The Work of the Age, Chapter 4
DAN. Chap. 11.
Verſ. 1. Now I, in the firſt year of Darius the Mede: [ſtood] in my ſtation to confirm and ſtrengthen him.
2 And now I will declare to thee the truth: Behold, there ſhall yet ſtand up three Kings in Perſia, and the Fourth ſhall be farre richer than all, and by his ſtrength with his riches he ſhall ſtir up all, even the Kingdom of Graecia.
3 And a mighty King ſhall ſtand up: and he ſhall rule with great Dominion, and ſhall do according to his pleaſure.
4 And as he ſhall ſtand up, his Kingdom ſhall be broken, and ſhall be nHebr. Halfed, or divided in halfs.divided towards the four Winds of Heaven; but not to his poſterity, nor according to his Dominion wherewith he ruled, for his Kingdom ſhall be plucked up, even for others beſides thoſe.
MY intention is not at this time to inſiſt largely upon this chapter, but only to ſhew from Scripture how many Perſian Kings there were, from Cyrus unto Alexander the firſt Graecian Monarch; That men may better judge of the falſhood, and uncertainty of Graecian Stories, that have forged thirteen Monarchs, or Kings of Perſia, to have reigned after Cyrus. But let the Sons of Sion, that love the truth, hearken to what God hath ſpoken by the Angel, in the words of Truth.
Verſ. 1. Now I,] Theſe words hold forth to us a deſcription of the Angel that ſpake to Daniel. In the former Chapter, wee read that Daniel had a Viſion in the third year of Cyrus King of Perſia. And an Angel appeared to him, to ſhew him what ſhould befall in after times. Now I,] to wit, the ſame Angel. But what I, or what Angel is it? Even the Angel that ſtood to confirm and ſtrengthen him. To ſtrengthen whom? Not Darius the Mede (for he was at this time dead) but Cyrus the Prince of Perſia, of whom you read in the twentieth verſe of the former Chapter. And when was this Angel firſt deſigned to this ſervice, to attend at the Court of Perſia? In the firſt year of Darius the Mede. And now you may read the Angels name, for that Angels name was Gabriel, who firſt appeared to Daniel, in the firſt year o… Darius, Dan. 9. 21. So that it ſeems, this Angel Gabriel was deſigned to attend the Perſian Princes Court, and to order the affairs thereof, even from the firſt taking of Babylon, during the continuance of that Monarchy, as the words (Dan. 10. 20.) ſeem to import, where it is ſaid, And when I am gone forth, that is▪ when I depart from the Court of Perſia, and am diſcharged from attendance there, then, behold, the Prince of Graecia coming.
Verſ. 2. I will ſhew thee the truth.] Why? did the Angel ever ſhew him any thing that was not truth? what then doth he mean to uſe this expreſſion? Doubtleſſe the Angel did fore-ſee, that there would be many falſe and forged relations, and ſtories of theſe Perſian Monarchs, which would trouble the Chronologie of the Scriptures▪ Now that he might fortifie the Sons of Sion, againſt ſuch kinde of Forgeries, he gives unto Daniel a perfect and true relation of the Perſian Monarchs, that he might leave it upon Record to all poſterity, ſaying, and now I will ſhew thee the truth; where he makes a great diſtinction. Now what is this Truth which the Angel declares to Daniel? Behold (ſaith he) there ſhall yet ſtand up three Kings in Perſia. And are theſe all? No, there ſhall ſtand up a fourth after them, which ſhall farre exceed for wealth, he ſhall be farre richer than all. But ſhall there be no more Princes after Cyrus, but four? Doubtleſſe, if there ſhould have been any more, the Angel that came to tell Daniel the truth, would not have concealed the ſame. But the words enſuing, do intimate that this Fourth was the laſt, becauſe it it ſaid, that he by his ſtrength with riches ſhould ſtirre up, or provoke the Prince of Graecia (to wit, Alexander of Macedon) to his own ruine.
Verſ. 3. And a mighty King ſhall ſtand up, &c.] Theſe words yeeld us a deſcription of this Prince of Graecia, from his valour, and from the greatneſs of his Dominion, and irreſiſtableneſs of his powe…. His Valour, expreſſed in theſe words, a mighty King. The greatneſs of his Dominion is expreſſed in the next words, He ſhall rule with great Dominion. His Dominion ſhall extend it ſelf farre and wide over the earth; and the irreſiſtableneſs of his power is implyed in the next words, Hee ſhall do according to his pleaſure. Theſe are as ſo many Characters of Alexander the firſt Prince of Graecia, whereof I have ſpoken more at large in the eighth Chapter.
