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…

Truth it is that God hath in his own power, Winter & Summer, and the rest of the seasons of the year, cold & heat, fair weather & foul. But because he hath testified that the course of the years shall be perpetual, he is said not to have placed that in his own power, which he hath revealed unto men. What thing soever the philosophers or husbandmen do comprehend or understand by Art, by learning, by judgement,¹ or experience, all that doth God not retain unto himself, because he hath after a certain sort revealed it unto them. The same opinion must we have of the prophets: for it was their office to know those things which God did reveal. But we must be ignorant of the secrete events of things, as touching the time to come. For there is nothing which may make us more slack in doing our duties, than too careful an inquisition herein. For we will always take counsel according to the future event of things, but the Lord by hiding the same from us, doth prescribe unto us what we ought to do. Here ariseth a conflict, because we will not willingly suffer God to have that which is his own: namely, the sole government & direction of things which are to come: but we cast our selves into a strange & inordinate carefulness. To conclude, Christ forbiddeth us to apply those things unto our selves, which God doeth challenge as proper to himself alone. Of this sort is the foreknowledge of those things which god hath taken to himself to govern & direct, according to his own pleasure, far contrary to our opinion, and otherwise than we could invent.

Truth it is that God hath in his owne power, Winter & Sommer, and the rest of the seasons of the yeere, cold & heat, faire wether & foule. But because he hath testified that the course of the yeeres shalbe perpetuall, he is said not to haue placed that in his owne power, which he hath reuealed vnto men. What thing soeuer the philosophers or husbandmen doe comprehend or vnderstand by Art, by learning, by iudgement,¹ or experience, all that doth God not reteine vnto himselfe, because he hath after a certaine sort reueiled it vnto them. The same opiniō must we haue of the prophets: for it was their office to know those things which God did reueale. But wee must be ignorant of the secrete euentes of thinges, as touching the time to come. For there is nothing which may make vs more slack in doing our duties, than too carefull an inquisition herein. For we wil alwaies take counsell according to the future euent of things, but the Lord by hiding the same from vs, doth prescribe vnto vs what we ought to do. Here ariseth a conflict, because wee will not willingly suffer God to haue that which is his own: namely, the sole gouernment & direction of thinges which are to come: but wee cast our selues into a strange & inordinate carefulnesse. To conclude, Christ forbiddeth vs to applie those thinges vnto our selues, which God doeth chalenge as proper to himselfe alone. Of this sort is the foreknowledge of those things which god hath taken to himself to gouerne & direct, according to his owne pleasure, far contrary to our opinion, and otherwise than we could inuent.