Upon the Works of John Calvin, the early Pilgrims who came to America based their Doctrines. Calvins' Doctrines are also found within The Geneva Bible (1560-1602), in the Notes. The Geneva Bible was their sole and exclusive Bible and also their Law.
Some capitals added; also "Yeshua" in some places where Christ was written.
I: That Yeshua Is and Always Was the G-d of the Jewish people (Y""H) [1] Spoken of in the Hebrew Scriptures by the Prophets
"For when it is said in Isaiah, 'Lo, this is our G-D; we have waited for Him, and He will Save us: this is the L-RD; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His Salvation.' (Isaiah 25:9), even the blind may see that the G-D being referred to is He who again Rises Up for Deliverance of His people. And the emphatic description, twice repeated, precludes the idea that reference is made to any other than to Christ (Messiah). Still clearer and stronger is the passage of Malachi, in which a Promise is Made that the Messenger who was then Expected would Come to His Own Temple (Malachi 3:1). The Temple certainly was Dedicated to Almighty G-D (Y""H) Only, and yet the Prophet claims it for Christ (Yeshua). Hence it follows, that He (Yeshua) Is the G-D (Y""H) Who Was Always Worshipped by the Jews.
"The New Testament teems with innumerable passages, and our object must therefore be, the selection of a few, rather than the accumulation of a whole. But though the Apostles spoke of Him after His Appearance in the flesh as Mediator, every passage which I adduce will be sufficient to prove His Eternal G-dhead. And the first thing deserving of special observation is, that Predictions concerning the Eternal G-D are Applied to Christ, as either already Fulfilled In Him, or to Be Fulfilled at some future period. Isaiah Prophesies, that 'the L-RD of Hosts' Shall Be 'for a Stone of stumbling, and for a Rock of offense' (Isaiah 8:14). Paul Asserts that this Prophecy was Fulfilled in Christ (Messiah) (Romans 9:33), and therefore Declares that Christ Is that L-RD of Hosts. In like manner, he says in another passage, 'We shall all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ.' 'For it is Written, As I Live, Saith the L-RD, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess to G-D.' Since in Isaiah G-D Predicts This of Himself, (Isaiah 45:23), and Christ Exhibits the Reality Fulfilled in Himself, it follows that He Is the Very G-D (Y""H), Whose Glory Cannot Be Given to another. It is clear also, that the passage from the Psalms (Psalms 68:19) which he quotes in the Epistle to the Ephesians, is Applicable Only to G-D, 'When He Ascended Up On High, He Led captivity captive' (Ephesians 4:8). Understanding that such an Ascension was shadowed forth when the L-RD Asserted His Power, and Gained a Glorious Victory over the heathen nations, he intimates that what was shadowed was More Fully Manifested in Christ. So John Testifies that It Was the Glory of the Son which Was Revealed in Isaiah in a vision (John 12:41; Isaiah 6:4), though Isaiah himself expressly says that what he saw was The Majesty of G-D (Y""H). Again, there can be no doubt that those Qualities which, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, are Applied to the Son, are the Brightest Attributes of G-D, 'Thou L-RD, in the Beginning, Hast Laid the Foundation of the earth,' & etc., and, 'Let all the Angels of G-d Worship Him' (Hebrews 1:10,6). And yet, he does not pervert the passages in thus Applying them to Christ, since Christ Alone Performed the Things which these passages Celebrate. It Was He who Arose and Pitied Zion - He Who Claimed For Himself Dominion Over All nations and islands. And why should John have hesitated to Ascribe The Majesty of G-D to Christ, after saying in his preface that The Word (LOGOS) was G-d? (John 1:14). Why should Paul have feared to place Christ on the Judgement-Seat of G-D (II Corinthians 5:10), after He Had so Openly Proclaimed His Divinity, when He said that He Was G-d Over All, Blessed Forever? And to show how consistent he is in this respect, he elsewhere says that 'G-d was Manifest in the flesh' (I Timothy 3:16). If He Is G-d Blessed Forever, He therefore It Is To Whom Alone, as Paul Affirms in another place, All Glory and Honour Is Due. Paul does not disguise this, but openly Exclaims, that '...Being in the Form of G-d, (He) Thought It not robbery to Be Equal With G-D, but Made Himself of no reputation' (Philippians 2:6). And lest the wicked should clamour and say that He was kind of a spurious G-d, John goes farther, and Affirms, 'This Is the True G-D, and Eternal Life.' Though it ought to be enough for us that He Is Called G-D, especially by a witness who distinctly Testifies that we are to have NO MORE G-DS THAN ONE (emphasis ours), Paul says, 'Though there be that are called gods, whether in Heaven or in earth (as there be gods many, and lords many), but to us there Is but One G-D' (I Corinthians 8:5,6). When we hear from the same lips that G-d was Manifested In the flesh, that G-d Purchased the Church With His Own Blood, why do we dream of any second G-d, to whom he makes not the least allusion? And there is no room to doubt that all the G-dly entertained the same view. Thomas, by Addressing Him as his L-RD and G-D, certainly professes that He was the only G-D whom he had ever adored. (John 20:28).
