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…

1 And the chief Priest said, Are these things so? 2 He answered, Men, brethren and fathers, hearken, The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran. 3 And he said unto him, Come out of my country, and from amongst thy Kindred, and come into the land which I will show thee. 4 Then he came out of the land of the Chaldees, & dwelt in Charran. After that his father was dead, God brought him thence into this land, wherein ye now dwell.

1 ANd the chiefe Priest said, Are these things so? 2 He answered, Men, brethren and fathers, harken, The God of glorie appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before hee dwelt in Charran. 3 And he said vnto him, Come out of my countrie, and from amongst thy Kynred, and come into the land which I will shew thee. 4 Then he came out of the land of the Chaldees, & dwelt in Charran. After that his father was dead, God brought him thence into this lande, wherein yee nowe dwell.

1 There appeareth as yet some colour of equity in the highest priest and in the council: and yet notwithstanding there is a most unjust prejudice in his words. For he asketh him not what cause he had to teach thus, neither doth he admit him unto the defence of right (which was notwithstanding the chief:) but he demandeth precisely whether Stephen uttered these words whatsoever they were: as the Papists at this day will not demand what doctrine it is, and whether it can be proved out of the scriptures: but they enquire whether any man durst mutter against their superstitions, that so soon as he is convict, they may forthwith burn him. Furthermore, Stephen's answer may seem at the first blush absurd and foolish. He beginneth first at the very first beginning: afterward he maketh a long narration, wherein there is no mention made in a manner of the matter in hand. And there can be no greater fault than to utter many words, which are nothing appertinent unto the matter. But whosoever shall throughly consider this long speech, he shall find nothing therein which is superfluous: and shall full well perceive that Steven speaketh very appertinently, as the matter requireth. He was accused as an Apostate or revolt, which did attempt the overthrow of religion and the worship of God. Therefore he beateth in this diligently, that he retaineth that God which the fathers have always worshipped. So that he turneth away the crime of wicked backsliding: and declareth that his enemies were pricked forward with nothing less than with the zeal of the law. For they bare a show that they were wholly determined to increase the glory of God. Therefore he wringeth from them this false boasting. And because they had the fathers always in their mouths because they were puffed up with the glory of their nation: Stephen declareth also, that they have no cause to be proud of this: but rather, that the corruptions of the fathers was so great & so many, that they ought to to be ashamed and humbled. As concerning the principal state of the cause, because the question was concerning the temple and the ceremonies, he affirmeth plainly that their fathers were elected of God to be a peculiar people before there was any temple, and before Moses was born. And to this end tendeth that exordium or beginning which is so far fet.