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.

41. Quest. Of the largenesse of the Empire and dominion of Nabu∣chadnezzer.

v. 38. In all places, where the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field, and the foules of heauen, &c. hath he giuen into thine hand.

1. The Scripture doth euidently testifie what large dominions the king of Babel had, Ierem. 27. 6. I haue giuen all these lands into the hand of Nabuchadnezzer king of Babel my seruant, and the beasts of the field haue I also giuen him to serue him, and all nations shall serue him, &c. And the Prophet Abacuck saith of the Chaldeans, They shall gather the captiuitie as the sand, and they shall mocke the kings, and the Princes shall be a scorne vnto them, &c. c. 1. 9, 10.

2. Forren writers also haue ginen the like testimonie of the greatnes of the Babylonian Empire: Berosus, who wrote of the Chaldean affaires, preferreth him before all kings that were before him. Megasthenes lib. 4. de reb. Indicis, witnesseth, that Nabuchadnezzer beside the Prouinces of the East, subdued Egypt, Africa, Spaine, and maketh him in courage and magnanimitie superiour to Hercules: so likewise Strabo lib. 15. Geograph. writeth, that this Nabuchadnezzer was the mightiest of all other kings, and held of the Chaldeans to haue exceeded Hercules.* 1.1 Tertullian saith, that his dominion extended from India to Ethi∣opia.

3. But whereas it is said, that God had made him ruler in all places, this is not so to be taken strictly according to the letter: for neither Nabuchadnezzer, or any other Monarch euer had the dominion and rule of the whole world: as witnesseth the altar of Alexander, the pillars of Hercules, and Ctesiphon the boundes of the Romane Empire toward the East. 1. Some therefore thinke that this is spoken in respect of the opinion of the Chaldeans, who held him to be an absolute Monarch ouer all the world: 2. or that all, according to the Scripture, is taken for the most, or many: as Gen. 22. 18. the Lord saith, that all nations should be blessed in Abraham: that is, many: as c. 17. 5. the Lord saith, A father of many nations haue I made thee: Perer. But this example is vnfitly alleadged, for in the one place the Lord speaketh of Abrahams carnall generation, in the other of the spirituall benedicti∣on, which in Christ should come indeede vpon all nations. 3. some take it therefore for an hyperbolicall speech. Pintus. 4. Hugo thus expoundeth it, he is said to rule ouer all, quia ni∣hil ei resistebat, because no countrey resisted him. 5. Lyranus taketh all places, for all kind of places; as the cities where men dwelt, the fields where beasts ranged, and the woods where the foules made their aboad: and therefore both men, beasts, and foules are said to be giuen into his hand. 6. Some admit here a synecdoche, that part is taken for the whole, all for a great part: Lyranus also. 7. But this vniuersall particle (all) must be restrained vnto all the regions next adioyning: as it is taken, Gen. 41. 57. All countries came to Egypt to bui•• corne of Ioseph, that is, all the countries neare vnto them. And so here all the regions in those East parts, were subdued vnder the kingdome of Nabuchadnezzer.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tertull. lib. ad∣vers. Iudaeos.