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. 6. What kind of booke Daniel here spea∣keth of.

1. Theodoret taketh this booke for the knowledge of God: but there is great difference betweene Gods prescience, and the decree of predestination: the one is an act of his all-see∣ing knowledge, the other of his will: as the Apostle saith, Rom. 8. 29. those whom he knewe before, he also predestinate to be made like the image of his sonne.

2. Iunius seemeth to vnderstand it of Gods immutable decree concerning their preser∣uation from those troubles: but this booke is else where called the booke of life, that is, of e∣ternall life, not in respect of any temporall deliuerance in this life.

3. Osiander by this booke meaneth the preaching of the gospell: so also Pappus of the booke of the Scriptures: that euerie one which beleeueth them shal be saued and deliuered: other secret booke of Gods decree, Pappus acknowledgeth none, non fingendi sunt aliqui occulti libri, qui nomina saluandorum conteneant, we must not imagine, that there are any se∣cret bookes which doe containe the names of such as should be saued: But this is a verie corrupt opinion. 1. though God neede not any materiall books, yet that he hath set downe in his euerlasting decree the number of such as shall be saued, and that whosoeuer is not so written in that booke, that is appointed of God vnto saluation, shall be damned, it is eui∣dent out of Scripture: as S. Paul speaketh of certaine his fellowe labourers, Philip. 4. 3. whose names are in the booke of life: and Apocal. 20. 15. Whosoeuer was not found written in the booke of life, was cast into the lake of fire. 2. And that this is in an other booke beside the booke of the Scriptures, is also euident: for neither in the Scriptures is any mans particu∣lar election set downe: and the Scriptures are offred vnto all, both the elect, and not elect: but in the booke of life onely are the elect written.

4. Euthymius in Psal. 68. & 138. saith, that there is a threefold booke of the diuine knowledge, vnus est vniuersalis, &c. one is a generall or vniuersall booke, wherein all both righteous and sinners are witten, which come into this world: of which booke speaketh the Prophet Dauid, Ps. 139. 16. in thy booke were all things written: there is another booke magis privatus, more private, wherein the righteous onely are written: whereof the Prophet Dauid speaketh, 69. 28. Let them be put out of the booke of life, neither let them be written with the righteous: the third booke is that, wherein the sinners onely are written, as Dan. 7. 10. the iudgement was set, and the bookes were opened. This tripartite diuision may safely be recei∣ued, sauing that the sinners are not said to be written in any booke, but not to be written: as Apoc. 17. 8. Whose names are not written in the booke of life from the foundation of the world: these bookes here opened, are bookes of euery ones conscience, wherein all mens workes both good and bad are written: which bookes are diuers from the booke of life, Apoc. 20. 15. See more hereof c. 7. qu. 36.

5. This booke then here mentioned is Gods immutable decree of predestination, where∣by they are ordained vnto euerlasting saluation, whom the lord hath freely elected in Christ: Lyranus saith well, that this booke is conscriptio electorum in mente diuina, the writing of the elect in the diuine minde or knowledge. God needeth not any materiall booke: but this

is a figuratiue phrase taken from the custome of men, who vse to write into a booke all that are made free of a citie or corporation: as Augustine saith, non liber iste Deum commemorat, ne obliuione fallatur, this booke serueth not to put God in minde, least he should be decei∣ued through forgetfulnesse: but this booke is, ipsa Dei praescientia, &c. the prescience of God concerning the elect, which cannot be deceiued, lib. 20. de ciuitat. Dei, c. 15. So also Euthymius, liber Dei est summa eius scientia, scriptura perpetua memoria, the booke of God is his high knowledge, and the writing is his perpetuall memorie, in Psal. 68.

Sometime it is called the booke of God, simply without any addition, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, be∣cause of the excellencie, as in this place: sometime the booke of life, Philip. 4. 3. and the booke of the liuing, Psal. 69. 29. the booke which god hath written, Exod. 32. the booke of heauen, as Luk. 10. 20. your names are written in heauen: and in the Reuelation, the lambes booke of life, c. 21. 27. It is also called the writing or catalogue of the house of Israel, Ezech. 13. 9. So three things are obserued out of these places concerning this booke. 1. that God is the writer. 2. that the faithfull onely are there written. 3. that it is the Lambes booke: all there written shall be brought by the Lambe vnto euerlasting life.