The Institutes of the Christian Religion

944 Pages·2005·4.66 MB·English

by  John Calvin

The Institutes of the Christian Religion
by
John Calvin
About The Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin
Title: The Institutes of the Christian Religion
URL: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.html
Author(s): Calvin, John (1509-1564)
Beveridge, Henry (Translator)
Publisher: Christian Classics Ethereal Library, Grand Rapids, MI
Rights: Public Domain
Date Created: 2002-08-31
Contributor(s): Jon Van Hofwegen (Markup)
CCEL Subjects: All; Classic; Theology
LC Call no: BX9420 .I65
LC Subjects: Christian Denominations
Protestantism
Post-Reformation
Other Protestant denominations
Reformed or Calvinistic Churches
The Institutes of the Christian Religion John Calvin
Table of Contents
About This Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. ii
Title Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 1
Prefaces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 2
PREFACE TO THE ELECTRONIC EDITION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 2
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 2
THE PRINTERS TO THE READERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 4
THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 5
PREFATORY ADDRESS TO HIS MOST CHRISTIAN MAJESTY, THE
MOST MIGHTY AND ILLUSTRIOUS MONARCH, FRANCIS, KING OF
THE FRENCH, HIS SOVEREIGN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 8
THE EPISTLE TO THE READER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 21
SUBJECT OF THE PRESENT WORK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 22
EPISTLE TO THE READER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 23
METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT,OR SUBJECT OF THE WHOLE WORK.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 24
GENERAL INDEX OF CHAPTERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 27
INSTITUTES OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 30
BOOK FIRST. - OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE CREATOR . . . . . p. 30
ARGUMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 30
CHAPTER 1. - THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND OF OURSELVES
MUTUALLY CONNECTED. —NATURE OF THE CONNECTION. . . . . p. 30
CHAPTER 2. - WHAT IT IS TO KNOW GOD,—TENDENCY OF THIS
KNOWLEDGE.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 32
CHAPTER 3. - THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD NATURALLY IMPLANTED
IN THE HUMAN MIND.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 34
CHAPTER 4. - THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD STIFLED OR CORRUPTED,
IGNORANTLY OR MALICIOUSLY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 36
CHAPTER 5. - THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD CONSPICUOUS IN THE
CREATION, AND CONTINUAL GOVERNMENT OF THE WORLD.. . . . p. 39
CHAPTER 6. - THE NEED OF SCRIPTURE, AS A GUIDE AND
TEACHER, IN COMING TO GOD AS A CREATOR. . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 49
CHAPTER 7. - THE TESTIMONY OF THE SPIRIT NECESSARY TO
GIVE FULL AUTHORITY TO SCRIPTURE. THE IMPIETY OF
PRETENDING THAT THE CREDIBILITY OF SCRIPTURE DEPENDS
ON THE JUDGMENT OF THE CHURCH.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 52
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The Institutes of the Christian Religion John Calvin
CHAPTER 8. - THE CREDIBILITY OF SCRIPTURE SUFFICIENTLY
PROVED IN SO FAR AS NATURAL REASON ADMITS.. . . . . . . . . . p. 56
CHAPTER 9. - ALL THE PRINCIPLES OF PIETY SUBVERTED BY
FANATICS, WHO SUBSTITUTE REVELATIONS FOR
SCRIPTURE.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 63
CHAPTER 10. - IN SCRIPTURE, THE TRUE GOD OPPOSED,
EXCLUSIVELY, TO ALL THE GODS OF THE HEATHEN.. . . . . . . . p. 65
CHAPTER 11. - IMPIETY OF ATTRIBUTING A VISIBLE FORM TO
