We begin the exposition from the 36. verse , because there are not manie thinges in the former verses need to staie or hinder the Reader : but those which followe are much doubted of , whether they belong to Antiochus Epiphanes , or to some other Kinge . Wel and rightly in my judgment doth Calvin avouch , That it can by no meanes be referred to Antiochus . Those thinges that followe doe not anie wise agree : for how should he doe what he list , by exalting himselfe above all that is God , whom the shippes of Chittim limited and prescribed vers. 30. Neither did the Kings of Egypt , being younge , attempte anie thinge against Antiochus : Neither was there anie King of the North , by whom he susteined anie wrong to speak of . Or if we shall make Antiochus himself the King of the North , as some interpreters doe : Neither doth the King of the South provoke him as it foloweth vers. 40. Neither did he returne into Egypte after he was commaunded to depart by the Romanes as vers. 30. before .

The historie recordeth that he went twice into Egypt as , 2. Maca. 5.1 . About the same time Antiochus vndertook his second voyage into Egypt , wherin he doth admirably agree with Daniel ; but of a third expedition not agry , or the least mention in anie Authour that I could finde . The Authours of the books of the Macabees would have made some mention therof if there had bene anie . Neither wold Iosephus have let it passe , who after the retturne of Antiochus out of Egypte by reason of the Romanes threatning denounced , doth mention nothing at all that was againe attempted against that Countrie before his death among the Persians . Livie also , who sheweth him to be restrained by Popilius the legate lib. 45. of his Epitomies abridgement , declareth him in the next book to be dead without doing anie other memorable exploite . Iustice also , after he had declared the tarntesse and rigour of Popilius , telleth us that Antiochus died assbone as he was returned into his Kingdome : was it possible such a notable expedition could be taken in hand , wherin so manie nations were overthrowne and great alterations came to passe , as it followeth vers. 40.41 . In recording wherof all these Authors would not be faithfull and diligent , which yet notwitstanding should escape the trust and diligence of all these Authours .

But thou wilt saie , Though the Historie be silente , yet divine Oracle without all exception , makes the matter playne and manifest , for so Daniel speaketh before , vers. 29. At the time appointed he shall againe invade the South , but it shall not be as the first expedition , or as the last , but by the leave of learned men , no such thing is here intended , if we doe rightly expound or translate the word , which runneth thus , But the set time shall returne and he shall com into the South , and it shall not be as the former , so also the later , for there is nothing more frequent then for the later doubled Caph , to answere the former , and to be the reddition or answere therunto : in which sense the particle Ita , so , doth answere the word . Sicut or ut , as : And it shall be as the priest , so the people , &c. Isa. 24.2 . And it shall as the righteous so the wicked . Gen. 18.25 . you shall heare , as the smal , so the great . Deut. 1.17 . and very manie of the like sort ; wherfore the translation of Tremelius is to be corrected , But it shall not be as the first expedition or as ●he later : for the Copulative particle rendred disiunctively , and the note of the similitude being taken propositively and not responsively or redditively as it ought , doth plainely shew of three voyages , against the truth ( if I be not deceived ) of all histories , and against the minde and meaninge of the prophet himselfe . For is it anie waie likely , that Antiochus for feare of the people of Rome had caried away his whole armie out of Egypte , the Romanes after that should either leave off the care of that Kingdome , or that he should dare againe to enterprise warre against the good liking of the Senate ? Moreover That litle help spoken of verse 34. proceeded farre beyond the tyrannie of Antiochus whom Iudas Macabeus and his other brethren did over-live . To what end therfore should the Prophet , when he had farre passed those broyles , come sayling back againe that waie he had formerly overpassed with a certaine inextricable confounding of thinges ? Finally shall we think or imagine , that the Iewes calamities did so continue in Antiochus alone , as that it should be altogether needles to speak a word of their consequent troubles afterward ? Neither doe these wordes anie better agree to his sonnes , who never did atteine unto the greatnesse of their Father . The Kingdome of Syria did more and more decaie , until at length not long after it was utterly wasted . This King therefore is not Antiochus , but some other farre surmounting him , one of those foure cheife ones spoken of before ch. 7.17 . and therfore the prefixed article hath his emphasis or expresse force of signification , distinguishing him from Antiochus , of whom he spoke in the wordes next and immediately going before , who was but smal and meane in comparison of these foure cheife , and this King is the last of these foure : for the Lion , the Kingdome of the Assyrians , was abolished and gone before this v●sion was shewed to Daniel , as before ch. 10.1 . Of the beare and leopard , the Persians and the Grecians , there hath bene enough spoken in the former part of this chap. The terrible beast then onely remaineth , that variable wylde beast and of manie fashions , which is this Kinge . For it is necessarie that the exposition ( of which kinde this last prophesie is ) should bring no new matter , as farre as it concerneth the generall heads , nor anie whi●t depart from the generall type . By which it is also manifest that the fourth beast ch. 7. is not the Kingdome of the Seleucidans and Lagidans , as some learned men have thought , seing this Kinge , that very beast , neither is Antiochus nor anie part of the Grecian Monarchie , which had no successour after Antiochus greater then hee . But of this matter more heerafter . So as by those necessarie arguments thus laid down , we are ledde by the hand to the Romanes , who tooke the lampe from the Grecians , and whom the Iewes afterward found and felt the must cruel revengers of their wickednes . For it is the intent of the spirit in a breife Synopsis or abridgement to our view , to deliver what the estate of the Iewes should be , not onely to the first comming of Christ , which yet notwithstandinge Antiochus never atteined to , but also to all ages succeding , till at lenght they shal bee gathered into one fould , & be made together with us Citizens of the same Kingdome .

