XVI.

DANIEL'S PROPHECY OF THE THINGS NOTED IN THE SCRIPTURE OF TRUTH..

IN TWO PARTS.

PART I.

IT is the usual method of the holy Spirit to make the latter prophecies explanatory of the former; and revelation is, Prov. iv. 18. 'as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.' The four great empires of the world, which were shown to Nebuchadnezzar in the form of a great image, were again more particularly represented to Daniel in the shape of four great wild beasts. In like manner, the memorable events, which were revealed to Daniel in the vision of the ram and he goat, are here again more clearly and explicitly revealed in his last vision by an angel; so that this latter prophecy may not improperly be said to be a comment and explanation of the former. This revelation was made, x. 1. in the third year of Cyrus king of Persia,' when Daniel was very far advanced in years. For the third year of Cyrus was the seventy-third of Daniel's captivity; and being a youth when he was carried captive, he cannot be supposed now to have been less than ninety; and not long after this, it is reasonable to believe that he died.

Old

as he was, he set his heart to understand' the former revelations which had been made to him, and particularly the vision of the ram and he-goat, as I think we may collect from the sequel: and for this purpose he prayed, and fasted three weeks. His fasting and prayers had the desired effect; for an angel was sent, and said unto him, ver. 12. Fear not, Daniel; for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words are heard, and I am come for thy words.' And whoever would attain the same ends, and excel in divine knowledge, must pursue the

same means, and habituate himself to study, temperance, and devotion. The angel declares the design of his coming, ver. 14. Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befal thy people in the latter days; for yet the vision is for many days.' This prophecy therefore contains the fate and fortune of the people of God for many years. As it was said before, ver. 1. 'the thing was true, but the time appointed was long:' and consequently this prophecy must extend farther than from the third year of Cyrus to the death of Antiochus Epiphanes, which was not above 370 years.* In reality it comprehends many signal events after that time to the end of the world but the types and figures of the things are not exhibited in this as in most of the other visions, and then expounded by the angel; but the angel relates the whole, and not by way of vision, but only by narration, informs Daniel of that which is noted in the scripture of truth,' ver. 21. 'I will show thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth,' as if future events were noted in a book before God and this prophecy, being taken from 'the scripture of truth,' is therefore deserving of our strictest attention; and we may depend upon the certainty of all the particulars contained therein, if we can but rightly understand and expound them.

:

The angel first prophecies of the Persian empire, which was then subsisting. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all; and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up against the realm of Grecia,' xi. 2. ‘There shall stand up yet,' that is after Cyrus, the founder of the empire, who was then reigning, three kings in Persia; these were Cambyses, the son of Cyrus; Smerdis the Magician, who pretended to be another son of Cyrus, but was really an impostor; and Darius, the son of Hy. staspes, who married the daughter of Cyrus. ' And the fourth shall be far richer than they all.' The fourth after Cyrus was Xerxes, the son and successor of Darius; of

* The third year of Cyrus was A. M. 3470, and before Christ 534. Antiochus Epiphanes died A. M. 3840, before Christ 164. See Usher, Prideaux, &c.

*

whom Justin truly remarks, "If you consider this king, you may praise his riches, not the general; of which there was so great abundance in his kingdom, that when rivers were dried up by his army, yet his wealth remained unexhausted." Pythius the Lydiant was at that time the richest subject in the world. He generously entertained Xerxes and all his army, and proffered him two thousand talents of silver, and three millions nine hundred ninety-three thousand pieces of gold, with the stamp of Darius, towards defraying the charges of the war. But Xerxes was so far from wanting any supplies, that he rewarded Pythius for his liberality, and presented him with seven thousand darics, to make up his number a complete round sum of four millions. Each of these darics + was worth better than a guinea of our money. ́ ́ And by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all,' both subjects and allies,' against the realm of Grecia.' Xerxes' expedition into Greece is one of the memorable adven. tures in ancient history. Herodotus affirms, that Xerxes s in raising his army searched every place of the continent, and it was the greatest army that was ever brought into the field; for what nation was there, says he, that Xerxes led not out of Asia into Greece? Herodotus lived in that age; and he recounts || with great exactness the various nations of which Xerxes' army was composed, and computes that the whole number of horse and foot, by land

*If you consider the king you will rather commend his wealth, than his general. Of the former of these he had so great abundance, that whilst rivers were dried up by the numbers in his army, yet his wealth was not exhausted.' See Justin, Book II. Chap. x.

