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

But let us take the mirror of Gods word, and there look upon the things that surmount all our wit, and are set far out of this world, and are utterly invisible: and let us lift up our eyes thither, not so far forth as our own reason & skill shall be able to guide us, (for that is not enough) but so as we may climb above the world, and forsake the present things, to the end to hold our selves ⟨image 126⟩fast in Gods promises, and to be patient in all afflictions and miseries whereby we shall be exercised, and against which we must be fain to fight, till we receive the fruit of our victory, when we be conveyed up into the rest of heaven. Thus ye see what have we to gather upon this saying of S. Paul, which might seem dark at the first sight: but when we have on the one side marked well what our state is while we be in this world, and on the other side considered what the nature of faith is, we shall easily perceive that there is no darkness at all in it. And now Saint Paul addeth expressly, that Jesus Christ loved him, and gave himself to the death for him. This is an exposition of that which we saw erewhiles. For men do oftentimes misconstrue the word Faith, because they consider not what the pith of of it is. And in deed every man will be called faithful, and yet even among those that make profession of Christianity, ye shall scarce find one of a hundred that hath so much as one drop of faith. For (as I said afore) it is never sought what is meant by faith. The word is very short, but it draweth a long tail after it, as we see by the addition that is set down here. For Saint Paul declareth that he liveth by faith, because Jesus Christ had loved him, and delivered himself to death for him. As much must we do. For inasmuch as we see that the Son of God; the Lord of glory, the head of the Angels, he by whom all things were made, and by whom all things are still maintained, yieldeth himself to death,¹ yea and too so vile a death, that he took our curse upon him, and not only was hanged upon a Cross, which was an irksome thing to all the world, but also was pronounced accursed by Gods own mouth: seeing (say I) that we have such a price to ransom us from death, and too purchase us life and salvation:

But let vs take the myrrour of Gods worde, and there looke vpon the things that furmount all our wit, and are set far out of this world, and are vtterly inuisible: and let vs lift vp our eies thither, not so far forth as our own reason & skill shalbe able to guide vs, (for that is not inough) but so as we may climbe aboue the world, and forsake the present things, to the end to holde our selues