WITH HIS PEOPLE IN THEIR GREATEST TROUBLES. 467
with their injurious malice, said, that the lions should now be fed, and then they cast in to see when they were gorged, whether they could likewise escape : but this being done, they were suddenly destroyed, before they came to the bottom of the den, Dan. vi. 24. To what a fatal end came these informers ! As to their wives and children that were cast into the den of lions, it is most probable that they were ac- cessary to that wicked conspiracy against Daniel, by stirring up and provoking their husbands and fathers, to engage all their power, interest, and policy against him, and never to suffer a poor captive to be advanced in honour and dignity above them ; and how just and righteous a thing was it with God, that they who had plotted together, and contrived together, the ruin and destruction of a holy innocent person, that these should suffer together, and go to the den together, and be torn in pieces together. Sinners, look to yourselves ; if you will sin with others, you must expect to suffer with others. — Or if a man hath been beneficial to him ; or if a man lieth prostrate before him, in the manner of a supplicant. But Daniel was not safe, he was not secured by any of these means, but God secured him in the midst of these dreadful dangers by the ministry of an angel. ' My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me,' Dan. vi. 22. Others say, that God secured Daniel, by taking away the lions' hunger from them at that time, and by causing in them a satiety. 'And some tell us, that God secured him, by raising such a fantasy in the lions that they looked upon Daniel, not as a prey, but as on one that was a friend unto them. But now in the midst of this dreadful danger, how doth Daniel's faith sparkle and shine : ver. 23, ' Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den ; so Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, be- cause he believed in his God.' Daniel in a fiery furnace looks upon God as his God, in the midst of the flames he acts faith upon the power of God, the promises of God, &c. Of all living creatures lions are most fierce, cruel, and irresistible, and yet such was the strength and force of Daniel's faith, that it stopped their mouths, see Heb. xi. 33 ; Judges xiv. 6 ; 1 Sam. xvii. 34. Though Daniel was but one man, yet such was the power of his faith, that it stopped the mouths of many lions. As Luther says of prayer, so may I say of faith ; it hath a kind of omnipotency in it ; it is able to do all things, est qnxEdam om- nipotentia precum. Thus you see by these famous instances to what a mighty pitch the Lord has raised the faith of his people, when they have been in the greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers ; and this is the first way wherein the Lord doth manifest his favourable, his signal, his eminent presence with his people, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers. But,
(2.) Secondly, The Lord doth manifest his favourable, his signal, his eminent presence with his people in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, hy his teaching and instructing of them ; Ps. xciv. 12, ' Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, 0 Lord, and teachest him out of thy law.' i This divine presence turns
^ Feri Domine, feri, said Luther: Strike whili thou pleasest, Lord ! only to thy cor- rection add instruction, ut quod ncceat, doceat.
468 THE SIGNAL PKESEXCE OF GOD