† See Herodotus, Book VII. Sect. 27, &c. page 395, in Gale's edition.

+ See Bernard's Ancient weights and measures, page 171. See Prideaux' Connections, Part I. Book II. year 538, and first of Da❤ ríus the Mede.

But Xerxes collected his army by searching every place of the continent.-For of all the armies which we know, this was by far the greatest.-For what nation of Asia did not Xerxes lead into Greece. See Herodotus, Book VII. Sect. 20, 21. page 393, in Gale's edition.

See the same place of Herodotus, Sect. 60, &c. page 184.

and sea, out of Asia and out of Europe, soldiers and followers of the camp, amounted to five millions, two hundred eighty-three thousand, two hundred and twenty men. Nor was Xerxes content with stirring up the east, but was for stirring up the west likewise, and engaged the Carthaginians in his alliance, that while he with his army overwhelmed Greece, they might fall upon the Greek colonies in Sicily and Italy: and the Carthaginians for this purpose not only raised all the forces they could in Africa, but also hired a great number of mercenaries in Spain, and Gaul, and Italy; so that their army consisted of three hundred thousand men, and their fleet of two hundred ships. Thus did Xerxes' stir up all against the realm of Grecia; and after him no mention is made of any other king of Persia. "It is to be noted, saith Jerome, † that the prophet having enumerated four kings of the Persians after Cyrus, slippeth over nine, and passeth to Alexander; for the prophetic spirit did not care to follow the order of history, but only to touch upon the most famous events." Xerxes was the principal author of the long wars and inveterate hatred between the Grecians and Persians; and as he was the last king of Persia who invaded Greece, he is mentioned last. The Grecians then in their turn invaded Asia; and Xerxes' expedition being the most memorable on one side, as Alexander's was on the other the reigns of these two are not improperly connected together.

Alexander is thus characterised, ver. 3. And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.' That Alexander was 'a mighty king' and conqueror; that he ruled with great dominion,' not only over Greece and the whole Persian empire, but likewise added India to his conquests; and that he did according to his will,' none daring, not even his friends, to contradict and oppose him, or if they did,

* See Diodorus Siculus, at the beginning of Book XI.

It is to be observed, that after mentioning the four kings of Persia who followed Cyrus, he omitteth nine, and comes imme diately to Alexander. For the prophetical Spirit is not careful to preserve the order of history, but only to glance at these things which are more remarkable.' See Jerome on the passage, Col. 1121, in the Benedictine edition.

like Clitus and Callisthenes, paying for it with their lives; are facts too well known to require any particular proof or illustration.

ver. 4.

But his kingdom was soon to be broken and divided : And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided towards the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up even for others besides those.' These particulars were in good measure suggested before, viii. 8, 22. He waxed very great, and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones towards the four winds of heaven. Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.' Alexander died in Babylon, having lived only thirty-two years and eight months, of which he reigned twelve years and eight months. In so short a time did this sun of glory rise and set and in the space of about fifteen years afterwards his family and posterity became extinct, and chiefly by the means of Cassander. It was soon after Alexander's death that his wife Statira, the daughter of Darius, † was murdered out of jealously by his other wife Roxana; and her body was thrown into a well and earth cast upon it. His natural brother Aridæus, who succeeded him in the throne by the name of Philip, was together with his wife Eurydice killed by the command of Olympias the mother of Alexander, after he had borne the title of king six years and some months: and not long after Olympias herself § was slain in revenge by the soldiers of Cassan

* According to Aristobulus, he lived thirty-two years and eight months, and he reigned twelve years and eight months." See Arrian, Book VII. Chap. xxviii. page 309, in Gronovius' edi

tion.

† See Plutarch's life of Alexander, near the end, pagé 707, in the Paris edition of 1624.

See Diodorus Siculus, Book XIX. page 676, in Stephanus' edition, and page 660, of Vol. II. in that of Rhodomanus. See also Justin, Book XIV. Chap v.

See the same work of Diodorus Siculus, page 698, 699, in Stephanus' edition, and page 694, of Vol. II. in that of Rhodomanus. See Justin, Book XIV. Chap. vi. See also Pausanias, Book IX. page 725, in the edition of Khunius.