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…

4 And many of them which heard. The Apostles are put in prison, but the force of their preaching is spread far and wide, and the course thereof is at liberty. Of which thing Paul boasteth very much, that the word of God is not bound with him. And here we see that Satan & the wicked have liberty granted them to rage against the children of God: yet can they not (maugre their heads) prevail, but that god doth further and promote the kingdom of his son, Christ doth gather together his sheep, and that a few men unarmed, furnished with no garrisons, do show forth more power in their voice alone, than all the whole world by raging against them. This is in deed no common work of God, that one sermon brought forth such plentiful fruit: but this is the more to be wondered at, that the faithful are not terrified with the present danger, and discouraged from taking up the cross of Christ together with the faith. For this was a hard beginning for novices. Christ did more evidently declare by this efficacy and force of doctrine, that he was alive, than if he should have offered his body to be handled with hand, and to be seen with the eyes. And whereas it is said that the number of those which ⟨p. 87⟩believed, did grow to be about five thousand, I do not understand it of those which were newly added, but of the whole church.

4 And many of them which heard. The Apostles are put in prison, but the force of their preaching is spread farre and wide, and the course therof is at libertie. Of which thing Paule boasteth very much, that the worde of God is not bound with him. And here we see that Satan & the wicked haue libertie graunted them to rage against the childrē of God: yet cā they not (maugre their heads) preuaile, but that god doth further and promote the kingdome of his sonne, Christ doth gather togeather his sheepe, and that a few men vnarmed, furnished with no garrisons, do shew foorth more power in their voice alone, than al the whole world by raging against thē. This is in deed no common work of God, that one sermon brought foorth such plentifull frute: but this is the more to be wondered at, that the faithfull are not terrified with the present daunger, and discouraged from taking vp the crosse of Christe together with the faith. For this was a hard beginning for nouices. Christ did more euidētlie declare by this efficacie and force of doctrine, that he was aliue, than if he should haue offered his bodie to be handeled with hand, and to be seen with the eyes. And wheras it is said that the number of those which