Commentary on Daniel, book of Daniel · Chapter 1
Chap. 1.
The Texte.
IN the thyrd yeare of the reigne of Iehoiakim kyng of Iuda came Nebuchadnezer kyng of Babel vntounto Ieruſalē and beſieged it.
2 And the Lord gaue Iehoiakim the kyng into hys hand with part of the veſſels of the houſe of GOD which he caried into the land of Shinar to the houſe of his God, and brought thē into his Gods treaſurie.
3 And the kyng ſpake vntounto Aſhpenaz the maſter of his Eunuches, that he ſhould bryng certaine of the children of Iſrael of the kynges ſeede and of the Princes
4 Children in whom there was no blemiſh. &c.
¶ The Meditation.
GOds diuine prouidence and his profound iudgementes do maruelouſly appeare in the captiuitie of Daniel, & in the whole order of Gods workes, in deliueryng that kyng of Iudah and his owne people into the handes of Nebuchadnezer the kyng of Babylon an heathen tyraunt.
Daniel (as appeareth) was one of the firſt captiues that were led from Iudah, of whom Ieremy ſpeaketh, that they were very good figs, pleaſant to the Lords taſt which were firſt caryed captiue. For God promiſeth to giuegive thē heartes to know hym, and that they ſhall be hys people, and that he will be theyr God. Ier. 24. Iere. 24.throughout the Chapter. Agayn the kyng was ruled by the counſell of the Prophet Ieremy and ſo found fauour. 2. Kyngs. 25.27. 2. K. 25.27Thus in the middes of Gods roddes and ſcourges our gratious God is myndfull of hys mercyes and alwayes ſendeth comfort to all hys, though by meanes farre contrary to mans reaſon, & much paſſing our capacities. And hereby we may perceiue how incomprehenſible Gods iudgementes are vntounto man. For Daniel was as an Aungell amongeſt men, ſo that if there were any good amongeſt that people, Daniel was as the principall. For Ezechiel Ezek. 14.reckeneth Daniel amongeſt the thrée iuſt, by whom it was moſt lyke amongeſt all mortall men, that God would be pleaſed and pacified, yet is Daniel caryed into captiuitie to be a ſlaue vnderunder this cruell king of Babylon: & other men moſt wicked, prouokyng continually Gods wrath agaynſt them did remayne quiet at home in their neſtes. God doth not depriue them of their naturall countrey, neither caſt them forth of that heritage: which was a ſigne and pledge of his fatherly adoptiō. Now if any man would take vponupon him to determine the cauſe why Daniel was caryed away among the firſt, ſhall not ſuch one ſhew hys owne madnes? Let vsus therfore learne reuerently to hauehave in admiration the profound iudgementes of God which do ſo farre paſſe our capacities,Luc. 23.31. and in the meane ſeaſon remember this ſentence of Chriſt: If they hauehave done this in a greene tree, what ſhalbe done to the dry? Seyng this was done to Daniel, what great mercy and long ſufferance of God towardes vsus is this, to ſpare vsus ſo long wallowyng in ſinne? For who dare compare hym ſelfe to Daniel? Nay we are vnworthy to looſe hys ſhoe latchets, as is the old Prouerbe. For all hys great tētations could not turne hym from the true ſeruice of hys God, as foloweth. But where he ſayth that God deliuered Iehoiakim into the handes of Nebuchadnezer, it is to our comfort, that we may ſée that Nebuchadnezer dyd not ouercome the kyng nor take away the captiues by hys owne power or counſaile or pollicy: but becauſe God would thus humble hys people the ſede of Abraham, to teach them to know hym: lyke as alſo he ſetteth forth hys terrible iudgement in that he neither ſpareth the people whom he had choſen,Pſa. 132.23 nor the temple which he had appointed for hys chief reſtyng place vponupon the earth. For the terrible puniſhment of ſuch wicked hypocrites and Apoſtatas as bare onelyonly the name of his people, boaſted of theyr temple,Tit. 1.16. and had nothyng but a vayne bragge of a formalitie and ſolemne ſhew of Religion, which God rebuketh, Iſay. 9.13. Iſay. 9.13.2. Tim. 3.5.2. Tim. 3.5
¶ A Prayer concernyng the ſame.
