Quotes from John Calvin

It is not fitting that God, before whose tribunal we must all finally stand, be subjected to our judgment — or rather to our foolish temerity.

Since men's nature is prone to hypocrisy, it is easy for Satan to persuade them that the true worship of God consists in ceremonies and outward discipline.

The word predestinate refers not to election but to that decree or purpose of God by which he has ordained that his own bear the cross.

For (such is our innate pride) we always seem to ourselves just, and upright, and wise, and holy, until we are convinced, by clear evidence, of our injustice, vileness, folly, and impurity.

Indeed, men who have either quaffed or even tasted the liberal arts penetrate with their aid far more deeply into the secrets of the divine wisdom." - John Calvin

Convinced, however, we are not, if we look to ourselves only, and not to the Lord also.

The sum is, that man cannot claim a single particle of righteousness to himself, without at the same time detracting from the glory of the divine righteousness.

My intention was only to furnish a kind of rudiments, by which those who feel some interest in religion might be trained to true godliness. And I toiled at the task chiefly for the sake of my countrymen the French, multitudes of whom I perceived to be hungering and thirsting after Christ, while very few seemed to have been duly imbued with even a slender knowledge of him.

All those who go around draped with a false sanctimoniousness do it by the devil's prodding; because no one can worship God rightly with outward ceremonies, for true worshipers adore him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).

He is the way because he leads us to the Father. He is the truth and the life because in Him we apprehend the Father. Therefore all theology separated from Christ is not only empty but also mad, deceiving and counterfeit.

It is also to be noticed, that the old man is distinguished by his works, as a tree is by its fruits.

Those for whom prophetic doctrine is tasteless ought to be thought of as lacking taste buds.