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…

23 To the unknown god. I can well grant that this altar was dedicated to all strange gods: yet I cannot yield to that which Jerome saith, that Paul did by a certain holy wiliness attribute that to one God which was written of many. For seeing the superscription was common in every mans mouth, there was no place for subtlety: why did he then change the plural number? surely, not that he might deceive the men of Athens: but because the matter did so require, he said, that he brought doctrine concerning an unknown god. And after he hath showed that they are deceived, because they knew not what god they ought to worship, & had no certain Godhead in a great heap of gods: he doth now insinuate himself, & doth purchase favour for his doctrine: because it was an unjust thing to reject that which was uttered concerning a new god, to whom they had already given over themselves: & it was far better first to know him, then rashly to worship him whom they knew not. Thus doth Paul return again to that principle, that god cannot be worshipped rightly, unless he be first made known. But here may a question be moved: How he saith that god was worshipped at Athens, who doth refuse all worshippings which are not agreeable ⟨p. 425⟩to the prescript of his law: yea he pronounceth that all that is idolatry, which men invent without his word? If God allow no worship, but that which is agreeable to his word, how doth Paul give this praise to men, who did dote without measure, that they worshipped God? For Christ in condemning the Samaritans is content with this one principle in that they worship GOD without knowledge:¹ and yet they did boast that they worshipped the God of Abraham. Then what shall we say of the men of Athens, who having buried and quite put out the remembrance of the true God, had put in place of him Jupiter, Mercury, Pallas and all that filthierable? I answer that Paul doth not in this place commend that which the men of Athens had done: but taketh from their affection though it were corrupt, free matter for teaching.

23 To the vnknowen god. I can wel graunt that this altar was dedicated to all strange gods: yet I cānot yeelde to that which Ierome saith, that Paul did by a certain holy wilines attribute that to one God which was writtē of many. For seing the superscriptiō was cōmō in euery mans mouth, ther was no place for subtiltie: why did he then chāge the plural nūber? surely, not that he might deceiue the men of Athens: but bicause the matter did so require, he said, that he brought doctrin cōcerning an vnknown god. And after he hath shewed that they are deceiued, bicause they knew not what god they ought to worship, & had no certain Godhead in a great heap of gods: he doth now insinuat himself, & doth purchase fauor for his doctrine: because it was an vniust thing to reiect that which was vttered cōcerning a new god, to whō they had alredy giuen ouer thēselues: & it was far better first to know him, then rashly to worship him whō they knew not. Thus doth Paul return again to that principle, that god cānot be worshipped rightly, vnlesse he be first made knowen. But here may a question be moued: How he saith that god was worshipped at Athens, who doth refuse al worshippings which are not agreable