P. 437, c. 1—“Bestial,” bĕst´yal. Like a beast, brutal.
P. 437, c. 2—“Rev. W. Jay” (born 1769, died 1853.) A popular English minister, called by John Foster “the prince of preachers.” Several volumes of his works have been published.
P. 438, c. 1—“Subtlety,” sut´tl-te. Acuteness of intellect, shrewdness.
P. 438, c. 1—“Un-wiëld´y.” Unmanageable because of size.
P. 438, c. 1—“Prĭs´tine.” Belonging to former times, primitive.
P. 438, c. 1—“Calvin,” kăl´vin. (Born 1509, died 1564.) One of the leaders of the Reformation; he was educated for the church, but becoming convinced of its errors joined the Reformation. He was driven from place to place by persecution. In 1536 was published his “Institutes of the Christian Religion,” in which he advanced the doctrines of predestination, election, and reprobation. Afterward he published a catechism and “Confession of Faith,” and in 1541 the presbyterial system was introduced by him into the church at Geneva. An important element of his work was teaching in the Geneva Academy. Students flocked to him, and Calvinism spread through Europe. Besides his great work of organization and teaching, Calvin preached almost daily, and wrote commentaries on nearly the whole Bible.
P. 438, c. 1—“Arminius,” ar-mĭn´i-us. (Born 1560, died 1609.) A Dutch theologian and pastor at Amsterdam. He denied the doctrine of predestination and maintained the subordination of ecclesiastical to civil power. Becoming a professor at Leyden, a dispute arose between him and Gomar, a Calvinist. The states enjoined the parties to drop the dispute and teach nothing contrary to the creed and catechism. One public declaration of sentiments was made, but while preparing for another conference Arminius died.
P. 438, c. 1—“Baxter.” (1615-1691). An English nonconformist divine. At the time of the civil war he joined the parliamentary army. Not favoring the assumption of supreme power by Cromwell, he advocated the restoration. Subsequently, at the age of seventy, he suffered persecution for nonconformity. He was a voluminous writer. Of all his works, the “Saint’s Everlasting Rest” has had, probably, the widest circulation.
P. 438, c. 2—“So-cĭn´i-an.” A follower of Socinus, who, with Faustus, was a prominent Italian theologian of the sixteenth century. They denied the trinity, the deity of Christ, the eternity of future punishment, the personality of the devil, and total depravity of man. They taught that Christ was merely a man, human sin was the imitation of Adam’s sin, human salvation the adoption of Christ’s virtue, and the Bible was to be interpreted by human reason.
P. 438, c. 2—“A-năth´e-má.” A curse pronounced with ecclesiastical authority.