Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 5 · Moral observations 2
6. Morall obseruations.
1. Observ. Of the dangerous sinne of drunkennesse.
v. 2. Whiles Balthazar tasted the wine, &c. The king beeing intoxicate here with wine, casteth off all care of God and man, he falleth to profanenesse and blasphemie, such are the fruites of drunkennesse. It made Noah discouer his nakednesse. Lot to commit incest: it caused Benhadad with his 30. kings, to be ouercome of a fewe, 1. king 20. And Simon the Macchabe beeing filled with good cheare was slaine at a banket: Alexander the great killed more of his friends when he was drunke, then he did enemies in battell: Pythagoras therefore well said, ebrietatem brenem esse in saniam, that drunkennesse is a short kind of madnesse. And Anacharsis his saying was, primum poculum vini esse sanitatis, alterum voluptatis, tertium contumeliae, the first cuppe of wine was for health, the next for pleasure, the third was raging and contumelious, &c. the Apostle therefore exhorteth, be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse, Ephes. 5. 18. yea he sheweth that drunkards shall not inherite the kingdome of God, 2. Cor. 6. 10. what madnesse then is it for so short and a beastly pleasure, to loose Gods inheritance, at the least to put it in hazard.
2. Observ. Against carnall securitie.
This Balthazar being so neere vntounto his destruction, gaue himselfe to banqueting and feasting, to drinke, and to be drunken: So the wicked and vngodly many times are most secure, when their iudgement is at hand: according to that saying in the Prouerbs, 16. 18. Pride goeth before destruction, and an high minde before the fall: thus it was said to the rich man, that laid vp store for many yeares, this night shall thy soule be taken from thee, Luk. 12. Thus the old world was eating and drinking, when the flood came, and swept them all away: And Iobs sonnes were feasting, when the house fell vponupon them, Iob. 1. It therefore standeth vsus in hand alwayes to be watchfull, and alwayes to shake off carnall securitie.
3. Observ. Of the terrour of a wicked conscience.
v. 6. Balthazar was so terrified at this sight, that his loynes trembled, and his knees smote together: the wicked, which alwayes carrie about with them a guiltie conscience, are no otherwise affected when any sudden iudgement ouertaketh them, then if they were presented before Gods tribunall seate to receiue their euerlasting doome: As the wicked in that day,Apocal. 6. 16. shall say to the mountaines and rockes, fall on vsus, and hide vsus from the presenc… of him that sitteth on the the throne, &c. Thus the heathen iudge trembled, when Paul disputed before him of the iudgement to come:Act. 24. 20. Wherefore let vsus labour to hauehave a quiet conscience, setled by faith in Christ:Rom. 5. 1. As the Apostle saith, beeing iustified by faith, we are at peace with God: then shall we not feare the terror of that day, but rather louelove the appearing, of Christ, and desire his comming.
4. Observ. The graces of God in others must not be neglected.
v. 11. There is a man in thy kingdome: This honourable Queene onelyonly had respect vntounto Daniel: his great graces and wisedome were neglected of the king, and his nobles, euen as Ioseph was hated of his brethren,Philip 24. and Dauid also of his: But the Apostles rule is, looke not eueryevery man on his owne things, but eueryevery man also on the things of other men: And set vp (saith the Apostle) them, which are lest esteemed in the Church: 1. Cor. 64.There are many euen in the Church, which for their wisedome and other gifts, are worthy to be aduanced, which are not esteemed of, according to that obseruation of the preacher, cap. 10. 7. I hauehave seene seruants on horses, and princes (for their knowledge and gifts) walking as seruants on the ground.
5. Observ. That it is a dangerous thing not to profit by the example of others.
v. 22. And thou his sonne (O Belthassar) hast not humbled thy selfe: His sinne was so much the greater, because he had his fathers example before him, whom God had humbled for his pride, and yet would not be warned: as Lamechs profanenesse is set forth, for that he threatned to kill a young man in his rage, flattering himselfe in his impunitie,Genes. 4. yet hauing before his eyes such a fearefull example of Gods seueritie vponupon Cain for the like sinne.
6. Obseru. The tyrannie of the wicked shall hauehave an ende.
v. 26. God hath numbred thy kingdome: The people of God endured much sorrowe vnderunder the hard bondage and seruitude of Babylon: but now their tyrannie is at an end: So when the Israelites were most cruelly oppressed in Egypt, the Lord looked vponupon their affliction, & numbred Pharaohs kingdome. So the tyrannie of the Romane Emperours was numbred, which for 300. yeares had persecuted the Church of God; and God raised vp Constantine to be their deliuerer: And in this latter age of the world, when the Pope had a long time raged against Christs members, the Lord brought him to number and account, and hath freed his Church in many famous kingdomes from his Tyrannie.