A commentary of M. I. Calvin upon the Epistle to the GalatiansA commentarie of M. I. Caluine vpon the Epistle to the Galathians

It is a very sore check to the Jews, who were fallen away from grace and had to their mother not Sarah, but the counterfeit Jerusalem, Agars own sister, borne at one birth. and therefore bond borne of a bondwoman, although proudly they boasted themselves the sons of Abraham.

It is a very sore checke to the Iewes, who were fallen awaye from grace and had to their mother not Sara, but the counterfeit Ierusalem, Agars owne sister, borne at one byrth. and therefore bonde borne of a bondewoman, although proudelye they boasted themselues the sonnes of Abraham.

26 Which is above. He calleth it heavenly, not as included in heaven, not as though it were to be sought without the world. for it is a congregation dispersed through the whole world, and is a stranger in the earth, why than is it said to be of heaven? because she hath her beginning from the heavenly grace. for the children of God are not borne of flesh and blood, but of the power of the holy Ghost. The heavenly Jerusalem therefore, which hath her beginning from heaven, and dwelleth above by faith, the same is the mother of the faithful. For she hath the uncorruptible seed of life laid up with her, whereby she fashioneth us, nourisheth us in her womb, bringeth us into the light, and she hath milk and meat wherewith, after that she hath brought us forth, she continually feedeth us. Lo wherefore the Church is called the mother of the faithful, and truly he that refuseth to be a child of the Church, in vain doth he require to have God his father. for God doth […] ••get unto him children, whom he bringeth up till they be grown, and […] until they come to mans state, but by the ministry of the church•• notable praise or title of the Church without doubt, and the same b•• honourable. ⟨p. 109⟩But the Papists are fond and twice childish, who pretend it, to make it a burden to us, for whereas they have an adulterous mother, which bringeth forth children to the devil unto death, how unreasonable a thing is it to request that the children of God should yield themselves to her, to be cruelly slain? with how much honester pretence might the Synagogue of Jerusalem have at that day set up her self, then at this day the synagogue of Rome may? and yet we see that Paul, having plucked off all her gay attire, maketh her no better than Hagar.