Commentaries of the diuine Iohn Caluine, vpon the prophet Daniell, translated into Englishe, especially for the vse of the family of the ryght honorable Earle of Huntingdon, to set forth as in a glasse, how one may profitably read the Scriptures, by consideryng the text, meditatyng the sense therof, and by prayer

Here Daniel doth end the interpretation of the dreame, and teacheth that God will not so seuerely deale wyth the king Nebuchadnezer, but that he will leaue some place for hys mercy. Therefore he doth mitigate the great rigor of the punishment, that Nebuchadnezer hoping for par∣don, might call vpon God and repent, as there shall folow afterward a more euident exhortation. But now Daniel doth prepare hym to repentance, when he sayth that the

kingdome shall remayne vnto hym. For God could haue cast hym out of mans company, so that he might alway haue remayned with the wilde beastes. He might also haue cast hym streight way out of the world: but thys is a signe of clemency, that he will restore hym not onely vnto some meane state, but to hys owne dignitie, as though hee had bene alway vpright. Therfore we sée that this dreame had bene profitable to kyng Nebuchadnezer, if he had not de∣spised the admonition of the holy Propeht: yea if he had not bene vnthākefull vnto God. For Daniel did not onely fore∣warne him of the calamitie which hāged ouer his head, but also he brought the message of reconciliation. God therfore had taught him profitably, had he not bene stubburne and despised to learne, as the most part of men commonly do.

But hereof many we gather a generall doctrine, that when God doth appointe an end for his punishmentes, we are moued to repentaunce, because God geueth some taste his mercy, that we may hope to obteine pardon of at hys hand, if we flye vnto him vnfeinedly and in sinceritie. This also is to be noted, that Daniel addeth in the second parte of the verse: After that thou shalt know that the heauens haue the rule. For vnder these wordes is the promise of the spiri∣tuall grace included, that God would not onely punish the kyng of Babylon to humble him, but also would inwardly worke and chaunge the hart, like as at the length (though long first) it came to passe.

I haue sayd that the grace of Gods spirite is here pro∣mised: for we do know how smally men do profite with∣out it, although God correct them an hundreth tymes. For the stubburnes and rebellion of our hartes is so great, that we are rather more and more hardened when God calleth vs to repentance. And doubtles Nebuchadnezer had bene like vnto Pharao, saue that God did not onely humble him with outward punishmentes, but also did geue him the in∣ward motion of his spirite, that he suffered him selfe to be taught, and did submit him selfe to the power and iudge∣ment of GOD. This meaneth Daniel when hee sayth:

After that thou shalt know. For Nebuchadnezer would ne∣uer of his owne minde haue come downe to such a know∣ledge, vnles he had bene touched with some secrete motion of the spirite.

He addeth: That it is the power of heauen: that is to say, that God gouerneth the world and hath the whole rule. For here he setteth the heauens, as it were, contrary to the earth and to all mortall creatures. Now, the kynges when they sée all thinges quiet about them, if no man feare them they thinke that they are safe enough, and whiles they will make them selues sure, they looke round about them hether & thether, but they neuer lift vp their eyes to the heauens: as though this perteined nothyng vnto God to mainteine kyngdomes, & to raise vp whom he will, and to cast downe all the proud. As though then that this were not in Gods hand, the Princes of this world do neuer consider that the heauens haue the authoritie and rule: but (as I haue sayd) they looke this away and that way, before and behind, euen euery way saue onely to the heauēs. This is the cause that Daniel affirmeth that the heauens beare the rule. He set∣teth God as it were agaynst all mortall men, as is before.