The commentaries of M. John Calvin upon the Acts of the Apostles, faithfully translated…The commentaries of M. Iohn Caluin vpon the Actes of the Apostles, faithfully translated…

11 This history doeth as it were in a glass show, how sharply the Lord did exercise the faith & patience of his, by bringing them in great straits, which they could not have overcome unless they had ben endued with singular constancy. For the entrance of Paul into Macedonia is reported to be such, as that it might have caused him to give but small credence to the vision. These holy men leaving the work which they had in hand, did cross the seas with great hast, as if the whole nation of the Macedonians would have come to meet them with earnest desire to be holpen. Now the success is so far from being answerable to their hope, that their mouths are almost quite stopped. When they enter the chief City, they find none there with whom they may take any pains, therefore they are enforced to go into the field that they may speak in an obscure corner and wilderness. Yea even there they cannot have one man which will hearken to their doctrine, they can only have one woman to be a disciple of Christ: and that one which was an alien. Who would not have said that this journey was taken in hand foolishly, which fell out so unhappily? But the Lord doeth thus bring to pass his works under a base & weak kind: that his power may shine more clearly at length, and it was most meet that the beginnings of the kingdom of Christ should be so ordered, that they might taste of the humility of the cross. But we must mark the constancy of Paul & his companions, who ⟨p. 391⟩being not dismayed with such unprosperous beginnings, try whither any occasion will offer it self contrary to their expectation. And assuredly the servants of Christ must wrestle with all lets, neither must they be discouraged, but go forward to morrow, if this day there appear no ••uite of their labour, for there is no cause why they should desire to be more happy than Paul. When Luke saith that they abode in that City, some had rather have it, that they conferred or disputed, but the other translation is more plain, & the text persuadeth us to make choice thereof: because Luke will shortly after declare, that Lydia was the first fruits of that Church, and we may easily guess, that the Apostles went out of the City, because there was no gate opened to them in it.

11 This hystorie doeth as it were in a glasse shewe, howe sharply the Lord did exercise the faith & pacience of his, by bringing them in great straites, which they could not haue ouercome vnlesse they had ben indued with singular constancie. For the entrance of Paul into Macedonia is reported to be such, as that it might haue caused him to giue but small credence to the vision. These holy men leauing the worke which they had in hand, did crosse the seas with great hast, as if the whole nation of the Macedonians would haue come to meete them with earnest desire to be holpen. Now the successe is so farre from being answerable to their hope, that their mouthes are almost quite stopped. When they enter the chiefe Citie, they finde none there with whom they may take any pains, therfore they are enforced to go into the field that they may speak in an obscure corner and wildernes. Yea euen there they cannot haue one man which will harken to their doctrine, they can onely haue one woman to be a disciple of Christ: and that one which was an aliant. Who would not haue saide that this iorney was taken in hand foolishly, which fel out so vnhappily? But the Lorde doeth thus bring to passe his works vnder a base & weak kind: that his power may shine more clearly at length, and it was most meet that the beginnings of the kingdome of Christ should be so ordered, that they might tast of the humilitie of the crosse. But we must mark the constancy of Paul & his companions, who