That pastor is wrong, I for one have never read anything by Calvin and I read the first book you mentioned and I did not see it. Then I did a study on man and God's view of man, then I realized that if it were not for God I would of never even gave Him a second thought. I realized that it was not my faith that saved me it was God's grace, because with out it I would never believe, because of my spiritual blindness, loving darkness rather than the light. Then the song amazing grace made complete sense to me, I thought I understood it, but I didn't.
To say none of this came about until the 16th century is historically wrong, Augustus was in the 4th century and he had taught God's election and to say that it wasn't until the 4th century that this was discover is wrong as well, because Paul taught God's unconditional election, Peter taught that it is by the foreknowledge of the Father as does James, but it was Jesus that brought it to the New Covenant believers. But God's always chose people in many different ways, all because He wanted to it had nothing to do with anyone doing good or bad. He chose Abram and idolator and his offspring, He chose David as king and to be the human line of Jesus. So God has always elected people to be something, do something all because it's His nature. Jesus taught that no one comes to Him unless the Father draws him, Jesus also taught that the Father grants spiritual life by the Spirit and the flesh is of no help in that process. Sure I could post a bunch of Scripture but if you were/are a pastor that studied the Word of God you have already read them. If you don't believe them that's, fine but to say them don't exist is a denial of the Word of God.