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

Then if the same continued yet at this day, we should still stand bound under the same obligation of death. But we be discharged of it, by our Lord Jesus Christ.¹ And that was the triumph of his death, as Saint Paul saith. Thirdly the ancient fathers knew that although the Law was given them, yet they obtained such favour of freedom at Gods hand, that all their faults were forgiven them. But if men should nowadays be put to the necessity of keeping all the ceremonies: it would be an intolerable yoke, as it is said in the .xv. of the Acts:² For the case would not only concern ceremonies, but also the drowning of us in despair. For is it possible for men to do the things which God commandeth all men to do without any exception or release? No. For the thing that God requireth and demandeth, passeth all our ability: and if we fail but in any one point; we should be overwhelmed under the burden. Therefore for that cause, this liberty is of such importance, as we cannot ⟨image 78⟩be sure of our salvation, nor freely call upon God, except we know that we be no more held under the yoke and bondage of the Law. There is yet one point more which shall be laid out at length: which is, that such as would needs make the faithful subject to the keeping of ceremonies, had therewithal a wicked and untoward imagination, that men were justified and did purchase grace at Gods hand by such means. And that was an utter abolishing of the force of the death & passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now then, we see it was not causeless that S. Paul strove so stoutly against the ceremonies of the law, to the end they should not be so brought in use again, that the faithful should be held in bondage under them. And we have need to be warned thereof: for in these days we have the like encounter against the Papists. True it is that the Papists have less colour than had the deceivers of whom S. Paul speaketh. For although they were Satan's underlings, and sought nothing but to pervert the truth of the Gospel, yet had they at least wise this colour, that they brought not in their own dreams and traditions, but alleged the authority of God, how that the law ought to be kept, and that was a meetly apparent excuse. But the Papists have no such foundation: For all their Ceremonies are forgeries of mans brain.