Works, Book 4 · Letter 7
EPISTLE VII.
Mr. Hayn's Second Letter to Mr. Mede, about several Prophetical passages in Daniel and the Revelation.
To the First THESIS.
BEfore Christ's time all the East (as Tacitus saith,) expected a King to rule over all the world: whence could this be, but from the expectation of the Iews of the Kingdom which was to spread over all the world after the ruine of the fourth Beast in Daniel; and that they now saw the divided Kingdom of the Greeks after Antiochus Epiphanes his time decaying, and likely to be extinguished?
And in Christ's time the faithful, (the rest were blind guides not to be followed) believing Christ and the Apostles preaching the coming of the Kingdom of God, against which Hell gates should not prevail, must necessarily conceive that the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel was at the last cast, and therefore understand the Fourth Kingdom to be the parted Greeks lately expiring in Cleopatra, her Brother Ptolemy, or others, and not the Roman still flourishing, and not likely yet to fall: For the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel was to fall before the setting up of the everlasting Kingdom of Christ. And if in Christ's time the faithful did conceive thus of the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel; then succeeding Ages to those Primitive times, so long as they retained a right judgment, were of the same mind.
The Iews in after-times went about to perswade that the Romans (calling them Edom also) were the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel, because they might be thought to hold aright that Messias was not yet come, who should be the Stone falling on the toes of the Fourth Kingdom. Eusebius and some others have fallen into this trap set by Iews. Seeing it is a course to harden Iews against the true Messias already come, we shall do well to avoid it.
If you demand,Object. Why then did not Christ and the Apostles use this Argument to prove him the true Messias?
In effect they did.Answer. They preached that the Kingdom of God was at hand: the coming whereof implies the Fall of the Fourth Kingdom; and that was then ocular, and to be understood of the Successors of Antiochus falling, not of the Romans flourishing. And seeing that in the preaching of Christ's Kingdom it was to be taught, that his Kingdom was not of this world, (at which point the Iews stumbled) Christ's main Argument was, The works which I do, they testifie of me.
To the Second THESIS.
You affirm that the Roman Kingdom was revealed to Daniel in imagine confusa, but explicated to Iohn by specification of the Fates and the order rerum gerundarum.
This cannot stand good.
For the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel is more particularly and distinctly set down then any of the other Three. And of the other Three be not revealed in imagine confusa, but fully enough for the specification of their Fates and the order of their acts; then much more the Fourth Kingdom, which is far more amply in types and explication set out in Daniel.
Then secondly, It cannot be said to be set down in imagine confusa; for it is orderly and in special manner handled: First, for the Original; It rises out of the Sea. Then for the power; It is strong as iron, able to break in pieces and subdue all, Dan. 2. 40. It is fearful, very strong, and hath ten horns. It hath iron teeth, and nails of brass. In conclusion, It hath one little horn, that pulls away three of the former ten; It hath ten Kings, and one unlike the rest; It in the end shall be partly strong as Iron, partly weak as Clay. For the stirs it should make, and the persecution brought on the Church thereby; It subdued and did break in pieces all things, as Iron bruiseth and breaketh all, Dan. 2. 40. It devours and breaks in pieces, and stamps the residue under feet, Dan. 7. 7. As the ten horns do mischief, so especially the little horn which made war with the Saints, and prevailed against them, and consumed them: It waxed great even to the host of heaven, and cast some of the host and the stars to the ground, and stamped on them, Chap. 8. 10. It thought to alter times and laws, Chap. 7. 25. Then also (as you hold in your Explication of Dan. 11. ver. 36. and after) the Roman Kingdom is there prophes…ed of, that he should conquer Macedon, and every King and Nation should persecute, mock, and crucifie Christ, and persecute Christians till Constantine's times. Then the Pope should arise worshipping Daemonia, and countenancing single life, shall not regard any God, but magnify himself above all; In the Seat and Temple of God, should worship Mahuzzims with gold and with silver and precious stones, and distribute the earth among his Mahuzzims; deal with Saracens and Turks, enter into Palaestine, &c. Chap. 11. Then for the blasphemy of this Kingdom, mention is made of the mouth speaking presumptuous things, Chap. 7. 8. speaking against the most High, Verse 25. and speaking marvellous things against the God of Gods, Chap. 11. 36.—The Fall also of this Kingdom is plainly expressed, Chap. 2. 34, & 45. & Chap. 7. 11, & 26. by being broken in pieces, and blown as chaffe, by being destroyed and given to the fire, by perishing unto the end. Lastly, the time of this Fourth Kingdom's domineering, or at least of the chief violence of it, is expressed, A times, time, and half a time, answerable to the time of the woman's keeping from the Serpent, Apoc. 12. 14. Then the time of taking away the daily sacrifice continues 2300. days.