GRaunt almighty God and moſt mercifull father, ſeyng thou doeſt ſet forth vntounto vsus ſo cleare and bright a glaſſe wherin we may both behold thy prouidēce and thy maruelous iudgementes that thou haſt heretofore executed vponupon thine old people, that we alſo may fully perſuade our ſelues that we are alſo vnderunder thy hand and protection: wherby we may ſo reſt and ſettle our ſelues alwayes, that what ſoeuer commeth vntounto vsus, we may ſtill truſt that thou wilt be our keper and defender, alwayes carefull for our ſaluation: ſo that we may ſafely and with quiet mindes call vponupon thee, and ſo cherefully wayte for all daungers in all maner of chaunges of this world, that we may ſtand ſtable in thy word which neuer fayleth, and cleauyng vntounto thy faithful promiſes, may nothyng doubt but that Chriſt to whom thou haſt geuen vsus, whom alſo thou wilt hauehave to be the paſtor of thy whole flocke, is ſo careful ouer vsus that he wil lead & bring al through this brūt of our battaile how greuous and troubleſome ſo euer, whiles we attaine to that heauenly reſt which by his bloud he hath purchaſed for vsus.
5 And he appointed them prouiſion eueryevery day of the kynges meate and of hys wyne which hee dranke, ſo nouriſhyng them three yeares, that at the end therof, they might ſtand before the kyng.
6 Now among theſe were certaine of the children of Iuda, Daniel, Hananiah, Miſhael, and Azariah.
7 VntoUnto whom the chief of the Eunuches gaue other names. For he called Daniel Belteſhar, & Hananiah Shadrach, and Miſhael Meſhach, and Azariah Abednego.
¶ The Meditation.
Here Daniel declareth that Nebuchadnezer commaū ded thoſe children of the kynges ſéede of Iuda to be fed from hys owne table of hys owne meate & wyne, that he might make them dronken with his delicates and thereby cauſe them to forget their own nation. We know that if there be any craft in ye world it is chiefly practiſed in kyngs Courts. Nebuchadnezer therfore ſeyng that he had to do with a ſtubburne people (as the Iewes were) would by this practiſe wynne hym ſeruaunts which ſhould fréely and willyngly ſerue hym: and therfore doth he labour to ouercome thē by his dainty fare from his own table: As this is the greateſt honor that can be done to any in the Court at this day, to be ſerued of the ſame ſeruice with the Prince. But the kyng doth not this ſaue onelyonly for hys owne purpoſe, to make them lyke well the Chaldees maners and to renoūce theyr owne nation. Howbeit God preſerued Daniel and hys felowes with his ſpirite from this deuiliſh craft, that they abſteyne from the kynges meate and drinke, leſt they ſhould be polluted. For this cauſe alſo the kyng chaungeth the names of theſe young men, to put away the memory of their kinred and original, and that they ſhould thus become altogether Chaldees. The which thyng they could not withſtand nor let, though this were a great grief vntounto thē: therfore they ſuffer it and kepe them ſelues from all the pollutions that they can, ſtill deſiryng to lyue in the feare of God and in the remembraunce of their countrey and captiuitie: Therfore do they refuſe thoſe dayntyes of Babilon and chuſe a ſpare and poore dyet that was more meete for mourners and priſoners.
Thus God kepeth Daniel from all pollution, and therfore geueth hym ſobrietie and wiſedome to abſteine from the kynges daynty diſhes, leſt he ſhould therby be ouercome to forget hys God and hys people, and ſo degenerate into heatheniſh maners: for this thyng hee perceaued to be ſought of the kyng. Therfore dyd he chuſe rather pulſe and moſt baſe dyet, not that he thought it vnlawfull for him and hys felowes to eate of the kynges meate & to drinke wyne: but he dyd ſée what a hard thyng it is to kepe a meaſure in full tables and dayntie fare, and how ſoone we are deceyued when we are enterteyned and fed delicately. This is a rare vertue, to obſerue ſobrietie where dayntie meates and drinkes are offered in aboundance. Therfore that he might remember his own ſtate, he doth abſteine from courtly delicates, Sathans ſubtill ſnares. And this doth he not onelyonly hymſelf, but he alſo perſuadeth his felowes ſo to do, & therfore is this named vpō Daniel alone becauſe he is the principall. And hereby we do learne that as eueryevery one of vsus is endued with a more excellent gift then others, ſo ſhould we vſe ye grace of God, & hys holy ſpirite to inſtruct others. For it is not enough for a man hym ſelfe onelyonly to abſteine from euill vnles he helpe others and ioyne them alſo with hym into the ſocietie of goodnes and true holynes. The which example may teach vsus our dueties now and at all tymes.
