Daniel 11

ALso I in the first year of Darius the Mede Thus speakes the Angel to Daniel; because Darius had the rule of Babylon by the consent of Cyrus, he settled the Monarchy of the Medes and Persians upon the Ruines of the Babylonian, for the verifying of Prophesies, and for protection and preservation of the Church., even I stood to confirm, and to strengthen him. This first verse should have been the last verse of the Tenth Chapter, for it pertains to it; and the second verse of this Chapter should have been the first; which neglect, those who divided the Scripture into Chapters have been found guilty of more than once.

And now will I show thee the truth This is that thing which Daniel says chap. 10.1 was revealed unto him, and was true; i. e. plain without any obscurity, and should suddenly and certainly come to pass.. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia Which notes their flourishing and strength; for after them that Monarchy declined. These three are Cyrus, Smerdis, Darius Hystaspis. Others put Cambyses for Cyrus; others add Xerxes, who is added as the fourth in this same verse and made more potent than all the other three, because ather Darius had gather'd an incredible Mass for him, and he also himself drove the same trade for six years together before he made his expedition against Greece. There were more Kings of Persia besides those four, but they had no concern with the people of God: but those four had, either in hindring or helping the Building of the Temple and therefore the Angels instructions from God to Daniel, was principally touching those four who are mentioned., and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia He had vast Territories from India to Ethiopia; He had a Navy of 1200 Ships and an Army of 800000 as C esias writers, but Herodotus speaks of a prodigious Army that Xerxes had little short of five millions and near an half 5283000, and all against the Realm of Greece, where he made incredible Havock at Thermopylae and Athens, as the Greek and Latin Histories mention..

And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion; and do according to his will This was Great Alexander the He-goat, who moved with choler for the Persian Invasion, run down the Ram and stamped on it, and got a golden Fleece from him by that, and after many Victories, after he did according to his will, even what he would without controulment by any. See Dan. 8.7, 8..

And when he shall stand up, his kingdom When he is come to his highest, as Monarch of the World, &c. shall be broken After he had enjoyed that Title a little while, his Kingdom was broken as the Text says. So it was into four pieces whereof we have spoken, Dan. 7 and 8 Chapters., and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven, and not to his posterity But to four of his chief Commanders, who should reign in the four quarters of the World, i. e. Alexanders Conquest, though here he only mentions two of them, Egypt and Syria, i. e. the South and the North; Alexander had a Brother named A idaeus, and two Sons, Alexander and Hercules, besides others of his blood, but the Nobles destroyed them all, and so the whole race of Alexander was rooted out to fulfil this Prophesie; but judicially for his great Cruelty, Pride and Luxury., nor according to his dominion They did not reign as Kings at first, but only as Captains; and as to the extent of their Dominion, it was far less than Alexanders, yea all four fell short of his., which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be pluckt up, even for others besides those Some lesser Commanders shared several parts of that Empire, as Eu enes, Philotes, with many more, at least ten; as Histories tell us..

And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes This King was Ptolomy the son of Lagus, the first King of Egypt after Alexander, who is brought in, because he took Ierusalem by Treachery, for the Angel minds only those Persons, and things, which related to the Iewes, passing over many things that pertained not to them., and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion: his dominion shall be a great dominion His Riches by Land and Sea, and his Territory besides Egypt, that Theocritus takes notice of it in Idvllio, what this first Ptolomeus the father of Ptolomeus Philadelphus added, viz. Cyprus, Phaenicia with many other Countreys to Egypt, and left all to his son with an incredible Treasure and an invincible Army. One of his Princes, i. e. either one of these Ptolomies, or Antioch, or Nicanor, or Sele cus Nicanor; so called for his great Victories, who overcame Demetrius, and added Asia to his Empire; he overcame the King of Thrace, and a King of Iudia, and built many Cities: And Iudaea lying in the midst of them, was much afflicted by him, and his Antagonists and Allies..

