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

Again if we perceive our selves to have committed so many offences that Gods wrath is kindled against us: behold, Jesus Christ hath offered a sacrifice, whereby we know that the atonement is made between God and us. Seeing then that God hath so testified his love towards us: let us not mistrust but that he will prevent us when so ever we seek him in true faith, that is too say, with such steadfastness as we doubt not that he meant too disappoint us when he pretended too be so liberal towards us. Thus ye see that the way too make our baptism available to us, is too use it as a shield too beat back all the distrusts that ⟨image 197⟩come upon us too stop us from praying unto God, and from having our whole recourse unto him, if we went not unto him, [saying thus in our selves]: Surely it is true that I have such store of sins in me, as the number of them were able too make God too loth me: but therefore I will not go too him in mine own person: I renounce my self and mine own nature, as wherein there is nothing but shame and confusion: and I go to him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, yea and he goeth before me, he giveth me as it were his garment, he speaketh for me, and in his name do I present my self as though I were very he, because it hath pleased him to be so gracious too me as to make me all one with him. Thus ye see that we must leave our selves behind us when we come before God, and we must take upon us the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, yea we leave our selves behind us. Not that we should not perceive our own misdoings and be rightly humbled and sorry for them: but [that we should do the clean contrary, and] yet notwithstanding take it for a full and resolute certainty, that God accepteth us when we come unto him as in the person of his only Sonne. But there are very few that think upon this. And in good sooth, although that all of us profess the Gospel, yet we shall find a number that know not the true use of baptism, nor whereto it availeth, nor to what end it was ordained. But such folk shall pay dearly for taking such a pledge at Gods hand. He will show that it is to costly a thing too be abused, forasmuch as it is said to be the mean whereby we be united to our Lord Jesus Christ, and ingrafted into his death and resurrection.

Againe if we perceyue our selues to haue cōmitted so many offences that Gods wrath is kindled against vs: behold, Iesus Christ hath offered a sacrifice, wherby we know that the attonement is made betweene God and vs. Seyng then that God hath so testified his loue towardes vs: let vs not mistrust but that he will preuent vs when so euer wee seeke him in true fayth, that is too say, with suche stedfastnesse as wee doubte not that he ment too disappoynt vs when hee pretended too bee so liberall towardes vs. Thus yee see that the way too make our baptisme auaylable to vs, is too vse it as a sheeld too beate backe all the distrustes that