John Calvin — Institutes of the Christian Religion

On the other hand, it is evident that man never attains to a true self-knowledge until he has previously contemplated the face of God, and come down after such contemplation to look into himself.

Hence, if he would obtain succour in his necessity, he must go beyond himself, and procure it in some other quarter.

Faith consists not in ignorance, but in knowledge—knowledge not of God merely, but of the divine will.

To prayer, then, are we indebted for penetrating to those riches which are treasured up for us with our heavenly Father. … prayer digs up those treasures which the Gospel of our Lord discovers to the eye of faith.

Our wisdom, in so far as it ought to be deemed true and solid Wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves.

Again, as the kingdom of God is continually growing and advancing to the end of the world, we must pray every day that it may come: for to whatever extent iniquity abounds in the world, to such an extent the kingdom of G…