Commentaries of the divine John Calvin, upon the prophet Daniel, translated into English, especially…Commentaries of the diuine Iohn Caluine, vpon the prophet Daniell, translated into Englishe, especially…

He saith: That his habitation was with the wild Asses, which before had dwelt in that palace which was known to all the world, from whence all the people of the East did at that time receive their laws. Therefore seeing he was wont to be worshipped for a God, this was a terrible judgement, that afterward he dwelt with the wild beasts. And whereas now they fed him with grass like a bullock, which before had all manner of delicates at his pleasure, and was wont to be fed so daintily as the abundance of his kingdom would bear: especially seeing the East parts are more delicate then all other, and that Babylon was also the mother of all riotousness: seeing the condition of the king was so changed, all men might know that this was not done by fortune, but by the rare and the singular judgement of God. Afterward he addeth that which he spake before: That his body was watered with the rain of heaven, until he knew that the high God did rule in the kingdom of men.

He sayth: That his habitation was with the wilde Asses, which before had dwelt in that palace which was knowne to all the world, from whence all the people of the East did at that tyme receiue their lawes. Therefore seyng he was wont to be worshipped for a God, this was a terrible iudgemēt, that afterward he dwelt with the wilde beastes. And whereas now they fed him with grasse like a bullocke, which before had all maner of delicates at his pleasure, and was wont to be fed so dayntely as the aboundance of hys kyngdome would beare: especially seyng the East partes are more delicate then all other, and that Babylon was also the mother of all riotousnes: seyng the condition of the kyng was so chaunged, all men might know that this was not done by fortune, but by the rare and the singular iudgement of God. Afterward he addeth that which he spake before: That his body was watered with the rayne of heauen, vntill he knew that the hygh God dyd rule in the kingdome of men.

Here is again expressed the end of his punishment, that ⟨p. 87⟩Nebuchadnezzar should know that he was made king by Gods appointment, & that no earthly kings canst and but as God stayeth them by his hand & power. But they do think them selves to be set safe and sure from all changes and misfortunes. And though they set forth for a show in their titles these words, that they do reign by the grace of God: yet do they despise all that is of God and God him self, for they take unto them selves the glory of God. This is the madness of all kings, as may be gathered of these words. For if king Nebuchadnezzar had been persuaded of this, that kings are set in place by God, and that they do depend only of his good pleasure, and that they stand or fall as he decreeth: there had been no need of this punishment, as is plainly expressed in these words. Therefore he shut forth God from the government of the world. And this is the commune manner of all earthly kings, as I have said before. They will all (I grant) profess otherwise: but the holy ghost doth not regard such feigned protestations, as they term them.