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…

For as God did crown Cornelius his prayers & alms, & holiness with the most precious pearl of his Gospel: so there is just cause why he should suffer us to starve, being brought unto hungry poverty, when as he seeeth us abuse the treasure of his gospel wickedly and ungodlily. Yet here may a question be asked, Whether faith require the knowledge of Christ, or it be content with the simple persuasion of the mercy of god? For Cornelius seemeth to have known nothing at all concerning Christ. But it may be proved by sound proofs, that faith cannot be separated from Christ. For if we lay hold upon the bare majesty of God, we are rather confounded with his glory, then that we feel any taste of his goodness. Therefore Christ must come between, that the mind of man may conceive that God is merciful. And it is not without cause that he is called the image of the invisible God: because the father offereth himself to be beholden in his face alone. Moreover, seeing that he is the way, the truth, & the life, whether soever thou goest without him, thou shalt be inwrapped on every side in errors, and death shall meet you on every side. We may easily answer concerning Cornelius. All spiritual gifts are offered unto us in Christ. And especially whence cometh regeneration, save only because when we are engrafted into the death of Christ,¹ our old man is crucified? And if Cornelius were made partaker of the Spirit of Christ, there is no cause why we should think that he was altogether void of his faith: nether had he so embraced the worship of the true god (whom the Jews alone did worship) but that he had also hard somewhat of the promised mediator: though the knowledge of him were obscure, & entangled, yet was it some. Whosoever came at that time into Judea, he was enforced to hear somewhat of the Messiah: yea there was some fame of him spread through countries which were far of. Wherefore Cornelius must be put in the catalogue of the old fathers, who hoped for salvation of the redeemer before he was revealed. And it is properly said of Augustine, that Peter grounded his faith: whereas it had now before a firm foundation: although Augustine thinketh as we do in the thing it self, who affirmeth plainly that Cornelius could not pray unless he had faith: in his book of the predestination of Saints and ⟨p. 239⟩other places.

For as God did crowne Cornelius his prayers & almes, & holinesse with the most precious pearle of his Gospel: so there is iust cause why he shoulde suffer vs to starue, being brought vnto hungrie pouertie, when as he seeeth vs abuse the treasure of his gospel wickedly and vngodlily. Yet here may a questiō be asked, Whether faith require the knowledge of Christ, or it be content with the simple perswasiō of the mercy of god? For Cornelius seemeth to haue known nothing at all concerning Christ. But it may be proued by sounde proofes, that faith cannot bee separated from Christ. For if we lay hold vpon the bare maiestie of God, wee are rather confounded with his glory, then that we feele any taste of his goodnesse. Therefore Christ must come betweene, that the mind of man may conceiue that God is mercifull. And it is not without cause that he is called the image of the inuisible God: because the father offereth himselfe to be beholden in his face alone. Moreouer, seeing that hee is the way, the truth, & the life, whether soeuer thou goest without him, thou shalt bee inwrapped on euerie side in errours, and death shall meete you on euery side. We may easily answere concening Cornelius. All spiritual gifts are offered vnto vs in Christ. And especially whence commeth regeneratiō, saue only because whē we are ingraffed into the death of Christ,