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…

Therefore teachers are sent, not to utter their words in vain in the air, or to beat the ears only with a vain sound, but to bring lively light to the blind, to fashion again mens hearts unto the righteousness of God, and to ratify the grace of salvation which is gotten by the death of Christ. But they do none of all these, save only in as much as God worketh by them, that their labour may not be in vain, that all the praise may be his, as the effect cometh from him.

Therefore teachers are sent, not to vtter their wordes in vaine in the ayre, or to beate the eares only with a vaine sounde, but to bring liuely light to the blinde, to fashion again mens hearts vnto the righteousnesse of God, and to ratifie the grace of saluation whiche is gotten by the death of Christe. But they doe none of all these, saue onelie in as much as God worketh by them, that their labour may not bee in vaine, that all the prayse may bee his, as the effect commeth from him.

And therefore we must note, that so often as the scripture doeth extol ⟨p. 566⟩the external ministry so honourably, we must not separate it from the Spirit, which quickeneth the same even as the soul doth the body. For it teacheth in other places how little mans industry can do of it self. For they must plant and water: but it is God alone which giveth the increase. But because many are hindered by their own ignorance & malice, that they cannot reap such fruit of the Gospel as they ought, we must note this description, which setteth before our eyes briefly & plentifully, that incomparable treasure. Therefore this is the drift of the Gospel that being delivered from blindness of mind, we may be made partakers of the heavenly light: that being delivered from the thraldom of Satan, we may be turned to God: that having free forgiveness of sins, we may be made partakers of the inheritance among the Saints. Those which will rightly profit in the Gospel must direct all their senses to this end: for what good shall the continual preaching thereof do us, if we know not the true use thereof? Also the way and means to attain to salvation is described to us, All men boast that they be desirous of salvation: but few consider how God will save them.