For those who still care about these issues, allow me to point out what Calvin says in the course of today’s reading. He says that in order to understand the biblical phrase “many are called but few are chosen” we have to realize that there are two kinds of call, general and special. The general call comes to all indiscriminately, even to those who hate it. The special call is the inward illumination of the Spirit. Now, here comes the curve ball. Is this special call for believers alone? Calvin says, “for the most part.” There are a few who are illumined only “for a time.” But God subsequently “forsakes them on account of their sheer ungratefulness and strikes them with even greater blindness” (Institutes 3.24.8). This is Calvin at his best, honoring the text of Scripture before the demands of a system.
Does he have a system? Of course. Is that system Calvinistic? Heh. Is his system more or less nuanced than the system of some of his modern followers? Guess. Is he going to be cast out by these modern followers? No, for two reasons. First, because he is dead and we really don’t have to read his stuff anymore. Second, we have already named too many things after him.