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, we see that the cause of this marriage between Abraham and Hagar, happened through the overmuch hastiness of Sarah, because she thought that God forslowed the performance of his promise so long, and she was desirous to have issue. But she thought that that could not come to pass by her own means, & therefore she made a very evil construction upon Gods word, and it appeareth that she was not so patient & well stayed in her faith as was requisite. To be short the marriage was to be condemned, and no better than whoredom, howbeit that Abraham's intent was not so. For he was not led with wicked lust. He might very well have desired to have had the seed whereof the salvation of the world should spring: but see what our foolish intents do. When we attempt one thing or other without having Gods word for our warrant, we shall be carried and led into many faults through our own rashness. After this manner is Ismael borne of Hagar the bondwoman, and yet is that no Lawful marriage nor allowed of God. Isaac is borne of Sarah long time after Ismael: for Ismael might well have bin sixteen year old ere Isaac was borne. But Saint Paul following the record of Moses, saith that Isaac was borne by promise, and Ismael after the flesh. Not that Abraham begat not his son Isaac: but that he did it by power from heaven, because his body was already withered and as good as half dead, and he had not any more lustiness in him. He was a man of a hundred years old, & his wife also pricked much about the same age, who had bin barren all the foretime of her life, & was full fourscore & ten years old or thereabouts ere she might conceive & be with child, insomuch that even she her self also thought it to be but a tale and a laughing matter, when the message was brought him by the Angels.¹ Ye see then that Isaac was borne by promise. For in that case God wrought by miracle, too the end it might be known that our Lord Jesus should be sent into the world, not after the common order of nature, but as proceeding of Gods goodness and wonderful forepurpose. But howsoever the case stand, ye see here in the house of Abraham (who is as it were a figure and image of the Church) two women with their two children borne of either of them one. Now as t••ching Hagar, S. Paul saith that she ⟨p. 216⟩representeth mount Sinai where the Law is given:

Agayne, wee see that the cause of this mariage betweene Abraham and Agar, happened through the ouermuch hastinesse of Sara, bicause she thought that God forslowed the performance of his promise so long, and she was desirous to haue issue. But shee thought that that could not come to passe by hir owne meanes, & therfore she made a very euil construction vpon Gods word, and it apereth that she was not so pacient & well stayed in hir fayth as was requisite. To be short the mariage was to be condemned, and no better than whordome, howbeeit that Abrahams intent was not so. For he was not led with wicked lust. He might very well haue desired to haue had the seede wherof the saluation of the worlde should spring: but see what our foolish intents doo. VVhen wee attempt one thing or other without hauing Gods word for our warrāt, we shal be caried and led into many faults through our own rashnesse. After this maner is Ismaell borne of Agar the bondwoman, and yet is that no Lawfull mariage nor allowed of God. Isaac is borne of Sara long tyme after Ismaell: for Ismaell myght well haue bin sixteene yeere olde ere Isaac was borne. But Sainct Paule followyng the recorde of Moyses, saythe that Isaac was borne by promyse, and Ismaell after the fleshe. Not that Abraham begat not his sonne Isaac: but that he did it by power from heauen, bycause his body was already withered and as good as half dead, and he had not any more lustinesse in him. He was a man of a hundred yeeres old, & his wife also pricked much about the same age, who had bin barrein all the foretime of hir life, & was full fourscore & ten yeres old or thereabouts ere she might conceiue & be with child, in somuch that euē she hir selfe also thought it to be but a tale and a laughing matter, when the message was brought him by the Angels.