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…

Secondly he telleth them that all external rites which God gave by the hand of Moses, were fashioned according to the heavenly pattern. Whereupon it followeth, that the ceremonial law is referred unto another end, and that those deal foolishly and disorderedly who omit the truth and stay only in the signs. If the readers shall refer the whole oration of Stephen unto these points, they shall find nothing therein which agreeth not very well with the cause: as I shall declare again briefly in the end. Nevertheless that scope of the whole oration shall not hinder, but that we may discuss all things briefly, which are worth the noting.

Secondly he telleth them that all externall rites which God gaue by the hand of Moses, were fashioned according to the heauenly paterne. Whereupon it followeth, that the ceremoniall law is referred vnto another ende, and that those deale foolishly and disorderedly who omit the truth and stay only in the signes. If the readers shal referre the whole oration of Steeuen vnto these pointes, they shall finde nothing therein which agreeth not very well with the cause: as I shal declare again briefly in the end. Neuertheles that scope of the whole oration shal not hinder, but that we may discusse all things briefly, which are worth the noting.

2 Men, brethren, and fathers. Although Stephen saw that those which sate in the council were for the most part the sworn enemies of Christ, yet because the ordinary government of the people did belong to them, and they had the oversight of the church, which God had not as yet cast ⟨p. 138⟩of, therefore he is not afraid for modesties sake to call them fathers. Neither doth he flatteringly purchase favour hereby. But he giveth this honour to the order and government appointed by god, until such time as the authority should be taken from them, the order being altered. Nevertheless the reverence of the place which they had, doth not hinder him nor stop his mouth, but that he doeth freely dissent from them. Whereby it appeareth how ridiculous the papists are, who will have us so tied unto bare & vain invented titles, that they may enforce us to subscribe unto their decrees though they be never so wicked.