Other prophecies have made this manifest unto us & the singular agreement of this prophecie will marveilously confirme the same . The Angel doth note or signifie , the Romane Monarchie by the name of one kinge , as if it were of some singular person after his manner ; and then he addeth certaine properties , by which as in a glasse wee may behould his lively face . First of all therfore , where shall we finde a greater power to doe what hee list then in this empire ? especially from such time as Antiochus the great by their meanes was deprived of all commande beyond the mountaine Taurus , and was commanded to conteine himself within the narrowe bonndes of Syria . For a litle before having van quished Hanibal and triumphed over Perseus the Macedonian , & having slaine the Cymbrians or Danes , and all feare laid aside farre and wyde round about , what should restreine such an extreame licentiousnes of all things , and such an unbridled appetite both of covetinge anie thinge , and of obteininge anie thing he coveted according to his will . The bridle of feare was cast upon all other Kinges : onely the Romanes , whose power exceeded , did bite the bridle , & would not be curbed by those whom they had overcome in battell . Ptolomie felt of their tyrannicall power , whose Island Cyprus , although he were a kinge and their fellow and confederate , was proscribed and ransackt , not for anie offence and injurie , but onely for their desire to enjoye so great a wealth , wherwith the Island was reported to abound . And whereas no fitt nor feigned coulour could be pretended , then Cato that great patrone of Iustice , as he was called , was made a publick robber of the wealth so ungodly coveted , that so , as I think , the grosse dishonestie of the facte might in some sort be hid and concealed by the authoritie of the man . The Egiptian could not brook the wronge , but at the report of the matter poysoned himself , Florus lib. 3. ch. 9.

The warre against Creete if we will take knowledge of the truth , we also made , saith the same Florus , onely through a desire to vanquish that noble Island . But this licentiousnes was nothing to the outragiousnes of the Emperours . It would be over tedious to enter in the particulars , neither is it needfull in a matter so well knowne to all . Assuredly that which Daniel once spake of Nebucadnezar , agreeth very fitly to this Kinge , and for the Majestie that God gave him , all nations , people , and languages trembled , & feared before him ; he put to death whom hee would , he smote whom he woulde , whom he would he sett up , whom he woulde hee put downe Dan. 5.19 . These are the large boundes of an unlimited desire proper to supreme authority . Let us not seek for them either in Antiochus , or in anie other servile prince , but onely in the highest empire . This is therefore his first marke , His unlimited power out of all controule . His pride foloweth , hee shall exalt himselfe & magnifie himselfe above all that is called God . Interpreters do use to carry these wordes to the impietie of this Kinge , which indeed is noted in the next wordes And hee shall speak marveilous thinges , and wordes against the God of Gods . Those former wordes therefore doe belonge to men : for pride is here sett out by a twofold subject about the which it is exercised , partly men whom it contemneth and despiseth as their underlings ; partly God himself , of whom it doth both think and speake unreverently . We know that men placed in higher degrees of dignitie , are in manie places in the Scripture called Gods , especially such as have anie government and commaund of thinges : this King should make no accounte of all these in comparison of himself , as it is evident in the people of Rome . For how should not hee lift up himself above all , whom allmost through the whole worlde , hee held as his vassals and coppy-holders : who could obteine a Kingdome but by the helpe of his authoritie ? or who could keepe one but with his goodwill ? The Ptolemies Kings do flie to him as to the bestower of Kingedomes , that Antiochus at his commaund might he made to lay downe his victorious weapons , and depart out of Egypt which hee had subdued , and so to let goe his sweet morsell out of his mouth againe : And without delay commeth Popilins flying into Egypt , and showed by his doings how litle a legate of Rome did esteem of anie kinge , he scornfully refuseth the hand and embracements , hee bids leave-off his complements and friendlie salutations and making a circle , strictly enioynes him a speedie answere before he went out of that space . Neither durst the great King mutter a word against it , but remembring he had to doe with his Lord and Maister , quietly suffred hee the prey to be taken from him , and giving warning for the readines of al his carriage he departed out of Egypt . This Epimanes did more wisely then Perseus the Macedonian , who wageing battaile with the Romane , learned at the length to his great dammage by folowing the triumphing chariot of Aemilius , what a dangerous matter it was to contend or fight with a superiour , or one more then his match . Foolishly also did Gentius King of Illiricum , who would not submitt to this tyrannicall prince before he was sent prisoner to Rome together with his wife and children and kinsfolks by Ammius the Pretor . O Romane thou wast indeed above every God , all Kings did submitt their necks and yeeld under thy yoke Prusias therfore the King of Bythinia , though not according to princelie dignitie , yet very commodiously , to make shew of the Romane eminencye , commanded his sonne Nicomedes as an orphan or ward to the Senate , and acknowledged himself a free man of the people of Rome .

