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…

And your sons shall prophesy. By the word Prophecy, he meant to note the rare and singular gift of understanding. And to the same purpose tendeth that partition which followeth afterward: your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. For we gather out of the twelfth Chapter of Numbers, that these were the two ordinary ways whereby God did reveal himself to the prophets. For in that place when the Lord exempteth Moses from the common sort of Prophets,¹ he sayeth: I appear unto my servants by a vision, or by a dream: but I speak unto Moses face to face. Therefore we see that two kinds are put after the general word, for a confirmation. Yet this is the sum, that they shall all be Prophets so soon as the holy Ghost shall be poured out from heaven. But here it is objected, that there was no such thing, even in the Apostles themselves, neither yet in the whole multitude of the faithful. I answer, that the prophets did commonly use to shadow under tropes most fit for their time, the kingdom of Christ. When they speak of the worship of God, they name the Altar, the Sacrifices, the offering of gold, silver, and frankincense. Notwithstanding we know that the Altars do cease, the Sacrifices are abolished, whereof there was some use in time of the Law: and that the Lord requireth some higher thing at our hands, than earthly riches. That is true in deed. but the Prophets, whiles they apply their style unto the capacity of their time, comprehend under figures (wherewith the people were then well acquainted) those things, which we see otherwise revealed and showed now, like as when he promiseth else where,² that he will make Priests of Levites, and Levites of the common sort of men: this is his meaning, that under the kingdom of Christ every base person shall be extolled unto an honourable estate. Therefore if we desire to have the true and natural meaning of this place, we must not urge the words which are taken out of the old order of the Law: but we must only seek the truth without figures. And that is it, that the Apostles through the sudden inspiration of the Spirit, did entreat of the heavenly mysteries. Prophetically, that is to say, divinely and above the common order.

And your sonnes shall prophecie. By the worde Prophecie, hee meant to note the rare and singular gifte of vnderstanding. And to the same purpose tendeth that partition which followeth afterwarde: your young men shall see visions, and your olde men shall dreame dreames. For we gather out of the twelfth Chapter of Numbers, that these were the two ordinary wayes whereby God did reueale himselfe to the prophets. For in that place when the Lorde exempteth Moses from the common sort of Prophetes,