Sermons of M. John Calvin upon the Epistle of Saint Paul to the GalatiansSermons of M. Iohn Caluine vpon the Epistle of Saincte Paule to the Galathians

And so we see that the liberty or freedom which is purchased too us by our Lord Jesus Christ, is that the Ceremonies of the law are laid away, so as we be no more subject nor bound unto them. Now at the first blush a man would think this were no great thing. For what harm were it if we were first baptized, and by and by after circumcised? Or if we knew that our Lord Jesus Christ only is the whole perfection and accomplishment, and yet had the figures thereof still? First if men should keep still the ceremonies as in the time of the law: the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ should be diminished for it, according as it is said that the law was given by Moses, but truth and grace were uttered too us in our Lord Jesus Christ:¹ for so it is said in the first chapter of S. John. Therefore he should be bereft of his honour, if we should not have the liberty that he hath brought us. And it behoveth us to understand, that our state is better and more excellent now adays, ⟨p. 57⟩than was the state of the old fathers, because our Lord Jesus Christ is given unto us, and in him we have all that was figured at that time. So then, men do wrong to our Lord Jesus Christ, in keeping still the ceremonies of the Law. That is one point. Again, for as much as he is named the Son of righteousness,² we must not be led still as though there were but a spark of light: but we must fasten our eyes upon the doctrine wherein our Lord Jesus Christ is showed unto us, and wherein we may also behold him face to face,³ to come even unto God his father, as hath ben showed in the second too the Corinthians. Moreover, if the ceremonies of the Law be considered without our Lord Jesus Christ, that is to say, if they be separated from him: they bring as it were a binding with them,⁴ and a record of condemnation and death upon men. And thereupon doth S. Paul stand in the second too the Colossians, where he saith that our Lord Jesus Christ hath upon his Cross, torn asunder and blotted out the obligation or handwriting that was against us. For if the Sacrifices stood in force at this day, we should see there that we be all in danger of eternal death before God. And why so? The slaying of the poor beasts was not for that they themselves had deserved it, but to show unto men as it were in a lively picture, that they were all worthy to perish.