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

At this day we know that the Son of God hath by his offering up of himself in sacrifice, and by his shedding of his blood for us purchased us ever lasting redemption, so ⟨image 209⟩that we come with our heads upright before God, not doubting but that we obtain life by the death of him that was not subject too it, but of his own good will made himself subject too it as our surety, to the end that we might be quit and discharged by his death & passion. Thus ye see that at this day the law is abolished towards us, & that we be delivered from it, even to obtain the adoption. Howbeit, in speaking so, S. Paul meaneth not that the Patriarchs, Kings, Prophets and other faithful folks that lived under the old Testament, were not the children of God as well as we, or that they knew not themselves to be adopted by faith as well as we: but that the said adoption was not yet so revealed as it is now adays. For (as we have seen) the law was a Tutor too rule little children. But we be come to the age of men, because the son of God hath showed himself, and brought us all perfectness by his coming. Then seeing it is so: we do now enjoy the adoption which the fathers did but as it were taste of afore, because the time was not yet come. Not that God wrought not in them with such measure of his spirit as he thought good: but because the case concerneth the order of government that God held, & not the persons themselves, as I have said already. For in those days there were shadows and figures, so that it was as a chain of bondage: but now that our Lord Jesus Christ calleth us to him, and that the veil of the temple is rent asunder: he hath prepared us a Sanctuary, not builded with mans hand, but of a heavenly making, whereinto we may boldly enter, inasmuch as he is gone in thither before us. Ye see then that we be received fully into this adoption, because the law hath no more power over us, as it had in the time of the figures and shadows. Now too confirm this matter, S. Paul addeth, that God showeth that he taketh us for his children, because the spirit of his son is in us, crying father: Speaking of the holy ghost, he doth by a circumstance term him the spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ. For by what title can we be Gods children, but because we be members of his only son, to whom that right honour, and dignity belongeth by nature?

At this day wee knowe that the Sonne of God hath by his offering vp of himselfe in sacrifize, and by his sheading of his bloud for vs purcha••d vs euer lasting redēptiō, so