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 take me the scion of a tree, and cut me of the head, or some bough of another tree, and grief me that little scion into it, that was taken from another, and ye see they grow both into one, so as they become both one substance, and the root yieldeth his sap too the little sprig that was taken from another tree. Even after the same manner are we grafted into our Lord Jesus Christ (sayeth S. Paul) and that is too the end that our old man should be crucified in him, and we be raised up again in newness of life. But ⟨image 196⟩here we have first too mark, how gracious and bountiful God hath and still doth show himself towards us, in that it pleaseth him too unite us too his own son: for that passeth all the benefits which we can conceive in our imagination. And therefore also doth S. Paul prove, that all things which God hath, do belong unto us,¹ and that we have the enjoying of them, when we once possess his Sonne. Seeing (sayeth he) that God hath not spared his own Son, how should he not give us all things with him. Too be short, God could not have uttered the infinite treasures better, than by joining us after that manner to his only Sonne. It is more than if he had given us heaven and earth: For surely if we compare Jesus Christ with all the goods of the world, yea and all the goods that are above the earthly world: he far surmounteth them all. Mark that for one point. Furthermore let us understand that God hath so united us to our Lord Jesus Christ, as we must be fain to have all our life in him. And it serveth to humble us the better, and to make us perceive how horrible a thing it is to be wrapped in the cursedness of Adam. For if the holy Scripture told us not that we must be united to our Lord Jesus Christ, before we can be in Gods favour: we should not feel sufficiently the wretchedness wherein we be held by nature, neither should we hate our sins so much as we ought to do. But now that it is told us how it is impossible, (yea though all the Angels should come to our aid, & that all the world should help forward the matter): and too be short, that although nothing wanted yet it were impossible for us to come near unto God, or that he should look upon us with a fatherly countenance, yea or that he should acknowledge us for his creatures, till we be clothed with our Lord Jesus Christ:

For take mee the syen of a tree, and cut mee of the head, or some bough of another tree, and greffe mee that little syen into it, that was taken from another, and yee see they growe bothe into one, so as they become bothe one substance, and the roote yeeldeth his sap too the little sprig that was taken from another tree. Euen after the same maner are wee greffed intoo our Lord Iesus Christe (sayeth S. Paule) and that is too the end that our old man should be crucified in him, and we be raysed vp againe in newnesse of life. But