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

Then was there none other satisfaction than the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. And he came not into the world too discharge us of the bond of everlasting death wherein we were bound, by his divine and heavenly power. How then? By weakness. And not only so: but also he was fain to be counted accursed, or else we should have lien still overwhelmed with the burden, and have perished all of us in that gulf. Therefore when we see that the son of God who not only is the unspotted Lamb, and the mirror of all righteousness, holiness and perfection, but also the very wellspring thereof, was held accursed for us: ought we not at the sight thereof to conceive such a terror for our sins, that we should be as good as swallowed up with despair, till we be plucked back again by the infinite grace and goodness of our God? So then let us mark well, that when it is told us that we were ransomed from the curse of the Law, God intendeth thereby to bring us to true humility. But that cannot be, unless men be utterly confounded in themselves, so as they ⟨image 166⟩be ashamed too look upon themselves, and therewithal also afraid and dismayed, knowing that Gods wrath waiteth ready for them, till our Lord Jesus Christ do remedy the matter. Thus ye see that all our whole life is loathsome before God, and there is no way for us too come too atonement with him, till our Lord Jesus Christ take upon him the cursedness that is in us, and bear it in his own person. And therefore as oft as we read this text, let every of us awake and set himself before Gods judgement seat, that we may feel there as it were a gulf to swallow us up quite and clean, and thereat be abashed for very shame of our selves: and [on the other side] so much the more magnify the grace that is purchased for us in the person of the son of God, and keep our selves warily from diminishing his dignity, in that he is said to be accursed: and rather thereby be the more provoked to yield him his due and deserved praise, for that he hath showed himself to esteem our welfare so highly▪ Furthermore let us make our profit of that pledge of our salvation and of the love that God beareth us, so as we doubt not but that God liketh well of us when we come to him,¹ seeing he hath bought us so deer, that (as S.

Then was there none other satisfaction than the persone of our Lord Iesus Christe. And he came not into the world too discharge vs of the bonde of euerlasting death wherein we were bound, by his diuine and heauenly power. How then? By weakenesse. And not onely so: but also he was fayne to bee counted accursed, or else we should haue lien still ouerwhelmed with the burthen, and haue perished all of vs in that gulf. Therefore when wee see that the sonne of God who not only is the vnspotted Lambe, and the mirrour of all rightuousnesse, holinesse and perfection, but also the very welspring thereof, was hilde accursed for vs: ought wee not at the sight thereof to conceyue such a terrour for our sinnes, that wee should be as good as swallowed vp with despayre, till we be plucked backe againe by the infinite grace and goodnesse of our God? So then let vs marke well, that when it is tolde vs that wee were raunsomed from the curse of the Lawe, God intendeth thereby to bryng vs to true humilitie. But that cannot bee, vnlesse men be vtterly cōfounded in themselues, so as they