CALVINISTS, a sect of christians who derive their name from John Calvin, an eminent reformer, who was born at NO gen in Picardy, in the year 1509. He first studied the civil laws, and was afterwards made professor of divinity at Geneva, in the year 1536.
The name of Calvinists seems to have been given at first to those who embraced not merely the doctrine, but the church government and discipline established at Geneva, and to distinguish them from the Lutherans. But since the meeting of the synod of Dort, the name has been chiefly applied to those who embrace his leading views of the gospel, to distinguish them from the Arminians. The leading princi ples taught by Calvin were the same as thosp of Augustin. The main doctrines, by which those who are called after his name are distinguished from the Armi nians, are reduced to five articles ; and from their being the principal points discussed at the synod of Dort, have since been denominated the five points. These are, predestination, parti cular redemption, total depravity, effec tualcalling, and the certain perseverance of the saints.
1. They maintain that God bath chosen a certain number of the fallen race of Adam in Christ, before the foundation of the world, unto eternal glory, according to his immutable purpose, and of his free grace and love, without the least fore sight of faith, good works, or any condi tions performed by the creature ; and that the rest of mankind he was pleased to pass by, and ordain to dishonour and wrath for their sins, to the praise of his vindictive justice.
2. They maintain that, though the death of Christ be a most perfect sacri fice and satisfaction for sins, of infinite value, abundantly sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole world, and though on this ground the gospel is tobe preach ed to all mankind indiscriminately, yet it was the will of God that Christ, by the blood of the cross, should efficaciously redeem all those, and those only, who were from eternity elected to salvation, and given to him by the Father.
3. They 'maintain that mankind are totally depraved, in consequence of the fall of the first man, who being their public head, his sin involved the corrup tion of all his posterity ; and which cor ruption extends over the whole soul, and renders it unable to turn to God, or to do any thing truly good, and exposes it to his righteous displeasure, both in this world and that which is to come.
4. They maintain that all whom God hath predestinated unto life,he is pleased in his appointed time effectually to call, by his word and spirit, out of that state of sin and death, in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ. They admit that the Holy Spirit, as calling men by the ministry of the gos pel, may be resisted ; and that where this is the case, " the fault is not in the gospel, nor in Christ offered by the gos pel, nor in God calling by the gospel, and also conferring various gifts upon them; but in the called themselves. They contend, however, that where men come at the divine call, and are converted, it is not to be ascribed to themselves, as though by their own free-will they made themselves to differ, but merely to him who delivers them from the power of darkness, and translates them into the kingdom of his dear Song and whose re generating influence is certain and effica cious." Lastly, they maintain that those whom God has effectually called and sanctified by his spirit, shall never finally fall from a state of grace. They admit that true believers may fall, partially, and would fall totally and finally, but for the mercy and faithfulness of God, who keepeth the feet of his saints : also, that he who be- stoweth the grace of perseverance bc stoweth it by means of reading and hear ing the word, meditaion, exhortations, threatenings, and promises : but that nme of these things imply the possibility of a believer's falling from a state of jus tification.
Some think Calvin, though right in the main, yet carried things too far : these are commonly known by the name of Moderate Calvinists. Others think he did not go far enough ; and these are known by the name of High Calvinists. It is proper to add, that the Calvinistic system includes in it the doctrine of three co ordinate persons in the Godhead, in one nature ; and of two natures in Jesus Christ, forming one person. Justification by faith alone, or justification by the im puted righteousness of Christ, forms also an essential part of this system. They suppose that on the one hand our sins are imputed to Christ, and on the other that we are justified by the imputation of Christ's righteousness to us ; that is, Christ, the innocent, was treated by God as if he were guilty, that we, the guilty, might, out of regard to what he did and suffered, be treated as if we were inno cent and righteous.