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…

32 I am the God of thy fathers. Now we see to what end the vision was offered to Moses, to wit, that the word of God might have his authority. For bare visions should do but a little good, unless doctrine were joined therewithal. And it is joined with them not as an inferior part, but as the ⟨p. 155⟩cause of all visions & the end. And whereas he calleth himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, there is a double reason why he calleth himself so. As the majesty of God is infinite, if we will comprehend it, it doth rather swallow up our senses: if we endeavour to ascend unto it, we vanish away. Therefore he adorneth himself with titles, under which we may comprehend him. But we must mark that God maketh choice of such titles, as that he may by them call us back unto his word. For he is called the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for this cause, because he committed unto them the doctrine of salvation, that he might thereby be made known to the world. But God had respect properly unto the present circumstance, when he spake to Moses on this wise. For both this vision, and the hope of the delivery of the people, and the commandment which he was about to give to Moses, did depend upon the covenant, which he had made in times past with the fathers. So that the suspicion of novelty is taken way, and the mind of Moses is lifted up to hope for redemption, which was grounded in the old promise. Therefore this title is as much as if God had said: I which have promised in times past to your fathers, that I have a care of your safety, which have taken the kindred of Abraham to my tuition by a free covenant, yea which have appointed this time for an end of your bondage, I appear now unto thee, that I may perform that which I promised. Like as at this day all the promises of God must lean & be stayed upon this foundation, that they may be sure and certain to us, that God hath adopted us in Christ, and hath promised that he will be our God and our father. And Christ gathereth out of this place by good reason, that the godly live after they be dead.¹ For if the whole man perish in death, this were an unfit speech, I am the God of Abraham. Let us suppose that there is no Rome: shall not he be laughed at, which shall call himself Consul of Rome? For this is requisite in Relation, that the members be answerable between themselves.

32 I am the God of thy fathers. Now we see to what end the vision was offered to Moses, to wit, that the word of God might haue his authoritie. For bare visions should do but a little good, vnlesse doctrine were ioyned therwithal. And it is ioyned with them not as an inferior part, but as the