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…

12 Others mocking. Hereby it appeareth how monstrous as well the sluggishness, as also the ungodliness of men is, when Satan hath taken away their mind. If God should openly and visibly descend from heaven, his majesty could scarce more manifestly appear, than in this miracle. Whosoever hath any drop of sound understanding in him, must needs be stricken with the only hearing of it. How beastly then are those men, who see it with their eyes, and yet scoff? and go about with their jests to mock the power of God? But the matter is so. There is nothing so wonderful, which those men do not turn to a jest, who are touched with no care of God: because they do even upon set purpose, harden themselves in their ignorance, in things most plain. And it is a just punishment of God, which he bringeth upon such pride: to deliver them to Satan to be driven headlong into blind fury. Wherefore there is no cause why we should marvel, that there be so many at this day so blind in so great light, if they be so deaf when such manifest doctrine is delivered, yea if they wantonly refuse salvation when it is offered unto them. For if the wonderful and strange works of God wherein he doth wonderfully set forth his power, be subject to the mocks of men: what shall become of doctrine, which they think tasteth of nothing, but of that which is common? Although Luke doth signify unto us that they were not of the worst sort, or altogether past hope, which did laugh & mock: but he meant rather to declare how the common sort was affected when they saw this miracle. And truly it hath been always so in the world, for very few have been touched with the true feeling of God, as often as he hath revealed himself. Neither is it any marvel: for religion is a rare virtue, and a virtue which few men have: which is in deed the beginning of understanding. Nevertheless howsoever the more part of men through a certain hard stiffneckedness, doth reject the consideration of the works of God, yet are they never without fruit. As we may see in this history.

12 Others mocking. Hereby it appeareth howe monstrous as well the sluggishnes, as also the vngodlines of men is, when Satan hath taken away their minde. If God should openly and visiblie descend from heauen, his maiestie could scarce more manifestly appeare, than in this miracle. Whosoeuer hath any drop of sound vnderstanding in him, must needs be striken with the onely hearing of it. How beastly then are those men, who see it with their eies, and yet scoffe? and goe about with their iests to mocke the power of God? But the matter is so. There is nothing so wonderfull, which those men do not turne to a iest, who are touched with no care of God: because they doe euen vppon set purpose, harden themselues in their ignorance, in thinges most plaine. And it is a iust punishment of God, which he bringeth vpon such pride: to deliuer them to Satan to be driuen headlong into blind furie. Wherefore there is no cause why we should marueile, that there be so many at this day so blind in so great light, if they be so deafe when such manifest doctrine is deliuered, yea if they wātonly refuse saluation when it is offered vnto them. For if the wonderfull and strange workes of God wherein he doth wonderfully set forth his power, be subiect to the mockes of men: what shall become of doctrine, which they thinke tasteth of nothing, but of that which is common? Although Luke doth signifie vnto vs that they were not of the worst sort, or altogither past hope, which did laugh & mocke: but he meant rather to declare how the cōmon sort was affected when they saw this miracle. And truely it hath bene alwaies so in the worlde, for verie fewe haue bene touched with the true feeling of God, as often as he hath reuealed himselfe. Neither is it any maruel: for religion is a rare vertue, and a vertue which few men haue: which is in deede the beginning of vnderstanding. Neuerthelesse howsoeuer the more part of men through a certaine hard stifneckednes, doth reiect the consideration of the works of God, yet are they neuer without frute. As we may see in this historie.