But we are to obserue notwithstanding that this King should exalt and magnifie himselfe by wresting principalitie by force and armes , and not by voluntarie subjection to him . Prusias indeed willingly seemed to professe himself their servant , but his profession was but a base flatterie , which feare extorted , but he did not ingenuously nor willingly desire it . What should I make mention of Eumenes King of Pergamus , of Ariarathes King of Cappadocia , of Mithidathes King of Pontus , of Diatarus King of Salatia , who all of them and all others in all places submitted themselves to this King , either of their owne accorde or of compulsion . We see therfore that this agreeth to the Romane alone to whose will and pleasure all other did reforme . Antiochus neither durst nor was able to arrogate anie such matter . But if wee interprete these Gods to bee the celestiall and divine powers , then is there lesse likelihood in it , that hee should preferre himselfe before the heavenlie , which knew so wel he had a maister on earth . But these Gods heere spoken of are not heavenlie but earthlie ones : That even as Antichrist , who was afterward to succeed in this very seate , should exalt himselfe above all that is called God or is worshipped , 2. Thes. 2.4 . by assuming to himselfe a dominion over all the kings of the earth : so this king here should goe before him in the same steppes , to make to his heire the more easie path and passage to the top of his axecrable pride to be abhorred of all men : such is his arrogant haughtinesse over men , but hee will not be conteyned within these boundes : hee wil use reproachfull wordes against the God of Gods , saith the text , But so did the Assyrian king also of olde , Hath anie of the Gods of the nations delivered his Land out of the hands of the King of Ashur . 2. King . 18.33 . And it is said of Antiochus also , that hee slue manie men and spake very proudly . 1. Maca. 1 , 25. This therfore seemeth to be a common note of great soveraigntie , which usually breakes out into great blasphemie against God himselfe : yet there is reason in this place , wherfore it should be proper and peculiar to the Romane , for the Assytian hath no part at all in this vision , neither can it be referred to Antiochus , whose horrible mischiefes are formerly recorded , that he should pollute the holie place or sanctuarie , and should take awaie the daily sacr●fice , and set up the abominable desolation verse 31. He had now alreadie passed and proceeded beyond those wordes , why should he now be reprooved for inconsiderate end uncivill language after such heynous mischeifes ? we doe not use to accuse a man whom we have prooved to have thrust his neighbour through wit a sword and after to laye to his charge that he prickt him with a pin or a needle also . This therfore is not Antiochus his blasphemie but the Romanes , who though they came behind him in wicked deedes against the God of Gods , yet they refrained not themselves from wicked wordes . Although it bee not necessarie that these wordes should bee of the mouth , when as the foole hath said in his heart there is no God : and it is certaine although they used no wordes , and brake not out into termes , yet the Romanes after they grewe into acquaintance with the nation of the Iewes , did in their private thoughtes attribute more to their Iupiter of the capitoll , then to the great creatour of the worlde . But yet words are not wantinge , which are as witnesses of notorious blasphemie . Cicero , with the applause and approbation of his nation , doth not vouchsafe the true and sincere religion of God anie other name then a barbarous superstition ; neither so contented , his ungracious tongue goeth forward in determining those sacred things of divine institution to bee both unworthie of the noblenesse and splendor of the Romane Empire , the gravitie and greatnes of their name , the institutions of their ancestours , and also to be odious and hatefull to the immortall Gods , because the nation whose they were , was vanquished , remooved , presecuted : for so hee playeth and maketh a flourish and ostentation of his eloquence against the God of heaven in his oration for Flaccus .

That was but a light matter that Augustus commended his nephew Caius for contemning the religion of the Iewes . Tiberius did persecute them with so greate hatred , that hee compelled all their worshippers or Louers to burne all their holy garments with all their furniture ; who also appointed and distributed the Iewes youth by a kind of oath , into the provinces of a corrupt ayre , and hee banished the rest of that nation & their followers under a penaltie of perpetuall slaverie & servitude , if they were not obedient , as Suetonius in his Tiberius witnesseth ca : 36. yet notwithstanding he would afterward have had Christ registred among the Gods , if the authoritie of the Senate had not hindred it , whoso auncient decree it was , that no God should be consecrated by the Emperor , unlesse it were approved by the Senate . O the notorious blasphemie of this King , with whom the divinitie is weighed and esteemed according to mans arbitrement and judgment , except God doe please men , hee shal not be God : man must now be propitious and favourable to God as Tertullian speaketh in his Apologeticus .