8 But Daniel purpoſed in his hart not to be polluted with the portiō of the kynges meat and drinke, and he deſired of the maſter of the Eunuches that he might not be polluted.
Heare agayne Daniel declareth that he had alwayes his heart bent to auoyde all thyngs that might any way pollute him and make hym forget hym ſelfe and hys ſtate. But here ſome do doubt whether any ſuch matter were in the meate and the drinke, that Daniel ought to abſteyne from them. For this ſemeth ſome note of ſuperſtition. And we know that all thynges are pure vntounto the pure: which rule is true in all worldes. Agayne we do read no ſuch thing of Ioſeph. And it is very lyke yt Daniel afterward did vſe ſuch meates when hee was in hys great authoritie with the kyng. Wherefore this was not alway obſerued of Daniel, and therefore it may ſeme now either an vnaduiſed zeale or to much ſingularitie. To this may be aunſwered: that God allowed it in Daniel & in hys felowes, as it were by miracle, preſeruyng them fayre lykyng in theyr mournyng & ſtrayte dyet, and therfore it is not to be doubted but by Gods ſpirit they were thus at the firſt moued to abſteine for a tyme frō the kyngs delicates, and ſo to recorde that they were exiles and captiues, brought from the holy Citie and the holy kinred of Abraham, into an Idolatrous countrey and people whoſe maners were abominable vntounto them. And ſo they counte theyr fine meates and dayntie fare, pollution and abomination for the conſequence that would hauehave enſued if they had gredyly geuen them ſelues vntounto them. For Daniel knew the daunger, that they ſhould hauehave bene corrupted with heathniſh maners, if they had thus at the firſt geuen them ſelues vp to hauehave bene abuſed with ſumptuous fare and princely diſhes. Wherefore abſteynyng from them, he kepeth hys mynde in reuerence to God, he reteyneth the remembrance of hys owne ſtate and countrey, hée diſapoynteth the kyng of hys crafty purpoſe, and groweth into more credite through Gods prouidence.
¶ The Prayer.
GRaunt O moſt mercyfull God, that ſo long as we wander in this wretched world, we may ſo take our meate and drinke for the infirmitie of our fleſh, that we neuer be corrupted by fine fare (wherin the fleſh deliteth) neither yet by any fooliſh ſuperſtition, nor that we be drawne away at any time from temperance and ſobrietie: but let vsus alwayes remēber ſo to vſe our aboundaunce, that when we abounde in all things moſt plentifully, we may geue our ſelues to moderate abſtinence continually: as alſo that we may patiently beare all pouertie and hunger when it commeth, and that we may ſo vſe libertie in our meates and drinkes, that alwayes the glory of thy name O Lord, may be before our eyes, and that ſuch frugalitie may appeare in all our lyfe, that we may continually ſeke that ſacietie and fulnes wherby we ſhalbe ſaciate for euer moſt aboundantly when the glory of thy countenance ſhall appeare vntounto vsus in the heauens, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. Amen.
9 Now God had brought Daniel into fauour and tender louelove with the chief of the Eunuches. 10 And the chief of the Eunuches ſaid vntounto Daniel: I feare my Lord the king who hath appointed your meate and your drinke: therfore if he ſee your faces worſe lykyng then the other children which are of your ſort, thē ſhall you make me loſe myne head vntounto the kyng.
11 Then ſayd Daniel to Melzar whom the chief of the Eunuches had ſet ouer Daniel, Hananiah, Miſhael, and Azariah:
12 Proue thy ſeruaūts I beſech thee, ten dayes, and let them geue vsus pulſe to eate, and water to drinke.
13 Then let our countenaunces be looked vponupon before thee and the countenaunces of the childrē that eate of the portion of the kynges meate, and as thou ſeeſt, deale with thy ſeruauntes.
14 So he conſented to them.
15 And at the end of ten dayes theyr countenaunces appeared fayrer and better lykyng then all the childrē which dyd eate of the kyngs meat.
¶ The Meditation.
