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…

Now the difference between living creatures being taken away, ⟨p. 242⟩he teacheth by the consequent, that there is no such disagreement among men any longer, as there was in times past, & that there is no difference between the Jew and Grecian. Hereby Peter is admonished, that he do not abhor the Gentiles as being unclean. Undoubtedly God meant to encourage Peter, to come to Cornelius without fear. But he had separated one people to himself from the rest,¹ as sayeth Moses in his sung, when as the most highest did distribute the nations, he put his cord in Jacob, &c. Therefore he called it his inheritance & peculiar people, according to this order, it had not been lawful for Peter to bring the covenant of salvation unto the Gentiles:² for that was to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs, unless peradventure they would be circumcised and embrace the Jewish religion.³ For it was lawful to receive such as did yield themselves. Wherefore when as the Apostles were sent before to preach the gospel, they were forbidden to turn in unto the Gē tiles. And forasmuch as the preaching of the Gospel is a most holy and weighty matter, Peter ought not to have attempted any thing therein with a doubting and wavering mind, Therefore to the end he may be assured of his calling, God showeth manifestly as in a picture, that the legal difference between the clean and unclean is abolished:⁴ whence he may gather that the wall which was heretofore between the Jews & the Gentiles, is now pulled down. And Paul saith, that it is a mystery hid from the beginning of the world, that the Gentiles are made partakers of the same salvation with the people of god, and engrafted into one body.

Nowe the difference betweene liuing creatures beeing taken away, ⟨p. 242⟩he teacheth by the consequent, that there is no such disagreemēt amōg men any longer, as there was in times past, & that there is no difference between the Iew and Grecian. Hereby Peter is admonished, that he do not abhorre the Gentiles as being vncleane. Vndoutedly God meant to encorage Peter, to come to Cornelius without feare. But he had separated one people to himselfe from the rest,