And in the end of years they i. e. The Successors of those first Kings of Egypt and Syri shall join and make leagues. shall joyn themselves together This Confederacy was two several times; The first peace was concluded between Ptolomy L gus and Antiochus Soter. 2. The other (which is here meant) was between Ptolomy Philadelphus and Antiochus T eo the son of Soter. So Ianius and Polanus.: for the kings daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement Bernice shall come from Egy t and marry with Antiochus Theus, who was the Son of Antio Soter and Nephew to Seleuc s Nicanor, for her Father brought her to Pelusium with an infinite Sum of Gold and Silver for her dowry. Here was nothing sincere on either side, for each gaped after the others Kingdom, and covered all with a league and a marriage; for Antiochus put away his lawful Wife Laodi e, by whom he had two Children, that he might take her Sister to Wife. Thus sacred Wedlock and Leagues were violated., but she shall not retain the power of the arm She continued not in Favor and Authority., neither shall he stand, nor his arm For Antiochus no put away Bernice and took Laodice again, for she made away Antiochus by poyson, and set up her Son Seleucus Callinicus in his stead, who slew Bernice. From hence many cruel Wars and Tragedies arose between those two Kings., but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times See here the miserable fates of wicked Princes and Courts, where their sinful politicks most commonly end in their Ruine: for so it did to these two Families, which thing God by his Angel instructs D niel in, to inform, and satisfie him about these wonderful Providences relating to his Church and their Enemies..

But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate i. e. Of Bernice, shall come Ptolomeus Euergetes; who shall be King, and revenge the wrong done to his Sister., which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north For be invaded Syria, and took many strong holds, with a great part of Syria, and prevail, i. e. shall be Conquerour, and destroy C nicus with his mother, whose Treachery was hereby repaid., and shall deal against them, and shall prevail.

And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold Which with other Vessels amounted to 2500 among which were the images which Cambyses long before had carried out of Egypt into Persia, for which good act the Egyptians called this Ptolomeus Euergetes the Benefactor., and he shall continue moe years than the king of the north.

So the king of the south shall come into kingdom, and shall return into his own land So he did with a Booty of 40000 Talents of Silver, without fear or danger..

But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces He means the sons of the King of the North, i. e. Antiochus, and Seleucus Ceraunus, shall be incensed with the deeds of Ptolomeus Euergetes, and his Son Ptolomeus Philopator., and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through He means Antiochus the Great, because the other, viz. Seleucus Cera is taken off by poison at the beginning, he shall pass through Syria and recover what the King of Egypt took from his Father.: then shall he return, and be stirred up even to his fortress i. e. To the entering of Egypt Raphia, which was check to any irruptions from Arabia or Idumea, besides many other places. The cause of which Success was partly the Egyptian Kings Luxury, and the hatred his people had against him for his Cruelty in slaying his Father, Mother and Sister: called Philopator ironically and reproachfully..

And the king of the south shall be moved with choler Inraged by his losses, and the affronts put upon him, fought with Antiochus, and slew 10000 of his Army, and took 4000 prisoners. So Historians relate of it; Polybius and Strabo., and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude, but the multitude shall be given into his hand.

And when he has taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up He might have conquer'd and recover'd all again, but he grew proud of his Victory, and returned again to his Luxury. Entering Iudea he entred into the Temple of God at Ier salem and the holy place against the Law; yet though e cast down many thousands, he was not strengthened by it., and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it.

For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former Antiochus the great shall raise great forces, even from Babylon and Media; Philopator being dead, and Ptolomeus Epipha es his Son yet a Child, under whom Agathocles a dissolute proud person hated of all, governed Egypt as his Viceroy., and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army, and with much riches.

And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the South i. e. Many of the Grecians, Arabians, Edomites, &c. and some add, many of the profane Apostate Iewes shall joyn with the rest for plunder and spoil, whereby they fulfil what was foretold of them by Moses and the Prophets.: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision, but they shall fall.

So the king of the north shall come Antiochus shall march on irresistably and victoriously, besieging, and taking fence Cities, and strong Holds, as Sidon, Samaria, &c. nor shall all the power of Egypt withstand him., and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities, and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand.

But he that cometh against him i. e. Antiochus, shall do after his own will, as he listeth with out controul., shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land i. e. Judaea, the word may be rendred pleasant, desireable, noble, Dan. 8.9. Antiochus held all Judea, the Jewes not opposing, and with the provision and product of it maintained his Army; Josephus. And to win them to his side from the Egyptians, he gave them Liberties, as to their Religion, incouraging their Sacrifices and easing their Taxes. For so Iosephus translates by to consummate and make perfect, and not to consume, as some render it; and thus the 70 likewise. which by his hand shall be consumed.

