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,…

so as they set down free righteousness all at once, when as we are received into the Church by Baptism, which is enough: & so we see that Jesus Christ hath done his part. And yet in very deed they add and say, that we cannot be absolutely righteous: but they shall in spite of their teeth feel it, and experience also will convince them, that they are many ways beholden to God. But soon after they come in & say, that they have their satisfactions, and do recompense God otherwise, in doing of things which they are not commanded, as fasting on such a day, abstaining from eating of flesh another day, going on pilgrimage, causing Masses to be sung, and such other like trifling toys, which they make a mountain of to acquit themselves before God. Thus we see how they bestow themselves all their life long, to be made righteous by their works and merits, being once justified by faith, that is to say, being brought into the way. They confess that Jesus Christ openeth the door unto them: but they say, that they themselves must enter in at it and perform the ⟨p. 122⟩voyage. There is in them also another error: for they think that when they do any good deed, although there be much evil amongst, yet that this good deed is accounted of, and this they call partial righteousness. And thus they make a patched and pieced righteousness, taking here and there a piece, roving about & making such a medley, as is nothing worth, but a confused matter or no understanding. They say also that we are first justified by the mere grace of Jesus Christ, and next, by Faith: and then by our works and partly by our satisfactions, which serve to appease the wrath of God against us, and to acquit us of all the sins whereof we are guilty. And this is the opinion of the Papists. Let us now see when it was that Abram was justified, as we have already touched it: he was a man endued with all virtues, a man that had forsaken him self, wholly to please God. And therefore it might seem that he mought have had some righteousness in him, if any were to be found in any living creature: and yet for all that, his faith was imputed unto him for righteousness. And therefore S. Paul concludeth thereupon, that he had no works in him to justify himself. And when, I pray you, had he none in him?

so as they set downe free righteousnes all at once, when as we are receiued into the Church by Baptisme, which is inough: & so we see that Iesus Christ hath done his part. And yet in verie deed they adde and say, that we cannot be absolutely righteous: but they shall in spite of their teeth feele it, and experience also will conuince them, that they are many waies beholden to God. But soone after they come in & say, that they haue their satisfactions, and do recōpence God otherwise, in doing of things which they are not commanded, as fasting on such a day, abstaining from eating of flesh another day, going on pylgrimage, causing Masses to be sung, and such other like tryfling toyes, which they make a mountaine of to acquite themselues before God. Thus we see how they bestow themselues all their life long, to be made righteous by their workes and merits, being once iustified by faith, that is to say, being brought into the way. They confesse that Iesus Christ openeth the doore vnto them: but they saie, that they themselues must enter in at it and performe the