A commentary upon the whole Old Testament, added to that of the same author upon the whole New Testament published many years before, to make a compleat work upon the whole Bible. Vols. 2-4. Wherein the divers translations and expositions, literall and mysticall, of all the most famous commentators both ancient and modern are propounded, examined, and judged of, for the more full satisfaction of the studious reader in all things, and many most genuine notions inserted for edification in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. A work, the like unto which hath never yet been published by any man, yet very necessary, nor only for students in divinity; but also for every Christian that loveth the knowledge of divine things, or humane, whereof this comment is also full. Consisting of IV parts. I Upon the Pentateuch, or five books of Moses. II Upon the historical part, from Joshua to Esther. III Upon Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Solomons Song. IV Upon all the prophets both great and small. By John Mayer, doctor of divinity.

CHAP. III.

IN this chap. Nebuchadnezzar setteth up an image of gold 60 cubits high, and fix cubits broad, commanding all men to worship it, which image saith Lyra * 1.1 was his own, he being by pride so far lifted up; that he would be worshipped as a God, setting up this his image to this end and purpose, as Caius Caligula a Ro∣man Emperour did afterwards. Here is a strange alteration of a man, that upon so good ground a little before acknowledged one only true God, now to fall to this foul sinne of exalting himselfe as a God, but such is the ficklenesse and [Note.] inconstancy of carnall men, one while being most godly, and soone after re∣turning with the dogge to their own vomit, that their godlinesse is nothing worth, but like the morning dew, and as Herods reverencing of John, and soon after beheading him: that we may resolve upon constancy in that which is good, thus being fenced against all temptations to fall away herefrom to e∣vill, and consequently into condemnation. This Nebuchadnezzar did out of his exceeding great pride for the amplitude of his Dominion, but it is pro∣bable that he had setters on, viz. his Princes and Lords, who envyed the Jews for the great favour and authority in which they were, but by this meanes they thought to work their destruction, as the following part of this history giveth us just occasion to conceive, and the great penalty threatned to those, that would not fall downe and worship this image. For there were none of the Nations under the Kings Dominion to be suspected for their standing out against this Decree, but the Jews onely, and their accusing of Shadrach, Me∣shach, and Abednego, and seeking to have them destroyed by the fiery furnace as was propounded evinceth the same, whereunto we may also adde, that the * 1.2 King called his Princes and Nobles together to see the miracle wrought for those three, and his Decree making after this, that none should speak evill of their God. For what else did this imply, but that they had before spoken spitefully both against their God and them, to stay them from doing which hereafter he would have them see this miracle.

If it be demanded, how it came to pass, that Daniel was not now brought in question as well also as his three fellows? It is answered, either because he sate in the Kings gate, and so as being above all his Princes and Nobles, and as the Kings right hand, the Proclamation touched not him any more then the King himselfe, he most probably sitting with the King, as a spectatour of that which was done; or by reason of his imployments not to be spared to goe from the Kings gate and judging matters that came before him. And this I take take to be the most probable, because if hee had been there with the king, he would

