Was John Calvin a Continuationist?

Fairly recently, John Calvin has been identified as a continuationist as opposed to the common thought that he was a cessationist. Here are definitions of these big words:

Continuationism – the belief that all of the supernatural gifts given by the Holy Spirit continue after the apostles and are in practice today.

Cessationism – the belief that all of the supernatural gifts given by the Holy Spirit have ceased during the life of the apostles in the first century.

There are many views in each of these beliefs but the purpose is not to explain them all here. By “supernatural gifts,” it is meant those gifts like speaking in tongues, prophesying, healing, and miracles.

This is not a defense of John Calvin because we think he is infallible; we just need to make sure that we represent everyone correctly. Let’s see what he has to say regarding this topic.

The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 4 19.18:

“To designate the Holy Spirit and his gifts by oil is trite and common (Ps. 45:8). But the gift of healing disappeared with the other miraculous powers which the Lord was pleased to give for a time, that it might render the new preaching of the gospel for ever wonderful. Therefore, even were we to grant that anointing was a sacrament of those powers which were then administered by the hands of the apostles, it pertains not to us, to whom no such powers have been committed.”

Commentary on Acts 2:38:

“Therefore he promiseth them the gift of the Spirit, whereof they saw a pattern in the diversity of tongues. Therefore this doth not properly appertain unto us. For because Christ meant to set forth the beginning of his kingdom with those miracles, they lasted but for a time; yet because the visible graces which the Lord did distribute to his did shoe, as it were in a glass, that Christ was the giver of the Spirit, therefore, that which Peter saith doth in some respect appertain unto all the whole Church:ye shall receive the gift of the Spirit. For although we do not receive it, that we may speak with tongues, that we may be prophets, that we may cure the sick, that we may work miracles; yet is it given us for a better use, that we may believe with the heart unto righteousness, that our tongues may be framed unto true confession, (Romans 10:10,) that we may pass from death to life, (John 5:24) that we, which are poor and empty, may be made rich, that we may withstand Satan and the world stoutly. “

Commentary on Ephesians 4:11:

“It deserves attention, also, that, of the five offices which are here enumerated, not more than the last two are intended to be perpetual. Apostles, Evangelists, and Prophets were bestowed on the church for a limited time only, ― except in those cases where religion has fallen into decay, and evangelists are raised up in an extraordinary manner, to restore the pure doctrine which had been lost. But without Pastors and Teachers there can be no government of the church.” 

Commentary on James 5:14: 



“That the gift of healing was temporary, all are constrained to allow, and events clearly prove: then the sign of it ought not to be deemed perpetual. It hence follows, that they who at this day set anointing among the sacraments, are not the true followers, but the apes of the Apostles, except they restore the effect produced by it, which God has taken away from the world for more than fourteen hundred years. So we have no dispute, whether anointing was once a sacrament; but whether it has been given to be so perpetually. This latter we deny, because it is evident that the thing signified has long ago ceased.”

Pretty clear, right? Was he a continuationist or a cessationist?