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…

There was also an other kind of temptation, that wicked hypocrites, under a false pretence of zeal (as Daniel saith) did join them selves to Judas and his brethren. By the which subtlety Satan spotted the garrisons that Judas had collected, with great infamy, as though they had ben a band of thieves and robbers. But nothing was more lamentable unto good men, then to see the Priests them selves, as every man was carried with his ambition, to betray the Church and the Religion of God with wicked packings and practises. Neither was that holy office only sold and made a merchandise, but it was bought with mutual slaughter and parricides. Hereof came it that all states of men, all though Circumcision and sacrifices were in use, were polluted in the end through the manifold corruptions which spread every where without punishment: that it was a strange wonder to wait for the kingdom of God when Christ came into the world, and very few are therefore named with this commendation. If now in that miserable deformity of the Church, in the manifold desolations, amongst those great terrors, the spoiling of their countries, the robbing of houses, and amongest the dangers of death the Prophecy of Daniel hath sustained godly minds, when as Religion was yet wrapped in dark shadows, and the doctrine almost extinguished, and the Priests themselves being degenerate did tread all holy things under foot: how shameful shall our tender weakness be, unless this clear light of the Gospel, in the which God hath showed his fatherly face towards us, lift us up above all impediments, and stablish us with a constancy that can not be wearied? For as there is no doubt but that the servants of God then did apply unto their age, to mitigate the sorrows of their present miseries, all such things as were spoken by the Prophets of the Babilonicall captivity: so is it our part to have our eyes bent upon the miseries of our fathers, that we refuse not to be gathered unto that Church, unto whom it is spoken:¹ O thou poor one, afflicted and tossed with tempests, that hast no comfort, behold I will receive thee: and the which in an other place, after she hath complained that the plowers have ploughed their back, and the wicked have made long furrows as it were in a field, yet doth she glory straightways that their cords ⟨image 8⟩were cut by the just God, that they could not prevail.

There was also an other kynde of temptation, that wicked hipocrites, vnder a false pretēce of zeale (as Daniel sayth) did ioyne them selues to Iudas and his brethren. By the which subtilty Sathā spotted the garisons that Iudas had collected, with great infamy, as though they had ben a bande of theues and robbers. But nothyng was more lamentable vnto good men, then to see the Priestes them selues, as euery man was caried with hys ambition, to betray the Church and the Religion of God with wicked packyngs and practises. Neither was that holy office onely sold and made a marchandise, but it was bought with mutuall slaughter and parricides. Hereof came it that all states of men, all though Circumcision and sacrifices were in vse, were polluted in the ende through the manifold corruptions which spred euery where without punishment: that it was a straunge wonder to wayte for the kyngdome of God when Christ came into the world, and very few are therfore named with this commendation. If now in that miserable deformity of the Church, in the manifold desolations, amongst those great terrours, the spoylyng of their countreys, the robbyng of houses, and amongest the daūgers of death the Prophecy of Daniel hath susteined godly mindes, when as Religion was yet wrapped in darke shadowes, and the doctrine almost extinguished, and the Priests themselues beyng degenerate dyd tread all holy thynges vnder foote: how shamefull shall our tender weakenes be, vnles this cleare light of the Gospell, in the which God hath shewed his fatherly face towardes vs, lift vs vp aboue all impediments, and stablish vs with a constancy that can not bee wearied? For as there is no doubt but that the seruauntes of God then dyd apply vnto their age, to mitigate the sorowes of their present miseryes, all such things as were spoken by the Prophetes of the Babilonicall captiuity: so is it our part to haue our eyes bent vpon the miseries of our fathers, that we refuse not to be gathered vnto that Church, vnto whom it is spoken: