John Calvin quotes

John Calvin was a French theologian and pastor, renowned as a principal figure of the Protestant Reformation. His teachings laid the foundations of Calvinism, emphasizing predestination and the sovereignty of God. He profoundly shaped the development of Reformed churches and Christian thought in Europe. Here are 166 of his quotes:

There is not one blade of grass, there is no color in this world that is not intended to make men rejoice. (John Calvin)
We must remember that Satan has his miracles, too. View quote
John Calvin
A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent. View quote
John Calvin
Man's nature, so to speak, is a perpetual factory of idols. View quote
John Calvin
For there is no one so great or mighty that he can avoid the misery that will rise up against him when he resists and strives against God. View quote
John Calvin
Seeing that a Pilot steers the ship in which we sail, who will never allow us to perish even in the midst of shipwrecks, there is no reason why our minds should be overwhelmed with fear and overcome with weariness. View quote
John Calvin
Unless we ardently and prayerfully devote ourselves to Christ's righteousness we do not only faithlessly revolt from our Creator, but we also abjure him as our Savior. View quote
John Calvin
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'. View quote
John Calvin
Warned by such evidences of their spiritual illness, believers profit by their humiliations. Robbed of their foolish confidence in the flesh, they take refuge in the grace of God. And when they have done so, they experience the nearness of the divine protection which is to them a strong fortress (Ps 30:6-7). View quote
John Calvin
To crave wealth and honor, to demand power, to pile up riches, to gather all those vanities which seem to make for pomp and empty display, that is our furious passion and our unbounded desire.On the other hand, we fear and abhor poverty, obscurity, and humility, and we seek to avoid them by all possible means. View quote
John Calvin
However many blessings we expect from God, His infinite liberality will always exceed all our wishes and our thoughts. (John Calvin)
There are people who are known to be very liberal, yet they never give without scolding or pride or even insolence. View quote
John Calvin
Let this be our rule for goodwill and helpfulness, that whenever we are able to assist others we should behave as stewards who must someday give an account of ourselves. View quote
John Calvin
The Lord commands us to do good unto all men without exception, though the majority are very undeserving when judged according to their own merits. But scripture here helps us out with an excellent argument when it teaches us that we must not think of man's real value, but only of his creation in the image of God to which we owe all possible honor and love. View quote
John Calvin
If everything proceeded according to their wishes, they would not understand what it means to follow God. View quote
John Calvin
Then let every one of us, being warned by this sentence of the angel, acknowledge that he as yet cleaves to first principles, or, at least, does not comprehend all those things which are necessary to be known; and that therefore progress is to be made to the very end of life: for this is our wisdom, to be learners to the end. View quote
John Calvin
Is it faith to understand nothing, and merely submit your convictions implicitly to the Church? View quote
John Calvin
There is no worse screen to block out the Spirit than confidence in our own intelligence. View quote
John Calvin
The torture of a bad conscience is the hell of a living soul. View quote
John Calvin
God preordained, for his own glory and the display of His attributes of mercy and justice, a part of the human race, without any merit of their own, to eternal salvation, and another part, in just punishment of their sin, to eternal damnation. View quote
John Calvin
Pagan philosophers set up reason as the sole guide of life, of wisdom and conduct; but Christian philosophy demands of us that we surrender our reason to the Holy Spirit; and this means that we no longer live for ourselves, but that Christ lives and reigns within us. (John Calvin)
God promised by the mouth of Isaiah that queens should be the nursing mothers of the church. View quote
John Calvin
First of all, Scripture draws our attention to this, that if we want ease and tranquility in our lives, we should resign ourselves and all that we have to the will of God, and at the same time we should surrender our affections to him as our Conqueror and Overlord. View quote
John Calvin
To make everything yield to custom would be to do the greatest injustice. Were the judgments of mankind correct, custom would be regulated by the good. But it is often far otherwise in point of fact; for, whatever the many are seen to do, forthwith obtains the force of custom. But human affairs have scarcely ever been so happily constituted as that the better course pleased the greater number. Hence the private vices of the multitude have generally resulted in public error. View quote
John Calvin
For we are not all equally afflicted with the same disease or all in need of the same severe cure. This is the reason why we see different persons disciplined with different crosses. The heavenly Physician takes care of the well-being of all his patients; he gives some a milder medicine and purifies others by more shocking treatments, but he omits no one; for the whole world, without exception, is ill. View quote
John Calvin