CAL 



CAL 



Katural order of Multisiliquae. Ranun- 

 culacex, Jussieu. Essential character: 

 calyx none; petals five; nectary none; 

 capsule several, many-seeded. There 

 is but one species ; viz. C. palustris, 

 marsh marigold. This is the first flower 

 that announces the spring in Lapland, 

 where it begins to blow towards the end 

 of May. The variety with very double 

 flowers is preserved in our gardens for 

 its beauty. 



CALTROP, in military affairs, an in- 

 strument with four iron points, disposed 

 in a triangular form, so that three of them 

 are always on the ground, and the fourth 

 in the air. They are scattered over the 

 ground where the enemy's cavalry is to 

 pass, in order to embarrass them. 



CALTROP, in botany, the English name 

 of the tribulus of botanists. See THIBU- 



LUS. 



CALVARY, in heraldry, a cross so 

 called, because it resembles the cross on 

 which our Saviour suffered. It is always 

 set upon steps. 



CALVINISTS, a sect of Christians who 

 derive their name from John Calvin, an 

 eminent reformer, who was born at Nb- 

 gen in Picardy, in the year 1509. He first 

 studied the civil laws, and was afterwards 

 made professor of divinity at Geneva, in 

 the year 1536. 



The name of Calvinists seems to have 

 been given at first to those who embraced 

 not merely the doctrine, but the church 

 government and discipline established at 

 Geneva, and to distinguish them from the 

 Lutherans. But since the meeting of the 

 synod of Dort, the name has been chiefly 

 applied to those who embrace his leading 

 views of the gospel, to distinguish them 

 from the Arminians. The leading princi- 

 ples taught by Calvin were the same as 

 those of Augustin. The main doctrines, 

 by which those who are called after his 

 name are distinguished from the Armi- 

 nians, are reduced to five articles ; and 

 which, from their being the principal 

 points discussed at the synod of Dort, 

 have since been denominated the five 

 points. These are, predestination, parti- 

 cular redemption, total depravity, effec- 

 tual calling, and the certain perseverance 

 of the saints. 



1. They maintain that God hath chosen 

 a certain number of the fallen race of 

 Adam in Christ, before the foundation of 

 the world, unto eternal glory, according 

 to his immutable purpose, and of his free 

 grace and love, without the least fore- 

 sight of faith, good works, or any condi- 

 tions performed by the creature ; and 



that the rest of mankind he was pleased 

 to pass by, and ordain to dishonour and 

 wrath for their sins, to the praise of his 

 vindictive justice. 



2. They maintain that, though the 

 death of Christ be a most perfect sacri- 

 fice and satisfaction for sins, of infinite 

 value : abundantly sufficient to expiate 

 the sins of the whole world, and though 

 on this ground the gospel is to be preach- 

 ed to all mankind indiscriminately, yet 

 it was the will of God that Christ, by the 

 blood of the cross, should efficaciously 

 redeem all those, and those only, who 

 were from eternity elected to salvation, 

 and given to him by the Father. 



3. They 'maintain that mankind are 

 totally depraved, in consequence of the 

 fall of the first man, who being their 

 public head, his sin involved the corrup- 

 tion of all his posterity ; and which cor- 

 ruption extends over the whole soul, and 

 renders it unable to turn to God. or to do 

 any thing truly good, and exposes it to 

 his righteous displeasure, both in this 

 world and that which is to come. 



4. They maintain that all whom God 

 hath predestinated unto life,he is pleased 

 in his appointed time effectually to cal^ 

 by his word and spirit, out of that state 

 of sin and death, in which they are by 

 nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus 

 Christ. They admit that the Holy Spirit, 

 as calling men by the ministry of the gos- 

 pel, may be resisted ; and that where 

 this is the case, " the fault is not in the 

 gospel, nor in Christ offered by the gos- 

 pel, nor in God calling by the gospel, 

 and also conferring various gifts upon 

 them; but in the called themselves. They 

 contend, however, that where men come 

 at the divine call, and are converted, it is 

 not to be ascribed to themselves, as 

 though by their own free-will they made 

 themselves to differ, but merely to him 

 who delivers them from the power of 

 darkness, and translates them into the 

 kingdom of his dear Son, and whose re- 

 generating influence is certain and effica- 

 cious." 



Lastly, they maintain that those whom 

 God has effectually called and sanctified 

 by his spirit, shall never finally fall from 

 a state of grace. They admit that true 

 believers may fall, partially, and would 

 fall totally and finally, but for the mercy 

 and faithfulness of God, who keepeth the 

 feet of his saints : also, that he who be- 

 stoweth the grace of perseverance be- 

 stoweth it by means of reading and hear- 

 ing the word, medita-ion, exhortations, 

 threatenings, and promises : but that 



