The exposicion of Daniel the prophete gathered oute of Philip Melanchton, Iohan Ecolampadius, Chonrade Pellicane [and] out of Iohan Draconite. [et] c. By George Ioye. A prophecye diligently to be noted of al emprowrs [and] kinges in these laste dayes

THese thre last chapters hang so to∣gyther that this. x. chap. maye be called the preface into the. 11. (1. 12. chap. In the which aftir the bataill of y^t good & bad aungels for their prouinces / ther is treated a pronosticacion shewing

meruelouse thingis from the thirde yere of Cyrus vnto the world is ende / whiche thing is it profiteth miche the godly to knowe before they shall come.

☞ In the thirde yere of Cyrus king of* 1.1 the Persies / there was a certayne verite shewed vnto Daniel called Beltsazar / and it was a verite concerninge a greate hyghe mater / which thinge he perceyued and vnderstode right well by the wordis & vision. But in that tyme I daniel was so heuey by thre hebdomads of dayes that I ate no delicate meatis and nether flesh nor wyne came into my mouthe / nether did I anoynte myselfe with any oynte∣ment* 1.2 vntyll these thre hebdom. of dayes were ended.

Here daniel turneth bak to the. 3. yere of Cyrus / wherin ye see the heu••y face of the chirche of god. For those so ioyfull ty∣dings conceyued by Cyrus proclamacion of their returne and buylding of their ci∣te were now turned into great sorow and heuynes. For Cyrus perchaunce now go∣ne farre of to wage bataill with the Sci∣th••ans (his wyked sone Cambyses left in his stede) there went forth from Camby∣ses a contrary commandemēt. That the iewes shuld ceasse buylding their temple and cite. Cyrus faught vnhappely & was

slayne. Cambyses raigned. 6. or. 7. yeres. It chaunceth in y^e courte to be many mu∣tacions / good men be there often exclu∣ded or els pressed with heythen supersti∣cions. And wyked rulers being euer eni∣mies to the tr••we doctryne are called to ••ere rule. Daniel now lamented the ab∣sence and fall of king Cyrus. He was syke and sorowfull to se the name of god reui∣led / but greately it greued him to see the weaknes and peruersenes of the Iewes / of whom many casted awaye all hope of y^t restoringe of their citie and temple / thin∣king themselues to be seduced of the pro∣phetis and of Daniel to. They had now casten awaye gods promises / mother ther were / which although thei did not vtter∣ly despeir yet they counseld their compa∣ny not to returne / but tary for a more tran quilite skorning them that were so haste∣ly* 1.3 gone home before. In what an•••• sorow and perels the Iewes were from this ty∣me tyll Darius Longi. begane to raigne / which was. xl. yeres / the story of Esther declareth which was done in Darius A∣hassuerus raigne father to Darius Lon∣giman / & next king raigning aftir Cam∣bysen* 1.4 & Smerdem / which both were eni∣mies to the Iewes and to their religion. Thus aftir so ioyouse a begininge there

folowed a sorowfull successe. Some of the* 1.5 iewes preferring their owne ease and id∣lenes aboue their religion / were wode w^t indignacion distractinge the myndes of other / and perswaded them to not beleue their prophetis / and thus they troubled daniel and other good men mynded to re∣turne. Siche is the fortune that abydeth the good pastors and trewe prophetis.

Here haue ye the image of the chirche whom god willeth bothe to be exercised & whetted with affliccions and also pa∣ciently to abyde their delyuerāce. Nether shall oure delyuerance come so to passe / nor by siche meanis a•• we coniecter. For oure delyuerāce is decrede and gouerned of gods infallible forsight / which nomās* 1.6 pollicie nor swerde maye nether let nor preuente / but it shall so come to passe as god hath decreed by his immutable proui∣dence. For all the impedimentis by Cam∣••yses and other tyll Darius Longi. came, were so decreed of euerlasting of god. By this vision was daniel and other good men conforted in those troublous ty∣mes / and we be therby also premonisshed of the present mutacions of empyres and kingdoms & of lyke calamities and de∣struccions which drawe faste vpon. Da∣niel was now nyer an. 100. yeares olde /

and syke for this sayde sorowe.

