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…

30 The God of our fathers. They descend unto the matter whereof they are to speak, that they may declare that they made small account of the commandment of the priests, not without cause ne yet unadvisedly. For (as I have already said) the comparison between God & man taketh no place save only when there is some contrariety. Therefore they prove by this, that they are enforced by the fear of god to refuse the commandment of the priests: because God commandeth that which they forbid. Therefore first of all they say that God had raised up Christ, after the common custom of the scriptures. For this speech is common, that God raised up prophets or judges, or rather ministers, whom he determined to use unto some great work: which importeth as much as that all excellency of nature is weak, unless God do furnish those with singular gifts, whom he preferreth unto any excellent office. Peradventure also they allude unto that famous place of Moses,¹ which Peter cited in his first sermon. They cite the God of the fathers by name as the author, that they may declare that they bring in no new form of religion, neither yet will they enforce upon the people any new God. For they were to make answer to that false slander, that they went about to lead away the people from the law and the prophets. Not that they allow all that worship which was used by the fathers, as profane men are content with this only argument, that the fathers taught thus, that they do all things according to the custom and decree of their ancestors: but the Apostles speak in this place of these fathers with whom God hath made his covenant, who followed right and pure doctrine, who embraced the promise of salvation with true faith, finally, who had their beginning of the heavenly Father, & who through the only begotten son of God were the children of God together with their posterity.

30 The God of our fathers. They discende vnto the matter whereof they are to speake, that they may declare that they made small account of the commandement of the priestes, not without cause ne yet vnaduisedly. For (as I haue alreadie said) the comparison between God & man taketh no place saue onely when there is some contrarietie. Therefore they proue by this, that they are inforced by the fear of god to refuse the commandement of the priests: because God commaundeth that which they forbid. Therfore first of all they say that God had raised vp Christ, after the commō custome of the scriptures. For this speech is common, that God raysed vp prophetes or iudges, or rather ministers, whom hee determined to vse vnto some great worke: which importeth as much as that all excellencie of nature is weak, vnlesse God do furnish those with singular giftes, whom he preferreth vnto any excellent office. Peraduenture also they allude vnto that famous place of Moses,