John, the most eminent of the reformers from Popery after Luther, and, from the large body of Christians distinguished by his name, deemed entitled to equality with him, was born at Noyon, in Picardy, in 1509. His father was a cooper in that place, and bore the name of Chauvin or Cauvin, which his son afterwards latinized into Calvinus, whence originated the usual appellation of Calvin, by which he has ever since been distinguished. Some traits of early piety evincing themselves in Calvin, he was, like Samuel, from his infancy designed by his family for the church. The first benefice presented to him was in the cathedral of his native place, to which was afterwards added the rectory of Pont l'Évêque. He had not as yet received priest's orders, but only the tenure, when his father changed his mind, and requested him to study the civil law. This was the more readily assented to by the young divine, as he had already become disgusted with some of the practices of his own church. Accordingly he repaired first to Orleans, and afterwards to Bourges, to pursue his new professional career. Divinity, however, was not neglected, for he still continued to cultivate it in private with unslackened assiduity. His father dying, he returned to Noyon; and resigning his benefice, set out for Paris, where he wrote his commentary on Seneca's treatise De Clementia, upon the title-page of which he first assumed the name of Calvinus. He now began to be identified with the reformers; but a storm having burst on them in Paris, he was compelled to fly from that city. He repaired to Angoulême, where he subsisted some time by teaching Greek; and receiving shelter in the house of a converted canon, he composed the greater portion of his Institutes. The Queen of Navarre favoured his doctrines; and, under cover of her protection, he once more ventured to return to Paris in 1534; but a further persecution being again threatened, he finally quitted France, and retired to Basel, in Switzerland, where he published his famous Christian Institutes. This work was dedicated to Francis I., in an elegant Latin epistle. It was designed to give a fair view of the religious principles of the reformed, which had already been confounded by their enemies with those of the Anabaptists and other sects. In these circumstances, it is not surprising that it obtained immediate popularity. It went rapidly through several editions, and was translated into all the principal modern languages. The boldness and originality of the speculations, the talent with which the work was composed, and the effects which it has produced upon the religious belief of Christians, entitle it to be looked upon as one of the most remarkable books that ever appeared. After its publication, the author repaired to Italy on a visit to the Duchess of Ferrara, a convert to his doctrines; and returning to France, took Geneva on his way, where, at the urgent request of several eminent reformers, he was induced to remain, filling the offices of preacher and professor of divinity. He entered upon these in 1536, and soon evinced the firmness and vigour of his mind, by obliging the people to abjure Popery, and swear to a code of religious belief. He carried the assumption of ecclesiastical authority so far, however, that resistance succeeded; and the Catholic party prevailing, he was compelled to quit Geneva. He went to Strasbourg, where he established a French church according to his own plan, and was also preferred to the professorship of divinity. Here he married the widow of an Anabaptist, and published his Commentaries on the Epistle to the Romans. He also wrote an able reply to Cardinal Sadoleto, who had published a work exhorting the Genevese to return again to the Catholic church. In the mean time, his party at Geneva having laboured assiduously for his recall, he yielded at last to their entreaties, and triumphantly returned to the scene of his former labours in 1541.

His plan of church government he now matured and established. Indeed his whole system, both of doctrine and ecclesiastical discipline, was maintained and promoted with all the energy, firmness, and perseverance for which he was so distinguished. He formed the lofty idea of making Geneva the mother and seminary of all the reformed churches; and for this purpose he established an academy, the character of which was eminently sustained by his own great learning and ability, as well as by that of Beza and other distinguished reformers. The result realized his hopes; for every country on which the reformation had shed its propitious influence sent forth a portion of its youth to study at the feet of the new Gamaliel. The three great points distinguishing the system of Calvin from that of the other reformed churches consisted in the independence of church government of the civil power; the real though spiritual presence of the Saviour in the sacrament; and the absolute decree of God by which portions of the human race are predestined from all eternity to everlasting happiness or misery. With the same boldness which he had displayed in conceiving, did he maintain his system, not only by his writings and extensive influence, which reached wherever the new opinions prevailed, but also by his form of ecclesiastical discipline, and a consistorial jurisdiction which had the power of inflicting canonical punishments. The latter were sometimes dispensed with unpardonable severity; so much so, indeed, that many apprehended that the reign of papal tyranny was to be revived under a new disguise. One or two facts show that Calvin had imbibed a portion of the persecuting spirit of that church which he had forsaken. His treatment of Castalio and others was extremely harsh, but his conduct to Servetus was altogether barbarous. That ill-fated individual having fled from papal wrath, was seized at the instigation of Calvin, and condemned to the flames. The spirit of the age was of a persecuting character, and had its full influence on the mind of Calvin. Besides, religious liberty was not the primary object of the reformers; it has rather been the result of their labours. Thus philosophy may, to a certain extent, palliate the crime, for such it must be called; but it has left a blot upon Calvin, from which it will be vain for his warmest eulogist even to attempt to purify his name. But though the rigour of his proceedings sometimes occasioned great tumults in the city, nothing could shake his steadiness and inflexibility. Amongst all the disturbances of the commonwealth, he exercised a paternal solicitude for the foreign churches in England, France, Germany, and Poland; and did more by his pen than his presence, sending his advice and instructions by letter, and writing a number of works. After a life of incessant labour and study, which, it is reasonable to believe, materially shortened his days, this great reformer died in May 1564, having nearly completed the fifty-fifth year of his age.

Calvin possessed in an eminent degree those qualities Calvinism which fit an individual for being the head of a party. The leading characteristic of his mind was commanding power. He had a clear and comprehensive understanding, which not only enabled him with facility to unravel the tangled web of sophistry, but also to construct from the wreck he had made a system of his own; and a firmness and inflexibility of purpose which tended to wed him forever to the cause he had espoused, with a devotedness which no opposition could overcome, and no vicissitude could shake. There was certainly an alloy of human error and weakness in his temper and character; but this is only saying that nothing human reaches the standard of perfect rectitude. His faults primarily resulted from those very energies which gave him pre-eminence. Indomitable firmness imparts a certain sternness to the deportment, and not unfrequently degenerates into a spirit of persecution. But the benefits which mankind derive from such a constitution of intellect, when the moral bias is good, are generally of such a magnitude as totally to counterbalance those minor defects to which the rancour of party spirit would wish to give undue prominence. In this light we must view Calvin; not so much a patron to be imitated in all respects, as a benefactor to be revered. He must take his place beside the illustrious Luther. They are twin stars, the brightest of that constellation of lights by whose effulgence was dispelled the long night of darkness under the cloud of which the energies of men had suffered eclipse; and having emerged, they shone forth with a brilliance and glory unparalleled in the history of the world. In his principles Calvin was devoutly sincere, and the purity of his "walk and conversation" in private life is unimpeachable. His writings are numerous; for, besides the Institutes, and many controversial productions, he published learned commentaries upon most of the books of the New, and on the Prophets of the Old Testament. His opinions are now, however, better known than his writings; and his doctrine of predestination in particular, connected as it is with the philosophy of necessity, will probably supply matter of speculative debate for the controversialists of all future times.