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…

As it were more superstitious. The Grecians do oftentimes take deisidaimoniā in good part: notwithstanding it doth sometimes signify immoderate fear, wherewith superstitious men do carefully torment themselves, whiles that they forge to themselves vain doubts. And this seemeth to be the meaning of this place, that the men of Athens pass all measure in worshipping god, or that they do not perceive what manner work moderation should be: as if he should say, that they deal very undiscretly in that they weary them selves in going by ways, thus much touching the words: now to the matter. He proveth by this one reason that all the worshippings of the men of Athens are corrupt: because they be uncertain what gods they ought to worship, because they take in hand rashly and unadvisedly divers rites, and that without measure. For in that they had set up an altar to the unknown God, it was a token that they knew no certainty, they had in deed a great company of gods whereof they spake much: but when as they mix them with unknown gods, they confess by this that they know nothing of the true divinity. Furthermore, whosoever doth worship god without any certainty, he worshippeth his own inventions in steed of God. Howsoever credulous men do flatter themselves: yet neither doth god allow any religion without knowledge and truth, neither ought it to be counted holy and lawful. Yea how proud soever they be, yet because they doubt in their consciences, they must needs be convict by their own judgement. For superstition is always fearful, & doth ever now & then coin some new thing▪ therefore we see how miserable their condition is, who have not the certain ⟨p. 424⟩light of the truth, because they do both always doubt in themselves, and loose their labour before God. Notwithstanding we must note that the unbelievers whiles that they sometimes make themselves blind through voluntary stubbornness, & are sometimes amid divers and manifold doubts, strive & fight with themselves: oftentimes they do not only flatter themselves: but if any man dare mutter against their folly, they rage cruelly against him: the devil doeth so bewitch them, that they think nothing to be better, than that which pleaseth them.

As it were more superstitious. The Grecians doe oftentimes take deisidaimoniā in good part: notwithstanding it doth somtimes signifie immoderate fear, wherwith superstitious men do carefully torment thēselues, whiles that they forge to themselues vain douts. And this seemeth to be the meaning of this place, that the men of Athens passe all measure in worshipping god, or that they do not perceiue what maner work moderation should be: as if he shoulde say, that they deale very vndiscretly in that they weary them selues in going by waies, thus muche touching the wordes: now to the matter. He proueth by this one reason that all the worshippings of the men of Athens are corrupt: because they be vncertaine what gods they ought to worship, because they take in hande rashlie and vnaduisedly diuers rites, and that without measure. For in that they had set vp an altar to the vnknowen God, it was a token that they knew no certainty, they had in deed a great cōpany of gods wherof they spake much: but when as they mixe them with vnknowen gods, they confesse by this that they know nothing of the true diuinitie. Furthermore, whosoeuer doth worship god without any certaintie, he worshippeth his owne inuentions in steed of God. Howsoeuer credulous mē do flatter themselues: yet neither doth god allow any religion without knowledge and truth, neither ought it to bee counted holy and lawfull. Yea how proud soeuer they be, yet because they doubt in their consciences, they must needs be conuict by their own iudgement. For superstition is alwaies fearful, & doth euer now & then coyne some new thing therfore we see how miserable their cōditiō is, who haue not the certain