Antichrist yoeth prosperously, not well, 369 which has been said of him above ; Afourth, which goeth Book prosperously. For he said that three went well, and a fourth -^^^^ prosperously. For not every thing which goeth ^ prosper- ously' goeth ' well/ nor in this life does every thing which goeth Svell,' go ' prosperously.' For a lion, a cock, and a ram, go indeed well : but not prosperously here, for they suffer the assaults of persecutions. But the fourth goeth prosperously, and not well : because Antichrist will go on in his craft, but his craft will be prosperous for a short space of this present life, as was said of him under the person of Antiochus by Daniel ; Strength was given him against the Dan. 8, continual sacrifice by reason of transgression, and truth shall be cast down in the earth, and he shall do and shallprosper. That which Solomon says, goeth prosperously : this Daniel says, shall prosper. According to this testimony therefore which is stated by Solomon, A cock girt in its loins, we fitly understood in this place also holy preachers by the cock. The Lord therefore referring all things to Himself, says; Who hath placed wisdom in the inward parts of a man? or who hath given the cock understanding'? As ifHe were saying. Who hath infused into the heart of a man, who savours of human things, the grace of heavenly wisdom ? Or who, but Myself, hath given understanding even to holy preachers themselves, to know when, or to whom, they ought to announce the coming morn ? For they understand both what to do, and when, for the very reason that they know it, through My revealing it, within. But it must be observed, that divinely inspired wisdom is placed in the inward parts of a man ; because, doubtless, as far as concerns the number of the Elect, it is given not in voices only, but also in the thoughts, in order that the conscience may live according to what the tongue speaks, and that its light may shine forth the more brightly on the surface, the more truly it glows in the heart. 11. But it is a matter of great labour to examine with still more minute exposition, that which is added ; Or who hath given the cock understanding? For the understanding of teachers ought to be the more subtle, the more it exercises itself in penetrating things invisible, the more it discusses nothing material, the more, even when speaking by the voice