He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom He shall use all the force and fraud he can to master Egypt, and ingross it to himself, because Ptolomy then young, and not able to match him., and upright ones with him i. e. Many of Religious Iews joined with him, Numb. 23.10. called righteous in opposition, to the rest of his Arm which was composed of Idolaters, and a prophane rabble of rude Heathens.: thus shall he do, and he shall give him the daughter of women i. e. Antiochus shall give Cleopatra his Daughter which was young, to young Ptolomy, called the daughter of women for her beauty, and rare parts which she afterwards discovered; and gave in dowry with her Coelosyria, Phenice, and Iudea, dividing the Tribute and Revenues between them. As S l gave Michal to David to be a snare to her husband, to betray him, and destroy him but she stuck to her Husbands interest, and not her Fathers. corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side q, neither be for him.

After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many i. e. The Isles, and Sea-coasts of that part of the Mediterranean and Aegean Sea, as Cyprus, Rhodes, &c. also Asia the less with the Grecian coasts, for the Hebrews call Countreys bordering on the Sea, Isles; particularly Greece and Italy. The meaning is that this Antiochus craftily desisted for a time from his enterprize against Egypt, for fear of the Romans, and dissembling with them both, presumed he should outwit them all, and therefore persuaded as many of the Greeks as he could, to take part with him against the Romans, slighting and reviling them.: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease i. e. A brave Roman Embassador, and Commanders sent by the Roman Senate, viz. Atilius, and chiefly Scipio, beat Antiochus at his own weapons of power and policy, and turned the reproach upon his own head; for they fell upon him, because Ptolomy required help of them, who was besieged by Antiochus; they raised the siege, and recovered all that he had gotten from them; for the Romans were dexterous in protecting their Allies, and in retorting indignities and affronts offer'd them by incroachers and oppressours.; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him.

Then he shall turn his face towards the fort of his own land Being beaten in Battle by Scipio, with 30000 Romans, he himself having 70000, and rejecting the counsel of Hannibal, he yielded upon dishonourable terms to deliver his Ships and Elephants to the Romans, and all the places he had taken from them, which turned to his disgrace: Then he turned his face homeward, and made to be content with the narrow limits of the remotest corner of his Kingdom, and though he sported himself with his retirement, yet was he not in safety so, but was slain, when he sought to enrich himself by the Sacrilegious spoiles of the Temple. Thus Antiochus called Magnus, came to nothing., but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.

Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes This was Selen us Philopator, a very covetous griper who peeled his Subjects; who being told by his friends, this would alienate his friends from him, answered, money was his best friend, and therefore spared not to rob the Temple, for which cause he sent Hiliodorus to rifle that Treasury, 2 Mac. 3.7. therefore said to raise taxes in the glory of the Kingdom. in the glory of his kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed For he lived not out the third part of his Fathers Reign., neither in anger, nor in battle Not by open force, but by poison or secret wiles, and treachery of H liodorus; as some write of him; the seed of evil doers are never renowned in life or death..

And in his estate shall stand up a vile person Antiochus called Epiphan s, i. e. illustrious; thus he was called by his flatterers and admirers: but the people of God accounted him contrary, i. e. infamous, base, treacherous, barbarous, such were his manners, and accordingly the Angel calls him here a vile person, the type of Antichrist, Epimanes a mad Persecutor., to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom i. e. Neither Peers nor people, nor was he the Heir, but his Nephew, or Brother, Philopators Son, but he cheated him of the Kingdom, and crope in by flatteries, i. e. he was a great flatterer of the Romans, as well as of his people, till he gat up, and shut out Demetrius the Son of Seleucus; so vile a flatterer was he, that he would bathe in the same bath, with mean people, to make them believe he was good natured, and not proud. He soothed and courted the Nobles with much kindness, and presents, and said he was but guardian to his Brothers Son the Heir, till he destroyed him.: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him i. e. The Egyptian force near Pelusium, where they fell by the power of Antiochus, with a great slaughter, and it was near the River Nil s, to which the Holy Ghost alludes here by the phrase, arms of a flood., and shall be broken, yea, also the prince of the covenant i. e. The High Priest with his place and honour, for he put out Onias, and set up in his stead Iason his Brother, ambitious of that honour. Thus he opposed the people and worship of God with the same stratagems as he did the ing of Egypt..

