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

When he saith that the scripture hath shut up all under sin, he showeth that men are too blockish, too think that God meant too assign them a due wages or hire, when he did set them down this condition. He that doth these things shall live in them. Let them read the whole law, let them search the contents and substance of it, let them look well upon the whole holy Scripture: and they shall find that it accuseth and condemneth all men from the most to the least, without any exception. Now if we be all condemned, even by the law: what would we more? Must it not needs be that we be too much blinded with hypocrisy, when we will needs bind God to us after this sort, notwithstanding that we be far wide from all righteousness, and he hath told us that we can not compass it in his sight, but that we must be utterly overwhelmed? S. Paul allegeth not here any text too show that the Scripture hath shut up all under sin, but taketh it as utterly certain and which ought not to be doubted of any more among the faithful. And for proof thereof we see, that even from the creation of the world, we be all of us corrupted in Adam. His sin condemned not him self only, but also all his whole offspring, and all of us are fallen in that fall of his.¹ And thereupon it is said, that all our thoughts are rebellings against God, and there is nothing but naughtiness in us. What then is mans wit? A warehouse of all wickedness. And seeing that God hath avouched it to be so at a word, what shall we gain by challenging this or that too our selves? For all our starting holes shall but increase our misery, because that in so doing we spite God, and kindle his wrath so much the more. For whereto served all the sacrifices, but to show us to our faces, that all men are utterly accursed so long as they continue in them? And although there were no sacrifices at all, yet very experience showeth it. Let every of us enter into himself, let him consider what manner a one he is, and let him view himself in the perfection which the holy scripture requireth at our hands: & he shall well find that there is no way for him but to embrace the promise of Gods mercy which he maketh unto us,² when he saith that our iniquities shall be wiped out, & that there is no way for us to come to him, but only by his love. ⟨image 187⟩And doth he not hereby still bewray our sin?