not certainly have held his peace, but have spoken against this grosse idola∣try, and for his fellows in danger for not consorming thereunto. For the time when these things were done, some think it was long after his dream inter∣preted, but most probably it was the same yeare, the envy of other Princes of Babylon being so great at the preferment of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that they would not rest, but immediately seek to pull them downe by some device or other from the high places in which they were set, but with Daniel they medled not, as thinking him for the great grace, in which hee was with the King, to be above their reach. And if the dream were An. 37. of his reigne, as was before said, it must needes be granted, that this idolatry was set up the same year, because that An. 38. his punishment for this his intolerable pride fol∣lowed in driving him from amongst men to live in the fields with the beasts in the open air, and under no roofe where men inhabited, as he was well worthy to be dealt withall, who being a man of most eminent place, ruling over men and beasts, could not be herewith content, but he would be a god, therefore he was thus made more base then any other man. And that this must needs be done an. 37. and so that punishment infflicted, an. 38. of his reign appeareth, because he was held in that brutish condition 7 yeares, and then restored again, and these being added to 38. amount to 45. soon after which he dyed. That this image was his own and not of any of the false gods, which he worship∣ped, is plain, because he did not worship it himselfe. 2. Because v. 12. it is di∣stinguished from his gods in the accusation brought against Shadrach, Meshach, * 1.3 and Abednego. 3. Because it was long ago prophesied of, that he should take thus upon him as a God. And it may be, that he took an hint from his dream of an image, whereof he heard that he was the golden head, thus to represent him∣selfe to the people to be adored. So the wicked turn the Word of God made [Note.] known unto them into an occasion of sinne, especially Magistrates hearing themselves called Gods they swell in pride, as if they were Gods indeed, and * 1.4 elevated above the condition of mortall men, expecting to be honoured accor∣dingly, which proveth oft-times to be their overthrow, as is intimated, where they are called gods, it being added immediately, yee shall dye like men, for which the Lord gave a speciall charge to him, that should be set up for King, not to be * 1.5 lifted up in his heart above his brethren.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the valiantest champions of God being cast * 1.6 into the fiery furnace, that was so extream hot, were by and by seen walking in the said furnace, a fourth man being amongst them like the sonne of God. Whence Lyra noteth this to have been the second Vision Propheticall touch∣ing * 1.7 Christ, of which he maketh five in all the Histories from ch. 2. to chap. 6. 1. The vision of the stone cut out of the mountaine without hands, of which * 1.8 chap. 2. 2. Of one like the Son of God in the fiery furnace, in this place set∣ting forth the sufferings and burnings of his faithfull servants that should be in the time of persecution, their invincible courage in suffering, and his pre∣sence with them, changing the nature of the fire, that it seemed no tor∣menting fire to them, but comforting and refreshing. 3. chap. 4. One bidding cut down the tree represented to Nebuchadnezzar in another dream, who is cal∣led a watchman: for hereby Christs cutting downe of the divels kingdome was set forth. 4. chap. 5. The handwriting seen by Belshazzar upon the wall, and then he being by and by cut off, representing the hand-writing against us, which Christ tooke and nailed to his Crosse; thus spoiling Principalities and powers. 5. ch. 6. Daniels admirable deliverance out of the Lions den, figuring out Christs rising up out of the grave to life again. For this in present it was certainly a proeludium of his future incarnation, and after that of his presence always with his to the worlds end, especially in their sufferings, as he shewed * 1.9 himself to Stephen, now ready to be stoned. Thus it is understood by Tertullian, who saith, Christ appeared to the king of Babylon in the fiery furnace the fourth with his Martyrs as the son of God. And Epiph. bringeth this place for proof of the Son of God by the old Testament. August. likewise rhetorically speak∣ing to Nebuchadnezzar who said, that he saw one like the Son of God, whence came

