A17642:1132
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…
The commentaries of M. John Calvin upon the Acts of the Apostles, faithfully translated out of Latin into English for the great profit of our country-men, by Christopher Fetherstone student in divinityThe commentaries of M. Iohn Caluin vpon the Actes of the Apostles, faithfully translated out of Latine into English for the great profite of our countrie-men, by Christopher Fetherstone student in diuinitie
Londini: printed by Thomas Dawson, 1585
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.
29 Therefore seeing that. He gathereth that God cannot be figured, or resembled by any graven image: for as much as he would have his image extant in us. For the soul wherein the image of GOD is properly engraven, cannot be painted: Therefore it is a thing more absurd to go about to paint God. Now we see what great injury they do to GOD, which give him a bodily shape: when as mans soul which doeth scarce resemble a small sparkle of the infinite glory of God, cannot be expressed in any bodily shape.
29 Therefore seeing that. He gathereth that God cannot be figured, or resembled by any grauen image: for as much as he would haue his image extant in vs. For the soule wherein the image of GOD is properly ingrauen, cannot be painted: Therefore it is a thing more absurd to goe about to paint God. Nowe we see what great iniurie they doe to GOD, which giue him a bodily shape: when as mans soule which doeth scarce resemble a small sparkle of the infinite glorie of God, cannot be expressed in any bodily shape.
Furthermore, for as much as it is certain that Paul doth in this place inveigh against the common superstition of all the gentiles, because they would worship God under bodily shapes: we must hold this general doctrine, that God is falsely and wickedly transfigured, and that his trueth is turned into a lie, so often as his majesty is represented by any visible shape:1 as the same Paul teacheth in the first chapter to the Romans. And though the Idolaters of all times wanted not their cloaks and colours: yet that was not without cause always objected to them by the Prophets, which Paul doth now object, that God is made like to wood or stone, or gold, when there is any image made to him of dead and corruptible matter. The Gentiles used images that according to their rudeness, they might better conceive that God was nigh unto them. But seeing that God doth far surpass the capacity of our mind, whosoever attempteth with his mind to comprehend him, he deformeth and disfigureth his glory with a wicked ⟨p. 434⟩