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 an assuring of our selves that he taketh us for his children, and that we may fully and freely call upon him as our father, because he accepteth us for our Lord Jesus Christs sake. Then if we be sure of the favour and fatherly love of our God, and take such warrantize of it by his promises, that we have our look wholly fastened upon our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom we find means too come unto God, and too go freely unto him: that is the very thing which S. Paul meant by that word Faith. And so, when he sayeth that too be Abraham's children we must be faithful: it is all one as if he said, that we cannot be faithful Christians nor members of the Church, but by faith: that is to say, except we be bereft of all opinion of our own deservings, & moreover so beaten down and dismayed in our selves, as we may not wot where too become, nor seek any other means of salvation, than in the free goodness which God offereth us, when he telleth us that we be fordone & damned in our sins, and yet notwithstanding, that we must not cease to have full hope and trust of salvation, in Jesus Christ.

but an assuring of our selues that he taketh vs for his children, and that wee may fully and freely call vppon him as our father, bycause he accepteth vs for our Lord Iesus Christes sake. Then if wee bee sure of the fauour and fatherly loue of our God, and take suche warrantize of it by his promises, that wee haue our looke wholly fastened vppon our Lord Iesus Christe, in whom wee finde meanes too come vnto God, and too go freely vntoo him: that is the very thing whiche S. Paule ment by that woord Fayth. And so, when he sayeth that too bee Ahrahams children wee must bee faythfull: it is all one as if he sayd, that wee cannot bee faythfull Christians nor members of the Church, but by fayth: that is to say, except we be bereft of all opiniō of our owne deseruings, & moreouer so beaten downe and dismayed in our selues, as we may not wote where too become, nor seeke any other meanes of saluatiō, than in the free goodnesse which God offereth vs, when he telleth vs that wee be fordone & damned in our sinnes, and yet notwithstanding, that we must not ceasse to haue full hope and trust of saluation, in Iesus Christ.

Thus ye see what it is for a man to be a Christian: that is too wit, to be utterly out of hart in himself, in consideration that he bringeth nothing with him but sin and cursedness: and yet upon the feeling of himself to be so utterly void of all well deserving: to come unto God to be clothed with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. For it is not enough for us to be out of hart in our selves, as we see that Cain was, who being as it were upon the rack confesseth his fault: (howbeit, that was but through despair, and so consequently there was nothing in him but murmuring and blasphemy against God: & in like case is it with all reprobates or cast aways) but we must so taste of the love of our God, as we may be able to settle our selves upon it, and be out of all doubt that he will receive us if we come to the Gospel, at leastwise if we come in such wise as our hope be grounded, not upon our own selfweening or imagination, but upon Gods promise, & for that we cannot be disappointed in waiting upon him and in holding our selves assured of his word. Thus ye see in effect what it is too be faithful: for we must always have an eye to the disputation that S. Paul undertaketh. He striveth against such as pretended too purchase righteousness before God by the works of the Law. If there were no more but this saying too be of the faith, without considering what matter S. Paul treateth of here: that manner of speech were but dark, But when we see how S. Paul declareth expressly, that all such as go about too purchase favour at Gods hand by their own deservings, are puffed up with pride, and that their presumptuousness shutteth the gate of Paradise against them, and that God vouchsafeth not to hear them, because they defraud him of his due honour, and would fain as it were deck themselves with his feathers, and that they be traitors in robbing him of his righteousness: forasmuch as S. Paul handleth that point: there is now no doubt but he taketh all those too be of the faith, which distrust themselves, and are utterly out of all hope in themselves, and yet notwithstanding do return unto Jesus Christ, resting, leaning, and trusting wholly unto him. Those therefore are the true children of Abraham. But now let us see how few Christians there are in the world. True it is that the word Christian runneth roundly in every mans mouth: