The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 3

I. Huit-First Colonial Exposition of Daniel

The first systematic exposition of Daniel to appear in the colonies was by EPHRAIM HUIT, Huet [Hewit or Hewett] (d. 1644), pastor at Windsor, Connecticut. He, too, was born in England and educated at St. John’s, Cambridge. Later curate in Warwickshire and then preacher in Wroxall, Huit was persecuted for his nonconformity, the intention being to reform or punish him. Similarly silenced by Archbishop Laud in 1638, and driven from Old England “by the tyranny of the prelatical party,” to use his own words, he was one of the group following Roger Williams to Connecticut in quest of soul freedom, as he fled from Massachusetts Bay in 1639. ¹ Huit’s arrival in Windsor brought an epoch to the town, his piety, character, and talents endearing him to his flock. PFF3 60.2

He is tersely catalogued by Cotton Mather, in his Ecclesiastical History of New England (Magnalia), as among the seventy-seven good men who had been ministers first in England and then were “instruments of bringing the Gospel into this Wilderness,” thus: “28. Mr. Ephraim Huet, of Windsor [Connecticut].” ² The slab of red sandstone which serves as his monument, indicates the respect in which he was held: PFF3 61.1

“Heere Lyeth Ephraim Hvit, sometime Teacher to ye chvrch of Windsor, who dyed September 4th, 1644. PFF3 61.2

“Who when hee Lived Wee drew ovr vital Breath,
Who when Hee Dyed his dying was ovr death,
Who was ye Stay of State, ye Chvrches Staff, Alas the times Forbid an Epitaph,” ³ PFF3 61.3

Huit wrote the first complete commentary on prophecy by a colonial minister; it was, significantly enough, on the book of Daniel. He had previously written Anatomy of Conscience PFF3 61.4

(1626), while still in England. Nathaniel Homes, his contemporary British pre-millennialist, in his Resurrection Revealed PFF3 61.5

(1653), ⁴ calls him “the learned and godly Mr. E. Huet,” and says that he advances “many very considerable things which are strong for our position.” ⁵ His views of the millennium were, however, rather mixed, and he made much of the conversion of the Jews. But the fifth kingdom was held to be visible and actual, and not a mere spiritual reign. PFF3 61.6

This earliest American prophetic commentary on the entire book of Daniel was rather lengthily titled The Whole Prophecie of Daniel Explained, by a Paraphrase, Analysis and briefe Comment: wherein the severall Visions shewed to the Prophet are clearly Interpreted, and the Application thereof vindicated against dissenting Opinions (1644). ⁶ While this initial Ameri can exposition is less clear and satisfactory than those that followed, because of its historical importance we sketch its content more fully than would otherwise be warranted. Let us note the particulars as they appear in quaint spelling and phrasing. PFF3 61.7

1. ANTICHRIST’S REIGN PLACED FROM 600 ONWARD

Huit declares, “The latter dayes according to the phrase of the Prophets, signifieth the declining ages of the world.” ⁷ And in discussing the Christian Era he locates the reign of Antichrist, and in colonial English, differentiates it from the Turk. His expressions are not always clear: PFF3 62.1

“Sometime for the middle time thereof, which the Apostle designes to the apostacie of Antichrist, 1 Timothy 4:1, 2, 3. The speciall degrees whereof, are eminent in the world, from the first 600 yeares, and have pestred the church this 1000:yeares.... Now if we apply this, either to Antichrist, or to the Turke, to both of whom it doth fully agree, the Time when either of them shall be so revealed.” ⁸ PFF3 62.2

2. Daniel 2-STANDARD EXPOSITION OF FOUR EMPIRES

The standard Old World historical scheme of exposition of the four kingdoms of Daniel 2 is employed, and the empires named and described as Babylon, Persia, Grecia, and Rome—with the stone as the kingdom of Christ (applied, however, to the literal Jews). ⁹ PFF3 62.3

