Daniel 4

Superbos sequitur ultor à Tergo Deus — the proud man is the mark which God shoots at, and he never misses the mark. He threw proud Lucifer out of Heaven; he thrust proud Nebuchadnezzar out of his throne, and turned him to grass (Daniel 4:29). O then be like Christ in humility.

Who shall dispute with God? Who shall ask him a reason of his doings (Daniel 4:35)? He does according to his will in the army of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand, or say to him, what do you do?

There are two nations in the womb. Original sin is like that tree (Daniel 4:23): though the branches of it were hewn down, and the main body of it, yet the stumps and root of the tree were left. Though the Spirit is still weakening and hewing down sin in the godly, yet the stump…

And this change of life has two things in it. 1. The terminus a quo, a breaking off sin (Daniel 4:27): "Break off your sin by righteousness." And this breaking off sin must have three qualifications.

7. Aggravation of the loss of this kingdom: it will be an eternal irreparable loss; heaven once lost can never be recovered. Worldly losses may be made up again; if a man lose his health he may have it repaired by physic, if a man be driven out of his kingdom he may be restored…

This must teach us to pray earnestly, in our daily prayers, for the good estate of this kingdom, wherein we live; and of that worthy Prince and Queen, under whose government, we have been so long, and so liberally blessed. For, the welfare and prosperity, the certainty and secur…

In Abraham's family, his bond-men and servants were circumcised, and made members of the Church of GOD. And in Moses' days Jethro Moses' father in Law, a Priest of Midian, obtained this at Gods hands, to be joined unto Gods Church: and so was Ruth the Moabite, Ruth 1.16: and Naa…

Again some others think, that men's souls after this life do pass from one man's body to another: and Herod may seem to have been of this opinion: for when news was brought him of Christ, he said, that John the Baptist being beheaded was risen again, thinking that the soul of Jo…

Objection 5. (Daniel 4:27) Daniel gives this counsel to Nebuchadnezzar, redeem your sins by justice and your iniquities by alms deeds. Behold (say they) alms deeds are made a means to satisfy for man's iniquities.

Of this sort, are those, that thinke themselues to be wolues, and practise wolvish behavior. Thus we read, Dan. 4. 30. that Nebuchad-nezzar lived, behaued himselfe, and fed as a beast. Some say, that he loss his soul, and had the soul of a beast.

Their eyes and hearts are not but for covetousness (Jeremiah 22:17). For the glory of their own name (Daniel 4:30). For the continuance of their houses to many generations (Psalm 49:11).

Now such a hope as Arminians allow to Heathen and Indians, to Reprobates, who believe that Christ died for all and every one, and such as perish eternally, we gladly leave to themselves; and if our doctrine of particular redemption furnishes ground of despair as opposed to this…

Thus far in the general we may be confident of. 3. To preserve his people from many dangers and casualties, which fall not within the foresight of man, God employs the watchers, as they are called in the book of Daniel (Daniel 4:13, 17), for he is tender of his people, and does…

Therefore again I admonish you, that such sentences as the adversaries do allege out of the Scriptures concerning works and rewards thereof, must be spiritually expounded. As if they allege this sentence out of (Daniel 4): Redeem your sins by alms deeds, you must not here expoun…

He that steals, according to the quality of his theft, must restore either twofold, or fourfold (Exodus 22:7); he that maims a man must pay for his healing, and for his resting, that is, for the loss of his labor (Exodus 21:19). Daniel says to Nebuchadnezzar, "O King, break off…

Matth. 5. 16. Here we see what glorying is Vnlawfull; namely, when men ascribe to themselues either that which they have not, or more then they have, or as proceeding from themselues, their wisdome, strength, industrie, in sacrificing to their own netts, and burning incense to t…

And yet this Work in it self is of the same kind with what God sometimes employs holy Angels about, because it is the Execution of his Righteous Judgments. So it was a watcher and an Holy One that in such a Case smote Nebuchadnezzar with a sudden madness and frenzy, Dan. 4. 13,…

They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. It's a sign that prosperity is not sanctified tomen, when it swells the heart with pride and self-conceitedness, Daniel 4. 29, 30. At the end of twelve moneths he walked in the Palace of the kingdom of Babylo…

So that when Job says, I was not in safety, he means, I did not think myself safe, or beyond the reach of danger, I was not taken up in outward contentments: I did not look upon my possessions as perpetuities, or upon my house, as that which should endure forever, or my dwelling…

I was made wiser th[]n the ancient, by keeping your cōmandement: first Dauid reformed himself, and then hee became exceeding wise. As it is said of Manasses, that when hee repented and humbled himselfe, he knew that the Lord was God: and after Nabuchadnezzer was humbled, his un…

The third and great argument, is, for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night: Very shame might prevail with the wife, when the Husband uses such an argument as this: It's even as if a husband, standing long without doors in a tempestuous night, shou…

