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

And thereupon Saint Paul addeth, that he doth not despise or shake off the grace of God. This is the knitting up of the things that we have hitherto seen. For here he meant too show, that the Devil must needs possess those that make none account of Gods mercy, that is uttered in our Lord Jesus Christ, and daily offered us in his Gospel. For look how oft the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ is preached unto us, and the infinite goodness of our God talked of: so oft is this message renewed unto us, that our Lord Jesus Christ calleth us unto him, to the end we should forsake the world and being out of all hope ⟨image 128⟩in our selves, fasten and settle our whole trust in him. Sith it is so: it is good reason that we should not reject the grace of God. And S. Paul in saying so, meant to call back such as had gone astray before, and too show them the way, as if he had said, whereas the poor ignorant souls that never heard word of the Gospel might be excused: we must needs be worse than damnable, seeing we refuse the grace of God when it is offered us: for it smelleth of such an unthankfulness, as can by no means be excused. Saint Paul therefore doth here make mention of those whom our Lord Jesus Christ calleth too the hope of salvation by his Gospel, and yet do still welter in their own wretchedness, and become brutish, not knowing whither there be a better life or no• or else of such as are sufficiently tormented with inward heartbyting, and yet seek no remedy nor comfort. Yet notwithstanding, all they too whom our Lord Jesus Christ hath not preached his Gospel, shall not fail to perish without mercy, They cannot defend themselves by ignorance: I say that all the heathen folk and Idolaters that ever were, must have their mouths stopped. And what shall become of us then, which have had our ears beaten daily with the message that God sendeth us: which is that he requireth nothing but that we should be drawn unto him, whereunto he encourageth, yea and beseecheth us, as we have seen in the second to the Corinthians?¹ It is not a great shame for us, that God should so far abase himself in the person of his only son, that he should beseech us? Let us fall to atonement, saith he. And what hath he done on his side? What hath he offended us?

And therevppon Saint Paule addeth, that hee dooth not dispize or shake off the grace of God. This is the knitting vppe of the things that wee haue hythertoo seene. For heere he ment too shewe, that the Diuell must needes possesse those that make none accounte of Gods mercie, that is vttered in our Lorde Iesus Christ, and dayly offered vs in his Gospell. For looke howe oft the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ is preached vntoo vs, and the infinite goodnesse of our God talked of: so oft is this message renued vntoo vs, that our Lorde Iesus Christ calleth vs vntoo hym, to the ende we should forsake the worlde and being out of all hope