Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 4 · Controversies
5. Places of controversie.
1. Controv. That the virgin Marie was not without sinne.
v. 12. Leaue the stumpe, &c. Pererius allegorizing this vision of the tree, thereby would hauehave shadowed forth the beautifull state of man in Paradise before his fall: and by the stumpe and roote remaining, he vnderstandeth the virgin Marie, peccato Adami nullatenus infectam, not infected at all with the sinne of Adam. And Christ is the branch that sprouteth out of this roote.
Contra. 1. This comparison first is vnfit: for here a stumpe onelyonly remaineth without any branches at all: he can not finde then here both a stumpe, and a branch. 2. This stumpe is bound about with a chaine: and what other chaines is mans nature bound with, then with the chaines of sinne: his owne application maketh against him. 3. It is a most blasphemous opinion, and contrarie of the Scriptures, that Marie was without originall sinne: for the Apostle saith, All men hauehave sinned, Rom. 5. 12. none are excepted but Christ, Heb. 4. 15. Marie also confessed her selfe a sinner, in acknowledging that shee also had neede of a Sauiour, Luk. 1. 47. see more hereof, Synops. Centur. 2. err. 79.
2. Controv. Against freewill.
Lyranus by this stumpe remaining, vnderstandeth free will: per hoc germen significatur liberum arbitrium reuerti potens ad bonum, by this branch is signified free will, which hath power to returne vntounto that, which is good.
Contra. 1. The vision it selfe ouerthroweth this conceit: for this stumpe is bound with a chaine, it could not sprout of it selfe, till the chaines were taken away, and before God had giuen Nabuchadnezzer an vnderstanding heart, he could not so much as lift vp his eyes to heauen: therefore this is but a weake ground to build free will vponupon. 2. Beside the Scripture euidently speaketh, that there is no power or abilitie in man so much as to think a good thought, 2. Cor. 3. 5. And our Sauiour saith, Without me ye can doe nothing, Ioh. 15. 5. see more hereof, Synops. Centur. 4. err. 46.
3. Controv. Against the inuocation of Saints.
v. 14. The sentence is according to the petition of the holy ones. The Romanists doe thus vnderstand this place, that the holy Angels made request for the king, that merciemercy might be shewed him: and hence would inferre, that we are to make our prayers vntounto them.
Contra. 1. That this place hath no such meaning, is shewed before, Quest. 18. the Angels pray not against Gods will, that Nabuchadnezzer might escape this calamitie, for it was alreadie decreed with God, that it should fall vponupon him: but they desire rather, that what God had decreed in heauen might accordingly be fulfilled in earth. 2. And although it be granted, quod bene nobis afficiantur, that they are well affected toward vsus, and wish well vntounto vsus, yet it would not follow, that therefore we should pray vntounto them. Oecolampad. see hereof, Cent…r. 2. err. 8.
4. Controv. That the Pope is not the distributer of kingdomes.
v. 22. Till thou know, that the most high beareth rule ouer the kingdomes of the earth, and giueth it to whomsoeuer he will. This Soueraigne power belongeth vntounto God to dispose of kings, and kingdomes, to pull downe, and set vp: then it is presumptuous arrogancie in the Pope, to challenge vntounto himselfe any such supereminent power ouer kings, vntounto whome he himselfe ought to be subiect, according to S. Pauls rule, Rom. 13. 1. See before chap. 2. controv. 6.
5. Controv. Against satisfaction by workes.
v. 24. Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse. The Latine interpreter readeth, redeeme thy sinnes by righteousnes: whereupon Pererius with other Romanists doe collect, that workes of righteousnes, and merciemercy, doe satisfie for sinne, and are auaileable ad expianda peccata venialia, to expiate veniall sinnes. And to that purpose he vrgeth that place, Prov. 16. 6. By merciemercy and truth iniquitie shall be forgiuen.
Contra. 1. It is before sufficiently declared, Quest. 30. that the true reading here is not, redeeme, but, breake off thy sinnes. 2. Though that other reading be retained, the meaning onelyonly is, that he should redeeme, and satisfie men whome he had wronged. 3. And this had beene impossible for him to doe, to make recompence to so many, whome he had cruelly handled the space of 40. yeares. 4. And if he would not make satisfaction vntounto men, much lesse vntounto God. 5. Wherefore in these words, non exponitur modus redimendi peccata, sed modus potius agendi, the way of redeeming his sinne is not declared, but the way rather of working, such as becommeth those that are truly penitent: first then his sinnes must be forgiuen by faith, before he can bring forth the workes of repentance. Iun. 6. Further, as Nabuchadnezzer could not satisfie for his sinne, no more can any man: for our best works are imperfect: our righteousnes is as a stained clout, Isa. 6. 6. but that which must satisfie before God, ought to be perfect, and absolute: it is therefore the most perfect righteousnes of Christ, and none other, that is able to satisfie Gods iustice for our sinnes.