In the. 24. daye of the first moneth* 1.7 I was by the gret ryuers syde called Ty∣gris.* 1.8 And when I loked vp / I sawe a man in a whight linyne vesture whose loynes were gyrt vp with glistering gold / whose bodye was beutifull lyke a violete or ia∣cinthe / his face lyke lyghteninge and his eyes lyke a burninge lampe / & his armes and feete so bright as any polisshed steell and the voyce of his wordis as it were the vehement noyse of a multitude.

Now daniel describeth the tyme & pla∣ce of this counfortable vision and also y^t face & estate of the persone sene. For god wold now conforte heuye daniel / and not onely of the mutaciōs of the empyres to come / but also of the calamities now pre∣assinge vpon the iewes before crystis co∣minge / & make them for this cause more certayn: that therof their posterite / & we might lerne with feare to call vpon oure zelouse God / and in fayth wayt fore oure sauiour cryste. This firste moneth is Ni∣san / oure* 1.9 marche / wherin thei celebrated the memoriall passouer lomb in the remē∣brance of their delyuerāce out of Egypte The man whom he sawe was crist / whom hereaftir he calleth Michael and the so∣ne of man. A lyke descripcion is there of

him in the Apocal. 1. Wherof as some for∣mes be terrible / so be some of his parties pleasant and counfortable to beholde as both the psal. 44. & Isay. 11. describe him / teachinge vs that cryst according to his lawe and gospell / is with his gospell io∣conde and plesant to all godly men / & ter∣rible and fearfull with his lawe vnto all y^e vngodly. And therfore is he thus payn∣ted of the prophetis. His sight to beholde∣is ferefull to them that shall wisshe the hills to fall vpon them to couer them from his countenance. And mighty and terri∣ble is that same his voyce and breath of his mouth which slayeth the vngodly.

The reste of his body described is plesant and ioyouse to beholde to the beleuers. His whight vesture & so▪ to be a man mor∣tall therby / signifieth him / as daniel he∣reaftir saith / to be made whight with his crosse & passion / to enter into his glorye.

But I daniel alone sawe this vi∣sion / and* 1.10 the men beinge with me did not see it / for they were smyten with so great feare that thei fled awaye and did hyde them. I therfore abyding there / alone did se this great vision / but my strength was all gone fro me / & my beutie & colour was turned into deformite. All my strengthe was vanisshed awaye.

••o here ye see the wyked to not knowe cryst / & therfore to flye from him for feare: and yet he calleth all men to him promi∣sing to refressh them and to take all bur∣dens and heuye feare from them. But the* 1.11 beleuers heare and come to him and tary styll with daniel by him / thei see him & be ••llumined of him / albeit at firste whylis thei be vnder the lawe / thei fele in them∣selues no strengthe to fulfyll it / but they set holde by fayth vpon crystis fulfylling chalengynge it for their owne. To you therfore (sayth cryst) is it geuen to knowe these secrete visions and mysteries / but* 1.12 to other flyers awaye thei be derke rydels and obscure parables.

Furthermore I hearing the voyce* 1.13 of his wordis / as I had bene oppressed with sleape / was casten downe groueling vpon the earthe. And lo / with his hande he touched me / lyfting me vp yet creping on my knees and palmes of my handis. And he sayd vnto me: Daniel which art so desyerouse of thinges to knowe them / take heed to the wordis which I speke to the / & stond styll in thy place / for now am I sent vnto the. And when he had tolde me this / I stode vp tremblynge. But he sayd vnto me: Daniel / feare not. For in y^e first daye that thou applyedst thy mynde

to vnderstande and humbledst thyself be∣fore the god / thy wordis were herde / & for thy sake am I comen. For the king of the Persies resisted me. 21. dayes. But so / Mi chael one of the cheif princes came & hel∣ped me / and I was there left with y^e kin∣ges of Persie. And am comen to the to tell y^e what shall come ouer thy peple in y^e la∣ter dayes. For this vision is extended & cōtinued into long & many tyms. And why les he thus spake with me I caste down my face towerd the grownde & spake not. And so / one lyke the sone of man touched my lippes / & I opened my mouth & spake sayinge to him that stode before me. Syr / thorow this apparicion all my ioyntes tremble / and my strength is gone fro me. But how maye the seruant of this my lor∣de speke with this whiche is my lorde? euen now am I destitute of my strength / and I am so febled and faint that I can∣not take my breath. And then agene this man touching me counforted me / saying: Be not a frayd man so full of iust desyers peace be with the / & all feare set a part / be of good chere. And whylis he thus spake with me / I was well strengthened & ca∣meayen to myself saying: Say on (my lor∣de) for thou hast counforted me. And then he sayd: knowest thou not wherfore I am

