Matthew Poole and continuators on Daniel 6:16

16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel , and cast him into the den of lions : Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee .

He had a good mind to do Daniel a kindness, but he could not stem the Tyde of his Flatterers, who being cro[illegible: 1 letter]t might machinate some mischief against him, having this plausible pretense for it, they stood for the fundamental Laws of the Land, which the King endeavoured to null by his prerogative for the sake of one person his pure vassal being an alien, and of another Religion, which was contrary to that which was by Law establisht.

Thus the best man in the Kingdom, becomes a Sacrifice to the malice of the vilest men; the King consenting and commanding it against his Conscience, but for reason of State, being inexcusable, for assuming, the honour and worship of a God exclusive, to all other Gods and Worship, and for all that he was convinced of the true God, would not Worship him, nor suffer others to do it, under pain of death.

No thanks to him; why then did he cast the Servant of God to the Lions to try experiments upon him? no, to excuse himself, and to comfort Daniel; but to little purpose either.