kings before spoken of had their Monarchies hewed out for them by strong hands, and dint of the sword therein, yet hee increased more then any one of them reigning all over the earth, not only over the bodyes but the souls of men; And herein his kingdome excelleth all others, that it is everlasting, as Esa. 9. 6.
Polanus hereupon makes a question, whether this stone growing to such a greatnesse, setteth forth Christ or his Church, for some he saith, restrain it to him, and some understand it of his Church, which is his kingdome, but hee saith, that it is to be understood of both, as being inseparable, he the head, his faithfull people the body, hee the Corner stone of the foundation, they likewise some foundation stones, some other living stones built hereupon, and this is the best, he is the stone first cut out of the mountaines without hands, when he was born and lived privately 30 yeares, in all which time, although he were a king yet he had no kingdom, of which it is here spoken, in the days of those Kings God shall set up a kingdom. But beginning to declare himself, then his kingdom began by the accession of followers to him, and after his re∣surrection increased so much, as that it filled al places, when in all places there were beleevers, & they increased so greatly in number, as is shewed Act. 2. Act. 3. and 4. and in 60 years all over the earth, as is in Ecclesiasticall history declared. Thus all kingdoms were broken in pieces at Christs first coming, but at his se∣cond coming they shall all quite vanish, and there be no more kings, nor king∣domes upon earth any more, the whole earth it selfe with the workes there∣of being burnt up, and the whole fabrick of this visible world dissolved for ever, the kingdome of Christ onely standing, and being most glorious for ever and ever. From all which, note 1. that kingdomes of heathens are disposed of by the Divine providence, and it is not according to the will of man, that one [Note.] gets the Monarchy of the World at one time, and another at another. 2. Every age is worse then other, as long as men are swayed by the corruption of na∣ture, and so is every age of each man, the youth worse than the childhood, the virile estate worse then the youth, and old age worst of all, but contrariwise in those that are by grace sanctified. 3. Great is the glory of worldly men, but it endureth onely for a short time, and then they are torn in pieces, and horribly destroyed, when as proceeding by degrees in wickednesse their sinnes be come to the full, as the Amorites. 4. The kingdome of Christ little at the first, increaseth wonderfully, as the grain of Mustard seed, and shall finally bring under and annihilate all other kingdomes, that we may by faith expe∣cting cleave fast to the truth, and so in Gods due time we shall see all such, as oppose it, whether Popish or Mahumetan confounded, as the gold, silver, brasse, iron and clay. But this kingdome in one the onely glorious kingdome all over the world, so to continue for ever, to the beautifying of all the true members thereof.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and worshipped Daniel, &c. Of Da∣niel denying to have this honour done unto him nothing is said, but it is im∣plyed, vers. 47. that he refused this honour, and bad him worship God, from whom this rare knowledge came, setting him forth unto him, as the onely true God knowing and foreknowing, and ruling over all things, because it is said, the King answered Daniel and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and Lord of lords, being as much in effect, as if it had been said, Daniel refusing that honour, and instructing the King better touching God, whose wisdome it was and not his to reveal secrets, the king answered, as is here said. For Peter did so towards Cornelius worshipping him, and Paul and Barnabas towards the Barbarians worshipping them, therefore it is not to be doubted, but that Daniel being lead by the same holy spirit did likewise. And his former speeches, that hee had no more wisdome, then any other man to reveale such secrets, but that there was a God in heaven, that had revealed it, imply no less. Lastly, if hee should not have refused it, he should have sinned foully, as Herod, yea much more, and so have provoked God against him for accepting Divine ho∣nours offered unto him, and how farre he was from sinning in the least mat∣ters