comen vnto the / & wherfore I must retur∣ne▪ Now verely will I retourne to fight ayenst the prince of Persie. For the prin∣ce of the Grekis came thyther assone as I was gone thence. But I shall tell the the trewthe to come as verely as it were wryten / for there is none to helpe me in this mater agaynste them / but Michael youre prince.

Daniel hearing this voice / & then thus* 1.14 to fall downe domme, ferefull, and breath∣les, signifieth the powr of gods worde to humble and cast downe the hearers being neuer so good / and miche more the aduer∣saries therof. For the synfull flesshe hea∣ringe the iustice of god cannot / but trem∣ble and feare / which thinge Israel well figured when god spake the lawe to them But god wold haue siche hearers as was* 1.15 daniel / as he sayth by his prophete I say. Whom behold I but siche as be troubled and tremble at my worde▪ But Cryst is y^e most perfitfull ioye with the gospell to re∣fresshe* 1.16 siche deiected persons with his preceptis / as it is clere by the text saying Michael not onely to helpe the aungels fighting for the faythfull / but also to con∣forte daniel / to touche his lyppes saying: I am present for thy sake / oh most best be∣loued man / full of iust desyers / heare ther fore /

stond vp / haue peace and be of good* 1.17 confidence and chere. For this Michael here described lyke the sone of man / prin∣ce and leader of the Iewes was the very* 1.18 sone of God of whom sayth the psal 113. Who is lyke the lorde our god▪ And albe it the aungels be the seruing spirits to y^e chosen and most faithfull kepers of our bodies & sowlis / yet do thei not saynor do any thinge without cryste by whom thei were created / and therfore the aungell he re saith / nō to helpe him (no not y^e saints)* 1.19 to ouercome the prince of the persians w^c is the deuill / but onely Michael. This is confirmed by the storye of Iacob saing that he was conducted in his iourney by the aungell of god / euen cryste and by him delyuered from all euil. He is therfore cal* 1.20 led Emanuel that is the lorde euer pre∣sent with vs that fere and beleue in him For Paul willeth him to go from al wiked∣nes whiche calleth vpon crystis name. Wherfore if we will in this vale of tea∣ris / be taught / animated and defended of this Michael the leader and capitain of Israel / let vs fere and call vpon cryst one∣ly with daniel / let vs fight ayenst all syn∣ne* 1.21 and pray to this owrpreseruer and de∣fender Michael / that he wolde destroye the workis of the deuil. The offices of

euil aungels is to trouble & to sette king doms togither by the eares / as ye see thē to haue done it euen these dayes by their impes the pope cardinals bisshops & prei stis in euery realme and in the empyre / & to encense the vngodly ayenst the chir∣ches and worde of god / as here the text telleth the prince of the persians to resist and to fight ayenst the good aungel. And when the good aungel was comen awaye then came the prince of the grekis. The batails betwixt good and euil spirits cō siste ether in disputinge or by some other* 1.22 spirituall powr / as ye here see it. For the princes of the grekis and persies were de uils stering vp sedicions and persecuciōs in Grece and persie ayenst all godlines. In Persia the deuil stered vp yonge cam∣bysem with his courtyers and also Dari•••• Ahass••erum / inflamming them one aftir a nother to destroye the iewes and dani∣el with all the religion of god / and in the same tyme in Grece thei stered vp sedici∣on•• and batail. The grekis because thei excelled in wi••e & ryches / the deuil ste∣red them vp ayenste cambyses and were iwyse ouercomē in Cyrus days & brought into an heuy seruitute & therfore thei se∣diciously resisted the Persies.

