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

Ye see then what we have to remember: as if S. Paul should say, that although we to the uttermost of our power have abolished the grace of God: yet not withstanding he on his part is loth they should perish & would fain make them to prosper. And thereunto he rebuketh us, to the intent we should not continue unamendable. Therefore whensoever we shall have bin so far overseen as to stray from the right way: yet let us know that our Lord calleth us back too him, and giveth us a mean to return again, if our fault be not matched with wilfulness. Now after that S. Paul hath spoken so, he addeth again, that God had dealt forth the gifts of his holy spirit among the Galatians, yea & that by means of the gospel, insomuch that the same ought to have ⟨p. 122⟩bin enough to hold them to the doctrine which they had received, without turning aside or wandering away from it. Whereas he speaketh here of Gods spirit, he meaneth not the grace that was treated of this morning, which is common to all the faithful: but useth an other kind of reasoning (as we shall see by the sequel:) namely that besides Gods showing of himself generally too all the Galatians, that he had adopted them for his children: he had also ordained Prophets among them, and men endued, some with the gift of Tongues, some with the gift of healing, & othersome with such other like. But all this came to them by means of the Gospel: and therefore their turning back again to the Ceremonies of the law, was a burying of all the operations of Gods spirit. I have told you already how we must bear in mind, that God communicateth his spirit to all [his]: for without that, we could not be Christians, because there is nothing but evil in our nature. God must be fain to reform us & bring us back to himself, so as we may become as it were new creatures. Ye see then that God doth make us generally all partakers of his holy spirit, by means whereof we be touched with the fear of him, enlightened with faith to seek our salvation in Jesus Christ, and cheered up to resort unto God, to call upon him, & to yield our selves obediently to his will: & to be short, so ye see that Gods spirit is common to all the faithful, & to all his children.

Yee see then what wee haue to remember: as if S. Paule should say, that although we to the vttermost of our power haue abolished the grace of God: yet not withstanding he on his part is loth they should perish & would faine make them to prosper. And therevnto he rebuketh vs, to the intent we should not cōtinue vnamendable. Therfore whensoeuer we shall haue bin so far ouerseene as to stray from the right way: yet let vs know that our Lord calleth vs backe too him, and giueth vs a meane to returne againe, if our fault be not matched with wilfulnesse. Now after that S. Paule hath spoken so, he addeth againe, that God had delt foorth the giftes of his holy spirit among the Galathians, yea & that by meanes of the gospel, in somuch that the same ought to haue