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…

17 Notwithstanding he did not suffer himself to be without witness. Paul and Barnabas take from the Gentiles in this place the cloak of ignorance. For how greatly soever men please themselves in their own inventions, being at length convict of error, they fly unto this fortress, that they ought to bear no blame: but that God was rather cruel, who did not vouchsafe so much as with one hiss to call those back whom he saw perish. Paul & Barnabas cut off this frivolous objection when they show that God lay hid in such sort, that he bare witness of himself and his divinity. Notwithstanding we must see how these two things can hang together: for if God bare witness of himself, he did not suffer (so much as in him lay) the world to err. I answer, that this kind of testimony whereof mention is made, was such, as that it made men without excuse, and yet was it not sufficient to salvation. For that of the apostle is true, that by faith it is understood that the worlds were ordained by the word of God,¹ but faith is not conceived by the bare beholding of the heaven and earth, but by the hearing of the word. Whereupon it followeth that men are brought by the direction of the word alone unto that knowledge of Almighty GOD which bringeth salvation. And yet this letteth not but that they may be made without excuse, even ⟨p. 341⟩without the word, who though they be naturally deprived of light, are blind notwithstanding through their own malice, as Paul teacheth in the first chapter to the Romans.

17 Notwithstanding he did not suffer himself to be without witnes. Paul and Barnabas take from the Gentiles in this place the cloake of ignorance. For how greatly soeuer men please themselues in their own inuentions, beeing at length conuict of error, they flie vnto this fortresse, that they ought to beare no blame: but that God was rather cruel, who did not vouchsafe so much as with one hisse to call those back whom he saw perish. Paul & Barnabas cut off this friuolous obiection when they shewe that God lay hid in such sort, that he bare witnesse of himselfe and his diuinitie. Notwithstanding wee must see how these two things can hang together: for if God bare witnesse of himselfe, he did not suffer (so much as in him lay) the worlde to erre. I answere, that this kinde of testimony wherof mention is made, was such, as that it made men without excuse, and yet was it not sufficient to saluation. For that of the apostle is true, that by faith it is vnderstood that the worlds were ordeined by the word of God,