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…

After this there doth follow the like battle and victory of Daniel him self, whiles that he had rather to be cast to the raging Lyons, then to abstain but three days from an open profession of his faith, lest by deceitful dissimulation he might prostitute the holy name of God, to the derision of the wicked: and he being delivered forth of the den, as it were drawn forth of the grave most miraculously, triumpheth over Satan and his confederates. Hear come not forth any Philosophers, which can dispute subtly and cunningly of virtues in their studies when they are quiet: but here have we the infatigable constancy of holy men in the exercise of true holiness, to stir us up with open cry to follow them. Wherefore unless we be altogether uncapable of doctrine, we must learn of those Schoolmasters, diligently to take heed, whether that Satan lay his baits of flattery, that we be not snared therewith: or if that he assail us with violence, that we may repulse and break his assaults with a bold contempt of death and all dangers. If any man will make excuse, that the examples of both these deliverances that we have named, are rare: I do grant that God doth not always stretch forth his hand from the heavens, to save his in like sort, but (which is sufficient for us) he hath hereby testified that he will be the faithful guerdon and keeper of our life so oft as it shall be in any danger, and that we are not exposed to the lusts of the wicked, but that God can assuage their fury and outrageous enterprises when he seeth it good. But we may not only look upon the end and success, but we must behold how boldly & courageously these holy men have offered them selves to death for the defence of Gods glory, neither doth their prompt and ready minds in offering them selves as sacrifices, deserve less praise because they were delivered.

After this there doth folow the lyke battaile and victory of Daniel hym selfe, whiles that he had rather to be cast to the ragyng Lyons, then to absteine but three dayes from an open profession of hys fayth, lest by deceitfull dissimulation he might prostitute the holy name of God, to the derision of the wicked: and he beyng deliuered forth of the denne, as it were drawen forth of the graue most miraculously, triūpheth ouer Sathan and his cōfederates. Heare come not forth any Philosophers, which can dispute subtily and cunnyngly of vertues in their studyes when they are quyet: but here haue we the infatigable constācy of holy men in the exercise of true holynes, to styrre vs vp with open cry to folow them. Wherfore vnles we be altogether vncapable of doctrine, we must learne of those Scholemasters, diligently to take hede, whether that Sathan lay hys baytes of flattery, that we be not snared therewith: or if that he assayle vs with violence, that we may repulse and breake hys assaultes with a bold contempt of death and all daungers. If any man will make excuse, that the exāples of both these deliueraūces that we haue named, are rare: I do graunt that God doth not alwayes stretch forth his hand from the heauens, to saue hys in lyke sort, but (which is sufficient for vs) he hath hereby testified that he will be the faithfull guerdon and keper of our lyfe so oft as it shall be in any daunger, and that we are not exposed to the lustes of the wicked, but that God can assuage their fury and outragious enterprises when he seeth it good. But we may not onely looke vpon the end and successe, but we must behold how boldly & courageously these holy men haue offered them selues to death for the defence of Gods glory, neither doth their prompt and ready myndes in offeryng them selues as sacrifices, deserue lesse prayse because they were deliuered.