We see before us a series of events which follow one another and are conditioned by one another. I say ‘conditioned’ I certainly do not mean conditioned through absolute necessity. The important point is that human freedom makes its appearance everywhere, and the greatest attraction of history lies in the fact that it deals with the scenes of that freedom.

All ages are equidistant from eternity, and just as immediately accessible to God’s presence.

History is no criminal court.

To history has been assigned the office of judging the past, of instructing the present for the benefit of future ages. To such high offices this work does not aspire. It wants only to show what actually [essentially?] happened (wie es eigentlich gewesen).

History is no criminal court

Every generation is equidistant from God.

All ages are equidistant from eternity, and just as immediately accessible to God's presence.

It is striking how history, when resting on the memory of men, always touches the bounds of mythology.

In schoolbooks and in literature we can separate ecclesiastical and political history; in the life of mankind they are intertwined.

Calvin was virtually the founder of America.