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…

He did drive out a people. Paul teacheth that all those benefits which god bestowed afterward upon the Jews, did proceed and flow from that free favour which he did bear toward their fathers. For this was the cause that they were delivered by the wonderful power of god, & brought by his hand into the possession of the land of Canaan, after that he had driven out so many nations for their sake. For it is no small matter for the land to be deprived of her inhabitors, that she might receive strangers. This is the fountain and root of all good things, whereunto Paul calleth us, that god chose the fathers. This was the reason & cause which moved god to so great patience, that he would not cast off that rebellious people, who should otherwise have destroyed themselves a thousand times with their own wickedness. Therefore where the scripture maketh mention that their sins were pardoned, it saith, that god remembered his covenant. He saith that they were exalted, though they were strangers, that they may remember how worthy & gorgeous their deliverance was.

He did driue out a people. Paul teacheth that all those benefits which god bestowed afterward vpon the Iewes, did proceed and flow from that free fauour which he did beare toward their fathers. For this was the cause that they wer deliuered by the wonderful power of god, & brought by his hand into the possession of the land of Canaan, after that he had driuen out so many nations for their sake. For it is no small matter for the land to be depriued of her inhabitors, that she might receiue strangers. This is the fountaine and roote of all good thinges, whereunto Paul calleth vs, that god chose the fathers. This was the reason & cause which moued god to so great patience, that hee would not cast off that rebellious people, who shoulde otherwise haue destroyed themselues a thousand times with their owne wickednesse. Therefore where the scripture maketh mention that their sinnes were pardoned, it saith, that god remembred his couenant. He saith that they were exalted, though they were strangers, that they may remember how worthie & gorgeous their deliuerance was.

18 He suffered their manners. The compound verb hath greater force and grace in the greek, whereby the mercifulness of god is expressed, in suffering the people whom he knew to be stubborn and disobedient. And Paul giveth us to understand again, that the election of god was the cause, that his goodness did strive with the wickedness of the people. Notwithstanding we must note that god did so take pity upon his elect people, whiles that he will continue firm in his purpose, that he did notwithstanding sharply punish the rebellious and wicked. He spared the people in deed, so that he did not quite destroy them, as he might by good right, but he found also means,