GOD.—THE SETTING UP OF IDOLS A DEFECTION FROM THE TRUE
GOD.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 67
CHAPTER 12. - GOD DISTINGUISHED FROM IDOLS, THAT HE MAY
BE THE EXCLUSIVE OBJECT OF WORSHIP.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 78
CHAPTER 13. - THE UNITY OF THE DIVINE ESSENCE IN THREE
PERSONS TAUGHT, IN SCRIPTURE, FROM THE FOUNDATION OF
THE WORLD.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 80
CHAPTER 14. - IN THE CREATION OF THE WORLD, AND ALL THINGS
IN IT, THE TRUE GOD DISTINGUISHED BY CERTAIN MARKS FROM
FICTITIOUS GODS.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 103
CHAPTER 15. - STATE IN WHICH MAN WAS CREATED. THE
FACULTIES OF THE SOUL—THE IMAGE OF GOD—FREE
WILL—ORIGINAL RIGHTEOUSNESS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 117
CHAPTER 16. - THE WORLD, CREATED BY GOD, STILL CHERISHED
AND PROTECTED BY HIM. EACH AND ALL OF ITS PARTS
GOVERNED BY HIS PROVIDENCE.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 125
CHAPTER 17. - USE TO BE MADE OF THE DOCTRINE OF
PROVIDENCE.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 134
CHAPTER 18. - THE INSTRUMENTALITY OF THE WICKED EMPLOYED
BY GOD, WHILE HE CONTINUES FREE FROM EVERY TAINT. . . . . p. 145
BOOK SECOND. - OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE REDEEMER,
IN CHRIST, AS FIRST MANIFESTED TO THE FATHERS, UNDER THE
LAW, AND THEREAFTER TO US UNDER THE GOSPEL.. . . . . . . . . p. 150
ARGUMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 151
CHAPTER 1. - THROUGH THE FALL AND REVOLT OF ADAM, THE
WHOLE HUMAN RACE MADE ACCURSED AND DEGENERATE. OF
ORIGINAL SIN.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 151
CHAPTER 2. - MAN NOW DEPRIVED OF FREEDOM OF WILL, AND
MISERABLY ENSLAVED.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 159
CHAPTER 3. - EVERY THING PROCEEDING FROM THE CORRUPT
NATURE OF MAN DAMNABLE.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 179
CHAPTER 4. - HOW GOD WORKS IN THE HEARTS OF MEN.. . . . . p. 191
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CHAPTER 5. - THE ARGUMENTS USUALLY ALLEGED IN SUPPORT
OF FREE WILL REFUTED.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 195
CHAPTER 6. - REDEMPTION FOR MAN LOST TO BE SOUGHT IN
CHRIST.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 210
CHAPTER 7. - THE LAW GIVEN, NOT TO RETAIN A PEOPLE FOR
ITSELF, BUT TO KEEP ALIVE THE HOPE OF SALVATION IN CHRIST
UNTIL HIS ADVENT.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 215
CHAPTER 8. - EXPOSITION OF THE MORAL LAW.. . . . . . . . . . . . p. 226
CHAPTER 9. - CHRIST, THOUGH KNOWN TO THE JEWS UNDER
THE LAW, YET ONLY MANIFESTED UNDER THE GOSPEL.. . . . . . p. 261
CHAPTER 10. - THE RESEMBLANCE BETWEEN THE OLD
TESTAMENT AND THE NEW.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 265
CHAPTER 11. - THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO
TESTAMENTS.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 278
CHAPTER 12. - CHRIST, TO PERFORM THE OFFICE OF MEDIATOR,
BEHOVED TO BECOME MAN.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 287
CHAPTER 13. - CHRIST CLOTHED WITH THE TRUE SUBSTANCE
OF HUMAN NATURE.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 294
CHAPTER 14. - HOW TWO NATURES CONSTITUTE THE PERSON
OF THE MEDIATOR.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 298
CHAPTER 15. - THREE THINGS BRIEFLY TO BE REGARDED IN
CHRIST—VIZ. HIS OFFICES OF PROPHET, KING, AND PRIEST.. . . p. 305
CHAPTER 16. - HOW CHRIST PERFORMED THE OFFICE OF
REDEEMER IN PROCURING OUR SALVATION. THE DEATH,
RESURRECTION, AND ASCENSION OF CHRIST.. . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 310
CHAPTER 17. - CHRIST RIGHTLY AND PROPERLY SAID TO HAVE
MERITED GRACE AND SALVATION FOR US.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 325
BOOK THIRD. - THE MODE OF OBTAINING THE GRACE OF CHRIST.
