Hexapla in Danielem: that is, A six-fold commentarie vpon the most diuine prophesie of Daniel wherein according to the method propounded in Hexapla vpon Genesis and Exodus, sixe things are obserued in euery chapter. 1. The argument and method. 2. The diuers readings. 3. The questions discussed. 4. Doctrines noted. 5. Controversies handled. 6. Morall observations applyed. Wherein many obscure visions, and diuine prophesies are opened, and difficult questions handled with great breuitie, perspicuitie, and varietie ... and the best interpreters both old and new are therein abridged. Diuided into two bookes ... By Andrevv Willet Professour of Diuinitie. The first booke.

Quest. 25. When this tearme of 2300. beganne and ended.

1. Melancthon beginneth this tearme in the yeare of the kingdome of the Greekes, an 145. and endeth it in the yeare 151. when Nicanor and his armie were destroyed, and the whole land recouered: but seeing euident mention is made, that Antiochus began to afflict Ierusalem in the 143. yeare, 1. Mac. 1. 21. this teame must not take beginning after that: and seeing also that all this desolation is prophesied to happen vnder Antiochus Epiphanes, who was this little horne, this tearme must not be extended after the death of Antiochus, who di∣ed in the 149. yeare, 1. Mac. 6. 16.

2. Some do begin this tearme in the 143. yeare, when Antiochus went proudly into the Sanctuarie, and tooke away the golden altar, 1. Mac. 1. 23. And so this tearme of 6. yeares, shall determine in the 148. yeare when Iudas Macchabeus recouered the citie, & purged the Temple: then the 3. moneths and odde dayes are counted ouer and about to finish the pur∣ging & sanctifying of the Temple, Bull, Pererius extendeth them to the death of Antiochus, which was in the 149. yeare. But this account cannot stand: for from the beginning of the 143. yeare, to the purging of the* 1.1 Sanctuarie by Iudas, which was in the ninth moneth Chi∣sleu, the 25. day, in the 148. yeare, is not 6. yeares, there wanteth 3. moneths and 5. dayes.

3. Calvin will haue the sixe yeares to ende in the moneth Chisleu, in which moneth the temple was polluted: but 3. moneths after the moneth Chisle••, the sixe yeares beeing expi∣red, it was cleansed, in the moneth Adar: and he noteth for this 1. Macchab. 4. 36. But there is no such thing obserued cōcerning any particular time: the contrarie is euident in the 52. v. following, that in the moneth Chisleu (not Adar) the temple was cleansed, in the 148. yeare,* 1.2 as three yeares before it had beene defiled in the same moneth, in the 15. of Chisleu.

4. Iunius, whom Polanus followeth, beginneth this time in the 142. yeare, the sixt moneth, and 6. day: and so the full summe of 6. yeares, 3. moneths, and 20. dayes, will come out in the 148. yeare, in the ninth moneth, the 25. day. He beginneth the reckoning of this desolation of Ierusalem, when Menclaus with other wicked men, first obtained li∣cence of the king to followe the ordinances of the heathen, 1. Mac. 1. 14. and 2. Mac. 4. 25. And this seemeth to be the best account: for though it cannot be precisely gathered out of the storie of the Macchabees, when this tearme of a 2300. yeares beganne, it must haue a perfect ende at the cleansing of the Sanctuarie, which was in the 148. yeare, on the 25. day of the ninth moneth Chisleu: Pererius answereth, that it is not necessarie to vnderstand that this cleansing of the Sanctuarie should be in the verie ende, sed prope finem, but toward the ende: But the contrarie is euident out of the text, that after the 2300. dayes, then shall the Sanctuarie be cleansed: But they which beginne the sixe yeares in the 143. yeare, cannot ende this tearme at such time as the Sanctuarie was cleansed, but extend it further.

5. Some, as Pererius noteth, to make this tearme ende iust at the cleansing of the San∣ctuarie, doe read, a 2200. dayes: but this is an euident controlling of the text, which spea∣keth of a 2300. dayes.

6. Pappus indifferently summeth these dayes, either from the first spoyling of the citie, in the 143. yeare, and so they shall ende in Antiochus death; or from the setting vp of the abhomination of desolation, in the 145. yeare, in the moneth Chisleu, 1. Macchab. 1. 57. and then they shall ende in the ouerthrowe and subuersion of Nicanor and his host, which was two yeares after Antiochus death: But this beeing a prophetical prediction, must haue a certaine and definite accomplishment, it cannot indifferently be taken two wayes: I preferre therefore the fourth interpretation as the best.

7. Now whereas c. 7. 25. there are assigned a time, two times, and a part, that is 3. yeares and 10. dayes for the desolation of the Sanctuarie,* 1.3 but here the summe of 2300. dayes ma∣keth sixe yeares, 3. moneths, 20. dayes: This must be vnderstood of all the time from the first defection or falling away of the people by the procurement of wicked Menelaus, which was in the 42. yeare, as is before shewed; and then followeth Antiochus first comming to Ierusalem, when he layd wast the citie and spoyled the people, in the 143. yeare: but the 3. yeares must beginne from the second comming of Antiochus in the 145. yeare, when he set vp the abomination of desolation: And therefore here menion is not made onely of the iniquitie of desolation, and treading downe of the Sanctuarie, but of the armie also, that is, the Lords people and the citie, Polan.

8. Herein also appeareth Gods mercie, who now afflicteth his people in measure, he ful∣filleth not (all out) seuen yeares in the desolation of the citie and temple, whereas before he punished them with a captiuitie of seuentie yeares, Oecolampad.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Macch. 4. 52.
• * 1.2

  1. Maccha. 1. 57.
• * 1.3

  R•• con••ll.