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…

16 Paul his sisters son. We see in this place how the Lord doth cross the purposes of the ungodly. He permitteth them to attempt many things, and he suffereth their wicked endeavours, but at length he showeth even in the twinkling of an eye that he doth from heaven deride whatsoever men go about upon earth. There is no wisdom, sayeth Solomon, there is no counsel against the Lord. Whereto, that of Isaiah doth answer, Take counsel together,¹ and it shall come to nought: speak the word and it shall not stand. This is set before our eyes to be considered, in this present history, as in a glass. The matter was almost dispatched, that Paul should come out on the morrow to be slain, as a vowed sacrifice. But the Lord doth show that his life is ⟨p. 534⟩most safely kept, so that whatsoever men go about all is in vain. As for us, let us not fear, but that his providence whereof he showed some token then, reacheth even unto the defending of us, because this promise continueth sure:² There shall not an hair fall from your heads, &c. Moreover it is worth the noting that he worketh sometimes by means unlooked for, to save those that be his, that he may the better exercise our faith: who would have thought that a boy would have disclosed their laying await, which those who were partners in the conspiracy thought was known to none but to themselves? Therefore let us learn to lean unto and stay our selves upon the Lord, though we see no ordinary way to save our selves, who shall find a way even through places where nothing can pass.

16 Paul his sisters sonne. Wee see in this place how the Lord doth crosse the purposes of the vngodlye. Hee permitteth them to attempt many thinges, and he suffereth their wicked indeuours, but at length hee sheweth euen in the twinckling of an eye that hee doth from heauen deride whatsoeuer men go about vpon earth. There is no wisdome, sayeth Salomon, there is no counsell against the Lorde. Whereto, that of Isaias doth aunsweare, Take counsel togeather,¹ and it shall come to nought: speak the worde and it shall not stande. This is set before our eyes to be considered, in this present historie, as in a glasse. The matter was almost dispatched, that Paul shoulde come out on the morrowe to be slaine, as a vowed sacrifice. But the Lord doth shewe that his life is