Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 1 · Doctrines
4. Places of doctrine.
1. Doct. vers. 2. The translating of kingdomes, subduing of cities, is ordered and disposed by God.
Vers. 2. And the Lord gaue Ieh…iakim, &c. into his hand, &c. which sheweth, that all things are ruled and gouerned by Gods prouidence: that kings and princes, states, cities, and common wealths are in Gods hand, to alter and turne them, as it seemeth best to himselfe: whereof we may make a double vse: for as it is to our comfort, that we are in Gods hand, and vnderunder his protection: so in that he deliuereth the impenitent into the hands of Tyrants, by them to be corrected and chastised, it ought to terrifie and mooue vntounto repentance. Bulling.
2. Doct. vers. 8. That mens hearts are in the hand of God.
Ver. 8. He required the chiefe of the Eunuches, that he might not defile himselfe: Hence it is euident, seeing this chiefe officer of the kings tooke no exception to this free speach of Daniel, charging the kings table and meates with pollution▪ that God ruled and inclined his heart, to fauour Daniel, and to take all in good part, which he said: Some would hauehave said to Daniel, what? doest thou charge the kings Court and religion with impuritie and vncleannesse? are ye Hebrewes onelyonly the pure men, and is there no religion good beside yours? This then was Gods worke thus to qualifie the heart and affection of Ashpenah toward Daniel: so it is here found to be true, as the wiseman saith: The kings heart is in the hand of God, &c. he turneth it whithersoeuer it pleaseth him, Prou. 21. 1.
3. Doct. vers. 12. Of th… commendation of fasting.
Vers. 12. Let them giuegive vsus pulse to eate: By this example of Daniels abstinence, who preferred a thinne and course diet before the kings full and delicate dishes, we see how excellent a thing frugalitie and temperance is: Euen among the heathen Philosophers parsimonie and sparing diet was much set by: Socrates beeing asked, wherein he differed from other men, answered, illi vivunt vt comedant; ego edo vt viuam, they liue to eate, but I eate to liue: the sobrietie of Democritus, and Demosthenes is much celebrated among the heathen: The Egyptians liued of herbes, and the fruits o… trees: the food of the Argiues in time past were peares, of the Athenians figges, of the Medes almonds, of the Ethiopians locustes, of the Arabians milke.
They say that the spittle of a man fasting killeth a serpent: So fasting ioyned with prayer, is a spirituall remedie against the spirituall serpent, and his tentations. Hierome calleth it, caeterarum virtutum fundamentum, the foundation of other vertues: Chrysostome, alimentum animae, the nourishment of the soule: Basil saith it is similitudo hominum cum Angelis, that which maketh men like vntounto Angels.
Christ sanctified fasting and abstinence by his owne example: and Sathan sought to interrupt and breake off his holy fast: thereby shewing how soueraigne a remedie it is against his tentations, seeing he would not suffer Christ ro hold out his fast: for as a ship the lighter it is beeing vnloaden of the burthens doth better brooke the water, and endure the force of the windes: so he which is giuen to a temperate and sober life, melius effugit fluctus & nymbos tentationum, doth better escape the floods and tempests of temptation. Pintus.
4. Doct. That true vertue consisteth in the inward purpose of the heart, not in the outward appearance.
Vers. 8. Daniel had determined in his heart, that he would not defile himselfe. Daniels continencie was not in outward shewe, but rooted and grounded in the heart, which is the seate of vertue: for that is not vertue which is done onelyonly to the sight of others, and for ostentation to seeke the praise of men, but that which lieth hid in the heart: The Pharisies gaue their almes, prayed, fasted, to be seene of men; but Christ teacheth his Disciples to pray and fast in secret, that the Lord may approoue their worke, and not men, Matth. 6. And S. Paul saith, that he is not a Iewe, which is one outward, &c. but he is a Iewe, which is one within, &c. whose praise is not of men, but of God. Polan.
5. Doct. Of worldly feare which carrieth away carnall men.
Ver. 10. The chiefe of the Eunuches said to Daniel, I feare my Lord the king, &c. This man feared more the terrene power of the visible Emperor, thē the celestial maiestie of the omnipotent and inuisible God: as Tertullian obiected to the Romanes, maiore formidine Caesarē obseruatis, quā ipsum de Olymp… Iouē, with greater feare ye obserue Cesar, then Iupiter himselfe of Olympus, &c. they stand more in awe of their great commander in earth, then of their supposed gods in heauen: But the Apostles had a contrarie resolution, whether it be right in the sight of God to obey you rather then God, iudge ye, Act. 4. 19. Polan.
6. Doct. ver. 12. Prooue thy seruants tenne dayes, of the certaintie of faith.
Bullinger hereupon noteth fides non fallit, nec deserit Deus constāter inherentes verbo, &c. faith falleth not, neither doth God forsake those which constantly cleaue vntounto his word, &c. Daniel with his three brethren and companions were assured, that God would giuegive successe according to their faith: and if they in this particular thing, which concerned but an outward obseruation of the lawe, had such assurance and confidence: much more ought we to be assured of such things, which God hath promised concerning euerlasting life: for all things (as our Blessed Sauiour saith) are possible to him that beleeueth, Mark. 9. 23.
7. Doct. That learning is necessarie in Kings.
Ver. 19. And the king communed with them: Nebuchadnezzar beeing a great warrior and conquerour, yet was himselfe so well seene in the knowledge of the Chaldeans, who were held to be the most learned in the world, that he was able himselfe to sift and examine these 4. men, whom he found in wisedome to goe beyond all his wisemen and soothsayers in Babylon. Such learned princes, among the people of God, were Dauid, Salomon, Hezekiah, Iosias: among the Heathen, Alexander the great, Scipio Africanus, Iulius Caesar, with others: and among the Christian Emperours, Constantine the great, who decided the controuersies and questions among the Christian Bishops: And this famous kingdome of England hath had most learned princes: Henerie the 8. Edward the 6. Queene Elizabeth of late blessed memorie, and our now Soueraigne king Iames, who is able to conferre learnedly with any man in his faculty, as here Nebuchadnezzar doth with Daniel and the other three.
8. Doct. That the perfection euen of humane arts and learning is to be found in the Church of God.
Ver. 20. And he found them tenne times better, then all the enchanters, and Astrologians, &c. Like as these fower fearing God obtained greater wisdome euen in the Chaldean learning, then any of the other cunning men: So it may be seene this day, that euen the liberall sciences, which were inuented among the Heathen, hauehave beene much perfited among Christians; who hauehave added vntounto their beginnings: for seeing God is the giuer and author of eueryevery good gift, who are more like to receiue such gifts, then his owne people, who can tell how to aske them of him: they therefore are in great error, who either in times past gaue the preheminence of learning vntounto the Gentiles before the Christians, or now to the Papists and Romanistes, before the professors of the gospel: it is euident to all the world, that neither for the knowledge of tongues or artes, we are any thing inferior vntounto them.