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…

Afterward he addeth: That a decree is made in his presence, that is to say, that he of his authority doth command all his subjects: that they all do fear and tremble before the God of Daniel. By the which fear and trembling he understandeth ⟨image 129⟩nothing but reverence and worship. But thus use all profane men to speak, which are afraid at the naming of God. Yet it seemeth that he would express that the power of the God of Israel was evident, which ought to move them all to reverence and worship him, and that with fear and trembling. And this manner of speech seemeth to be taken of a true principle: because God is never truly worshipped but when men are humbled and brought down. Therefore God nameth him self many times terrible: not that he would drive his servants to worship him by fear: but because (as I have said) the minds of men can never be well prepared to due reverence, unless they fully perceive the power of God, so that they are afraid of his judgement. But if fear only should have place in the minds of men, he could not frame them to true holiness. For that sentence of the Psalm¹ is to be considered: There is mercy with thee, that thou mayest be feared. God can not therefore be rightly worshipped or feared, unless we be persuaded that he will be entreated, and that we be sure that he will be merciful unto us. Yet is it necessary that fear and trembling go before, which may humble and bring down the pride of the flesh. This is signified by these words: That all may fear and tremble before the God of Daniel. The king calleth him the God of Daniel, not that Daniel had made him, but because he worshipped him. We may rightly say that Jupiter is the God of the Grecians, because he was made a God by their foolishness, & thereby gate his name and authority in the residue of the world. And so Jupiter and Minerva and that multitude of the false Gods take their names of their original.

Afterward hee addeth: That a decree is made in his presence, that is to say, that he of his authoritie doth comman̄de all his subiectes: that they all do feare and tremble before the God of Daniel. By the which feare and tremblyng he vnderstandeth ⟨image 129⟩nothyng but reuerence and worship. But thus vse all prophane mē to speake, which are afrayde at the naming of God. Yet it semeth that he would expresse that ye power of the God of Israel was euident, which ought to moue them all to reuerence and worship him, and that with feare and trembling. And this maner of speach semeth to be taken of a true principle: because God is neuer truly worshipped but when men are humbled and brought downe. Therfore God nameth him selfe many tymes terrible: not that he would driue his seruauntes to worship him by feare: but because (as I haue sayd) the mindes of men can neuer be well prepared to due reuerence, vnlesse they fully perceaue the power of God, so that they are afrayde of his iudgement. But if feare onely should haue place in the mindes of men, he could not frame them to true holines. For that sentence of the Psalme