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…

The knower of the hearts. He applieth this adjunct to God according to the circumstance of the present matter: and it hath under it a secret contrariety, That men are more addicted to external purity, because they judge according to their gross & earthly sense and understanding: but God doth look into the heart. Therefore Peter teacheth that they judge preposterously in this matter according to mans understanding, seeing that the inward pureness of the hart alone is here to be esteemed, which we know not. And by this means doeth he bridle our rashness, least taking to our selves more than we ought, we murmur against the judgement of God. As if he should say: If thou see no reason of that testimony which God gave them, think with thy self what great difference there is between him & thee. For thou art holden with external pomp according to thy gross nature, which must be abandoned, when we come to the throne of God, where the hearts of men are known spiritually. But in the mean season we must note a general doctrine, that the eyes of God do not look upon the vain pomp of men, but upon the integrity of mens harts, as it is written Jer. 5.¹ Whereas the old interpreter & Erasmus translate it, that God knoweth the hearts, it doth not sufficiently express that which Luke saith in greek: for when he calleth God Cardiagnosten, he setteth him against men, who judge rather for the most part by the outward appearance: and therefore they may be called prosopognostai or knowers of the face, if they be compared with God.

The knower of the hearts. He applieth this adiunct to God according to the circumstance of the present matter: and it hath vnder it a secreat contrarietie, That men are more addicted to externall puritie, because they iudge according to their grosse & earthly sense and vnderstanding: but God doth looke into the heart. Therefore Peter teacheth that they iudge preposterously in this matter according to mans vnderstanding, seing that the inward purenes of the hart alone is here to be esteemed, which we know not. And by this meanes doeth he bridle our rashnesse, least taking to our selues more than we ought, we murmur against the iudgement of God. As if he should say: If thou see no reason of that testimony which God gaue them, thinke with thy selfe what great difference there is betweene him & thee. For thou art holden with external pompe according to thy grosse nature, which must be abandoned, when we come to the throne of God, where the hearts of men are knowne spiritually. But in the meane season we must note a generall doctrine, that the eyes of God doe not looke vpon the vaine pompe of men, but vpon the integritie of mens harts, as it is written