The suruey of popery vvherein the reader may cleerely behold, not onely the originall and daily incrementes of papistrie, with an euident confutation of the same; but also a succinct and profitable enarration of the state of Gods Church from Adam vntill Christs ascension, contained in the first and second part thereof: and throughout the third part poperie is turned vp-side downe.

CHAP. III. Of the 2300. daies.

Daniel had a vision of great persecution, that shoulde come vnto the church:* 1.1 that the daily sacrifice should cease, and Gods trueth be troden vnder foote. And that the sinnes of the Iewes, were the cause of such horrible afflictions. Yet for the solace of Gods children (whom he neuer forsaketh finally) the time of the desolation is appointed and pronounced, in these obscure words: Vnto the euening and morning, two thousand and three hun∣dreth; then shall the sanctuarie be cleansed.

Sundrie (as S. Hierome witnesseth) trouble themselues miserably, about the exposition of this place. Some for, 2300 read 2200, least sixe yeares and three monethes abound. Other some vnderstand the place of Antichrist, and that this shalbe re∣allie complete in him, which was spoken typically of Antio∣chus. And this childish imagination, doe our late Iesuites and other papistes imitate: whose fantasticall interpretation was confuted by S. Hierome before they were borne.

* 1.2But the meaning is plaine and easie; that is, vntill so many naturall daies be past, which in all make sixe yeares, three monethes and an halfe. For so long was the temple prophaned, [ 1] vnder the wicked king Antiochus. And that this is the true sence of the place, I prooue by two reasons. First, because that (vnto the morning and to the euening) cannot possibly be vnder∣stood, of either yeares or monethes: and yet can the same be [ 2] truely and simply verified, in so many natural daies. Secondly, because the prophet of God doth expound the rest of the vision, euen of the kinges of Syria. And my reasons are confirmed by S. Hieromes testimonie,* 1.3 whose expresse words are these, Vespere autem & manè, successionē diei noctísque significat. The eue∣ning and the morning doth signifie, the succession of the day and the night. And in the very same place hee prooueth by Iosephus, and the bookes of the Machabees, that the setting vp of Iupi∣ters Image in the Temple, and the time of the desolation wrought by Antiochus, is correspondent to the 2300. daies.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Dan. 8. v. 12, 13, &c.
• * 1.2

  The temple was prophaned sixe yeares, three monethes, and an halfe.
• * 1.3

  Hier. in cap. 8. Daniel••••.