Thus it is evident how particularly Daniel hath laid open the Original, the Acts, the Sufferings, and Fall of the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel. And yet I have not brought all particulars. Hence it is manifest that this cannot be a general decyphering of the Roman Kingdom, but a particular description of some other Kingdom which fell before Christ's time.
Here now if you shall objectObject. that the Beast, Dan. 7. doth shew the very same kingdom that is set out Apoc. 13. because in Original, and Power, and Persecution, and Fall, and Time, it so much agrees with the same.
I answer,Answ. That God is unchangeable, and inflicts punishments alike on sinners alike, and expresses after-matters by words used in narrations of former matters of like nature; which much helps our weakness for understanding of these depths. And therefore the Apocalyps is as it were made up with the Allusions, Metaphors, and Formulae loquendi of the Books of the Old Testament: yet do not almost all the Visions of the Apocalyps (as one unjustly judges) handle imprimis Res Iudaeorum, but Res Christianorum in the words of former Prophets: So we may express a matter that Tully never dreamed of in Tullie's Phrases and Metaphors.
Then these Beasts as they agree in many things, so they differ in many; in Heads, Mouths, Paws, in one little Horn, &c. but especially that the Beast, Dan. 7. is destroyed before the setting up of Christ's Kingdom over all the earth.
To the Third THESIS.
I deny not but that a matter may be revealed in general, and yet the particulars sealed. So all the Persecutions of the Church are told in this, I will put enmity between thy seed and her seed: the particulars then sealed are opened in the whole Bible. But you see above, that the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel is particularly described, and therefore that description cannot be a general revealing of the Roman Empire: Especially seeing we are told that the Lamb slain was the revealer of them, and none before. We have also general Prophecies of the Romans persecuting Christ and his Church: as that Psal. 2. Why do the heathen rage? and that Dan. 9. Messiah shall be slain, and Ierusalem ruinated: But the Roman Kingdom is there in no shape or form pictured. Some other Prophecies in general Terms there may be of the Roman Empire, the particulars whereof (as you well say) are shewed to Iohn; so that Daniel's Fourth Kingdom particularly described cannot belong to them. Daniel's Book begins with Babel's wasting the City Ierusalem, and ends with the utter overthrow of the City and Temple by the Romans. After Ierusalem's overthrow in Domitian's time, Christ reveals to Iohn what should befal to the Church to the end of the world: and here the Romans are fully and plainly painted out to us…—Here you object,
But the Roman power had been long in the world,Object. and was now past the foreign, and had fulfilled what it was to fulfil on Daniel's people.
I answer,Answer. God in his Book deigns not to meddle with the actions of Kingdoms, otherwise than as they persecute his people or favour them, or are instruments to punish them, or are punished for persecuting them. The Babylonians and Nebuchadnezzar did worthy deeds before the first Captivity of Iudah, which God passes over, and begins the count of Nebuchadnezzar's reign from the first Captivity. Cyrus and Darius were of good years when they overthrew Babel, and had not spent their former years idlely: their reign also is counted by God but from the overthrow of Babel and rule over the Iews. So what the Romans first did in Italy, afterward against Neighbour-nations, and then in divers parts more remote, God passes over, and only foretells what they were to do against the Iews falling from God, and how to kill the Messiah, Dan. 9. And then in Apocal… what they were to do against his Church, or suffer for afflicting his Church.
