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

accordingly also as our Lord Jesus Christ allegeth the similitude of a servant, not of such servants as are now adays, but such slaves or bondmen as were in those days. If a bondslave had bin slain a hundred times for his master, yet was it at his masters will whither he should live or dye still. Therefore our Lord Jesus Christ maketh his allegation in this wise. Go to, ye be but poor mortal creatures yourselves: and yet if any of you have a bondslave, he will hold him as an Ass or an Ox: and when the servant after sore travel and labour with great pain all the day long, returneth home at night, his master will not make him too sit down at the table with him: for he hath done no more than his duty and that which he was bound to do. Now then, shall God be of less authority or in worse case than mortal men? For so much as you are his, although you endeavour to walk in his obedience, yet can he not be any whit beholden to you. And so (as I have declared already) whereas God hath said in his law, that he which doth these things shall live in them: what moved him to such bountifulness as to promise us everlasting life? It was not for that he owed us any thing. Kill we ourselves a hundred thousand times to serve him, yet cannot that bind him too yield us any recompense. Howbeit, of his own superabundant goodness he cometh and saith, Although I owe ye not any thing at all, nor you be able to bring aught that may deserve any recompense, (for you be bound unto me in all points and all respects:) yet will I reward you for your labour. Go to therefore; settle yourselves to your duty, and do the things that I command you, and you shall not be disappointed of your payment. Thus ye see in effect what we have too remember, as I must tell you yet once again hereafter. Now the Papists will well enough grant this in part, but not commonly. For the most part (I mean of those that are the Popes right champions) can no skill of those principles at this day. Yet will some of them grant, that whereas God hath in his ⟨image 159⟩law promised the reward of life to such as serve him: it is to show that works are not of such value as to deserve everlasting life, but by reason of the promise. But presuppose that God hath bound himself as he hath done: and then they think that we deserve: and why?

accordingly also as our Lorde Iesus Christe alledgeth the similitude of a seruant, not of suche seruants as are now adayes, but such slaues or bondmen as were in those dayes. If a bondslaue had bin slayne a hundred tymes for his master, yet was it at his maysters will whither hee shoulde liue or dye still. Therfore our Lorde Iesus Christ maketh his allegation in this wyse. Go to, ye bee but poore mortall creatures yourselues: and yet if any of you haue a bondslaue, hee will holde him as an Asse or an Oxe: and when the seruant after sore trauell and labour with great payne all the day long, returneth home at night, his master will not make him too sit downe at the table with him: for he hath done no more than his duetie and that which he was bound to do. Now then, shall God be of lesse authoritie or in worse cace than mortall mē? For somuch as you are his, although you indeuer to walke in his obedience, yet can he not be any whit beholden to you. And so (as I haue declared alreadie) wheras God hathe sayd in his law, that he which doth these things shall lyue in them: what moued him to such bountifulnesse as to promis vs euerlasting lyfe? It was not for that he owed vs any thing. Kill we ourselues a hundred thousand tymes to serue him, yet cannot that bind him too yeeld vs any recompence. Howbeit, of his owne superabundant goodnesse he commeth and sayth, Although I owe ye not any thing at all, nor you be able to bring aught that may deserue any recompence, (for you be bound vnto mee in all poynts and all respects:) yet will I rewarde you for your labour. Go to therfore; settle yourselues to your duetie, and do the things that I commaund you, and you shall not be disapointed of your paiment. Thus ye see in effect what wee haue too remember, as I must tell you yet once agayne hereafter. Now the Papistes will welynough graunt this in part, but not commonly. For the most part (I meene of those that are the Popes right champions) can no skil of those principles at this day. Yet wil some of thē graunt, that wheras God hath in his