as I haue sayd he should haue depriued him selfe of the gift of prophecy For we must sée what is lawful for vs to do We know that we are prone to nothyng more then to be drawē away with the entisementes of the world especially with ambition which blindeth vs and troubleth all our senses and there is no greater pestilence For when any man séeth that he can either get some honour or some gayne he doth not consider what is lawfull or what God permitteth but is caryed away as it were with a blynd madnes The same thyng might haue come vnto Daniel if hee had not bene holden backe through a hartie zele of true pietie But he refused that honour offered vnto hym of kyng Nebuchadnezer Therfore would he neuer be counted amōg the Sooth-sayes Astrologians and such lyke deceauers which did delude that nation with their enchauntmentes Hereof commeth it that now the Quéene sayth that there is a certaine man named Daniel But the kyng was not blameles by this pretence because as we haue sayd Daniel had gotten him a famous name for many yeares and God would note him forth with a sure note that mēs mindes should be bent vpon hym as vpon an heauenly Angell For as much then as kyng Beltsazar knew not that there was such a Prophet in his kyngdome it is the signe of a shamefull beastly carelesnes Therfore God would cast this in the téeth of kyng Beltsazar by a womā when she sayth Let not thy thoughtes trouble thee She calleth vpon him gently because she saw hym to be afrayd But in the meane season she sheweth that he erreth ouer grossely because he wandereth about the bush and yet might soone come to hys purpose for as much as God had geuen to his Prophet a light in his hand to lighten hym except hee desired willyngly to wander in darkenes as all the reprobate do Furthermore we may sée in this kyng the common vice of all mankind that is that none doth runne out of the way but he which either flattereth him selfe in ignoraūce or els that would haue all light extinguished Now whereas the Quéene sayth That the spirite of the holy Gods is in Daniell we haue declared in an other place what is men therby For it is no marueile though prophane mē do speake so because they are not able to discerne betwixt the onely God the Angels Wherfore they called Gods indifferētly what so euer came from God or from the heauens Hereby it commeth then that the Quéene calleth the Angels holy Gods in the meane season she setteth God but amongest the commō sort Howbeit it is our part so to knowledge the onely God that hée alone should haue the préeminence and that the very Angels be brought vnder him and that there is no excellency neither in heauen nor in earth which can obscure hys glory For the Scripture laboureth to this end to set God in most high degrée and also that nothyng should be of such excellency which should not geue place to his Maiesty But here we sée how necessary it is that we be taught of the one onely essence of God because from the begynnyng of the world men were alwayes persuaded of this that there was some one most hye power but afterward they all vanished away in their owne cogitations so that they dyd forget God moreouer did ioyne him with the Angels so that all thynges were confounded Seyng then we sée this let vs know that we haue néede that the Scripture should be our guide and teacher to shine before vs to geue vs light that we imagine nothyng of God but so farre as he calleth vs vnto him by his word doth willingly opē him selfe vnto vs. ¶ The Prayer GRaunt almighty God seyng thou doest continually call vpon vs by thy Prophetes and doest not suffer vs to wander in the darkenes of errours graunt we besech thee that we may diligently hearken to thy voyce and that we may shew our selues willyng to learne and to be obedient especially seyng thou doest set forth vnto vs such a master and teacher in whom all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge are enclosed Graunt O Lord that we may so submit our selues to thyne onely begotten sonnne that we may continue in the right course of our holy vocation and that wee may alway bend our selues to that marke vnto the which thou doest call vs whiles that we hauyng ouercome all the battailes of this life may in the end attaine to that blessed rest which is purchased for vs with the bloud of the same thy sonne So be it We haue sayd before that the kyng was admonished by the Quéene and that he was conuinced of ingratitude so playnly as might be in that hee had suffered that excellent Prophet of God to be despised whereas that worthy prophecy wherof we haue treated ought to haue bene renowmed and published amongest all mē to mainteine a perpetuall authoritie to this holy man Now that Daniel sayth that the Quéene entred into the house of the banket hereby we may take a probable coniecture that she was not the kynges wife but rather his grandmother I sayd that I wil not contend about that matter because in doubtfull thyngs euery man may fréely vse his owne iudgement But these thinges séeme not to agrée betwixt thē selues that the king did banket with his wife and concubines and also that the Quéene entred into the banket house Therefore here we gather that she was called Quéene for honour sake who though she had no power yet was she in authoritie and fauour And the testimonie of Herodotus doth also confirme this which prayseth the wife of kyng Nebuchadnezer whom he calleth Labynetus He prayseth her for her singular prudence and he calleth her Nitocris Therfore these thynges will agrée well enough that this matrone was absent from the feast because it was not mete for her age and grauitie to feast with others which did delight in riotousnes She then entred into the banket house and admonished the kyng of Daniel now she addeth the cause wherfore Daniel was ruler ouer the Mages Soothsayers Diuiners and all the Chaldees 12 Because a more excellent spirite and knowledge and vnderstandyng for hee did expounde dreames and declare hard sentences and dissolued doubtes were found in him euen in Daniel whom the kyng named Beltsazar now let Daniel be called he will declare the interpretation The Quéene doth here shew the cause wherfore Daniel gotte that dignitie that he might be counted the prince and master of all the wise men Because sayth she the excellency of the spirite was founde in him so that he did interpret dreames and declare secretes and open doubtfull matters Here she reckeneth thrée giftes wherin Daniel was excellent and so she proueth that he passed all the Mages and that none was able to bee compared vnto him The Mages in déede did boast that they were interpreters of dreames that they could
he was a valiant warrior and was in great estimation yet is there no mention made of hym in thys place But whereas Xenophon doth rehearse that Cyaxares who is here called Darius was the father in law of Cyrus and that he was in great honor and authority it is no meruaile though Daniel do name the kyng himselfe because Cyrus was content wyth the power the prayse and the renowme of the victory and he was well cōtent that his father in law should haue the title whom he saw to be aged and worne But thys is vncertayne whether thys were the sonne of Astyages and so the vncle of Cyrus or no. For many historiographers consent together in thys that Astiages was the Grādfather of Cyrus that he maried his daughter to Cambyses because he had learned of the Astrologians that the childe that should be borne of her should be the Lord of all Asia And they tell many things beside how he commaunded Cyrus in hys infancy to be slayne but because these things are vncertayne I do passe ouer them Me thinke this is like to be true that Darius was both vncle and father in law to Cyrus Although if we do beleue Xenophon he was not yet maryed when Babylon was woonne For this hys father in law or vncle being vnable to deale wyth the Babylonians and Assyrians called Cyrus to ayde hym Howsoeuer it is thys that the Prophet sayth may agrée well enough that Darius the kyng of the Medes receaued the kyngdome because that Cyrus although he was more mighty and of greater authority yet wyllingly yelded vnto hym to be the kyng of Babylon and so was he kyng but by title onely ouer the Chaldees ¶ The Prayer GRaūt almighty God that that example of thy wrath which thou hast once shewed against all the proude may be profitable vnto vs at this day and that we being admonished by the punishment of thys one man may learne humbly and modestly to behaue our selues and neuer to desire any such dignity as may displease thee but that we may so cōtinue in our owne state as we may serue thee and may sanctify and glorify thy holy name that we desire nothing separate frō thee that we may so beare thy yoke in this world suffer our selues to be gouerned of thee that we may come in the end to that blessed rest and enheritaunce of thy heauēly kingdome which thou hast prepared for vs and which is purchased for vs by the bloud of thyne onely begotten Sonne Amen Chap. 6. The Text. IT pleased Darius to set ouer the kingdome an hundreth and twenty gouernors which should be ouer the whole kingdome 2 And ouer these three rulers of whom Daniell was one that the gouernors myght geue accomptes vnto them and the kyng should haue no domage HEre may we beholde agayne how God alway cared for hys Prophet and that not so much for his owne sake onely or any priuate respect as for that some comfort might come to the miserable exiles and captiues by hys meanes and diligence For God purposed to reach forth his hand by Daniel And we may call hym worthely the hand of God that strēgthned the Iewes For it is certayne that the Persians as they were a barbarous people of their own nature would haue bene no more gentle Lordes vnto the Iewes had not God set vp his seruaunt Daniel as a meane to succour them Thys then is to be noted that Daniel was chosen one of the thrée gouerners by Darius He had bene now the third vnder king Beltsazar though it were but for a moment yet thys myght haue brought hym into hatred wyth the new kyng because he had such honour geuen him But it is very probable that Darius was admonished of those matters which Daniel hath declared before that is to say that a hand did appeare vpon the wall that Daniel did declare the writing and that he was as an Herald sent from the heauēs to pronounce the destruction of kyng Beltsazar For vnlesse thys report had bene brought to Darius he could neuer haue gotten such authority with Darius For Darius had in hys army very many and we know that when one is a cōquerour by the sword he hath many hungery men about hym for all men are desirous of the spoyle Wherefore Darius would neuer haue taken vnto hym thys man beyng a straunger and a captiue to set hym vp in such honour and power vnlesse he had knowne hym assuredly to be the Prophet of God and hys Heralde in declaring the destruction of the Monarchy of Babylon And hereby we gather that this was the worke of God that he should be amongest the chiefe gouerners and the third in the kyngdome whereby he myght be more easily knowē vnto Darius For if Daniel had bene cast down by kyng Beltsazar he had layne vnknowne at home but whē he séeth him in princely apparell he enquireth who he is Thē he heareth by what meanes he came to so great honor so knoweth him to be the Prophet of God appointeth him to be one of the thrée gouerners Thus do we sée Gods prouidēce wherby he doth not onely preserue hys seruaunt wythout daunger but also prouideth for the wealth of the Church lest that the Iewes should haue bene oppressed more and more by this alteration 3 Now this Daniel was preferred aboue the rulers and gouerners because the spirite was excellent in hym and the king thought to set hym ouer the whole realme 4 Wherefore the rulers and gouerners sought an occasion agaynst Daniel concerning the kingdome but they could finde none occasion nor fault for he was so faythfull that there was no blame nor fault found in hym 5 Then sayd these men we shall not finde an occasion agaynst thys Daniel except we finde it agaynst hym concerning the law of hys God. Now the Prophet setteth forth the tentation that dyd arise sodainly which might haue driuen both hymselfe and the elect people to despayre but that God worketh miraculously For although onely Daniel was cast into the denne of the Lyons as foloweth yet vnlesse he had bene deliuered the condition of the whole people had bene more greuous and rigorous For we know how impudently wicked men do rayle against miserable innocentes when they do sée any aduersity towardes them If Daniel therefore had bene deuoured by the Lyons all men would haue raged against the Iewes wyth all their power God therefore did not onely herein exercise the fayth and patience of hys seruaunt but also he proued the Iewes by the same trial because they did sée themselues ready to suffer all extremity in the person of one man vnlesse God had sodenly holpen them as he did First of all Daniel sayth That he was preferred aboue all others because a more excellent spirite was in hym This doth not alwayes come to passe that they which are excellēt in wisdome or other such giftes haue also more authoritie and fauour For in kinges courtes
disobedience We sée therfore that this was spoken to amplify the crime that the king had set them ouer the prouince of Babylon they did not worship the golden Image neither honor his Gods. We sée that the Chaldees in all this accusatiō haue onely this respect to condemne Shadrah Meshach and Abednego of this crime onely that they did not obey the kinges commaundemement For they doo not dispute of theyr religion because that was not profitable for them to call into question whether the Gods that they worshipped were worthy such worship or no. Therefore they passe with silence that thing which they thinke not to be expedient and they lay fast holde of this darte that the kinges maiesty is contemned because these thrée do not worship the Image which the king by his decrée had commaunded Here agayne doo we sée that supersticious persons doo not apply theyr minde nor care to search out the true or right worship of God but casting of this care they follow onely theyr foolishe boldenes and theyr owne lust Wherefore seing such foolishe temeritie is set foorth vnto vs by the holy ghost as it were in a glasse let vs learne that our religion and worshipping of God can not be allowed by God vnlesse it be grounded of the worde of God and that in this poynt therefore the authoritie of men is nothing to be regarded For except we be assured that the religion which we follow doth please God what so euer by mans authoritie can be brought to the confirmation thereof it is weake and nothing woorthe Forthermore seing we sée these holy men charged with the crime of vnthankefulnes and also of rebellion there is no cause why we shoulde thinke much to suffer the same at thys day Those that falsely accuse vs do lay rebellion to our charge because forsooth that we despise the decrées of princes which would binde vs to their errors and blindnes But as we shall sée afterwarde we haue an easy and ready defence yet must we suffer this reproch for a while before the worlde as though we were stubburne and rebellious And though the wicked do charge vs with ingratitude and a thousand reproches moe yet must we beare theyr sclaunders paciently for a season whiles the Lord come with hys brightnes and glory to mayntayne our innocency 13 Then Nebuchadnyzer in his anger wrath commaunded that they should bring Shadrach Meshach and Abednego So these men were brought before the King. 14 And Nebuchadnezer spake and sayd vnto them what disorder Will not you Shadrach Meshach and Abednegoserue my god nor worship the golden image that I haue set vp 15 Now therefore are ye ready when ye heare the sound of the Cornet Trumpet Harpe Sackbut Psalterie and Dulcimer and all instrumēts of musicke to fall downe and worship the image which I haue made for if ye worship it not ye shal be cast immediatly into the midest of an hote fiery fornace for who is that God that can deliuer you out of my handes This hystory doth euidently declare vnto vs that Princes in dissembling some Religion haue onely regard to their owne authoritie that they may the better thrust in them selues into the place of the Gods. For this is a monstrous matter that kyng Nebuchadnezer doth here bragge agaynst all the Gods as though there were no power in heauen but that which he alloweth What God sayth he can deliuer you out of my hand And why then dyd be worshyp any other God For this cause verely to hold the people in with some bridle and so to establish his tyranny not that he had any care of holynes in his hart Daniel doth declare that the kyng was angry at the begynnyng For nothyng is more greuous to kynges then to sée their authoritie despised They wil be obeyed in all thinges though their commaundementes be most wicked Yet the kyng semeth afterward to temper hym selfe whē he asketh Sadrach Mesach and Abednego if they be not ready to worshyp his God and that Image of gold When therfore he speaketh vnto them doubtfully and doth yet propound vnto them frée choyce there is some moderation in these wordes For it semeth that he will not charge them with any crime so that they will suffer them selues to bée turned afterward But in the meane season the rage breaketh out vnder this deceaueable shew of moderation for he addeth straight wayes Vnles ye obey behold ye shal be cast into the fornace of burnyng fire And at the length he breaketh forth into that cursed sacriledge and horrible blasphemy that there is no God which can deliuer those holy men out of his handes We sée therfore in the person of Nebuchadnezer with what pride Princes do swell and are puffed vp euen where they pretend some zele of Religiō because they are not touched with any true reuerēce of the true God but will haue what soeuer they commaunde to be receiued of all men and so as I haue sayd they do rather thrust them selues into Gods place then study to worship God a right or to maintayne his glory To the same end tende the wordes which he vseth saying that he hath set vp the Image that he made As though he should say it is not now lawfull for you to consult whether the Image ought to be worshypped or no for my commaundement ought to be sufficient vnto you I haue set vp this Image not without consultatiō and reason therfore it were your duety simply to obey vnto me We sée therfore how he chalengeth most high authoritie euen in the makyng of a god For he doth not here treate of politike matters but he will haue this Image worshypped as God because he hath decréed so because he hath published his law And we must alway remember as I haue touched that this example of pride is set forth before vs that we may know how we ought to attempt nothyng rashly in Religion but that we must heare God speake so that we depend of his word and authoritie for if we sticke vnto men there wil be no end of errours Although therfore that Princes be proude and ragyng yet must we kéepe this rule that nothyng pleaseth God but that which he hath commaunded in his word and that the begynnyng of true Religion is the obediēce which we geue to God alone As concernyng the blasphemy it doth declare that which I haue spoken more playnely that is to say how soeuer they pretend Religion yet they despise all the power of God and they haue none other thyng in their harts but to set forth their authoritie and therfore they borow the name of God that they may be the more honored Howbeit in the meane tyme if it were profitable to chaunge theyr Gods a hundreth tymes euery day they would not care to do it Therfore is Religion for the most part but a pretence to earthly Princes and no true reuerence of God is in their hartes as in this prophane kyng is
because he coulde not expresse that which he had in his hart Chap. 4. The Texte 1I Nebuchadnezer beyng at rest in myne house and flourishyng in my palace 2 Saw a dreame which made me afrayde and thoughtes vppon my bed and the visions of myne head troubled me 3 Therefore made I a decree that they should bryng all the wise men of Babel before me that they might declare vnto me the interpretation of the dreame HEre doth Nebuchadnezer declare how hée did know the hye God at length He doth not shew what lessons he had receaued before but because his pride was tamed at lēgth by this dreame therfore doth he onely make mention thereof Yet there is no doubt but he called into memory also his former dreames and condemned him selfe of ingratitude that he had buried so great power of God and that he had blotted out with wicked obliuion so great benefites as God had geuen him Here then onely he speaketh of the last dreame as we shall sée afterward But before he come to the dreame he sayth that he was quiet Whereby he noteth the circumstance of the tyme that we may know that hee was corrected of God because prosperitie had made him dronken and as it were brought him in sléepe It is no maruell though it were so with him for it is an old prouerbe that fulnes engendreth fiercenes as we do sée horses when they are much pampered to kicke to be fierce and not to abide the rider The same also is séene amongest men For if God treat them fauourably and bountifully they waxe fiece they are outragious agaynst all men they shake of the yoke of God him selfe and in the end they forget that they are men And seyng Dauid did so what will prophane men do or such as are ouer much addicted to the word For Dauid doth confesse that he was deceiued with hys quietnes and felicitie that he thought nothyng was more to be feared I sayd in my felicitie or in my quiet state J shall not bee moued And afterward he sayth O Lord thou hast chastised me and J was amased Seyng that Dauid then promised vnto him selfe perpetuall quietnes in the world because God had spared him for a time how ought our tranquillitie to be suspected lest we settle in our dregges Nebuchadnezer therefore doth not recite in vayne that he was quiet in his house and florishyng in his palace for this was the cause of his boldenes and pride that caused him to despise God so carelesly Afterward he addeth that he saw a dreame and that he was troubled He would here without doubt distinguish his dreame from common dreames which do often rise either of the troubling of the braine or of cogitations in the day or of other causes euen as it hath bene seene in an other place Neither is it nedeful here to repeate those things which we haue largely spoken of before Let this be sufficient to perceiue briefly how the dreame may be descerned whereby GOD did admonish him of the punishment to come from other dreames which are either of troubles or vayne or without effect Therfore he sayth that he saw a dreame and yet he was waken For he addeth that he had thoughtes vppon hys bed and then he was troubled wyth the visions of hys head This heape of words doth tēde none other way but that that vision was an heauenly oracle of the which we will speake agayne more largely It foloweth that he made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be called which myght expounde or make open the interpretation of the dreame The kyng no doubt did dreame often neither yet did he cal vnto him euery day the Mages Southsayers and Astrologians and others which excelled in the science of prophecying or at the least did professe it He did not aske thē of al his dreames but because God grafted in his hart a sure note wherby he marked this dreame therefore the kyng could not rest vntill he heard the interpretatiō therof So we haue séene before that the authoritie of the first dreame of the foure Monarchies and of the euerlastyng kingdome of Christ was established so that the kyng perceaued that it came from heauen And there is some differēce betwixt this dreame and that which we expounded before For God did blot out of the remembraunce of kyng Nebuchadnezer the dreame of the foure Monarchies so that it was necessary that Daniel should bryng before the kyng the very dreame and also should interprete it for thē Daniel was more vnknowen For although he had profited so much that he excelled amōg all the Chaldees yet Nebuchadnezer the kyng would lesse haue marueiled at him if he had bene onely an interpreter of the dreame Therfore God would get the greater reuerence to his Prophet and his doctrine when he gaue him two partes that is that hee should foresée what the dreame was and then expound the sense and the end of it In the other dreame Daniel was onely the interpreter But now God did sufficiently proue that he was indued with a heauenly spirite so that Nebuchadnezer should call him no more as one of the Mages but should discerne him from all the residue 4 So came the enchaunters the Astrologians the Chaldeans and the Southsayers to whom I told the dreame but they could not shew me the interpretation therof Here Nebuchadnezer doth confesse that the Mages were called in vayne Whereby it appeareth that all their knowledge was deceiuable or at the least that Daniel could expounde the dreame that came not by mans study or industry but by an heauenly reuelation And I do embrace this sentence that Nebuchadnezer would expresse plainly that Daniel was taught by God to interprete dreames that this was a singular gift of his spirite For he doubted not but that if there were any arte of diuination his Mages enchaunters and Chaldees which boasted vpon the title of perfect knowledge had it This then was without controuersie with him that they knew all thinges that man could know and seyng they could not know this thyng it appeared that Daniel was taught of God and so Nebuchadnezer did extoll him aboue all the Mages as though he should say that he was a Prophet from heauen as appeareth afterward 5 Till at the last Daniel came before me whose name was Beltsazar according to the name of my God which hath the spirite of the holy Gods in him and before him I told the dreame saying 6 O Beltsazar chief of the enchaunters because I know that the spirite of the holy Gods is in thee and no secrete troubleth thee tell me the visions of my dreame that I haue sene and the interpretation therof Here doth the kyng of Babylon speake gently vnto Daniel because hee perceaueth him selfe destitute of his owne Doctours And hereby we perceaue that hee neuer came to the true God but when he was compelled by necessitie Daniel was not vnknowē vnto him neither was
So then doth God shew as it were in a glasse that he is the reuenger of hys people as he had promised seuenty yeares before 7 Wherefore the kyng cryed loude that they should bring the Astrologians the Chaldeans and the soothsayers And the king sayd to the wise men of Babel Whosoeuer can read this writing and declare me the interpretation therof shal be clothed with purple and shall haue a chayne of gold about his necke and shal be the third ruler in the kyngdome The Prophet declareth that there was a redemy sought of kyng Beltsazar for his sorow And hereby we gather agayne that his minde was so depely wounded that he perceaued that he could not escape the hand of God for hée would not els haue called the wise men so sodenly in the mids of the feast Furthermore when the Prophet sayth that he cryed loude hereby it appeareth that he was so astonished that he forgot that he was a kyng for it was not agreyng to his dignitie to cry so loude at the table But God had shakē of all his pride therfore was he cōpelled to burst forth in an outcry as though he were a mad man. But now let vs sée what was his remedy He commaunded that the Chaldeans soothsayers and Astrologians should be called Hereby we gather how ready the wits of men are to vanitie lyes and deceites Daniel should haue bene the first among the Chaldeans and that aunswere was worthy to be remembred when hee shewed to the grandfather of kyng Beltsazar before that he should be lyke the wilde beastes Seyng then that this prophecy was thus approued by the successe the authoritie therof ought to haue stand in force euē aboue a thousand yeares He was also dayly in the kyngs sight yet was hee despised and the kyng called for all the Chaldeans Astrologiās Sothsayers and Mages In déede the Sothsayers Astrologiās and Chaldeans were in such high estimation that they might easely darken the fame of Daniel For they counted it an vnworthy thyng that a prisoner should be preferred before their Doctours whē they now knew that they did excell in this glory amongest all people that they were onely wyse Seyng then they would kéepe that estimation that they were as it were the counsellers of God it is no meruell though they despised a straunger Howbeit this thyng hath no colour before god For what can bee alledged for the defence of the wicked kyng His grandfather was set forth as a spectacle of Gods vengeance neuer to be forgotten when he was cast forth of the company of men when hee dwelt with the brute beastes yea with the wilde beastes of the forest And this could not seme to come by chaunce For God had admonished hym hereof in a dreame and also made his Prophet an interpreter of the oracle and vision wherefore the fame of this matter ought to haue bene in perpetuall remembrance amongest the Chaldees The Nephue of king Nebuchadnezer forgetting thys example doth rage agaynst the God of Israell doth pollute the vessels of the temple and maketh a triumph wyth hys Idols But when God setteth forth a signe of his iudgemēt he calleth for the Chaldees and Mages and forgetteth Da niel Can thys be excused by any meanes We sée therefore that mens myndes are ouer prone to the craftes of Sathan and this prouerbe is true the world would be deceaued And thys is worthy to be noted because that many men now a dayes would gladly pretend ignoraunce in the stead of a shield in doubtful matters But they may easely be answered that they are willingly blinded yea that they shut their eyes agaynst the manifest light For if God did count king Beltsazar inexcusable because he had a Prophet once offered vnto hym what shall it auayle vs at thys day to pretend these colourable excuses Oh if I knew certainely which were the will of God I would straight wayes obey For God dayly cryeth openly and calleth vs vnto hym and sheweth the way but there is none that answereth or followeth or at the least very feawe Therefore we ought diligently to consider the example of the kyng of Babylon when we sée that he is very diligēt yet in the meane season doth not séeke God as he ought Wherefore He wandreth about the bush he séeth that he is taken and that he can not escape Gods iudgement but in the meane tyme he séeketh comfort at the Mages and Chaldees that is to say at the deceauers For they had bene already found so to be once or twise as we haue séene before and thys ought to haue bene published and knowen vnto all We sée then that king Beltsazar was blynde because he shut hys eyes against the light offered as all the world is blind at this day almost because it doth not wāder in darknes but when the lyght is offered it shutteth the eyes as though it refused the grace of God and would cast it selfe downe wilfully And this is ouer common Now whereas the Prophet sayth that the king promised to the wise mē that whoseuer could read the writing should haue a golden chayne furthermore he should be clothed with purple and should be the third ruler in the kingdome hereby it appeareth that he was not sincerely touched with the feare of god And this resisting is worthy to be marked in the reprobate because they feare the iudgement of God and yet in the meane season the pride which is in their hartes is not corrected but it bursteth forth euen as we sée in thys king For his knees did smite one an other Furthermore the ioyntes of his loynes were loosed and to conclude there was no part of hys body which did not tremble Therefore the king was as it were dead because that feare had oppressed all hys senses Yet sée we in the meane tyme a secret pride lying hyd in hys hart which burst forth afterward when he promised that he should be the third in hys kingdome whosoeuer should interprete the writing God had now cast hym downe from the dignity of a king yet wil he set vp others in dignity fighting as it were agaynst god What meaneth thys We sée hereby that whensoeuer the wicked are terrified yet do they cherish wythin themselues a secret pride and stubbernes so that God can neuer bring thē vnder They do shew many signes of repentaunce but in the meane space if any mā do wisely cōsider all theyr déedes wordes he shal finde that which the Prophet here speaketh of kyng Beltsazar that they do euē rage against God and that they will neyther learne nor be obediēt although they be vtterly astonished We haue séene thys thyng partly in this verse we shall sée it more manifestly in the end of the chapter Now forasmuch as belongeth to the end of the verse where he sayth he shall rule as the third in the kingdome it is not sure whether he promise the third part of the kingdome or whether he
the tyraūt was greatly moued with these wordes but because hys end was come he was forced to suffer the voyce of the preacher And vndoubtedly God dyd bridle hys rage because he should not ryse vp agaynst Daniel In the end is added this word Peres for the word Vpharsin that his kingdome is diuided that is to say by the Medes and the Persians I doubt not but that God did signify by that word the destruction of the Monarchy which was at hand When he sayth therefore Vpharsin and they shall diuide he meaneth that this Monarchy can continue no longer because he will diuide it and breake it asunder But the Prophet doth allude very aptly to the diuision which was made betwixt the Medes the Persians and so was their shame encreased for the Babylonians were compelled to serue two sundry Lordes It is a great griefe whē any people hath gottē dominion farre and large and beyng afterward ouercome should be cōpelled to beare the yoke of one Lord but when there be two Lordes this increaseth the griefe So therefore Daniel doth shew that the vengeaunce of God shall not be simple when the Monarchy of Babylon is scattered abroad and this shal also encrease the greatnes of the punishment that the Medes and the Persians shall rule ouer them But true it is that the Citie was taken by the strength and industry of Cyrus but because Cyrus did geue so great honor to hys father in law that he did willingly admit hym to the society of the kyngdome therefore the Medes and the Persians are sayd to haue diuided betwixt them that kyngdome although there was properly no diuision of the kingdome Cyrus afterward as he was rauished wyth an insatiable ambition and couetousnes was drawen forth into other warres But Darius who was aboue 60. yeares old as we shal sée afterward did remaine quietly at home He was of the Medes as is well knowne For if we shall beleue many historiographers his sister the mother of Cyrus was as it were banished into Persia because there was a prophecy of the greatnes of Cyrus Who because his Grādfather had geuen hym out to be destroyed did afterward reuenge this iniury yet not so cruelly but that he spared his life He was cōtent that he should remayne in some honor and made hym a gouernor And after this hys sonne raygned ouer the Medes and Cyrus suffered it willingly Then Cyrus maried hys daughter So what for kinred and what for the loue of thys new affinity he was wylling to haue hym pertaker of hys Empire In thys sēse doth Daniel speake of the diuisiō of the Monarchy to be at hand because the Medes and the Persians should diuide it betwixt them 29 Then at the commaundement of Beltsazar they cloched Daniel wyth purple put a chaine of golde about hys necke and made a proclamation concerning hym that he should be the third ruler in the kingdome It is meruaile that the king gaue such commaundement when he was thus roughly handled of the Prophet It appeareth that hys hart did then fayle hym For before he would haue raged wythout measure and would haue commaunded thys holy Prophyt of God to haue bene put to death How then doth it come to passe that he commaundeth hym to be appareled like a kyng and causeth hym to be proclamed the third in the kingdome Some thinke that thys was done because the lawes of the kinges of Babylon were in great reuerence yea their wordes were sure and whatsoeuer they spake was vnchaungeable inmoueable They thinke therefore that this came of the regard of hys honor that king Beltsazar did performe his promise But I suppose that he was first astonished when he heard the Prophet and so became like a blocke or a stone howbeit I thinke that he did thys for his owne safety For he myght haue bene brought into contempt with his nobles if he had not shewed some courage Wherefore that he myght shew hymselfe not to be moued he commaunded Daniel thus to be adorned as though that threatning had bene of no force He did not despise that which had bene spoken by the Prophet but he would haue hys Princes perswaded and all them which were at the feast that God did threaten onely to make thē afrayde but not to execute so greuous punishment And the kynges when they are most afrayde are yet very ware of this alwayes that they shew no signe of their feare for they thinke that their authority should therby decay Wherefore that he may kéepe hys authority wyth hys subiectes he would séeme altogether careles and wythout all feare I doubt not but that thys was the deuise of thys tyraunt when he commaunded Daniel to be adorned with purple and princely ornamentes 30 The same night was Beltsazar the king of the Chaldees slayne and Darius of the Medes receaued the kingdome when he was 52. yeares olde Here Daniel sheweth briefly that this prophecy was fulfilled the same night as we haue sayd before that there was then a solemne feast because it was a feastiuall day which the Babylonians did yearely kéepe and by thys occasion the Citie was betrayed by two gouerners Gobria and Gabatha for so they are named of Xenophon And in this place do the Hebrue rabbines vtter their impudēcy and ignoraunce as they are bolde to bable after their manner of thinges vnknowne For they say that the kyng was slaine because that one of the Garde heard the voyce of the Prophet and therefore would execute that iudgement of God as though forsooth that the iudgemēt of God should depend of one prophane mans wyll or pleasure Wherefore passing ouer such childish trifles we must remember the truth of the history that Beltsazar was taken in hys feast when he had made hymselfe dronken and rioted wyth his noble men and concubines In the meane time we may obserue the meruelous mercy of God toward the Prophet For it was not possible but that he was in daunger amongest the rest For he was clothed with purple wythin an houre after the Medes the Persians entred the Citie In that tumult he could not haue escaped if God had not couered him with the shadow of hys hand We sée therefore how God careth for hys and deliuereth them from most great daungers as though he did draw them forth of the graue And there is no doubt but that this holy Prophet was sore troubled in that tumult for he was no stocke But it was necessary that he should be thus exercised that he might know the God was the kéeper of hys lyfe and that he should therefore prepare himselfe more readily to serue hym because he dyd sée that there could be nothing better then to cast all hys cares vpon God. Daniel sayth further that this kingdome was translated vnto the king of the Medes whom he calleth Darius but Xenophon calleth hym Cyaxares Howbeit thys is certayne that Babylon was taken by the power and industry of Cyrus for
vnto vs then the most holy and precious thyng of all that is to say that God may haue his due honour We sée then that we are taught to deale vprightly of the one part because we can not bée more safe by any meanes then by a safe conscience as Peter doth exhorte vs by the same reason in his first Epistle But what soeuer we feare and what ende soeuer may folow although an hundreth deathes be offered vs yet may we in no wise fayle from the pure worshyp of god For Daniel doubted not to enter into death and to go downe into the denne of Lyons that hée might declare that he worshypped the GOD of Israel Now that the nobles do fall to that barbarous and cruell counsaile that is that they might oppresse Daniel by the pretence of Religion hereby we gather how blinde the rage is whē ambition and enuy do possesse mens mindes for they do nothyng feare at all to fight manifestly agaynst god For they do not assayle Daniel as a man but they breake forth most wickedly and outragiously agaynst God when they would extinguish the worship of God to satisfie their lust Wherefore I say that we are admonished by this example how carefully wee ought to fly ambition and to take héede of it and also of enuy which spryngeth thereof What crime they committed agaynst the law of God it foloweth 6 Therfore the rulers these gouernours went together to the kyng and sayd thus vnto hym kyng Darius liue for euer 7 All the rulers of thy kingdome the officers and gouernours the counsellers and dukes haue consulted together to make a decree for the king and to establishe a statute that who soeuer shall aske a petition of any God or mā for thirty dayes saue of thee O kyng hee shal be cast into the denne of Lyons The rulers of the kyngdome went about by this policie to ouerthrow the holy Prophet of God that either he beyng cast into the denne of Lyons should perish or els that hée should forsake the outward profession of the worshyp of god But they thought that he was more constant and of greater courage then that hee would redeme his lyfe with such wickednes Therfore they thought that they were sure that he should dye They thinke thē selues very subtill but God setteth him selfe agaynst thē and helpeth hys seruant as we shall sée Yet this was a detestable malice that they go about to destroy Daniel vnder this pretēce For though they did not worshyp the God of Israel yet did they know that the minde of the Prophet was right and good and also they had proued by experience the power of that GOD which was vnknowne vnto them They dyd not cōdemne Daniel therefore in that conscience neither yet were they able to finde fault with that Religiō which he vsed Wherfore I say that they were so caryed by the hatred of the person vnto this cruelty that they set them selues against god For they could not be ignoraunt of this that God must be worshypped They them selues worshypped vnknowne Gods and they durst not condemne the worship of the God of Israel We sée therefore how the deuill bewitcheth them that they durst lay this crime agaynst the holy Prophet Howbeit it is vnknowen what occasion they abused to this their wicked purpose Some suppose that this was done because Darius could not well beare the glory of hys sonne in law For where he was old and the other was of a florishyng age he thought hym selfe contemned Some thinke therefore that Darius him selfe was pricked with some secrete enuy and that his nobles had therby an entry to deceaue this miserable old man ouer light of belief and so blynde his eyes But this coniecture doth not seme vnto me of any great weight neither yet do I much trauaile about this matter For it may be that they would gratifie their kyng in the begynnyng of this new kingdome and therfore that they would decrée some new and straunge thyng the which thyng we do sée often tymes to be done by such as do flatter kynges and princes Wherefore this old man might be deceiued herein now when his Monarchy was so lately encreased He ruled onely ouer the Medes before now came the Chaldees the Assiriās and many other nations vnder his Empire Such an encrease of dominion might make him dronken with vaine glory and the nobles thought that they had a plausible matter in hand to decrée diuine honours vnto their kyng Me thinke this one cause may suffice Wherfore I am not to much carefull to search any further for I do take that which offereth it selfe and is most probable We sayd before that the nobles which layd snares for Daniel were stricken with a maruelous ragyng madnes when they durst publish this decrée vnto the kyng which Daniel reciteth For that was an intolerable sacrilege that the kyng spoyled all the Gods of their honour yet dyd he signe and subscribe the decrée as foloweth to the intent that he might hereby try the obediēce of his people whom he lately brought into subiection by the helpe of his sonne in law For there is no doubt but that he ment to hold vnder the Chaldees who had bene Lordes vntill this presēt time For we know how that pride of hart is engendred by power authoritie When as the Chaldees therfore did reigne before this tyme so farre and so wyde it was hard to bryng them downe and to make them ready to all obedience especially when they dyd sée them selues to be their seruauntes whose equals they were before For we know that they had often tymes encountered in battaile with the Medes Although therfore they were now ouercome by the sword yet were not their hartes conquered Therfore would Darius proue their obedience This semeth to be the cause For hée doth not of set purpose prouoke the wrath of the Gods agaynst hym selfe but whiles he regarded men he forgate God set hym selfe in the place of the Gods as though he had authoritie to plucke downe the power of the heauēs to him selfe This was an horrible sacrilege as I haue sayd But if any man could try the hartes of kynges scarsely the hundreth man of thē could be found which doth not after the same sort despise all diuine power For although they cōfesse them selues to reigne by the grace of God yet will they be worshipped in Gods stead And heare we sée how easily flatterers can persuade princes any thyng that may seme to set out their honors and maiesties The Prayer GRaunt almighty God that as thou hast gouerned thy seruaunt Daniel when honours were offered aboundantly and when he was set vp in most high dignity that he yet alwayes continued in integrity and lyued innocently where all liberty was geuen vnto all euill graund we beseech thee that we may learne to reteyne our selues in that meane state whereunto thou doest restrayne vs and that we being contēt with our pouerty may
in Darius but his cursed pride can by no meanes be excused Agayne why did he shew such humanitie toward Daniel Because he had proued him to be a faithfull seruaunt Wherfore this was a priuate loue which moued him to mercy He would not haue shewed him selfe so fauorable towardes others If an hundreth or a thousand Iewes had bene accused before him he would haue condēned them all without any care because they had not obeyed this decrée Therfore in that point he would haue shewed him selfe proude stubborne wicked and cruell But he spared Daniel for his owne priuate commoditie agayne because he had receaued him to his fauour But how soeuer his humanity is praised there appeareth no signe of godlynes in hym Yet he sayth Thy God whom thou doest worshyp he will deliuer thee euen because he had knowne before how Daniel had prophecyed of the destruction of the Monarchy of the Chaldees Hereby he is cōuinced that the God of Israel doth both know all things before and also that all thinges are at his appointement But in the meane season neither doth he worshyp him neither suffer him to be worshipped of others for he had robbed God of his authoritie as much as in him lay Although then he do attribute here vnto God the power to deliuer yet doth he it not from the bottome of his hart and though he should so do his wickednes is so much the worse when he depriueth him of his authoritie whom he perceaueth to be the true and onely God and of most high power and yet beyng but earth and ashes dare set him selfe vp in his place 17 And a stone was brought and layd vppon the mouth of the denne and the king sealed it with his owne signet and with the signet of his princes that the purpose might not be chaunged concerning Daniel There is no doubt but this was done by the counsell of God that the nobles should seale the stone with their signets wherby the mouth of the denne was shut to the intent that the miracle should be the more manifest For when on the next day the king came the seales were whole that is the signets did remaine perfect Hereby it appeareth that the seruaunt of God was saued not by mans cunning but by the helpe and power of god In the meane season we sée how boldely the nobles compelled the king to all their purposes For he might seme to haue done more then enough when he deliuered vnto them a faithfull man that was deare vnto him and whē he commaunded him to be cast into the denne of Lyons yet they be not content with this tractablenes of the king that is so easily entreated but they do force one thing further that is that the mouth of the denne should be shut then do they all seale the stone lest any man should take Daniel away We sée then when libertie is once taken away there is no end especially when any man is made a seruaunt or slaue by his owne fault or hath geuen him selfe vp to the will of wicked men For at the first so great a bondage shall not preuaile that he which semeth to be frée should be cōpelled to do this or that or what soeuer is commaunded but when he hath once geuen him selfe to bondage and slauery as I haue sayd euen now he is compelled to sinne agayne and agayne and without end and measure For example if any man haue declined and fallen from his dutie either by the feare of man or by flattery or any other corrupt affection he will agrée to this thing or that when he shall not be onely entreated but by importunitie compelled but when he hath once altogether abandoned his libertie as I haue sayd he shall be cōpelled euen to admitte most shamefull thinges at euery mans pleasure Let a man be a pastor or preacher in the Church let him once decline of the one side or the other through ambition or the like vice he that hath brought hym so farre will come to him the secōd tyme and say what darest thou deny me this haue not I obteined of thée yesterday and the other day this and that So shall he be cōpelled the second time to trespasse for his fauour to whom he hath bound him selfe and the third time shall he be compelled to do so and to the end yea without end So also princes which are not onely frée but rule ouer other if they suffer them selues to be ouercome with an euil conscience they geue away from them selues all authoritie and are drawen euery way as pleaseth their subiectes Therfore this example is set before vs in kyng Darius who after that he had appointed Daniel to vniust punishment he addeth this also that the denne might be shut and also that the stone might be sealed And to what end forsooth that the decree might not be chaunged that is that he might not be bold to attempt any thing about Daniel We sée therefore what great ignominy and shame the kyng bringeth him selfe vnto for that his nobles do first take from him all credite as though they did deny that they would beleue him although he commaunded Daniel to be cast into the denne of Lyons but did require an assuraunce that he should not take him away neither would they suffer any thing to be attempted of him in that point We sée therfore how shamefully they discredit their king Againe we sée how they chalenge authoritie ouer him that he should not take vpon him to lift vp the stone which was sealed vnlesse he would be counted a false man as one that breaketh publicke decrées and violateth publicke recordes and hath no truth in him This place therfore doth admonish vs that we geue not vp our selues to the lustes of men and vnto seruile bondage Let euery mā serue his neighbours as much as charitie bindeth him and as their necessitie requireth But in the meane season let no man by corrupt conscience be turned this way or that way for when he ceaseth to be at libertie hee shal be compelled to beare all maner of shame and ignominy to obey most filthy commaundements like as we sée it come to passe in baudes and other wicked persons which serue the lustes and couetousnes of their princes or their ambitiō and cruelty For when they are brought once into bondage they are most miserable slaues neither can they auoyde extreme vilanyes but they must serue with shame and prouoke both God and man a hundreth times agaynst them 18 Then the kyng went into his palace and remained fasting neither were the instrumentes of musike brought before him and his sleepe went from him Here Daniel declareth the ouer late repentaunce of the king because although he was in great mournyng yet he did not correct his fault And this commeth to passe in many which are not altogether hardened in the contempt of God and wickednes but are drawen thereunto by others who though they be sory for their
almost throughout the East For the Medes and Persians bare rule from the Sea vnto Aegypt Seyng then the Empire was so large Daniel doth not without cause say that the decrée was proclamed throughout the earth Peace be multiplied vnto you We know that kynges do thus faune vpon their subiectes and vse gentle prefaces that they may more easily obteine their purposes and also that they may haue them more obedient subiectes And this is a thyng that costeth them nought to wish peace to their subiectes And in the meane tyme as I haue sayd by this bayte they do often times séeke fauour to prepare their subiectes to further bondage By the name of peace it is wel knowen that a prosperous state is vnderstand as though hee should say I wishe you to do well and prosperously Afterward hee addeth That a decree is made in his presence that is to say that he of his authoritie doth comman̄de all his subiectes that they all do feare and tremble before the God of Daniel By the which feare and tremblyng he vnderstandeth nothyng but reuerence and worship But thus vse all prophane mē to speake which are afrayde at the naming of god Yet it semeth that he would expresse that the power of the God of Israel was euident which ought to moue them all to reuerence and worship him and that with feare and trembling And this maner of speach semeth to be taken of a true principle because God is neuer truly worshipped but when men are humbled and brought downe Therfore God nameth him selfe many tymes terrible not that he would driue his seruauntes to worship him by feare but because as I haue sayd the mindes of men can neuer be well prepared to due reuerence vnlesse they fully perceaue the power of God so that they are afrayde of his iudgement But if feare onely should haue place in the mindes of men he could not frame them to true holines For that sentence of the Psalme is to be considered There is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared God can not therfore be rightly worshipped or feared vnlesse we be persuaded that hee wil be entreated and that we be sure that he wil be mercyfull vnto vs Yet is it necessary that feare and tremblyng go before which may humble and bring downe the pride of the flesh This is signified by these wordes That all may feare and tremble before the God of Daniel The king calleth him the God of Daniel not that Daniel had made him but because he worshipped him We may rightly say that Iupiter is the God of the Grecians because he was made a God by their foolishnes thereby gate his name and authoritie in the residue of the world And so Iupiter and Minerua and that multitude of the false Gods take their names of their originall There is an other cause why king Darius calleth him the God of Daniel whom Daniel worshipped because hee reueled him selfe to Daniel as he is called the God of Abraham because hee reueled him selfe vnto Abraham But to explicate this thing more manifestly why is hee called the God of Daniel rather then the God of the Babylonians Doubtles because Daniel as hee had learned by the law of Moses so did hee worship God purely which had made his conuenaunt with Abraham and the holy fathers and which had adopted the Israelites for a peculiare people vnto him selfe This did therfore depend of the worship prescribed in the law and the worship did depend of the couenaunt Wherfore the name of Daniel is not put here as though he had libertie to fayne or imagine a God but because he worshipped that God that had reueled him selfe by his word Finally this maner of speach must be thus vnderstand that all mē must feare that God that hath made his couenaunt with Abraham and his posteritie and which hath chosen that nation as a peculiar people to him selfe who hath taught the maner and forme of the true and right worship and hath declared it by his law and whom also Daniel worshipped Therefore let vs learne to discerne the true God from all Idols and mens fantasies if we desire to haue our seruice and worship allowed before him For many imagine that they worship God which yet do wander in all kinde of errours and are not addicted to one true god This is a wicked thing yea it is nothyng but a prophanation of true Religion so confusedly to worship god Therefore we must marke this difference which I haue spoken of that our mindes may euer bee kept within the boundes of the word lest we erre from the true God if so be we couet to reteine him and to folow the Religion that hee alloweth I say that we must abide within the boundes of the word and may neither decline hether nor thether for we shall fall into innumerable deceites of the deuill vnlesse the word kepe vs as it were fast bound vnto it As concerning Darius he did know that there was one most high God but as is sayd before he did not cast away his fayned and wicked Religion wherunto he was accustomed But such mixture of Religiō is intolerable before God. He addeth Because he is the liuyng God and remaineth for euer Here he semeth to bring all the false Gods to nothing But as I sayd all prophane men do so lift vp their mindes to the most high God that yet by and by after they vanish away Therefore if they did acknowledge the true God aright they would immediatly exclude all fayned Gods. But they thinke it enough if God haue the first place and in the meane season they ioyne lesser Gods to him that he may lie hid as it were amōgest the number and yet haue some kinde of préeminence Such was the reason and such was the purpose of Darius for hee vnderstode nothing purely and sincerely of the onely essence of God but supposed the most hye power to be in the God of Israel how soeuer other nations worshipped their Gods. So do we sée that hee departed not from the superstitiōs which he had receiued in his childhode Wherfore there is no cause why we should prayse his godlynes saue onely in this particular action Yet God doth wrast forth of his mouth a confession wherin his nature is described vnto vs He calleth him the liuing God not onely because he hath lyfe in him selfe but also of himself because he is the fountaine and originall of life Wherfore this adiectiue must be taken actiuely because God doth not onely liue but he hath life also of him selfe agayne he is the cause of life because there is no life beside him or without him Afterward hee addeth That he remaineth for euer and so doth he disseuer him from all creatures amongest whom there is nothyng stable nor stedfast For we do know that not onely euery thyng which is vnder the heauen is subiect to chaunges but also the heauen it selfe In this point therfore doth
moued with cruell threatnynges to pollute them selues with the worshyp of the image at the length are ready to defēd the pure worshyp of GOD not onely by their owne bloud but also by the sufferyng of most horrible tormentes As for the goodnes of God that shyneth forth in the end of this tragedy it is very profitable to arme vs with an inuincible fayth and constancy After this there doth folow the lyke battaile and victory of Daniel hym selfe whiles that he had rather to be cast to the ragyng Lyons then to absteine but three dayes from an open profession of hys fayth lest by deceitfull dissimulation he might prostitute the holy name of God to the derision of the wicked and he beyng deliuered forth of the denne as it were drawen forth of the graue most miraculously triūpheth ouer Sathan and his cōfederates Heare come not forth any Philosophers which can dispute subtily and cunnyngly of vertues in their studyes when they are quyet but here haue we the infatigable constācy of holy men in the exercise of true holynes to styrre vs vp with open cry to folow them Wherfore vnles we be altogether vncapable of doctrine we must learne of those Scholemasters diligently to take hede whether that Sathan lay hys baytes of flattery that we be not snared therewith or if that he assayle vs with violence that we may repulse and breake hys assaultes with a bold contempt of death and all daungers If any man will make excuse that the exāples of both these deliueraūces that we haue named are rare I do graunt that God doth not alwayes stretch forth his hand from the heauens to saue hys in lyke sort but which is sufficient for vs he hath hereby testified that he will be the faithfull guerdon and keper of our lyfe so oft as it shall be in any daunger and that we are not exposed to the lustes of the wicked but that God can assuage their fury and outragious enterprises when he seeth it good But we may not onely looke vpon the end and successe but we must behold how boldly courageously these holy men haue offered them selues to death for the defence of Gods glory neither doth their prompt and ready myndes in offeryng them selues as sacrifices deserue lesse prayse because they were deliuered Now amongest how many styrres and stormes was the Prophet tossed those 70. yeares that he lyued in Captiuity it will be good to consider He was so well treated of no kyng as he was of Nebuchadnezar whom he yet found a ragyng beast The other were more cruell whiles by the sodaine death of Balsazar and the wynnyng of the Citie he was brought vnder new Lordes the Persians and the Medes Who fiercely breakyng in like cruell enemyes as they made all afrayde so is there no doubt but that they wounded his heart And though he were wel vsed of Darius so that that seruitude was tolerable yet through the enuy and cursed conspiracy of the noble mē he was then in most daunger Howbeit as he was more carefull for the commune safety of the Church then for his owne quietnes in what sorow was it like that he remained and with how great grief was he troubled when that present state dyd shew none end of the cruell oppression of that miserable people He did depend assuredly vpō the Prophecy of Ieremy But this was an incomparable paciēce and constancy that his hope dyd not languish nor decay beyng so long differed yea that it was not vtterly drowned beyng drawen through so many ragyng floudes and tempestes after such sondry sortes Now come I to the Prophecies wherof the former were sent vnto the Babilonians partly because God would adourne his seruaūt with certaine speciall markes which should compell that most proude nation though now in conquest to reuerence and honour hym partly because it was conuenient that his name should be had in reuerēce amongest those prophane persons that beyng in authoritie he might exercise the office of a Prophet more freely towardes hys owne nation And after that his name was famous amongst the Chaldees God committed vnto hym Prophecies of great importance which should peculiarly belong to the elect people but God dyd so apply them to the vse and commoditie of the auncient people that they should both mitigate the sorowes with cōfortable remedyes and comfirme the waueryng myndes vntill the commyng of Christ and also he had no lesse regarde of our tymes For that which he dyd speake before of the transitory and vanishyng shew of the Monarchies and of the euerlastyng stability of Christes kyngdome is no lesse profitable to be knowne of vs this day then of old For God declareth that earthly power which is not founded in Christ is transitory and he threatneth a sodeine ruine to all kyngdomes which set them selues vp in pride to obscure or hynder the glory of Christ The Kynges that now reigne in so great kyngdomes vnles they willyngly come vnder Christes dominion shall feele in the end by dolefull experiēce that this horrible iudgement doth also apperteine vnto them For what is more intolerable then to robbe hym of his right and authoritie by whose protection their dignitie is preserued yet do we see how few of that number do receiue the Sonne of God offering hym selfe vnto them yea how they busie them selues how they seeke all shiftes and try all extremities rather then they will suffer hym to enter into their borders and many of their Counsellours diligently apply their whole industry endeuour and study to shut vp all passages And yet in the meane season that they pretende the name of Christianity and do boast them selues the chief defenders of the Catholicke faith it may easely bee confuted as a vayne bablyng if it be once knowne what the kyngdome of Christ is by a true and right definition For the scepter of his kyngdome or hys throne is nothyng els but the doctrine of the Gospell neither doth hys Maiesty shyne any where els neither doth he otherwayes atteine his empire then where all both high and low with quyte myndes to learne lyke shepe do heare his voyce and folow whether so euer he calleth But they do not onely euerywhere reiect this doctrine wherin true Religion and the lawfull worship of God is conteined wherin the euerlastyng saluation of man and the true felicitie consisteth but they banishe it and driue it farre from them with manaces and terrors with fire and with sword and leaue no force vnattempted to driue it forth of their borders And what a blindnes is this and how monstruous that they whom the onely begotten Sonne of God doth call most louyngly vnto him selfe cā not abide to receaue him and to imbrace him But many such is their pride thinke their authoritie nothyng if they submit their scepters to the hye Kyng Others will not suffer theyr lustes to be brideled and as hypocrisy doth blinde the wittes of them all they desire darknes and are afrayd to
Lectures and readynges of Iohn Caluine vpon Daniel ¶ The first Prayer that he continually vsed before the same ¶ The Lord God graunt vs to be exercised in the mysteries of his heauenly wisedome with true encrease of Godlines vnto his glory and our edification Amen HEre foloweth the boke of Daniel the Prophet the vtility commoditie wherof how great it is may more easily bee vnderstand by the goyng forward in the same then aptly in fewe wordes be declared But I will now giue some tast yet therof which may the better prepare vs to the readyng make vs more attentiue And before I do come so farre I will briefly comprehend the summe of the boke and so diuide it as may best further vs Wherfore we will diuide it into two partes First Daniel rehearseth how he atteined authoritie euen amongest the infidels For it was necessarie that he should be raysed vp to his propheticall office after a straunge rare maner All thinges as is well knowne were so cōfused and so farre out of order amongest the Iewes that scarcely could any man beleue that there remained yet any Prophet Hieremias was a lyue in the begynnyng and Ezekiel afterward Also the Iewes had their Prophetes after their returne but Hieremias Ezekiel had almost ended their course when Daniel began to Prophecy Others as Haggaei Zakari and Malachi were created Prophets to exhort the people so that their office seemed to be limited As concernyng Daniel he could scarcely be counted for a Prophet vnles God had set hym vp after a maruelous maner as I haue sayd This shall we see to the end of the vj. chapter that he was adourned of God with speciall notes and tokens that the Iewes might fully be assured that God had geuē hym vnto them for a Prophet vnles they would condemne them selues of filthy ingratitude agaynst god His name was famous amongest the Babilonians and much honored If the Iewes had despised hym that was had in admiratiō euē of the prophane Gentiles was not this as it were of set purpose to quench to tread vnder foote the grace of God Daniel therfore had certaine notes and tokens wherby he might be knowen the Prophet of God wherby his vocation might be ratified The second part is ioyned afterward wherby God forwarneth by him what soeuer should shortly come to the elect people The visions therfore from the vij chapter to the end of the booke do peculiarly belong to the Church of god For there God declareth what is to come which was a thyng very necessary It was a sore tentation when the Iewes must suffer captiuitie 70. yeares and yet after that they should returne into their countrey for those 70. yeares God did differre the full deliuerance vnto 70. times seuē yeares Their mindes might haue fayled and they all haue dispayred a thousand tymes For the Prophetes had spoken so gloriously of the redemption that the Iewes did hope for an happy and most blessed state so soone as they should be deliuered from the Babilonicall bondage But when they are oppressed agayne with so many afflictions and that not for a short tyme but aboue foure hundreth yeares where as they were in captiuitie but 70. yeares the deliuerance might seme but a mockery And there is no doubt but that Sathan dyd tempt the myndes of many to fall away from God as though God had deluded them when he brought them forth of Chaldea into their countrey For these causes God declared by a vision vnto hys seruaunt how many and how great afflictions did remaine for the people of god Howbeit Daniel doth so Prophetie that he doth almost lyke an Historiographer describe all those thyngs which then were secrete And this was very necessarie because that in so troublesome alterations the people had neuer tasted that these thynges were reueled vnto Daniel by God if the successe had not approued the heauenly testimonie Therfore was it mete that this holy man should thus speake and Prophecie of thynges to come as though he had declared thynges already performed But this shall we speake of in place I returne to the begynnyng to declare how profitable this booke of Daniel is to the Church of Christ And first the matter it selfe declareth that Daniel did not speake of his own head but that what soeuer he did speake it was taught hym by the holy ghost For how could he haue coniectured these thynges that we shall see afterward if he had folowed nothyng but mās wisedome that is to say that other Monarchies should grow vp which should destroy the Empire of Babylon which had thē the greatest power in all the world Agayne how could he coniecture of the commyng of great Alexander and of his successors Long before Alexander was borne Daniel dyd Prophecie what he should do Also he declareth that his kingdome should not be lōg because it should straight wayes be diuided into foure hornes Other thynges that he speaketh also do manifestly proue that he spake by the holy Ghost Howbeit this may be more euidently proued by his other Prophecies whē he admonisheth with what great miseries the Church shall be vexed betwixt those two most cruell enemies the kyng of Syria and the kyng of Aegypt There doth he rehearse their leagues and then reciteth theyr cruell warres one agaynst an other and afterward all the alterations and he doth so point out euery thyng with the finger and prosecute the whole matter that it may appeare that God speaketh by his mouth This is then a great thyng and very profitable to know assuredly that Daniel was the instrument of the holy Ghost and that he dyd speake nothyng of his owne brayne Now that he was in such authoritie to the end that he might be in more credite with the Iewes concernyng his doctrine that is extended vnto vs For how foule and shamefull ingratitude is this if we do not embrace the Prophet of God whom the Chaldees were compelled to honour whom we know both to haue bene superstitious and full of pompe and pride Those two nations of the Aegyptians and Chaldees stode most in their owne conceit of all others For the Chaldees thought that they onely had the Vniuersitie of all wisedome Wherfore they would neuer haue bene very ready to receiue Daniel vnles the truth had compelled them and that this confession had bene violently wrasted forth of them that Daniel was the very Prophet of God. Now when the authoritie of Daniel is thus confirmed somethyng must be spoken of the matters that he treateth And concernyng interpretations of dreames the first dreame of Nebuchadnezar doth conteine as we shall see a thyng of most great importance that is to say that all the glory the power of the world must vanish away and that the kingdome of Christ onely shall remaine stable and that there is none other perpetuitie As concernyng the second dreame of Nebuchadnezar therin doubtles the meruelous constancy of Daniel is euident