And after the league made with him, he shall work deceitfully For he made a league with Egypt, and came with a few in comparison, (but they were chosen men) and he took the passes and set Garrisons, and put all in subjection to him.: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.

He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province He shall come in upon the Egyptians under pretence of peace, and in time of Peace, to a secure People in a plentiful, and delicious Countrey, and among a mass of Treasures which the Kings successively had heaped up, the greatest part of which this Antiochus took and distributed among his chiefest Confidents whereby he obliged them the faster to him, for he was large hearted and liberal. He did herein (says the Text) what his Fathers had not done, the Kings of Syria before him could never attain to this success over Aegypt, as he did., and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers fathers, he shall scatter among them the prey and spoil, and riches; yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong-holds i. e. Having succeeded thus far in the lesser places of the Countrey he shall proceed to the most important Cities and Places of greatest strength in that Kingdom., even for a time That is till God put a stop to his carriere, for he held Aegypt not long, the Aegyptians found means to deliver themselves from his yoke when their King grew to riper years, yet against this did Antiochus fore-cast his devices, as says the Text..

And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the outh with a great army Antiochus Epiphanes being emboldned by his former successes shall wage War against Ptolomy King of Egypt, with all his might, and with open force., and the king of the outh shall be stirred up to battel with a very great and mighty army Being exasperated against Antiochus.; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him He might have prospered, if he had not been betrayed by Eulaius, Lenaeus, and the rest of his Nobles being corrupted by Antiochus..

Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat, shall destroy him His most familiar Friends and Confidents, shall be False and Treacherous to him, for he shall be overthrown with a great slaughter, as when Nilus overflows the Countrey, for there was the Battle between mount Casius and Pelusium., and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain.

And both these kings hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table They shall meet under pretence of Peace, but with treacherous intents on both sides; they both plaid the Gipsies with each other at Memphis, where Ptolomy invited Antiochus to a feast, these interviews of Neighbour Kings jealous one of another, have ever proved fatal; though under the smoothest promises., but it shall not prosper For neither shall Antiochus gain Aegypt by all his Artifice, nor Ptolomy Syria.; for yet the end shall be at the time appointed Viz. By the Lord whose purpose and counsel shall stand, whatever the devices of mens Hearts are..

Then shall he return into his land with great riches Antiochus shall depart with his booty gotten in Egypt, into his Kingdom of Syria, and be content with the bounds of that, leaving Aegypt behind him., and his heart shall be against the holy covenant Against the Law and Covenant of God, with the people that Worshipped God according to his Rule, and Will.: and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land He shall greatly afflict and vex the People of God, yet was it a mercy they had this warning of this sore tryal. Antiochus was a fit instrument of the Devil for this work, being rich and proud, and thought he might take this in his way: God permitting this horn to push and gore, for his peoples sins, and for a preparation to his own ruine..

At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south i. e. Aegypt, to fight against Ptolomy and his Wife Cleopatra, Sister to Antiochus., but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter This shall not be so prosperous as the two former Expeditions, but shall fail of his victory and booty..

For the ships of Chittim shall come against him i. e. The Romans out of Italy, and parts of the Archipelago, under them shall come with force and they shall vex and afflict him; for the Romans had Harbours for their Ships and Gallies in Cilicia, Macedonia and other Parts of those Coasts; whereby after they had subdued Greece, they pursued Antiochus in Asia, and sent into Aegypt to prevent his going into Alexandria, Liv. l. 45. This grieved and fretted him: For when he lingred and framed excuses, Popilius the Roman Embassador made a Circle about him with his rod, commanding he should not stir thence till he gave him a positive present answer, by which sore against his will he was ain to pack away out of Aegypt, and withdraw his Garrisons and Navy thence. This made his heart boyl with rancor, which he spit out all against the Iews, therefore its said, he shall, &c.: therefore he shall be grieved and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant Especially being sollicited to it by Iason first, and Menelaus after, who were Apostates, and betrayers of their Brethren, and the true Worship of God, 2 Mac. 4.26, 27, &c. because Onias was in power, this they envyed, therefore went to Antiochus.: so shall he do, he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.