Nor had the Romans fulfilled what they were to fulfil on the Iews, Daniel's people, before the revelation to Iohn: For ever since the overthrow of Ierusalem, the Iews have been scattered and oppressed by the power and laws of Rome in divers parts of Europe and elsewhere.
To the Fourth THESIS.
I wrote (or else it was lapsus pennae) that the opening of seven Seals, and blowing seven Trumpets, were concerning Seven-headed Rome; that is, as either it persecuted the Saints, or was plagued for persecuting them: which I know you will grant. The persecution of the Saints of God is plain in other parts of the Revelation. Now seeing Daniel in all speeches of the everlasting Kingdom never mentions any persecutors of it, and their carriages and falls, but the persecutions of Daniel's people the Iews, and not the Christian Church; it seems evident to me, that he meddles not with the Roman Empire's doings after the destruction of Ierusalem, or the Pope's doings long after.
The consummatio Mysterii Dei, prout annunciavit servis suis Prophetis, The finishing of the Mystery of God, as he hath shewn to his servants the Prophets, proves not that the Roman matters were foretold to the ancient Prophets. The words Apocal. 10. 7. are, foreign which construction intimates the glad tidings of the Gospel since Christ, brought to the present Prophets or Preachers of the times from Christ: so the speech of God's Servants the Prophets is understood Rev. 22. 9.
To the Fifth THESIS.
The Romans persecuting the Christian Church was revealed to none till Christ revealed them to Iohn, namely, so as that the Romans were plainly decyphered, and by evident marks distinguished to be the Nation spoken of. The coming of false Prophets was foretold Matt. 24. the Man of Sin and his consuming, 2 Thess. 2. but there was nothing to shew of what People and Nation and City he should be. What knowledge soever Paul had of these things concerning Rome's persecution of the Church, he may well be said to have it by Revelation from Christ (Gal. 1. 12.) the opener of this little Book. There is no circumstance of the ruffling Horn Dan. 7. which could teach Paul that the Romans were the Fourth Beast, Daniel 7. for any thing that I know.
Coming in the Clouds, Dan. 7. is not to the last Iudgement at Doomsday but Christ's coming to take the Kingdom which he preached to be at hand, of all power being given to him. The phrase of coming in the Clouds is borrowed from the Cloud in the Wilderness, and God's presence in the Cloud on the Tabernacle often; intimating God's defence and direction of his Church. See Isa. 4. 5. most pertinent to this sense. The heathen have the like phrase. Iliad. foreign. God is present to Diomedes.
—foreign and Virg. 7. AEn.
Pater omnipotens—radiis ardentem lucis & auro
Ipse manu quatiens oftendit ab aethere nubem:
When Iupiter came to assist AEneas now to settle in Italy.
It is not said of the Vniversal Kingdom in Daniel, that it should never suffer persecution; but that it never should be destroyed: because 'tis built on the Rock Christ, no power shall prevail against it. That it should never be destroyed, implies that it should be impugned: But how in these later Times, Iohn in the Apocalyps shews from Christ.
To the Sixth THESIS.
I answer to the Assumption, That Antiochus Epiphanes, whom God suffered much to prevail against the Iews, reigned till God came to destroy him by his own hand, as unresistible as fire: For destruction by fire in Scripture is an high Metaphor, and expresseth often unresistible destruction. After Epiphanes's death, (who was the last hot persecutor) God gave often victory to the Iews against the Greeks; which verifies that in the Greeks which was typed in the Feet, part of Iron to break the Iews, part of Clay, not able to harm others or defend themselves. And so much the weaker were those Feet, because the Iron and Clay could not be mixt together to strengthen each other. God now shewed himself favourable to the Iews, and gave judgment or defence to them, partly by their own valour, partly by the Romans interposing themselves as friends. Now the Throne of the Ancient of days was set, and the Iews had defence (till Christ's time) from the weak Greeks.
