John Calvin Quotes
John Calvin was a French Protestant theologian, pastor, and the principal architect of the Reformed branch of the Reformation. After legal training at Orleans and a sudden conversion in the early 1530s, he settled in Geneva, where, with one significant interruption, he shaped a distinctive ecclesiastical, civil, and intellectual order from 1541 until his death. The quotes below are attributed to John Calvin, organized by topic.
Browse John Calvin by topic
John Calvin on God
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“True wisdom consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves.”
Book 1 Chapter 1, p. 44 -
Attributed to John Calvin:
“The human heart is a perpetual factory of idols.”
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“All the blessings we enjoy are divine deposits committed to our trust.”
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“Wherever we cast our eyes, all things on which they fall are works of God.”
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Attributed to John Calvin:
“There is no part of our life and no action so minute that it ought not to be directed to the glory of God.”
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“A dog barks and stands at bay if he sees any one assault his master. I should be indeed remiss, if, seeing the truth of God thus attacked, I should remain dumb, without giving one note of warning.”
Letter 130 (to the Queen of Navarre), 28 April, 1545. -
“Now among the other things proper to recreate man and give him pleasure, music is either the first or one of the principal;and we must think that it is a gift of God deputed for that purpose'.”
Introduction, Geneva Psalter 1539. -
“God promised by the mouth of Isaiah that queens should be the nursing mothers of the church.”
Referring to (Isaiah 49:23) in a letter to William Cecil (May 1559), in Bonnet (1980), op. cit. , p. 212; also in Hastings Robinson, ed., The Zurich letters: Comprising the Correspondence of several English Bishops and others with some of the Helvetian reformers, during the early part of the reign of Queen Elizabeth , (Second Series. A.D. 1558-1602), Cambridge (England): University Press, 1845, p. -
“I cannot think such language either right, or becoming, or suitable. ... To call the Virgin Mary the mother of God can only serve to confirm the ignorant in their superstitions.”
John Calvin, [ Epistle CCC to the French church in London ], 27 September 1552; translated by Jules Bonnet, p.362
John Calvin on Knowledge
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“Letter 130 (to the Queen of Navarre), 28 April, 1545.”
A dog barks and stands at bay if he sees any one assault his master. I should be indeed remiss, if, seeing the truth of God thus attacked, I should remain dumb, without giving one note of warning. -
“Introduction, Geneva Psalter 1539.”
Now among the other things proper to recreate man and give him pleasure, music is either the first or one of the principal;and we must think that it is a gift of God deputed for that purpose'. -
“Referring to (Isaiah 49:23) in a letter to William Cecil (May 1559), in Bonnet (1980), op. cit. , p. 212; also in Hastings Robinson, ed., The Zurich letters: Comprising the Correspondence of several English Bishops and others with some of the Helvetian reformers, during the early part of the reign of Queen Elizabeth , (Second Series. A.D. 1558-1602), Cambridge (England): University Press, 1845, p. 35.”
God promised by the mouth of Isaiah that queens should be the nursing mothers of the church. -
“John Calvin, [ Epistle CCC to the French church in London ], 27 September 1552; translated by Jules Bonnet, p.362”
I cannot think such language either right, or becoming, or suitable. ... To call the Virgin Mary the mother of God can only serve to confirm the ignorant in their superstitions.
John Calvin on Nature
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“Nor, in truth, is it of little importance to prevent the suspicion of any difference having arisen between us from being handed down in any way to our posterity; for it is worse than absurd that parties should be found disagreeing on the very principles , after we have been compelled to make our departure from the world.”
Letter to Philip Melanchthon, 28 November 1552.
John Calvin on Time
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“On Martin Luther in a letter to Philipp Melanchthon , ( 28 June 1545 ), in Jules Bonnet, ed., Letters of John Calvin (1 vol. abridged), ( Banner of Truth Trust , 1980), ISBN 0-8515-1323-9 , p. 74; also in Philip Schaff , History of the Christian Chuch vol. 8, ch. 11, n. 568.”
Where there is so much division and separation as we now see, it is indeed no easy matter to still the troubled waters, and bring about composure. You will say he has a vehement disposition and ungovernable impetuosity; as if that very vehemence did not break forth with all the greater violence when all show themselves alike indulgent to him, and allow him to have his way unquestioned. If this spe