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 speaketh ⟨p. 165⟩not of the things that are told us in the law and the prophets, but of Gods secret judgement, in that it was his will that all of us should be as good as drowned in destruction, to the intent that there should be no salvation but only by his goodness. Then if it be demanded why God hath suffered men to fall into so miserable plight: it is because he will have us beholden to his only mercy for all things. Truly this will seem strange to many fantastical persons, which would fain restrain God to their measure, and are so rash that when Gods determinations pass beyond their fleshly reason, by and by they condemn him for spiteful and cruel. Yet for all that, S. Paul will have us too rest upon this saying, that God hath shut up all under sin, that is to say, that he could well have created us much stedfaster and perfecter than he hath done. He could have preserved us as he doth his Angels. He could have given us such constancy in the person of Adam, that we should have entered into the heritage of heaven without dying. Yea and he could have made that no more should have fallen in the person of Adam, but Adam alone. But he listed not so to do. If it be demanded why the mischief spreaded out further: is it not because God would have it so? Therefore we must in this case, as it were bridle and imprison ourselves, and receive the doctrine in such wise as Saint Paul hath uttered it: namely that God hath put us all under sin, to the intent we should resort to him for mercy. But it is not enough that God hath so determined it in his secrete purpose: it was requisite also that the determination should be published and known. For until such time as men perceive themselves too be condemned: they will still be weltering in some vain selftrust, and boast of themselves, as we see too much. The Scripture therefore must be fain to bring us to this understanding, that every of us may condemn himself for a sinner, as it were with his own mouth, yea and that we do it unfeignedly. And why? Because it is by believing, that we obtain the promise, that is to say the righteousness that is freely promised us.¹ In the said text of the eleventh to the Romans which I alleged even now, Saint Paul saith, to the intent to show mercy upon all: but here he showeth that it is not for all men to be partakers of it in general.

For he speaketh ⟨p. 165⟩