when hee walleth Ieruſalem: which ſpace the holy Ghoſt hath made but ſeauen ſeavens: that men might ſoone ſee a tenth of 490. in their preſent age performed in moſt noble ſtories, if they had any mind to marke the word of God.
Of Aggei diſgraced.
AGgei ſaith, ch. 2.3. who is that remaineth among you, which ſaw the former Temple. If the demaunded were ten yeares old when they ſaw the former Temple, they ſhould be by M. Liuely when Aggei ſpake 200. yeares old. And who can beleeue that; Ninety they were: and ſo well might be: and the trueth hangeth without abſurdities: but vntruthes will ſone iarre from ſcripture.
Of Zacharie diſgraced by our Diuinity.
ZAchary ſpeaketh to Zorobabel in the ſecond of Darius, and in his fourth: and in all his ſpeaches as to the returned from Babel. And he ſhould be thought of vsus, as of all the Thalmudiques, a Prophet at the returne when the altar was built: and yet he is called a yong man, Chap. 2.4. An Ebrew profeſſour ſhould not go againſt all Ebrewes, that ever profeſſed, and the comon iudgement of all men.
Of Malachie.
MAlachie prophecieth after the Temple was built, and not with Aggei & Zacharie. For Ezra would not hauehave omitted him when he nameth the other two, furtherers of the Temples worke, if he had prophecied amongeſt them. But as the Temple licenced by Darius alias Artaxasta, in his ſecond yeare, was finiſhed in the ſixt of Darius: and in the ſeaventh of Artaxasta, Ezra cometh from Babel to reforme matters: as mariages with infideles: and ſuch, fit for beginning a new comon weale: So Malachy ſpeaketh nothing of the Temple, but of maintenance for the Levites, & of ſtrange faithed wiues, and all, for matters fit for a new beginning comon weale: and not to later ages as many as Nestor had ſeene in Homer; which thing M. Liuelies Perſique ſkill would import But Hebrewes vniverſally agree, that he was preſently in action vponupon rhe building of the Temple: ſo that many held him to be Mardochai, captiued of old time with Iechonias, or Ezra, ſonne to Saraias kild when Nebuchadnezar brent the holy Temple. Now M. Liuelies Perſique Chronique ſkill would make all Iewes amazed, how an Hebrew profeſſour ſhould ever dreame againſt all Hebrewes, all, every mothers ſon that Malachies ſpeach ſhould be applied to times ſo farre from the returne from Babel: and that, to daſh the ſet time for the redemption of the world.
Of all the Perſian Kings: How the Scripture ſpeaketh of them: or leaueth them.
DARIVS the Mede, who made a proclamation of worſhip to Daniels God, is celebrated, Dan. 6.
CYRVS, who decreeth to build Babel vponupon his own charges: and paſſeth a Decree to build Ieruſalem, is mentioned, Dan. 10.2. Ch. 36. Ezra 1. and 4.
*As in Iſachar for Iſachear San, or S… is omitted: for San, or S. in Artaxata for Artaxaſta in Grekes and Latines.ARTAXATA, vnderunder whom the Iewes are ſayd to returne, Ezra 4. who yet returned in the firſt of Cyrus. All theſe three muſt needes be holden to reigne together, and but a very ſhort time.
OXYARES, as Greekes would name him, or Aſuerus, or Xerx, by the copy which the Iewes keepe in golden letters at Ieruſalem. Mardochai being 63. yeares in Babel: and actiue in his twelfth: argueth that time to be neare the returne. And Esther Atoſſa his wife, famous in Heathen, telleth that he is DARIVS HYSTASPIS in Grecians. Alſo Hathac the Eunuch attendant vponupon Esther, and in Cteſias miraculouſly affected towardes Darius, he telleth who that Aſſuerus was. See Photius Cteſias. In the copie of Henry Stephen Nathac is put for Hathac: But the Anſpurge copie agreeth better with Esther: And geueth greath light to know what King was Atoſſaes huſband. And Aaechylus in his tragaedie for Xerx his flight: maketh Darius plainly huſband to Atoſſa. She is Esther.
