VII. JOHN CALVIN ON THE SALVATION OF - The Works of F. N. Lee

More documents

Recommendations

Info

other blessings of earthly life. We now, then, understand the import of this comparison: ' Thou [O Jonah] wouldest spare...the gourd; and should I not spare this great city?!' " Calvin now paraphrases God' s question: "' Should not I Who am God, in Whose hand are all things, Whose prerogative and Whose constant practice it is mercifully to bear with men - should not I spare them, though they were worthy of destruction? ... Should not I spare a great city?' Explains Calvin: "The matter here is not concerning a little plant - but a large number of people. And, in the last place, it is a city ' in which there are [also] a hundred and twenty thousand [infant] human beings who known not how to distinguish between their right hand and the left' .... "What He adds -- [the fact] that they could not distinguish between the right hand and the left - is to be referred, I have no doubt, to their age.... This opinion has been almost universally received.... That city, we know, was not only like some great cities many of which are at this day in Europe. But it surpassed most of the principal cities at this day.... "God," concludes Calvin, "intended to show that though there was the justest reason for destroying entirely the whole city - there were yet other reasons which justified the suspension of so dreadful a vengeance. For many infants were there - who had not, by their own transgressions, deserved such a destruction!" It is true that Calvin is here speaking about the temporal destruction of Nineveh and all its inhabitants - and not at all specifically about their everlasting punishment. Yet, a fortiori, this certainly still has implications even regarding hell - of which that temporal destruction would have been but a faint preview. Calvin on the safeness of trustful sucklings and babies at Isaiah 11:8f The Prophet Isaiah (at 11:8f) seems to have been predicting that when the New Testament triumphs, ' the unweaned baby shall play at the hole of the serpent, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the den of the cockatrice. They shall not hurt nor destroy.... For the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.' Here, Calvin comments 303 "that when men [alias human beings] have been brought into a state of favour with God, and have been cleansed from their depravity by the Spirit of regeneration, they will likewise be free from every hurtful disposition.... Since animals are permitted [at the moment] to do injury even to children, this shows that the whole race of Adam has been stained with pollution from the very womb." Yet, continues Calvin, "those men whom a concealed poison led to deeds of violence, will have their disposition changed and will do no harm even to little children.... ' For the Earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord...as with waters that cover the sea' .... If this fullness of knowledge take possession of our minds, it will free us from all malice!" - 93 -
Here, the whole context not only seems to have predicted a vast future change even in the behaviour of now-hurtful animals also toward children. Indeed, Isaiah here also seems to have implied the need even for a present and a personal faith and a childlike trust in Divine Providence - on the part of both unweaned sucklings and weaned pre-toddlers. Hence, Rev. Professor Dr. John Calvin' s mention here of "the Spirit ofregeneration" in juxtaposition "to children" and even "to little children" - is striking indeed. Calvin on the children of the wicked in the Book of Isaiah In Isaiah 14:21, the prophet makes a grim prediction against the cruel kingdom of Babylon. Instructs Isaiah: ' Prepare slaughter for its children - for the iniquity of their fathers!' Now it should carefully be noted here that, in punishing the wicked adult fathers of the kingdom of Babylon - this verse speaks of the grim slaughter not of its babies, but only of its ' children'(age not specified). Moreover, the context presupposes that those ' children' of Babylon would themselves already be either adolescents or adults - and themselves also be very conscious and active sinners. On this matter, John Calvin gives an extended comment - all of which is relevant to our subject. "Here," he explains, 304 "Isaiah prophesies more plainly than before - against the King of