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…

14 When the Apostles had heard. In that Paul and Barnabas rent their garments and leap into the midst of the multitude, it appeareth thereby how zealous they were for the glory of God: being content only to speak to the people, they troubled the preparation of the sacrifice so much as they are able. It cometh to pass sometimes that even hypocrites refuse excessive honour: but they rather provoke the simple to give it them, with their feigned modesty. There was no such thing in Paul and Barnabas. For they declared both by words and also by all gesture of body, that they were so far from taking pleasure in that worship which the men of Lystra gave unto them, that they did utterly detest it. This is holy anger, wherewith the servants of God must be inflamed, so often as they see his glory profaned and overthrown by the sacrileges of men. And assuredly no man shall be able otherwise to serve God sincerely and faithfully, unless he put on that affection of jealousy, whereof Paul speaketh in the second Epistle to the Corinthians,¹ that those men to whom the Lord hath committed the charge of his church be no less courageous and stout to defend the glory of their Lord, then a husband is vigilant to defend his wives chastity. Therefore we must take good heed, that we suffer not that honour to be given us, which may darken the glory of God: but rather so soon as there appeareth any profaning of gods glory, let this heat break out, whereof we have an example in Paul and Barnabas. And though the teachers of the church ought especially to be endued with this zeal, yet there is no one of the godly, which ought ⟨p. 337⟩not to be sore displeased, when he seeth the worship of God polluted, or given to some other: because it is written of all, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up, and the rebukes of them that rebuked thee fell on me.² And if so be it holy men being yet compassed about with the flesh did so greatly detest idolatry, how shall we think them to be affected now, when they are stripped out of all the affections of the flesh? Whenas the world abuseth their names and persons unto superstition, it thinketh it doeth them a great pleasure: but it is greatly deceived. For they will stand up first against their worshippers, and will in deed declare that they never make more account of any thing, then that the worship of God might remain whole and sound to him.