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…

¹23 Every soul. Here, by a most grievous punishment against the rebellious, the authority of all the prophets, but most of all of Christ is established. And that for good causes: For seeing there is nothing that God doth account more precious than his word, it cannot be that he should suffer the same to be freely contemned. Therefore if any man despised the law of Moses, he was adjudged to die the death. And hereunto Moses had respect when he said, He shall be put away from among the people. For God had adopted the stock and kindred of Abraham unto himself, upon this condition, that this might be sufficient for them unto the chiefest felicity to be reckoned in that number, as it is said in the Psalm, Blessed is the people whose god is the Lord. And in another place, Blessed is the nation whom the Lord hath chosen to be his inheritance. Wherefore it is not to be doubted, but that he pronounceth that he shall be blotted out of the book of life, whosoever shall refuse to hear Christ. For he is not worthy to be accounted one of the church, whosoever he be that refuseth ⟨p. 81⟩to have him to be his master, by whom alone God doth teach us, & by whom he will have us to hear himself: and he cutteth himself away from the body, whosoever he be, that refuseth to be under the head.

¹23 Euerie soule. Here, by a most greeuous punishment against the rebellious, the authority of al the prophets, but most of al of Christ is established. And that for good causes: For seeing there is nothing that God doth account more precious than his worde, it cannot be that he should suffer the same to be freely contēned. Therfore if any man despised the lawe of Moses, he was adiudged to die the death. And hereunto Moses had respect when he said, He shalbe put away frō among the people. For God had adopted the stock and kinred of Abraham vnto himself, vpon this condition, that this might bee sufficient for them vnto the chiefest felicitie to be reckoned in that number, as it is said in the Psalme, Blessed is the people whose god is the Lord. And in another place, Blessed is the nation whom the Lorde hath chosen to be his inheritaunce. Wherefore it is not to be doubted, but that he pronounceth that he shall be blotted out of the booke of life, whosoeuer shall refuse to heare Christ. For he is not worthie to be accounted one of the church, whosoeuer he be that refuseth