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…

30 And the times of this ignorance. Because that is commonly thought to be good, which hath been used of long time, and is approved by the common consent of all men: it might have been objected to Paul, why doest thou disannul those things which have been received, & used continually since the beginning of the world? & whom canst thou persuade that the whole world hath bin deceived so long? as there is no kind of abomination so filthy, which the papists do not think to be well fortified with this buckler. Paul preventeth this question: showing that men went astray so long therefore, because God did not reach out his hand from heaven, that he might bring them back again into the way. It may seem an inconvenient thing, that men endued with reason ⟨p. 435⟩and judgement should err so grossly & filthily in a most weighty matter. But Paul his meaning is that men do never make an end of erring, until God do help them. And now he assigneth no other cause why he did not redress this any sooner, save only his good pleasure. And assuredly we be not able to comprehend the reason why god did at a sudden set up the light of his doctrine, when he suffered men to walk in darkness four thousand years: at least seeing the scripture doth conceal it, let us here make more account of sobriety, than of preposterous wisdom. For they go about to bring God within bounds: which is a most unseemly thing and contrary to nature her self, whosoever they be that will not suffer him to speak or hold his peace at his pleasure. Again those that will not be content with his wisdom and secret counsel, must needs murmur against Paul, who teacheth manifestly that ignorance did reign in the world so long as it pleased God to wink at it. Othersome interpret it otherwise, that God did spare ignorance, as if he did wink, being unwilling to punish it: but that surmise is altogether contrary to Paul his meaning and purpose: who meant not to lessen mans fault, but to magnify the grace of God which did appear at a sudden, and it is proved to be false out of other places: because those who have sinned without Law,¹ shall notwithstanding perish without Law. In sum, Paul his words carry with them this meaning only, that men were set upon blindness, until God did reveal himself unto them:

30 And the times of this ignorance. Because that is commonly thought to be good, which hath beene vsed of long time, and is approued by the common consent of all men: it might haue been obiected to Paul, why doest thou disanul those things which haue been receiued, & vsed cōtinually since the beginning of the world? & whō canst thou persuade that the whole world hath bin deceiued so long? as there is no kind of abhomination so filthie, which the papistes doe not thinke to be wel fortified with this buckler. Paul preuenteth this question: shewing that menne went astray so long therefore, because God did not reach out his hande from heauen, that hee might bring them backe againe into the waye. It may seeme an inconuenient thing, that menne indued with reason