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Ver. 6. Now among these were, of the children of Judah, Daniel.] Who had not his name for nought, as we say, but by a providence. It signifieth, God is my judge; and so, indeed, he was throughout his whole life, but especially when they cast him into the lions’ den. (Daniel 6:16) David had also a son of the same name, and that by Abigail, (2 Samuel 3:3 1 Chronicles 3:1) in remembrance haply of the right that God had done him upon the churl Nabal. (1 Samuel 25:39) Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.] Good names all, and good men all, yet wrapt up with the rest in a common calamity, but for excellent ends, as it afterwards appeared. Meanwhile, God much sweetened the affliction to these four by their mutual society.
Ver. 7. Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names.] Not without the command of the king, (Daniel 5:12) as desirous to naturalise them, and by changing their right names, which had the names of God in them, El and Jah, to make them forget their religion; but that was better rooted than to be so easily razed out, though these new names were shrewd temptations to apostasy and idolatry, as being compounded by the names of the Babylonish gods, and means to make them honourable among the Chaldeans.
Ver. 8. But Daniel purposed in his heart.] The change of his name, though he utterly disliked, yet he could not help; but to show that he was still of the same religion, though he were but a child of twelve years old, or thereabouts, yet he purposeth first, and then performeth it, to keep himself pure and free from heathenish defilements. What if the vessels of the temple—by being brought into the treasure house of Nebuchadnezzar’s god (Daniel 1:2) -were defiled, yet these elect vessels would not. So the primitive Christians chose rather to be thrown to lions without than left to lusts within. Yea, I had rather be cast pure and innocent into hell, saith an ancient, than go to heaven being polluted with the filth of sin. Daniel’s greatest care is, ne contra legem Dei et conscientiam impuretur, he may not polute his conscience nor violate law of God, the lest he should be defiled in the least. Fall back, fall edge, as they say; he is fully resolved against that. So the Prince of Condi when, at the Parisian massacre, he was put to his choice by the French king, whether to go to mass, to suffer death, or to endure perpetual imprisonment, answered, As for the first, by the grace of God, I will never do it; and for the two last, I humbly submit to his majesty. Let him do with me what he pleaseth. That he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat.] That which Scaliger saith of Matthew Beroaldus, Vir doctus, et, quod familiam ducit, pius, that he was a learned man; but that which was his chief commendation, he was also a godly man, may be better said of the prophet Daniel. Godly he was early, and as a child, so was also his master Jeremiah, in whose works he was well read; (Daniel 9:2) Samuel; Timothy; Athanasius; Beza, who, among many other things, blessed God chiefly for this in his last will and testament, that at the age of sixteen years he had called him to the knowledge of the truth. Daniel had this happiness at twelve or thirteen. Neither was he like early fruit, that are soon rotten—Hermogenes was old in his childhood, and a child in his old age—but although he lived one hundred and ten years, as Isidor reckoneth, some say one hundred and thirty, yet he was best at last, and may very well pass for a martyr, though he came again safe out of the lions’ den, like as John the evangelist also did out of the cauldron of scalding oil, wherein he was cast by the command of Domitian, in contempt of Christianity. Daniel’s piety appeareth in this, that he maketh conscience of smaller evils also, such as most men in his case would never have boggled at. He would not “defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat.” He scrupled the eating of it; and why? (1.) Because it was often such as was forbidden by the law of God. (Leviticus 11:13,29 Deuteronomy 14:3-8) (2.) Because it was so used as would defile him and his fellows against the word of God; for the heathens, to the shame of many Christians, had their grace before a meal, as it were, consecrating their dishes to their idols before they tasted of them (Daniel 5:4 1 Corinthians 8:10) (3.) They could not do it without offence to their weaker brethren, with whom they chose rather to sympathise in their adversity than to live in excess and fulness. (Amos 6:6) (4.) They well perceived that the king’s love and provisions were not single and sincere, but that he meant his own profit, to assure himself the better of the land of Judah, and that they might forget their religion. Lastly, They knew that intemperance was the mother of many mischiefs, as in Adam, Esau, the rich glutton, &c. That is a memorable story that is recorded by William Schiekard concerning eleven Jewish doctors, whom the heathen king of Pirgandy having in his power, put them to this hard choice, either to eat swines’ flesh, or to drink wine that had been consecrated to idols, or to lie with certain harlots. They chose rather to drink the wine than to do either of the other two. But when they had drunk wine liberally, they were easily drawn to do the other two things also. Any one of these five reasons had been of force enough to prevail with Daniel, and the other three to forbear. They knew well that the least hair casteth its shadow. A barley corn laid on the sight of the eye will keep out the light of the sun, as well as a mountain. The eye of the soul that will “see God” must be kept very clear. (Matthew 5:8-12) Therefore he requested.] Modestly and prudently be propounded it, non convitiando, sed supplicando, and petitioneth for liberty of conscience, confessing his religion. Ad leonem potius quam lenonem. To a lion is more prefereable than to a brothel.— Tertul. Anselm. De Vita et Obitu Sanct. Ante cibum sua habebant prothymata, et laudabant deos suos. -Jun. Schickard, Jus. Reg. Hebr., cap. 5, p. 149.