Verſ. 4. And when he ſhall ſtand up he ſhall be broken, &c. Theſe words yeeld a further deſcription of the Graecian Monarchy, by the death of that puiſſant Prince Alexander, and the diviſion of the Kingdom into four, after his death. But ſhall this diviſion be made to Alexanders poſterity? Or ſhall they attain to the like power of this firſt Prince? Verily no; it ſhall not be to his poſterity, nor according to his dominion, wherewith he ruled. And to the ſame purpoſe it is ſaid, that four Kingdoms ſhall ſtand out of the Nation, but not with his power, Dan. 8. 22. and if out of the Nation, then not out of Alexanders poſterity, as it is ſaid in this Chapter. Thus you ſee the great and obſervable truth, which the Angel would have Daniel to minde. Now let every underſtanding Chriſtian weigh the Angels words, and the words of Greek Hiſtorians. The Angel tells you of a truth, that there ſhall be but four Princes in Perſia after Cyrus, untill Alexander, Herodotus, Diodorus Siculus, Metaſthenes, and other Greek Writers, and others that follow after them, ſay, there were thirteen from Cyrus to Alexander, chuſe you whether you will beleeve.
Obj. But this place in Daniel doth not ſay, there were four, and no more?
Anſ. The Angel ſaith, he came to tell Daniel the truth. And if he told him but a peece of the truth, what were it leſſe than Jeſuitical equivocation, or mental reſervation? which we have no ground to imagine of the holy Angel. And to what end ſhould the▪ Angel tell him of four, and no more, if there were thirteen, as Hiſtorians would make us beleeve?
But ſecondly I anſwer; That the Angel doth in effect ſay, there were no more. For if there were but three after Cyrus, and after thoſe three a fourth, exceeding in wealth; and if this fourth did provoke the King of Graecia (to wit, Alexander, as the deſcription doth ſhew it to be) who was potent and irreſiſtable, and overcame the Ram of Perſia, as you have it in the eighth Chapter; then it is manifeſt there was no more. And the Angel in his whole relation (conſidered together) doth in effect ſay, there was no more but four Princes of Perſia, after Cyrus, until Alexander.
Theſe few words I have thought good to adde, as an explication of ſome Chronological points, for the benefit of ſuch as cannot ſpend ſo much time, to ſearch out the matter themſelves; and the rather, becauſe I have met with ſome of late that have been led aſide, to give too much credit to Human (I may ſay prophane) Writers.
Daniel having fully declared the ſad calamities of the Church under Antiochus Epiphanes in the eighth Chapter, and the further calamities they ſhould ſuffer by the Romans in the ninth Chapter, he ſeeks the face of God in behalf of his people three whole weeks of daies, in the tenth Chapter. Whereupon God was pleaſed to reveal unto him, in this his laſt Viſion, the utmoſt durance of that Perſian Monarchy under which the people of God ſhould ſuffer ſo much. Which being done, the Lord tells him, what his people ſhould yet ſuffer in the daies of thoſe Perſian Princes after Antiochus Epiphanes, from verſ. 14. to the 18.foreign deſcribing thoſe Perſian Princes by ſome eminent Characters. As 1 That the King of Syria in the North, and the King of Aegypt in the South, ſhould enter into a League. 2 That the King of the South ſhould give his Daughter in Marriage to the King of the North. And 3 That this King of Aegypt in the South, ſhould take away his Daughter from the King of the North, and give her to another; all which is expreſſed in the ſixth verſe. And accordingly you may read it was effected, 1 Mac. 10. 51, &c. Alexander King of Syria, ſent to Ptolomy King of Aegypt to make a League. And Ptolomy King of Aegypt in the South, gave his Daughter Cleopatra in Marriage to Alexander King of Syria in the North. But afterwards, the ſaid Ptolomy took his Daughter from Alexander, and gave her to Demetrius Nicanor the Son of Demetrius Soter, 1 Maccha. 11. 12. 4 By this means, the Kingdom devolved from Alexander and his Poſterity, according as Daniel had ſpoken, verſ. 6. Neither ſhall hee ſtand, nor his arm. That is, neither ſhall Alexander, nor his Poſterity continue to manage the Government of Syria. And accordingly it ſo came to paſs, as ſtories manifeſt. Thus having given a deſcription of the robbers of Gods people, he proceeds to ſhew what miſchief they ſhould do to the Church, as we may read from verſ. 14. to the 18. Telling the Prophet, that after thoſe troubles are over, and that Monarchy expired (the Romans ſucceeding) there ſhall ſtand up a raiſer of Taxes, ver. 20. Touching which raiſer of Taxes wee have an account given us, Luk. 2. 1. where it is ſaid, That Auguſtus Caeſar made a Decree to tax all the world. Him I conceive to bee that raiſer of taxes ſpoken of in Daniel.
