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

But howsoever we deal, we cannot assure ourselves of Gods love, unless we be discharged against him of the obligation of everlasting death wherein we stand bound. Now we attain that benefit when we be persuaded by the Gospel, that the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ was shed to wash away all our spots, and that his death is a sufficient sacrifice too appease Gods wrath, and to wipe out the remembrance of all our offences & iniquities. Ye see then that the way to set us free, is to know that God receiveth us to mercy for our Lord Jesus Christs sake, & that our faults & sins shall not hinder us to find favour always in his sight, or to have familiar access unto him, as children have unto their fathers. Secondly we must not be wavering too & fro, to make conscience of every thing that men devise of their own heads: but walk steadfastly according to gods word, knowing moreover that our con sciences are free, & that whither men command or forbid any thing, it is nothing to us, I mean as in respect of the spiritual regiment of our souls: For we talk not here of civil policy nor of the common life of men, but of our salvation. So then, all things ought too be free unto us when they be not forbidden us by Gods own mouth. Yet is it not enough that we have Gods word for our guide without mingling any thing at all with it: but (as I have touched already) we must therewithal know, that God accepteth our affection when he seeth us willing to obey him, and that although there be much faultiness, and over many infirmities in us, and that we come halting unto him, and […] that all that ever we do were ⟨p. 230⟩trifling toys if he listed to examine them with rigor•: yet nevertheless, he taketh all in good worth. And why? For he beareth with us as a father with his children. That therefore is the freedom wherein we must stand, except we will be separated from our lord Jesus Christ For (as I have said already) if we believe not assuredly that God loveth us, though we be unworthy of it, and that his loving of us is because our sins are buried by the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ: what will become of us? what shall Jesus Christ boot us?

But howsoeuer we deale, we cannot assure ourselues of Gods loue, vnlesse wee bee discharged againste him of the obligation of euerlasting death wherein we stād bound. Now we atteine that benefyte when we be perswaded by the Gospel, that the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ was shed to wash away al our spottes, and that his death is a sufficient sacrifise too appease Gods wrath, and to wipe out the remembrance of al our offences & iniquities. Ye see then that the way to set vs free, is to know that God receiueth vs to mercie for our Lord Iesus Christs sake, & that our faults & sins shal not hinder vs to find fauor alwais in his sight, or to haue familiar accesse vnto him, as children haue vntoo theyr fathers. Secōdly we must not be wauering too & fro, to make cōscience of euery thing that mē deuise of their owne heads: but walke stedfastly according to gods word, knowing moreouer that our cō sciēces are free, & that whither men cōmand or forbid any thing, it is nothing to vs, I meene as in respect of the spirituall regiment of our soules: For we talke not heere of ciuil policie nor of the common life of men, but of our saluation. So then, all things ought too bee free vntoo vs when they bee not forbidden vs by Gods owne mouth. Yet is it not ynough that we haue Gods word for our guide without mingling any thing at all with it: but (as I haue touched alreadye) we must therewithall know, that God accepteth our affection when he seeth vs willing to obey him, and that although there be much faultinesse, and ouer many infirmities in vs, and that we come halting vnto him, and that all that euer wee doo were