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

Howbeit he addeth, that that [promise] served not for the Jews alone, but rather that all men in general are comprehended in it. For without that addition, the doctrine that we have treated of would serve us to no purpose. God chose Abraham and his offspring: So then, are we shut out from the hope of salvation: for his choosing importeth a forsaking of all those whom he chooseth not: but he hath chosen the linage of Abraham, and so by that means it seemeth that all of us are forsaken. But the promise which Saint Paul rehearseth consisteth of two parts. The one is, that God would be the protector of Abraham's linage, and shoal it out from the rest of the world.¹ The other is, that all nations should be blessed in Abraham and in his seed. Now if God had placed his Church in the only household of Abraham, then should we at this day be miserable. But forasmuch as in the second part we also are joined in it, and God enlargeth his goodness and mercy further, which he had appointed too one certain linage: by that means we become partakers of salvation: And that is the thing which Saint Paul treateth of here, [when he telleth us] that the Scripture foreseeing that God not only justifieth the Jews, but also useth the like mercy towards the Gentiles, which were as good as cut off from the house, saith, All Nations shall be blessed in thee. Then is there no speaking here of some handful of men, or of some certain people: but without any exception, God openeth the gate to all such as had erst bin quite and clean past hope. And thereupon also Saint Paul concludeth, that they which are of faith shall be blessed with faithful Abraham As if he should say, when God justified Abraham, he had not respect neither to Circumcision, nor to any thing that he had wherewith too win favour after the opinion of men: but received him in another key, that is to wit, as a believing man. God therefore contented himself with Abraham's faith only. And in that respect also it was his will too make him the father of the whole Church. Seeing then that God made none account of any thing else in Abraham but of his faith:² let us conclude that God doth now still receive us to him in likewise, if we have the like faith that Abraham had, though not in like measure, ⟨p. 127⟩and that God taketh it in good worth, though we do but follow him aloof.