vpon thy bed is this 29 O king whē thou wast in thy bed thoughts came into thy minde what should come to passe hereafter and he that reueileth secretes telleth thee what shall come ¶ The Meditation Daniel still laboureth to cause the king and all others to geue all glory vnto god Therefore he affirmeth that none of those whom they counted wise men neither any man by arte and science is able to vnderstand Gods secretes but God who is in the heauens doth onely reueile them as he pleaseth And with this poynt he beginneth with the king to smite a reuerence and feare of Gods maiesty into the kinges hart that he might more diligently heare feare the wordes that should after follow and so be the more apte to receiue the mysteries that should be reueiled For this is it that wanteth amongst the worldlinges that they can not thinke that it commeth of God which Gods messengers do bringe vnto them Many now a dayes are willing to heare what can be sayd of the Gospell and what may be brought agaynst popishe supersticion and error but they are not inwardly touched nor moued therefore what so euer they conceiue doth but vanish without profite and goeth forth of theyr remembrance Wherefore this reuerence of God and his word is most necessary as the beginning of wisedome and the preparation of the minde to right vnderstanding So doth Daniel then prepare the kinges minde and abbaseth him selfe and his owne knowledge that God only may haue the glory ¶ The Prayer GRaunt almighty God seing thou wilt haue vs to differ from the brute beastes and therefore hast grafted in our hartes the light of vnderstanding that we may learne to know this to be thy singular grace and gift and that we may reuerence and magnify thee for the same and that we may alwayes exercise our selues in the knowledge of those thinges which may bring vs reuerently to regard thy word and thy maiesty and also that we may put such difference betwixt the commō sense that thou hast geuen vs and the light of thy spirite that thou mayst be glorified and that we may alwayes especially praise thee for thy gift of faith wherby we are made thy childrē engrafted into the body of thy sonne and that we may continually craue encrease of the same fayth of thee whiles in the end thou do bring vs to that full reuelation of light when we being made like thee shall beholde thy glory face to face and shall haue the fruition therof through the same our Lord Iesus Christ Amen 30 As for me this secret is not shewed me for any wisedome that is in me more then in other but only to shew the king the interpretation and that thou mightest know the thoughtes of thy hart 31 O kyng thou sawest and beholde there was a great Image This image of excellent glory stoode before thee and the forme therof was terrible 32 This images head was of fine golde hys breast and armes of siluer his belly and thighes of brasse 33 His legges of yron and his feete were part of yron and part of clay 34 Thou beheldest it till a stone was cut without handes which smote the image vpon hys feete that were of yron and clay and brake them to peeces ¶ The Meditation vpon the .31 c. By this dreame of Nebuchadnezer Daniel as before declareth all the mutations of kynges kyngdomes to be done by Gods prouidence And though they be neuer so rich and pompous though they be neuer so proude fierce or terrible yet GOD by hys secrete counsell doth plucke them downe at hys tyme appoynted because they magnifie them selues agaynst the kyngdome of hys sonne Christ whom he hath determined without mans helpe in the myddes of his enemyes to rayse vp to hys great and eternall kyngdome Now these foure Monarchies the Babilonians or Chaldees the Medes or Persians the Macedonians or Greciās were destroyed one of an other and the last by the Romanes before the kyngdome of Christ was reueiled vnto the world Now the Romanes fell by ambition auarice crueltie and ciuill sedition And Christ who is the iust iudge of the world from all eternitie as he by hys diuine prouidence dyd iustly make the mutations of the other Monarchies so doth he in this last of all when he most euidently setteth vp hys spirituall kyngdome vpon the earth Christ is the eternall wisedome of his father by whom kyngs do raigne and haue their authoritie approued if they séeke that he may raigne amongest them but if they be opē enemyes to hys kyngdome and shew them selues cruell tyrauntes to hys people he then hath power with his yron scepter to breake them downe and destroy them And this dreame of Nebuchadnezer of the destruction of these Monarchies was sent especially for the comfort of Gods people that they should not dispayre when they dyd sée the glytteryng pompous kyngdome of the Chaldees after that of the Persians then of the Macedonians last of all of the Romanes ouerwhelmyng the whole earth but that they should still looke for the kyngdome of Iuda and of Christ which God had once promised to be performed how miserable ruines so euer in the meane space should appeare Therfore then was this dreame sent to the kyng with the interpretation by Daniel that all the East partes of the world might know it that the Iewes there dispersed might still norish their fayth and hope in Gods promises seyng all thynges done by hys appointement and that the same God which had tolde Nebuchadnezer before what should come afterward had also determined what he would do in tyme to come whose purpose could not be chaūged though it were long differred Whereas then the Iewes did know that the Chaldees dyd then raigne ouer them and all the world by the appointmēt of God and that after them there should come an other worse then they and thyrdly that vnder the Macedonians they should be still in troubles and that the Romanes also should be Lordes ouer all and kéepe the world in cruell subiection and last of all that their Messias whom they looked for should be the eternall kyng for euer and that none of the Monarchies had any assured stabilitie this was vnto them a singular comfort and confirmation Thus do we sée for what cause God would haue this thyng to be published euery where which was as then vnknowen that the Iewes might deliuer that from hand to hand vnto their childrē and posteritie which they heard of the mouth of Daniel and that hys prophecie might be extāt and remaine for them a continuall monument in all ages Wherfore when the Iewes that then were captiues dyd sée this terrible Image of their enemy in great admiration vnto all the world what could they then thinke but that they were as it were swallowed vp without recouery And so lykewise vnder the other mighty Monarchies Therefore God of hys great mercy doth offer them this consolation
this thy Sonne whom already thou hast geuen vnto vs and hast established hys authoritie and hys diuine and eternall power by so many miracles and hast sealed the same as well by the publishing of thy Gospell as by the seale of thy holy spirit in our hartes and doest confirme the same by dayly experience that wee may remayne firme and stable in hym and that wee neuer turne from hym neither that our fayth fayle at ane tyme whatsoeuer Sathan attempt agaynst vs but that we may perseuer in the course of thy holy vocation whiles that at length we may be gathered into that eternal beatitude and blessed state of rest which is purchased vnto vs by the bloud of thine only begotten Sonne So be it 46 Then the kyng Nebuchadnezer fell vpon hys face and bowed hymselfe vnto Daniel c. 47 Also the king sayd to Daniel of a truth your God is a God of Gods a kyng of kinges c. That Nebuchadnezer worshiped God and Daniel though in some part it may be commended yet in some respect it is blame worthy for though he acknowledged the God of Israell to be the true God yet doth he geue part of Gods honor vnto a mortal man as many tymes men without knowledge do mixe heauen and earth together because that they alwayes fall to their superstitions though they haue sometymes some good motions And it is playne that this confession of the kyng was but particular for he dyd not wholly returne vnto God from hys Idolatry and errours but was astonished for the present and returned afterward to greater madnes as foloweth in the next chap. And thus many tymes God compelleth the wicked to geue testimonies to hys glory when yet they reteyne their vices and fall forthwith to their accustomed wickednes as it is playne afterward Wherby we may learne that it is not enough though a man with open mouth prayse the power and wisedome of God vnles he cast all superstitions forth of his hart and so hold of one God that he defie all others For there can not be required a playner confession then this and yet we sée that Nebuchadnezer was still reteined in the snares of Sathan because he holdeth still hys false Gods and thinketh it enough to make God of Israel the chief The which folie appeareth euidently amongest the Papistes which graunt the name of God and Christ but they rob away all the power and giue it vnto other creatures after their fond imaginations and they are not so good as this prophane kyng for they will not geue him the whole gouernement but fayne man to haue frée will and all thynges to runne by chaunce or that the heauen and earth accordyng to mās merites or demerites do their endeuours and office Thus make they mans frée will the cause of all and so robbe God of his honor This is their madnes ¶ The Prayer GRaunt almighty God seyng mans hart is so full of hypocrisie that there is nothyng more hard then to purge it from all lyes errors feynyng dissimulation that we may learne to examine our selues fully and substancially and also that thou wilt so shyne vnto vs with the light of thy spirite that we may verely know our hyd vices and that thou wilt driue them farre away from vs that thou onely mayest be our God and that true holynes may preuayle amongest vs and that we may geue thee pure and vnspotted worshyp and honor and that we may lyue with vpright consciēces in this world and so be content euery one with our own state that we study alwayes for the commoditie of our brethren whiles that at the length we bee partakers of that true glory which thou hast prepared for vs in the heauens by Iesus Christ our lord Amen Chap. 3. The Texte KYng Nebuchadnezer made an Image of gold The height therof was lx cubites and the breadth therof vj. cubites and he set it vp in the playne of Dura in the prouince of Babel NEbuchadnezer after that hee had professed the God of Israel to be the true God doth fall agayne to this foule Idolatry wherein after the custome of the Idolaters hee vttereth his owne pryde and ambition Wherein God would haue his wicked hart to be made manifest Who might haue bene thought by hys former confession to haue bene wholly chaūged but by this it appeareth that in his fayrest shew of wordes he remained wicked And as this is the maner of all superstitious persons when they pretend their Religiō and thinke that they serue their God yet will they be seene and praysed of the world so many tymes they will mixe policie with their Religion to bryng men into an vniformitie And these two thinges are heare manifest His Idole is so costly and great that his fame must nedes spred and he straitly chargeth all nations both Iewes and Gentiles vppon payne of death to ioyne in this Idolatry Thus for policie he will stablish one Religion in all the nations that were vnder hym lest by the mixture of the Iewes that were stiffe in theyr religion or by any other people any tumult might arise and by such tumult any shakyng or diminishyng of his dominion Thus do many Princes when they publish lawes for Religion rather regarde their owne quietnes and commoditie then what God requireth by his word And this bold temeritie hath bene amongest them from the begynnyng that sometymes they would make new Gods sometyme they would appoynt GOD a law how he should be worshypped but they would rarely or neuer subiect them selues onely wholly to the word of god Whereby their madnes is manifest that whiles they pretend to worshyp God they set them selues aboue God and worshyp their owne fantasie and folie They thinke it is not for their Princely dignitie to be in obedience vnder God or to set forth his word simply but they wil haue their procedynges to bée of more authoritie and puttyng in the name of the Kyng or the Quéene they thinke the matter is preiudicate and sufficient that GOD may be worshipped none other wayes then it pleaseth them and as they haue decréed by their authoritie And in such commaundementes we may sée that al those which depend onely of their fathers and antiquitie are easily ouercome to chaunge their Religion and they onely are able to stād fast agaynst such thunderyng threatnynges of Princes which haue their consciences grounded vpon Gods holy word And this is to be noted that the king doth not cōmaunde any to professe with their mouthes that this is a GOD or that it hath any diuinitie but hee onely requireth the outward gesture Whereby we may sée that they are worthely condemned of Idolatry that do the outward gesture be it for feare or fauour either that they do dissemble such a matter as many do amōgest the Papistes and in other places We must worshyp God in spirite and truth and also with outward profession not onely to exercise our selues in the
Kynges counsellers came together meaning that they came to consult of this great miracle and when they had consulted of this matter hee sayth that they came to behold that manifest signe of the incredible power of god And he nombreth certaine partes which do more clearely proue that these thrée were saued by none other meanes but by the singular benefite of god For he sayth that the fire had no power in their bodyes agayne that there was not one heare of their head burnt thirdly that their garment was not chaunged last of all that there was not any smell of fire vpō them For he expresseth more by this word of smel then if he had simply sayd that the fire had not pearced thē For it may be that the fire doth not consume the body and yet may burne it and scorch it but when no smell of the fire did once come vpon them the miracle is most euidēt This is the minde of the Prophet Finally hee sheweth that this miraculous deliueraunce was manifest because these thrée come forth of the fornace and the Princes Dukes nobles were witnesses of Gods power And their testimony might be of more authoritie then if all the Iewes had beholden this grace of God for men would not haue beleued the Iewes But when it is manifest that these are sworne enemies to true Religion surely they would gladly haue buried this miracle with silence if it had bene in their power But God draweth them agaynst their wils and compelleth them to sée it with their eyes and afterward to confesse it to put away all doubt for euer 28 Nebuchadnezer spake and sayd Blessed is the God of Sadrach Mesach and Abednego who hath sent his Angell and deliuered his seruauntes that put their trust in hym and haue chaunged the kynges commaundement and yelded their bodyes rather then they would worshyp or serue any God saue theyr owne God. This is a rare confession of a kyng but it will appeare by processe that he was caried with a sodaine vehemency and that there was no liuely roote of the feare of God in his hart And I do repete this agayne that we may know that true repentaunce doth not consist in one worke or twaine but in perseuerance continuance as Paul sayth If you do lyue in the spirite walke ye in the spirite Where he requireth constancy of the faithfull that they may shew them selues to be truly regenerate by the spirite of God. Nebuchadnezer therefore as one rauished in spirite magnifieth the God of Israel but in the meane time he mingleth his Idoles with the true god So was there nothyng pure in his facte Euē so the wicked whē they haue felt Gods power they dare not go forward stubbornly agaynst him but they will please and pacifie him with some fayned repētance yet do they neuer put of their old corruption as is plaine in Nebuchadnezer that he was alway one though God at the sodaine caused him thus to confesse that the God of Sadrach was blessed But why calleth he him not his God This might be excused if he had verely geuen him selfe to the God of Israel and cast away all superstitiōs