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 it is very certain that the forefathers had the spirit of faith or belief, according as I have showed you already that Abraham was justified because he believed God, & that we also must be fashioned like to his example in that behalf, as whereby we be made his children to come to the kingdom of heaven. Then ⟨p. 167⟩had faith his full strength at all times, and there never was any other means to set God and men at one: but yet was not the faith revealed in Abraham's time, because our Lord Jesus Christ who is the very pledge and substance thereof, was not yet come into the world. Thus ye see how we be justified freely at this day, and without any desert of our own. And why is that? For he that believeth that Jesus Christ died for our sins, and is risen again for our justification:¹ hath all the whole. And as it is said in another place, our believing with our hart maketh us righteous, and our confessing with our mouth maketh us safe. But now had Abraham had our Lord Jesus Christ discovered unto him as we have him at this day, (insomuch that he is as good as crucified among us as Saint Paul hath said heretofore:) his faith had bin all one with ours. But it was yet after a sort overcovered, that is to say, although Abraham trusted in Jesus Christ, hoping for salvation at his hand, and although he utterly distrusted himself, knowing that there was virtue in him that might go for payment before God: yet was he held still under shadows, & was fain to look at Jesus Christ a far off. For he was not yet named the day sun of righteousness, as he is called in Malachi.² Now then we see what Saint Paul meant by saying that faith was not yet come namely that the convenient time of the revealing of it to the world as it is nowadays by the Gospel, was not yet come, so that the fathers were shut up under the law. So therefore, here is some piece of difference, and some piece of likeness: insomuch that if it be demanded what the state of the fathers were that lived under the law: it is to be answered, that partly it differed from ours, and partly was all one. How were they both one? In this, that God had showed himself merciful to our father, howbeit for our Lord Jesus Christs sake:

For it is very certaine that the forefathers had the spirit of faith or beleefe, according as I haue shewed you alreadye that Abraham was iustifyed bycause he beleeued God, & that wee also must be fashioned like to his example in that behalfe, as whereby we be made his children to come to the kingdom of heauē. Then