John Calvin Quotes

Nobody seriously believes the universe was made by God without being persuaded that He takes care of His works.

Faith is a knowledge of the benevolence of God toward us, and a certain persuasion of His veracity.

It behooves us to accomplish what God requires of us, even when we are in the greatest despair respecting the results.

Integrity is the best of all protectors...we cannot be more secure than when fortified by a good conscience.

In forming an estimate of sins, we are often imposed upon by imagining that the more hidden the less heinous they are.

Is it faith to understand nothing, and merely submit your convictions implicitly to the Church?

The fire of affliction reveals the quality of our faith

On the one hand, undeserved success gives no satisfaction... but, on the other hand, well-deserved failure gives no satisfaction either.

Creatures are so governed by the secret counsel of God, that nothing happens but what he has knowingly and willingly decreed.

It is faith alone that justifies, but faith that justifies can never be alone.

But we have nothing of the Spirit except through regeneration. Everything, therefore, which we have from nature is flesh.

We ought always to beware of making the smallest claim for ourselves.

We must resist wandering thoughts in prayer. Raising our hands reminds us that we need to raise up our minds to God, setting aside all irrelevant thoughts.

To be pure in heart is to take no delight in cunning, but converse sincerely with men, and express nothing, by word or look, which is not felt in the heart.

Let us fall before the majesty of our great God, acknowledging our faults, and praying that he will make us ever more conscious of them.

But a faithful believer will in all circumstances mediate on the mercy and fatherly goodness of God.

Men are idol factories.

Bien que les étoiles ne parlent pas, même en étant silencieux, ils crient. Although the stars do not speak, even in being silent they cry out.

No one will calmly and quietly submit to bear the cross except those who have learned to seek their happiness beyond this world.

There is no inconsistency in saying that God rewards good works, provided we understand that nevertheless men obtain eternal life gratuitously.

This is what entertainment is all about- idiots, explosives and falling anvils.

The human heart is a factory of idols...Everyon e of us is, from his mother's womb, expert in inventing idols.

Who will venture to place the authority of Copernicus above that of the Holy Spirit?

We must always speak of the efficacy of the ministry in such a manner that the entire praise of the work may be reserved for God alone.

the more we are oppressed by the cross, the fuller will be our spiritual joy.

Yet consider now, whether women are not quite past sense and reason, when they want to rule over men.

In knowing God, each of us also knows himself.

When a certain shameless fellow mockingly asked a pious old man what God had done before the creation of the world the latter aptly countered that he had been building hell for the curious.

Lawful worship consists in obedience alone.

The principle exercise which the children of god have is to pray. For in this way they give true proof of their faith.

Christians rejoice even while they truly sorrow - because their rejoicing is in the hope of heaven... While joy overcomes sorrow, it does not put an end to it.

A soul, therefore, when deprived of the Word of God, is given up unarmed to the devil for destruction

Unless we endeavor to do good to our neighbor, through our cruelty we transgress this law

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'.

All men were created to busy themselves with the labor for the common good.

When we come to a comparison of heaven and earth, then we may indeed not only forget all about the present life, but even despise and scorn it.

Satan, who is a wonderful contriver of delusions, is constantly laying snares to entrap ignorant and heedless people.

There is no wisdom but that which is founded on the fear of God, which Solomon also declares to be the chief part of wisdom.

Moreover, a true Christian will not ascribe any prosperity to his own diligence, industry, or good fortune, but he will acknowledge that God is the author of it.

While sin is overflowing, [grace] pours itself forth so exuberantly, that it not only overcomes the flood of sin, but wholly absorbs it.

If God were not to test us, there would be no patience.

It cannot be denied that God in choosing and destining Mary to be the Mother of his Son, granted her the highest honor.

Prayers belong strictly to the worship of God. Fasting is a subordinate aid, which is pleasing to God no farther than as it aids the earnestness and fervency of prayer.

There are babies a span long in hell.

Whoever the Lord has adopted ought to prepare themselves for hard, toilsome and unquiet living.

There is also an old proverb, that they who pay much attention to the body generally neglect the soul.

All our words ought to be filled with true sweetness and grace; and this will be so if we mingle the useful with the sweet.

The Creation is quite like a spacious and splendid house, provided and filled with the most exquisite, and at the same time, the most abundant furnishings. Everything in it tells of God.

Unless men establish their complete happiness in God, they will never give themselves truly and sincerely to him.

Indeed, a Christian ought to be disposed and prepared to keep in mind that he has to reckon with God every moment of his life.