The Institution of Christian Religion

Out of the third difference riseth the fourth. For the Scripture calleth the old testament, the testament of bondage, for that it engendereth fear in mens minds: but the new testament, the testament of liberty, because it raiseth them up to confidence and assuredness. So saith Paul in the eight to the Romans.¹ Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the spirit of adoption, by which we cry Abba, father▪ Hereunto serveth that in the epistle to the Hebrews, that the faithful are not now come to the bodily mount,² and to kind led fire, an whirlwind, darkness and tempest, where nothing can be heard or seen but that striketh mens minds with terror, in so much that Moses him self quaked for fear, when the terrible voice sounded, which they all besought, that they might not hear: Butte that we are come to the Mount Zion, and the City of the sy•ynge God, the heavenly Jerusalem. Butte that which ⟨p. 79⟩Paul shortly toucheth in the sentence that we have alleged out of the epistle to the Romans, he setteth out more largely in the Epistle to the Galatians, when he maketh an allegory of the two sons of Abraham, after this manner,³ that Hagar the bondwoman is a figure of the mount Sinai, where the people of Israel received the law: Sarah the freewoman is a figure of the heavenly Jerusalem, from whence proceedeth the gospel. That, as the seed of Hagar is borne bond, which may never come to the inheritance, and the seed of Sarah is •orne free, to whom the inheritance is due: so by the law we are made subject to bondage, by the Gospel only we are regenerate into freedom. But the sum cometh to this effect, that the old testament did strike into consciences fear and trembling: but by the benefit of the new testament it cometh to pass, that they are made joyful. The old did hold consciences bound unto the yoke of bondage, by the liberality of the new they are discharged of bondage, and brought into freedom. But if out of the people of Israel they object against us the holy fathers, who sith it is evident, that they were endued with the same spirit that we are, it followeth that they were also partakers both of the self same freedom and joy: We answer, that neither of both came of the law.