3. ADMIXTURE OF CLAY MIXING OF CHURCH AND STATE

The admixture of clay and iron in the feet is the mixture of the church of Rome with the temporal states of Europe—“the Popes of Rome mixed themselves with the Emperials,” “by intermeddling into the affaires of States.” But this was without success, as “the Emperours and Popes had continuall warres.” ¹⁰ PFF3 62.4

4. Daniel 7: SAME FOUR EMPIRES OF PROPHECY

The same standard exposition of the same four world powers of Daniel 7 is next given, declaring: PFF3 62.5

“This vision is the same with that of the Image and foure metalls, and yet is to be repeated, for first, their scope is different, that of the Image intends (according to the Kings thoughts) the succession of Tyrants over the church, this the Churches succession into their Kingdomes.” ¹¹ PFF3 62.6

The four heads of the Grecian leopard are “Cassander head of Macedonia, Antigonus of Asia, Seleucus of Siria, and Ptolomie of Egypt, all possessing Imperiall dignity at once.” ¹² The strength and tyranny of Rome is then stressed, with its “ten homes, or tyrannicall states.” ¹³ PFF3 63.1

5. THE TEN DIVISIONS OF ROME ENUMERATED

As to these divisions, Huit comments that “there were ten distinct divisions of the Romane Empire, both interpreters and Histories consent.” These are named and numbered as follows: “1. Brittaine, 2. France, 3. Germany, 4. Spayne 5. Italy, 6. Affrica, 7. Asia, 8. Graecia, 9. Syria, 10. Egypt.” ¹⁴ PFF3 63.2

6. LITTLE HORN APPLIED TO TURKISH POWER

Confused as to the Little Horn, as were some of the Old World expositors, Huit nevertheless gives explicit reasons why it cannot be Antiochus Epiphanes—for the Little Horn, after the blasphemies and persecutions, is cast into the burning flame, while the kingdom of Antiochus continued on after his “villanies.” Moreover, the kingdom is to be taken by the saints upon the fall of the Little Horn, whereas Antiochus’ kingdom was taken over by the Romans. ¹⁵ But Huit says, “This little home [of Daniel 7] intends the Turkish state,” which subdued Asia, Grecia, and Syria. ¹⁶ However, the Papacy is reckoned the Antichrist. Then, after the Little Horn, comes the “coming of the Son of Man in the clouds.” ¹⁷ PFF3 63.3

7. THREE AND A HALF TIMES MADE CENTURIES (1300-1650)

Curiously enough, in this time period only, the three and a half “times” are taken by Huit to be three and a half centuries of the rule of the Turk over the Jews, “to be at the yeare 1300. the addition of 350. years doth terminate their service of him in the yeare 1650.” Huit recognizes the uncertainty of this reasoning, and adds, “If this exposition holds true.” ¹⁸ Evidently the expression “times” made him uncertain. This 350 years of domination of the Turk over the Jews, from 1300 to 1650, is repeated in his exposition of Daniel 12:7. ¹⁹ PFF3 63.4

8. MEDO-PERSIAN RAM, GRECIAN GOAT, AND ALEXANDER

The ram and he-goat are given the standard application to Medo-Persia and Grecia, with Alexander as the notable horn. But again, this Little Horn which grew exceeding great is mistakenly explained as Antiochus Epiphanes. ²⁰ The “daily” is expounded as the daily worship of God in the church, ²¹ and the 2300 days are taken as but literal time-six years, three months, and 20 days. ²² PFF3 64.1

9. SEVENTY WEEKS OF YEARS DATED FROM ARTAXERXES

The seventy weeks are expounded as seventy “weekes of yeares, ²³ with subdivisions as follows: PFF3 64.2

“The former sums of 490. yeares is here distributed into 7. weeks or 49. years, into 62. weeks or 434. years, into one week or seven years. The events of the 49. years are handled in 25. The events of the 434. are mentioned in 26. and the events of the seven years in the 27. The seven weeks restore and re-edifie Jerusalem: The 62. weeks bring in the Messiah, and stretch toward the end of his private life; and the last weeke finishes the sacrifice of the Lord, and begins both the calling of the Gentiles and the rejection of the Jewes.” ²⁴ PFF3 64.3

