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

How soever the case standeth, it is said that we be counted righteous before God, because he releaseth and forgiveth our sins.¹ And after the same manner doth Saint Paul speak of it in the fourth to the Romans, where he sayeth that David hath well declared in effect,² how we be justified by faith, when he sayeth. Blessed is the man whose iniquities God hath forgotten, and whose sins he hath covered. And in another place he sayeth,³ that our Lord Jesus Christ who knew no sin, nor had any spot in him, was made sin for us: that is too say, received all the condemnation of our faults, too the end that we should become Gods righteousness in him, that is too say, too the end that being grafted into his person, and made one body with him, we might be taken for righteous, because there was such perfectness in his obedience, that our sins were buried and rid quite and clean away. Thus much concerning the word Justify▪ Now as touching the word Faith [or belief,] S. Paul addeth for a declaration, that they had believed in Jesus Christ. If a man ask an unlearned person what Faith is: he will perchance answer that it is too believe: but he shall not be able too tell what is meant or imported by any of them both. VVill we then have the understanding of them according too the raw capacity of the unskillfullest sort? We must always mark, that our Lord Jesus Christ is set too be the butte of our faith and belief. Do we obtain salvation by faith? It is as much too say, as we believe in our Lord Jesus Christ. But let us now consider why our Lord Jesus Christ is set before our eyes for our faith too aim at, and too rest wholly upon. It is because we shall find in him what soever belongeth too the making of us righteous. I have told you already, that we be taken for righteous before God when he forgiveth our sins, and calleth them not too account any more. And how shall we obtain that, but by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed to wash us withal? For inasmuch as he hath made full amends for us by his death and passion: therefore God is appeased towards us, conditionally that we seek not to pay him with any other thing, than with the sacrifice that was offered up to him by his only son our Lord Jesus Christ, ⟨image 111⟩