Ver. 9. Now God had brought Daniel into favour.] God is never wanting to the truly conscientious. Let them choose rather to offend all the world than to do things sinful, and they shall be sure of good success. The prince of the eunuchs dared not yield to Daniel’s request, but he connived at the steward’s yieldance.
Ver. 10. I fear my lord the king.] This made him stand off as he did, in pretence at least. Tertullian taxeth the heathens for this, quod maiore formidine Caesarem observarent quam ipsum de Olympo Iovem, that they feared Caesar more than they did their greatest god Jupiter. But he who truly feareth God, needeth not fear any else. (Acts 4:19)
Ver. 11. Then said Daniel to Melzar.] Or, To the steward, alimentator, the purveyor for the pages of honour. The prince of the eunuchs might haply give him a hint to go to this Melzar, who might do it with less danger.
Ver. 12. Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days.] All good means must be used for the keeping of a good conscience, and then God must be trusted for the issue. But did not Daniel herein tempt God? No; for besides that he had a word, (1.) Of precept; (Deuteronomy 14:3) and (2.) Of promise, (Exodus 23:25) ex arcana revelatione certior factus est, it might be revealed unto him that no inconvenience should follow upon this course. And let them give pulse to eat, and water to drink.] Poor fare for noblemen’s sons, but such as they were well paid for. Nature is contented with a little, grace with less. The sobriety of Democritus and Demosthenes is much celebrated among the heathen. But what saith Augustine? Omnis vita infidelium peccatum est, et nihil bonum sine summo bone. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin, &c. Daniel’s sobriety was of another nature, of a better alloy. Papists crack much of their abstinence from certain meats and drinks at certain times; but Daniel’s and Papists’ fasts agree as harp and harrow. See my “Common Place of Abstinence.” De Ver. lnnoc., cap. 56.
Ver. 13. Then let our countenances be looked upon.] [See Trapp on “Da 1:12”] And as thou seest, deal with thy servants.] Thus humbly they bespeak the butler, or purveyor, though themselves were nobly descended. God had made them captives, and they now carry their sails accordingly.
Ver. 14. So he consented to them in this matter.] This had been well done, if done for God’s sake; but it was nothing less. He had a hawk’s eye herein to his own profit; he favoured them because he meant to finger something from them. These four made a mess.
Ver. 15. Their countenances appeared fairer.] They had both better health (for Tenuis mensa sanitatis mater, saith Chrysostom, Spare diet is very healthful), and their good conscience or merry heart was a continual feast to them. They had also God’s blessing upon their coarser fare, and this was the main matter that made the difference. Gustato spiritu desipit omnis caro. -Bern.
