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 the word Seed importeth a linage or offspring, that is to wit, not some one man or ten, or forty, but a whole people. Therefore the Seed of Abraham is the people that came of him, which were so many in number, that it was justly said of them, that they should be as it were twelve Nations. For when mention is made of a people: it will be thought enough to have a hundred thousand of them together: and there were many more in the only tribe of Judah. So then it should seem that Saint Paul did not sufficiently consider what God meant by the word seed, when he said that it is but one only man. But we must weigh well the things that Saint Paul presupposeth here as fully certain and resolute: and then shall we perceive his arguments to be utterly infallible. Abraham had not one son alone: but after Ismael, he had Isaac also. And what became of his eldest son? He was cut off from his house, as we shall see within a while, that is to say in the Chapter following. Behold then, Ismael which had the birthright in Abraham's house, is nevertheless put out and made an utter stranger,¹ yea and as a rotten member, insomuch that it is said of him,² Cast out the son of the handseruante, for he shall not inherit in my house. Afterward Abraham had other children: but every of them had their portions given unto them, and were sent away.³ Thus was only Isaac left at home unto him. Anon after, Isaac had a couple of children, and they were twins of one womb. Esau the firstborn, which ought too have had the preferment, was likewise cast off, so as he was not counted for the linage of Abraham, nor yet was made ⟨image 169⟩partaker of the promised blessing. There was no more left but Jacob. Yea and although the father blessed his son Jacob through ignorance and mistaking:⁴ yet he declareth that it was not in him to revoke, or change the thing that he had uttered with his mouth, because he was the instrument of the holy Ghost. Now then if we take the seed of Abraham for all those that came of his race: The Ishmaelites or Agarenes (as they be called) and such other like, and moreover the Edomites also should be of his household. But the heritage is taken quite and clean from them. Therefore the seed of Abraham must be considered after a peculiar fashion. Let us go forward with the whole process.