7. And concerning that place vrged out of the Proverbs, either it may be vnderstood not of merciemercy which we shew, which is called an actiue merciemercy, but of merciemercy shewed vntounto vsus from God, which is a passiue merciemercy, by the which our iniquitie is forgiuen: as Iunius prooueth by the words following, by the feare of the Lord they depart from euill: or els the meaning is, by the works of merciemercy we are assured our sinnes are forgiuen vsus, Genevens. as in the like sense our Sauiour saith, Many sinnes are forgiuen her, because shee loued much, Luk. 7. 47. her great louelove was not the cause, but the signe rather and effect of the forgiuenes of her sinnes. And so the Apostle saith, 1. Ioh. 3. 14. We know, that we are translated from death to life, because we louelove the brethren: he saith not we are translated, but we know, we are. But of the question against satisfaction by workes, see more Synops. Papism. Centur. 4. err. 78.
6. Controv. Of the certentie of remission of sinnes.
v. 24. The Latine readeth, It may be God will forgiue thee thy sinnes: whereupon Pererius inferreth, nemini liquido cognitam remissionem peccatorum, that remission and forgiuenes of sinne is not certenly knowne vntounto any.
Contra. 1. It is shewed before, Quest. 31. that the word here vsed, is not a particle of doubting, but rather it serueth to exhort, and stirre vp to hauehave further confidence in God, and to take away carnall securitie. 2. But that by faith we are vndoubtedly assured of the remission of sinne, the Scripture euidently sheweth: Rom. 5. 1. Beeing iustified by faith, we are at peace with God: but our conscience can not be setled, or at peace, vnles it be assured of Gods fauour in the remission of sinnes: likewise, Rom. 8. 16. The same spirit beareth witnesse to our spirit, that we are the children of God: but how can we be assured, that they are the children of God, if their sinnes be not forgiuen them. See further hereof, Centur. 4. err. 56.
7. Controv. Which be the good workes of Christians.
v. 24. Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnes, &c. Here good workes are defended to be the workes of righteousnes and merciemercy. Among the Romanists, these are counted their good workes, suscipere peregrinationes, erigere statuam, &c. to vow and take in hand pilgrimages, to set vp an image, to found crosses, Calvin. But these are not the workes which God is pleased with: those are the works acceptable vntounto him, not which mans curiositie hath inuented, but such as God himselfe hath appointed for vsus to walke in, Eph. 1. 10. The hypocrites say, Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, &c. will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousand riuers of oyle, &c. But the Lord maketh answer, what workes he requireth, To doe iustly, to louelove merciemercy, to humble thy selfe, &c. Mich. 6. 7.
8. Controv. That Gods prouidence, is not onelyonly a bare prescience or permission.
v. 32. According to his will he worketh in the armie of heauen, &c. Polanus hence refelleth that error of certaine Lutherans, who affirme, providentiam Dei nihil aliud esse, nisi praescientiam, that the prouidence of God is nothing els but a certain prescience. formul. concord. fol. 249. for here it is euident, that God is not a fore…eer, but a doer: that all things in heauen and earth fall out according to his will: as Psal. 135. 6. Whatsoeuer pleased the Lord, that did he in heauen and earth, &c. And Luther himselfe was of an other iudgement, whose words are these, Deus omnia infallibili voluntate, & praevidet, proponit & facit, &c. that God by his infallible …ill doth foresee, propound, and doe all things, &c. Polan.
Calvin further vrgeth this place against those, which make a distinction betweene the will of God, and permission: As though he suffered some things which he would not hauehave done, which should argue impotencie and weaknes in God, as though he should suffer some things against his will. A voluntarie permission there is in God, in leauing men vntounto themselues, and suffering things to worke according to their kind: but an inuoluntarie permission there is not in God, to suffer any thing, which he would not hauehave done. He suffereth sinne to be done, though he will it not to be done, yet it is his will it should be done, because he knoweth how to make it serue vntounto his glorie: yet he is no way the author of sinne, nor yet accessarie vntounto it.
9. Controv. Against the presumption of the Pope, who would be without checke and controlement.
v. 32. None may say vntounto him, What doest thou? This prerogatiue and priuiledge this great king giueth onelyonly vntounto God, to be controlled of none, nor to giuegive account of his doings to any. Therefore the presumption of the Pope is intolerable, who challengeth that to himselfe, which is onelyonly peculiar vntounto God. As thus his clawbacks and flatterers write of the Papall preheminence and priuiledge, non est de eius potestate inquirendum, quum primae causa nulla si caus…, no man must inquire of his power, seeing he is the cause of causes, and of the first cause there can be no cause, &c. secund. Bald. in capit. E…cles. &c. And, nemo potest dicere Papae, &c. no man must say vntounto the Pope, why doe you so. distinct. 40. c. si Papa. Hereof F…ederick the 2. Emperour complained in an epistle to Otto Duke of Bavaria, Rationem actuum nemini quasi sit Deus, reddere vult, id quod soli Deo conuenit, vsurpat &c. he will render account to none of his doings, he vsurpeth that which onelyonly agreeth vntounto God, that he can not erre, &c. Annal. Aventin. lib. 7. ex Polan.