Institutio totius Christianae religionis, nunc ex postrema authoris recognitione, quibusdam locis auctior, infinitis vero castigatior. .

Geneva: Ex officina Ioannis Gerardi typographi, 1550. 4th Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 4th Edition. Hardcover. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. 4to (246 x 162 mm). [32], 735, [81] pp. [alpha]-[delta]4 a-z8 A-Z8 2A-2K4. Woodcut printer's device on title-page, white-on-black criblé initials, with final blank Kk4. Several neat marginalia in at least three different contemporary hands and later text markings and underscoring in one hand. Contemporary blind-tooled pigskin over wooden boards, blind rollwork and embossed decoration, spine and front cover with faint lettering in manuscript, brass clasps intact but one brass catch broken (vellum soiled, a few wormholes, wear to extremities), lacking free endpapers. Title page repaired at gutter and fore-margin and with a small hole affecting woodcut device, some dampstaining mostly at front and rear, occasional minor spotting, but generally quite clean and bright. Provenance: Paulus Thurius (inscription to front pastedown " Paulii Thurius de ... libro / Praeter Apostolicas post Chri[sti] tempora chartas / Huic peperere libro saecula nulla parem"), Carl Schmiedel (inscription dated 1865 to front pastedown), old cancelled and illegible inscriptions on title page. ---- Adams C358; PMM 65 (first edition). FOURTH EDITION in Latin, revised, and the first to include an index. "Calvin's Institution of the Christian Religion was the first systematic statement of a Reformed Church. It is the most important doctrinal work of the Reformation as a whole and provided a comprehensive theological system rivaling those of the Middle Ages". (Printing and the Mind of Man 65). John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion was the first systematic statement of a Reformed Church. Some have called it the most important doctrinal work of the Reformation because it provided a comprehensive theological system rivaling those of the Middle Ages. It discusses ancient and medieval philosophy, Church Fathers, Catholic Church, and the Protestant movement. Calvin quotes St. Augustine over 4,000 times in his work. The 1550 edition was the second to last edition published in Calvin's liefetime. Calvin's doctrine rests on the absolute rule of God. Man's complete dependence on God includes the doctrine of Grace, as he is relieved of sin. Calvin fully accepted and taught the doctrine of Predestination. His influence cannot be overstated. The Puritans of England and America, the Huguenots of France or the Protestant movement in Switzerland, Scotland and Holland can all trace their roots to John Calvin. All early editions of the Institutio Christianae Religionis are rare. The first edition is practically unobtainable with no copy recorded at auction in the past 50 years. - Visit our website for additional images and information.