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…

Gods like to men. This was an opinion drawn from old fables, which notwithstanding took the beginning of truth. The books of the poets are full of these toys, that the gods were often seen upon earth in the likeness of men: and yet we may well think that this came not of nothing: but rather that profane men did turn that into fables, which the holy fathers taught in times past concerning angels. And it may be that Satan, when he had men besotted, did with divers jugglings, delude them. This is of a truth, whatsoever was gods, whensoever it went with the infidels; it was corrupt by their wicked inventions. The same must we likewise think of sacrifices, wherein God did exercise his even from the beginning, that they might have external signs of godliness & of the worship of God. And after that the unbelievers invented to themselves strange gods, they abused the sacrifices unto their sacrilegious worship. When the men of Lycaonia see unwonted power in the cripple that was healed, they persuade themselves that it is a work of god: this is all well. But it was evil done, in that they forge to themselves false gods in Paul & Barnabas, according to the old error. For what is the cause that they prefer Barnabas before Paul, save only because they follow the childish surmise concerning Mercury the interpreter of the gods, in which they had bin nourished. By which example we are taught what a mischief it is to be accustomed & acquainted with errors in youth: which can so hardly be rooted out of the mind, that even through the works of God, whereby they ought to have been redressed, they wax more hard.

Gods like to men. This was an opinion drawne from old fables, which notwithstanding tooke the beginning of truth. The bookes of the poets are full of these toyes, that the gods were often seen vppon earth in the likenes of men: and yet we may well think that this came not of nothing: but rather that profane men did turn that into fables, which the holy fathers taught in times past concerning angels. And it may be that Satan, when he had men besotted, did with diuers iuglings, delude thē. This is of a truth, whatsoeuer was gods, whensoeuer it went with the infidels; it was corrupt by their wicked inuentiōs. The same must we likewise think of sacrifices, wherin God did exercise his euen from the beginning, that they might haue externall signes of godlines & of the worship of God. And after that the vnbeleeuers inuented to thēselues strange gods, they abused the sacrifices vnto their sacrilegious worship. When the men of Lycaonia see vnwonted power in the creeple that was healed, they perswade themselues that it is a work of god: this is all wel. But it was euill done, in that they forge to thēselues false gods in Paul & Barnabas, according to the old error. For what is the cause that they prefer Barnabas before Paul, saue only because they folow the childish surmise cōcerning Mercurie the interpreter of the gods, in which they had byn nourished. By which exāple we are taught what a mischief it is to be accustomed & acquainted with errors in youth: which can so hardly be rooted out of the mind, that euen through the workes of God, whereby they ought to haue been redressed, they waxe more hard.