Babylon.... We must see to whom this discourse relates. "It must be understood that reference is made, though not directly expressed, to some servants as officers or executioners.... Who were they? Partly the Medes and Persians, and partly others by whom Babylon was completely overthrown.... "When he says that...' the iniquity of the fathers' is punished, it may at first sight appear to be excessively harsh to include children along with the fathers in what relates to the infliction of punishment on them -- and still more harsh that the punishment due to the fathers should be extended even to their children and grandchildren. "This inconsistency may easily be avoided, if the word 'aavoon be translated: misery. For it denotes the punishment of sin, as well as sin itself. Exodus 20:5 and 34:7; Deuteronomy 5:9; Jeremiah 32:18.... "Nor is this inconsistent with what is said by Ezekiel [18:20], ' The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father' .... God does not punish any innocent person.... "This passage [Isaiah 14:21] ought not to be understood as if the punishment due to ancestors were transferred by God to children who in other respects deserved no such punishment. For the guilt of the children is connected with the guilt of the fathers.... "When the Lord casts away that man [the King of Babylon] and his posterity, we certainly have no right to remonstrate with Him.... If, therefore, He cast off anyone - must not that man' seed also be accursed? When we are destitute of His grace, what remains but iniquity? - 94 -
Page 1 and 2: VII. JOHN CALVIN ON THE SALVATION O
Page 3 and 4: "It grew worse and worse, as time a
Page 5 and 6: asked from this passage, 'What had
Page 7 and 8: wonder if Christ declares that they
Page 9: "Inhumanity is here mitigated, sinc
Page 13 and 14: According to Calvin, ' the blood of
Page 15 and 16: "God' spromise comprehends not only
Page 17 and 18: grace of adoption but also newness
Page 19 and 20: Calvin comments 319 that John is he
Page 21 and 22: Calvin on Christ healing the daught
Page 23 and 24: is done to the covenant of God, as
Page 25 and 26: "Christ surpasses Adam.... Since Ch
Page 27 and 28: Here Calvin then concludes: "But if
Page 29 and 30: Calvin on the children of disobedie
Page 31 and 32: Never theless, the Apostle' s conte
Page 33 and 34: Calvin next remarks also Papists "g
Page 35 and 36: "Are we not, independently of bapti
Page 37 and 38: "I again ask how it is that the fal
Page 39 and 40: Calvin condemns the Anabaptist Serv
Page 41 and 42: Castellio would therefore also be q
Page 43 and 44: VII. CHURCH AFTER CALVIN ON SALVATI
Page 45 and 46: The Early Calvinist Confessions on
Page 47 and 48: fault is in the will, voluntarily a
Page 49 and 50: The above is also our own perceptio
Page 51 and 52: "I confess some among the orthodox
Page 53 and 54: Wigglesworth: early-dying infants o
Page 55 and 56: A fast was proclaimed by God to the
Page 57 and 58: Take heed [therefore] that you do n
Page 59 and 60: Explained Toplady: 407 "Christ died
Page 61 and 62:
The maverick hypercalvinist Michael
Page 63 and 64:
Thus, Rev. Professor Dr. Ashbel Gre
Page 65 and 66:
Rev. Drs. Bethune and Bockok on the
Page 67 and 68:
Rev. Professor Dr. R.S. Candlish: a
Page 69 and 70:
whereby one could remain connected
Page 71 and 72:
"If the ground be taken that justic
Page 73 and 74:
"Who broke for ever, out of Christe
Page 75 and 76:
After seeing the great usefulness o
Page 77 and 78:
Standard [namely the Westminster Co
Page 79 and 80:
Also the noted Presbyterian Theolog
Page 81 and 82:
the martyrdom of prophets and other
Page 83 and 84:
"It was instrumentally the result o
Page 85 and 86:
Rev. Professor Dr. Philip Schaff: t
Page 87 and 88:
the salvation of all infants dying
Page 89 and 90:
"Before pronouncing this judgment,"
Page 91 and 92:
"' ChristJesus came into the World
Page 93 and 94:
They also give very little hope tha
Page 95 and 96:
XI. OUR OWN VIEW ON THE SALVATION O
Page 97 and 98:
Church regards those whom it admits
Page 99 and 100:
For example. The Declaratory Statem
Page 101 and 102:
Article I of the Australian Declara
Page 103 and 104:
In the book of Ecclesiastes (4:2f &
Page 105 and 106:
critics) that Calvinists teach chil
Page 107:
Zechariah 13:7; and Malachi 2:10-14
show all

VII. JOHN CALVIN ON THE SALVATION OF - The Works of F. N. Lee

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?