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

for he seeth much clearer than we do,¹ as saith Saint John in his canonical Epistle. Thus then is our pleading utterly void. Thus is sentence given that we cannot be justified by the law, but by faith only.

for hee seeth much cleerer than we do,¹ as sayth Sainct Iohn in his canonicall Epistle. Thus then is our pleading vtterly voyd. Thus is sentence gyuen that we cannot be iustifyed by the lawe, but by fayth only.

1. 11. John. 3. d. 20.1. Iohn. 3. d. 20.

And now the Apostle going forward with his matter, useth another reason, which is, that if we seek righteousness in the law, the same will be a clean contrary one to the righteousness which Gods children and chosen people obtain by faith. For what manner of one is the righteousness of the law saith he? [This it is.] He that doth those things shall live in them: that is to say, whosoever obeyeth God and doth his commandments, shall have salvation for his labour. Lo here a fair promise: but what good will it do us? If we will assay to do the things thoroughly which are commanded us, we shall every one of us see that God showeth us our condemnation so much the greevouser, as if he had set it down before us. What would become of our salvation, if we should seek it in ourselves, and be fain to earn it? Now therefore, when we here that God is ready to recompense all such as shall have served and honoured him by keeping of his law: it seemeth to us before we go any further, that we have gotten a marvellous vantage, Tush (say we:) behold, God bindeth himself too us, and warranteth us the heritage of heaven if we serve him and fulfil his will. [Yea:] but when we have compared our life too his doctrine, we shall find that his showing of himself so liberal and bountiful towards us, too bind himself to us for our serving of him and for our keeping of his law, is a plunging of us much deeper into the gulf wherein we were before. What shall we do then? We must resort to the remedy which the Apostle setteth down here before us by the mouth of Habakkuk: which is that the righteous shall live by faith. Therefore let us refuse the promise of the law because it is not for our behoof,