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came near to the Mouth of
the burning fiery Furnace,
and spake and faid, Shadrach,
Mefhach, and Abed-nego, ye
Servants of the moft High
GOD, come forth and come
hither, Then THEY came forth of the midst of the Fire.

BURNT; neither fhall the FLAME kin-
dle upon thee.

3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy one of Ifrael thý SAVIOUR.

In the miraculous Deliverance of led the Prophecy in Ifaiah. Hebrew Captives was literally fulfil

27 And the Princes, and the King's Counsellors, being gathered together SAW thefe Men, upon whofe BODIES the FIRE had no POWER, nor was an Hair of their Head firged, neither were their Coats changed, nor the SMELL of FIRE had paffed on them.

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar faid, Bleffed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath fent his ANGEL, and DELIVERED his Servants that TRUSTED in him, and have changed the King's Word, and YIELDED their Bodies, that they might not ferve nor WORSHIP any GOD, except their own GOD.

29 Therefore, I make a DECREE, That every People, Nation, and Language, which speak any thing amifs againft THE GOD of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in Pieces, and their Houses fhall be made a Dunghill, because there is no OTHER GOD that can DELIVER after this Sort.

30 Then the King promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the Province of Babylon.

It may be conje&ured that this Haughty Prince was fo illated with the Vifion of his being the Head of all thofe great Empires that were to fucceed him, that he directs an Image to be formed after the Model of what he had feen in his Dream, and commands all his Subjects to fall down and worThip it.

What the Head of this golden Image attempted, was, by the fucceeding Empires often practifed, a glorious Army of Martyrs being facrificed both under the Pagan and Papal Empires; who by a Divine Fortitude triumph'd even in the Flames, over all the Rage of their cruel Perfecutors.

CHA P. IV.

1 Nebuchadnezzar confeffeth God's Kingdom. 4 Maketb Relation of his Dream, which the Magicians could not interpret. 8 Daniel heareth the Dream. 19 He interprets it. 28 The Story of the Event.

Ver. I.

EBUCHADNEZZAR the King, unto all
People, Nations, and Languages that dwell in

all

all the Earth, Peace be multiplied unto you.

2 I thought it good to fhew the SIGNS and WONDERS that the HIGH GOD hath wrought toward me.

3 How GREAT are his Signs! and how MIGHTY are his WONDERS! his KINGDOM is an everlasting Kingdom, and his DOMINION is from Generation to Generation.

Pfal. cxlv. 1 They shall speak of the Glory of thy Kingdom, "and talk of thy Power.

12 To make known to the Sons of

Men, his mighty Aas, and the glorious Majefty of his Kingdom.

13 Thy Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and thy Dominion endureth throughout all Generations.

4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at REST in mine House, and flourishing in my Palace. 5 I faw a Dream which made me AFRAID, and the Thoughts upon my Bed, and the Vifions of my Head troubled me.

6 Therefore made I a Decree to bring in all the wife Men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the Interpretation of the Dream.

7 Then came in the Magicians, the Aftrologers, the Chaldeans, and the Soothfayers: and I told the Dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the Interpretation thereof.

8 But at the last Daniel came in before me, in whom is the Spirit of the holy Gods, and before him I told the Dream, faying,

9 O Beltefhazzar, Mafter of the Magicians, because I know that the SPIRIT of the HOLY GODS is in thee, and no Secret troubleth thee, tell me the Vifions of my Dream that I have seen, and the Interpretation thereof.

10 Thus were the Vifions of mine Head in my Bed; I faw, and behold a Tree in the midft of the Earth, and the Height thereof was great.

11 The Tree grew, and was ftrong, and the Height thereof reached unto Heaven, and the Sight thereof to the End of all the Earth.

12 The Leaves thereof were fair, and the Fruit thereof much, and in it was Meat for all: the Beafts of the Field had Shadow under it, and the Fowls of the Heaven dwelt in the Boughs thereof, and all Flesh was fed of it,

13 I faw in the Vifions of my Head upon my Bed, and behold a Watcher, and an holy one came down from Heaven. 14 He cried aloud, and faid thus, Hew down the Tree, and cut off his Branches, fhake off his Leaves, and featter Kkkk

his

his Fruit; let the Beasts get away from under it, and the Fowls from his Branches.

15 Nevertheless, leave the Stump of his Roots in the Earth, even with a Band of Iron and Brafs, in the tender Grafs of the Field, and let it be wet with the Dew of Heaven, and let his Portion be with the Beasts in the Grafs of the Earth.

16 Let his Heart be changed from Man's, and let a Beaft's Heart be given unto him, and let seven Times pass over him.

17 This Matter is by the Decree of the Watchers, and the Demand by the Word of the holy ones: to the Intent that the Living may know, that the moft High ruleth in the Kingdom of Men, and giveth it to whomfoever he will, and fetteth up over it the bafeft of Men.

18 This Dream I King Nebuchadnezzar have feen: now thou, O Beltefhazzar, delare the Interpretation thereof, forafmuch as all the wife men of my Kingdom are not able to make known unto me the Interpretation: but thou art able, for the Spirit of the holy Gods is in thee.