And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength i. e. Antiochus shall come with armed power to assist the desertors, and force the faithful Iews by his Garrisons., and shall take away the daily sacrifice For he polluted the Sanctuary by taking away the Holy vessels, and forbidding the publick Worship, but he added a third pollution, by setting up in the Temple the abomination of desolation, i. e. The abominable Idol of Iupiter Olympius, with many more, 1 Macc. 1.21, 22, 23, 41, to the end. 2 Macc. 5.24., and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.

And such as do wickedly against the covenant, shall he corrupt by flatteries For by Gifts, Preferments, and Promises he drew away great multitudes of this wretched people of Iudea, always bent to backsliding, to his Idololatrical and Heathenish practises and interest.: but the people that do know their God, shall be strong, and do exploits They that adhere to the true Worship of God and are zealous for it, shall scorn Antiochus's Gifts, and abhorr his Ways, and defie his force, not loving their Lives to the Death; as you have many instances, 1 Macc. 1.62, 63. 2 Macc. chap. 5, 6, 7, 8. and also how Iudas Maccabeus and his few followers did exploits against Nicanor and others..

And they that understand among the people, shall instruct many Such as Eleazar that old Scribe, 2 Macc. 6.18. and some others Learned in the Lawes of God, and Holy in Heart, and Life shall instruct many in the Righteous ways of God, and retain them from Apostacy when others fall off.: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil many days Many of the People shall fall, yea of their pious and learned Teachers, as well as their Disciples, 1 Macc. 1.52, 66. 2 Macc. 6..

Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries i. e. God in their affliction when it is great, wherein he never leaves himself without witness, shall raise up some succour, to be witnesses to this Truth, to vindicate his honour and save his people from utter destruction, viz. by the Maccabus. Read what Mattathias and his Sons did at Modin, 1 Macc. 2. read the chapter, who would not be flattered out of their Religion..

And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them We see hereby that the best of men have some drosse, which makes afflictions, yea fiery trials necessary for them, for the word signifies all kind of examination and tryals, either as Founders try Mettals to purge them, or as Corn is winnowed to cleanse it from chaff, or as Fullers that wash and scour to take out spots, Mal. 3.1, 2, 3., and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed Now mark here the spirit of God seems to slide into the Roman Monarchy, for this began in the Reign of Antiochus, so that he did begin that which the Romans afterward in process of time acted more highly against the Iews and Christians too. For Antiochus is made by all a Type of Antichrist; as Maldonate confesseth, and thus you find the Prophets, and our Saviour too; David brings in Christ, Psal. 72.8. when the rest is spoken of Solomon. So Ps. 1 sa. 49, 54, and 60. So our Saviour speaking of the Temple, speaks with it of the end of the World, and thus the end of this chapter is clearly of Antichrist, and this Prophesie of Daniel ends with the Worlds end. Therefore Antiochus is a Type of Antichrist, in his Pride, Coveteousness, Craft, and Cruelty against the People of God, and blasphemies and Idolatries to the reproach of Christ. Therefore it is here added, because it is yet for the time appointed..

And the king The King, i. e. The Roman Government, whether by the Senate, or by Emperours, or by the Bishop of Rome, who shall shove out the Imperial Power not only from Rome, but from Italy, and all the Western Empire as far as he could by striking in with the barbarous Nations that invaded it, who are called Ten Kings. Read for all this Rev. 17.10, 11, 12, 13. as all the seven or eight Governments of Rome are called Horns, and the Horns, Kings, ver. 10, 11. The summe is this, though it is granted some of these things are applicable to Anti chus, yet the Angel speaks of him here and henceforward, but by the by and very lightly. His main scope is Antichrist, as will appear in the interpretation. shall do according to his will Antiochus did according to his Will: he shall be Arbitrary in his actions notwithstanding any cl ecks of Divine and humane Laws, the cause follows., and he shall exalt himself, and magnifie himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the GOD of Gods This is true of the Romans, who would deifie what they please, and d fie it or ungod it. Most true of the Persecutors of Christ, and Christians in the time of the Emperours, but most notoriously of the Ro Antichrist. See how this agrees with that Prophesie. 2. 2.3, 4. to verse 10. Rev. 17.3., and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished Then shall Antichrist continue long and prevail, read for this, Rev. 13. pe t t m.: for that that is determined shall be done That which God has decreed to be done by him against the Saints shall be done, and that which God has purposed to be done upon him, shall be executed also to his destruction..

Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers He shall so far degenerate from the rule of Christ, and from primitive Christianity, that he shall be the head of that Apostacy, 1 Tim. 4.1. 2 Thess. 2.3. mark those places, the first whereof is so fully opened by Mr. Ioseph Mede in his Doctrine of Daemons. The other by Bishop Iewel in his Com. on that place., nor the desire of women i. e. The desire of Wiving, i. e. forbidding to Marry, forbidding Priests marriage., nor regard any god for he shall magnifie himself above all.

But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces Ma zzim of strengths or strong holds, the Phaenicians Worshipped Mars the God of Wars, which Antiochus did Worship but we are come to the Romans; and though many have conjectured several senses of this translated God of Forces, yet none comes nearer then Mr. Mede, who interprets it of Daemons, or tutelar Gods which the Romans should Worship with Christ, supposing them to be Angels or Saints: This is not to be thought a novel opinion, for many of the Fathers say that this Ma zzim is the Idol that Antichrist should worship. So the meaning is that in Christs seat or place the Temple, they should worship Saints and Angels with Christ, as the preposition imports, together with Christ. Which its notorious they do, that which made this place obscure was, that men generally took this strange God for an Idol, which indeed the Iews call the Gentiles Gods so, and so does V.T. often, because forrein to the true God, which was their God, but the true God was forreign and strange to the Romans because their Gods was Idols. Therefore the Philosophers called Christ,, a strange God, this God they should honour with Gold and Silver and pretious Stones; the vulgar Translates Ma zzim Protector, and we know too well how the Romanists adorn the Churches and Shrines of these their patrons and tutelar Saints, Psal. 27.1. and 28.8. and 31 3. And the Fathers sometimes fatally hit upon this expression at the first setting, and honouring of Martyrs, calling them strong Holds, and strong Towers of defence, but the Council of Constantinople called them the Devils strong Holds, thus they called their Images also.: and a god whom his fathers knew not, shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.

Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain We have laid by the interpretation of these things of Antiochus, though Polanus, Iunius and others apply all to him, but the Angel speaks of the Romans, and its plainly verified of Antichrist, who did not only take upon him to dispose of Kingdoms and Provinces by usurped power, for his profit, drawing incredible Masses of Money from them, but upon a pretended Religious account, appointing Tutelar Saints over them..

And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him In the last times towards the end of the World, for it cannot be true of Antiochus who dyed the 11th. year of his Reign, and these things are joined to the last resurrection, chap. 12.2. Therefore some understand the Turk and Saracen who is without the Church, as Antichrist beforementioned sate in the Temple, he extending his Dominions into Asia and Africa will be a great stop to Antichrists proceedings and incroachments., and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships, and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over i. e. The Turk from the North shall invade, and run down the Saracen, Mede..

He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countreys shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand: even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon When the Turk should subdue Iudea those People of Edo, Moab and Ammon shall be left, because all along to this day these Arabians live partly by Robberies, and partly by Turkish Salaries to secure their Caravans, these shall live, and not be overthrown, by Mahometans..

He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countreys, and the land of Egypt shall not escape Though Aegypt (and the adiacent Countreys) long stood out under the mamalucks yet was forced to submit to the Otto an Anno 1517..

But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps i. e. The parts West-ward from Aegypt along the Barbary Coast, and Ethiopia, not the Abi i es, but Arabia..

But tidings out of the east, and out of the north shall trouble him The Christian Princes of the North, and the dispersed Israelites, and the Jews carried Captive into the North, Ier. 16.14, 15. called also Kings of the E t shall come and trou le him, and all his power shall not be able to withstand. See Rev. 16.12.. Therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.

And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas The Euxine, and Mediterranean, at Constantinople and even to the Red Sea, in the glorious holy mountain in the Church of Christ Eastern. So the Turk. Or in the Western Seas, Mediterranean, and Adriatick, so the Pope reaching to the Western Ocean; both Antichrists, one without, and the other within the Temple of God. in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.