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…

Furthermore when the Lord (to the end he may have his servant to do his duty faithfully and stoutly) beginneth with restraining fear: by this we gather that nothing is more contrary to the pure and free preaching of the gospel, then the straits of a faint heart. And surely experience doth show that none are faithful & courageous ministers of the word, whom this fault doth hinder: and that those only are rightly prepared and addressed to teach, to whom it is granted with boldness and courage of heart to overcome all manner danger. In which respect he writeth to Timothy, that the spirit of fear is not given to the preachers of the Gospel: but of power, and love, and sobriety. Therefore we must note the connection of words, Fear not but speak, which is all one,¹ as if he should have said, Let not fear let thee to speak. And because fear doth not only make us altogether without tongue, but doth so bind us that we cannot purely and freely speak that which is needful. Christ touched both briefly: Speak (saith he) and hold not thy peace: that is, speak not with half thy mouth, as it is in the common proverb. But in these words there is prescribed to the ministers of the word of God a common rule that they expound and lay open plainly and without colour or dissimulation, whatsoever the Lord will have made known to his Church: yea let them keep back nothing which may make for the edifying or increase of Gods Church.

Furthermore when the Lord (to the end he may haue his seruaunt to doe his duetie faithfullie and stoutlie) beginneth with restraining feare: by this we gather that nothing is more contrarie to the pure and free preaching of the gospel, then the straites of a faint heart. And surely experience doth shew that none are faithfull & couragious ministers of the word, whom this fault doth hinder: and that those onelie are rightly prepared and addressed to teach, to whom it is graunted with boldnes and courage of heart to ouercome all manner danger. In which respect hee writeth to Timothie, that the spirite of feare is not giuen to the preachers of the Gospel: but of power, and loue, and sobrietie. Therfore we must note the connection of wordes, Feare not but speak, which is all one,¹ as if he should haue said, Let not feare let thee to speake. And because feare doth not onely make vs altogether without tongue, but doth so binde vs that we cannot purely and freely speake that which is needful. Christ touched both briefly: Speake (saith he) and hold not thy peace: that is, speake not with halfe thy mouth, as it is in the common prouerbe. But in these words there is prescribed to the ministers of the worde of God a common rule that they expound and lay open plainely and without color or dissimulation, whatsoeuer the Lord wil haue made knowne to his Church: yea let them keepe backe nothing which may make for the edifying or increase of Gods Church.