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

Now whereas S. Paul sayeth that we wait for the hope of righteousness in spirit: he useth a kind of speech that may seem strange: for what is meant by waiting for the hope of righteousness? Let us mark, that here S. Paul intended to draw us away from all things that are to be seen in this world. For because we be too much inclined and subject too sticking fast here by low, when we have any thing for our senses too rest upon, so as we cannot lift up our minds aloft, and because that men are too fleshly: they ever covet too have al• ••ings open afore their eyes. But ⟨p. 239⟩God purposeth to try our obedience, by referring us too his pure and single word. And we do then honour him aright, when we shut our eyes at all these outward things, and hold our selves satisfied with Gods will which he hath showed too us, thinking our selves to want nothing when we have that. For this word wait betokeneth that we perceive not by eyesight the thing that we wait for, (according as it is said in the eight too the Romans,) and so much the more, because the word Hope is added to it. Therefore it is as much as if S. Paul had said: Verily my friends, if a man would go about to know the righteousness of Christians, (that is too wit that they be Gods children, that they be heirs of the heavenly life, and that God accepteth them as if they were Angels without spot or blemish) I say if a man would know this after a worldly manner: he should deceive himself. For we see that the faithful are despised folk, men vouchsafe not too look upon them but a skew, they bear a low sail to the worldward, and (to be short) there is neither pomp nor outward show in the righteousness that we obtain by our Lord Jesus Christ. For we seek not estimation when we say, that before God we cannot rest upon any thing but his mere mercy, and that all our deservings hang upon his mere grace, and that we must go out of our selves to have Jesus Christ as the full perfection of all goodness and welfare. When we speak after that fashion:

Now whereas S. Paule sayeth that wee wayte for the hope of rightuousnesse in spirite: he vseth a kinde of speache that may seeme straunge: for what is ment by wayting for the hope of rightuousnesse? Let vs marke, that heere S. Paule intended to drawe vs away from all things that are to bee seene in this worlde. For bycause wee bee too muche inclyned and subiect too sticking fast heere by lowe, when wee haue any thing for our senses too rest vppon, so as wee cannot lift vp our mindes aloft, and bycause that men are too fleshly: they euer couet too haue al ings open afore their eyes. But