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

So likewise (as I said afore) he gave his law for mans behoof, and it was requisite that the Jews (who had not yet such manifest knowledge as is given us by the Gospel) should be helped by another mean, that is to wit, by the Ceremonies which no wadayes should be needless, forasmuch as we have the performance of the things that God showed them then a far off, and our state is in that respect better than the state of the Jews. But now Saint Paul, to show that his preaching of such liberty, and that the law which God had laid upon the necks of the ancient fathers, was taken away at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, was not without cause: declareth that he rebuked Peter for the same matter. Now if the Christians ought to have bin held in like bondage as the Jews had bin: surely Peter would have maintained the quarrel to the uttermost. But he suffered himself to be reproved, and confessed his fault. Seeing we have such a president in the person of Peter: it followeth that our case is good, and that the Apostles knew that all the old shadows and figures ought to cease, and be utterly abolished by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus the thing that S. Paul setteth down here, is that he rebuked Peter in the City of Antioch for being conversant with the Gentiles, not with the unbelieving sort, but with such as had bin converted to the knowledge of the Gospel. He lived familiarly with them, accounting them as ⟨image 92⟩members of the Church. But behold, as soon as certain Jews came from Jerusalem sent of James: Peter fearing least some misreport might be raised of him, shrunk away, and made countenance as though he had no familiarity nor acquaintance with the Gentiles, and notwithstanding that they had the same faith of the Gospel which he had, yet did he use them as strangers, because it was taken to be a kind of defiling, to be in company with them. See here a wicked madness: for by that means there was a division made in the Church.¹ For (as it is said in another place) the wall was broken down when our Lord Jesus Christ was appointed to be a light from God, not only for the Jews, but also for the salvation of the whole world. Wherefore if it behoved those that had erst bin separated & estranged from the Church, to be called into one flock:

So likewyse (as I sayde afore) he gaue his lawe for mans behoofe, and it was requisite that the Iewes (who had not yet such manifest knowledge as is giuen vs by the Gospell) should be helped by another meane, that is to wit, by the Ceremonies which no wadayes should be needlesse, forasmuch as we haue the performance of the things that God shewed them then a farre off, and our state is in that respect better than the state of the Iewes. But nowe Saint Paule, to shewe that his preaching of such libertie, and that the law which God had layd vpon the necks of the auncient fathers, was taken away at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ, was not without cause: declareth that he rebuked Peter for the same matter. Nowe if the Christians ought to haue bin hilde in like bondage as the Iewes had bin: surely Peter woulde haue mainteyned the quarell to the vttermost. But hee suffered himselfe to bee reproued, and confessed his fault. Seeing we haue such a president in the person of Peter: it foloweth that our cace is good, and that the Apostles knewe that all the olde shadowes and figures ought to ceasse, and bee vtterly abolished by the cōming of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Thus the thing that S. Paule setteth downe heere, is that he rebuked Peter in the Citie of Antioche for beeing conuersant with the Gentiles, not with the vnbeleeuing sort, but with such as had bin conuerted to the knowledge of the Gospell. He liued familiarly with them, accounting them as