While the precise dating of the period is not given, Huit takes note of the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus, which he takes to be “agreeable to this Prophecie.” ²⁵ At the close of the first half of the seventieth week, “the Lord in three years and halfe of His ministry hath disannulled the Jewish ceremonies. Matthew 27:50, 51.” ²⁶ This is the closest application made. PFF3 64.4

10. Daniel 11: PARALLELS EARLIER VISIONS; PAPACY IN VERSE 36

Huit treats Daniel 11 in the standard historical fashion, expounding it as the literal parallel to the preceding lines of prophecy in chapters 2, 7 and 8, from Medo-Persia on through Grecia and Rome. In verse 30, instead of “ships of Kittim,” he plainly paraphrases them as “the Navie of the Romans.” ²⁷ The blasphemous king of verse 36 he expounds thus: PFF3 64.5

“The holy Apostle citing these words of Exalting himselfe above all that is called God, applies it to the Romane Antichrist; such is the authority of that Spirit, by which he speaks.” ²⁸ PFF3 65.1

11. BEAST’S EIGHTH HEAD Is PAPACY

While the Little Horn of Daniel 7 had been expounded as the Turks, the Papacy is here made the eighth head of the Roman Beast along with the Turkish horn. Note it: PFF3 65.2

“The prosperity of the Romane Tyrant, under some of the heads or homes, is here foretold to continue long, even to the end of the affliction of the Jewes; true it is that many of her heads are fallen long since, yet we may see the Papacy, the eighth head & the Turkish State the little home, do yet domineer in the Church.” ²⁹ PFF3 65.3

The “notes” of the Papacy are then tabulated-“outward shew,” “establishing another propitiary sacrifice, daily to be offred, and ... the coining in of new Advocates and Intercessors,” “new Articles of faith,” “despising of honest marriage,” “Idola-trie,” and “Potency and prosperity.” ³⁰ PFF3 65.4

12. TURKEY NAMED AS KING OF THE NORTH

In verse 40 the sallies of Turks, as the king of the north, are discussed. ³¹ The year 1300 is taken by Huit as the beginning of the Ottoman Turks, ³² and Revelation 16 is connected with the picture. Daniel 11:45 pertains to “the overthrow of the Turkish State,” followed by the “Turkish utter overthrow,” ³³ though “the Turke is now the Terrour of the World.” ³⁴ The calling of the Jews is again brought in, and a spiritual resurrection stressed. ³⁵ PFF3 65.5

13. 1290 AND 1335 YEARS END IN 1650 AND 1695

In Huit’s exposition of Daniel 12, while the three and a half “times” are rendered 350 years, from 1300 to 1650, the 1290 and 1335 days are explicitly expounded as years, on the year-day principle. The 1290 years are dated by Huit from 360, when the Jewish sacrifices were removed by Julian, to 1650, ³⁶ which he believed would end the Jews’ dispersion. And the 1335 years, likewise beginning in 360 and extending forty-five years beyond the terminus of the 1290 years (in 1650), are set to end in 1695, ³⁷ four decades beyond Huit’s own time. PFF3 65.6

14. Revelation 9: TURKISH PERIOD FROM 1300-1695

Huit then brings in the “395 years” (365 + 30) of Revelation 9:15, likewise applying it to the Turks—extending from A.D. 1300 to 1695, according to the “Propheticall manner to use a day for a year, Ezekiel 4:6.” Here is his declaration: PFF3 66.1

“The which time is the same for end with Revelation 9:15. limiting his Tyranny to an hower, a day, a moneth and a year, amounting to 395. years, each day being put for a year, both which adde 45. to the time, times and half, in 7. Now that these dayes are to be understood of the Propheticall dayes, each being put for a year.” ³⁸ PFF3 66.2

Such is the first recorded colonial exposition of the book of Daniel in the New World—though printed in London, for printing facilities were not yet available here in America. It is not so clear as others, but it is the first. PFF3 66.3