The sermons of M. John Calvin, upon the Epistle of S. Paul too the…The sermons of M. Iohn Caluin, vpon the Epistle of S. Paule too the…

Then let us tend always too him, and dedicate our selves too him. And forasmuch as it is his will that we should be underlings, let us bear that yoke willingly, and with a free and unslavishe or unconstrained mind.

Then let vs tend alwayes too him, and dedicate our selues too him. And forasmuch as it is hys will that wee should bee vnderlyngs, let vs beare that yoke willyngly, and with a free and vnslauishe or vnconstreyned mynd.

And for the same cause Saint Paul sayeth expressly, Let not your service be eye service, as though ye sought too please men. And in very deed, they that play their pageants so fair (as they say) seek either recompense, or else too be well entertained and fed with the fattest, or else too have greater wages, and afterward too have ⟨p. 315⟩some extraordinary gift or reward when occasion serveth. That is the thing that men hunt for, when they have not an eye unto God. But Saint Paul telleth us, that although they whom we serve be so froward, as we cannot tell how too content them, and we have not any hope that ever we shall get the value of a button at their hands: yet we must nevertheless perform our duties towards God. And here we have too gather, that in all things which God commandeth us, we must not only employ our eyes, our feet, our hands, and our arms (as they say:) but we must begin with the inward affection. Therefore when as Saint Paul sayeth, not with eye service: he showeth us, that if we desire that our Lord should allow our serui••s as good and lawful▪ our hart must go foremost, and guide all our members, so as there be no counterfeiting: accordingly as it is said, that he regardeth faithfulness, that is too say, that we should deal soundly,¹ plainly, and substantially. Thus are all gay shows quite dashed. For (as I said) there is grea•e pre•ence of virtue in many men, but God accounteth it every whit as nothing, and in deed it is but hypocrisy. Therefore if we will begin too serve God well, let us learn too leave doubleness: and that we may build substantially, let us always lay that foundation, accordingly also as we see how he had lever too be loved than feared. True it is that we owe him reverence, and that we ought too treble at his majesty but yet when he showeth us the chief thing which he quyreth, and which pleaseth him best, he sayeth, What is it, O Israel, that thou shalt find in my Law,