01-Calvin on Assurance

John Calvin took the doctrine of the law, as formulated by
medieval Church, and forged it into a system which has
dominated the Reformed and evangelical world this past 450
years. 1 Millions have adopted his scheme. But on assurance, 2 he
makes very uncomfortable reading for many of those who follow
him. 3 It is not the only issue on which they fall out with him, of
course – the sabbath is another 4 – but assurance is what concerns
us here. Later Puritans started the ball rolling, but many others
since their time have moved far beyond Calvin on assurance –
and far away from him on it, too! And it is their system which
has brought fear and doubt to so many, down to the present day.
Far more people are influenced by the Puritans on assurance than
they realise. Indeed, some who would be horrified to be thought
Puritan, nevertheless, are such on the law and assurance – without
knowing it. So while they are Calvinists on the law, they differ
from the Reformer on assurance. Let me explain.