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

I Have declared heretofore, that although S. Paul at the first blush bring not any reason that seemeth to be of great weight or importance: yet notwithstanding it is not for naught that he doubteth least his labour be lost, and all the fruit of his travel among the Galatians be perished, seeing they observed the holy days and other Ceremonies of the law. For we must not look upon the day itself, or upon the kind of meat, or upon such other like things: but we must consider to what end men forbear the eating of any kind of meat, or why they keep certain days, and so of other Ceremonies. Now I have told you that by that means the light of the Gospel is after a sort damned, or rather utterly quenched. For the end why all those things were ordained in old time, was that the fathers might be foded and maintained in the hope of the redeemer, who was not yet come among them. But now that our Lord Jesus Christ is come into the world, and hath finished and performed all that was requisite for mans salvation, it were an utter derogation too the full perfectness that is in him, if men should still busy themselves with figures. It were all one as if a man should draw a Curtain before him that he might not be known as he is. Furthermore, there goes a binding with it: and when a thing is commanded under pain of deadly sin, mens consciences are made subject too such tyranny, that God forgoeth his authority and dominion over us, for he will not have us to make conscience of any thing that is not commanded by him. And truly the thing wherein he will be discerned from his creatures, is that he have all sovereignty in ruling our life: that the thing which he commandeth be accepted as good and needful without gainsaying: that the things which he forbiddeth, be omitted, and that men make no reckoning nor conscience of them. But in observing the Ceremonies and in thinking to deserve at Gods hand for so doing, there is yet a further matter: namely that we renounce or give over the thing that is purchased for us by the death and passion of the son of God our Lord Jesus Christ, wh••e hath discharged us of all debts due ⟨p. 200⟩unto God his father. Not to give us liberty to do evil, but too the end we should flee unto him alone when we have done amiss.

I Haue declared heeretofore, that although S. Paule at the firste blush bring not any reason that seemeth to be of great weyght or importance: yetnotwithstanding it is not for naught that he doubteth least his labour be lost, and all the frute of his trauell among the Galathians bee perished, seeyng they obserued the holy dayes and other Ceremonies of the law. For wee must not looke vppon the day itselfe, or vppon the kynd of meate, or vppon such other like things: but we must consider to what end men forbeare the eating of any kind of meate, or why they keepe certayne dayes, and so of other Ceremonies. Now I haue tolde you that by that meanes the lyght of the Gospell is after a sort damned, or rather vtterly quenched. For the end why al those things were ordeined in old time, was that the fathers might be foded and mainteyned in the hope of the redeemer, who was not yet come amōg thē. But now that our Lord Iesus Christ is come into the worlde, and hath finished and performed all that was requisite for mans saluation, it were an vtter derogation too the full perfectnesse that is in him, if men should still buzie themselues with figures. It were all one as if a man shoulde drawe a Curtaine before hym that hee myght not bee knowen as he is. Furthermore, there goes a binding with it: and when a thing is commaunded vnder peyne of deadly sinne, mennes consciences are made subiect too suche tyrannye, that God forgoeth hys authoritie and dominion ouer vs, for he will not haue vs to make conscience of any thyng that is not commaunded by hym. And truly the thing wherein hee will be discerned from his creatures, is that hee haue all souerenitie in ruling our lyfe: that the thing whych he commaundeth be accepted as good and needefull without gaynsaying: that the thinges which he forbiddeth, be omitted, and that men make no reckening nor conscience of them. But in obseruing the Ceremonies and in thinking to deserue at Gods hand for so doing, there is yet a further matter: namely that we renounce or giue ouer the thing that is purchaced for vs by the death and passion of the sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Christ, whe hath discharged vs of all dettes due