Verie great prosperitie goeth with their intolerable pride , which hath bene in no kingdome greater then heere . With what prosperous enterprises from the first foundations hath every thing bene begunne , continued and perfected ? One warre hath alwaies drawne on another , and new occasions did incontinently followe ech other , so commodious , fit and seasonable , as that the Romane armies might seeme not so much to have sought principalitie as to be called therunto .

Vpon juste cause did Servius Tullius one of the first Kinges seeme to have familiar compaine with Fortune , which prosperitie was no whit lessened in succeeding ages and generations . those especially after the subduing of Syria : whence it came that Rome had so manie eminent , renowmed and stately temples of fortune , but none of wisdome , temperance , patience , fortitude and magnanimitie : doubtles the Romane people did more increase by fortune , Cesars motto was , Veni , vidi , vici . then by prowesse . Surely that title or motto of theire wordes , which Ceasar in his pompous pageant , bare before him in his triumph of Pontus , I came , I saw , I overcame , might have bene common to the whole empire .

Plutarch his litle book of the fortune of the Romanes , may afoard an ample and large discourse of this their felicitie to him that desireth more . But least anie weake minde should be too much discouraged with these their prosperous affaires , there is added a comfort of an appointed and set time . Till he hath accomplished his wrath , saith he , what wrath ? not his owne , which cannot be satisfyed , but Gods , who was angrie for the sinnes of the people , who ordeineth the tyrants for judgement , & establisheth the spoylers for correction Hab. 1.12 . The reason which followeth is doubtfull , for it maie be rendered : bicause seueritie is to be exercised : and so it belongeth unto the Iewes , as if it were determined with God to correcte and punish the refractarie , by giving to this Kinge , the people of Rome a great sovereigntie , as the Apostle interpreteth a like place in Isaie , for that which the Prophet saith , The consumption decreed shal flow with righteousnes , for the Lord God of hoasts shal make the consumption & decision in the midst of the Land . ch. 10.22 . Paul rendreth it , For he wil make his account & gather it into a short summe with righteousnes : for the Lord will make a short worde and count in the earth Rom. 8.29 . by which testimonie he prooveth that the Iewes are to be rejected and but a few of that nation to be saved , which severitie be afterward calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11.22 by a word answering to the hebrewe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 decision . The Grecians turne this place of Isaie . It is brought to an end and perfection with hast , in the very same with Paul , His short work , for the thinge determined doth come to his end with a kinde of hastening .

The other interpretation concerneth the Romanes themselves because the determination is made , that is to say , the boundes are set & fixed , beyond which , the madnesse of the wicked King shal not passe , whom the bridle of divine providence shall moderate even in the least and smallest mattrers ; for that doth decision or determination signifie , which doth not consider the matter in summe and generall , but severally by every member distributed into his parts : a matter of singular comfort against distrust , as though God did not by his providence reach over particular matters : both meanings are very good , but which is the more apt and fit in this place let the reader judge .

37. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers . Now he informeth us what maner of one this King● should be towards his owne , wherunto he propoundeth a threefold proprietie , The contempt of his fathers Gods , No regard to the desire of women , and the magnifying of himselfe above all ▪ what is therfore that contempte of the Goddes ? Interpreters doe referre it to the disregard of all Religion , which yet notwithstanding the Romans we knowe , have too superstitiously observed , as is evident to bee seene by manie examples & in Valerius Maximus lib. 1.1 . Neither shall we fynde their posteritie anie whit to relinquish the institutions of their Auncestours in this matter . Their Children after the Grecian Monarchie went on in the same Course of superstition , wherin their auncient fathers had gone before them : These things therfore doe rather belong to Civill policie , which this new King should innovate and bring in , altogether differinge from that which his auncestours had observed . For the civill Magistrate is called God , as we shewed before , and therfore his not regardinge the Gods of his fathers is nothing else , but his light esteme of the Magistrates , which his fathers used in times past : and not long after the Romanes had subdued Iudea , the government of this people became a Monarchie , which was before an Aristocratie or at least mixt of the people and the nobles . Their first government of olde in former ages was by Kinges , but they were at length expelled , and the name grew so odions as that Tarquinius the Consull could no longer be tolerated , because be affected the name of a King . And from thence forward the same hatred ▪ was derived to all their posteritie as manie examples doe make manifest , and that decree of the Senate , wherin there was order taken that no Kinges should enter into the Citie .