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…

I saw. We must hold this principle, if we will have God present with us, we must set him before our eyes: & that before he do appear: for the prospect of faith pierceth far further than unto the present experience. Therefore faith hath this property, to set god always before it as a guide in all dangers & confused matters. For there is nothing that doth so much hold us up, as when we know that God is present with us: as the opinion of his absence doth often cast us down, & at length quite discourage us. David addeth, That he took not heed in vain unto the direction of God. He is (saith he) at my right hand: whereby he doth signify: that we need not to fear least we be deceived, when as we set him before us as present: for we shall always feel his help most ready. Faith in hoping for the help of God, ought to prevent & overgo all experience, & whatsoever is perceived by the sense: but so soon as it shall give this glory to God, that it doeth behold him in his word, although he be absent, and so consequently, invisible, it shall be overcome with the effect of the thing. For the measure of faith is not able to comprehend the infinite greatness of the power & goodness of God. He draweth a similitude from those which when they will underprop the weak, or strengthen the fearful, do join themselves unto their side. Not to be moved, is not to be thrown down from their degree, but to remain firm in their estate: like as also Psal. 46,¹ God is in the midst of it, therefore shall it not be moved. For although it come to pass sometimes that the godly, be sore shaken, yet because they come to themselves again, they are said to continue firm. Therefore there is no cause why they should be afraid of falling, who are upholdē by the help of God. Like as on the other side, those which place their strength any where else save only in God, they shall be like to fall at every blast of wind, but at any mean wind of temptation they shall fall to the ground.

I saw. We must hold this principle, if we will haue God present with vs, we must set him before our eies: & that before he do appear: for the prospect of faith pearceth farre further than vnto the present experience. Therfore faith hath this propertie, to set god alwaies before it as a guide in all dangers & cōfused matters. For there is nothing that doth so much hold vs vp, as when we know that God is present with vs: as the opinion of his absence doth often cast vs down, & at length quite discourage vs. Dauid addeth, That he tooke not heed in vain vnto the directiō of God. He is (saith he) at my right hand: whereby he doth signifie: that we need not to fear least we be deceiued, whē as we set him before vs as present: for we shal alwaies feel his help most readie. Faith in hoping for the help of God, ought to preuent & ouergoe al experience, & whatsoeuer is perceiued by the sense: but so soone as it shall giue this glorie to God, that it doeth beholde him in his worde, although he be absent, and so consequently, inuisible, it shall be ouercome with the effect of the thing. For the measure of faith is not able to comprehend the infinite greatnesse of the power & goodnes of God. He draweth a similitude frō those which when they will vnderprop the weak, or strengthen the fearefull, do ioine thēselues vnto their side. Not to be moued, is not to be thrown down frō their degree, but to remain firme in their estate: like as also