Yea, whiles I [was] speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
Ver. 21. Yea; whilst I was speaking in prayer.] This he recogniseth and celebrateth as a sweet and singular mercy. God sometimes heareth his people before they pray; Isa 65:24 Psa 21:3 David was sure up early when he anticipated the Lord with his prayer; Psalms 88:13 ; Psa 119:147 sometimes while they are praying, as he did those in Acts 4:31; Acts 12:5; Acts 12:17, and Luther, who came leaping oat of his study, where he had been praying, with Vicimus, Vicimus, in his mouth that is, we have gained the day, got the conquest; but if not so, yet certainly when they have now prayed. Isa 30:12 Jon 2:1 Jer 33:3 Mat 6:7 Luther a affirmeth that he often got more spiritual light by some one ardent prayer than ever he could do by the reading of many books, or by most accurate meditation thereupon.
Even the man Gabriel,] i.e., The angel Gabriel in man's shape.
Whom I had seen in the vision.] And whom I had good cause to remember the longest day of my life for the good offices he had done me formerly.
Being caused to fly swiftly.] Heb., With weariness of flight. Not that the angels flee as fowls - though a certain friar, a liar certainly, undertook to show to the people a feather of the angel Gabriel's wings - or that they are ever wearied with speeding God's commissions and commands for the Church's good; Sed datur hoc assumptae speciei, but these things are spoken to our apprehension. According to the account of astronomers, it must be above a hundred and sixty millions of miles from heaven to earth. All this space the angel came flying to Daniel in a little time.
Touched me.] With a familiar touch, in token of encouragement; prensando mimirum, ut solent qui contactu familiari promptam benevolamque mentem indicant.
About the time of the evening oblation.] When the joint prayers of God's people were wont to come up before him, quasi manu facta; and Daniel hopeth they may do so again. Qui nihil sperat, nihil orat. He who hopes for nothing, asks for nothing.
a Ipse ego in una aliqua ardenti oratione mea plura saepe didici quam ex multorum librorum lectione aut accuratissima meditatione consequi potuissem. - Tom. i.