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…

And here we have too mark first of all, how Saint Paul in speaking of Lowliness, meekness, and patience, warneth us, that if we be not ware, and every man bridle himself, the devil shall always have easy access and entrance into us, too trouble us. And why? For as I said, every of us shall find the disease of ambition rooted in him, so as there is none of us but he would fain bear some countenance of superiority, at leastwise till God have laid his hand upon him, and by his holy spirit beaten down all pride in him, and made him •leane. But take me all those that follow their own natural sway, & surely they are ever so high minded, as thy will not be contented, except they be exalted and much made of Saint Paul therefore thought good too warn us hereof, too the end we should learn too mis••ke of ⟨image 173⟩that vice, and endeavour too rid our selves of it, which thing will not be done very easily, for it is a hard battle. But howsoever the world go, we must not give over, till we have gotten so much advantage of our selves, as too know that there is nothing in us why we should be esteemed, but rather that he which thinketh himself too be excellentest of all, ought (by that time that he hath sifted and examined himself throughly,) too be ashamed and abashed at his own wretchedness. And for proof thereof, when we have throughly viewed all that we ween our selves too have, wherewith too win us any favour, dignity or reputation among men: certainly we shall find that every whit of it is the free gift of God. Now then, so much the more need have we too humble our selves, seeing that God bindeth us so unto him. What hast thou (saith S. Paul) too boast of above other men,¹ and to challenge as thine own? It is certain that God hath given it thee, therefore honour him for it, which thing thou canst not do, so long as thou art puffed up with pride. So then, considering that all the virtues for which we might be praised, are all records of Gods goodness, and that he hath showed himself a loving father towards us, in that it hath pleased him to have us come near him after that fashion: it ought too make us cast down our eyes, and too walk in all mildness. And if we compare our virtues with our vices, surely we shall find much more wherewith too beat down our horns, than wherefore too set them up.