this to thee (O thou Alienigena) who told thee, that this was the Son of God, what Law, what Prophet? he is not yet born into the world, and the similitude of him, that was to be born, is known to thee. Whence came this? who told thee this, but the divine fire inlightening thee within, that whilest thou holdest these 3 as thine enemies in the fire, thou mightest give testimony to the Son of God? But Polanus following the vulg. tran. which hath it, v. 23. after these words, they * 1.10 fell down bound in the fiery furnace, and they walked loose in the midst of the fire without any hurt, for the Angell of the Lord descended together with them in the same moment, who shook the flames of the fire forth out of the Furnace, and preserved the servants of God safe without any trouble, being cooled as it were with a dew coming upon them in a pleasing manner. But the vulgar Latine followed by Jerome hath besides these words, a large prayer made by Azarias in the name of them all in the furnace, and after this deliverance a thanksgiving made by them all together, neither of which are in the Caldee, and so Jerome confesseth, but he had them out of the Greek translation of Theodotion. From hence Polanus gathereth that the fourth man appearing was an Angell, and not a representation of Christ, who should af∣terwards be made man of a woman. And he argueth from the speaker, who was an heathen, and therefore knew not any distinction of persons in the God head, but spake here of an Angel, as the Son of God, for he saith, that even the heathen knew, that there were Angels, and the King saith not nei∣ther that he saw one, who was the Son of God, but like him, whereupon he concludeth; that it was not hee that appeared, but an Angell in an as∣sumed body, as also Nebuchadnezzar himself calleth him, vers. 28. where∣fore he concludeth against tho••e Fathers that from hence bring a testimony; that Christ is the true naturall Son of God. But ••or so much as all agree, that the Son of God hath sometime appeared in a humane shape, as divers times he did to Ezekiel, and to Abraham; Ezek. 1. sitting upon the throne on the top of the living creatures and wheeles, and Ezek. 40. in a linen garment with a measuring line in his hand, and Ezek 9 and to Abraham, Gen. 13 44. & 15. and here a glorious man is seen working this great miracle upon the fire, that it could not burn, I see no reason, why we should not subscribe to the an∣cient tenet, that it was God the Son in an humane shape, who now appeared. For the reasons alleadged to prove the contrary: first, he is by the same king called an Angell, in like manner in other places the Son of God is called the Angell of the Covenant, for the King being an heathen whose words are not there∣fore * 1.11 to be regarded, most probably, as Augustine hath it, the spirit of God prompted him to say thus and therefore he and not king Nebuchadnezzar is to be looked at herein, for so Balaam an heathen wizzard spake of Christ by the name of a Star, that should rise out of Iacob. Lastly, for his saying, One like * 1.12 the Son of God; this argueth not, that in this vision there was not a representati∣on of the Son of God to come afterwards in the flesh, but rather that this great mystery was here shewed before for the greater comfort of the faithfull, that they might courageously bear all their sufferings having the Prince and head both of Angels and men present with them herein to mitigate their pangs and carry them through them with joy, this being more, then to have the prote∣ction of a meer Angell, concerning whose power also, whether he can change the nature of fire, that it shall not burn, it may well be doubted, seeing this argueth omnipotency, which is in God alone, and not communicable to any creature. Wherefore no weak argument, and worthy to be derided may bee raised herefrom that Jesus is the Son of God, but one strong and solid thus. He whom Nebuchadnezzar saw in the fiery furnace was the Son of God in an hu∣mane shape: but he was typically Jesus, Ergo, &c. The major is proved, be∣cause he did that, which none but God could doe, viz. qualified the most ardent fire, which burnt up some coming but near it, and had no fiery heat at the same instant to singe so much as the hair of the head of other some. For the minor it is also proved, because God appearing in a glorious humane shape at any time was not God the Father or Holy Ghost, but God the Son, sith no man hath seen God at any time, but the Son hath revealed him both

when in him appearing in an humane shape under the Law, and when under the Gospell shewing himself in the man Jesus born of the Virgin Mary, and hy∣postatically united unto him.

For the communication had betwixt the King and his Lords about this miracle, God ordered it so by his providence, that they might be made wit∣nesses hereof for the greater confirmation of the truth hereof, and that they might hereby be converted to God, or left the more without excuse. As for * 1.13 Nebuchadnezzar himself, he was again so taken with it, that he blesseth God, and decreeth against all men that shall vilipend him, although his sicklenesse and inconstancy in good was the same, that it was before chap. 2. and the be∣ginning of this third manifesteth. For had there been any true cordiall reso∣lution tending to such piety, as he made shew of herein, he should not for his pride have been so punished after this, as he was, chap. 4. Note hence the cer∣tainty [Note.] of the miracles which God wrought of old, there being so many made witnesses thereof, that we may not be unbeleeving, but beleeving, as if we had seen them our selves, and beleeving our Lord Jesus the Son of God to be pre∣sent, although invisibly, with all his faithfull servants in their sufferings, to mitigate them so, that they shall be able with comfort to bear them, whatsoe∣ver they be, as he was now in the furnace visibly, as the words, Like the Son of God, imply, because we commonly say of 〈…〉〈…〉an extraordinary for parts and glory, if he be the King, but never by us seen before, that he is like the King. 2. Miracles work upon the most wicked for the present, making them to speak as godlily as the sincerest Christian can doe, but in such as are not rooted in grace, it is but as a flash, soon vanishing again, that no man may bear himselfe upon this, that he is for the present well affected, but get grace into his heart, and to this end crave it with all earnestnesse and perseverance.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Lyra.
• * 1.2

  V. 9. V. 27. V. 29.
• * 1.3

  Esa. 14. 14.
• * 1.4

  Psal. 82.
• * 1.5

  Deut. 17.
• * 1.6

  V. 25.
• * 1.7

  Lyra.
• * 1.8

  Five visions prefigurative of Christ.
• * 1.9

  Act. 7. Tertul. l. 4. con∣tra Marcion. Epiphan. in anch. orat. August. orat. 6. contr. Judaeos & Arrianes.
• * 1.10

  Polanus.
• * 1.11

  Mal. 4.
• * 1.12

  Numb. 24. 17.
• * 1.13

  V. 30.