Where it is written that God gaue Daniel fauour with the chief Eunuch, we muſt conſider the goodnes of GOD toward hys ſeruauntes, how he turneth the cruell hartes vntounto mercy and pitie: that we may be the more bold to go forward with Gods buſines thorow all daungers. For this may many tymes come to paſſe, that we can not do the office wherunto God hath called vsus, without preſēt daunger of lyfe (as that he ſhould accompt the kynges meat a pollution, which was but a captiue and a priſoner, could not be without great daūger, as appeareth by the Eunuches aunſwere) and becauſe we would flye ſuch daūgers, we waxe cowardes and ſluggiſh many tymes. Daniel therfore to encourage vsus in Gods matters, declareth that God gaue hym fauour with this Eunuch, to teach vsus to caſt our care vppon God when any worldly terrour or manaces of men would terrifie vsus from the folowyng of Gods ſpirite. And here we perceyue that it is in Gods hand to turne theyr hearts which rage agaynſt vsus, ſo that he cā deliuer vsus from all perill when he pleaſeth.
Thus God cauſed the kyng which might hauehave vſed hym as a ſlaue, to commaunde hym to be vſed as a Princes child, and hys gouernour alſo to be very fauorable vntounto hym. Wherby we gather this generall doctrine, that mens hearts are gouerned by God, ſo that hee can mollifie all fearcenes and cruelty, and make wolues lyke lambes ſo oft as it lyketh hys good pleaſure. As for example, when hys people came forth of Aegypt, God gaue them ſuch fauour that the Aegyptians deliuered vntounto them all theyr chief iewels and ornamentes. Now it is playne that the Aegyptians hated them neuertheles. What cauſeth them then to bryng foorth to the Iſraelites all theyr pretious iewels? OnelyOnly the Lord God of the Iſraelites, who euen then put into theyr hartes new affections. And ſo of the contrary muſt we knew, that it is in Gods hand to make our deareſt frendes our greateſt enemies. Wherfore we muſt ſeeke God in all thynges. Truth it is that GOD frameth & formeth ſome from their byrth to be either milde or cruell, but he doth not this onelyonly for once, but dayly and continually when it ſo pleaſeth hym. Lyke as alſo he lighteneth the myndes or blyndeth them eueryevery houre and momēt at his pleaſure, ſo that the moſt wiſe ſhall ſometime ſée nothyng, where the moſt ſimple ſhall finde great comforte. Wherfore we may learne that mens hartes and myndes are ſo gouerned by Gods ſecret inſpiration, that he chaungeth them at hys good pleaſure: and therfore that we nede not much to feare our enemyes, who though they rage neuer ſo much, may yet be turned toward vsus. And ſo by the example of Daniel let vsus learne conſtantly to go forward in our courſe appointed, and not to turne backe though all the world be agaynſt vsus: for God is able eaſily to remoue all impedimentes.
And this may we ſée by Gods mercy, that God cauſeth our enemyes to thinke well of vsus in thoſe thynges which yet they do not allow in them ſelues. For he thought well of Daniel, that hee dyd well to worſhyp hys God after the Iewiſh maner, but he thought his Babilonicall Religion to be the beſt. As many prophane men now a dayes are content to graunt that we do well which caſt away Popiſh ſuperſtitions, yet do they ſléepe ſtill in this errour, that they may lyue ſtill after their old cuſtomes becauſe they were ſo brought vp and ſo taught by their forefathers. So doth this Eunuch make his excuſe by the kyng, and findeth no fault with Daniel. Yet doth Daniel with a ſingular conſtancy go forward with hys purpoſe and proueth the Eunuches ſeruaunt. And hereby we may learne to go forward with good things and know that the cōmaundemēt of a kyng in externall matters, can not binde our cōſciēces. And this is a true triall of our fayth, whē we are not wearied in ſéekyng to do well, neither ſteppe backe for a litle trouble, or thinke that the doore which is ſhut can not be opened. Wherfore if we do not turne backe from our good purpoſe, but proue all other meanes conuenient, then is it euident that godlynes hath taken ſome roote in our hartes. Wherfore he biddeth the ſeruaunt proue if God do not preſerue hym and hys felowes as well lykyng as others. And hereby we may perceiue that Daniel was moued by Gods ſpirite to require this ſo earneſtly, ſeing that God dyd as it were miraculouſly preſerue them.
