Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Daniel · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
Ver. 1. NEbuchadnezzar the King] This bare title ſeemed ſufficient to him who came now newly out of the fornace of ſharp affliction, whereby he was tamed and taken a link lower as we ſay.
Ʋnto all People, Nations and languages] This Epiſtolary Narrative or Proclamation was ſent abroad a year or two before his death. And here obſerve, ſaith one, an omiſſion of twenty ſeven years hiſtory, wherein the Church in Babylon had her Halcyons: the Emperour being exerciſed in forrein wars,Mr. Hue…. and the Nobles diſheartned from attempting any thing againſt thoſe four Worthies, as having had formerly ſuch ill ſucceſs.
That dwell in all the earth] Thus this great King is made a Catholike Preacher of humility and moderation of mind.
Peace be multiplied unto you] Courteſie and kind language in great ones draweth all hearts unto them, as fair flowers do the eyes of beholders in the ſpringtide.
Ver. 2. I thought it good] Chald. It was meet (or ſeemly) before me: It was my duty; ſo Junius.
To ſhew the ſignes and wonders] Signs they were, becauſe evident teſtimonies of Gods Wiſdom, Juſtice, Power: Wonders, becauſe worthy to be wondred at.
Ver. 3. How great are his ſignes?] Mark how he is enlarged here: ſo ſhould we. If David bad had the thing in band, he would have cryed out alſo, for his mercy endureth for ever: But Nebuchadnezzar celebrateth his Kingdom only: and that alſo he had learned of Daniel, chap. 2.
Ver. 4. I Nebuchadnezzar was at reſt in my houſe] Having ſubdued all mine enemies round about. But in the year of my triumph, behold a viſion of my downfal. Suſpecta nobis debet eſſe tranquillitas.
And flouriſhing in my palace] But flouriſhing eſtates free not the mind of burthenſome cares, Eccleſ. 5.12.
Ver. 5. I ſaw a dream which made me afraid] It is ſeldom ſeen, that God alloweth unto the greateſt darlings of the world a perfect contentment: Something they muſt complain of that ſhall give an unſavoury verdure to their ſweeteſt morſels, and make their very felicity miſerable.
Ver. 6. Therefore I made a decree to bring in all the wiſe men of Babylon] Whom yet he had formerly found to be no better then Braghards and Impoſtours. Was this man truly converted?
Ver. 7. Then came in the Magicians] As if they would do the deed. Seducers make up with boldneſſe, what they want of true worth, 2 Pet. 2.19.
Ver. 8. But at laſt Daniel came in before me] And why at last? Why was he not ſooner ſent for? If the Soothſayers and Sorcerers could have ſerved the turn, Daniel had never been ſought to. This is the guiſe of graceleſs men: they run not to God, till all other refuges fail them.
According to the name of my god, and in whom is the ſpirit of the holy gods] Is this the language of a true Convert? Should not former ſinful practiſes be looked upon with a lively hatred, and mentioned with utter diſtaſte?
Ver. 9. Becauſe I know that the ſpirit of the holy god… is in thee] The ſpirit of divination, and Prophecy.
And no ſecret troubleth thee] Chald. puts thee to buſineſſe. Now he who had ſlighted Daniel before, to get what he deſired, abaſeth himſelf below the dignity of a King to him.
Ver. 10. Thus were the viſions of my head in my bed] He readily rememembreth this dream of his, and roundly relateth it: the more to befool the wiſe-men, ſith the Scripture (whereof they were ignorant but Daniel well verſed in) revealeth ſufficient direction for the interpretation thereof, ſc. Ezek. 31.1.—12. The wiſdom of this World is not unlike the pains taken by Moles, which dig dextrouſly under ground, but are blind againſt the Sun-light.
Ver. 11. The tree grew and was ſtrong] See Ezek. 17.12, 24. Plato compareth a man to a tree inverted, with the root above, and the branches below: he alſo calleth him foreign, an heavenly plant: Homer calleth great men foreign.
Ver. 12. The leaves theref were fair, and the fruit] But becauſe pride harboured under theſe leaves and poiſoned theſe fair fruits, they were broken down, and trod under foot.
The beaſts of the field had ſhadow under it] Great is the benefit of civil government, and far extending. But moſe men content themſelves with a natural uſe of it, as beaſts of the field do of their food, without improvement of any higher good.
