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…

Therefore there is but one rule of true godliness, that is, that the faithful, casting from them all confidence in their own wit, do submit themselves to god. For the ways of men are now, as they were in times past: & the examples ⟨p. 340⟩of all times teach how miserably blind those men be, who have not the word of God to give them light, though they think they can pass other men in quickness of sight. Immediately after the Beginning of the world, the more part fell away unto divers superstitions and wicked worshippings: whence came that? Save only because it pleased them to follow their own imaginations? When it might have seemed that the world was purged with the flood, it fell again straightway to the same vices. Therefore there is nothing more deadly then to lean to our own wisdom. But Paul and Barnabas show no cause here why the Lord suffered the world to err so long: and assuredly we must count the will of god alone, the chiefest law of equity. God hath always a good reason for his works: but because it is oftentimes hid from us, it is our duty reverently to wonder at his secrete counsel: we must in deed confess, that the world was worthy of such destruction: but there can no other reason be brought why the Lord had mercy rather on one age then on another, save only because it seemed good to him that it should be so. Therefore Paul calleth that time which was appointed of God for preaching the gospel,¹ the time of fullness, least any other opportunity be sought And we must remember that which we had in the first chapter, that it is not for us to know the times & seasons, which the father hath placed in his own power. So that the cavil of the papists is refuted, who say that it cannot be that God suffered his church to err so long. For whence I pray you came the Gentiles but from the Ark of Noah, when there was a certain singular purity of the church? Also the posterity of holy Shem together with others did degenerate. Yea Israel the peculiar people of the Lord was also left for a long time.² Wherefore it is no marvel, if God did punish the contempt of his word with the same blindness under the reign of his son, as he did in times past.

Therfore there is but one rule of true godlines, that is, that the faithful, casting frō thē al confidence in their own wit, do submit thēselues to god. For the waies of mē are now, as thei wer in times past: & the exāples