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
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
any decrée published of religion and of the worship of God except the true knowledge of God confirme it and be sene in it Nebuchadnezer verely in thys decrée had a good ground but as I haue sayd it was onely a particular motion in hym But they that wyll now bée counted Christian Princes do onely rage vnder the pretence of a zeale and so lyke cruell beastes do shee l innocent bloud Wherefore Because they do not discerne betwixt the true God and the Idols But this shal be touched afterward Nebuchadnezer doth extol the God of Israel But how doth he know that he is the high God Verely by one token of hys power onely But he despised that which was the principall to vnderstand by the law and the Prophetes who that God was and what was hys wyll So do we sée the glory of God to be maintayned but in one part only and in the meane season that which was the chife in hys worship and in true holynes to be despised and left out The punishment is great that he should be cut in péeces and hys his house made a Iakes which speaketh blasphemy against the God of Israell Where we note that seuerity is not to be condemned where the true worship of God is maintayned euen wyth sleit punishmētes But we must be assured of a true iudgement in the cause But of this also I wyll speake afterward As for that which followeth that there is none other God which can deliuer after this maner it doth confirme that which I touched before that this king did not regard in hys decrée eyther the law of God or any other part of religion but onely that he was moued by this miracle so that he neither could nor would suffer any thing to be spoken in reproch agaynst the God of Israell Wherfore thys onely thyng is worthy blame in this decrée that he doth not enquire nor search who is that God that he may be drawen by a sure perswasion to publish the decrée 30 Then the king promoted Sadrach Mesach and Abednego in the prouince of Babell Thys séemeth to be of small importance yet is it not written in vayne but for thys purpose that we may know that thys miracle was ratified through the whole prouince and countrey when all the Chaldees did know that these thrée men were cast into the fiery fornace which afterward had agayne the kynges power and were restored to theyr former dignitie Seyng thys was done the power of God could not be vnknowen For it was like as if God had sent forth thrée preachers throughout the countrey which should proclaime in euery place how meruelously God had deliuered thē frō death by hys singular benefite Whereby also it myght be vnderstand that all the Gods which were thē worshipped in Chaldea were of no value seyng that great God whose Image the kyng had set vp was despised and yet that thys cōstancy was allowed of the true God which had deliuered hys seruauntes from death ¶ The Prayer GRaunt almighty God seyng thou art knowen vnto vs by the doctrine both of the law and the Gospell and doest vouchsafe dayly to open thy wyll familiarly vnto vs that we may remayne stable and stedfast in the true obedience of that doctrine wherein perfect iustice is manifested vnto vs and that we neuer be moued frō thy worship nor turned away from thy seruice and whatsoeuer commeth vnto vs that we may be ready rather to die a hundreth deathes then to turne from the true profession of thy religion in the which we know that our saluation consisteth that so we may glorifie thy name that we may be partakers of that glory which is purchased vnto vs by the bloud of thyne only begotten Sonne Amen ¶ Chapt. 4. by true diuision for here beginneth the preface to the proclamation 31 Nebuchadnezer king vnto all people nations and languages that dwell in all the world peace be multiplied vnto you 32 I thought it good to declare the signes and wonders that the hye God hath wrought toward me 33 How great are his signes and how mighty are his wonders his kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and his dominion is from generation to generation Daniel doth first speake here in the kinges person afterward he declareth what came to the king But it may seme strange that Daniel sometimes bringeth in the king of Babylon speaking then speaketh he in his owne person and afterward bringeth in the king speaking him selfe Howbeit seing this varietie doth neither obscure the sense nor make it doubtfull we ought not to be troubled therewith The summe of this chapter is Because that Nebuchadnezer was playnly taught that the only God of Israell was to be worshipped and he was compelled to confesse this for a space yet because he departed not from hys supersticions yea and what so euer he had conceiued of the true God it rested not in his hart but vanished away by and by therefore is he worthely punished like a beast for so great ingratitude God would haue him to be more and more blinded as he vseth to doo with the reprobate and sometimes with the elect also When they will runne from sinne to sinne God lowseth them the reyne till they cast them selues down headlong Afterward eyther he reacheth them his hand or he draweth them backe with hys secret power or bringeth them into order by hys rods and corrections and so humbleth them Thus dyd he with the king of Babylon We will consider the dreame afterward but here we briefely note that the king was admonished that he might perceiue in the end that he had no excuse of his stubbernes and contempt God might worthely in déede haue stricken hym as soone as hee dyd sée that he was not truely conuerted but before God would punish hym so seuerely as we shall sée afterward he would monish hym to proue if there were any hope of repentance And although he dyd séeme to receiue that thing with great modesty that God declared by the dreame and Daniel dyd interpretate vnto hym yet dyd he professe with hys toung that which he had not in his hart And thys thing is manifest because that where he ought to haue trembled to haue bene carefull and to take héede vnto him selfe yet ceased he not from hys pride but boasted him selfe to be a king of kinges Babylon to be the quéene of all the world Because therefore he dyd speake so proudly after he was admonished by the prophet we perceiue that the dreame dyd nothing profit hym But God by this meanes would make hym more inexcusable Agayne although no fruite therof did straight wayes appeare yet by long processe of time when God touched his hart he did know more playnely that this punishment was sent vnto him of god Therefore was this dreame an entrey and as it were a preparatiue to repentance And lyke as the séede semeth to putrify in the earth before it bring forth his fruite so also
they did know that he was the executor of Gods iust iudgement and also that he was their gouernour and must be holden in the stead of their lawfull kyng Seyng then that Daniel was gently intreated of the king and was by the law of warre made an exile it was his part to kepe fidelitie vnto his kyng although he did exercise tyranny agaynst the people of god This was the cause why he conceiued such sorow by the grysely vision Some thinke that hee was rauished in spirite but me thinke that this doth better agrée For he doth not simply say that he was astonished but also that he was troubled afrayde in his owne cogitations Yet this is to be noted that the Prophetes were straungely moued when God did pronounce his iudgementes by them Therfore so oft as God ordeined his Prophetes to publish great calamities they were moued with diuerse affections For of the one part they pitied mans miseries whose destructions they did sée draw neare yet did they pronoūce boldly that which was commaunded them of God so that sorow did neuer let them but that they did their office boldely and constantly And we may sée both these thinges in Daniel Wherfore this was of good affection that he so sorowed for the kyng that he was speachles almost an houre And whereas the kyng biddeth him be of good courage and forbiddeth him to feare here do we sée painted the careles security of thē which haue not yet perceaued Gods iudgement and vengeance The Prophet is afraide and yet is he without all daunger For God doth not manace him in any pointe but contrary the punishment which hee séeth appointed for the kyng geueth him some hope of the deliueraunce to draw neare Why is he thē afrayde Forsoth the faithfull euen whē God spareth thē and sheweth him selfe mercyfull vnto thē yet can they not consider his iudgementes without feare because they do know that they are also gilty of the same and worthy of the same punishmentes but that God dealeth more mercyfully with them Agayny they neuer put of mās affections and so pitie compelleth them to lament whē they sée the wicked destroyed or their vengeance draw neare For these two causes are they in heauines and sorow But the wicked although God do openly sommon them and set his punishmentes before them are nothing moued but stand amased and either do deride his power openly or count his threatnynges fables whiles they be clapt in the neckes Such an example the Prophete setteth vs forth to be séene in the king of Babylon who saith Beltsazar be not afrayde Let neither the dreame nor the interpretation thereof feare thee Yet Daniel was afrayde for his sake But as I sayd before the faithfull although they perceiue God to be mercyfull yet do they feare the wicked so long as they rest in their securitie are not moued nor troubled with any threatnynges Daniel adioyneth the cause of his sorow My Lord sayth he let this dreame be to thyne enemyes and the interpretation therof to thyne aduersaries Here Daniel declareth why he was amased euen because he desired such a horrible punishment to be turned away from the kinges person For although he might worthyly haue abhorred him yet he did reuerence the power that was geuen him of god Let vs learne then by the example of this Prophet to pray for our enemies and chiefly to pray for kynges though they be tyrantes if God hath geuen vs into their handes For although they be vnworthy of any prayer or any office of humanitie yet because they are set ouer vs not without Gods expresse pleasure let vs beare their yoke patiently not onely for wrath as Paul admonisheth but euen for conscience sake Otherwyse we are not onely rebellious vnto them but vnto god Howbeit of the contrary part Daniel declareth that he is not so ouercome with any affectiō of pity but that he will go forward in his office and vocatiō and sayth 17 The tree that thou sawest which was great and mighty whose height reached vnto heauen and the sight therof through all the world 18 Whose leaues were fayre and the fruite therof much in it was meat for all vnder the which the beastes of the field dwelt and vppon whose braunches the foules of the heauen did sit 19 It is thou O kyng thou art great and mighty for thy greatnes is growen and reacheth vnto heauen and thy dominion to the endes of the earth Here we do sée as I haue touched that Daniel did sée his duety to the kyng that he dyd not forget his propheticall office but boldly executed Gods commaundement And this diuersitie is to be noted for there is nothyng more hard to the Ministers of Gods word thē to kepe this mediocritie For some vnder the pretense of zele do thunder and forget that they are men breathyng forth nothyng but onely bitternes shewyng no signe of beneuolēce So commeth it to passe that their wordes are of none authoritie their admonitions are abhorred So make they the word of God to be lothed and euill spoken of when they go about to terrifie men so rigorously without any signe of compassion or sorow for them Others which are cowardly or rather which are deceitfull flatterers and bury with silēce most great and greuous sinnes do alwayes pretend that neither the Prophetes nor the Apostles were so feruent that they cast of all humane affections Thus do they delite miserable men and destroy them with their flatteries But our Prophet as all the others do the like sheweth here a meane way which the seruaunts of God must hold and kepe So Ieremy conceiueth sorow and grief of hart by his heauy and greuous prophecies and yet doth he not turne frō bold rebuking and most greuous threatnynges for both were godly So do all the rest for this many tymes is séene in the Prophetes Daniel therfore of the one part pitieth the kyng of the other because he knoweth that he is the preacher of Gods vēgeance he is not afrayde for any daunger but setteth forth boldly vnto the kyng that punishment that he had despised Hereby also do we collect that he was astonished because hee feared the tyraunt as many dare not mute nor once opē their lippes when a message that may bréede hatred is committed vnto them or that may styrre the wicked to rage But Daniel was not stricken with any such feare but onely because he desired that God would deale mercyfully with hys Prince For he sayth here Thou art that king He speaketh not doubtfully neither by circumstances neither doth hée bring it in obscurely and darkely nor yet vse many excuses but with open mouth he doth pronounce kyng Nebuchadnezer to be signified by that trée that he had séene 20 Whereas the kyng saw a watchman and an holy one that came downe from heauē and sayd Hew downe the tree and destroy it yet leaue the stumpe of the rootes therof in the earth and with a
