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…

38 Stephen proceedeth to set forth the frowardness of the people, who though they were provoked with so many benefits of God, yet did they never cease maliciously to reject him. If they had been disobedient and unthankful to God before, yet this so wonderful a deliverance ought to have brought them into a better mind: but he declareth that they were always like themselves. It was meet that so many miracles should not only have stuck fast in their minds, but also have continued still before their eyes. But having forgotten all, they fly back suddenly unto the superstitions of Egypt. The memorial of their cruel servitude was yet fresh, which they had escaped by passing over the read sea: and yet they prefer those tyrants by whom they were more than cruelly handled, before their deliverer. This was therefore a heap of ungodliness most desperate, that their stubbornness could not be broken or overcome with so many benefits of God, but that they did aways return unto their nature. This doeth greatly augment the greatness of the offence, where Stephen sayeth that Moses was then with them in the wilderness. For besides that there appeareth here rare goodness and long sufferance of the Lord, in bearing with them, they make themselves to be without all excuse, whiles that being beset on every side with so many straits, being brought into so great distress, having Moses to be their guide in their journey, and the faithful keeper of their life, they fall away nevertheless treacherously from God. Finally it appeareth that they were like untamed beasts, whom God could not keep in obedience with so many bands. Therefore in as much as Moses left not off to govern them even through the wilderness under the conduct and aide of the Angel, it is an easy matter to gather by this circumstance of time, how incurable and obstinate their frowardness was. As it was a point of monstrous rebellion, not to be humbled with miseries, and even with the very sight of death. Where as he sayeth that Moses was with the Angel and the fathers, there is a contrary respect. He was present with the fathers, that he might be their guide, according to the commandment of the Lord: he was with the Angel as a minister.

38 Stephen proceedeth to set foorth the frowardnesse of the people, who though they were prouoked with so manie benefites of God, yet did they neuer cease maliciously to reiect him. If they had beene disobedient and vnthankfull to God before, yet this so wonderfull a deliuerance ought to haue brought them into a better minde: but he declareth that they were alwayes like themselues. It was meete that so many myracles shoulde not onely haue stuck fast in their mindes, but also haue continued still before their eyes. But hauing forgotten all, they flie backe sodainlie vnto the superstitions of Aegypt. The memoriall of their cruell seruitude was yet fresh, which they had escaped by passing ouer the redde sea: and yet they preferre those tyrantes by whom they were more than cruelly handled, before their deliuerer. This was therefore a heape of vngodlinesse most desperate, that their stubbornesse coulde not bee broken or ouercome with so manie benefites of God, but that they did awayes returne vnto their nature. This doeth greatly augment the greatnesse of the offence, where Steephen saieth that Moses was then with them in the wildernesse. For besides that there appeareth heere rare goodnesse and long sufferance of the Lord, in bearing with them, they make themselues to be without all excuse, whiles that being beset on euery side with so manie straites, being brought into so great distresse, hauing Moses to bee their guide in their iourney, and the faithfull keeper of their life, they fall away neuerthelesse treacherously from God. Finally it appeareth that they were like vntamed beastes, whom God coulde not keepe in obedience with so manie bandes. Therefore in as much as Moses lefte not off to gouerne them euen through the wildernesse vnder the conduct and aide of the Angel, it is an easie matter to gather by this circumstance of time, how incurable and obstinate their frowardnesse was. As it was a point of monstrous rebellion, not to be humbled with miseries, and euen with the verie sight of death. Where as hee saieth that Moses was with the Angel and the fathers, there is a contrarie respect. Hee was present with the fathers, that hee might bee their guide, according to the commaundement of the Lorde: he was with the Angell as a minister.