Reformed doctrine of predestination - Boettner - XXI - Chapter 28 continued

Required reading
Reformed Doctrine of Predestination by Loraine Boettner (Available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example).  Continue Chapter 28 (Calvinism in history) by reading point 10 (John Calvin).

My summary
The last major point of this chapter on Calvinism in history is a mini biography on Calvin himself.

Firstly, we see Calvin's rise to teacher and pastor of the evangelical church of Geneva.

Then we look at his publications: the Institutes, the commentaries, the voluminous correspondence.

Next we look at the influence of Geneva on the world.

Finally, a number of pages are dedicated to defending Calvin's role in the death of the heretic Servetus.

What grabbed me
This chapter would be a good summary of Calvin's life for those who may not know much about it. 

I was particularly interested in what Boettner had to say about Calvin's writings. 

For the record I do intend to read the Institutes within the club at some point - but I am waiting a few years because I assume many read through them when Calvin's 500th birthday celebrations went on last year.  As for Calvin's correspondence, we will be starting that on Saturdays later this year.

But I don't think we will ever read his commentaries in the club so I want to quote what Boettner said about them: 'In addition to the Institutes, Calvin wrote commentaries on nearly all of the books of both the Old and New Testaments. These commentaries in the English translation comprise fifty-five large volumes, and, taken in connection with his other works, are nothing less than marvelous. The quality of these writings was such that they soon took first place among exegetical works on the Scriptures; and among all the older commentators no one is more frequently quoted by the best modern scholars than is Calvin. He was beyond all question the greatest exegete of the Reformation period. As Luther was the prince of translators, so Calvin was the prince of commentators.'

I read his commentaries each week for sermon preparation and they are very good.  Don't miss out.  They are free all over the internet. 

Whenever you need to teach on a particular passage, don't overlook this valuable resource that God has given to his church. 

Next week's reading
Conclude Chapter 28 (Calvinism in history) by reading point 11 (Conclude) and also read the Appendix.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.