Quotes from John Calvin

In this respect the frailty of the human mind is surely proved: even when it seems to follow the way, it limps and staggers. Yet the fact remains that some seed of political order has been implanted in all men. And this is ample proof that in the arrangement of this life no man is without the light of reason.

The true structure of the church is the Kingdom of God, and this is neither frail nor like a tent in any way.

So, too, David, after he has prayed the ways of God be made known to him so that he may walk in his truth, immediately adds, "Unite my heart to fear thy name" [Ps. 86:11; cf. Ps. 119:33]. By these words he means that even well-disposed persons have been subject to so many distractions that they readily vanish or fall away unless they are strengthened to persevere.

The salvation of all the elect is not less certain than the power of God is invincible.

God has so ordained and governed the Christian church that the cross has been the preparation for victory, and death the way to life.

Yet we flatter our strength unduly when we compare it even to a reed stick! For whatever vain men devise and babble concerning these matters is but smoke. Therefore Augustine with good reason often repeats the famous statement that free will is by its defenders more trampled down than strengthened.

And so long as we give ourselves to faith in him, with calm and quiet minds, he will not permit the wicked to injure us with impunity.

When God descends to us he, in a certain sense, abases himself and stammers with us, so He allows us to stammer with Him.

He who lives by faith does not have life in himself; he flees to God because he does not possess it.

Men are justified by believing, not by what they do. It is by faith they obtain grace: and grace cannot be earned as a payment for works.

We are superstitiously timid, I say, if whenever creatures threaten us or forcibly terrorize us we become as fearful as if they had some intrinsic power to harm us, cor might wound us inadvertently and accidentally, or there were not enough help in God against their harmful acts.

Ps. 126:1). God has done a stupendous and incredible work in us who bear Christ's name.