A17641:483
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…
Commentaries of the divine John Calvin, upon the prophet Daniel, translated into English, especially for the use of the family of the right honourable Earle of Huntingdon, to set forth as in a glass, how one may profitably read the Scriptures, by considering the text, meditating the sense thereof, and by prayerCommentaries of the diuine Iohn Caluine, vpon the prophet Daniell, translated into Englishe, especially for the vse of the family of the ryght honorable Earle of Huntingdon, to set forth as in a glasse, how one may profitably read the Scriptures, by consideryng the text, meditatyng the sense therof, and by prayer
London: printed by John Daye, 1570London: printed by Iohn Daye, 1570
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Biblical commentary book of Daniel › Chapter 6 › Part › Meditation
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Hereby (as I have said) it is most manifest how prone the minds of Princes are to be deluded, when they think that their authority should be increased and their honour augmented. For the king doth make no long disputation with his noble men, but signeth the decree: because he supposeth that this shall be profitable for him and his successors, if he might have the Chaldees so obedient unto him that they would be ready rather to deny all their Gods, then to refuse any thing that he commandeth.
Hereby (as I haue sayd) it is most manifest how prone the myndes of Princes are to be deluded, when they thinke that their authority should be encreased and their honour augmented. For the king doth make no long disputation wyth his noble men, but signeth the decrée: because he supposeth that this shalbe profitable for hym and his successors, if he might haue the Chaldees so obedient vnto hym that they would be ready rather to deny all their Gods, then to refuse any thing that he commaundeth.
Which shall not be changed, say they: that is to say, let the decree be immovable, after the manner of the Medes and the Persians, which altereth not. In that he joineth the Medes with the Persians, hereby it appeareth (as we have said) that Cyrus and Darius did reign jointly together. For whereas the greater dignity and honour was granted unto Darius as long as he lived, yet the power remained with Cyrus, and without doubt, his children were the heirs of both those kingdoms, and of the Monarchy of the East, until they began to fall out betwixt themselves. And whereas they do allege that the law of the Medes and the Persians is immutable, this doubtless is commendable in the laws, that their authority should be inviolable: and also that they should have their force and obtain their effect, for the which they were made. For where the laws are ever changed and altered, many men must needs be injured: for no private mans right can be stable and sure but where the law is continually one. Again, where it is permitted to make laws & to take away laws, there in the stead of equity succeedeth tyranny: lust for law. For they which have