with irresistible logic.  In an important sense he is one-sided, since he does not take cognizance of other truths equally important.  He is perfectly fearless in pushing out to its most logical consequences whatever truth he seizes upon; and hence he appears to many gifted and learned critics to draw conclusions from accepted premises which apparently conflict with consciousness or natural reason; and hence there has ever been repugnance to many of his doctrines, because it is impossible, it is said, to believe them.

In general, Calvin does not essentially differ from the received doctrines of the Church as defended by its greatest lights in all ages.  His peculiarity is not in making a digest of divinity,—­although he treated all the great subjects which have been discussed from Athanasius to Aquinas.  His “Institutes” may well be called an exhaustive system of theology.  There is no great doctrine which he has not presented with singular clearness and logical force.  Yet it is not for a general system of divinity that he is famous, but for making prominent a certain class of subjects, among which he threw the whole force of his genius.  In fact all the great lights of the Church have been distinguished for the discussion of particular doctrines to meet the exigencies of their times.  Thus Athanasius is identified with the Trinitarian controversy, although he was a minister of theological knowledge in general.  Augustine directed his attention more particularly to the refutation of Pelagian heresies and human Depravity.  Luther’s great doctrine was Justification by Faith, although he took the same ground as Augustine.  It was the logical result of the doctrines of Grace which he defended which led to the overthrow, in half of Europe, of that extensive system of penance and self-expiation which marked the Roman Catholic Church, and on which so many glaring abuses were based.  As Athanasius rendered a great service to the Church by establishing the doctrine of the Trinity, and Augustine a still greater service by the overthrow of Pelagianism, so Luther undermined the papal pile of superstition by showing eloquently,—­what indeed had been shown before,—­the true ground of justification.  When we speak of Calvin, the great subject of Predestination arises before our minds, although on this subject he made no pretention to originality.  Nor did he differ materially from Augustine, or Gottschalk, or Thomas Aquinas before him, or Pascal and Edwards after him.  But no man ever presented this complicated and mysterious subject so ably as he.

It is not for me to discuss this great topic.  I simply wish to present the subject historically,—­to give Calvin’s own views, and the effect of his deductions on the theology of his age; and in giving Calvin’s views I must shelter myself under the wings of his best biographer, Doctor Henry of Berlin, and quote the substance of his exposition of the peculiar doctrines of the Swiss, or rather French, theologian.