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…

Unless ye be Circumcised. Luke setteth down briefly in these words the state of the question: to wit, that these seducers went about to bind mens consciences with necessity of keeping the Law. Circumcision is in deed mentioned alone in this place: but it appeareth by the text that they moved the question about the keeping of the whole law. And because Circumcision was as it were a solemn entrance and admission into other rites of the law, therefore by Synecdoche the whole law is comprehended under one part. These enemies of Paul did not deny that Christ was the Messiah: but though they gave him their names, they retained therewithal the old ceremonies of the Law. The Error might have seemed tolerable at the first glimpse. Why doeth not Paul then dissemble, at least for some short time, least he shake the Church with conflict? For the disputation was concerning external matters, concerning which Paul himself forbiddeth elsewhere to stand and strive too much. But there were three weighty causes which enforced him to gainestande. For if the keeping of the law be necessary, mans salvation is tied to works, which must be grounded in the grace of Christ alone, that the faith may be settled and quiet. Therefore when Paul saw the worship of the law set against ⟨p. 352⟩the free righteousness of faith, it was unlawful for him to hold his peace, unless he would betray Christ. For seeing the adversaries did deny that any should be saved, save he which did observe the Law of Moses, by this means they did translate unto works the glory of salvation, which they took from Christ, & having shaken assurance they did vex miserable souls with unquietness: again it was no small thing neither of any small importance to spoil & rob faithful souls of the liberty gotten by Christs blood. Though the inward liberty of the Spirit were con mom to the fathers as well as to us, yet we know what Paul saith, that they were shut up under the childish ward & custody of the Law, so that they did not much differ from servants:¹ but we are loose from the schoolmastership of the law after that Christ was revealed, & we have more liberty, the time of our nonage being as it were ended.

Vnlesse yee be Circumcised. Luke setteth downe briefly in these words the state of the question: to wit, that these seducers went about to bind mens consciences with necessitie of keeping the Law. Circumcision is in deed mentioned alone in this place: but it appeareth by the text that they moued the question about the keeping of the whole lawe. And because Circumcision was as it were a solemne entrance and admission into other rites of the lawe, therefore by Synecdoche the whole lawe is comprehended vnder one part. These enimies of Paul did not denie that Christ was the Messias: but though they gaue him their names, they retained therewithall the old ceremonies of the Lawe. The Error might haue seemed tollerable at the first glimse. Why doeth not Paule then dissemble, at least for some short time, least hee shake the Church with conflict? For the disputation was concerning externall matters, concerning which Paule himselfe forbiddeth elsewhere to stande and striue too much. But there were three weightie causes which enforced him to gainestande. For if the keeping of the lawe bee necessarie, mans saluation is tyed to workes, which must be grounded in the grace of Christ alone, that the faith may bee setled and quiet. Therefore when Paule sawe the worshippe of the lawe set against