And now the Romans having an inch given them, take an ell, and usurp authority over the Iews; and with them kill Christ the Messiah. But Christ overcame death, and had all power in heaven and in earth given him, Matth. 28. This his Kingdom we acknowledge in our prayers, and the Church celebrates, Apocal. 5. by the voice of all such as were made Priests and Kings to reign on the earth, even such as were gathered out of all nations, tongues and kindreds.
That which you add about Times put for Things done in time, is very true for the signification of the Phrase when it comes alone in divers places: But here changing of Times and Laws go together. Antiochus Epiphanes his dealings wonderfully agree to this. 1 Mac. 1. 42. He would make every one leave his Laws. He forbids burnt-offering and sacrifice, Vers 45. He commands the Books of the Law to be burnt, Vers. 56, 57. He slew the Iews for circumcising their children, Vers. 60. He puts down their Laws, 2 Macc. 4. 10. & 6. 1, 2. He uses threats and cruelty, then flattery, to make them forsake the Law, 2 Macc. 7. All these stirrs grew from the Greeks attempting to make them leave their Laws, 1 Macc. 6. 59. Then Epiphanes his attempt to alter Times is clear in his command to put down the Sabbaths and Feasts, and his making them to keep Bacchus Feasts, 2 Macc. 6. 7. To the Seventh THESIS.
The Fourth Beast, Dan. 7. and the First Beast, Revel. 13. are not one and the same: They differ much in shape of body, and in their acts, and in their falls and plagues. Besides, that in the Apocal. is made as it were of all the four in Daniel, and is so described as if it came in stead, and was comparable to them all; as indeed it was.
Horns, more or less distinguish not a Beast. That infirms not what I said. By the way only I here observe, That the Beast with seven horns was a Lamb indeed, that is Christ. The Beast Apocal. 13. with two horns, had these two horns like a Lamb's, but in truth he might be a Wolf.
Seeing it is not said that Daniel's Fourth Beast had four heads, (therein I mistook in my former writing) it is to be presumed he had but one, as Beasts usually have no more; except in Vision, for expression of some special matter, more heads be attributed to them. The Third Beast, Dan. 7. had four heads. The number of which four heads, with the three heads of the other three Beasts… fits so well with Iohn's Beast, besides the resemblance to the Lion, Bear, Leopard, that I believe it cannot be casual, especially seeing it is in God's Book.
Concerning that you say of Mouth put singularly, I answer, that the Beast Apocal. 13. had seven heads with names of blasphemy: This will imply that each had a mouth, and that a blasphemous mouth, which is more. Besides, the very nomination of head implies a mouth, and seven heads, seven mouths. And whereas there is mention of a mouth given the Beast Vers. 5. methinks that should intimate the extremity of blasphemy proceeding from the seventh head beyond all the rest.
Whereas you say the third Kingdom in Daniel was not so distinctly revealed Chap. 7. as afterwards chap. 8. That is true. And further I add, That in Visions and Prophecies God hath spoken foreign, and revealed things to come by parts; so that several Visions or Prophecies laid together make up the whole. In each of Daniel's Visions something is passed over to be supplied by the rest. In the second Chapter there is nothing to type Alexander's four chief Chaptains, nor is it told what people should be trode on by the Iron legs. In Chap. 7. the Exposition of the three former kingdoms is very brief, the Exposition of the fourth very large. The weakness of Antiochus his Successors is unexpressed. In Chap. 8. nine of the horns coming out of Alexander's Captains are passed over, and the little Horn fully set out. The Kingdom of Christ over all Nations is not spoken of at all. These things thus passed over, are supplied by the rest. So is it in the Revelation: The afflicting of God's Church is diversly expressed, and the afflicters thereof, and the afflicted by them. So that no one Vision, but the several Visions laid together, do give us a perfect and whole delineation of what was to come from that time to the end of the World.