A17641:568
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.
He addeth: Because he is the living God and remaineth for ever. Here he seemeth to bring all the false Gods to nothing. But (as I said) all profane men do so lift up their minds ⟨image 130⟩to the most high God, that yet by and by after they vanish away. Therefore if they did acknowledge the true God aright, they would immediately exclude all feigned Gods. But they think it enough if God have the first place, and in the mean season they join lesser Gods to him, that he may lie hid as it were amongest the number, and yet have some kind of preeminence.
He addeth: Because he is the liuyng God and remaineth for euer. Here he semeth to bring all the false Gods to nothing. But (as I sayd) all prophane men do so lift vp their mindes ⟨image 130⟩to the most high God, that yet by and by after they vanish away. Therefore if they did acknowledge the true God aright, they would immediatly exclude all fayned Gods. But they thinke it enough if God haue the first place, and in the meane season they ioyne lesser Gods to him, that he may lie hid as it were amōgest the number, and yet haue some kinde of préeminence.
Such was the reason and such was the purpose of Darius: for he understood nothing purely and sincerely of the only essence of God, but supposed the most high power to be in the God of Israel, how soever other nations worshipped their Gods. So do we see that he departed not from the superstitions which he had received in his childhood. Wherefore there is no cause why we should praise his godliness, save only in this particular action. Yet God doth wrest forth of his mouth a confession, wherein his nature is described unto us. He calleth him the living God, not only because he hath life in him self but also of himself, & because he is the fountain and original of life. Wherefore this adjective must be taken actively, because God doth not only live, but he hath life also of him self: again, he is the cause of life, because there is no life beside him or without him.