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…

20 That when. If we follow Erasmus and the old interpreter, this sentence shall be unperfect, which may be made perfect, thus. When the time of refreshing shall come, you may also enjoy this refreshing. When Christ shall come to judge the world, you may find him a redeemer and not a judge. But because Beza doth fitly translate it, After that they shall come: it is better to retain that which is not so racked: so you resolve it thus: that sins are forgiven against the day of the last judgement: because unless we be cited to appear before Gods judgement seat, we are not greatly careful to pacify God. First of all we must note, that he setteth before them the day of judgement, to the end the former exhortation may take the greater effect. For there is nothing which doth more prick us, than when we are taught that we must once give an account. For so long as our senses are holden & kept in this world, they are drowned as it were in a certain drowsiness, that I may so call it. Wherefore the message of the last judgement must sound as a trumpet to cite us to appear before the judgement seat of God. For then at last being truly awaked we begin to think of a new life. In like sort when Paul preached at Athens: God saith that he doth now will all men to repent: because he ⟨p. 77⟩hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world. The sum is this, that Christ who is now unto us a master, when as he teacheth us by the Gospel, is appointed of the Father to be a judge, and shall come in his due time: and that therefore we must obey his doctrine betimes, that we may gather the fruit of our faith then. But some man may object, that Peter speaketh otherwise of the last day. For this doeth not serve to make them afraid, when he saith, the time of refreshing. I answer, that there is a double prick, wherewith the faithful are pricked forward when as they are told of the last judgement. For the profit of faith doth not appear in this world, yea rather it seemeth to go well with the despisers of God: but the life of the godly is full of miseries. Therefore our hearts should oftentimes faint and quail, unless we should remember, that the day of rest shall come, which shall quench all the heat of our trouble, and make an end of our miseries.

20 That when. If we followe Erasmus and the olde interpreter, this sentence shalbe vnperfect, which may be made perfect, thus. When the time of refreshing shall come, you may also enioy this refreshing. When Christ shall come to iudge the world, you may find him a redeemer and not a iudge. But because Beza doth fitly translate it, After that they shal come: it is better to retaine that which is not so rackt: so you resolue it thus: that sinnes are forgiuen against the day of the last iudgement: because vnlesse we be cited to appere before Gods iudgement seat, we are not greatly carefull to pacifie God. First of all we must note, that he setteth before them the day of iudgement, to the end the former exhortation may take the greater effect. For there is nothing which doth more prick vs, than when we are taught that we must once giue an account. For so long as our senses are holden & kept in this world, they are drowned as it were in a certain drowsines, that I may so call it. Wherfore the message of the last iudgement must sound as a trumpet to cite vs to appeare before the iudgement seat of God. For then at last being trulie awaked we begin to think of a new life. In like sort when Paule preached at Athens: God saith that he doth now wil all men to repent: because he