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…

But there is yet a greater necessity. Which is, that such as think themselves forwardest, if they sift themselves throughly, shall find themselves yet far of from the mark that they run at.¹ And therefore it standeth us upon, too be strengthened daily more and more, and to have the light of our faith increased, after the manner of the day, which we see to grow still brighter & brighter unto high noon. So must we profit still more and more, till the daysonne of righteousness appear unto us. True it is that men are so stout hearted as a number of them will not believe it: but that is because they be contented with their assishnesse. For ye shall see a great sort so proud and presumptuous, because they have studied three or four latin words, that to their own seeming they pass all the greatest doctors in the world, A•d surely they also which do but begin too study some science, bear themselves in hand that they be already come too the perfection of it, and yet have they scarcely entered into it. In like case is it with handy crafts, in so much that there is none so bold as blind bayard: he sticketh less to do all things, than the man that hath greatly profited. So is it also with these lightheaded Christians: get they once some saying of the scripture at their tongues end, and behold, they be (too their ow• seeming) as half Angels, and they never pass of profiting any more. But they that apply their whole endeavour to learn still in Gods school, do find themselves behind hand at a ten or twenty years end. Howsoever the world go, let us mark well how the Apostle sayeth here, that God will not have us trained in the Gospel for a two or three years only, but he will have us go through with it, so that if we lived a hundred years and upward in this world, yet must we be scholars still, and all our wisdom is too know that we be not yet come so near too our perfection, but that we had need too go forward still. And hereupon we must every of us for his own part stir up and spur forth our selves: and therewithal God must be so gracious too us, as to be always ready to continue his teaching of us still without •eassing, so as we may never be weary.

But there is yit a greater necessitie. Which is, that such as thinke themselues forewardest, if they sift themselues throughly, shall fynd themselues yit farre of from the marke that they runne at.