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…

Also on the contrary part Saint Paul sayeth, that we must not be as little children wavering with every blast of doctrine, or being tossed and turmoiled too and fro, as chaff with the wind: and too be short, that we must not be beguiled by the wiliness of men. Here we see yet better the thing tha• I touched heretofore: which is, that Saint Paul setteth down as it were three ages. The first is, as a Childhood. And which is that? It is before we have any instruction at all, when we be yet as it were half beasts, without discretion too discern Gods truth. And there be many such children in the world. At what age? Even at three or four score years. For here Saint Paul speaks by a likeness or resemblance, & stands not upon the accounting of days, months, or years. His meaning then is, that such as are wavering and floating like a boat that is tossed upon the water, are little children. It it is true that the scripture doth sundry times use the word (Child) in another sense: as when Saint Peter exhorteth us too be as newborn babes,¹ and too desire the milk of soundness, yea even with putting away of all malice. Also our Lord Jesus exhorteth us too be as babes,² that is too say, unpuffed up with presumption and pride, so as we mak• no reckoning of our selves, ne be troubled with the lusts that vex• us, when we begin too know what it is too live among men. Then after that manner it doth us good to be babes or little children. Again ⟨image 206⟩in another place Saint Paul saith,³ that we should be babes i• naughtiness: but yet he saith, that we must not be babes in understanding: and that is the thing which he rehearseth again in this present text. Then condemneth he such as are babes in understanding, that is too say, which are so doubtful and wavering, that they be sure of nothing: they know not what faith too be of, nor what God too worship. Now I told you that the world is too full of such babes, which harden themselves in their brutishness and ignorance. And in good sooth, how many shall a man find which are so throughly settled in Gods truth, as they cannot be made too dance after another mans pipe, as Saint Paul speaketh of them here? For if it be demanded what the Gospel is, some will answer, it must needs be a good thing because God is the author of it: