Summa Theologica
John Calvin
John Calvin is considered and rightly so, A theologian that spoke beyond his century. As far as the Bible is concerned, he is considered as the first of the modern commentators for his exegesis trying to get to the real text. Any theologian worth his salt should at least have read his Institute of the Christian Religion. So, I think it is proper and right to start of with his first book.
His Institutes starts with asking the question of the knowledge of God and the knowledge of ourselves.
1. 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. But as these are connected together by many ties, it is not easy
to determine which of the two precedes and gives birth to the other. For, in
the first place, no man can survey himself without forthwith turning his
thoughts towards the God in whom he lives and moves; because it is
perfectly obvious, that the endowments which we possess cannot
possibly be from ourselves; nay, that our very being is nothing else than
subsistence in God alone. In the second place, those blessings which
unceasingly distill to us from heaven, are like streams conducting us to the
fountain. Here, again, the infinitude of good which resides in God becomes
more apparent from our poverty. In particular, the miserable ruin into
which the revolt of the first man has plunged us, compels us to turn our
eyes upwards; not only that while hungry and famishing we may thence
ask what we want, but being aroused by fear may learn humility. For as
there exists in man something like a world of misery, and ever since we
were stript of the divine attire our naked shame discloses an immense
series of disgraceful properties every man, being stung by the
consciousness of his own unhappiness, in this way necessarily obtains at
least some knowledge of God. Thus, our feeling of ignorance, vanity, want,
weakness, in short, depravity and corruption, reminds us, (see Calvin on
John 4:10,) that in the Lord, and none but He, dwell the true light of
wisdom, solid virtue, exuberant goodness. We are accordingly urged by our
own evil things to consider the good things of God; and, indeed, we cannot
aspire to Him in earnest until we have begun to be displeased with
ourselves. For what man is not disposed to rest in himself? Who, in fact,
does not thus rest, so long as he is unknown to himself; that is, so long as
he is contented with his own endowments, and unconscious or unmindful
of his misery? Every person, therefore, on coming to the knowledge of
himself, is not only urged to seek God, but is also led as by the hand to
find him.
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