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…

Thus is that objection easily answered which the Jews think cannot possibly be answered,¹ Circumcision is called ⟨p. 360⟩the eternal covenant, or of the world: therefore say they, it was •ot to be abolished. If any man shall say that this is not referred unto the visible sign, but rather unto the thing figured: it shall be well answered, but there is another answer besides this. Seeing that the kingdom of Christ was a certain renewing of the world, there shall no inconvenience follow, if he made an end of all the shadows of the Law. For as much as the perpetuity of the Law is grounded in Christ. I come now unto the second member, where Peter placeth the cleanness of the Gentiles in faith. Why doth not he say, In perfection of virtues, or holiness of life save only because men have righteousness from another, and not from themselves? for if men by living well and justly should purchase righteousness, or if they should be clean before God by nature: this sentence of Peter should fall to ground. Therefore the Spirit doth in these words plainly pronounce, that all mankind is polluted and with filthiness defiled: secondly that their blots can by no other means be wiped away, than by the grace of Christ. For seeing that faith is the remedy whereby the Lord doth freely help us, it is set as well against the common nature of all men, as against every mans own merits. When I say that all mankind is polluted, my meaning is, that we bring nothing from our mothers womb but mere filthiness, and that there is no righteousness in our nature, which can reconcile us to God. Mans soul was in deed endued with singular gifts at the first: but all parts thereof are so corrupt with sin, that there remaineth in it no drop of pureness any longer, therefore we must seek for cleanness without our selves. For if any man allege that it may be recovered by merits of works: there is nothing more absurd than to imagine that wicked and froward nature can deserve any thing. Therefore it resteth that men seek elsewhere for that, which they shall never be able to find within themselves. And surely it is the office of faith to translate that unto us which is proper to Christ, and to make it ours by free participation. So that there is a mutual relation between faith and the grace of Christ.

Thus is that obiection easily answered which the Iewes thinke cannot possiblie bee answered,