And this daye the deuil / in all the king∣doms

realmes and regions of the worlde incenseth the vngodly ayenst the gospell and to persecute the confessours of gods* 1.23 worde. For the same prince of the persies grekis and of all the worlde in all ages & especially in this laste age troubleth ve∣xeth persecuteth & laboreth to destroie the chirche of cryste and all comon wea∣lis. Wherfore god suffreth the good aun∣gels often tymes to haue the victorie of the euil / that peace might reigne vpon y^e erthe and the godly to haue a breathinge tyme to reste them. Whilis I came to the saith the aungel / to tell the what is de∣crede to come and written cōcerning the crosse and persecucion to continew into so longe a tyme I did myne office to certi∣fye the & all godly men warninge you be∣fore of these persecucions that when thei come ye fal not frō the trwthe but ••••ther* 1.24 to dye then to renye cryst. And where the aungel saith / he had faughten with the prince deuil of persye / and assone as him self was comen thence / the prince deuil of the grekis to come thither to make trou∣ble: he shewth that god by aungels defen∣deth bothe kingdoms and chirches: so that althings be so longe salf / as thei be of good aungels defended from the euil let vs here be counforted with these wor dis.

That the euerlasting worde and so∣ne of god with his aungels be euermore present with his chirche in all oure afflic cions and persecucions to helpe vs / to thrust awaye the deuyll with all his im∣pes yet persecutinge and to destroye his workis / let vs paciently tarye for his hel∣pe ayenst these deuyllysshe vngodly per∣sons runninge and roringe in euery place enforceing with the Turkis and anticry∣stis powr to skater and destroye Christis chirche. yea y^e prince of this worlde flyeth vpon vs with a more present destruccion and crueller armore / euen with the negli∣gence and tyrannye of emperour and kin∣gis / and blody bisshops which shulde de∣fende & noureshe chirches. He assauteth vs with mischeuous wylye wittes & sub∣tyle sophisters and popis lawers incen∣sed of the serpentine sathan to sowe & con∣firme false doctrynes and deuyllyssh opi∣nions. But he which with his aungell crist kouered his peple in the reede sedgie sea & in the wildernes / he that defended Iosue / Gedeon / Samuel / Dauid with all his faythfull peple / and as Iacob sayd / the aungell which hath delyuered me out of all perels / mought blesse and defende vs these his chyldren. Let vs remember that god hath geuen vs his aungels and

cryste also in commandement to kepe vs in all oure wayes / for the aungell of the lorde bulworketh rownd about them that feare him and delyuereth them. Sith god sendeth his aungels to kepe his chirche / let vs the lesse feare the perels of oure bodyes / or any pouertye whyles we iustly apply oure callings. This miche be sayd into the two chap. folowinge. Now to the kingdoms in which the aungell prophe∣cieth the persecucions of the Iewes to drawnigh and to come ouer them in y^e. 62. hebdom. before cryst the sauiour be borne and also of the persecucions which shall continew from the birth of cryste and de∣struccion of Ierusalem / and vexe vs the gentilis to the worldis ende.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Text.
• * 1.2

  21. dayes
• * 1.3

  When y^e storye of Esther was done.
• * 1.4

  Cyrus. Camby. Smerd.
• * 1.5

  Ahassae. Darius Longim.
• * 1.6

  gods in∣fallible proui∣dence.
• * 1.7

  Text.
• * 1.8

  Tygris so called of his swift∣nes.
• * 1.9

  Nisan mar∣che.
• * 1.10

  Text.
• * 1.11

  Mat. 11.
• * 1.12

  Mat. 13. Luk. 8.
• * 1.13

  Text.
• * 1.14

  The wor∣de of god hūbleth the hea∣rers.
• * 1.15

  E••o. 19.
• * 1.16

  Christ y^e ioy of the worlde.
• * 1.17

  Micha∣el is cry∣sie.
• * 1.18

  Aūgels & not sai∣tes ar y^t kepers of y^e faith∣ful.
• * 1.19

  Gen. 28.
• * 1.20

  Christe is y^t aun∣gel of god ema∣nuel. Iasay. 7
• * 1.21

  The of∣fice of e∣uil aun∣gels.
• * 1.22

  The ba∣taills of good ād bad aun∣gels.
• * 1.23

  The de∣uil euer trou∣bleth chirches & kinge.
• * 1.24

  Ioan. 16