XERS, that bare his fathers Imperiall name, he is noted in Dan. ch. 11. to ſtirr all againſt the kingdome of Iavan. But he medled not with the Iewes.
DARIVS called in Ebrew by Imperiall name Artaxasta: by Cambyſes Imperial name, with differēcie of one letter: as to keepe the court Recordes diſtinguiſhed: & then in Greeke by both *Artax-Erxes is made from the imperiall name of Cambyſes in Ezr. 4. And that of Darius Hyſtaſpis ſon: Xers: Eſter thenth: in ye Goldē copy kept at Ieruſalē: which the weſt Iewes folow. That made ſom Greeks hold Artaxers S. to Xerx: & Ioſephus to hold him to be great Xerxes.Artaxerxes: he is ſet foorth in Ezra, Ch. 6. by two names Darius & Artax: by the vniverſal cōſent of Ebrewes, & moſt ſtrong reaſons, & ſo to be Eſters ſon: & ſo of Beniamin: and fit to build Gods Temple. And none Heathen but he euer favoured the Iewes entierly, & Nehemias was his cup-bearer, as likeſt to be moſt faithfull to him: and obteyned authoritie to wall Ieruſalem: and after twelue yeares returned to the King: and his Nobles are called Valiant Worthies, Ez. 7. And he tamed the Grecians moſt of any Perſian: and he knew al his Predeceſſours were plagued for hindring the building of the Temple: as he cloſſely confeſſeth, Ez. 6. of him being one man, and continuing favour towardes the Iewes, the Ebrew profeſſour againſt Ebrewes all, I trow, doth make two men, and putteth others betwixt him and him ſelfe. Ochus and Longimanus Nehemias paſſeth over, and cometh to DARIVS the laſt, Neh. 12. And for all theſe the holy laſt Prophetes hauehave ſuch argumentes, that no Iew commenting vppon ſcripture, could thinke that Iuda was in Babylon aboue 130. And their millions will rather come ſhort, then come ſo farre as 130. yeares. And M. Livelies It is hard to perſuade Iewes yt Perſia ruled 130. yeres: and that Nehemias ſaw all their times, M. Livelies 230. wil be as the Alkoran: and iuſtly.230. marre the ſtrongeſt prophecie for the ſalvation of the world, and light of the New Teſtament. So the holy ſtory doth receyue extreeme diſgrace.
What kinde of testimonies M. Liuely bringeth, to rent all the last holy Prophetes: the ſtretch the liues in them 100. yeares more then their liues will ſuffer.
MAiſter Liuely citeth Iulius Africanus, for Cyrus firſt yere, to be in Olympiad 55. And ill ſet by Beroldus in Olympiad. 80.
Aunſwere to Olympiades.
MAiſter Liuely hath ſeene or might, three treatiſes iuſtly checking them which holde Olympiades in any accompt: or accompt by Rome: or the Archontes of Apollodorus, or the diſtances which Exatosthenes maketh betwixt Cyrus and Xerx, & thence to The Peloponneſian warres: and how Thucidides and Demosthenes make fifty yeares for 35. And how from Lyſanders vnwalling of Athens, he maketh 34 yeares, where Iſocrates & Strabo with Lyſias would make but ten: & twelue thence to Phil. Macedon for never an one. And the true accomptes of Greekes living in Perſicq times, were brought forth againſt one that had better ſkill then M. Liuely in Greeke: and did all that Greeke could doe for defence: that he might well ſay as Hector in Vergil:
Si Pergama dextrâ
Defendi poſſent, etiam hâc defenſa fuiſſent.
And as careles VC-alegon had ſoone his houſe on fire for reſiſtance paſt all hope: ſo M. Liuely might hauehave ſeene what would become of his Librarie.