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…

Hereby we may easily gather how foolish the Papists are, which by this place & such like go about to set up the justice & merits of works. Daniel (say they) was preserved because justice was found in him before God: therefore God giveth to every one according to the merits of his works. But first we must mark the purpose of Daniel. For he doth not boast of his merits (as I have said): but he would that the deliverance offered him from heaven should be a witness of the true and pure worship of God, that he might make king Darius ashamed, and that he might show that all superstitions are wicked, especially that he might admonish him of that sacrilegious decree, whereby he did arrogate unto him self the highest dominion, so that he abolished as much as lay in him, the whole deity. Therefore that the Prophet might admonish the king hereof, he saith that his cause was just.

Hereby we may easily gather how foolish the Papistes are, which by this place & such like go about to set vp the iustice & merites of workes. Daniel (say they) was preserued because iustice was founde in him before God: therfore God geueth to euery one according to the merites of his workes. But first we must marke ye purpose of Daniel. For he doth not boast of his merites (as I haue sayd): but he would that ye deliueraunce offered him frō heauen should be a witnes of the true and pure worship of God, that he might make king Darius ashamed, and that he might shew that all superstitions are wicked, especially that he might admonish him of that sacrilegious decrée, wherby hee did arrogate vnto him selfe ye highest dominion, so that he abolished as much as lay in him, the whole deitie. Therefore that the Prophet might admonish the kyng hereof, he saith that his cause was iust.

And that the solution may be the more easy, we must note that there is a difference betwixt eternal salvation and special deliverances. God doth deliver us from eternal death, and doth choose us unto the hope of eternal life, not because he findeth any righteousness in us, but because he hath chosen us freely: and therefore doth he make perfect in us his work without any respect of works. Therefore for as much as belongeth to eternal salvation, there can be no respect of justice, because when God will search us, he shall find nothing but cause of damnation. But as concerning particular deliverances, there God can look on every mans justice: not that it is our own: but whom he governeth with his spirit that they may obey his vocation, to them also he reacheth forth his hand, and if they be in jeopardy for that they study to obey him, he delivereth them. This is as if a man should say, that God favoureth good causes: but this pertaineth nothing to merits. Therefore as concerning this place, the Papists dote over childishly, which do thereby gather merits. For Daniel meaneth no other thing but to maintain the pure worship of the only God: as though he should say, that God did not only make a count of him, but