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
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
not in vayne that Daniel sayth that he dyd fall vppon his knees as oft as hee would pray vnto God. Now where he sayth that hee prayed and confessed or praysed God this is diligently to be noted because many do murmure agaynst God in their prayers For although they pray for this or that earnestly yet are they caried with such immoderate vehemency that they murmure agaynst God as I haue said in their prayers vnlesse God straight wayes graunt their requestes This is the cause why Daniel ioyneth prayses or thankesgeuyng with prayer euen as Paul also doth exhort vs to both twaine Let your prayers sayth he be knowen vnto God with thankesgeuyng As though he should say that we cā not make prayers and petitions before God aright vnlesse we blesse his holy name although he do not geue vs straight wayes our requestes And the circumstance is to be noted in Daniel He had bene an exile a long tyme and had bene tossed with many and greuous stormes yet doth he celebrate the prayses of god Which of vs can be so armed with pacience that he will prayse God if he be vexed with great griefes and troubles but thrée or foure yeares Yea scarce one day passeth ouer wherin our desires do not so boyle that some murmuring breaketh forth agaynst god Seyng Daniel then could perseuere in praysing God whereas he was yet oppressed with so many griefes sorowes distresses this was a notable signe of inuincible patience And without doubt hee signifieth a continuall action where he putteth that pronowne demonstratiue dena which is referred to hys ordinary vsage as hee dyd before of old tyme. When he noteth the tyme he noteth as I haue sayd a continuance so that he vsed not to pray once or twise but continually euery day he exercised him self in this godly exercise 11 Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication vnto his God. Here do the nobles of Darius bewray their craft whiles they do watch Daniel and that with mutuall cōspiracy For they had none other cause that moued them to make that decrée but to draw Daniel vnto death Therfore they assemble them selues together and finde Daniel praying and makyng supplication before his god If Daniel had prayed priuely he had not bene in daunger of those traynes but he dyd not doubt to offer hym selfe vnto death for hee knew to what ende the decrée was made and he knew that the nobles would come We sée therfore how he went willyngly to death and that for none other cause but that he might reteine the true worshyp of God euen in outward profession Let them go now which will cloke their treason whyles they pretend that men may not rashly cast them selues into daunger and that seyng wicked men lye in wayte for them on euery side they are ware therfore that they do not vnaduisedly cast their lyues away For Daniel by their reason were to be blamed of to much simplicitie and foolishnes because he went into knowne daunger wittingly and willingly Howbeit as we haue sayd he could not haue escaped this daunger but he should after a sort haue fallen from god For straight way they would haue cast him in the téeth Wherfore doest thou leaue of from thy wōted maner why shuttest thou the wyndowes why darest thou not boldly pray to thy GOD It appeareth euidently that thou doest more esteme the kyng then the reuerence and feare of god Therfore Daniel because the honour of God should so haue bene diminished offereth him selfe as a sacrifice vnto death willingly as we haue sayd We are taught also by this exāple that there be traynes prepared for the children of God continually how circumspectly and modestly soeuer they behaue and order them selues But they must behaue them selues so wisely that in the meane season they be not ouer crafty or to much carefull that is that they do not so much prouide for their securitie that in the meane season they forget what God requireth and how precious his owne name is to him and how necessary the confession of fayth is in place and time 12 So they came and spake vnto the kyng concerning the kinges decree Hast thou not sealed the decree that euery man that shal make request to any God or man within thirty dayes saue to thee O king shal be cast into the denne of Lyōs The king aunswered and sayd the thing is true accordyng to the law of the Medes and Persiās that altereth not Now the nobles of Darius do come as conquerous vnto the kyng but they come vnto him craftely For they do not straight way make mention of Daniel who the knew was beloued of the king but they begin to repete agayne that which they had spoken that the decrée can not be chaunged because the law of the Medes and Persians is inuiolable and can not be altered Wherfore they ratifie this decrée agayne as much as in thē lyeth that the kyng should not afterward be at libertie to chaūge it or be bold to call backe that which he had cōmaunded Wherfore this craft is to be noted how cunningly they compasse the kyng and snare him that he should haue no libertie to call backe his word They come therfore and treate of the kinges decrée They speake neuer a word of Daniel but begin to talke of the kings decrée that they may haue yet more sure hold of the kyng It foloweth That the king aunswered the thyng is true Here do we sée how much kynges set by the prayse of constancy but they do not discerne betwixt constancy and obstinacy For kinges ought so to stand to their decrées that yet they should not be ashamed to retract and call backe that thyng which they haue vnaduisedly published If any thing therefore do escape them without aduisement wisedome and iustice doth require this that they should correct their errour But when as all regarde of iustice set apart they will haue all things to remaine inuiolable whatsoeuer they haue vnwisely decréed this is extreme foolishnes and they ought not in such case to pretend constancy for it is a proud obstinacy as we haue sayd ¶ The Prayer GRaunt almighty God seing thou hast purchased vs by the precious bloud of thine owne sonne that we should not be in our owne power but that we should be geuen wholy vnto thy faythfull seruice that we may study and endeuour our selues to consecrate our selues wholy vnto thee and to offer our selues in body and soule so vnto thy seruice that we may be ready rather to suffer an hundreth deathes thē to fayle from the true and pure worship of thy maiesty and especially that we may so exercise our selues in prayer that we may flye vnto thee euery moment and yelde vp our selues vnto thy fatherly care that thou mayst gouerne vs by thy spirite defend vs and strengthen vs vnto the end whiles that we be gathered into that heauenly kyngdome which thy onely begotten sonne hath
power of God were to be doubted of If he should haue sayd hath God deliuered thée this had bene tolerable For God is not bounde by any law to deliuer his seruaūtes alway frō death as it is well enough knowne but that is in his hād whether he will do it or no. Therfore whē he leaueth his seruaūtes to the lust of the wicked his power is not therfore diminished because it hangeth of his mere will whether he will deliuer them But as concerning his power it ought in no wise to bee called into doubt Therfore we sée that Darius was neuer truely conuerted for he knew nothing distinctly of the true and onely God but was taken with a blinde feare whereby whether he would or not he was compelled to geue the chief honour vnto the God of Israel But this was not a willyng confession but rather forced 21 Then said Daniel vnto the king O king liue for euer 22 My God hath sent his Angell and hath shut the Lyons mouthes that they haue not hurt me for my iustice was found out before him and vnto thee O kyng I haue done no hurt Here Daniel aunswereth the kyng modestly and gently and yet by hys commaundement hee was cast into the denne Hee might worthely haue bene angry and haue chidden with hym for that hee was so wickedly forsaken For kyng Darius had tried him a faithfull seruaunt he vsed his seruice profitably When hee saw him to be oppressed with vniust sclaunders he did not set him selfe so stoutely as he ought agaynst them yea at the length he beyng ouercome with the threatnynges of hys nobles commaunded Daniel to be cast into the denne Therfore Daniel might as I haue sayd complained of the cruelty and vnfaythfulnes of the king He doth not so but dissembleth this iniury because it was sufficient that the glory of God was made manifest by his deliueraunce For the holy Prophet did séeke no other thyng yea he prayeth for the kyng And although he vse the common maner of speach yet he speaketh with all his harte when he sayth O king liue for euer that is God prolōg thy life and blesse thee for euer Many do lightely vnaduisedly salute their kinges and also their felowes after that sort but there is no doubt but that Daniel wished with all his hart both a long and a happy life vnto the kyng Afterward sayth he My God hath sent his angell and hath shut the mouthes of the Lyons Here we sée playnly by Daniel that the office of helpyng is distributed to the angels but yet so that the whole power remaineth with god Therfore he sayth that he was deliuered by the hand and ministery of the angell but he expresseth that the angell was the minister of his deliueraunce not the author Therfore saith he Jt is God which hath sent his angell We haue sene before that the Chaldees haue spokē some time confusedly when there was any mention made of God for they referred it to many called them the holy Gods. But here Daniel doth ascribe to the onely God his whole and perfect glory neither doth hee set forth a company of Gods as the opinion hath bene alwayes amongest the heathen Therfore he first setteth forth the vnitie of God and afterward he addeth that the angels are ready to helpe his seruauntes but yet they so do it as they were commaunded So the whole prayse of all safetie doth belong to God alone because the angels do not helpe whom they will neither are they moued by their owne will but onely obey Gods commaundement We must note that thing also which foloweth That God dyd stop the mouthes of the Lyons For the Prophet teacheth by these wordes that both Lyons and the most cruell beastes are in Gods power are ruled by his secret bridle so that they do not rage nor do any harme but as God permitteth Let vs therfore know that cruell beastes are therfore hurtfull vnto vs because God would humble our pride In the meane season let vs also know that there is no beast so cruell which can hurt either with téeth or nayle but as farre as God looseth the bridle And this doctrine is very profitable to bee knowne because we tremble at euery light daunger yea at the noyse of the leafe that falleth And because we must needes behold many daungers on euery side for we are set about with an hūdreth deathes we should be vexed with most miserable vnquietnes if we had not this before our eyes that not onely our life is kept of God but that there is nothing that may hurt vs which he doth not direct after to his good will and pleasure And this must also be extended euen to the very deuils reprobrates and wicked persons For we know that the deuill alwayes is diligent to destroy vs and is like a roaryng Lyon. For hee runneth about and seketh for a pray which he may deuour as Peter sayth in his first Epistle We sée also how all the wicked do imagine our destructiō euery moment how furiously they rage against vs But God which can stop the mouthes of the Lyons will also bridle the deuill and all the wicked that they shall not in any wise hurt vs but by his permission Yea experience doth teach vs that the deuill and all the wicked are repressed by his hand For we should perish euery moment but that God by his power turneth away innumerable daungers which hang ouer our heades Let vs therfore know that it is by the singulare benefite of God that we remaine safe euen one day in so great rage and madnes of our enemyes Moreouer Daniel sayth that the Lyons did him no hurt at all because righteousnes before God was founde in him By the which wordes he signifieth that he was therfore preserued because God would maintaine his glory and worshyp which he had commaūded by his law Neither doth the Prophet here proudly extoll his iustice but rather sheweth that he was therefore deliuered because God would testifie by a certaine and euident declaration that that worshyp was allowed for the which Daniel did fight euen vnto death We sée therfore how Daniel referreth all thinges to the setting forth of the true worship of god The summe is that he was the patron of a holy and godly cause and that he was ready to suffer death not by any foolish imagination or sudden motion or confused zeale but because hee was surely persuaded that he worshipped the liuing god Therfore because he was the mainteiner of a holy and godly cause hee sayth that he was preserued This is the summe Hereby we may easily gather how foolish the Papistes are which by this place such like go about to set vp the iustice merites of workes Daniel say they was preserued because iustice was founde in him before God therfore God geueth to euery one according to the merites of his workes But first we must marke the purpose of Daniel For
