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sinners and justly condemned by God who, in his wisdom and mercy, elected to save some through the merits and grace of his son — salvation for some, reprobation for all others. Calvin determined that God elected as he did because it pleased him to do so. Election precedes faith; it does not depend on faith. Faith, disciplined life, and one’s calling are but manifestations of it. Men are saved by God’s gratuitous mercy, damned by their own depravity.29

Calvin’s theology stated that “while God’s grace is irresistible and irreversible, it may remain unknown. He wanted to glorify God and believed secular power should cooperate with and protect the church. Social control was extended to the whole community since there was no way of knowing the true Christians. Therefore, everyone must have the opportunity to hear the true word preached ‘and for the glory of God all must conform to his wor .’ ”3" The elders were the instrument of control. In Geneva, under Calvin, the elders heard reports once a week of moral misconduct. People were fined, imprisoned, excommunicated, banished, and put to death for moral transgressions. Between 1542- 1546 in Geneva, fifty-eight people were executed and seventy- six banished. Sentenced to death were adulterers, witches, blasphemers, and traitors. A child was beheaded for striking his parents. A critic was executed for putting a sign on Calvin’s pulpit. Other moral infractions included profanity, fighting, dancing, playing cards, carousing, laughter or loud noises in church, promiscuous bathing, gambling, theatrical performances, not attending and coming late to services, obstinacy, baptism by midwives and charging interest in excess of five percent. Houses could be checked without notice at any time.31

Calvin kept only two of the Christian sacraments: 1. Baptism for children and adults. 2. The Lord’s Supper.32

Calvin was considered a tyrant by his enemies and an emissary from God by his friends. Calvinism grew quickly throughout Holland, France, Scotland, England, Germany, Poland, and Hungary. Thousands were killed in France and Holland in their push against Roman Catholicism. When Calvinists in Europe established churches with the Presby—

ORIGINS OF OUR FAITH