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,…

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 ⟨p. 117⟩his children. And in deed S. Paul when he meaneth to speak of free justification, taketh here this way with himself, to show that there is none other hope to be saved, but by the mere mercy and goodness or God, because he pardoneth our sins, that we might please him. Wherefore when S. Paul entereth into this argument, he fetcheth this Theme from Abram: for he presupposeth that which is true, that there are not sundry ways to be justified before God, and that there is but one only rule. And therefore if Abram was justified by faith, we all also must so be without exception. Moreover, if there could be found in any mortal man that virtue which might merit: no doubt of it, Abram surmounted all others therein. We have already heard how he forsook the country, wherein he was borne, how he renounced him self and all his humane and natural affections, and how he absolutely obeyed God.

Wee will nowe come to speake of the name of GOD: For men may impute vs to bee righteous, by reason of ⟨p. 116⟩