be drawen forth into the light Yet is there no more wicked pestilēce thē the feare which Herode had as though he would take away earthly dominions from the Monarches which offereth the heauenly kyngdome to euery one of the least and poorest of the people The next is that whiles one doth looke at the doynges of an other their mutuall league doth reteine them all fast bound vnder the yoke of impiety with a deadly knot For if they would earnestly apply their mynde to enquire what is truth and right yea though they would but onely open their eyes the knowledge therof were euident But because this is perceiued vsually for the most part when Christ springeth forth with his Gospell that also great styrres do aryse vnder an honest pretence they cast away the heauenly doctrine to prouide for publike tranquillity I must graunt in deede that such alterations chaunges as do engender publicke disturbance may be iudged odious but God hath great iniury offered vnles we attribute thus much to his power that he can establish the kyngdome of his sonne and assuage all tumultes that boyle forth agaynst him Although heauen and earth should rolle together the worshyp of God is farre more precious then that the least diminishing therof can be recompensed with any ransome How be it they do burden the Gospell with a false sclander which do imagine that it is the matter cause of tumultes and vproares It is true in dede that God doth therein thunder with the vehemency of his word wherby he shaketh the heauen and the earth but whiles the Prophet bryngeth in this sentence to commend the word and to bryng credit therunto that shakyng is blessed and much to be wished And assuredly vnles Gods glory be set aloft in his due place whiles all flesh be humbled and brought downe the pride of men which doth lift vp it selfe agaynst it will neuer giue place but forced and throwne downe by the strong and mighty hand of god And if so be that the earth trembled at the publishyng of the law it is no maruaile if the power and office of the Gospell appeare more glisteryng and glorious Wherfore we ought more louyngly to embrace the Gospell which whiles it rayseth the dead from the helles and openeth the heauēs to them that were vnworthy to lyue vpon the earth it sheweth a straunge power and vertue as though all the elementes dyd agree to our saluation But loe the tumultes and tempestes do spryng forth of an other fountaine because that some tymes the nobility and such as are in hygh honor in the world do not willyngly suffer the yoke of Christ sometymes the foolish multitude spitteth forth what soeuer is for saluation before they haue any taste what it is and part like porkes delite them selues in their filthynes And others as though they were enraged with infernal furies are outragious in slaughters And the deuil doth pricke forth those that he hath wholly to be his slaues with most excessiue fury and outrage to bryng all to hurly burly Hereof commeth the soundyng of the trumpets hereof come battailes and warres whiles that Heliogabalus that Prelate of Rome with hys red and bloudy route and horned beastes rageth so fiercely agaynst Christ and seketh for helpe on euery side of his filthy Clergy the which altogether although it be not fedde in like daynty sort yet doth it eate browys and collaps out of the same pot and many hungry companiōs flye vnto thē to offer their seruice A great number of the iudges which were wōt to stuffe their bellyes with Idolatrous feastes do fight for their kitchyns bellycheare but chiefly the deuill sendeth raylers out of the cloysters of Monkes and Friers and forth of the dennes of dimsicall Doctours who are like bellowes to kindle the fire I do passe ouer the priuy craftes and wicked conspiracies wherof they can be the best witnesses vnto me that are the greatest enemies to Religion I name no man it is enough to haue pointed them with the finger who are but ouer well knowne It is no maruaile though they which depend of the chaungeable state and the diuerse ishue of thynges continue doubtfull in this confused inuasion of so many beastes But they reiect the blame of their infidelity iniustly and wickedly vpon the holy Gospell of Christ Let vs graunt that all hell with the infernall furies do enter into battayle will God sit idle in the heauēs to forsake and betray his owne cause And when he shall stand vp agaynst them can the craftes of men be they neuer so subtill or yet their forces be they neuer so great let God to haue the victory The Pope they say will bryng with hym a long trayne of confederates It is a iust reward of incredulity to tremble at the sounde of the fall of the leafe And what say you vnwise and vnprouident counsaylers let Christ go that no new straungenes do trouble vs Therfore shall you perceaue shortly after this how much better it had bene to haue God mercyfull and despisyng all vayne terrours to rest vpon his protection then to prouoke hym to open warre lest they should offend and displease the euill and wicked spirites Surely when all thynges are examined to the vttermost by the Popes defenders the superstition which hetherto hath reigned is none other but an euill thyng well and cunnyngly layd vp and placed which they thinke ought not to be styrred because it semeth that it can not be touched without some losse and detriment But vnto them which desire Gods glory and which are setled in true Religion there must be a farre contrary purpose that is that they do so offer their labours vnto God that they commit all the ishues therof to his prouidence who if he had promised nothyng vnto vs peraduenture there might be some iust cause to feare and continually to doubt but seing that he hath so oft testified that hys assistance shall neuer fayle in the settyng forth of the kyngdome of his Christ it is the onely way to do well to settle our selues in this confidence Now it is your partes good brethren as farre as euery mans power and office shall lead hym to be carefull with all his harte that true Religion may recouer hys pure and perfect state I nede not to rehearse how diligently hetherto I haue endeuored my selfe to cut of all occasions of tumultes so that I haue the aungels and you all my witnesses before the hye iudge that the faulte was not in me that the kyngdome of Christ hath not had a peaceable procedyng without any hinderance and I suppose that my diligence hath somethyng profited that priuate men should not passe theyr boundes Now although God by his merueilous power hath spread the restoryng of the Church farther then I durst hope for it yet is it mete to remember what Christ commaundeth his scholers euen to possesse their soules in patience Vnto the which purpose also the vision
worshyp of God but also to offer our selues wholly vnto hym that we may be holy both in body and soule as Paul admonisheth vs And by the pronenes of this people to Idolatry we haue cause to consider our corrupt inclination how easily at the commaundement of authoritie we may bee ouerthrowen Which ought to admonish vs that we labour to know Gods word and to reteine our selues with in the boundes therof neuer to shrinke therefrom what so euer commaundement come to the contrary and though an hundreth deathes should folow it ¶ The Prayer GRaunt almighty God because we wander alwayes so miserably in our owne cogitations that if we do attēpt to worship thee at any time by our own phantasies we do nothyng els but prophane and pollute the true and pure worship of thy maiesty agayne we are so easily drawne away to wicked superstitions as may be Graūt therfore that we may remaine in the pure obedience of thy word that we neuer turne this way nor that way therefrom And furnish thou vs we besech thee with the inuincible strēgth of thy spirit that we neuer geue place to any terrors or manaces of men but that we may remaine in the reuerence of thy name to the end and how soeuer the world do rage after their deuilish errors that yet we neuer faile frō the right way but cōtinue in the right course vnto the which thou callest vs whiles our race beyng ended wee may come to that blessed rest which is layd vp for vs in the heauens through Iesus Christ our Lord. 2 Then Nebuchadnezer the king sent forth to gather together the nobles the princes and the dukes the iudges the receiuers the counsellers the officers and all the gouerners of the prouinces that they should come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezer the king had set vp 3 So the nobles Princes and Dukes the Iudges the Receiuers the Counsellers the Officers and all the Gouerners of the Prouinces were assembled vnto the dedicatyng of the Image that Nebuchadnezer the kyng had set vp and they stode before the Image which Nebuchadnezer had set vp 4 Then an herald cryed aloud Be it knowne to you o people nations and langages 5 That when ye heare the sound of the cornet trumpet harpe sackebut psalteries dulcimer and all instrumentes of musicke ye fall downe and worship the golden image which Nebuchadnezer the king hath set vp 6 And who so euer falleth not downe and worshippeth shall the same houre be cast into the midest of an hote fiery fornace 7 Therefore assone as all the people heard the sound of the cornet trumpet harpe sackebut psalterie all instrumentes of musicke all the people nations and languages fell downe and worshypped the golden Image that Nebuchadnezer the kyng had set vp 8 By reason whereof at that same tyme came men of the Chaldeans and greuously accused the Iewes Although their purpose is not heare expressed that accused Sadrach Mesach and Abednego yet of the end by probable coniecture we do gather that this was done of a set purpose when the kyng set vp the golden Image For we do sée how they were obserued and marked amongest so great a multitude And as was sayd before it semeth that Nebuchadnezer dyd folow the commune policie of kyngs For though they presumptuously despise God yet do they arme them selues with Religion to establish their power and for this purpose onely do they dissemble some kynde of Religion to containe the people in obedience Whereas then the Iewes were mixed with the Chaldees and Assirians the kynges policie was to preuent all controuersies and therefore doth he set vp this Image in a famous place that it might bee a proufe and a triall whether the Iewes would ioyne them selues to the rites of the Babilonians And this place may minister some probable coniecture that the kyng was moued hereunto by his counsellers because they were not well content that straunge men of an other nation should be head officers of Babylon who yet were but as slaues for by the law of armes they were