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

he meaneth that so long as men rest and muse upon their own works, and think to obtain grace by that mean before God: they be cursed. For (as I have declared heretofore) like as he that forsaketh him self, and renounceth all that he hath of his own, and groundeth him self upon the only mercy of God, is of ⟨image 153⟩faith: so contrariwise, he that thinketh too bring any service wherewith too bind God unto him, or imagineth to recompense him with his merits, is of the Law. But saint Paul saith that such are cursed. And why? He allegeth the saying of Moses: Cursed be he that performeth not all that is written here. It had been said afore,¹ Cursed be he that serveth strange Gods: Cursed be he that blasphemeth God:² Cursed be he that breaketh the Sabbath day: Cursed be he that is stubborn against his father and mother: Cursed be he that defileth another mans wife. After the rehearsing of all these Curses, and after the solemn uttering of them, it behoved the people too answer Amen, Amen, as if there had passed some covenant, and that God on his side had made demand, saying: I will have you too serve me after this manner, yea even without failing in any point, and in such wise as ye keep touch with me through stitch in all things that I command you: and the people on their side should answer, Amen, yea Lord we be contented to be all damned if we serve thee not: and then afterward God should come and conclude, Cursed be he that performeth not all that ever is contained in this book, that is too say, which misseth in any one point, and the people should answer again, sobeit. Now seeing that the law curseth all such as perform it not to the full: let us see if there be any one that doth it. It is certain that all men from the greatest too the least are guilty. For why? let us consider the sum of the Law, which is that we should love God with all our hart, with all our mind, with all our power, and with all our strength, and our neighbour as our self and then let every of us try his own life, & he shall need none other judge than him self to con damn him. For although we loved God with an uncorrupted and sound hart unfeignedly: yet can it not be, but that we must be drawn diversly with many vanities. Yea put the case that a man were as perfect as an Angel: