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…

37 And when they heard these things, they were pricked in heart, and said unto Peter, and to the other Apostles: Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the holy Spirit. 39 For the promise appertaineth unto you, and unto your children, and unto all which are far off: whomsoever the Lord our God shall call.

37 And when they heard these things, they were pricked in heart, and said vnto Peter, and to the other Apostles: Men and brethren, what shall we doe? 38 Peter saide vnto them, Repent, and bee baptized euerie one of you in the name of Iesus Christe, for the remission of sinnes, and yee shall receiue the gift of the holy Spirite. 39 For the promise appertaineth vnto you, and vnto your children, and vnto all which are farre off: whomsoeuer the Lorde our God shall call.

37 They were pricked in heart. Luke doeth now declare the fruit of the sermon, to the end we may know that the power of the holy ghost was not only showed forth in the diversity of tongues, but also in their hearts which heard. And he noteth a double fruit: first that they were touched with the feeling of sorrow, and secondly that they were obedient to Peter his counsel. This is the beginning of Repentance, this is the entrance unto godliness, to be sorry for our sins, and to be wounded with the feeling of our miseries. For so long as men are careless, they can not take such heed unto doctrine as they ought. And for this cause the word of God is compared to a sword:¹ because it doth mortify our flesh, that we may be offered to God for a sacrifice. But there must be added unto this pricking in hart, readiness to obey. Cain and Judas were pricked in heart, but despair did keep them back from submitting themselves unto GOD. For the mind being oppressed with horror, can do nothing else but fly from god. And surely when David affirmeth that a contrite spirit, and an humble heart is a sacrifice acceptable to God, he speaketh of voluntary pricking: forasmuch as there is fretting and fuming mixed with the prickings of the wicked. Therefore we must take a good heart to us, & lift up our mind with this hope of salvation, that we may be ready to addict & give over our selves unto God, & to follow whatsoever he shall command. We see many oftentimes pricked, who notwithstanding do fret and murmur, or else frowardly strive and struggle, and so consequently go furiously mad. Yea this is the cause why they go mad, because they feel such prickings against their will. Those men therefore are profitably pricked alone, who are willingly sorrowful, and do also seek some remedy at Gods hands.