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…

7 And when there had bin great disputation. Though there were choice made of grave men & such as were public teachers of the Church, yet could not they agree by and by. Whereby appeareth how the Lord did exercise his Church even then by the infirmity of men, that it might learn to be wise with humility. Moreover he suffered (even in that company and assembly, wherein he was chief) the principal point of Christian doctrine to be diversly tossed and handled: least we should wonder, if at any time it so fall out, that men who are otherwise learned and godly, do through unskilfulness fall into an error. For some were not so quick witted, that they could throughly see into the greatness of the matter. So that when they judge that the law ought to be kept, being unadvisedly carried away with the zeal of the law, they see not into how deep a labyrinth they throw the consciences ⟨p. 357⟩of other men and their own also. They thought that Circumcision was an eternal & unuiolable token of Gods covenant: the same opinion had they of all the whole Law. Wherefore Peter standeth chiefly upon this, to show the state of the question, which the most of them knew not. And his oration hath two members. For first he proveth by the authority of god, that the gentiles must not be enforced to keep the law: secondly he teacheth that all mans salvation is overthrown, if the conscience be once caught in this snare. Therefore the former part (wherein he declareth that he was sent of God to teach the Gentiles, and that the holy Spirit came down upon them) tendeth to this end, that men did not unadvisedly disannul the ceremonies of the Law, but that God is the author of that disannulling. And so soon as the authority of God is brought forth, all doubting is taken away because this is all our wisdom, to stay our selves upon the authority, government and commandment of God, and to make more account of his beck and pleasure, then of all reasons. Now it is meet that we ponder the words of Peter, whereby he proveth that this was granted to the gentiles by God, to be free from the yoke of the Law.

7 And when there had bin great disputation. Though there were choise made of graue men & such as were publike teachers of the Church, yet could not they agree by and by. Whereby appeareth howe the Lord did exercise his Church euen then by the infirmitie of men, that it might learne to bee wise with humilitie. Moreouer he suffered (euen in that companie and assemblie, wherein hee was chiefe) the principall point of Christian doctrine to bee diuersly tossed and handled: least wee should wonder, if at any time it so fall out, that men who are otherwise learned and godly, doe through vnskilfulnesse fall into an errour. For some were not so quicke witted, that they could throughly see into the greatnes of the matter. So that when they iudge that the law ought to bee kept, being vnaduisedly carried away with the zeale of the law, they see not into how deepe a laberinth they throw the consciences