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Rise and Establishment of Protestantism at Geneva - James Aitken Wylie

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gre<strong>at</strong> principles, set forth with lucidity <strong>and</strong> beauty,<br />

th<strong>at</strong> even <strong>at</strong> this day, after the lapse <strong>of</strong> three<br />

centuries, during which the works <strong>of</strong> numberless<br />

authors have sunk into oblivion, they are still<br />

widely read, <strong>and</strong> are acting powerfully on the mind<br />

<strong>of</strong> Christendom. As an expositor <strong>of</strong> Scripture,<br />

Calvin is still without a rival. His Commentaries<br />

embrace the whole <strong>of</strong> the Old <strong>and</strong> New<br />

Testaments, with the exception <strong>of</strong> the Apocalypse;<br />

but though the track is thus vast which his mind<br />

<strong>and</strong> pen have traversed, wh<strong>at</strong> a flood <strong>of</strong> light has he<br />

contrived' to shed throughout it all! How<br />

penetr<strong>at</strong>ing, yet how simple; how finely exegetical,<br />

yet how thoroughly practical; how logical in<br />

thought, yet how little system<strong>at</strong>ic in form are his<br />

interpret<strong>at</strong>ions <strong>of</strong> the Holy Oracles! Nor is the<br />

unction his Commentary bre<strong>at</strong>hes its least<br />

excellence. Its spirit is th<strong>at</strong> <strong>of</strong> the Bible itself; its<br />

fragrance is <strong>of</strong> heaven, <strong>and</strong> the reader's soul is<br />

refreshed with the celestial air th<strong>at</strong> he is inhaling.<br />

We now behold Calvin <strong>at</strong> his post, <strong>and</strong> we hang<br />

with intense interest upon the issue <strong>of</strong> his<br />

experiment. The question is not merely shall he<br />

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