After whom Daniel tells us, that a vile perſon ſhall ariſe, verſ. 21. (which I ſuppoſe was Nero) who ſhould obtain, or ſtrengthen his Kingdom by flatteries, or ſly and ſubtill inſinuationsforeign (as the word ſignifies) whereby he gathers a ſtrong part unto himſelf, eſpecially of the Souldiery, for that is the uſual manner of ſuch cruel Tyrants, who commonly are fair and ſmoothſpoken men, until they have gotten themſelves into the Saddle. So did Jehu. But when once he was got into the Chariot, bSee Jehu▪ in his proper colours.lo, he drives furiouſly, 2 King. 9. 20. much like Phaeton, of whom the Poets fable, that he obtained of his Father Phoebus the guidance of the Chariot of the Sun, for one day. But what through his unskilfulneſs to manage the reigns, and the unrulineſs of the Horſes, he overthrew his Chariot, and ſet the world on fire. The Moral of which is good. This Nero was a cruel Tyrant, and did much miſchief to the Church, and in the days of Veſpaſian, both the City and Temple were deſtroyed. And thus farre the Prophet proceeds in this eleventh Chapter (as I conceive) and no further. For though ſome good men apply this Prophecy unto the Roman Civil or Antichriſtian ſtate, extending the ſame unto the end of the fourth Monarchy, yet I cannot ſee how that can ſtand with the words of the text, which ſay, that the King of the North, and the King of the South ſhall have a League. cforeignAnd the Kings Daughter of the South ſhall go to the King of the North to make agreement. Is it credible that the Pope, or Emperour ſhould make a League with the Turk? much more unlikely it is that they ſhould make inter-marriages, either with the Turks Daughter, or the Jews Daughter, whether ſoever you ſhall imagine to be meant by the King of the South. As for the Pope (if he ſhould be thought to be the King of the North) it is not lawful for him to marry. Neither can it probably be imagined either of the Roman Emperor, or of the Turk. Wherefore I cannot conſent to ſuch an interpretation, but rather adhere to the former, unto which it doth far better ſuit.
Obj. But it may be ſaid, that the Angel tells Daniel, (Dan. 12. 7.) that all theſe things ſhall be finiſhed, after a time, times, and half a time, and how then can we underſtand it of Jeruſalems deſtruction, which did precede that time, times, and half a time?
Anſ. I confeſs the Objection ſeemed to me of weight, untill I weighed the words of the text, and the form of ſpeech. But thus I now apprehend the matter. One of the Angels asked the man clnathed with linnen, which was upon the waters of the River [Hiddekel]; how long it was to the end of thoſe Wonders. In which queſtion (I conceive) is comprehended all Daniels Wonders, as well in the ſeventh Chapter, as in the other Chapters following. To which, the man cloathed with linnen, by a ſolemn Oath, gives anſwer; That the Churches calamity ſhould continue for a time, times, and half a time. And there hee makes a diſtinction. But when HE (ſaith the man) ſhall have accompliſhed to break the dHebr. To break the hand.power of the holy people. By He, I underſtand Veſpaſian and Titus, By power of the holy people, I underſtand the ruine of that State, and people of the Jews, which are in Scripture phraſe called the Holy people, or the people of holineſs, or conſecration. Now when the adverſary hath thus broken their hand and power, then ſhall all thoſe things be finiſhed. All what things? namely, all thoſe things whereof hee had ſpoken in the fore-going Chapter.
