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…

By great works. He calleth miracles by these three names. And because God doth show forth his power in them after a new & unwonted sort, or doeth at least procure greater admiration, they are for good causes called great works. For we are commonly more moved when any extraordinary thing doth happen. In which respect they are also called Wonders: because they make us astonied. And for this cause are they called signs: because the Lord will not have mens minds to stay there, but to be lifted up higher as they are referred unto another end. He put in three words, to the end he might the more extol Christ his miracles, and enforce the people by this heaping and laying of words together, to consider the same. Furthermore he maketh not Christ the chief author, but only the minister: because as we have already said, he determined to go forward by degrees. Notwithstanding here may a question be asked, whether miracles do suffice to be a sufficient and just approbation or no: because by this means enchanters might cause their leggier-demain, to be believed. I answer, that the juggling casts of Satan do much differ from the power of God. Christ saith elsewhere, that the kingdom of Antichrist shall be in wonders,¹ but he addeth by and by, in lying wonders. If any man object that we cannot easily discern, because he saith, that they shall have so great colour that they shall deceive (if it could be) the very elect: I answer again that this error proceedeth only from our own want of wit, because we are so dull. For God doth show his power manifestly enough. Therefore there is sufficient approbation of the doctrine and of the ministry, in the miracles which God doth work, so that we be not blind. And whereas it is not of sufficient force among the wicked, because they may now & then be deceived with the false miracles of Satan, this must be imputed unto their own blindness: but whosoever hath a pure heart, he doeth also know God with the pure eyes of his mind, so often as he doeth show himself. Neither can Satan otherwise delude us, save only when through the wickedness of our heart, our judgement is corrupt, and our eyes blinded, or at least bleared through our own slothfulness.

By great workes. He calleth myracles by these three names. And because God doth shew foorth his power in thē after a newe & vnwonted sort, or doeth at least procure greater admiration, they are for good causes called great workes. For we are commonly more moued when any extraordinarie thing doth happen. In which respect they are also called Wonders: because they make vs astonied. And for this cause are they called signes: because the Lorde will not haue mens mindes to stay there, but to be lifted vp higher as they are referred vnto another ende. He put in three wordes, to the ende he might the more extoll Christ his myracles, and enforce the people by this heaping and laying of wordes together, to consider the same. Furthermore he maketh not Christe the chiefe authour, but only the minister: because as we haue alreadie said, he determined to goe forwarde by degrees. Notwithstanding here may a question be asked, whether myracles do suffise to bee a sufficient and iust approbation or no: because by this meanes inchaunters might cause their legier-demaine, to be beleeued. I answere, that the iuggling casts of Satan doe much differ from the power of God. Christ saith elswhere, that the kingdome of Antichrist shall bee in wonders,