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…

Giving rain and fruitful seasons. God hath indeed revealed himself to all mankind by his word since the beginning. But Paul & Barnabas show that there was no age, on which God did not bestow benefits, which might testify, that the world is governed by his government, and commandment: and because the light of doctrine had bin buried long time, therefore they say only, that God was showed by natural arguments. And it is to be thought, that they did in such sort set forth the magnificence & greatness of the works of God as became them: but it was sufficient for Luke to touch the sums & chief points of matters. Neither do I so understand it that they entreated subtly and after the manner of the philosophers of the secrets of nature, for they spake unto an unlearned multitude: therefore it behoved them to set that before them plainly, which the most ignorant did know. Notwithstanding they take this principle, that in the order of nature there is a certain and evident manifestation of god: in that the earth is watered with rain, in that the heat of the Sun doth comfort it, in that there cometh such abundance of fruit out of the same yearly, it is thereby gathered for a surety that there is some God who governeth all things. For even the heaven and earth are not moved or governed by their own motion: & much less by fortune. Therefore it remaineth, that this wonderful workmanship of nature doth manifestly show the providence of God: and those who said that the world was eternal, spake not as they thought, but they went about by malicious and barbarous unthankfulness to suppress the glory of god: wherein they bewrayed their impudency.

Giuing raine and fruitfull seasons. God hath indeed reuealed himself to all mankind by his word since the beginning. But Paul & Barnabas shew that there was no age, on which God did not bestowe benefites, which might testifie, that the world is gouerned by his gouernment, and commandement: and because the light of doctrin had byn buried long time, therfore they say only, that God was shewed by natural arguments. And it is to be thought, that they did in such sort set foorth the magnificence & greatnes of the works of God as became them: but it was sufficient for Luke to touch the summes & chief points of matters. Neither do I so vnderstand it that they intreated subtilly and after the manner of the philosophers of the secrets of nature, for they spake vnto an vnlearned multitude: therefore it behoued them to set that before them plainly, which the most ignorant did know. Notwithstanding they take this principle, that in the order of nature there is a certaine and euident manifestation of god: in that the earth is watered with raine, in that the heat of the Sun doth cōfort it, in that there cōmeth such abundance of fruit out of the same yeerely, it is thereby gathered for a suretie that there is some God who gouerneth all things. For euen the heauen and earth are not moued or gouerned by their own motion: & much lesse by fortune. Therfore it remaineth, that this wonderful workmanship of nature doth manifestly shew the prouidence of God: and those who said that the worlde was eternal, spake not as they thought, but they went about by malicious and barbarous vnthankfulnesse to suppresse the glory of god: wherein they bewrayed their impudencie.