Sermon of Master John Calvin, on the history of Melchizedek Wherein is also handled,…Sermon of Maister Iohn Caluin, on the historie of Melchisedech Wherein is also handled,…

And therefore this righteousness which Moses here speaketh of, is not a quality that we are to look for in men: but a favour which God beareth unto us, when as it pleaseth him to bury our sins in the bottomless sea of his mercy, and not once look after them again: and accept of us as if we had absolutely accomplished the law. And why is that? Forsooth, because Jesus Christ is righteous, and his perfect righteousness is imputed and allowed unto us. And as he is ours by the gift of God his Father, and daily offereth himself also unto us by the Gospel, even so communicateth he his righteousness unto us, when as we possess and enjoy him. And God vouchsafeth it even as well as if we our selves had wrought the same in our own persons. And thus we see what the meaning of this word Righteousness is: for now I do but unfold these things by little and little, because we mean hereafter to amplify the true summary of the whole.

And therefore this righteousnes which Moses heere speaketh of, is not a qualitie that wee are to looke for in men: but a fauour which God beareth vnto vs, when as it pleaseth him to burie our sinnes in the bottomlesse sea of his mercy, and not once looke after them again: and accept of vs as if wee had absolutely accomplished the law. And why is that? Forsooth, because Iesus Christ is righteous, and his perfect righteousnes is imputed and allowed vnto vs. And as he is ours by the gift of God his Father, and daily offereth himselfe also vnto vs by the Ghospell, euen so communicateth he his righteousnes vnto vs, when as we possesse and enioy him. And God vouchsafeth it euen as well as if wee our selues had wrought the same in our owne persons. And thus we see what the meaning of this word Righteousnes is: for now I do but vnfold these things by litle and litle, because wee meane heereafter to amplifie the true summarie of the whole.

We will now come to speak of the name of GOD: For men may impute us to be righteous, by reason of ⟨p. 116⟩some appearance and outward show of holiness and virtue, which they may think to be in us, and to like well of us, and so we shall have a great number of imputations, that is to say, very Catalogues of righteousness and imputations, we shall be absolved, yea and also exceedingly commended and praised, when as they shall see us to have walked godly & virtuously: and yet all this is nothing. And therefore we must come unto the heavenly judge as it is said of him. And see why Moses namely expresseth, That God imputeth Abrams belief for righteousness. Now if all the world had so esteemed and liked of Abrams faith, and had canonized him, as a man would say, as if he had been an Angel, it had vanished away all like smoke, but it is God that spake it, even he who is a competent judge, and to whom belongeth the giving of sentence, either of salvation or condemnation. Wherefore when God absolved Abram after that manner, and acknowledged & held him for righteous, this we see was the principal point. And therefore we now see that Abram was justified by Faith. Whereupon S. Paul saith, it followeth, that he could no way deserve to be righteous by his works, and that he brought nothing with him of his own why God should like of him, but that he freely received him and made him one of