This ambiguity in the anſwer conſidered, and that no Epocha was prefixed, for the beginning of that time, times, and half a time, nor any determinate period ſet for the ending of the ſame, (as it had been done in the former Viſions, chap. 8. & 9. & 11.) this puts Daniel upon a ſecond Querie. Not, when ſhall be the end: but, what doth that after-part of his Viſions mean? whereunto the man in linnen gives anſwer. That it was a ſecret to be ſealed, till the eforeignſeaſon of the end. And none of the wicked ſhall underſtand, but the wiſe ſhall underſtand. Namely, when the ſeaſon of the end ſhall come, that Chriſt begins to draw out his laſt lines, as I may ſay, but not till then. But then in the next words he gives Daniel an Epocha, from whence he may begin the accounts following (though he had ſealed that time, times, and half a time, till afterwards.) The Epocha given, is the takeing away of the daily ſacrifice, and ſetting up of the abomination which makes deſolate. Now that you may better underſtand what this means, conſider that you have theſe words three times uſed in Daniel. Firſt, theſe words are mentioned, Dan. 8. 13. where the wickedneſs of Antiochus Epiphanes is deſcribed, in ſubverting Gods pure Worſhip, and ſetting up the Image of Jupiter Olympius in the Temple. 2. Theſe words are again uſed, Dan. 9. 27. & 11. 31. where he ſpeaks of the deſtruction of the City and Temple: by the abominable Roman Army, and the total removal of Temple-worſhip. For ſo our Saviour interprets that place of Daniel, Mat. 24. 15. Mark 13. 14. Luk. 21. 20. and Daniel ſecretly gives a hint of it, Dan. 12. 7. But, 3 Theſe words are uſed, Dan. 12. 11. which I conceive to be ſpoken of another time, many years after the City and Temple, and Temple-worſhip were deſtroyed. And the man cloathed in linnen purpoſely uſeth the ſame expreſſions as before, to ſhew us, that there ſhould be ſomewhat of the like nature (as formerly) but much more Spiritual, that ſhould be the Epocha of the Churches Spiritual captivity. And what may that be? Anſ. For my own part, I conceive it to bee that abominable deſolating Idol the Maſſe, for the living, and for the dead, joyned with interceſſion of Saints, by which the vertue and efficacy of Chriſts death is made voyd, which is the taking away of the daily ſacrifice. And this began about the year 383. whereunto adde Daniels firſt number, 1290. and it will lead you down unto the end of all worldly Image. Government, and the Churches troubles together, Anno 1673. But if unto that Epocha you adde Daniels ſecond myſticall number, 1335. it will carry you (as I apprehend) unto the time of the New Jeruſalems coming down from Heaven, or the perfect conſtitution and ſettlement of Chriſts Government all the world over. In reſpect whereof there is a ſpeciall and peculiar bleſſing promiſed to ſuch as live unto that time.
Thus have I briefly given you the application of this eleventh Chapter, and an explication of Daniels myſtical numbers, having not leaſure to inlarge upon the ſame.
Since I finiſhed this little labour, I met with an old Jeſuitical Tenet, concerning the durance of Antichriſts reign, for the ſpace of three years and an half, newly brought forth, and ſent into the world under the Tutelage of him, whoſe Government he makes to be the Beaſts ſeventh Head. Concerning which he Propheſieth, that it ſhall be as large as any (if not as all) the other Six Governments, but much larger fThis Prophecie deſerves thanks; none of Ahabs Prophets could have ſpoken better.than the Roman. This little ſtripling (as he calls himſelf) is bold to throw one of his Stones at the head of Daniel, or of John, or both. Concerning whom he ſaith, That though Daniel ſeems to ſay, that the Ten Horns or Kings ſhall ariſe out of the Sixth Head, or Fourth Beaſt, in chap. 7. ver. 23, 24. yet compared with other Scriptures, it will plainly appear, that they will riſe out of the ſeventh head, &c. To prove which, he quoteth Rev. 17. 10. where John doth not ſay that the Ten Horns ſprang out of the Seventh Head, nor doth Daniel ſay, they did ariſe out of the Sixth Head. What then ſhall we ſay? Was Daniel or John miſtaken? or both? Or rather, doth not this ſtripling miſtake both Daniel and John? It is an uſual ſaying, We may gueſs at the man by his foot. I only make mentionEx ungue leonem. of him by way of Caution, to ſuch as meet with him, elſe I would not ſo much as have mentioned his Tenet; the Book is called, A brief Survey of the Prophetical and Evangelical events of the laſt times, which ſeems to be of the Off-ſpring of Babel; and bleſſed be he that daſheth her little ones againſt the rock.
FINIS.
ERRATA:
PAge 31. l. 20. for Macedon read Aegypt. p. 32. l. 17. dele one of the thighs of Nebuchadnezzars Image, l. 20. inſtead of ſtood but upon one thigh, r. ſtood upon his two thighs, but more eſpecially upon one brazen thigh.
End of the text · William Aspinwall, The Work of the Age (1655)