REFLECTION. HOw often have I passed by such barren trees, with a more barren heart? as little thinking such a tree to be the emblem of my self, as Nebuchadnezz[•]r did, when he saw that tree in a dream which represented himself, and shadowed forth to him his ensuing misery, Dan.…

It degrades a man from the honor of his Creation, and equalizeth him to the beast that perishes. Wine is said to take away the heart, Hosea 4:11. (i. e.) the wisdom and ingenuity of a man, and so brutifies him; as Nebuchadnezzar, who lost the heart of a man, and had the heart of…

1. God has in general instituted civil government for the good of human society, and still there is good in it, tyranny is better than anarchy. 2. It is by his providence that men are advanced to places of authority (Psalm 75:6-7; Daniel 4:25; John 19:11). Third, it is his comma…

This was the means to bury them in perpetual oblivion. Nebuchadnezzar, when he rebuilt the city (Daniel 4:30): Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty? How does God disappoint him and tur…

Proud men are full of musings. Is not this great Babylon that I have built, for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty (Daniel 4:30)? Proud men please themselves with the suppositions of applause, and the echoes of praise in their min…

David resolves so to do, I will delight, or solace or recreate myself in your statutes; this should be his refreshment after business. David had many things to delight in, the splendor and magnificence of his kingdom, as Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:30): Is not this great Babylon th…

But the saints have a reverence for their Father's anger. Search the Scriptures, and you shall find that the godly are more troubled at God's judgments, than the wicked themselves who are to feel them; (Daniel 4:19) Daniel was astonished for an hour, and his thoughts troubled hi…

God who is arbitrary in his gifts, is not arbitrary in his judgments: there is a rule of commerce between him and his creatures stated, and set forth, and allowed and appointed by him, and consented to by us: the directive and counseling part is the rule of our obedience, and th…

O you fools, when will you be wise? Brutish and foolish are synonymous and parallel expressions, as was hinted before; a heart void of understanding, is the heart of a beast, as is clear (Daniel 4:16, 34-36). 2 Sinful man is like the beast in sensuality, as if he were only belly…

3 Times when sinners have confessed their sin. In a day of affliction, when the plagues of God have taken hold of them, and the judgments of God have been heavy upon them: The story of Pharaoh is too long to rehearse, and that of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4). Oh how did God stoop t…

Thus the woman of Samaria when our Savior came home to the quick and met with the secrets of her heart, she then fell from her taunting and slighting of our Savior to admiring of him — Come, says she, behold the man that told me all that ever I did, is not he the Christ (John 4:…

As to the first, the less of the creature and self, and the more of God in the end, so much the more denied and spiritual is the doer, when purely for God [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] we do (1 Corinthians 10:13; Colossians 3:23), we are sick for God, and in health for God, and wake…

God made the sea and all the rivers. There be three pronouns in the mouth of another proud monarch, (Daniel 4:30) And the king spoke and said, Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power and the honor of my majesty? So soon…

And often men judge themselves mortified, because they are dead, it may be to riches, but alive to ambition and desire of honor. As Nebuchadnezzar spared no charges for his gods, his pleasure, but he was alive to honor (Daniel 4:30): Is not this great Babylon, that I have built…

If then 'all' here is to be understood of all men universally, one of these two things must of necessity follow: either that God fails of his purpose and intention, or else that all men universally shall be saved. He does whatsoever he pleases in heaven and earth (Psalm 115), an…

14. That a man may be rightly called his own Redeemer and savior, which he endeavours to prove from Daniel 4. And some of his church affirms that the saints may be called the Redeemers of others, though improperly.

The Lords voice cries to the City, Hear ye the Rod, and who has appointed it. This is the language of the Rod, that we should humble our selves under Gods mighty hand, and break off our iniquities by righteousness, (Daniel 4:27). Manassehs affliction ushered in Repentance, 2 (Ch…

A proud man is the Herald of his own good deeds, he blazes his own fame, and therein is his vice, to paint his own virtue. 5. Are not they proud who take the glory due to God, to themselves, Daniel 4:30. Is not this great Babylon I have built?

The next verses further confirm this idea. (Daniel 4:34) I praised and honored him, that lives forever, [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩]. Chapter 6:26: For he is the living God, and steadfast forever, [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩].

Indeed, the shame and blushing on Christ's fair face (Hebrews 12:2), which he suffered under the cross, is fairer than rubies, and gold, and has the color of the heaven of heavens. Nebuchadnezzar has more pain and torment in persecuting (Daniel 4:19), than the three children had…

And Virtus sola & unica Nobilitas: virtue is the only true nobility. And the Scripture tells us, that the vilest men are exalted (Psalm 12:8), and that the most high rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whoever he will, and sets up over it the basest of men (Daniel 4:17)…

So when joy is up, we view the thing we rejoice in, and read it over and over, as we do a book we like, and we mark every tittle, we are punctual in it; indeed so inordinate are we herein, as often we cannot sleep for thinking on them (Ecclesiastes 5:12) — abundance of riches wi…