that can fhew the King's Matter, therefore "there is no King, Lord, nor Ruler that asked fuch things of any Magician, or Aftrologer, ❝or Chaldean.

"And it is a rare thing that the King requireth, and there is none other that can fhew it before "the King, except the Gods whofe dwelling is not with Flefh. "

By all this Discourse it is plain that Nebuchad nezzar believed that these Wife Men, &c. had a fupernatural Art, and if they had, he argued Justly, that they could as well tell him the Dream, as the certain Interpretation or Accomplishment.

But whether the Wife Men pretended to this fupernatural Art till now that they were forced to own the contrary, or whether they were only Men of Learning, and it was the fuperftition of the People, and not their own Pretenfions, that made them pafs for Conjurors, as feems moft chap. II. probable, fince Daniel && his Fellows were reckon'd among them.

Dan. I.

20.

13,

However that was, They were, it seems, obliged upon this occafion to undeceive. Nebu

chadnezzar

chadnezzar, and accordingly they gave him an Answer that disown'd any fupernatural Art in themselves, and allowed that none but the Gods could Answer fuch a Question as the Kings, which Gods they did not pretend, dwelt with Flesh, that is, infpired them.

It seems therefore, that all that they now pretended to, was to be skilled in that figurative Language, which had been ufually employed in true Prophetical Revelations, and fo could without any infpiration explain the importance of the Terms, and put the matter into Words commonly used and easily apprehended.

In the fame manner it feems to have been, that the Magicians in Pharaoh's Court imployed their Art and Skill to impofe upon him, as far as Jugling Tricks would go. But where their Tricks failed them, they cryed out, This is the Exod, Finger of God. By which they gave up all Vill. 19 Pretence to being themfelves Divinely Infpired.

But Daniel when he was brought before the King, gave him a proof or a Sign, that what

F. 2

he

Dan. II,

26,

27,

28,

29

30.

he was going to explain, would really come to pafs, fince he told him what no Body could know but God and the King himself, when he was reminded of his Dream.

"The King anfwered and faid to Daniel, whofe CC name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to "make known unto me the Dream which I "have seen, and the Interpretation thereof ?

"Daniel anfwered in the presence of the King "and faid, The Secret which the King hath "demanded, cannot the Wife Men, the Aftrolo"gers, the Magicians, the Southfayers fhew unto "the King.

But there is a God in Heaven that revealeth "Secrets, and maketh known to the King Ne"buchadnezzar, what fhall be in the latter Days.----

"As for thee, O King, thy thoughts came into "thy Mind upon thy Bed, what should come "to pass hereafter, and he that revealeth Secrets, "maketh known unto thee what shall come to "pafs.

"But as for me, this Secret is not revealed

"to

to me for any Wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their fakes that shall make known the Interpretation to the King, and that thou mightst know the thoughts of thy *Heart."

Where Daniel gives two Reasons why God has inftructed him in the Kings Matter; one that he might be inclined to deal favourably with the Jews now in Captivity, and the other that he might be well affured, that what he was warned of in a Dream, would certainly come to pass, and was not a common Dream.

The Description of the Dream it felf comes

next.

31,

"Thou, O King faweft, and behold a great Dan. II, Image, this great Image, whose Brightness was "Excellent, ftood before thee, and the form thereof was Terrible.

"This Images Head was of fine Gold, his

Breaft and his Arms of Silver, his Belly and *his Thighs of Brass.

"His Legs of Iron, his Feet part of Iron

and part of Clay.

32,

33>

Thou

Thou faweft till that a Stone was cut out "without Hands, which fmote the Image upon

his Feet that were of Iron and Clay, and "brake them to pieces.

"Then was the Iron, the Clay, the Brafs, the Silver and the Gold broken to picces toge"ther, and became like the Chaff of the Summer "Thrafhing-Floors, and the Wind carried them away, that no place was found for them, and the Stone that fimote the Image, became a great "Mountain.

"This is the Dream, and we will tell the "Interpretation thereof before the King.

Thou, O King, art a King of Kings, for the "God of Heaven hath given thee a Kingdom,, * Power, and Strength, and Glory.

"And where foever the Children of Men dwell, "the Beasts of the Field and the Fowls of the Hea "ven hath he given into thine Hand, and hath "made thee Ruler over them all; Thou art this "Head of Gold.

Daniel had before informed the King, That He who revealed Secrets, made known unto the King what shall come to pass,

And!