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

For we may rejoice in God when he witnesseth unto us that he receiveth us for our Lord Jesus Christs sake, and without that, we must needs be vexed and turmoiled with such unrest, as we shall live in continual trouble. It is true that the despisers of God do sport them selves as much as may be in their jollity: but yet have they never any rest or joy: for they be fain too suffer much heartburning inwardly, and God doth so sting them with sundry hartbytings, as they be always in heaviness and vexation: in so much that when they would be merry, they be fain to play the brute beasts, and to shake off all understanding, so as the discerning of good and evil is quite and clean daunted in them. Now it is a cursed joy when men stray away after that fashion from God, and forget what they be. But (as I have told you already) S. Paul speaketh here of the joy that we have in being conversant with our neighbours. And after the same manner also is the word faith […] faithfulness and soundness of hart. […] is a faith that respecteth God, and that is the sure belief which we have of his promises, according ⟨p. 277⟩whereunto it is said that we be justified by faith,¹ because it appeareth that God abolisheth and mortifieth in us whatsoever is of our own nature. Therefore [in that faith] we must be grounded upon Gods only mercy which is showed us in our Lord Jesus Christ. But how come we to the possessing of so great a benefit? By trusting unto Gods promises, and by receiving them with all obedientnesse, acknowledging our selves to be damned and forlorn, and resting only upon him. Ye see then that our faith which respecteth God, is an assurance which we conceive of his goodness and love towards us, to the end we may press unto him, not doubting but that he heareth us. And for that cause also S. Paul saith, that those which have such faith, do trust boldly in God, and therewithal do also freely and boldly pray unto him. But in this present text, S. Paul taketh faith for the faithfulness which we perform one to another when we walk uprightly, so as we go not about to deceive our neighbour through lewdness or subtlety, nor use any double dealing, nor any dissimulation to wind about the simple, but do the same to other folk which we would have done to our selves. Thus ye see how S. Paul meaneth that faith is a fruit of the spirit.

For wee may reioyce in God when he witnesseth vnto vs that he receiueth vs for our Lord Iesus Christes sake, and without that, we must needes be vexed and turmoyled with such vnrest, as we shal liue in continual trouble. It is true that the despisers of God do sport thē selues as much as may be in their iollitie: but yet haue they neuer any rest or ioy: for they bee faine too suffer much hartburning inwardly, and God dooth so sting them with sundry hartbytings, as they be alwayes in heauinesse and vexation: in so much that when they would be merrie, they be faine to play the brute beasts, and to shake off al vnderstanding, so as the discerning of good and euill is quite and cleane daunted in them. Now it is a cursed ioy when men stray away after that fashion from God, and forget what they bee. But (as I haue told you already) S. Paule speaketh heere of the ioy that we haue in being conuersant with our neybors. And after the same maner also is the word fayth faithfulnesse and soundnesse of hart. is a faith that respecteth God, and that is the sure beleef which we haue of his promises, according