Ver. 13. And behold a Watcher, and an holy One] i. e. An holy Angel, active and watchful to know and do the will and commands of God for the good of the Church. Hence Angels are ſaid to be full of eyes, Ezek. 1. and to ſtand alwaies beholding the face of God, Matth. 18.10. as waiting an employment. How ready was that Angel here, ver. 31. to interrupt the proud King from heaven, and to tell him his doom? So in the next words.
Ver. 14. How down the tree and cut off his branches] One Angel ſeems to call to another to expedite the execution: ſo earneſt they are in the Churches revenge, Rev. 18.21.
Let the beaſts get away] Let this great Conquerour be ſtript at once of his train and dignity. The Duke of Florence gave for his enſign a great tree with many ſpreading boughs, one of them being cut off, with this Poſy, Ʋno avulſo non deficit alter: but here it was otherwiſe.
Pintus in loc.Ver. 15. Nevertheleſſe leave the ſtump of his roots] Which, having life ſtill in it, may ſhoot out again.
Even with a band of iron and braſſe] Hic ab arbore deſilit Angelus ad perſonam: this band intimateth Nebuchadnezzar's madneſſe: for mad folk uſe to be bound.
Let his portion be with the beaſts] Turn him a grazing among beaſts, for his beaſtly conditions.
Ver. 16. Let his heart be changed] i. e. Obbruteſcat, nihil humanum ſapiat: a fearful judgement, and yet ſuch as reprobates are uſually delivered up to, Rom. 1.24.
And let a beaſts heart be given him] Let his Phantaſy and appetite he ſo changed, that upon a ſtrong imagination that he is a beaſt, he may have affections carrying him in all things to do accordingly. Little is ſaid of this in humane hiſtory. The Chaldee Chronicles are loſt. Alpheus (as he is cited by Euſebius) briefly ſaith,Lib. 9. de …iaepar. Ev. that Nebuchadnezzar rapt with madneſſe, preſently vaniſhed out of the company of men, after that he had firſt foretold the overthrow of the Chaldaean Monarchy. The Chaldaeans in Abidenus fragments record, that he was blaſted by ſome god,Brought. Conc. of Script. and ſpake of Babel's fall by the Perſians.
And let ſeven times to paſſe over him] i. e. Seven years; like as Solomon's Temple, that ſeven years work of many thouſands, was by him deſtroyed.
Ver. 17. This matter is by the decree of the watchers] i. e. Of God ſurrounded with his holy Angels as his Aſſeſſours, and Approvers of the divine Decree.
And the demand by the Word of the holy Ones] Petitio haec. ſc. that the tree may be cut down. It is hereby intimated, ſaith Piſcator, that the Angels, in the conſultation held for the puniſhing of Nebuchadnezzar's pride, petitioned God that it might be ſo.
Ver. 18. This dream I King Nebuchadnezzr have ſeen] Such as would have reſolution, muſt fully relate their doubts, Gen. 41.17.
Ver. 19. Then Daniel (whoſe name was Belteſhazzar] Which name he took no felicity at all in, but the contrary. Nevertheleſſe for the Chaldaeans ſake in whoſe tongue he wrot theſe things, and at whoſe good he therein aimed, he here addeth it.
Was aſtoniſhed for an hour] So was not Nebuchadnezzar, who was the man concerned. Ea fere eſt improborum ſecuritas: the godly who have leſſe cauſe are affrighted oft, when the wicked are hardened: See Habak. 3.16. with the Note.Brad. But they who tremble not in time of threatning, ſhall be cruſhed to pieces in time of puniſhing.
My Lord, the dream be to them that hate thee] Daniel, after a certain pauſe, makes this mannerly preamble to the interpretation of the dream, which could not be very pleaſing. But truth muſt be ſpoken however it be taken. So Philo brings in Joſeph prefacing to the interpretation of Pharaoh's Bakers dream, Ʋtinam tale ſomnium non vidiſſes, &c. I would Sir, you had not ſo dreamed: but ſith you have, I muſt deal plainly with you.
Ver. 20. The tree that thou ſaweſt] See on ver. 11.
Ver. 21. Whoſe leaves were fair] See on ver. 12.
Ʋnder which the beaſts of the field dwelt &c. A King ſhould to all his ſubjects, high and low, extend his favour, according to every ones quality and degree.
Ver. 22. It is thou O King] i. e. It is that great Empire which thou holdeſt, and ruleſt.
Ver. 23. And whereas the King &c.] See ver. 13.
H…w the tree down] Sin ever endeth tragically.
Yet leave the ſtump] Reſerve him for a kingly ſtate again; like as he had left a ſtump in Judah, ſpared the kingly ſeed, ſhewed pitty to the remnant of the Lord. The leaſt favour that is ſhewed to the godly, ſhall be repayed double, Jer. 34.17.
Ver. 24. This is the interpretation] See ver. 19.
Ver. 25. That they ſhall drive thee] He ſaith not who (whether Angels or men) nor whither, for avoiding of envy and diſpleaſure: th…s was an high point of heavenly wiſdom, which adviſeth to obſerve, Quis, quid, ubi, quibus auxiliis, cur, quomodò, quando. Nebuchadnezzar who had driven ſo many before him out of their Countries, is now (by a juſt Judgement of God) himſelf driven out from company, left being mad, he ſhould do much miſchief: for his brutiſh conditions, he had now the bruits for his companions. He was wont to be fed with dainty fare; he now eateth graſs as an Ox: for his purple robe horrido pilo totus obtegitur, he is all covered with hair:Oec…l. D…od. and for his precious ointments he is wet with the dew of heaven; ferinae vitae damnatus. His diſeaſe, ſay ſome, was the Lycanthropy, not a phrenſy only (as that of Ericus King of Swethland, who being expeld his Kingdom, for grief fell mad; for be…des the brutiſh change of his mind,Willet. his body was much changed in feeding and living among wild beaſts: deformed he was (not transformed) ſo that the beaſts took him for a beaſt, as going upon all four, and feeding as they did, although in ſhape differing from them, as a monſter amongſt them. But when all is ſaid that can be ſaid,Hu…t. ſure it is that this change was ſupernatural, as appeareth by the occaſion, manner, degree, time, &c. every circumſtance ſeeming a new creation.
And ſeven times ſhall paſſe over thee] For the glory of Gods Juſtice in his expulſion, and of his Mercy in his Reſtauration. See ver. 16.
Till thou know] God will be ſure to tame his rebels: for is it fit that he ſhould lay down the bucklers firſt?
Ver. 26. And whereas they commanded] See ver. 15. and further obſerve, how God tempereth his Judgements with mercy; and that out of his mere Philanthropy.
That the heavens] i. e. The God of heaven, Luke 15.21. Mat. 21.25.
Ver. 27. Wherefore, O King, let my counſel be acceptable unto thee] Happy was Nebuchadnezzar in ſuch a faithful counſellor at hand to adviſe him: more happy then his ſucceſſors Cyrus and Cambyſes were in Croeſus King of Lydia, who yet more enriched them by his counſel then by all the wealth they had from him. But Nebuchadnezzar was as yet uncounſellable, till God had tamed and humbled him.
Anticipa judicium ejus verâ reſc…piſcentiâ. Jun.Break off thy ſins by righteouſneſſe] Be abrupt in the work, for delayes are dangerous, Heb. 3.7, 13. cut the cart-ropes of vanity as ſoon as may be, leſt they pull down upon us heavieſt judgements. For the diverſion of Gods anger, get ſin removed: take the bark from the tree, and the ſap can never find the way to the boughs.
And thine iniquities by ſhewing mercy to the poor] Nebuchadnezzar had been an open oppreſſor: Daniel therefore preacheth unto him of righteouſneſſe and mercy. So Paul diſcourſed of righteouſneſſe, and temperance, and the Judgement to come, Acts 24.25. before Felix (who was inexplebilis gurges, ſaith Tacitus, a covetous caytiff) and Druſilla, a filthy adultereſſe. Let this be a Mirrour for Miniſters.
If it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity] An futura ſit prorogatio. Et ſane fuis aliqua prorogatio, nempe per annum. Repentance ever findeth favour, yea the very ſhadow of it, as in Ahab, 1 Kings 21. ult. Hierom thinks it probable, that Nebuchadnezzar did for a time, as Daniel had adviſed him, and had therefore for a temporary repentance a temporary tranquillity. Chryſoſtom's Note upon this text is, Prolata eſt ſententia ut non fi…t. God is Judex liber, non juratus, as Zanchy ſaith well, he puniſheth as he pleaſeth.