Howbeit he doth not so therfore was his confession but feined not that he went about to dissemble with men to get their fauour but he deceiued him selfe as hypocrites vse to do He pronounceth the God of Sadrach Mesach and Abednego to be blessed If he had done this purely he should haue cursed all his Idols For the glory of the true and onely God can not be extolled magnified vnles all the Idols be brought to nought For wherin standeth the prayse of God but that he alone haue the preeminence If any other God be set by him then is hys Maiestie darkened as it were with cloudes Hereby then may we gather that Nebuchadnezer was not touched with true repentance when he blessed the God of Israel He addeth Which sent his angell and deliuered his seruaūts Here Daniel more plainely declareth that Nebuchadnezer was not cōuerted to receiue the God of Israel to worship him truely with a pure affection of his hart Why so For true holines is alway grounded in the knowledge of the true God which requireth doctrine Nebuchadnezer did know that the God of Israel was the hye god Wherby Verely by his power for he had a spectacle set before his eyes which he could not contemne though he would Thus then doth he graunt the God of Israel to be the hye God taught by this miracle But this is not sufficient vnto true holynes as I haue admonished except also doctrine be ioyned vnto it yea haue the chief partes I do graūt very well that men are prepared vnto faith by miracles but if nothing saue bare miracles appeare and no knowledge be ioyned out of the very word of God it wil be but a shadow of faith as we haue here a most manifest example Let vs know then that this was a particular fayth in king Nebuchadnezer For he had all his minde bent vpon the miracle and beyng content with that spectacle he did not inquire who was that God of Israel or what his law did comprehend neither yet was be carefull for the Mediator Finally he neglected and despised the whole substaunce of true holines and tooke hold vnaduisedly but of one part onely This do we sée dayly in many prophane men For God many tymes doth humble them and causeth them to flye vnto him for succour but in the meane season they remaine wrapped in their owne wittes and do not renounce their superstitions neither regarde which is the true worship of god For to approue our seruice vnto God this principle must be remembred that nothing doth please him which is not of faith and that faith can not be conceaued by any miracle or by any sense of diuine power but that it must haue doctrine also For miracles are of force onely to prepare the minde or to confirme Religion but of them selues they can not bryng men to the true worship of God. And this is merueilous that this prophane kyng sayth that an Angell was sent from God saue that it is euident in the prophane writers that there was alway some thyng knowne of the angels This was a certaine before conceiued persuasion of the angels lyke as also amongest all people there is some tast that there is a god And where Daniel sayd before that the fourth which was in the fornace was called the sonne of God by the kyng of Babel euē thē as I haue sayd Nebuchadnezer professed hymselfe that he vnderstode something of the Angels but now he speaketh more plainly that God hath sent his Angell And how the Angels do helpe the elect and the faythfull I there touched briefly and I do not vse to stād long vpon cōmon places For thys place it is enough to note that the wicked which neuer heard any thing of God or of true holines
he farre away for he was in his palace Seyng then that the kyng might haue had Daniel when he would why did he leaue Daniel out and called the other Mages so solēnly Wherefore it is playne as I haue said that he neuer gaue glory vnto God but when he was driuen therunto by great necessitie Therfore hee did neuer submit him selfe vnto the God of Israel of his owne accord willyngly and it is playne that they are but soddayne motions when soeuer he sheweth any signe of holynes When he entreateth Daniel so humbly we sée his seruile nature Like as all proude men whē they nede not the helpe of others they are so puffed vp that no man can beare their pride and insolency but when they are brought to extremitie they would rather licke the dust of a mans féete thē want the fauour that might helpe them Such was the nature of this kyng for hee would gladly haue despised Daniel as he had already counted him inferior to the Mages but when he séeth him selfe remayne in his troubles and that he could haue no remedy but by Daniel this he taketh for his last refuge and now he semeth to forget his pride and authoritie when he doth speake thus fayre vnto the holy Prophet of god But the rest shal be touched afterward ¶ The Prayer GRaunt almighty God seyng thou doest here set before our eyes a notable example whereby wee may learne that the greatnes of thy power cā not be enough commended with mans prayse and seyng that we heare that this prophane cruell and proude kyng was a publisher therof that thou hast vouchedsafe to manifest thy selfe vnto vs in thy sonne Christ Graunt we besech thee that with true humiltie of spirite we may study to glorifie thee and geue our selues wholy vnto thy seruice that wee may declare not onely with tounge and mouth but also by our workes that thou art not onely our true and very God but also our father seyng thou hast chosen vs to be thy childrē in thine onely begotten sonne whiles that we may haue the full fruition of that eternall inheritaunce which is layd vp for vs in the heauens by the same Iesus Christ our lord Amen O Beltsazar chief of the Mages because that I do know that the spirite of the holy Gods is in thee and that thou knowest all secretes declare thou my visions and the interpretation therof We sayd before that the kyng did thus humbly intreate Daniel because he was brought to an extremitie For hée did not séeke vnto him at the first but consulted with his enchanters Whom he then despised he is now compelled to worship and reuerence He calleth him Beltsazar the which name doubtles did sore wounde the hart of the Prophet For he had an other name geuen him of his parentes euen from his infancy wherby he might know that he was a Iewe and that hee had his originall of a holy and elect nation Now that his name was chaunged as we haue sayd in an other place it was done vndoubtedly by the craft of the tyraunt that he might by litle and litle forget his kinred Therefore kyng Nebuchadnezer would by chaunging his name make the holy seruaunt of God degenerate Therfore as oft as he was called by this name there is no doubt but that he was much offended Howbeit he could not remedy the matter because he was a captiue and as he dyd know he had to do with proude and cruel people that were now conquerours Agayne in the next verse Nebuchadnezer sayth that this name was accordyng to the name of his god Wherfore seyng Daniel had his owne proper name of the iudgemēt of God which his parentes had geuē hym Nebuchadnezer would put away that holy name of his religion and calleth hym Beltsazar in honour the which name is very like to bee deriued of the name of his Idole Wherfore this was double grief to the holy Prophet that he was spotted with such a foule blot that he bare the marke of the Idole in his name But he must beare this crosse also amōgest the other scourges of god Thus did God exercise his seruaunt many wayes in the bearyng of his crosse Now that hee calleth him the chief of the enchaunters this doubtles priked the minde of this holy Prophet For he desired nothing more thē to be disceuered from the Mages who deceaued the whole world with their craftes and delusions For although they were excellēt in the knowledge of Astrologie and held some principles that were commendable yet we know that they corrupted all sciences Therfore Daniel was not willyng to be counted one of them but he could not deliuer him selfe from this infamie Thus do we sée that hys patience was tried diuerse wayes by Gods appointment Nebuchadnezer sayth farther Because J know that the spirite of the holy Gods is in thee Many do translate Angels which I mislike not For all nations dyd know that there was one hye God but they feined the Angels to be inferiour Gods. How soeuer it is here Nebuchadnezer doth bewray his ignoraunce that is to say that he had yet profited no further in the knowledge of the true God but that hee was yet wrapped in his old errours and holdeth still many Gods as hee was entangled with that superstition at the first This place may be translated in the singular nomber as as some do but so it is wrasted and the reason that moueth them is very weake For they thinke that Nebuchadnezer was truly conuerted which is proued to be false by the whole text And they that are of this opinion would excuse him of all fault But seyng it is playne the many testimonies of old ignoraunce are cōteined in this decrée of Nebuchadnezer there is no cause why we should chaūge any thing of the simplicitie of the wordes Therefore he graunteth to Daniel a diuine spirite but in the meane season he imagineth many Gods. Because sayth he the spirite of the holy Gods is in thee and no secrete is hid from thee As though he should say that Daniel was endued with a diuine spirite so that what so euer hee propounded should easily be aunswered Nebuchadnezer knew this why did he not then straight wayes call Daniel vnto him whē he was in doubt seyng Daniel was able to deliuer him from all grief Here his ingratitude is perceaued that hee consulted with hys Mages and neglected Daniel We may sée then how he alwayes laboured to runne away from God vntill that hée was drawē by force wherby it appeareth that he was not truly cōuerted For repentaunce is voluntary and they are counted to repent who returne willingly vnto God from whom they fall the which cā not be done without fayth and the loue of God. 7 Thus were the visions of myne head in my bed And beholde I saw a tree in the middes of the earth and the height thereof was great 8 A great tree and strong and the height thereof
the beastes of the fielde that is to say let hym haue some portion of meat to sustaine hys lyfe and let hym be washed wyth the rayne of heauen God doth signifie the though he would punish this kyng and shew an horrible tokē of hys wrath yet doth he regarde what he is able to beare and doth so temper the payne that there remayneth hope in the end This is the cause that he hath meate wyth the beastes of the fielde and hath also comfort of the heauenly dew The Prayer GRraunt almighty God that whereas we see how hard a thing it is for vs to beare prosperity and not to be demēted therewith to forget that we are mortall that our frailty and wretchednes may euermore be before our eyes which may retaine vs in true humility whereby we may glorifie thee and beyng admonished by thee may learne to walke wyth carefulnes and feare and submit our selues vnto thee and that we may liue modestly wyth our brethren that none of vs despise an other but study by all meanes to do hys office and duty whyles at the length thou gather vs vnto that glory which is purchased for vs by the bloud of thyne onely begotten Sonne Amen 14 In the decree of the watchmen is the sentence and in the word of the holy ones is the request to the intent that the liuing mē may know that the most hygh hath power ouer the kingdome of men and geueth it to whom so euer he will and appoynteth ouer it the most abiect among men God doth confirme by this verse that which he had shewed in a dreame to Nebuchadnezer Daniel therfore sayth that the king was certified of a matter of truth because it was decréed before God and his Angels The purpose is that Nebuchadnezer should know that he could not escape that punishment whereof he did sée the figure in his dreame There is some darkenes in the wordes but we perceaue the minde of the Prophet Yet is here a doubt for it semeth an absurditie to geue vnto the Angells thys power and authority for this is to make them equall with god We know that God is the only iudge and therefore that it pertayneth to him alone to decrée and to pronounce what sentence he pleaseth If this be attributed to the Angels so much séemeth to be taken away from Gods hygh dignity for it is not méete for hys maiesty to admit any companions But we know by the scripture that it is no strange thing that God taketh hys Angels vnto hym not as equals but as ministers to whom yet he geueth so much honor that he will admit them to hys counsaile And so are the Angels called Gods counsellers Wherfore they are named in this place to decrée with God not of them selues at theyr own pleasure but because they doo subscribe vnto Gods iudgement And here must we note two persons to be attributed vnto them For in the first place Daniel maketh them to subscribe vnto Gods decrée afterward he sayth that they require or demaunde And thys may well be that the Angels doo require in theyr peticions that all mortall creatures may be abased that God alone may haue the preeminence and that al things may thus be brought downe that obscure the glory of god It is méete and right that the Angels require thys continually seing we know that there is nothing that they doo more desire then that they them selues should worshyp God and all creatures with them And when they do sée Gods authoritie to be diminished by mans pride and arrogancy then doubtles they require thys that God would bring downe vnder his obedience and yoke those proude men that set vp theyr creastes agaynst hym Now do we sée why Daniel sayth that thys sentence is in the decrée of the watchmen and in theyr word a request as though he should say thou hast all the Angels thine aduersaries For with one consent and as it were with one mouth they do accuse thee before God that thou doest obscure his glory as much as in thee lyeth and God agreing to theyr requestes hath decreed to cast thee away and to make thee contemptible shamefull before al the world and thys decree is ratified by all the Angels as it were common with him and them For their consent and subscription might haue some authority with this prophane king And doubtles God as he doth many tymes doth now accommodate the vision to this mans capacitie who was neuer taught in the law but had only a confused knowlege of the diuinity so that he dyd not discerne betwix God and the Angels And yet thys sentence is also true that the sentence was published by the common decree of al the heauenly army and that together by supplication and request because doubtles the Angels did take it greuously that any thing should be withdrawne from Gods glory that there should be such madnes in men that they would draw and catch to them selues that which is proper and peculiar to God alone This seemeth to be the true sense And so that which followeth dependeth well hereof that mortall men may know that God hath power ouer the kingdomes of men For Daniel doth note the end of theyr request that the Angels would haue Gods authoritie to remayne wholly to himselfe and that nothing should be taken away therefrom by mans churlish ingratitude For man can chalenge to him selfe neuer so little but he robbeth God of hys due prayse and glory Therefore do the Angels craue of God continually that he would cast downe all the proud and that he would not suffer hym selfe to be defrauded of hys authority but that all power may remayne with hym wholly And this is diligently to be noted that all mortall men may know that the most high doth beare rule in the kingdoms of men For the most wicked will graunt that God hath the chiefe power and authoritie for they dare not draw him downe from his heauēly throne with theyr blasphemies but in the meane season they imagine that they can both get and defend kingdomes in this world either by theyr owne power or riches or other meanes Therefore the vnbeleuers would gladly shut vp God in heauen euen as the Epicure fayneth that God vseth his delicates in idlenes Therfore Daniel sheweth that God is spoyled of his right except he be acknowledged to be the ruler in the kingdome of men that is in the earth that he may humble whō he pleaseth So is it also sayd in the Psalme Power is neither from the east nor from the west but from the heauen And in an other place also It is God that lifteth vp the poore from the doung Agayne in the song of the holy virgin He casteth downe the proude from their throne and exalteth the humble and abiectes They all do confesse this thing but yet scarcely the hundreth man doth thorowly féele in his mynde that God doth rule in this world so that
