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…

The second part is joined afterward, whereby God forewarneth by him what soever should shortly come to the elect people. The visions therefore from the vij. chapter to the end of the book do peculiarly belong to the Church of God. For there God declareth what is to come: which was a thing very necessary. It was a sore tentation when the Jews must suffer captivity 70. years, and yet after that they should return into their country, for those 70. years God did differ the full deliverance unto 70. times seven years. Their minds might have failed and they all have despaired a thousand times. For the Prophets had spoken so gloriously of the redemption, that the Jews did hope for an happy and most blessed state so soon as they should be delivered from the Babilonicall bondage. But when they are oppressed again with so many afflictions, and that not for a short time, but above four hundred years, where as they were in captivity but 70. years, the deliverance might seem but a mockery. And there is no doubt but that Satan did tempt the minds of many to fall away from God, as though God had deluded them when he brought them forth of Chaldea into their country. For these causes God declared by a vision unto his servant, how many and how great afflictions did remain for the people of God. Howbeit Daniel doth so Prophesy, that he doth almost like an Historiographer describe all those things which then were secrete. And this was very necessary, because that in so troublesome alterations the people had never tasted that these things were revealed unto Daniel by God if the success had not approved the heavenly testimony. Therefore was it mete that this holy man should thus speak and Prophesy of things to come, as though he had declared things already performed. But this shall we speak of in place.

The second part is ioyned afterward, wherby God forwarneth by him what soeuer should shortly come to the elect people. The visions therfore from the vij. chapter to the end of the booke do peculiarly belong to the Church of God. For there God declareth what is to come: which was a thyng very necessary. It was a sore tentation when the Iewes must suffer captiuitie 70. yeares, and yet after that they should returne into their countrey, for those 70. yeares God did differre the full deliuerance vnto 70. times seuē yeares. Their mindes might haue fayled and they all haue dispayred a thousand tymes. For the Prophetes had spoken so gloriously of the redemption, that the Iewes did hope for an happy and most blessed state so soone as they should be deliuered from the Babilonicall bondage. But when they are oppressed agayne with so many afflictions, and that not for a short tyme, but aboue foure hundreth yeares, where as they were in captiuitie but 70. yeares, the deliuerance might seme but a mockery. And there is no doubt but that Sathan dyd tempt the myndes of many to fall away from God, as though God had deluded them when he brought them forth of Chaldea into their countrey. For these causes God declared by a vision vnto hys seruaunt, how many and how great afflictions did remaine for the people of God. Howbeit Daniel doth so Prophetie, that he doth almost lyke an Historiographer describe all those thyngs which then were secrete. And this was very necessarie, because that in so troublesome alterations the people had neuer tasted that these thynges were reueled vnto Daniel by God if the successe had not approued the heauenly testimonie. Therfore was it mete that this holy man should thus speake and Prophecie of thynges to come, as though he had declared thynges already performed. But this shall we speake of in place.