taken prisoners Wherefore seyng the Chaldees grudged at this their malice enuy moued them to geue the kyng this counsell For els how commeth it to passe that they so sodainly perceiue that the Iewes namely Sadrach Mesach and Abednego do no worship nor reuerence to the Image Surely it appeareth that they dyd as it were lye in wayt to espy what the Iewes would do and thereby may we gather that they imagined this crafty accusation at the first when as they counselled the kyng to make this Image And that with clamor and tumult they do accuse the Iewes hereby do we perceiue that their mindes were full of enuy and hatred It might be sayd that they were styrred with zele as superstitious men would haue all other bound to their madnes as also cruelty foloweth such foolish zele alwayes but here it is euident that enuy onely caryed away the Chaldees with such clamors to accuse the Iewes And it is vncertaine whether they speake of the whole nation that is to say of all the exiles generally or of these thrée onely This is probable and lykely that they dyd restrayne their accusation to these thrée For if these thrée had bene brought down they would easily haue conquered the rest For few would haue bene found so constant amongest all the people It is very lyke therfore that these outrageous cryers do assayle those whō they compted most bold constant and so labour to bryng them down from that hygh dignitie in the which they could not abide to behold them Here may it bee demaunded why they spared Daniel when it is not lyke that hee would dissemble any thyng at all when the kyng commaunded the Image to be worshypped which he had set vp It may be that they absteined frō Daniel for a tyme whom they knew to be in the kynges fauour that they dyd accuse these thrée which might more easily and with lesse labour be oppressed I suppose that this craft moued them that they dyd not name Daniel together with these thrée lest peraduenture the fauour that he was in should mitigate the kynges wrath Now foloweth the forme of their accusation O King Liue thou for euer That was their common salutation It is added afterward Thou O king for vehemency as though they should say thou of thy kyngly maiesty hast made a decree that who so euer should heare the voyce of the Trumpet Harpe Pipe and other instrumentes of musike hee should fall downe before the golden Image and who so euer refused thys should be cast into the fornace of flaming fire But here are Iewes whom thou hast set ouer the charge of the prouince of Babylon This they put to in despite to charge them with ingratitude that they being brought to so great honor by the king should despise the kinges commaundement and intice others by theyr ensample to like
did yet holde this principle that God vseth the ministery of his Angels to saue hys And thys moued Nebuchadnezer to say that an Angell was sent from God to delyuer hys seruauntes Then he addeth Which trusted in hym Which is also to be noted for it is added as the cause why these thrée were so meruelously deliuered because they put their trust in god And although Nebuchadnezer was but almost like a stock or a blocke concerning the doctrine of fayth yet God would teach vs by this stone or blocke and make vs ashamed and lay vnto our charge the want of fayth which causeth that we can not commit our liues to Gods will and boldly vndertake all daungers whē néede requireth For if we were fully perswaded that God is the kéeper of our life surely no manaces no threatninges no terrours no nor finally any deathes could stoppe vs from goyng forward in our office But infidelitie and distrust in God is the cause of our slouthfulnes and so often as we turne forth of the way so often as we defraude God of hys honor so often as we faile traiterously the want of our fayth doth vtter it selfe and may as it were be palpably felt and séene Let vs learne thē if we wil haue our life defended with the hand of God to geue our selues wholy vnto him for he wyll neuer deceaue vs if that we rest in him We do sée that Sadrach Mesach and Abednego were vncertaine of the end yet this could not diminish nor abate their hope and confidence in God for they vsed this Dilemna standing of two partes either God will deliuer vs from the fiery fornace or if we die he wyll saue vs after a farre better sorte for he will gather vs into hys kingdome Although then they durst not promise themselues the thing that they knew not yet they layd vp their liues in the hand and protection of god Wherefore they are worthely commended by Nebuchadnezer that they trusted in theyr God. Afterward he sayth that they chaunged the kinges decree that is to say that they did not regard it but rather did disanull it as hauing greater authoritie For who so setleth hymself vpō God he easely despiseth all mortall mē and all the glory hautines in all the world And this sentence is worthy to be noted that fayth is first layd for the foundation thē the magnanimitie boldnes constancy wherewith Sadrach Mesach and Abednego were endued because that whosoeuer resteth vpon God he can neuer be turned away from doyng his office and though neuer so many daungers be offered yet shall he be caried a loft thorow all by the wynges of hys fayth So that he which knoweth that God standeth of his side is aboue all the world that he neyther is astonished at the scepters and crownes of kings nor feareth their power but ouercommeth all hautines in the earth that shall stand against him and will neuer turne backe from hys right course He sayth afterward that they gaue theyr bodyes lest they should worship any but theyr owne God. Many that boast thēselues Christians now a dayes would ouerthrow and disalow that thing which thys wicked king is compelled to prayse in these thrée persons For they do imagine that fayth cā be buried in the hart and bring forth no fruit of confession There is no doubt but that God wyll haue al these thynges rehearsed by hys Prophet that theyr craftines may be detestable vnto vs which would defraud God of his lawfull honor and yet would as it were stoppe hys eyes that he should not espy the iniury that is done vnto hym Such are vnworthy to be reproued by the wrod of God and Nebuchadnezer is here set theyr mayster theyr correcter and theyr iudge Thys also must be noted that Nebuchadnezer doth prayse these thrée men because they refused to worship any God but theyr owne god And why then did he mingle his multitudes of God for he departed not from hys errors to geue hymselfe wholy to the God of Israell and to embrace hys true worship Why doth he prayse that in others which he himselfe doth not folow But this is a thyng ouer common For we sée that vertue is praysed and yet goeth coldly forward For many thinke it sufficient with theyr lyppes and toungs to do their office Howbeit though Nebuchadnezer dyd séeme to hymselfe to speake earnestly yet dyd he not consider hymself and so thys tooke away the whole pretence of all excuse For he could not afterward pretend ignoraunce and error when he wyth hys owne mouth had affirmed that none other God was to be worshipped Let them therefore now be ashamed which will be called Christians vnles they be frée from all wicked superstitions and consecrate themselues wholy vnto God and retayne hys pure worship Thys is also to be considered that the kyng Nebuchadnezer did not simply prayse the constancy of these thrée men because they do not worship euery God but also do acknowledge the God of Israell to be the true god Whereupon it followeth that all other were fayned and mere vanity But he spake thys wythout aduisement for God had not lyuely touched hys hart as he vseth to worke in hys elect whom he doth regenerate 29 Therefore I make a decree that euery people nation and language which speake any blasphemy agaynst the God of Sadrach Mesach and Abednego shal be drawen in peeces and their houses shal be made a iakes because there is no God that can deliuer after this sorte Here Nebuchadnezer is pushed further forward for I must use thys worde because he doth not receaue the worship of the true God in hys hart to forsake his errors as I haue sayd It is therefore as though God did thrust hym forth by force to publish thys decrée The decrée in déede of it selfe is commendable and Godly but Nebuchadnezer was caryed wyth a blynde and suddayne motion because Godlines had taken no roote in hys hart Therefore is he alway onely beholding the miracle So is hys fayth partilar and also the feare of God in hym was fruitles Why then doth Nebuchadnezer séeme to be a patrone of Gods glory Verely because he was afraid by the miracle Wherefore beyng not otherwayse moued he could not be retayned in the reuerence of one god Finally thys zeale that he pretendeth is nothyng els but a motion that easely vanisheth And thys is profitable to be noted For we sée many caried wyth a vehement zeale to set forth Gods glory but because they want knowledge and iudgement thys can not be counted prayse worthy And many also do much more wickedly as we sée in Popery where many proclamations of kynges and Princes flie abroad If a man aske thē what maketh them so hote and feruent that they spare not mans bloud forsooth they pretēd a zeale of God but it is a mere raging madnes where true knowledge doth not guide it We must consider therefore that no law can be made nor
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
of thy former life be redressed Thou hast lōg enough gone astray For hetherto thou hast wandred without all iudgement whiles thou hast folowed thine vnbridled lust Put an end therfore to thine errour opē thine eyes and vnderstand at the length that thou oughtest to repent This semeth to be the meanyng of the wordes Now for the pointes of the doctrine Daniel doth deale more mildly with this prophane king then if he had preached to his owne countreymen For thē he would haue vsed his propheticall authoritie not haue talked of his owne counsaile But because he did know that the kyng knew not the first principles of Religiō he taketh vpon him the person of a counsailer because he was not an ordinary teacher That Nebuchadnezer had now called him it was not vsuall euery day as though he would submit him selfe to his doctrine Daniel doth therfore consider with what maner of man he had to do when he sayth Let my counsaile be acceptable vnto thee and then doth vtter it in few wordes Breake of thy sinnes or cast them from thée by rightuousnes and thyne iniquities by mercy toward the poore There is no doubt but that Daniel would exhort the kyng to repentance howbeit he doth touch but one kinde as we do know that it is vsuall in the Prophetes For when they call the people home they do not alway comprehend what repentance is neither do they generally describe it but they touch by a figure either the outward declaration therof or some part of it especially wherin men are most fauty Daniel doth so now If thou do aske what is repentance it is the turnyng agayne of man vnto God from whom he was departed And is this conuersion and returnyng onely in the handes and the feete and the tounge Nay it rather begynneth in the hart and then it goeth forth into outward workes True repentaunce then beginneth in the minde of man to wit that he which would be wise in his owne conceit should now renounce his owne wisedome and forsake the foolishe confidence in his own wyt and then that he should subdue his wicked and corrupt affections and submit them vnto God then shall folow the reformation of the life outwardly Howbeit the workes are but testimonies of repentance For repentaunce as I sayd is a thyng more pure and precious then that the roote therof can euidently be séene with mans eye By the fruites therfore do we onely testifie our repentance But because the workes of the second table do as it were open and declare mans mynde what it is therfore the Prophetes often tymes when they require repentance do onely set forth the workes of charitie as Daniel here doth Breake of thy sinnes sayth he with righteousnes When men do sée that they are called to repentaunce and amendment of lyfe they do fayne vnto themselues many prety kindes of seruice which yet are not worthy to be accompted Gods seruice because they do not regard what doth please God neyther yet what he commaūdeth by his word but as they themselues do allow thys or that they do wythout regarde obtrude it vnto God as we do sée in Popery For what call they an holy and iust lyfe amōgest them To trot hether and thether to vow and go pilgrimages then to set vp some Image to found some Masses to fast thys or that day and to heap vp such a sort of fond toyes of the which God hath neuer spoken one word Because therefore that mē do so farre so grosly wander a stray in the knowledge of true iustice the Prophet doth here ioyne the name of mercy as an exposition as though he should say Do not thinke that God is pleased wyth outward pomps shewes which do please men as they are carnall and addicte to earthly thynges and therefore do they wickedly esteme God after theyr owne disposition Let not thys vanity therefore begile thée but know thou that true iustice standeth in compassion toward the poore Also in this second member the part is named for the whole by a figure called Sinecdoche for true iustice is not restreined to this matter simply but to all the workes of charity We must then deale faythfully wyth all men and neither beguile rich nor poore neyther yet be greuous vnto any but geue vnto euery man that which is hys owne as apperteineth And thys manner of speaking ought to be well known of vs if we be any thyng exercised in the doctrine of the Prophetes How so euer it is Daniel woulde hereby shew vnto the king of Babylon what it is to liue iustly to wytt euen to kéepe fidelity and vpright dealing with men and yet doth he not neglect the first table of the law For the worshyp of God is more precious then all humane iustice that is to say thē any thing that can be done betwixt mā and man Howbeit true iustice declareth it selfe by outward workes and testimonies as is sayd before And he rather speake to of the second table then of the first because the whiles hypocrites do pretēd to worship God by ceremonies and many outward shewes they suffer themselues to liue in all cruelty bribery craft deceit so that they care not how they liue wyth their neighboures Because then that the hypocrites do couer their wickednes vnder thys cloke God doth set forth a touchstone to try them when he calleth them to the workes of charity There may be double vnderstanding of the end of the verse If we retaine the futer tense Behold there shall be a medicine to thyne error it is a confirmation of the doctrine that went before as though he should say thou mayst not deale by long delayes and vayne shiftes that wyll not serue thys is the onely medicine that I tell thee Or if we take it as an exhortation the text wyll go very well Let thys be a medecine to thyne errors that is to say do not folow thy lustes still as thou hast done but open thine eyes and perceaue how miserably thou hast liued and labour to redresse thy former errors Now where the Papistes haue abused thys place to proue that God is pacified with sacrifices it is to foolish and ridiculous if we examine their doctrine For when they wyll define satisfactions they call them the workes of supererogation If a man do that which God hath cōmaunded in hys law yet can he not satisfie for hys sinnes as the Papistes are compelled to confesse What remayneth then Forsooth that we offer more vnto God then he commaundeth Wherefore they call them also opera indebita workes that are not due But Daniel doth not here require of kyng Nebuchadnezer any worke of supererogation but hee requireth iustice afterward declareth that mans lyfe is not ordered by iustice vnlesse humanity and kindnes be amongst vs and especially vnlesse we be mercifull vnto the poore Surely here is no worke of supererogation For wherunto tendeth the law It foloweth the refore that
the instinction of the spirite that they are nothyng that is before God because it commeth to passe none otherwyse that they should extoll them selues so much but that they are blinded in theyr owne darkenes But when they shal be drawne vnto the light they shall know that they are altogether nothing And what so euer we be it hangeth altogether of the grace of God which doth kéepe vs euery moment and doth ioyne vnto vs a new strength Therefore our part is nothing els but to rest and stand stedfast in God because as soone as he draweth backe his hād and the power of his spirite we fade away Therefore we are something that is in the Lord God but we are nothing in our selues Now it followeth that God worketh according to hys will in the army of heauen and in the dwellers vpon earth This might séeme absurde that God is sayd to do as he will as though he had neither moderation nor equity nor rule of iustice But we must marke that which we haue spoken in an other place that men are gouerned by lawes because their willes are peruerse and are caryed hither and thether after their owne lustes without measure but God is a law vnto him selfe because his wil is most perfect iustice Therfore as oft as the Scripture setteth forth vnto vs the power of God and doth commaunde vs to be content therewith it doth not attribute vnto God a tyrannicall Empire as the wicked do falsely imagine But because we do not leaue of to speake agaynst God and do set our reason agaynst his secrete counsailes and so striue with him as though he dyd not that iustly and wisely which is not allowed of vs therfore that the holy ghost might bridle this presūption he doth pronoūce that God doth all things after his owne will. Let vs then remember that when we heare mētion made of God there cā no peruerse nor vniust thyng be layd vnto him his will is not chaunged by any lust but is great iustice Seyng then it is so let vs also remember how great how stubburne and how proude our rashnes is which dare cast and obiect this or that agaynst god Whereof it foloweth that this doctrine is necessary to cast vpon vs a bridle of modestie that God doth all thynges after his owne will as it is sayd in the Psalme our God is in heauen he hath done what soeuer he would Now we do gather by this sentence that nothyng commeth by chaunce but what soeuer commeth to passe in the world commeth by the secrete prouidence of god Neither ought here to be admitted that vnsauery distinction betwixt the sufferaunce of God and his wil. For we sée that the holy ghost which is the best master to teach vs to speake doth here playnly expresse two thinges that is the God worketh he worketh after his owne will. And sufferance as also these curious searchers do say differeth frō wil as though God did graunt as it were agaynst his will that which yet he would not haue done There is nothing more worthy to be laughed at thē to imagine this weakenes to be in god Furthermore the very force of doing is added Therefore saith Nebuchadnezer God doth what he will. And he doth not speake accordyng to the sense of the flesh but by the instinction of the spirite as hath bene sayd He should therfore as well be heard as if a Prophet were sent from heauen Now then we sée that the world is so gouerned by the secrete prouidence of God that nothyng commeth to passe but that which he hath commaunded and decréed and furthermore that hee should also worthily be counted the author of all thynges Where some do obiect a kinde of absurditie that God is therfore the author of sinne if nothing be but by his will yea if he worke it this cauillation is easily put away because there is a diuersitie betwixt the doing of God and the workyng of men For when any man sinneth God after his maner doth worke there but in the meane season he farre differreth from man because he exerciseth his iudgement euen as he is sayd to blinde and to harden When then God doth commaunde the reprobate or the deuil those doth he geue vp to be cast into all kindes of lustes When God then doth so he doth exercise his iudgementes And he which sinneth is worthely giltie neither can he intāgle God in the societie of his wickednes Why For God hath nothyng common with him as concernyng the action of sinne Therefore we see that these thynges which many would haue to disagrée betwixt them selues do well agrée that is that God doth rule by his will what soeuer is done in the world and yet he is not the author of sinne Why For he so vseth the deuill and all the reprobate that he is alway a iust iudge The cause doth not alway appeare vnto vs but we must marke this principle because that with God is all power therfore it is not right to speake agaynst his iudgements what shew of absurditie soeuer they haue And therfore it foloweth in the text There is none that can stay his hand or can say vnto him why hast thou thus done When Nebuchadnezer sayth that the hand of God can not be stayed hereby he derideth the madnes of men which yet do not doubt to rise agaynst god Now let them lift vp their finger if they can to stay his hand and yet beyng ouercome of their infirmitie they go forward in that their rage Therfore Nebuchadnezer doth worthely shew their foolish madnes whiles they lift vp them selues so presumpteously that they would put God to silence or shut him vp in their cages or make some chaynes wherby they may binde hym Seyng then that men do burst forth into such outragious fury they are worthily laughed at And hereto belong the wordes which we read in Daniel Afterward he addeth that none sayth VVhy hast thou done so We know that mens tounges are losed to all wickednes of talke because scarce the hūdreth part of mē doth conteine them selues in this sobrietie to geue the glory vnto God and to confesse that he is iust in hys workes But here Nebuchadnezer did not looke what men were wont to do but what was lawfull Therfore he sayth that God can not be corrected that is by right seyng how soeuer the reprobate do talke yet their vayne talkyng doth fall by it selfe because it hath no ground neither yet any colour The summe is that the will of God should be a law vnto vs because we striue agaynst him in vayne and furthermore because if we permit vnto our selues so much lust if our madnes also do brust forth so farre that we will braul with God this shal be without successe For God hym selfe shal be iustified in his iudgements and so all mens mouthes shal be stopped This is the summe But we must marke that which is added That the will of God is done
him selfe For God would terrify him as we shall sée afterward therefore dyd he set before hym such a spectacle The king then saw peraduenture not the nobles we shall sée afterward that the king was only smittē with feare sauing that other begā to tremble with him For whē they saw hys face changed and that he was ouercome with sorrow they began also to feare although they all studyed to geue some comforth Therefore God would after a sort sommon the wicked king to his iudgement seat when the hand of a man which wrote appeared in his sight ¶ The Prayer GRaunt almighty God seing we are so prone to forgetfulnes that we do ouer gredely folow our lustes and pleasures of the fleshe graunt we besech thee that often times euery one of vs may call hym selfe backe to consider thy iudgementes that we may alwayes walke carefully and warely as in thy sight and that we may so be affrayd of thy iust vengeance that we do not prouoke it by our stubbernes and other vices but that we may so submit and subiect our selues vnto thee that we being raysed vp with thy hand and confirmed may go forward in the holy course of thy vocation whiles at the length thou do rayse vs agayne vnto that heauenly kingdome which is purchased for vs by the bloud of thyne onely begotten sonne Amen 6 Then the kinges countenance was changed and his thoghts troubled him so that the ioyntes of hys loines were loosed and hys knees smote one agaynst the other Here Daniel declareth that the kinges minde was stricken with feare lest any man should suppose that the feare was conceaued without cause And he doth also expresse by many circumstances how the the king was troubled that it might be euident that the cause was not small And it was necessary that he should thus be stricken that all men might vnderstand that God did sit in hys throne as iudge and sommon the king as gilty We haue spokē before and Daniel hath also declared the great pride of the king and hys carelesse securitie hath bene a playne and cleare proofe of the same For whereas the long continued séege ought to haue made him careful he maketh a great feast as if he had had no warre at all Whereby it appeareth that he was ouercome with a dronkenes of mynde that he could not féele hys owne miseries This was the cause therfore why God would waken him and rayse hym out of his deadly dreame because he could not returne neither be called home to a sober mynde by any vsuall meanes Now that he was thus terrified it might séeme to be a good preparation to repentance But the same is set forth vnto vs in hys person which is set forth in Esau For Esau was not onely stricken with sorrow when he saw him selfe refused but he also asked the blessing of hys father with great mourning and lamentation but ouer late The same is now set forth in king Beltsazar But all thinges are to be noted in order Daniel sayth that the kinges countenance was changed furthermore the ioyntes of hys loynes were loosed and he was troubled or terrified in his thoughtes Last of all he addeth that his knees smote one agaynst the other for the word doth properly signifie to rush agaynst The prophet declareth the matter by the signes that is to say that the king Beltsazar was affrayd at the vision whereof mention was made There is no doubt as I sayd before but that he was thus terrified by Gods apoyntment For we know that the reprobate although God doo openly declare that he calleth them to his iudgement seate yet doo they remayne senseles and are nothing affrayd But God would strike the hart of this wicked kyng so that there should be no excuse of ignoraunce And here we may note that God doth by diuerse meanes touch mēs harts I speake not onely of the reprobate but also of the elect For we sée euen very good men to be slacke and slow when God doth sommon them to his iudgement seat Therfore is it necessary that they be compelled with chastisementes for they would neuer come willingly vnto god He can moue their mindes without any violence but he will set forth vnto vs as it were in a glasse how great our slownes and slacknes is for we neuer obey his word but agaynst our willes Wherfore he bringeth downe his owne children by correction when he doth not preuaile by his word alone But as concernyng the reprobate he doth oftē disclose their contumacy For he doth entise them by fayre meanes before hee take vppon him the office of a iudge and when he preuaileth not hereby he threatneth and when threatnynges auayle not or can take no place then doth he sommon them to his iudgement seat As concernyng the kyng of Babylon God had suffered Daniel to kepe silence For the kyngs ingratitude and pride had stopped the way that Daniel could not do the office and part of a teacher as he was willyng The kyng of Babylon therfore lacked a teacher But God sodenly appeared as a iudge by this writyng of the which some thyng is lightly touched and more shal be sayd in place conuenient Howsoeuer it is we do sée that kyng Beltsazar was not onely admonished by an outward signe of his destruction that was at hand but that he was also wakened inwardly to know that he had to do with god For the reprobate do flatter thē selues often times although God shew him selfe to be their iudge But he hath dealt otherwyse with kyng Beltsazar for he would haue him to bee terrified that he might be the more attentiue to read the writyng This terror as I sayd before was a preparation to repentaunce but he fayled in the mid way as we sée many do which tremble at the voyce of God or at the signes of his vengeance as soone as he admonisheth them but they vanish away straight wayes so that they are not taught as they should be Like vnto this is the example of Esau for he despised the grace of God when he heard that hee was depriued of the heritage that was promised from god He counted the blessing therfore but as a fable vntill he perceaued that the matter was executed in dede then began he to lament but altogether in vayne Such was the trouble of kyng Beltsazar For as we shall sée afterward euen when Daniel did expound vnto him the writyng yet was he nothyng moued with this matter but adorned Daniel with royall ornamentes But this was for an other end and purpose For whiles his nobles were moued and the thyng was made open God by this meanes dyd declare his glory and Darius also which tooke the Citie with Cyrus his sonne in law vnderstoode that he got not the victory by his owne power or industry neither that he was so holpen of the two Princes Gobria and Gabatha but all the thyng was done by the prouidēce of god
sayth that he should be the third for many thinke that the Quéene of whō there shal be mention made hereafter was the wife of king Nebuchadnezer and the Grandmother of king Beltsazar 8 Then came all the kinges wysemen but they coulde not read the writing nor shew the kyng the interpretation 9 Then was king Beltsazar greatly troubled and hys countenaunce was changed in him and hys Princes were astonied Here Daniel declareth that the king was deceaued in hys opinion because he trusted that there should be some interpretation of that writing amongst the Mages Astrologiās Chaldees Soothsayers but there was none which could read it Therefore here he is punished for hys ingratitude because hee counted the Prophet of God nothyng whē yet he knew that it was foretold vnto his grandfather that came to passe afterward and that Daniel did alwayes excell in wisedome so that there were proofes both many sure enough of hys calling Because then he had so contemned the incomparable benefite of God here he is destitute of counsayle and he séeth that he called all the Chaldeans and Astrologians in vaine And Daniel sayth that there was none which coulde read the writing or shew the interpretation thereof to the king Because thys séemeth absurde the Hebrue Doctours do labour much herein Other thinke that the letters were set out of order and other thinke that the letters were chaunged and other do suppose that the characters or forme of the letters were chaunged But we haue sayd in an other place that the Iewes are bolde in their diuinations as oft as they haue not a sure reason And we haue no néede of those coniectures for it is probable that the writing was eyther onely set forth to the kyng and was hid from all the Chaldees or els they were so blinded that in séeing they should not sée as God doth also often times shew such astonishment euen vnto the Iewes We sée what he did pronounce by Esay your law shal be as a booke that is shut vp If any man say read thys he will say the booke is sealed I can not or let the booke be opened all ye shal be as it were blynde yea they which do séeme most expert aboue other shall say they are idiots and not to be learned men Therefore that which God threatned to the Iewes and we know was fulfilled in them and is fulfilled at this day because there is a couering cast ouer their eyes as Paul sayth that they should be blinde in the most cleare light what maruell thē is it if the same happē to the Chaldees that they can not read the writing Therefore what nede is there now to cōiecture that the letters were set out of order or written in an other order or some put vnder other that the word Tekel should goe before and then Mene Mene These things bee to vayne Thys is certaine that God would admonish the king of his destruction now at hand also that his minde was troubled not that he would repent but that hys carelesnes should be inexcusable and that whether he would or not he should call for some remedy because he knew he had to do with God. Now as concerning the writing God should not haue bene frée except it had bene in hys wyll to speake sometime with one man alone sometime with more Therefore he would that king Beltsazar should know thys writing In the meane season all the Mages as though they had bene blynd could not read the writing As concerning the interpretation it is no meruaile if they were doubtfull in it For God spake darkly whē he sayth Mene Mene then Tekel that is weighed Peres it is diuided Although those Mages had read these foure wordes an hundreth tymes yet they could neither coniecture nor comprehend in reason what they ment For that was an allegoricall prophecy vntill there was an interpreter ordayned from heauen But forasmuch as belōgeth to those letters there is no meruaile though the eyes of the Mages were shut and closed vp because it pleased God so which would sommon the kyng to hys iudgement as we haue sayd The Prophet sayth that the king was astonished his countenaūce was chaunged hys Princes were also troubled The féeling of the iudgement of God must of necessity encrease lest the thyng should haue bene hid For as we shall sée afterward king Beltsazar hymselfe was slayne in that same night Cyrus entred when the Babylonians feasted and were carelesly geuen to their daintyes and delicates In that same dronkenes thys so notable an example of the iudgement of God might haue bene straight way buryed except it had bene made manifest by many circumstances Therefore the second tyme Daniel repeateth that the king was troubled after that hée saw that there was no counsayle nor helpe in the Mages and Astrologians Also he sayth that hys Princes were astonished because it was not méete that the kyng onely should haue bene troubled but also the whole Court that the fame might not onely spread thorow the Citie but also to other Countreyes because there is no doubt but Cyrus was afterward taught of this prophecy neither would he haue so loued Daniel or treated hym so honorably but that he knew thys thyng 10 Now the Queene by reason of the talke of the kyng and hys Princes came into the banket house and the Queene spake and sayd O kyng lyue for euer let not thy thoughtes trouble thee nor let thy countenaunce be chaunged 11 There is a man in thy kingdome in whom is the spirit of the holy Gods and in the dayes of thy father light and vnderstanding and wisedome lyke the wisedome of the Gods was found in hym whom the kyng Nebuchadnezer thy father the kyng I say thy father made chiefe of the Enchaunters Astrologians Chaldees and Soothsayers Here Daniel declareth by what occasiō he was brought before the kyng that he myght read and interprete the writing He sayth that thys was done by the Quéene Men doubt whether it was the wyfe of kyng Beltsazar or hys grandmother but it is probable that the woman was now olde which speaketh of the tyme of kyng Nebuchadnezer Albeit thys coniecture peraduenture is not very certayne therefore it is better here to suspend the iudgement hereof then to iudge any thyng rashly but that we saw before that hys wyfe satte at the table with him But we must diligently note that which we may surely gather by the wordes of the Prophet that is that the kinges ingratitude is cast him in the téeth that he did not send for Daniel among the Mages Chaldees and Astrologians The holy man would not be counted in that order and he were worthy that God should spoyle hym of his prophetical spirit if he had ioyned him selfe with these deceauers and it easily appeareth that hee was separated from them The kyng Nebuchadnezer had made him ruler ouer all the Mages but he would not vse this honor because
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
