Came across an article on Calvin by W Robert Godfrey, Prof of Church History at Westminster Seminary. Here is his concluding thoughts on the Institutes:

“In this brief look at the Institutes we can see Calvin was a great theologian and a great teacher, motivated above all by his concern to be a faithful pastor. He was concerned that people not be able only to answer theological questions, but that their hearts and lives would be changed by the wonderful truth of who God is. By God’s grace he accomplished that. He still matters because he was and is such a great teacher. The Institutes is still one of the great books to read in theology, and part of its greatness is the way we experience a Christian, pastor, longing to communicate the truth that sets us free.”