"The Divinity of Christ, if judged by the Works Ascribed to Him in Scripture, becomes still more Evident. When He Said of Himself, 'My Father Worketh hitherto and I Work', the Jews (as yet unbelieving Jews), though most dull in in regard to His other Sayings, perceived that He was Laying Claim to Divine Power. And, therefore, as John relates (John 5:17), they sought the more to kill Him, because He (they thought) not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that G-d was His Father, making Himself EQUAL WITH G-D (emphasis ours). What then, will be our stupidity if we do not perceive from the same passage that His Divinity is Plainly Instructed? To Govern the world By His Power and Providence, and Regulate All Things By An Energy Inherent In Himself, (this an Apostle Ascribes To Him, Hebrews 1:3), surely Belongs to none but the Creator. Nor does He merely share the Government of the world with the Father, but also each of the other Offices, which cannot be Communicated with creatures. The L-RD Proclaims By His Prophet, "I even I, Am He that Blotteth out thy transgressions For Mine Own Sake" (Isaiah 43:25). When, in Accordance with this Declaration, the Jews thought that injustice was done to G-D when Christ Forgave sins, He not only Asserted in Distinct Terms, that This Power Belonged To Him, but also Proved It by a Miracle (Matthew 9:6). We thus see that He Possessed In Himself not the ministry of forgiving sins, but the Inherent Power Which the L-RD Declares He will Not Give to another. What! Is it not the Province of G-D Alone To Penetrate and Interrogate the Secret Thoughts of the heart? But Christ also Had This Power, and therefore we infer that Christ Is G-D (Y""H).
Institutes: Book I, Chapter XIII, 10-12.
The Holy Spirit is also Spoken of in Holy Scripture as Fully Y""H. Go HERE for More.
For more on Y'SHUA IS G-D (Y""H) THE SON Go Here
II: On Grace, Torah-Obedience and the will of man
"The whole is made plain by the conclusion, 'I delight in the Law of G-d after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind' (Romans 7:22,23). Who has this struggle in himself, except those who, Regenerated by the Spirit of G-d, bear about with them the remains of the flesh? Accordingly, Augustine, who had at one time thought that the discourse related to the natural man (Augustine ad Boniface, Lib. i. c. 10), afterwards retracted his exposition as unsound and inconsistent. And, indeed, if we admit that men without Grace, have any motions to Good, however feeble, what answer shall we give to the Apostle, who declares that 'we are incapable of thinking a Good thought'? (II Corinthians 3:5) What answer shall we give to the L-RD, who Declares, by Moses, that 'every imagination of mans' heart is only evil continually'? (Genesis 8:21) Since the blunder has thus arisen from an erroneous view of a single passage, it seems unnecessary to dwell upon it. Let us rather give due weight to our Saviours' Words, 'Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.' (John 8:34). We are all sinners by nature, therefore we are held under the yoke of sin. But if the whole man is subject to the dominion of sin, surely the will, which is its principal seat, must be bound with the closest chains. And indeed, if Divine Grace were preceeded by any will of ours, Paul could not have said that 'it is G-d which Worketh in us both to Will and to Do' (Philippians 2:13). Away, then, with all the absurd trifling which many have indulged in with regard to preparation. Although believers sometimes ask to have their heart trained by the Obedience of the Divine Law (Torah), as David does in several passages (Psalms 51:2), it is observed, that even this longing in prayer is from G-d. This is apparent from the language used. When he prays, 'Create in me a clean heart,' he certainly does not attribute the beginning of the creation to himself. Let us therefore adopt the sentiment of Augustine, 'G-d will bring forth in you all things, but do you not sometimes bring forth his anger. How? Confess that you have all these things from G-d, that all the Good is from Him, all the evil from yourself.' (Augustine Sermon 10). Shortly after he says, 'Of our own we have nothing but sin.'"
