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.

55. Quest. The seuerall interpretations of Daniels 70. weekes, dispersedly handled before, summed together.

The sundrie opinions and diuers interpretations of the numbring of Daniels weekes, may be sorted out in this manner into these 6. orders or ranks. 1. Some beginne the ac∣count too soone, and ende too soone. 2. Some beginne too late, and ende too late. 3. Some beginne too soone, and ende too late. 4. Some beginne too late, and ende too soone. 5. Some beginne well▪ and ende not right, and they either ende too soone, or too late. 6. Some ende well their account, but beginne not right, and that either too soone or too late: the first foure doe erre both in the beginning and ende, the other two faile but in the one, either in the beginning or ende.

1. Of the first sort is Orige••, who beginneth from Adam, and endeth 69. weekes of the account at the natiuitie of Christ, the 70. weekes he extendeth thence to the destruction of the citie▪ see this opinion confuted before, qu. 40.

2. Of the second sort are diuers. 1. all they which beginne the acount after the raigne of Cyrus, as Chrysostome, who beginneth at the 20. yeare of Darius Longimanus, and endeth at the subuersion of Ierusalem: so Eusebius beginneth at Darius Hystaspis, and endeth at Traian the Emperour: and Iunius, Iosephus Scalliger, M. Liuely, beginne at the 2. yeare of

Darius Nothus, and ende with the ruine of the citie: see their opinions more at large, quest. 47. Likewise Apollinaris beginneth at Christs natiuitie, and endeth at the comming of Antichrist toward the ende of the world: see qu. 34. and 48.

3. Some beginne too soone, and ende too late, as Hyppolitus, beginning 50. yeares before Cyrus, and ending toward the dissolution and ende of the world: and R. Salomon, who be∣ginneth at the destruction of the first Temple, and endeth at the destruction of the second: see qu. 40. and 48.

4. Some beginne too late and ende too soone, as Melancthon, that beginneth his second reckoning from Longimanus, and endeth at the baptisme of Christ: see before, qu. 47.

5. Some beginne well, and ende too soone, as Origen, who in one account beginneth a•• Darius the Mede, and endeth at the natiuitie, qu. 47. before: so also Melancthon in one ac∣coun••. Eusebius also in one account beginneth at Cyrus, and endeth in Hyrcanus time. Some beginning right, ende too late: as Tertullian beginning at Darius, and Clemens Alexandri∣nus at Cyrus, ende at the subuersion of Ierusalem: qu. 47. before. And some Hebrewes be∣ginne at Darius the Mede, but extend the yeares to the raigne of Adrian the Emperour: see quest. 48.

6. Some ende right, namely at the passion of Christ, but beginne too soone, as Lyranus and Burgensis, who beginne in the 4. or 5. yeare of Zedekiah, see qu. 41. some ending there also, beginne too late; as they which beginne at the 20. yeare of Longimanus, and end at the passion of Christ: of which opinion are Theodoret, Zonaras, Ioannes Lu••idus, Pererius, Bullin∣ger, with others: see before, qu. 49.

Then the best account of these weekes, is to pitch the beginning and ende both right: and that is to beginne them at Cyrus, at the first going forth of the word for the returne of the people, as is prooued before at large, quest. 43. and to determine and conclude them at the most holy passion of our blessed Sauiour, as is likewise before prooued at large, qu. 49. of this chapter. Now I will returne to examine the words, as they lie in the text.