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Schaff - History of the Christian Church Vol. 8 - Media Sabda Org

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221<br />

werde die <strong>Vol</strong>lendung nicht erleben. Für den Schluss habe ich<br />

sogar noch ein Supplement ausgearbeitet, nämlich eine<br />

französische Bibel, extrahirt aus den französischen Commentaren<br />

und Predigten, nebst allen Varianten der zu Calvin’s Zeiten in<br />

Genf gedruckten Bibeln.” <strong>Vol</strong>. 45 sqq. are edited by Erichson.<br />

Older editions appeared at Geneva, 1617, in 7 vols., in 15 fol., and<br />

at Amsterdam, 1667–1671, in 9 vols. fol. The English translation,<br />

Edinburgh, 1843–1854, has 62 vols. 8°. Several works have been<br />

separately published in Latin, French, German, Dutch, English, and<br />

o<strong>the</strong>r languages. See a chronological list in Henry: Das Leben Joh.<br />

Calvins, vol. III. Beilagen, 175–252, and in La France Prot. III.<br />

545–636 (2d ed.).<br />

The literary activity <strong>of</strong> Calvin, whe<strong>the</strong>r we look at <strong>the</strong> number or at <strong>the</strong><br />

importance <strong>of</strong> works, is not surpassed by any ecclesiastical writer, ancient<br />

or modern, and excites double astonishment when we take into<br />

consideration <strong>the</strong> shortness <strong>of</strong> his life, <strong>the</strong> frailty <strong>of</strong> his health, and <strong>the</strong><br />

multiplicity <strong>of</strong> his o<strong>the</strong>r labors as a teacher, preacher, church ruler, and<br />

correspondent. Augustin among <strong>the</strong> Fa<strong>the</strong>rs, Thomas Aquinas among <strong>the</strong><br />

Schoolmen, Lu<strong>the</strong>r and Melanchthon among <strong>the</strong> Reformers, were equally<br />

fruitful; but <strong>the</strong>y lived longer, with <strong>the</strong> exception <strong>of</strong> Thomas Aquinas.<br />

Calvin, moreover, wrote in two languages with equal clearness, force, and<br />

elegance; while Augustin and Thomas Aquinas wrote only in Latin; Lu<strong>the</strong>r<br />

was a master <strong>of</strong> German; and Melanchthon, a master <strong>of</strong> Latin and Greek,<br />

but his German is as indifferent as Lu<strong>the</strong>r’s Latin.<br />

Calvin’s works may be divided into ten classes.<br />

1. Exegetical Writings. Commentaries on <strong>the</strong> Pentateuch and Joshua,<br />

on <strong>the</strong> Psalms, on <strong>the</strong> Larger and Minor Prophets; Homilies on First<br />

Samuel and Job; Commentaries on all <strong>the</strong> books <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> New Testament,<br />

except <strong>the</strong> Apocalypse. They form <strong>the</strong> great body <strong>of</strong> his writings. f370<br />

2. Doctrinal. The Institutes (Latin and French), first published at<br />

Basel, 1536; 2d ed., Strassburg, 1539; 5th Latin ed., Geneva, 1559. f371<br />

Minor doctrinal works: Three Catechisms, 1537, 1542, and 1545; On <strong>the</strong><br />

Lord’s Supper (Latin and French), 1541; <strong>the</strong> Consensus Tigurinus, 1549<br />

and 1551 (in both languages); <strong>the</strong> Consensus Genevensis (Latin and<br />

French), 1552; <strong>the</strong> Gallican Confession (Latin and French), 1559 and<br />

1562. f372

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