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…

But this is sufficient for me, that it is perverse doting to place Christ any where else, save only in heaven, and above the elements of the world.

But this is sufficient for mee, that it is peruers doting to place Christe any where els, saue only in heauen, and aboue the elements of the world.

57 Crying with a loud voice. This was either a vain show of zeal, as hypocrites are almost always pricked forward with ambition, to break out into immoderate heat as Caiaphas when he heard Christ say thus, After this ye shall see the son of man &c. did rent his clothes in token of indignation, as if it were intolerable blasphemy: or else certainly the preaching of the glory of Christ was unto them such a torment, that they must needs burst through madness. And I am rather of this mind for Luke saith afterward, that they were carried violently as those men which have no hold of themselves, use to leap out immoderately.

57 Crying with a loude voice. This was either a vaine shew of zeale, as hypocrites are almost alwayes pricked forwarde with ambition, to breake out into immoderate heate as Caiphas when hee heard Christe say thus, After this yee shal see the sonne of man &c. did rent his clothes in token of indignation, as if it were intollerable blasphemie: or els certainely the preaching of the glory of Christe was vnto them such a torment, that they must needes burst through madnesse. And I am rather of this minde for Luke saith afterward, that they were carried violently as those men which haue no hold of themselues, vse to leape out immoderately.

58 They stoned. God had appointed this kind of punishment in the law, for false Prophets: as it is written in the thirteenth chapter of Deuteronomy: but God doth also define there, who ought to be reckoned in that number: to wit, he which doth attempt to bring the people unto strange Gods, therefore the stoning of Stephen was both unjust and also wicked, because he was unjustly condemned. So that the martyrs of Christ must suffer like punishment with the wicked. It is the cause alone which maketh the difference: but this difference is so highly esteemed before God and his angels, that the rebukes of the martyrs do far excel all glory of the world. Yet here may a question be moved, How it was lawful for the Jews to stone Steven who had not the government in their hands. For in Christs cause they answer, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. I answer, that they did this violently and in an uproar. And whereas the president did not punish this wickedness,