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…

25 You are the children of the Prophets, and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all families of the earth be blessed. 26 God raised up unto you first his son Jesus, and he sent him blessing you, whiles that he doth turn away every one from his sins.

25 You are the children of the Prophets, and of the couenaunt which God made with your fathers, saying vnto Abraham, And in thy seede shall all families of the earth be blessed. 26 God raised vp vnto you first his sonne Iesus, and hee sent him blessing you, whiles that he doth turne away euery one from his sinnes.

25 You are the children. He signifieth that the grace of the covenant was appointed principally for them, which covenant God made with their fathers. And so as he pricked them forward to obey the Gospel by terrifying them with the terror of punishment, so be allureth them now again to receive the grace which is offered them in Christ. So that we see how that God omitteth nothing whereby he may bring us unto him self. And it is the duty of a wise minister, so to prick forward the sluggish and slow bellies, that he do lead those gently, which are apt to be taught: we must also note diligently this course of teaching, where Peter showeth that the Gospel is assigned and appointed unto the Jews. For it is not sufficient to have the mercy of God preached unto us generally, unless we also know that the same is offered unto us by the certain ordinance of God. For this cause is it that Paul standeth so much upon the avouching of the calling of the Gentiles, because if any man should think, that the Gospel came unto him by chance,¹ when as it was scattered here and there, faith should quail: yea there should be only a doubtful opinion in steed of faith. Therefore to the end we may steadfastly believe the promise of salvation, this application (that I may so term it) is necessary: that God doeth not caste forth uncertain voices, that they may hang in the air, but that he doth direct the same unto us by his certain & determinate counsel. Peter telleth the Jews, that Christ is promised unto them after this sort, to the end they may more willingly embrace him. And how proveth he this? because they are the children of the prophets and of the covenant. He calleth them the children of the Prophets, which were of the same nation, and therefore were heirs of the covenant,