Ver. 28. All this came upon the King Nebuchadnezzar] Becauſe he repented not, or not throughly, as he had been adviſed, being left of God to his own heart. There is an infallibility in the curſes as well as in the Promiſes: they will ſurely light, Iſa. 14.23, 24.
Ver. 29. At the end of twelve moneths he walked] ſc. A twelvemoneth after the dream, the interpretation thereof, and the good counſel given him thereupon. It is ſome wonder how he could ſo ſoon forget all: but the world with the luſts thereof had hardened his heart.
In the palace of the Kingdom] His idle walk, and his ſtately Palace, were ſome occaſion of his pride and fall. He walketh and ſtalketh, muſing of nothing but his own greatneſſe only.
Ver. 30. The King ſpake and ſaid] No man asking him any queſtion, but himſelf trumpetting out his own praiſes. Ordinarily the greateſt wealth is tumourd up with the greateſt ſwelth againſt the Lord. What hath this proud Prince yet in him of a man,Great means make great minds. Joſeph. Antiq. l. 16. c. 11. Ʋrbem ſuam opponit coelo, eamque pro coelo habet. more then his voice, and ſhape?
Is not this great Babylon that I have built?] Why no: it was built above a thouſand years before you were born: you have only beautified and fortified it. It is God that buildeth the City, Pſal. 127.1. And they were your Anceſtors, Nimrod and Ninus, whom he made uſe of for that purpoſe: why then ſhould you rob him of his glory, and them of their right by your arrogancy? The proud man (Scianus-like) ſacrificeth only to himſelf: and (Polyphemus-like) ſetteth up himſelf for the ſole-doer. God is not in all his thoughts, Pſal. 10. And for his words, hear Nebuchadnezzar here, or Mezentius in Virgil, Dextramihi Deus, & telum quod miſſile libro.Aeneid. Or that of Grevinchovius the Arminian, Ego meipſum diſcerno, atque in to cur non mihi liceat ut demeo gloriari? I do by my free-will make my ſelf to differ from others, and why may not I boaſt of ſuch a thing as of mine own, in anſwer to that of the Apoſtle, Who maketh thee to differ? and what haſt thou which thou haſt not received? Wittily doth Luther call thoſe Braggers Faces or Dregs, who have much in their mouthes Haec ego feci, This was my doing: and worthily is that ſpeech of Charles the fifth Emperour commended Veni, vidi, ſed vicit Chriſtus, A Lap. in 2 Sam. 17.1.beyond that of Julius Caeſar Veni, Vidi, Vici: becauſe he aſcribeth to Chrirſt the honour of his conqueſt.
For the houſe of the kingdom] The Palace indeed he had built, though not the City: and therein he now prideth himſelf. The Bramble thinks it a goodly thing to raign; and hath great thoughts and words too of his ſhaddow: and yet all's but a ſhaddow. The Turks build no ſtately edifices (beſides their Moſches or Churches) becauſe their abode upon earth is to be but ſhort, they ſay, and therefore any dwelling may ſerve turn. That was a memorable ſpeech of the forementioned Charles the fifth, to whom when the Duke of Venice had ſhewed his princely Palace, like a Paradiſe upon earth, and now expected that the Emperour ſhould have exceedingly praiſed it, all that he ſaid to it was this, Haec ſunt quae nos invitos faciunt mori. Theſe are the things that make us loth to depart out of the world. And no leſſe memorable was that ſaying of Another to a great Lord who had ſhewed him his ſtately houſe and pleaſant gardens, You had need, my Lord, make ſure of heaven: or elſe when you dye, you will be a very great loſer.
By the might of my power] See Habak. 1.16. with the Note.
Ver. 31. While the word was in the Kings mouth] So quick is God uſually in his executions, when men are once come to the height of pride, and do invade his glory, affront his Majeſty, Jer. 44.22. Acts 12, 23.
There fell a voice from heaven] By the Miniſtry of the Angels, who do extreamly hate proud perſons, and are ready to ſpeak and act ought againſt them.
O King Nebuchadnezzar] Not now Nebuchadnezzar my ſervant, (as once) but mine oppoſite, and therefore the object of my wrath. Alexander the Great rewarded his ſoldier that fetcht his crown out of the water: but then, hanged him for putting it on his own head. God will puniſh thoſe eternally, that rob him of his due glory.
