c Yea, and without Inſtruments of Muſick , and Sleep,, The King was in Perpicxitv, he was uader great Conviction that he had done very dithonourably and crueily, by hearkening to the Counſc] of his wicked Courticrs ; he thould have reſcinded his raſh Decree, and ra- ted them for their Barbarity againſt Daniel, and have over-ruled them, and let him our; he is convinced of all this, and grieves for it, but to little purpoic. Many are diſplealed with themſelves for their Vices, Yet arc drawn away with them z and upon Point of Honour or other carnal Ground, never come to true Repentance, which con- fiſts in a change of Heart and Life. £#/crod was alike troubled for Foby bþapijt, bur for all that, tor his Oath ſake to a wanton Wretch, and for the Company's fake, he ſent and beheaded him, Mat. 14. 9.
19 The king aroſe very eary in the morning d,and went in haſte unto the den of lions.
d Watching and grieving, and being between fear and hope, long-
ing to be ſatisfied. ; - 20 And when hecame tothe Den, he cried with a la- mentable voice unto Danicl, and the king ſpake and ſaid ro Daniel, O Daniel, ſervant of the living God & is thy God whom thou ſervelt contiuwally, able to deliver thee trom rhe Lions 7 ?
e This was a Commendation both of Dani-l and his God, tho he ſerved both very courtly. f Is he Omnipocent ? ſurely if ever he will put forth his Pewer it will be in thy caule, for thou ſerveſt him con- tinually, thou wilt not be frizhtned trom his Service by Savage Beafts, by ramping and roaring Liensz now it will appear what thy God will do for his Servant. Ah poor King! God is a better Maſter to his Servants than thou ait, even to Dazzel. :
21 Then ſaid Dagiel unto the King, * O king, live for ever. 7.
£ He prays for the King's Proſperity. tho he ſuffered under his hand.
22 My God hath ſent his angel, and hath ſhut the Lions mouths that they have not hurt meb: foraſmuch as before him Innocency was found in me 7; andalfo be- fore thee, O kings have I done no hurt. k.
hþ. He had his Eye ſpecially to him whoſe Cauſe and Honour was ccncerned In this matter. The Lord either took the Lions Hunger away from them, or made Daniel appear terrible to them, or lite- rally ſhut their Mouths, . 7 Becauſe by Faith he trufted in the Lord, Heb, 11: 33. therefore the Papiſts from hence talily conclude Juſti- fication by Works and Merits,aſhgning fallacioully a talſe Cauſe inftead of a principal, tormal and meritorious Caule ;z for the word foraſmuch or tecauſe in Scripture doth often ſignify an Occalion rather than a | Daniel did not ule to argue thus, but the contrary, 24% 9, 7, 13. Dante] pleads the Innoc-rce of his Cau'c to the King in Suffering, not the Righteoul: nels Of hi> Perſon; and that the Lord delivered him to aſſert his Ho- nOUr in his unjuſt Sufferings. bk Nor have I tinned” againſt thee, O King ; the fear of God is tet before the honouring of Kings, 1 Pete2.17.
23 Thenwas the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that. they ſhould take Daniel up out of the den - fo Daniel was taken out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him: becauſe he believed ia his God /,
I H= truſted in God's Power and Faithfulneſs, not to work a Mi- racle, but committed him{elr to him as a righteous Judg ; who would deliver here, or {ave him hereatter.
24 4 And the king commandel, and they brought thoſe men which had accufed Daniel, and they caſt them in-
is 4 1,and the Liors had the maſtery of them, and brake all their 1-14" bones in pieces Or ever they came at che bottom of the
*Ch.2,29. and 4. 1.
C'1.2.4 1» & 4, 3» 34
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den.
m Thus they digged a Pit for another, and fcll into it themſelves, which the H-ath2a ſay was a very juſt Law, the Law of Retaliation, which the Lord doth otten obſerve, as iu Ad9nivezec, and Avab's Ca- ſes, and many moie. n Darius was yet ccu?) in this Execution, becauſe he calt in with them to the Lions, their Wives and Children. This 1s not without precedent in Scripture, as in Corahb and his Company, 4- chan and 1m, for the greater Terror ? for the Kings Juſtice in thi: Fatt, we nze.t not trouhle our ſelves, it being the Cuftom of the Arbi- trary Tvyrants cf the Eaft,
25 Faea kin Duwrins * wr2:2 nnto all people, nati- ons and langnazes, rthar dwell 1a all the Earth o, Peace be
nulcipl:c unto you.
0 7, e. Ofthe known Earth then, H-ing chiefly that great Empire « for what hid h2 to do i1all the World 52'1123? Ir is. uſual with the Turk, Tartzr, Chin:jc, to ariogate the lame Univerſality with the like Pride.
26 I make a decree, that in every dominion of my kinglom, men tremble aid tear before the God of Dani- cl p- ror he rs the liviag God, and Redfalt for ever ; and his Kingdom th.z: which ſhall not be * deſtroyed, and his dominion /þ.4l} be even unto the end. 9. |
p Take hed how they ſpzak evil of this great God, but own and honour him 25 ſach ; whereof he gives the Reaſon following. q. You
would tai;e Darius by theſe words to be a Convert; how tar this
F £3 Chap,
went with him, and how long it lated, who knoweth ? Surely j; 1, were in earneſt, he would forſake his Idolatry, and ſer up the \y g-/ ſhip of rhe true God in his Kingdom, that his Subjetts mip!t turn {1,. dumb Idols, as inconfiftent with the living God and his Yo; Howbeir, it's clear that Darzzs had learnt this Doarine from 2.z;.; whom lie hzard and honoured, and was the more convinced of jr þ; this miraculous Deliverance of Danzel irom the Lions. 27 Hedelivercth and reicueth, and he worketh js; and wonders in heaven and in Earth, who hath deliver;
and in the reign of Cyrus'the Perſian. r. r Chap. 1. ver. ult. Who was after Parius his Death, which Was Called ſay ſome, Naboanedus. Daniel continued all this cime 18 great Hony;
CHAP VIL Daniel ſeth a viſi;n of four beaſts, 1 ——8. of the ancient of days d:1j;,,, ring 4 Kingdom 19 the jon of man, 9 —— 14> The Interpretation there, of, which troubieth Danizl, 15-——28$. 1. FN the firſt year s of Belſhazzar t King of Babylgy . «> . L Daniel -| had a dream ,, and viſions of his hezg
ſum of the || matters, ja