Quotes from John Calvin

Faith and hope...are the wings by which our souls, rising above the world, are lifted up to God.

True faith is ever connected with hope.

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.

We are nowhere forbidden to laugh.

The word "hope" I take for faith; and indeed hope is nothing else but the constancy of faith.

For earthly princes lay aside their power when they rise up against God, and are unworthy to be reckoned among the number of mankind. We ought, rather, utterly to defy them.

Prayer doesn't change things - God changes things in answer to prayer.

We must not think that [God] takes no notice of us, when He does not answer our wishes: for He has a right to distinguish what we actually need.

Prayer is the chief exercise of faith.

Doubtful prayer is no prayer at all.

Unless we fix certain hours in the day for prayer, it easily slips from our memory.

The answer of our prayers is secured by the fact that in rejecting them God would in a certain sense deny His own nature.

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.

Humility is the beginning of true intelligence.

Those who fall away have never been thoroughly imbued with the knowledge of Christ but only had a slight and passing taste of it.

There is no knowing that does not begin with knowing God.

Justification by faith is the hinge on which all true religion turns.

We should never insult others on account of their faults, for it is our duty to show charity and respect to everyone.

All true knowledge of God is born out of obedience.

Without knowledge of self there is no knowledge of God.

Faith consists, not in ignorance, but in knowledge, and that, not only of God, but also of the divine will.

Knowledge of the sciences is so much smoke apart from the heavenly science of Christ.

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

Every person, on coming to the knowledge of himself, is not only urged to seek God, but is also led as by the hand to find Him.