"ONE OF THE FEW BOOKS THAT HAVE PROFOUNDLY AFFECTED THE COURSE OF HISTORY": A GREAT RARITY. EXCEPTIONAL FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH OF CALVIN'S INSTITUTION OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION, 1561, THE "MOST IMPORTANT DOCTRINAL WORK OF THE REFORMATION"

CALVIN, John. The Institution of Christian Religion, vvritten in Latine by maister Ihon Caluin, and translated Into Englysh according to the authors last edition. Seen and allowed according to the order appointed in the Quenes maiesties injunctions. London: Reinold Wolfe & Richarde Harison, 1561. Small folio (7-1/2 by 11 inches), early 18th-century paneled brown calf rebacked with original spine and red morocco spine label laid down, raised bands. Housed in a custom chemise and clamshell box.

Exceedingly rare first edition in English of Calvin's magnum opus—"a comprehensive theological system rivaling those of the Middle Ages, particularly Thomas Aquinas"—of paramount importance in ultimately supporting a global "movement for liberty and independence" (PMM), Calvin's first theological publication in a massive folio volume with woodcut-engraved title page, handsomely bound in paneled calf.

"Calvin ranks among the titanic thinkers of Christian theology—with Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Schleiermacher and Barth" (Paul Avis). This seminal work "is considered by many to be one of the finest systematic theologies ever written… John T. McNeill argued that Calvin's Institutes is 'one of the few books that have profoundly affected the course of history'" (Haykin, To the Ends of the Earth, 29). To Marilynne Robinson, Calvin "wrote theology of breathtaking beauty and tough-mindedness" (Death of Adam, 175), and Karl Barth, in a letter to Eduard Thurneysen, declared: "I would gladly and profitably set myself down and spend all the rest of my life just with Calvin" (Revolutionary Theology in the Making, 101).

Calvin's Institution of Christian Religion initially appeared in Latin in a draft of six chapters in 1536. He constantly revised and expanded it until 1559 with publication of the final revised edition of 80 chapters. His first theological publication, "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, particularly Thomas Aquinas'… Its cardinal point was the absolute rule of God in the natural and spiritual world… by whose grace only is man relieved of the consequence of sin… Calvinism's most important role, despite Calvin's authoritarian influence, was to support the movement for liberty and independence in many parts of the world… the emphasis on duty, independence, responsibility and the highest ethical standards in the individual Christian citizen encouraged a taste for liberty and free institutions… Outside Switzerland its most potent influence was exercised in Holland and Britain. Puritanism and the ruling theology of the late 16th and early 17th century in England was Calvinistic; the Scottish Reformation was Calvinistic throughout. Through these countries Calvinism exerted considerable influence on the recognition of the liberal rights of the individual as eventually expressed in the Constitution of the United States of America" (PMM 65; emphasis added). First edition in English after the 1559 Geneva edition. Rear leaf with: "Imprinted at London in Paules Churcheyard by Reynolde VVolfe and Richard Haryson. The year of our Lorde. 1561. The.6.day of Maye." Title page with "to the au- / thors," printer's note on verso; a variant title page has been located with "to the / authors," verso blank: no priority established. Signed in print at rear: "T.N." for translator Thomas Norton. Largely printed in black letter, with woodcut-engraved title-page vignette and initials, containing blank Mm6 (often lacking). With "What Chapters are conteyned…" and "Table of the chefe matters conteined in this Booke" at rear. "Wolfe app[arantly] pr[inted] the prelims. and sheets w. foliation in the margins" (STC 4415). "Latin editions prior to that of 1559 had been circulated in England and Scotland, but only the chapters on the Christian life (Book III, chapters vi-x, in the final order of the work) had been put into English"(McNeill, ed. Calvin, xliii). ESTC S107154. Armorial bookplate of George Goyder, the respected British entrepreneur, author, philanthropist and bibliophile. Goyder was also esteemed as a leader in the Church of England and a key architect of the synodical government. "A serious collector of rare and important books… his library included, for a time, the only known copy of the Book of Common Prayer printed in 1572 and an early copy of Tyndale's New Testament (1536), as well as a rare copy of Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience. He was a co-founder in 1949 of the Blake Trust and a president of the William Blake Society" (Independent). Lightly penciled marginalia to several rear leaves, a few bibliographic notations to preliminaries.

Text quite fresh with light occasional marginal dampstaining, a tiny bit of wormholing not affecting text, expert restoration to first few and last few leaves including title page. Light expert restoration to handsome binding. A most handsome and complete copy.