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

[ 34] 31 And at the end of these dayes I Nebuchad∣nezer lift vp myne eyes vnto heauen and myne vnderstādyng was restored vnto me, and I gaue thankes vnto the most high, and I praysed and honored him that liueth for euer, whose power is an euerlastyng power and his kingdome is from generation to generation.

Now the Prophet doth bryng in the kyng speakyng a∣gayne. Therfore he sayth: After that tyme was passed, he lift

vp his eyes vnto heauen. There is no doubt, but he doth meane of those seuen yeares. And seyng he began at the length to lift vp his eyes vnto heauen, hereby it appeareth how lōg the healing of his disease, that is, of his pride was. For euen as where there is some liuyng part corrupted and almost consumed, the remedy is hard and long: euen so because pride is altogether fastened in mens hartes, and doth occupy euen the very marow, and doth infect what so∣euer is in the soule, therefore is it not so easily plucked a∣way. And this is worthy to be noted. Furthermore, we are also taught by this word, that God did so worke in the kyng Nebuchadnezer, that he did not forth with bring forth y^e ef∣fect of his grace opēly. It was profitable for Nebuchadne∣zer to be so shamefully handled for y^e space of seuen yeares or such a tyme, and to bee banished from the company of men: but he could not so soone perceiue this vntill God had opened his eyes. So then God doth often times chastise vs, and calleth vs by litle and litle, and also doth prepare vs to repentaunce: but his grace is not straight way knowne.

¶ The Prayer.

GRaunt almighty God, seyng that, although we are nothyng yet we do neuer cease to stand in our owne conceite, and also are blinded by the vayne cōfidence of our selues, and furthermore do vaynely boast of our vertues and powers which are nothyng: that we may learne to put of this peruerse affection, and so to be sub∣iect to thee, that we may hange of thy mere grace and fauour, that we may know that we stand and are susteine by thy onely power: and so may learne to glorifie thy name, that we do not onely obey thy word in true and pure humilitie, but also may cōtinually desire and seeke for thy helpe, and mistrustyng our selues may rest in that grace and fauour which is our onely stay, vntill at the length thou gather vs into thy heauenly kyngdome where we may obteine that blessed eternitie which is gotten for vs by thy onely begotten sonne. Amen.

For as much as Nebuchadnezer sayth that hée lift vp his eyes vnto heauen, and his vnderstandyng was geuen him agayne, hereby we gather that he was a space without his minde. Neither yet was he so without his minde, in my iudgement, but he knew his miserie: but in the meane sea∣son he dyd byte the bridle, and was like a brayneséeke man. Other say that he was altogether mad. I will not contend of this matter: but this is sufficient for me, that he was without his minde, so that he had some part of a beast. But it is probable that he had some intelligence left, that he per∣ceiued some punishment by his miserie. In the meane sea∣son he did not lift vp his eyes into heauen vntill God drew him to him. For the rods of God do nothyng profite vs ex∣cept he worke within vs by his spirite, as we sayd before.

The speach is as much as if he should say: he began to thinke that God was a iust iudge. For although his shame did trouble him for a while, yet he did not looke vnto the hand of y^e smiter, euē as is sayd in an other place. Therfore he begā to acknowledge that God is the reuenger of pride, after that tyme which was appointed before was past, of y^t which we haue spoken. And they do lift their eyes into hea∣uen which do also cast thē downe to the earth. Because Ne∣buchadnezer should haue risen vp vnto God whom before he had forgotten as wakened from his déepe dreame: hée should also haue throwen downe him selfe to the earth, be∣cause now he had receiued the reward of his arrogācy. For he durst lift vp his head aboue mans state, when he tooke to him self those things which were due vnto God. Therfore he dyd not now lift vp his eyes vnto heauē by a vayne con∣fidence, as before whē he was made drōken with the beau∣tie of his Monarchie: but he did so looke vpon God, that he was cast down & protestrate in his minde. Afterwardes he addeth: And J blessed the most highe, and I praysed and glori∣fied hym that liueth for euer.

This chaungyng doth shew that the punishment was layd vppon kyng Nebuchadnezer especially for this cause, because he spoyled God of hys iust honour. Here he doth

describe the fruite of his repentaunce. If this affection dyd spryng of repentaunce that Nebuchadnezer should blesse God, it foloweth then that first hee was a sacrilegious person which tooke from God hys lawfull honour, and would set hym selfe in hys place, euen as hath bene sayd be∣fore. And here also we may learne what it is to prayse God truly, that is, when we beyng brought to nothyng do ac∣knowledge and determine with our selues, that all thinges are vnder his gouernment (and as we shall sée afterward) that he is y^e gouernour of heauē & earth, that his will should stand both for law and reason, and for the chief rule of iu∣stice. For otherwyse we may celebrate the prayses of God with open mouth, but it shalbe a mere dissimulation: because no man can prayse him sincerely and purely, but he which doth ascribe vnto hym all these thynges which we will speake after.

And first Nebuchadnezer sayth: because his power is the euerlasting power, and his kingdome from generation to gene∣ration. In the first place here he confesseth that God is the eternall king: which is a great thing. For there is set a∣gaynst thys perpetuitie the weakenes which is in men: se∣ing that all the chiefe Monarches which excell with greatest power, haue nothing safe or certayne, not onely because they are subiect to the chaunges of fortune (as the pro∣phane men doo commonly iudge) or rather they hang on the gouernment of God: but because they fade away for the most part by theyr owne vanitie. We sée the whole world, as it were tossed, and to be like the troubled sea. If there be any quietnes in one part or moe, yet in euery mo∣ment there may some new and soddayne thing come to passe which was not looked for. As in a quiet and bright heauen a tempest will soddaynely rise, euen so we sée it come to passe in mens affayres. Seing then it is so, there is no firme nor stable state in the earth, and especially Mo∣narches doo shake them selues with theyr stormy stirres. This is then the perpetuitie which is here declared of the king Nebuchadnezer, that God is a Monarche which by

hym selfe reteyneth and gouerneth hys empire, and there∣fore he is without all daunger and perill of changing.