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

This were enough to make us abhor our selves. And needs must it be that we be worse than loathly, seeing there is none other means to appease Gods wrath towards us, and to set us again in his favour, than by his covering of our sins, & by his cleansing of us from all our filthiness & infection, by blotting out all our wickedness: & that the same must be done by clothing our selves with Jesus Christ, according to the figure thereof which we fee in Jacob,¹ when God blessed him by the hand & mean of his father. True it is that Jacob was ch••en as Jacob: but yet was he fain to be ⟨p. 174⟩apparelled as Esau. So was he himself as in respect of Gods calling of him to the heritage or birthright: and he was another man in respect of his borrowing of his brothers clothing. Even so come we also as chosen of God and as having his promise, whereby he assureth us that he is ready to receive us to mercy: but yet must we first & formest be clothed with our Lord Jesus Christ. For if we appear in our own likeness, God must needs hate and abhor us as we be worthy. That is the thing whereof we be warned. But in the mean while let us fare the better by the warrant that is given us in baptism, that we may be able to fight against all the temptations and distrusts which Satan setteth before our eyes to shake our faith withal. If we be blockish so as we perceive not our own vices, but be as it were rotten in them, woe be to us. But if we be wakened, to bethink our selves what it is to make account before god, so as it cometh evening & morning to our remembrance, that he is the judge of the world and cannot give up his office: if we enter into our selves to make examination of our sins: surely we must needs be afraid & as it were besides our selves: & if we had no help to relieve us, we should needs be drowned in despair. But let us have our recourse to our baptism, & assure our selves that it is not for nought that God hath called us to be partakers of the pureness of his only son, & made us all one with him: & then shall his bloodshed have such effect to cleanse us from all our spots, as we may come before God with our heads upright: not with such loftiness as hypocrites have, which presume upon themselves: but upon trust of his inestimable goodness, inasmuch as he hath told us that all things which belong to our Lord Jesus Christ are common to us.