The following is Calvin’s Short Treatise on the Lord’s Supper (Petit traicté de la saincte cène; 1541). As general background to the theology, piety, and practice of the Lord’s Supper and to Calvin’s doctrine of the Supper, we should put this treatise . . . Continue reading →
Calvin Studies
Calvin: The Pure Gospel Is Unadorned
[2 Corinthians 4:2] But renounce the hidden things. While he commends his own sincerity, he, on the other hand, indirectly reproves the false Apostles, who, while they corrupted by their ambition the genuine excellence of the gospel, were, nevertheless, desirous of exclusive . . . Continue reading →
Calvin Contra Theonomy (1536)
For there are some who deny that a commonwealth is daily framed which, neglecting the political system of Moses, is ruled by the common laws of nations. Let other men consider our perilous and seditious this notion is.; it will be enough . . . Continue reading →
Calvin On Acts 20:28
…to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. But because the speech which Paul uses seems to be somewhat hard, we must see in what sense he says that God purchased the Church with his blood. For . . . Continue reading →
Calvin Against Continuing, Extra-Biblical Revelation
Furthermore, those who, having forsaken Scripture, imagine some way or other of reaching God, ought to be thought of as not so much gripped by error as carried away with frenzy. For of late, certain giddy men have arisen who, with great . . . Continue reading →
Calvin: Assurance Fills Our Sails
The seducers that had infiltrated the Galatians and corrupted the purity of the gospel…Paul stops here, and says that if we are being forced and obliged to perform this task for God and to enter into this covenant with him, Jesus Christ . . . Continue reading →
Calvin On Deuteronomy 29:29: God’s Word Is Enough
To me there appears no doubt that, by antithesis, there is a comparison here made between the doctrine openly set forth in the Law, and the hidden and incomprehensible counsel of God, concerning which it is not lawful to inquire…. It is . . . Continue reading →
Straight Outta Noyon
Calvin: Implicit Faith Is Inescapable
We certainly admit that so long as we dwell as strangers in the world there is such a thing as implicit faith; not only because many things are as yet hidden from us, but because surrounded by many clouds of errors we . . . Continue reading →
Geneva Catechism (1545) Contra Baptismal Regeneration
Q327 M. Do you think that the water is a washing? of the soul? S. By no means; for it were impious to snatch away this honour from the blood of Christ, which was shed in order to wipe away all our . . . Continue reading →
He Bobbles Decently And In Order
Calvin: A Sacrament Is An Outward Sign And Seal Of God’s Promises
First, we must consider what a sacrament is. It seems to me that a simple and proper definition would be to say that it is an outward sign by which the Lord seals on our consciences the promises of his good will . . . Continue reading →
The Last Song Calvin Sang In His Last Public Worship Service
Calvin is not mute and his tremulous voice rises with the rest and “on his dying countenance,” says Beza, whose eyes are fixed upon his master, “was not obscurely indicated a holy joy.” They sang, as usual, the Song of Simeon, with . . . Continue reading →
Calvin Against Baptism By The Laity
20. It is also pertinent here to know that it is wrong for private individuals to assume the administration of baptism; for this as well as the serving of the Supper is a function of the ecclesiastical ministry. For Christ did not . . . Continue reading →
Notes On Calvin’s Doctrine That Justification Sola Fide Is The Principal Axis Of The Christian Religion
Christ was given to us by God’s generosity, to be grasped and possessed by us in faith. By partaking of him, we principally receive a double grace: namely, that being reconciled to God through Christ’s blamelessness, we may have in heaven instead . . . Continue reading →
New Genevan Psalter (Updated)
The Canadian Reformed Churches have just published the New Genevan Psalter. I purchased a copy. It seems to be well done. There is an interesting, brief introduction by George van Popta, General Editor as well as some brief notes on the Genevan . . . Continue reading →
Sola Scriptura ≠ Nuda Scriptura
Evangelical Christians in North America sometimes misunderstand the Reformation doctrine of sola Scriptura to mean that the Bible is the Christian’s only theological resource, that it can and should be denuded of its churchly context (hence nuda Scriptura). Such an understanding is . . . Continue reading →
Calvin: The Lutherans Belong To The Church And We Are Their Members
It cannot be too strongly emphasized at the outset that Calvin did not think of himself as “Reformed” in the sense of inner-Protestant polemics. Calvin was not a Calvinist but an Evangelical, and what he thought about Luther can only be understood . . . Continue reading →
Calvin Flashing Gang Signs
(HT: Scott McDermand)
Calvin On The Covenant Of Works
Because what God so severely punished must have been no light sin but a detestable crime, we must consider what species of sin (peccati) there was in Adam’s fall that kindled God’s horrible vengeance against the whole human race. To regard Adam’s . . . Continue reading →