the rather endeuour our selues to behaue our selues innocently both towardes thee and towardes men with whom we haue to do that so thy name may be glorified in vs and we beyng defended by thy protection may go forward agaynst the malice of men and howsoeuer Sathan do assaulte vs and the wicked lay snares and like raging beastes rise vp agaynst vs that yet we may remaine safe vnder thy defence yea and though we should suffer an hundreth deathes that we may learne to lyue and to die vnto thee that thy name may be glorified in vs through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen 8 Now O king confirme the decree and seale the writing that it be not chaunged according to the law of the Medes and Persians which altereth not 9 Wherefore kyng Darius sealed the writing and the decree Hereby as I haue sayd it is most manifest how prone the myndes of Princes are to be deluded when they thinke that their authority should be encreased and their honour augmented For the king doth make no long disputation wyth his noble men but signeth the decrée because he supposeth that this shal be profitable for hym and his successors if he might haue the Chaldees so obedient vnto hym that they would be ready rather to deny all their Gods then to refuse any thing that he commaundeth Which shall not be chaunged say they that is to say let the decrée be immoueable after the manner of the Medes and the Persians which altereth not In that he ioyneth the Medes wyth the Persians hereby it appeareth as we haue sayd that Cyrus and Darius did raigne ioyntly together For whereas the greater dignity and honour was graunted vnto Darius as long as he liued yet the power remained with Cyrus and without doubt his children were the heyres of both those kingdomes and of the Monarchy of the East vntill they beganne to fall out betwixt themselues And whereas they do alledge that the law of the Medes and the Persians is immutable this doubtles is commendable in the lawes that their authority should be inuiolable and also that they should haue their force and obtayne their effect for the which they were made For where the lawes are euer chaunged and altered many men must néedes be iniuried for no priuate mans right can be stable and sure but where the law is continually one Agayne where it is permitted to make lawes to take away lawes there in the stead of equity succéedeth tyranny lust for law For they which haue this authority beyng corrupt by money wyll now pronoūce one law now an other So shall there be no equity where there is such liberty to alter lawes at will. Howbeit thys must of necessity be warely cōsidered first that kinges make no law nor proclamation without great aduise and long deliberation secondly they must take héede vnto them selues that they be not circumuented and deceaued by craft and cunning fetches as it cōmeth many tymes to passe Wherefore constancy is commendable and prayse worthy in kings and Princes so that wisdome and iustice do go before But straight way we shall sée how foolishly kynges would haue the name of constancy and by their pride peruert all equity 10 Now when Daniel vnderstoode that he had sealed the writing he went into hys house and hys window beyng open in his chamber toward Ierusalem he kneled vpon his knees three times a day and prayed and praysed God as he did before tyme. Now Daniel declareth that he was endued with the strength of the spirit of God that he might offer hys life vnto God as a sacrifice because he knew that there was no hope of pardon left hym if he had bene found to haue violated the kinges cōmaundement He knew also that the king hymselfe should not be frée although he would pardon him euen as it came to passe afterward Seing then that death was before the Prophetes eyes he had rather go vnto it willingly then cease from his duty in religion We must note that here is nothing spoken of the inward worshipping of God but of the outward profession If Daniel had bene forbidden to pray this fortitude might séeme to be necessary wherewith he was endued but now many may thinke that he was in ieoperdy without any great cause whē he dyd set himself forth to death whereas he was onely restrayned frō the outward profession But because Daniel doth not here declare his owne vertue but the spirit speaketh by his mouth we must marke that this boldnes of minde pleased God in the holy Prophet and his deliuerance doth declare how greatly his Godly fact was allowed in that he had rather to renoūce his owne life then to chaunge any thing of his vsuall custome in seruing of god We do know that this is the chiefe sacrifice which God requireth euen to pray vnto god For we do testify thereby that he is the author and geuer of all good thinges vnto vs and agayne we do geue a testimony of our fayth whiles we flie vnto hym and cast all our cares into hys bosome and do offer vnto hym our requestes and desires Seing therefore that prayer hath the chiefe office in the worship and seruice of God doubtles it was of no small importance that the king forbad that any man should pray vnto God for this was a manifest ouer grosse deniall of religion And hereby do we gather agayne how blinde the pride of thys kyng was whiles he could subscribe vnto their wicked and filthy decrée againe how greatly the nobles raged who that they might destroy Daniel went about as much as in them lay to destroy all religion and to plucke downe God from heauen For what remayneth when men thinke that they can want the helpe of God and so haue no care of God at all We know that vnlesse God do strengthen vs euery moment wyth hys power we are easily brought to nought When the king then did forbid all manner of prayer for a whole moneth this was as I haue sayd to require of euery man to deny god Therefore Daniel could not obey the decrée without great iniury vnto God and falling from religion because this prayer is the chiefe sacrifice that God requireth Wherefore it is no meruaile though Daniel did boldly stand against thys cursed decrée And concerning hys profession it was necessary that he should testify before mē that he did stand stedfastly in the worship of god For if he had chaunged any thing of hys vsuall order it had bene after a sort a deniall of his religion He had not publikely pronounced that he contemned God for Darius pleasure but the very chaunge had bene a signe of a traiterous defection and faythles falling from god But we know that God doth not onely require the fayth of the hart and the inward affection but also the testimony and profession of our religion Wherfore it was his duty vnlesse he would haue bene a shamefull apostata to continue in that holy
purchased wyth hys bloud Amen We beganne to declare the false accusation of Daniel wherewith he was accused vnto king Darius The nobles of the kingdome as I haue sayd came craftely vnto the king For if they had begonne wih Daniel the king might haue broken of their communication but they speake of the kinges decrées they declare what daunger may come vnlesse all the kinges proceedinges be obeyed and by this subtilty we perceaue that they obtayned their purpose For the king confirmeth that which they had spokē to wit that it was not lawfull to disanull any thing which was published in the kinges name For kinges flatter themselues in their dignity and whatsoeuer pleaseth them they will haue it to be coūted for an heauenly oracle That decree was wicked and detestable wherein Darius did forbid any thing to be asked of God yet will hee haue this to remayne stable lest his maiestie should decay amongest his subiectes In the meane season he doth not consider what may folow thereof Wherefore we are taught by this example that there is no vertue so rare in kynges as modesty and yet that no vertue is more necessary For the more authority that they haue the more it becommeth them to take héede that they folow not their owne lust and pride neither that they thinke it lawfull whatsoeuer it pleaseth them to decrée 13 Then aūswered they and sayd vnto the king this Daniel which is of the children of the captiuity of Iudah regardeth not thee O king nor the decree that thou hast sealed but maketh hys petition three tymes a day Now whē these false accusers do sée that the kyng is not at liberty to defend Daniels cause they open more plainely that which they kept close before For if they had begonne at Daniel their accusation might straight way either haue bene reproued or aunswered But after that thys sentence was gotten out of the kinges mouth that the word should stand stable that the kinges decrees according to the law of the Persians and Medes should haue theyr force whē thys is done then come they to the person himselfe Daniel say they who is one of the captiues of Iuda doth not care for thee nor for the law that thou hast made When they say that Daniel is one of the captiues of Iuda there is no doubt but that they do it in despite thereby to amplify the crime For if any of the Chaldees durst haue despised the kinges decrée hys rash boldnes could not haue bene excused But now whē Daniel who was of late a seruaunt and a captiue amongest the Chaldees dare despise the kynges commaundement who by right of armes and cōquest was Lord ouer all Chaldea that séemeth to be more intolerable It is therfore as if they should say thys felow was of late a captiue vnto thy seruauntes thou art now the Lord ouer these countreyes and the Lordes vnto whom he was subiect are now vnder thy bōdage because thou art a conqueror ouer them and sée thys captiue thys straunger thys aliant thys slaue by condition sheweth hys pride agaynst thée We sée then how they laboured to stirre vp the kynges mynde by thys circumstance when they say that he is one of the captiues Now their oration is not simple but they labour by all meanes to stirre the king and kindle his wrath against Daniel He regarded not thee O king that is to say he did not regard who thou wast so thy maiesty was despised of him Nor the decree which thou hast sealed Thys is an other amplification Therefore Daniel did neither regard thee nor thy law and wilt thou suffer thys At the length they rehearse the very fact that is that he prayeth thrise euery day Thys had bene the simple and playne declaratiō of the matter Daniel did not obey thy commaundemēt for he prayed vnto his god But as I haue sayd they amplify the crime whiles they accuse hym of pride contempt and stubberne obstinacy We sée then by what crafty fetches Daniel was oppressed by his aduersaries 14 When the kyng heard these wordes he was sore displeased wyth hymselfe and set hys hart on Daniel to deliuer hym and he laboured til the sunne went downe to deliuer him 15 Then these men assembled vnto the king and sayd vnto the king vnderstand O king that the law of the Medes and Persians is that no decree nor statute which the kyng confirmeth may be altered Daniel doth rehearse first that the king was troubled when he knew the malice of his nobles which before he knew not For he did not consider what their purpose was or what they went about Now he séeth that he is deceaued and intāgled therfore is he troubled Hereby we are taught agayne how much kinges ought to take héede of wicked counsayle because they are set about on euery side by wicked men who purpose no other thing thē eyther to get gaine by false accusations or els to oppresse sometymes their enemyes sometime those of whom they looke for some pray and sometyme to fauour wicked causes Seyng then that kings are compassed about with so many traines they must be so much the more diligent to take héede of their subtilties For in the end they know that they are deceaued whē now there is no remedy partly because they feare their owne estate partly because they haue such regard to their honor and credit and had rather offend GOD then that men should note them of any lightnes or vnconstancy Because therefore that kynges haue such regard to their honor it commeth thus to passe that they will go forward with thinges euill begonne although their owne conscience reproue them and although equitie and iustice stand neuer so cleare before their eyes yet this can not be a bridle strong enough when ambition doth cary them a contrary way and they cā not abide their name to be any whit impared before men Such an example is set forth here vnto vs in Darius For first it is sayd that he was heauy when he heard the matter and that he was carefull vnto the setting of the Sunne how he might deliuer Daniel from death He was desirous of thys in déede if his honor and estimation might haue stand safe sound and also if the nobles had bene pleased But whereas of the one side he feared daunger lest the conspiracy of the Princes might bréede some trouble and of the other side he was moued wyth a foolish shamefastnes because he could not abide the reproch of inconstancy which he feared this is the cause that he being ouercome did obey the lustes of the wicked Although then he laboured vntill the going downe of the Sunne to deliuer Daniel yet that peruerse shamefastnes which I haue spokē of and the feare of daunger preuailed For whensoeuer we do not rest vpon the helpe of God we must of necessity alwayes wauer although otherwise we be well affected and disposed Thus Pilate would haue deliuered
