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

which is, that the children of the faithful are dedicated unto him, and he acknowledgeth & avoweth them for his. Then like as now a days the children that are borne of the Church, are reckoned too be of the number of Gods people, and of the company of the chosen: even so under the law, the Jews were separated from the rest of the world. And that is the cause why S. Paul saith, We be I•wes, and not sinners of the Gentiles. Whereas he speaketh of Sinners, he meaneth such as continue in their filthiness, and are not cleansed by the grace of God. For Circumcision was a token and witness that God accepted Abraham's issue and offspring for his own household and peculiar people. The thing then wherein the Jews differed in old time from the unbelievers, was that although they were all of one suit, for as much as they were all indifferently the children of Adam: yet notwithstanding God had chosen the one sort, and left the other sort still strangers from his house. If a man ask why he did so: there was none other cause than his own mere grace, and yet were not the Jews in the mean while the more excellent. But now let us follow the matter that S. Paul handleth here, We know (saith he) that we can not be justified by the deeds of the Law, but by belief in Jesus Christ. In so saying he showeth, that the Jews them selves (what grace soever they had received) could not ground them selves upon other men, nor upon them selves, as though they had deserved aught at Gods hand, but must be fain to flee to his free goodness, acknowledging that there is no salvation but in Jesus Christ, who is come to find out the thing that was already lost. And herein is fulfilled that which he saith in another place, how that aswell they which were near hand,¹ as they that were far off, ⟨p. 88⟩were all gathered together into one Jesus Christ is the peacemaker to cause God to love us, and to receive us too mercy: not only those that were erst far of, as the Gentiles: but also the children of Abraham, what nobleness or dignity soever were in them, for that came not of their own nature. And let us mark, that when S. Paul saith, that the Jews which were converted to the Christen faith, knew they could not be justified by the works of the law, but by belief in Jesus Christ:

whiche is, that the children of the faythfull are dedicated vnto him, and he acknowledgeth & auoweth them for his. Then like as now a dayes the children that are borne of the Churche, are reckned too bee of the number of Gods people, and of the companie of the chosen: euen so vnder the lawe, the Iewes were separated from the rest of the world. And that is the cause why S. Paule sayth, Wee bee Iwes, and not sinners of the Gentiles. VVhereas he speaketh of Sinners, he meaneth suche as continue in their filthynesse, and are not clensed by the grace of God. For Circumcision was a token and witnesse that God accepted Abrahams issue and ofspring for hys owne housholde and peculiar people. The thing then wherein the Iewes differed in olde tyme from the vnbeleeuers, was that althoughe they were all of one sute, for as muche as they were all indifferently the children of Adam: yet notwythstandyng God had chosen the one sort, and left the other sort still straungers from his house. If a man aske why he dyd so: there was none other cause than his owne meere grace, and yet were not the Iewes in the meane whyle the more excellent. But nowe let vs followe the matter that S. Paule handleth heere, Wee knowe (sayth he) that wee can not bee iustified by the deedes of the Lawe, but by beleefe in Iesus Christ. In so saying he sheweth, that the Iewes them selues (what grace soeuer they had receyued) coulde not grounde them selues vpon other men, nor vpon them selues, as thoughe they had deserued aught at Gods hande, but must bee fayne to flee to his free goodnesse, acknowledging that there is no saluation but in Iesus Christe, who is come to finde out the thing that was alreadie loste. And herein is fulfilled that which he sayth in another place, howe that aswel they which were nere hande,