THE BENEFITS IT CONFERS, AND THE EFFECTS RESULTING FROM
IT.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 330
ARGUMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 330
CHAPTER 1. - THE BENEFITS OF CHRIST MADE AVAILABLE TO US
BY THE SECRET OPERATION OF THE SPIRIT.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 331
CHAPTER 2. - OF FAITH. THE DEFINITION OF IT. ITS PECULIAR
PROPERTIES.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 334
CHAPTER 3. - REGENERATION BY FAITH. OF REPENTANCE.. . . . . p. 364
CHAPTER 4. - PENITENCE, AS EXPLAINED IN THE SOPHISTICAL
JARGON OF THE SCHOOLMEN, WIDELY DIFFERENT FROM THE
PURITY REQUIRED BY THE GOSPEL. OF CONFESSION AND
SATISFACTION.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 382
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CHAPTER 5. - OF THE MODES OF SUPPLEMENTING
SATISFACTION—VIZ. INDULGENCES AND PURGATORY.. . . . . . . p. 411
CHAPTER 6. - THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN. SCRIPTURAL
ARGUMENTS EXHORTING TO IT.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 420
CHAPTER 7. - A SUMMARY OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. OF
SELF-DENIAL.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 423
CHAPTER 8. - OF BEARING THE CROSS—ONE BRANCH OF
SELF-DENIAL.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 431
CHAPTER 9. - OF MEDITATING ON THE FUTURE LIFE.. . . . . . . . p. 437
CHAPTER 10. - HOW TO USE THE PRESENT LIFE, AND THE
COMFORTS OF IT.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 441
CHAPTER 11. - OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. BOTH THE NAME AND
THE REALITY DEFINED.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 444
CHAPTER 12. - NECESSITY OF CONTEMPLATING THE
JUDGMENT-SEAT OF GOD, IN ORDER TO BE SERIOUSLY
CONVINCED OF THE DOCTRINE OF GRATUITOUS
JUSTIFICATION.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 462
CHAPTER 13. - TWO THINGS TO BE OBSERVED IN GRATUITOUS
JUSTIFICATION.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 467
CHAPTER 14. - THE BEGINNING OF JUSTIFICATION. IN WHAT SENSE
PROGRESSIVE.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 471
CHAPTER 15. - THE BOASTED MERIT OF WORKS SUBVERSIVE
BOTH OF THE GLORY OF GOD, IN BESTOWING RIGHTEOUSNESS,
AND OF THE CERTAINTY OF SALVATION.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 483
CHAPTER 16. - REFUTATION OF THE CALUMNIES BY WHICH IT IS
ATTEMPTED TO THROW ODIUM ON THIS DOCTRINE.. . . . . . . . . p. 489
CHAPTER 17. - THE PROMISES OF THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL
RECONCILED.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 492
CHAPTER 18. - THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF WORKS IMPROPERLY
INFERRED FROM REWARDS.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 504
CHAPTER 19. - OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 512
CHAPTER 20. - OF PRAYER—A PERPETUAL EXERCISE OF FAITH.
THE DAILY BENEFITS DERIVED FROM IT.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 521
CHAPTER 21. - OF THE ETERNAL ELECTION, BY WHICH GOD HAS
PREDESTINATED SOME TO SALVATION, AND OTHERS TO
DESTRUCTION.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 565
CHAPTER 22. - THIS DOCTRINE CONFIRMED BY PROOFS FROM
SCRIPTURE.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 572
CHAPTER 23. - REFUTATION OF THE CALUMNIES BY WHICH THIS
DOCTRINE IS ALWAYS UNJUSTLY ASSAILED.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 581
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The Institutes of the Christian Religion John Calvin
CHAPTER 24. - ELECTION CONFIRMED BY THE CALLING OF GOD.
THE REPROBATE BRING UPON THEMSELVES THE RIGHTEOUS
DESTRUCTION TO WHICH THEY ARE DOOMED.. . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 591
CHAPTER 25. - OF THE LAST RESURRECTION.. . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 606
BOOK FOURTH. - OF THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH . . . . . . . . . . p. 621
ARGUMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 621
CHAPTER 1. - OF THE TRUE CHURCH. DUTY OF CULTIVATING
UNITY WITH HER, AS THE MOTHER OF ALL THE GODLY.. . . . . . p. 621
CHAPTER 2. - COMPARISON BETWEEN THE FALSE CHURCH AND
THE TRUE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 640
CHAPTER 3. - OF THE TEACHERS AND MINISTERS OF THE CHURCH.
