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 every day seemeth as a ye••• too us. Will there […] be no end, say we? Must we still continue in this plight? […] we ever be new to begin? Lo how every of us thinketh the ⟨p. 310⟩time to be overlong that is spent in well doing. And thereupon, O (say we) I shall come soon enough: for if I spend my self to day, and one come to crave of me to morrow, I shall want wherewith, and therefore I were better to spare my self. Now these delays are such as a man shall never find time to do good. For every man would prefer his fellow before him, not of purpose to follow him in doing good, but to hold him self still at a stay. But contrariwise Saint Paul telleth us, that if we consider the matter advisedly as it is in deed, we shall find our selves too have no great leisure of all the time of our life. For although we did never cease, but every man enforced him self as much as were possible, too spend him self in the serving of his neighbours: yet were it never a whit too much. We see that as long as we be in this world, we must still be in charge. We see we must be fed and clothed while we be children, at which time we can not earn the value of a pin, and other folks must be fain too travel for us. Very well: are we come too years of discretion? Yet have we need too be oftentimes helped and succoured, I mean even the richest sort of us. For there will come some sickness, or other adversity, that shall pull down them which think them selves too be lustyest and strongest. Again we shall have need of so many things and be so cumbered for our own selves, as we shall scarcely be able too impart the hundred part of our duty, too those whom we owe it too by Gods appointment. They (I say) which are rich and have store of goods, even they having also a good will, (do what they can, and travel they never so much without ceasing) shall hardly or never be able too discharge the hundredth part of their duty towards those whom they be bound unto. Therefore when all is well considered, we shall find that we have no great leisure too do good too our neighbours.

for euery day seemeth as a ye••• too vs. VVyll there 〈…〉 bee no ende, say wee? Muste wee still continue in this plight? 〈…〉 wee euer bee newe to beginne? Lo howe euery of vs thinketh the ⟨p. 310⟩