19 Then Daniel (whofe Name was Beltefhazzar) was aftonied for one Hour, and his Thoughts troubled him: the King fpake, and faid, Beltefhazzar, let not the Dream, or the Interpretation thereof trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered, and faid, my Lord, the Dream be to them that hate thee, and the Interpretation thereof to thine Enemies.

20 The Tree that thou faweft, which grew and was ftrong, whofe Height reached unto the Heaven, and the Sight thereof to all the Earth.

21 Whofe Leaves were fair, and the Fruit thereof much, and in it was Meat for all; under which the Beasts of the Field dwelt, and upon whofe Branches the Fowls of the Heaven had their Habitation.

22 It is thou, O King, thou art grown, and art become ftrong: for thy Greatnefs is grown and reacheth unto Heaven, and thy Dominion to the End of the Earth.

23 And whereas the King faw a Watcher, and an holy one coming down from Heaven, and faying, Hew the Tree down, and deftroy it, yet leave the Stumps of the Roots thereof in the Earth, even with a Band of Iron and Brafs, in the tender Grafs of the Field, and let it be wet with the Dew of Heaven, and let his Portion be with the Beafts of the Field, till feven Times pass over him;

24 This

24 This is the Interpretation, O King, and this is the Decree of the moft High, which is come upon my LORD the

King;

25 That they fhall drive thee from Men, and thy Dwelling fhall be with the Beafts of the Field, and they fhall make thee to eat Grafs as Oxen, and they fhall wet thee with the Dew of Heaven, and feven Times fhall pafs over thee, till thou know that the moft High ruleth in the Kingdom of Men, and giveth it to whomfoever he will.

26 And whereas they commanded to leave the Stump of the Tree Roots: thy Kingdom fhall be fure unto thee, after that thou fhalt have known that the Heavens do rule.

27 Wherefore, O King, let my Counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy Sins by Righteoufnefs, and thine Iniquities by fhewing Mercy to the Poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy Tranquillity.

28 All this came upon the King Nebuchadnezzar.

29 At the End of twelve Months, he walked in the Palace of the Kingdom of Babylon.

30 The King fpake and faid, is not this great Babylon that I have built for the Houfe of the Kingdom, by the Might of my Power, and for the Honour of my Majesty?

31 While the Word was in the King's Mouth, there fell a Voice from Heaven, faying, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken, The Kingdom is departed from thee.

32 And they shall drive thee from Men, and thy Dwelling fhall be with the Beafts of the Field: they fhall make thee to eat Grafs as Oxen, and feven Times fhall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the Kingdom of Men, and giveth it to whomfoever he will.

33 The fame Hour was the Thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar; and he was driven from Men, and did cat Grafs as Oxen, and his Body was wet with the Dew of Heaven, till his Hairs were grown like Eagles Feathers, and his Nails like Birds Claws.

34 And at the End of the Days, I Nebuchadnezzar lift up mine Eyes unto Heaven, and mine Understanding returned unto me, and I bleffed the moft High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whofe Dominion is an everlasting Dominion, and his Kingdom is from Generation to Generation.

35 And all the Inhabitants of the Earth are reputed as nothing, and he doeth according to his Will in the Army of Kkkk 2 Heaven,

Heaven, and among the Inhabitants of the Earth, and note can stay his Hand, or fay unto him, What doest thou.?

36 At the fame Time my Reafon returned unto me, and for the Glory of my Kingdom, mine Honour and Brightnefs returned unto me; and my Counfellors and my Lords fought unto me; and I was established in my Kingdom, and excellent Majesty was added unto me.

37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honour the King of Heaven, all whofe Works are Truth, and his Ways Judgment, and thofe that walk in Pride, he is able to abafe.

CHAP. V.

1. Belshazzars impious Feaft. 8 A Hand-writing troubleth bim. 17 Daniel reproving him, 25 Interpreteth the Writing. 30 The City is taken by the Medes and Perfians, and the Empire tranflated to them.

Ver. 1 DELSHAZZAR

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f the King made a great Feaft to a thousand of his Lords, and drank Wine before the thousand.

z Belshazzar, while he tafted the Wine, commanded to bring the golden and filver Veffels, which his Father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the Temple which was in Jerufalem, that the King and his Princes, his Wives and his Concubines might drink therein.

3 And the King and his Princes, his Wives and his Concubines drank in them.

4 And praised the Gods of Gold, and Silver, of Brafs, of Iron, of Wood, and of Stone.

5 In the fame HOUR came

Ifai. xii. 1 The Burden of B BYLON, which Isaiah the Son of A mos did fee.

6 Howl ye, for the Day of the LORD is at Hand; it fhall come as Destruction from the ALMIGHTY.

7 Therefore fhall all Hands be faint, and every Man's Heart thall

melt.

$ And they fhall be afraid: Pangs and Sorrows fhall take hold on them, they fhall be in Pain as a Woman MAZED one at another, their Faces that travelleth: they shall be fhall be as Flames.

9 Behold, the Day of the LORD fierce Anger, to lay the Land DESOcometh, cruel both with Wrath and LATE; and he fhall deftroy the Sinners thereof out of it.

for their Evil, and the Wicked for 11 And I will punish the World their INIQUITY; and I will cause the Arrogancy of the Proud to cease, and will lay low the Haughtiness of

the Terrible.

17 Behold, I will ftir up the MEDES against them, which shall not regard Silver.

19 And BABYLON the GLORY of

forth

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