they are more and more enraged and waxe furious That Nebuchadnezer was chastened for a space by the hand of God and afterward repented to perceiue that God beareth the whole rule in all the world this was of speciall grace He sayth that God is the ruler in the kyngdome of men because that tyrauntes will be persuaded of nothyng more hardly then that they are vnder the power of god They will confesse in one word that they reigne by his grace but in the meane seasō they suppose that they are come to their authoritie either by their power or by fortune and that they are mainteined therein either by their power their wisedome or by their riches Wherfore they shut forth as much as in them lyeth God from the gouernement of the world whiles they are puffed vp with this fonde opinion that they remaine in their state and dignitie by their own power or wisedome This was no small profite then that Nebuchadnezer began to perceiue that God is the gouernour in the kyngdome of men for the kyngs would set him in a meane state betwixt them and the people They graunt in dede that the people must be in obedience vnto God but they thinke thē selues to be exempted from the common order and they imagine after their lustes that they haue a priuiledge that they nede not to be vnder the hand gouernment of god So was this as I haue sayd no vulgare nor cōmon lesson the Nebuchadnezer learned at the last that God doth raigne in the earth For kyngs do cōmonly shut him vp in the heauēs and imagine that he doth content him with hys owne glory so that he doth not intermedle with mens matters Afterward hee addeth what kinde of gouernment God hath euen that he raiseth vp whom he pleaseth and casteth downe others God is not the gouernour then onely in this respect that he susteineth the world by his vniuersall prouidence but because no man commeth to any authoritie but at his pleasure He gyrdeth some with a gyrdle he vngyrdeth others he powreth contempt vpon Princes and maketh the mighty weake as it is written in the booke of Iob. We may not imagine then any power of God that is idle but we must ioyne it with the present acte Whether then that tyrauntes haue the gouernment or good and godly kynges altogether is gouerned by the secret counsaile of God for other wayes he could not be the kyng and gouernour of the world 30 At that same houre was this thing fulfilled vpon Nebuchadnezer and hee was driuen from men and did eat grasse as the bullockes and his body was wet with the dew of heauen till hys heares were growne like Egles fethers and hys nayles like byrdes clawes The Prophet doth conclude that which he had spoken before that is as soone as the voyce came from heauē Nebuchadnezer was cast forth of mens company It may be that they had some occasion to dryue hym forth But because the coniecture is doubtfull I had rather leaue it indifferent which the holy ghost hath not reueiled I will onely touch this briefly that when he boasted that Babylon was built by the strength of his power it might be that euē the nobles also did disdayne whiles they saw him puffed vp with so great arrogancy or it may be also that he spake after this maner when he thought that they lay in wayt for him or when he perceaued that troubles were moued agaynst him How soeuer it is God sent forth his voyce and droue forth of the company of mē the kyng Nebuchadnezer in the same moment Therfore In that houre sayth he was the word fulfilled If it had bene a long space afterward the cause might haue bene ascribed to fortune or other lower meanes but where there is such copulation of the word with the worke the iudgement is more manifest then can be darkned by mās malignitie Therfore he sayth that he was cast forth and did eate grasse so that he differred not from the oxen that his body was watered with rayne because he did lye without the house For we oftentymes are watred with rayne and there is none which can escape that necessitie in the fieldes and often tymes the trauellers do come wette to their Inne But here the Prophet doth speake of the continuall iudgement of God that he had no house to go into but did lye in the fieldes So he sayth He was watered with the dew of heauen vntill sayth hee his nailes did grow lyke byrdes clawes and his heares lyke Egles fethers This place doth more confirme that which was spoken before that seuen tymes should bee expounded of a long time because his heares would not haue so growē in seuē monethes neither would there haue bene such a deformitie and so great in this space Therfore thys chaungyng which is described of the Prophet doth sufficiētly declare that the kyng Nebuchadnezer was punished with a longer tyme Neither could he so quickly be humbled because arrogancie is vntameable euen in a meane man how much more in such a great mighty Monarche 31 And at the end of these dayes I Nebuchadnezer lift vp myne eyes vnto heauen and myne vnderstādyng was restored vnto me and I gaue thankes vnto the most high and I praysed and honored him that liueth for euer whose power is an euerlastyng power and his kingdome is from generation to generation Now the Prophet doth bryng in the kyng speakyng agayne Therfore he sayth After that tyme was passed he lift vp his eyes vnto heauen There is no doubt but he doth meane of those seuen yeares And seyng he began at the length to lift vp his eyes vnto heauen hereby it appeareth how lōg the healing of his disease that is of his pride was For euen as where there is some liuyng part corrupted and almost consumed the remedy is hard and long euen so because pride is altogether fastened in mens hartes and doth occupy euen the very marow and doth infect what soeuer is in the soule therefore is it not so easily plucked away And this is worthy to be noted Furthermore we are also taught by this word that God did so worke in the kyng Nebuchadnezer that he did not forth with bring forth the effect of his grace opēly It was profitable for Nebuchadnezer to be so shamefully handled for the space of seuen yeares or such a tyme and to bee banished from the company of men but he could not so soone perceiue this vntill God had opened his eyes So then God doth often times chastise vs and calleth vs by litle and litle and also doth prepare vs to repentaunce but his grace is not straight way knowne ¶ The Prayer GRaunt almighty God seyng that although we are nothyng yet we do neuer cease to stand in our owne conceite and also are blinded by the vayne cōfidence of our selues and furthermore do vaynely boast of our vertues and powers which are nothyng that we may learne to put of
must we know without all doubt that no kyngs come to authority vnles GOD lend them hys hand and styll stablishe them therein and when hee wyll take away their power they fall spedely not that there commeth anything by chaunce in these mutations and chaunges but because that God as is written in the booke of Iob doth loose their girdles whom he had before girded Then it followeth whom he would kill he killed whom he would he did smite Some thinke that the abuse of the kinges power is here noted But I had rather take it simply that Nebuchadnezer had authority to cast downe whom he would and to exalt whom he would that it was in hys power to geue lyfe and to take away lyfe I do not therefore referre these wordes to tyrannicall lust as though Nebuchadnezer had murthered many innocentes had shed mās bloud without reason or had spoyled many of their possessions and had made other rich or raysed them to honours I do not take it so but that it was in hys power either to kill or to geue life to set vp or to cast downe To be short me thinke that Daniel doth here describe what power kynges haue which may thus fréely deale wyth their subiectes not because it is lawfull but because none dare speake agaynst it For whatsoeuer pleaseth the king all mē are compelled to agrée thereunto or at the least no man dare stirre against it Seing that kynges then haue such liberty Daniel declareth that this kyng Nebuchadnezer was not raysed hereunto by hys owne industry wisdome or counsayle or by hys good fortune but he saith that he gate thys great Empire and that he was terrible vnto all because God had adorned hym wyth that glory In the meane tyme yet it behoueth all kynges to regard what is lawfull and what GOD permitteth them to do For as they are kynges so must they consider also that they must once geue accomptes to the most high kyng We can not gather hereby then that kinges are constitute of God to be lawles to liue without order and to do what they list But the Prophet as I haue sayd speaketh of the power that they haue And seing that kinges haue power of death and life ouer their subiectes he saith that the life of them al was in king Nebuchadnezers hand Then he sayth VVhen his heart was lifted vp then was he cast downe from the throne of his kingdome and they spoyled him of his dignitie He prosecuteth that which he began His purpose is to declare to kyng Beltsazar that GOD for a space doth suffer their pride which do forget hym when they haue gotten high authoritie Therfore sayth he kyng Nebuchadnezer thy grandfather was an hye Monarch this did hée not atteine of himselfe neither yet did hée reteine the Empire and cōtinue therein but as he was stayd vpholden by the hand of god Now the trāsformation of him into a boast was a notable document that their pryde can not alwayes bee suffered which are vnthankefull vnto God and do not acknowledge that they do reigne by hys benefite VVhen his hart therfore was lifted vp sayth he and his mynde was set vpon pride there came a sodaine chaunge Hereby shouldest thou haue learned O kyng and all his posteritie to deceiue your selues no longer with pride but rather the exāple of this thy forefather should strike thy hart Wherfore this writyng is set before thyne eyes whereby thou mayst vnderstand that both thy kyngdome and thy life are euen now at an end And this sentence is to be noted that Daniel sayth That his heart was hardned in pride For he geueth vs to vnderstād that he was not puffed vp sodainly with a light folie as vayne men many tymes vse to bee when there is no cause and no inward motion of the minde goeth before but hée would vtter vnto vs a greater matter that this pride had now bene nourished in his hart along tyme as though hée should say that he was not taken with a sodaine vayne motion but that hée had so long bent him selfe vpon pride that he was obstinate and hardened therin The Prayer GRaūt almighty God that seing euery one of vs haue our state limited we may be well contented with our place and condition and that when thou wilt humble vs we may willingly submit our selues vnto thee and suffer our selues to be gouerned by thee that we may neuer desire that height that should cast vs down headlong to destruction Agayne we besech thee to graunt that euery one of vs in our vocation may behaue our selues so modestly that thou mayst alwayes haue thyne high authoritie amongest vs Furthermore that we may seeke nothyng but to bestow our labour and trauayle to serue thee and our brethren to whom we are ioyned that thy name may thus be glorified in vs all through Iesus Christ our lord Amen 21 And he was driuen from the sonnes of men and his heart was made like the beastes and his dwelling was with the wilde Asses they fed him with grasse like Oxen his body was wet with the dew of heauen till he knew that the most hye God did rule ouer the kingdome of mē and that he appointeth ouer it whom so euer he pleaseth This verse nedeth no long exposition because Daniel doth repete onely that which hee had written before that hys grandfather Nebuchadnezer though hee were not chaunged into a beast yet at the least he was cast forth of mās company that hee was deformed throughout all his body that he him selfe abhorred mans cōpany would rather dwell with brute beastes This was a horrible exāple especially in such a great monarch and worthy to be left in memory to the posteritie frō hand to hād euen to a thousand generatiōs if that Monarch had endured so long But that his nephew had so soone forgotten this lesson hereby is hee worthely reproued of shamefull securitie and carelesnes This then is the cause why Daniel doth agayne rehearse the history He was cast forth from the sonnes of men sayth he and his hart was lyke the beastes that is to say he was destitute of reason and iudgement for a tyme And we know that this is the chief difference betwixt men and beastes that men do vnderstand and iudge but the brute beastes are onely caryed by their senses God therfore shewed a terrible example vpon this kyng when he thus spoyled him of reason and vnderstandyng He sayth That his habitation was with the wilde Asses which before had dwelt in that palace which was knowne to all the world from whence all the people of the East did at that tyme receiue their lawes Therefore seyng he was wont to be worshipped for a God this was a terrible iudgemēt that afterward he dwelt with the wilde beastes And whereas now they fed him with grasse like a bullocke which before had all maner of delicates at his pleasure and was wont to be fed