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

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.

26 Which is aboue. He calleth it heauenly, not as included in heauen, not as though it were to be sought without the worlde. for it is a congregation dispersed through the whole world, and is a stranger in the earth, why than is it sayd to bee of heauen? because she hath her beginning from the heauenly grace. for the children of God are not borne of fleshe and blood, but of the power of the holy Ghost. The heauenly Ierusalem therefore, which hath her beginning from heauen, and dwelleth aboue by fayth, the same is the mother of the faythfull. For she hath the vncorruptible seede of life layd vp with her, whereby shee fashioneth vs, nourisheth vs in her wombe, bringeth vs into the light, and she hath milke and meate wherwith, after that she hath brought vs forth, she continually feedeth vs. Loe wherefore the Church is called the mother of the faythfull, and truely he that refuseth to be a childe of the Churche, in vayne doth he require to haue God his father. for God doth get vnto him childrē, whom he bringeth vp til they be growne, and vntill they come to mans state, but by the ministerie of the church notable praise or title of the Church without doubt, and the same b nourable.