THEIR ELECTION AND OFFICE.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 648
CHAPTER 4. - OF THE STATE OF THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH, AND
THE MODE OF GOVERNMENT IN USE BEFORE THE PAPACY.. . . . p. 657
CHAPTER 5. - THE ANCIENT FORM OF GOVERNMENT UTTERLY
CORRUPTED BY THE TYRANNY OF THE PAPACY.. . . . . . . . . . . p. 665
CHAPTER 6. - OF THE PRIMACY OF THE ROMISH SEE.. . . . . . . . p. 676
CHAPTER 7. - OF THE BEGINNING AND RISE OF THE ROMISH
PAPACY, TILL IT ATTAINED A HEIGHT BY WHICH THE LIBERTY OF
THE CHURCH WAS DESTROYED, AND ALL TRUE RULE
OVERTHROWN.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 685
CHAPTER 8. - OF THE POWER OF THE CHURCH IN ARTICLES OF
FAITH. THE UNBRIDLED LICENCE OF THE PAPAL CHURCH IN
DESTROYING PURITY OF DOCTRINE.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 703
CHAPTER 9. - OF COUNCILS AND THEIR AUTHORITY. . . . . . . . . p. 713
CHAPTER 10. - OF THE POWER OF MAKING LAWS. THE CRUELTY
OF THE POPE AND HIS ADHERENTS, IN THIS RESPECT, IN
TYRANNICALLY OPPRESSING AND DESTROYING SOULS.. . . . . p. 720
CHAPTER 11. - OF THE JURISDICTION OF THE CHURCH, AND THE
ABUSES OF IT, AS EXEMPLIFIED IN THE PAPACY.. . . . . . . . . . . p. 739
CHAPTER 12. - OF THE DISCIPLINE OF THE CHURCH, AND ITS
PRINCIPAL USE IN CENSURES AND EXCOMMUNICATION.. . . . . p. 749
CHAPTER 13. - OF VOWS. THE MISERABLE ENTANGLEMENTS
CAUSED BY VOWING RASHLY.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 764
CHAPTER 14. - OF THE SACRAMENTS.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 778
CHAPTER 15. - OF BAPTISM.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 794
CHAPTER 16. - PÆDOBAPTISM. ITS ACCORDANCE WITH THE
INSTITUTION OF CHRIST, AND THE NATURE OF THE SIGN.. . . . . p. 806
CHAPTER 17. - OF THE LORD’S SUPPER, AND THE BENEFITS
CONFERRED BY IT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 827
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The Institutes of the Christian Religion John Calvin
CHAPTER 18 - OF THE POPISH MASS. HOW IT NOT ONLY
PROFANES, BUT ANNIHILATES THE LORD’S SUPPER.. . . . . . . . p. 865
CHAPTER 19. - OF THE FIVE SACRAMENTS, FALSELY SO CALLED.
THEIR SPURIOUSNESS PROVED, AND THEIR TRUE CHARACTER
EXPLAINED.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 877
CHAPTER 20. - OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 897
ONE HUNDRED APHORISMS, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 918
BOOK 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 918
BOOK 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 919
BOOK 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 922
BOOK 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 925
Indexes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 928
Index of Scripture References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 928
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Calvin's Institutes John Calvin
INSTITUTES OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION
By John Calvin
Calvin's Institutes John Calvin
A New Translation by Henry Beveridge, Esq
The Institution of The Christian Religion, written in Latin, by master John Calvin, and translated
into English according to the authors last edition.
Seen and allowed according to the order appointed in the Queries maiesties injunctions.
PREFACE TO THE ELECTRONIC EDITION.
In an attempt to assist you in your efforts, this electronic publication has been updated to include
a new series of footnotes in addition to the notes from the original Beveridge Translation. These
footnotes were written by Robert J. Dunzweiler, Professor of Systematic Theology, Biblical Theology
Seminary, Hatfield Pennsylvania. In both systems the footnotes are indicated by superscript numbers.
To distinguish the two systems from each other, Professor Dunzweiler’s notes are all proceeded
by a capital D. We hope you like this new addition and that it will aid you in your studies.
INTRODUCTION
By The Rev. John Murray, M.A., Th.M.
THE publication in English of another edition of the opus magnum of Christian theology is an
event fraught with much encouragement. Notwithstanding the decadence so patent in our present-day
world and particularly in the realm of Christian thought and life, the publishers have confidence
that there is sufficient interest to warrant such an undertaking. If this faith is justified we have
reason for thanksgiving to God. For what would be a better harbinger of another Reformation than
widespread recourse to the earnest and sober study of the Word of God which would be evinced
by the readiness carefully to peruse The Institutes of the Christian Religion.
Dr. B. B. Warfield in his admirable article, “On the Literary History of the Institutes,” has
condensed for us the appraisal accorded Calvin’s work by the critics who have been most competent
to judge. Among these tributes none expresses more adequately, and none with comparable terseness,
the appraisal which is Calvin’s due than that of the learned Joseph Scaliger, “Solus inter theologos
Calvinus.”
It would be a presumptuous undertaking to try to set forth all the reasons why Calvin holds that
position of eminence in the history of Christian theology. By the grace and in the overruling
providence of God there was the convergence of multiple factors, and all of these it would be
impossible to trace in their various interrelations and interactions. One of these, however, calls for
special mention. Calvin was an exegete and biblical theologian of the first rank. No other one factor
comparably served to equip Calvin for the successful prosecution of his greatest work which in
1559 received its definitive edition.
The attitude to Scripture entertained by Calvin and the principles which guided him in its
exposition are nowhere stated with more simplicity and fervor than in the Epistle Dedicatory to his
first commentary, the commentary on the epistle to the Romans. “Such veneration,” he says, “we
ought indeed to entertain for the Word of God, that we ought not to pervert it in the least degree
2