thou wilt be our deliuerer howsoeuer it be whether we do liue or die that yet we remayning in stedfast fayth and confession of thy name may be blessed whiles we be gathered in the end into thy heauenly kingdome which thou hast purchased with the bloud of thine onely begotten Sonne Amen We haue séene before how the enemyes of Daniel which had wickedly cruelly accused hym through enuy as soone as they were cast into the denne of Lyons were torne in péeces with their wiues and children whereby the miracle did more manifestly appeare as we haue sayd Now therefore let vs learne agayne that the Lyons are so gouerned by the power of God that they do not exercise their cruelty euery where nor against all men but when God armeth thē For as it is sayd in the Psalme thou shalt walke vpon the Lyon and Scorpion and tread vpon the Lyon and Dragon So also of the contrary part God doth pronounce vpon the wicked by the Prophet that the Lyons wyll come to méete them if they go out of their house We sée then how God doth swage the cruelty of the Lyons when it séemeth good vnto him but he stirreth them vp to rage when he wyll punish men And whereas the wiues and their children were cast into the denne we must not curiously dispute whether this was a iust punishmēt or no. For it séemeth that this is a certaine rule of equity that the punishment should not extend to the giltles especially when it standeth vpon the losse of life For although at all tymes this was receaued in well ordered Cities that many punishmentes were layd vpon the children together with the parentes like as in murther and in treason where all the goods were publikely sold also in criminall iudgementes the infamy of the parentes did redounde vnto their children yet this is more strait and seuere to kill the children together with their parents seyng they can not be gilty of the same crimes But although this be not very vsuall yet is it not lawfull for vs simply to condemne it We sée how God cōmaundeth whole families to be vtterly destroyed to shew how much sinne is to be detested and abhorred and God as he is a iust iudge doth alway kéepe a measure in his seuerity Therefore this example can not be precisely condemned but it is better to leaue this at liberty For we know that the kinges of the East part did exercise cruell and barbarous dominion or rather tyranny towards their subiectes Therefore there is no cause why any man should contend much about this question It greued king Darius that he was so deceaued Therefore he doth not execute punishment vpon the wicked accusers onely because Daniel was wickedly oppressed of them but because they did hym iniury He would therefore rather reuenge himself then Daniel and he was not content to recompence them with equall punishment but he punished euen their children also 25 Afterward king Darius wrote vnto all people nations and languages that dwelt in all the world peace be multiplied vnto you 26 I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdome men tremble and feare before the God of Daniell for he is the liuing God and remayneth for euer and his kingdome shall not perish and his dominion shal be euerlasting 27 He rescueth and deliuereth and he worketh signes and wonders in heauen and in earth who hath deliuered Daniel from the power of the Lyons Here Daniel addeth the decrée of the king which he caused to be published and by this decrée and proclamation he testifieth that he was so moued with the deliueraunce of Daniel that he gaue the most high glory to the God of Israel Yet do I not thinke that the king is sufficiently proued hereby to be of sound religion as many interpreters do here commend king Darius aboue measure as though he had bene wholy conuerted and had receaued the true worship prescribed in the law of Moses No such thing can be gathered of the wordes of the decrée and the matter it selfe doth declare that hys dominion and kingdome was neuer purged from superstitions For king Darius suffered hys subiectes to serue Idoles and he himselfe ceased not to be polluted with such filthines but he would place the God of Israel in the hiest degrée as though he could couple together fire and water of the which thing we haue spokē before For the prophane men thinke that they do their duty to the true God if they do not altogether contemne hym but appoynt him some place but especially when they preferre hym aboue all the Idols they thinke that they haue satisfied god But this is foolish For except all superstitions be abolished God hath not his right for he suffereth no cōpanions Therfore this place doth not shew that there was any true or sincere Religion in kyng Darius but we may onely gather hereby that hee was moued with this miracle to this ende that hee should celebrate throughout all nations that were subiect vnto him the glory and name of the God of Israel To conclude as it was but a particulare motion of kyng Darius so he went not beyond this particulare affectiō neither did he thoroughly acknowledge the power goodnes of God but tooke hold of that onely which was before his eyes Therfore he could not generally know the God of Israel that he might giue him self to true sincere pietie but as I haue sayd he would haue him to remaine amōg the other Gods and to be ouer them but so that he should not be alone But God doth refuse this halfe worship Therefore there is no cause why Darius should so much be praysed Yet shall he condemne all those by his example which at this day do professe them selues either Catholicke kynges or Christians or defenders of the faith and in the meane season do not onely oppresse true Religion but also as much as in them lyeth do ouerthrow the whole worship of God would willyngly abolish his name out of the world exercisyng tyranny agaynst all the godly and establishyng wicked superstitions thorough their crueltie Darius shal be a worthy iudge vnto them and this decrée which Daniel rehearseth shal suffice to condemne all such Now hee sayth That this decree was written to all people nations and languages that dwelled in all the earth We sée that Darius would not onely haue the power of GOD knowne to the people which were nere him but he did study to declare it farre and wyde Therfore hee did not onely publish it in writyng thoroughout all Asia and Chaldea but euen amongest the Medes and Persians Albeit he neuer reigned in Persia but because his sonne in law had taken him into the societie of the Empire his authoritie dyd also extend so farre And thus ought it to be vnderstand whē he sayth thorow the whole earth For it is not spoken of the whole world but of that Monarchy which was spread
faultes yet go they forth in thē Would to God there were more rare examples of this kind of sinne but we sée it euery where before our eyes Wherefore Darius is set forth here vnto vs as one in a meane state betwixt the wicked reprobates and the vpright and constant worshippers of god The wicked doubt not to prouoke God against them and they are dissolute in their lustes and concupiscence casting of all shame and feare But they that are gouerned by the feare of God although they suffer great battayles with the flesh yet do they bridle themselues and restrayne their wicked lustes There be other of a meane state as I haue sayd which are not yet hardened in their malice neither do delite in their corruptions yet do they folow thē still as though they were bound with cordes Of this sort was Darius For where he ought constantly to haue reproued the false accusation of the nobles and should boldly haue withstand them and rebuked them that they so abused hys gentlenes when he saw himselfe entangled by them he was so farre from so doing that he rather obeyed their fury In the meane tyme he mourneth in his palace he abstayneth from meate and all delites Thus he vttereth that this wickednes did not please hym which yet he himselfe had taken vppon him do do We sée then that it is not sufficient that our conscience do bite vs and wring forth some sorow out of our harts whē we do sinne but we must go farther so that this sorow may bring vs to repentaunce as Paul teacheth But Darius did sticke as it were in the mire when he mourned he laboured not to amēd the fault that he had cōmitted He had the beginning of repentaunce but onely the beginning Wherfore we must endeuour our selues that he which is gilty in any fault do stirre vp himselfe to repentaunce when he féeleth any pricke of sorow let him quicken it and geue hymselfe no truce nor rest vntill he haue forsaken his sinne This is to be learned by this present example where Daniel sayth that Darius mourned all that night 19 Then the king arose early in the morning went in all hast vnto the denne of Lyons 20 And when he came to the denne he cryed wyth a lamemtable voyce vnto Daniel and the kyng spake and sayd to Daniel O Daniel the seruaūt of the lyuing God is not thy God whom thou alway seruest able to deliuer thee from the Lyons Here the king beginneth to deale more boldly when he commeth to the denne Before he was so afrayd that he gaue place to hys nobles and forgetting his kingly maiesty he yelded himselfe vnto them like a slaue but now doth he not so feare their malice and wicked wordes He commeth therfore to the denne of the Lyons in the morning early before the Sunne did rise and came in hast Thus do we sée that he was stricken wyth a meruailous sorow which ouercame all the former feare He might yet haue feared his state if he had not forgottē that most terrible threatning Thou canst not now enioy thine Empire vnlesse thou aduenge the contempt of thy decrée But as I haue sayd sorow ouercommeth that feare And yet can we neither commend in hym either godlynes or courage for although he come to the denne and call vpon Daniel wyth a lamentable voyce he is not yet angry wyth hys nobles vntill that he sée the seruaunt of God safely preserued Then doth he gather more courage and yet continueth he in his infirmity and is as it were in that meane degrée betwixt the wicked contemners and the constant worshippers of God which do folow that which they know to be iust with an vpright hart The Prayer GRaunt almighty God seing that thou hast shewed vs by the example of thy seruaunt Daniel with how great constācy we should perseuere in the pure worship of thy name that we may grow vp to the true strength of minde and that we may so geue our selues vnto thee that wee do not turne this way or that way for mens pleasures but that we may remayne in thy holy vocation and so ouercoming all perils in the end we may come to the fruite of our victory euen that blessed immortality which is layd vp for vs in the heauē through Iesus Christ our lord Amen The king came vnto the graue and sayth Daniel the seruaunt of the liuing God thy God whom thou alwayes worshippest can he not deliuer thee Darius nameth the God of Israel the liuing god But if there be one liuing God he shuteth out all the imagined and fayned Gods which men haue deuised by their owne brayne For of necessity there can be but one Godhead and this principle prophane mē also haue confessed And though euery one do fall afterward after hys owne dreames yet they all agrée in this that there can not be many Gods. They diuide God as it were into parts but they can not deny this that there is one onely god Darius therefore when he geueth this title to the God of Israel he confesseth all other Gods to be mere fantasies but he doth not vnderstand this point as I haue sayd that prophane do holde this principle but yet vanish away afterward in their owne imaginations Therefore this place doth not proue as some thinke that king Darius was truely cōuerted so that he receaued and embraced true piety and Godlynes For he alway worshipped his Idoles but he thought that this was sufficient that he left the highest place for the God of Israel But as we know God can suffer no companion for he is zelous of his glory It was a fond thyng therfore that Darius did acknowledge that God which Daniel did worship to excell all other Gods. For where God raigneth of necessity all Idols come to nought as it is sayd also in the Psalme God raigneth let all the Gods of the nations fall Therefore Darius had not so much profited that hee would geue himselfe to the true and onely God albeit he was compelled to geue the greatest honour to the God of Israell yet in the meane season he alwayes stoode drowned in his owne superstitions wherunto he was accustomed Afterward he addeth Thy God whom thou worshyppest alwayes could not he deliuer thee from the Lyons He speaketh here doubtfully as vnbeleuers are wont to do which seme to them selues to beleue but they haue nothing stable nor sounde in their mindes Prayer is naturall that I might so speake that is a certaine secret motion doth driue men naturally to fly vnto God but because scarce the hundreth mā doth rest vpō the word of God hereby it commeth that they call vpon God at aduenture Therefore they will try whether God will helpe them or ayde their necessities in the meane season as I haue sayd there is no sure persuasion in their hartes Such was the affectiō of kyng Darius Could not God deliuer thee saith he as though the