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…

22 I have found David my servant. This title was not so much cited in praise of the person, as that Paul might make the Jews more attentive to receive Christ. For the Lord doth testify that his mind was thoroughly set upon David for no light cause, but he commendeth in him some singular thing, and by extolling him so highly, his intent is to lift up the minds of the faithful unto Christ in his person.¹ The place is taken out of the fourscore and ninth Psalm. Only Paul putteth in that which is not there to be found, that David was the son of Isai, which amplifieth the grace of God. For, seeing that Isai was a breeder of cattle, it was a wonderful work of God, to take the least of his sons from the sheepfolds, and to place him in the throne of the kingdom. By the word found, God meaneth that he had gotten such a man as he would. Not that David had brought to pass by his own travel and industry, that he should meet God, being such a one, but the phrase is taken from the common custom of men. But the question is, Seeing that David sell to grievously, how God giveth testimony of his continual obedience. We may answer two ways, for God had respect rather unto the continual course of his life, then unto every of his particular actions: secondly, he did thus set him forth, not so much for his own merit as for his Christs sake. Assuredly he had deserved by one wicked fact eternal destruction for him and his, and so much as in him laid, the way of the blessing of God was shut up, that there might nothing but vipers seed come of Bersabe. But that so filthy a fact,² in the death of Uriah, turneth to a contrary end by the wonderful counsel of God, because Solomon is borne and cometh ⟨p. 305⟩of that unlooked for wedlock which was full of treachery, and finally polluted with many spots. And though David sinned grievously, yet because he followed God all the course of his life, he is praised without exception, that he showed himself obedient to God in all things. Though (as I have said before) the spirit carieth us unto a farther thing,³ yea the common calling of all the faithful in Christ the head is here depainted out to us,