Institutes: Book II, Chapter 2, 27.
III: On the True Use of the Law (Torah) in the Regenerate and in the unregenerate
"The Second Office of the Law (Torah) is, by means of its fearful denunciations and the consequent dread of punishment, to curb those who, unless forced, have no regard for Rectitude and Justice. Such persons are curbed, not because their mind is inwardly moved or affected, but because, as if a bridle were laid upon them, they refrain their hands from external acts, and internally check the depravity which would otherwise petulantly burst forth. It is true, they are not on this account either better or more righteous than in the Sight of G-d. For although restrained by terror and shame, they dare not proceed to what their mind has conceived, nor give full license to their raging lust, their heart is by no means trained to fear and obedience. Nay, the more they restrain themselves, the more they are inflamed, the more they rage and boil, prepared for any act or outbreak whatever, were it not for the terror of the Law. And not only so, but they thouroughly detest the Law itself, and execrate the Lawgiver; so that if they could, they would most willingly annihilate him, because they cannot bear his ordering what is right, or his avenging the despisers of his Majesty. The feeling of all who are not yet Regenerate, though in some more, in others less lively, is, that in regard to the Observance of the Law, they are not led by voluntary submission, but dragged out of the force of fear. Nevertheless, this forced and extorted righteousness is necessary for the good of society, its peace being secured by a provision but for which all things would be thrown into tumult and confusion. Nay, this tuition is not without its use, even to the children of G-d, who, previous to their Effectual Calling, being destitute of the Spirit of Holiness, freely indulge the lusts of the flesh. When, by fear of Divine Vengeance, they are deterred by their open outbreakings, though, from not being subdued in mind, they profit little at present, still they are in some measure trained to bear the Yoke of Righteousness, so that when they are Called, they are not like mere novices, studying a discipline of which previously they had no knowledge. This office seems to be especial in the view of the Apostle, when he says, 'That the Law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the unG-dly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men-stealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound Doctrine.' (I Timothy 1:9,10). He thus indicates that it is a restraint on unruly lusts that would otherwise burst all bonds.
"To both may be applied the Declaration of the Apostle in another place, that 'The Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ' (Galatians 3:24); since there are two classes of persons, whom by its Training leads to Christ. Some (of whom we spoke in the first place), from excessive confidence in their own virtue or righteousness, are unable to receive the Grace of Christ (Y'shua), until they are completely humbled. This the Law (Torah) does by making them sensible of their misery, and so disposing them to long for what they previously imagined they did not want (Grace). Others have need of a bridle to restrain them from giving full scope to ther passions, and thereby utterly losing all desire after Righteousness. For where the Spirit of G-d Rules not, the lusts sometimes so burst forth, as to threaten to drown the soul subjected to them in forgetfulness and contempt of G-d; and so they would, did not G-d Interpose with this Remedy. Those, therefore whom He has Destined to the Inheritance of His Kingdom, if He does not immediately Regenerate, He, through the Works of the Law (Torah Obedience) Preserves in fear, against the Time of His Visitation, not, indeed, that Pure and Chaste Fear which His children ought to have, but a fear useful; to the extent of Instructing them in True Piety according to their capacity. Of this we have so many proofs, that there is not the least need of an example. For all who have remained for some time in ignorance of G-d will confess, as a result of their own experience, that the Law had the effect of keeping them in some degree in the fear and reverence of G-d, till being Regenerated by His Spirit, they began to Love Him from the heart."
Institutes: Book II, Chapter VII, 10,11.
For further information on THE USE OF THE LAW IN THE LIFE OF THE REGENERATE go here.
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