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

WE have seen heretofore to what dignity we be advanced by the Gospel. For not only we be called to be of the fellowship & company of the holy fathers whom God honoured so highly: but also our state is yet more worthy and noble, because we be delivered from the bondage of the Law, whereunder they were held. And for the better confirming of this doctrine, S. Paul addeth that we be all made the children of God by believing in our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹according also as it is said in the first Chapter of S. Johns Gospel. For there this dignity is commended to us as it deserveth: namely, that we have preeminence and prerogative to be counted. Gods children through faith, verily for our Lord Jesus Christs sake, who is his only and natural son. For that title belongeth alonely to him by right, and is communicated to us but only by grace, inasmuch as God hath vouchsafed to adopt us for his sake. So then Jesus Christ is the head of the Church: howbeit for his sake god acknowledgeth & avoweth us for his children. And here we see that the word Belief importeth more than men commonly take it to do, according also as I have declared before. For they that are not exercised in the holy Scripture, think it strange that God should honour us so highly for believing, & (to their seeming) faith is not so great a virtue that it ought to obtain so great a benefit. But I have showed you heretofore, that our believing in Jesus Christ is not as the crediting of some story when we hear it or read it, but a receiving and conceiving of him inwardly with full assuredness as he is offered us by God his father. Therefore when we embrace our Lord Jesus Christ, as the party that hath made amends for our sins too reconcile us too God, so as we repose the whole trust of our welfare in him, not ⟨p. 171⟩doubting but that he hath brought us all that is for the inheriting of heaven: I say if we be once assured of that: it is no marvel though God acknowledge us as his children for our beliefs sake. Howbeit therewithal we must call to our remembrance, what we have discoursed before: namely that this [benefit of God in acknowledging us to be his children] cometh not of any desert of faith, neither must we weigh it here in the balance what manner of virtue it is: for we be made Gods children by free adoption. If a man demand the cause:

WE haue seene heretofore to what dignitie we be aduaunced by the Gospell. For not only we be called to be of the felowship & company of the holy fathers whom God honored so highly: but also our state is yet more woorthie and noble, bicause we be deliuered from the bondage of the Lawe, whervnder they were hilde. And for the better confirming of this doctrine, S. Paule addeth that we be al made the children of God by beleeuing in our Lord Iesus Christ,