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 Of your own selves shall arise. This amplifieth the grievousness of the evil, because there be some wolves within, and so hiding themselves under the title of Pastors, do wait for some opportunity wherein they may do hurt. Also he declareth what danger these wolves do threaten, to wit, the scattering abroad of the flock: when the Church is drawn away from the unity of faith, and is divided into sects. Neither are all those wolves who do not their duty as they ought: but there be oftentimes hirelings a kind of men not so hurtful as the other. But the corruption of doctrine is a most deadly plague to the sheep. Now in the third place the fountain and beginning of this evil is noted: because they will draw disciples after them. Therefore ambition is the mother of all heresies. For the sincerity of the word of God doth then flourish, when the Pastors join hand in hand to bring disciples unto Christ: because this alone is the sound state of the Church, that he be heard alone: wherefore both the doctrine of salvation must needs be perverted, and also the safety of the flock must needs go to nought, where men be desirous of mastership. And as this place teacheth that almost all corruptions of doctrine flow from the pride of men: so we learn again out of the same that it cannot otherwise be, but that ambitious men will turn away from right purity, and corrupt the word of God. For seeing that the pure and sincere handling of the scripture tendeth to this end, that Christ alone may have the preeminence: and that men can challenge nothing to themselves, but they shall take so much from the glory of Christ: it followeth that those are corrupters of sound doctrine, who are addicted to themselves and study to advance their own glory, which doth only darken Christ.¹ Which thing the Lord himself doth confirm in the seventh of John. Furthermore by the word Arise which he useth, he signifieth that those wolves do nourish secret destruction, until they may have some opportunity offered to break out. And this place doth very well prevent an horrible stumbling block and offence which Satan hath always cast in to trouble weak consciences.

30 Of your owne selues shall arise. This amplifieth the grieuousnesse of the euill, because there bee some wolues within, and so hiding themselues vnder the title of Pastours, do wait for some opportunitie wherein they may doe hurt. Also he declareth what daunger these wolues do threaten, to wit, the scattering abroad of the flocke: when the Church is drawne away frō the vnitie of faith, and is diuided into sects. Neither are all those wolues who doe not their duetie as they ought: but there be oftentimes hyrelings a kinde of men not so hurtfull as the other. But the corruption of doctrine is a most deadly plague to the sheepe. Now in the third place the fountaine and beginning of this euill is noted: because they wil draw disciples after them. Therefore ambition is the mother of all heresies. For the synceritie of the word of God doth then florish, when the Pastors ioine hand in hand to bring disciples vnto Christ: because this alone is the sound state of the Church, that he be heard alone: wherefore both the doctrine of saluation must needs be peruerted, and also the safetie of the flocke must needs goe to nought, where men bee desirous of mastership. And as this place teacheth that almost all corruptions of doctrine flow from the pride of men: so we learne againe out of the same that it cannot otherwise be, but that ambitious men will turne away from right puritie, and corrupt the word of God. For seing that the pure and sincere handling of the scripture tendeth to this end, that Christ alone may haue the preheminence: and that men can chalenge nothing to themselues, but they shal take so much from the glory of Christ: it followeth that those are corrupters of sound doctrine, who are addicted to themselues and study to aduance their own glory, which doth onely darken Christ.