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…

As did also your rulers. First this seemeth to be an unproper comparison. For the Scribes and the priests were carried headlong with a wonderful madness, and they were full of wicked unfaithfulness: but the perverse study & zeal of the law did prick forward the people. Again the people were incensed against Christ, in as much as their rulers did provoke them thereunto. I answer, that they were not all of one mind: for without doubt many of them were like unto Paul, unto whom that doth truly appertain, which he writeth elsewhere of the princes and rulers of this world, if they had known the wisdom of God, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory. Therefore he speaketh not generally of all the rulers: but if any of them be curable, them doth he invite to repentance.

As did also your rulers. First this seemeth to be an vnproper comparison. For the Scribes and the priests were caried headlong with a wonderful madnes, and they were full of wicked vnfaithfulnesse: but the peruerse studie & zeale of the law did prick forward the people. Again the people were incensed against Christ, in as much as their rulers did prouoke them thereunto. I answere, that they were not all of one minde: for without dout many of thē were like vnto Paul, vnto whō that doth trulie appertaine, which hee writeth elswhere of the princes and rulers of this world, if they had knowen the wisedome of God, they would neuer haue crucified the Lord of glory. Therfore he speaketh not generally of al the rulers: but if any of them be curable, them doth he inuite to repentance.

18 And God. Hereby it appeareth more plainly to what end he made mention of ignorance. For when he telleth them that God hath accomplished those things which he had foretold, he doth so touch their offence in the death of Christ, that it turneth to their salvation. Ignorance, sayeth he, ⟨p. 76⟩hath made you guilty: yet God hath brought that to pass which he had determined, that Christ should redeem you by his death. This is a most notable consideration, when as we ponder and consider with our selves, that through the wonderful counsel of God, our evils are turned to another end to us. Yet this doth no whit excuse us. For so much as in us lieth, we cast away our selves by sinning: but that conversion, whereof I have spoken, is a notable work of gods mercy, whereof we must speak, and which we must extol with humility. The Jews did what they could to extinguish all hope of life in the person of Christ. And yet nevertheless that death gave life as well to them, as to all the whole world. We must also remember that which we saw elsewhere, least there should any false and absurd opinion creep in, that Christ was laid open to the lust of the wicked, that God is made the chief author, by whose will his only son did suffer.