The essential features of Calvin's doctrine of predestination were
embodied in most of the Reformed confessions. The _Consensus Genevensis_
of January 1, 1552, written by Calvin against Albert Pighius [a
fanatical defender of Popery against Luther, Bucer, Calvin; died
December 26, 1542] and adopted by the pastors of Geneva, is entitled:
"_Concerning God's Eternal Predestination_, by which He has elected some
to salvation and left theothers to their perdition--_qua in salutem
alios ex hominibus elegit, alios suo exitio reliquit_." (Niemeyer,
_Collectio Confessionum_, 218. 221.) The _Confessio Belgica_, of 1559,
and the _Confessio Gallicana_, of 1561, teach the same absolute
predestinarianism. In Article XVI of the Belgic Confession we read: In
predestination God proved Himself to be what He is in reality, _viz._,
merciful and just. "Merciful by liberating and saving from damnation and
perdition those whom ... He elected; just, by leaving the others in
their fall and in the perdition into which they precipitated themselves.
_Iustum vero, alios in illo suo lapsu et perditione relinquendo, in quam
sese ipsi praecipites dederunt_." (Niemeyer, 370.) The _Gallic
Confession_ [prepared by Calvin and his pupil, De Chandieu; approved by
a synod at Paris 1559; delivered by Beza to Charles IX, 1561, translated
into German 1562, and into Latin, 1566; adopted 1571 by the Synod of La
Rochelle] maintains that God elected some but left the others in their
corruption and damnation. In Article XII we read: "We believe that from
this corruption and general damnation in which all men are plunged, God,
according to His eternal and immutable counsel, calls those whom He has
chosen by His goodness and mercy alone in our Lord Jesus Christ, without
consideration of their works, to display in them the riches of His
mercy, leaving the rest in this same corruption and condemnation to show
in them His justice. _Credimus ex hac corruptione et damnatione
universali, in qua omnes homines natura sunt submersi, Deum alios quidem
eripere, quos videlicet aeterno et immutabili suo consilio sola sua
bonitate et misericordia, nulloque operum ipsorum respectu in Iesu
Christo elegit; alios vero in ea corruptione et damnatione relinquere,
in quibus nimirum iuste suo tempore damnandis iustitiam suam demonstret,
sicut in aliis divitias misericordiae suae declarat_." (Niemeyer, 332;
Schaff 3, 366.)
The _Formula Consensus Helveticae_ of 1675 says, canon 13: "As from
eternity Christ was elected Head, Leader, and Heir of all those who in
time are saved by His grace, thus also in the time of the New Covenant
He has been the Bondsman for those only who by eternal election were
given to Him to be His peculiar people, seed, and heredity. _Sicut
Christus ab aeterno electus est ut Caput, Princeps et Haeres omnium
eorum, qui in tempore per gratiam eius salvantur, ita etiam in tempore
Novi Foederis Sponsor factus est pro iis solis qui per aeternam
electionem dati ipsi sunt ut populus peculii, semen et haereditas
eius_," etc. (Niemeyer, 733.)
The same Calvinistic doctrines were subsequently embodied in the _Canons
of the Synod of Dort_, promulgated May 6, 1619, and in the _Westminster
Confession of Faith_, published 1647. In the former we read: "That some
receive the gift of faith from God, and others do not receive it,
proceeds from God's eternal election.... According to His just judgment
He leaves the non-elect to their own wickedness and obduracy." (Schaff
3, 582.) "The elect, in due time, though in various degrees and in
different measures, attain the assurance of this eternal and
unchangeable election, not by inquisitively prying into the secret and
deep things of God, but by observing in themselves, with a spiritual joy
and holy pleasure, the infallible fruits of election pointed out in the
Word of God, such as a true faith in Christ, filial fear, a godly sorrow
for sin, a hungering and thirsting after righteousness, etc." (583.)
"Not all, but some only, are elected, while others are passed by in the
eternal decree; whom God, out of His sovereign, most just,
irreprehensible, and unchangeable good pleasure, hath decreed to leave
in the common misery into which they have wilfully plunged themselves,
and not to bestow upon them saving faith and the grace of conversion."
... (584.) "For this was the sovereign counsel and most gracious will
and purpose of God the Father, that the quickening and saving efficacy
of the most precious death of His Son should extend to all the elect,
for bestowing _upon them alone_ the gift of justifying faith, thereby to
bring them infallibly to salvation; that is, it was the will of God that
Christ by the blood of the cross whereby He confirmed the New Covenant
should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, and
language all those, _and those only_, who were from eternity chosen to
salvation, and given to Him by the Father." (587.) "But God, who is rich
in mercy, according to His unchangeable purpose of election, does not
_wholly_ withdraw the Holy Spirit from His own people, even in their
melancholy falls, nor suffer them to proceed so far as to lose the grace
of adoption and forfeit the state of justification," etc. (Schaff 3,
593; Niemeyer, 716.)
The _Westminster Confession_ declares: "By the decree of God, for the
manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto
everlasting life, and others foreordained to everlasting death."
(Schaff 3, 608.) "As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so hath
He, by the eternal and most free purpose of His will, foreordained all
the means thereunto. Wherefore they who are elected being fallen in
Adam, are redeemed by Christ are effectually called unto faith in Christ
by His Spirit working in due season; are justified, adopted, sanctified,
and kept by His power through faith unto salvation. Neither are any
other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted,
sanctified, and saved but the elect only." (609.) "The rest of mankind
God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of His own will,
whereby He extends or withholds mercy as He pleases for the glory of His
sovereign power over His creatures, _to pass by_, and to ordain them to
dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of His glorious
justice." (610; Niemeyer, _Appendix_ 6. 7.)