Ver. 32. And they ſhall drive thee] See on ver. 25. and note that new impieties work out old threatened curſes, which ſeldom rot in the air, as we uſe to ſay of Winter.
Ver. 33. The ſame hour was the thing fulfilled] When leaſt expected. The like befel the old world, Sodom, Pharaoh, Julian, &c. See 1 Theſſ. 5.2, 3. As they ſay of the metal they make glaſſe of, it is neareſt melting when it ſhineth brighteſt: ſo are the wicked neareſt deſtruction, when at greateſt luſtre.
And he was driven from men] By his own courtiers, and ſubjects. In him it well appeared, that mortality was but the ſtage of mutability. The like was to be ſeen in Nero and many other Roman and Greek Emperours; in Belliſarius, Baiazet, our Richard the ſecond, and Henry the ſixth, who having been the moſt potent Monarch for dominions that ever England had, was at laſt not the maſter of a mole-hill, nor owner of his own liberty. Of Henry Holland Duke of Exceſter grandchild to John of Gaunt mention hath been made before. Within our remembrance, in the reign of King James the Lord Cobham having been a man of ſeven thouſand pound a year, and of a perſonal eſtate of thirty thouſand pound, came nevertheleſſe to a miſerable end: for before his death he was lowſy for want of apparrel and linnen, and had ſtarved, had not a trencher-ſcraper (ſometime his ſervant at Court,) relieved him with ſcraps, in whoſe houſe he dyed, being ſo poor a place,Court of king James. p. 37. that he was forced to creep up a ladder through a little hole into his chamber. The like ſtrange change befell Sir Edward Greenill of Milcot in Warwickſhire, Court of King James. p. 37. Rolloc.whom I very well knew.
And did eat graſſe as Oxen] By a ſingular judgement of Almighty God, who came down from heaven, as it were, to fight a duel with this moſt proud man, inſpectante toto mundo, in the view of all the world.
And his body was wet with the due of heaven] Beſide the brutiſh change of his mind, his body was much changed by the inclemency of the ayre, and by his feeding and living among wild beaſts: Yet was he not in truth changed into a beaſt, as Bodin thinketh, ſo as that upward he was like an Ox, and in his hinder parts like a Lion, as others have fabled. The ſubſtance of his body was not changed, but only the quality of his ſubſtance and of his ſhape. Rupertus well concludeth, that this was the greateſt change that is mentioned in Scripture, excepting only that of Lots wife, who was changed into a pillar of ſalt.
Till his haires were grown like Eagles feathers] Thick and black.
And his nailes like birds claws] Long and ſharp: ſo that in his ſhape he came nearer to a wild beaſt then to a man.
Ver. 34. And at the end of the dayes] When my pride was now ſubdued; but hardly to ſound converſion.
I Nebuchadnezzar lift up mine eyes] Happy he if with Simeon, his eyes had ſeen Gods ſalvation. Many are humbled but not humble; low but not lowly.
And mine underſtanding returned] The uſe of his reaſon, whereof he had been bereft, and an opinion put into him that he was a beaſt. Mad men are apt to think themſelves Kings, horſes, or other creatures then they are.
Whoſe dominion is everlaſting] A natural man will ſooner confeſſe God to be true, juſt, powerful, wiſe, &c. then merciful: and all becauſe the love of God is not ſhed abroad in his heart by the holy Ghoſt, Rom. 5.5.
Diſce hominis foreign, & ut ita dicam nihilitatem.Ver. 35. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing] He who hath ſeen any part of Gods greatneſſe, will ſoon ſee his own vileneſſe, and the worlds nothingneſſe.
Ver. 36. At the ſame time] When God had hid pride from me, which could not be ſoon nor eaſily done: as when ſome vital part is corrupted, the cure is difficult, and long in doing.
And my Counſellours and my Lords] Who had ruled the Kingdom in the Interim, among whom Daniel haply was chief.
Ver. 37. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praiſe] God as he is the firſt Author of all, ſo to him as to the utmoſt end, quaſi circulo quodam confecto, all honour ought to return.
All whoſe works are truth] i. e. Right and righteous.
And thoſe that walk in pride he is able to abaſe] See ver. 33.
Claudian.Ingentes quercus, annoſas fulminat ornos.