We are pleased to announce that the most exhaustive work documenting (in 175 pages) John Calvin’s doctrine of common grace from his writings is now, for the first time, free online:
Kuiper, Herman – Calvin on Common Grace 1928
Kuiper (1889-1963) was a minister in the Christian Reformed Church (C.R.C.) and a professor at Calvin Seminary. Kuiper studied under Louis Berkhof, A.A. Hodge, Geerhardus Vos and B.B. Warfield. This work of his was historically significant during the debates that followed the C.R.C.’s assertion of the 3 Points of Common Grace in 1924.
This is the most detailed, careful and definitive work (being an anthology of extended quotes with analysis) that demonstrates that Calvin explicitly, repeatedly and frequently taught throughout his Institutes and commentaries that:
(1) God gives common grace to all men,
(2) that God’s common grace in the Covenant extends to the reprobate, and
(3) that God desires all men to embrace the gospel and be saved.
Read Calvin for yourself and see what he says.
The appendix to the book (p. 239) gives a survey of the doctrine of common grace in the theological writings (many of which remain in Latin or Dutch) of Peter van Mastricht, Johannes Marck, Wilhelmus a Brakel, Bernhardinus de Moor, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Hodge, A.A. Hodge, Herman Bavinck, Abraham Kuyper and V. Hepp.
Kuiper’s work is very hard to come buy on the used market, if it is available at all, and is very pricey if one can find it at all.
May this work be a blessing to you, and may you love your enemies and show yourself to be a child of God, who is kind (in the Greek: merciful) to the unthankful and evil (Lk. 6:34-36).
For more on this topic, see our pages:
John Calvin Quotes on Common Grace
John Calvin Quotes on God’s Love for all Mankind
John Calvin on the Sincere Free Offer of the Gospel
The Westminster Standards and Divines on Common Grace
Historic Reformed Quotes on Common Grace