Ver. 16. Thus Melzar took away.] See on Daniel 1:14. And gave them pulse.] This slender diet was some help to their studies; for leaden bellies make leaden wits, saith the Greek Senary; and pinguis venter macra mens, saith Jerome, A fat belly maketh a lean mind. A body farced with delicious meats and drinks unfitteth a man for divine contemplation. γαστηρ παχεια λεπτον ου τικτει νοον.
Ver. 17. As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning.] Both natural and supernatural. In the art of grammar, saith Symmachus; in every book, saith the Latin interpreter. There was potus ex fonte, fletus in prece, somnns in codice, as Ambrose speaketh: they drank Adam’s ale, prayed with tears, slept with a book in their hands. Whether they read the curious books of the magicians (fitter to be burnt, Acts 19:19) is another question. Osiander thinketh that their Chaldean tutors would have obtruded upon them such kind of learning also; but as they abstained from the king’s meat, so they did, likely, from such corrupt and unlawful arts. Other commendable learning they looked into, as did also Moses, Solomon, Paul, &c. But what meant Pope Paul II to condemn all learned artists for heretics, and to tell his Romans that it was learning enough for a man to be able to read and write? Nebuchadnezzar was of another mind, and Daniel and his fellows went further than so. Learning hath no enemy but ignorance. In all visions and dreams,] i.e., In all kind of prophecy. See Numbers 12:6. Jac. Rev. De Vit. Pont., 244.
Ver. 18. Now at the end of the days,] i.e., After three years’ time of studying. See on Daniel 1:5. Account is to be exacted of time and profiting. Pliny said to his nephew, when he saw him walk out some hours without studying, Poteras has horas non perdere, You might have spent these hours better. Ignatius, when he heard a clock strike, would say, Here is one hour more now past that I have to answer for. Archbishop Ussher, on his death bed, begged hard of God to pardon his omissions, who yet was never known to omit an hour, but ever employed in his Master’s business, reading, writing, preaching, resolving doubts, &c. Plin. Epist. His Life by Dr Bernard.
Ver. 19. And the king communed with them.] It seems he was himself a learned king, able to pose them, and put them to it. So was Alexander the Great, Ptolemy Philadelph, Julius Caesar, Constantine the Great, Charles the Great, Alphonsus of Arragon, our Henry I, surnamed Beauclerc, and King James, who was able to confer learnedly with any man in his faculty. Alphonsus was wont to say that an unlearned king was but a crowned ass, and that he would not be without that little learning he had for all that he was worth besides. And among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.] That which Patricius saith of the son of Juba, king of Numidia, taken captive by Julius Caesar, may fitly be applied to these four noble captives: Quicquid nobilitatis fortuna eripuerat, id longe accumulatius ei restituerat bonarum artium disciplina, What lustre soever they had lost by their captivity, was abundantly made up and restored by their excellent learning. Therefore stood they before the king.] Who had no sooner proved them, but he highly approved them. O Hortensi admodum adolescentis ingenium, ut Phidiae signum simul aspectum et probatum est. So Daniel’s and the rest: neither need we wonder, since, beside all other helps, they were “taught of God.” Cicero.
Ver. 20. And in all matters of wisdom.] God will honour them that honour him: his gifts and graces he giveth to pure souls, and according to their study of purity, as to Daniel chiefly. He found them ten times better.] Masters of knowledge, skilled usque ad apices literarum, right up to the very peak of learning, and therefore highly favoured by the king, who was himself a great philosopher. Daniel was a leviathan of learning, both divine and human, as one saith of Archbishop Ussher; Unicum istius cetatis miraculum et musarum delicium, as Erasmus saith of Alciat, the miracle of his age, and the muse’s darling—one that better deserved, for his learning, to be called Magnus Great than ever Albertus did. The perfection even of human arts is to be found in the Church. See my Common Place of “Arts.” Mr Fuller.
Ver. 21. And Daniel continued, &c.] And afterwards also, though shrewdly lifted at under Darius; (Daniel 6:4) and in the third year of Cyrus he was overborne by the counsellors hired to hinder the building of the temple, whom he could not withstand, and therefore kept an extraordinary fast. (Ezra 4:5 Daniel 10:3,4)