Deut. 8.It is moſt ſure that man lyueth not by bread onelyonly, but by the word and decrée of God: that is to ſay, becauſe God hath decréed and appoynted bread and ſuch other of hys creatures to be mans ſuſtenaunce. Now God had taught Daniel by hys ſpirite that hee could not remaine pure amongeſt the Babylonians vnles he refuſed their delicates. Whereby we may learne to beware that we giuegive not our ſelues to ſerue our glotonous luſtes, for then ſhall we eaſely be drawen from the feare of God & our duetie towardes others, and conſider this general doctrine, that what ſoeuer meat we lyue withall, it is not by the power of the meat which is dead in it ſelfe, but by the ſingular bleſſyng of our God.Heb. 11. And we muſt deſpiſe the daynties of Aegypt as Moſes did, chuſing to ſuffer aduerſitie with the people of God, rather thē to enioy the pleaſures of ſinne for a ſeaſon with the wicked. Agayne, let vsus learne hereby that if we ſhould hauehave nothyng but rootes and hearbes in Gods ſeruice, yea though the earth do altogether fayle vsus and bryng vsus no fruite at all, yet God can ſo bleſſe vsus that we ſhall be well lykyng,Exod. 16. as were the children of Iſrael 40. yeares long in the wildernes.
The Prayer.
GRaunt O Lord God, that ſeing wee do liue now amongeſt ſo many enemies, and the Deuill neuer ceaſeth to ſtirre agaynſt vsus new troubles, ſo that all the world is enraged agaynſt thoſe that tranſforme themſelues from the vanities of this world that they may the better ſerue thee: Graunt we beſeech thee, that we may perceaue both the deuill himſelfe and all his wicked powers, to be ſo brideled and ſubiect vntounto thee, that thou canſt turne them and direct their hartes which way thou thinkeſt beſt, that we learning by experience that we ſhall alway be ſafe and ſure vnderunder thy protection, as thou haſt promiſed vsus, may continually go forward in our vocation, deſpiſing the pleaſures, and not fearing any terrors, whiles at the length we may come to that bleſſed reſt which is laid vp for vsus in the heauens through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord.
17 As for theſe fower children God gaue them knowledge and vnderſtanding in all wiſedome: alſo he gaue Daniell vnderſtanding of all viſions and dreames.
18 Now when the time was expired that the king had appointed to bring them in, the chiefe of the Eunuches brought thē before Nebuchadnezer. And the king communed with them, and among them all was found none like Daniel. &c.
¶ The Meditation.
Wheras the other thrée companions of Daniell were ſingular in all liberall ſciences and learning, Daniell onelyonly was authoriſed for the prophet of God, to declare darke viſions: the which thing is written to confirme his doctrine both vntounto the Iewes and the Gentiles. And the Lord gaue this excellency of learning and knowledge vntounto theſe that were ſtrangers, to ſtirre vp the king and his people to reuerence his maieſty in the preſence of his ſeruauntes, that they ſhould be compelled to acknowledge Gods grace whom they worſhipped, to be the cauſe of their excellent wits and great knowledge, ſeing no man by nature is excellent in ſuch thinges, but onelyonly as God geueth, and his countrey men were as diligently inſtructed as theſe ſtrangers. God therefore did this for his owne glory when he made Daniell and his fellowes ſo excellent by tenfolde aboue all the learned of his whole kingdome. And thus God vſeth to rauiſh his enemies into the admiration of his power, euen when they woulde moſt fly from it. For what ſought Nebuchadnezer, but only to extinguiſh the memory of God, by bringing vp theſe of the noble families in the ſciences of the Chaldees, that they might oppugne the Religion of God wherein they were borne? The king purpoſed this, but God cauſed the kinges counſaill to ſet forth his glory and made Daniell to be knowne for an excellent prophet all the dayes of this kinges life and long after, euen vntounto the firſt yeare of king Cyrus, as appeareth in the fift chapt. and the eleuenth verſe.
The Prayer.
GRaūt O moſt mercifull father, ſeing that eueryevery good gift proceedeth from thee, and though one do excel an other in qicknes of wit, wiſedome and vnderſtāding, yet no mā hath any thing of his owne, but as thou dooſt vouchſafe to diſtribute to eueryevery man after the meaſure of thy free liberalitie: that we may apply all our vnderſtanding and learning to the glory of thy name: Agayne that with all humblenes and modeſty we may acknowledge all to be thine that thou haſt lent vsus: and that we labour to keepe our ſelues in ſuch ſobrietie that we ſearch nothing curiouſly, neither yet corrupt the true and naturall knowledge of the creatures which ſhould moue vsus to magnify the creator, but that we remaine in that ſimplicitie wherunto he calleth vsus: Furthermore that we ſtay not in theſe earthly thinges, but that we may rather learne to lift vp our mindes to the true wiſedome, that is to ſay, to know thee to be the very God, and ſo geue our ſelues to obey thy iuſtice, and that this be our onelyonly wiſedome to obey thee and to geue our ſelues wholly to glorify thy name all our life long, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. Amen.