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 it is all one as if God should in their person show what our constancy would be, if he gave us it not.

For it is all one as if God shoulde in theyr person shewe what our constancie woulde bee, if hee gaue vs it not.

Although then that we have bin faithfully instructed in the Gospel: yet must God be fain too work from day too day, or else we shall be so fickle minded, that we shall be carried away by and by, and for every little occasion. Furthermore (as I have said already) Satan is a dreadful enemy. And therefore it is not for us too be negligent, seeing he lieth always in wait for us, seeking on all sides to invade us, and that if he spy never so little a hole, by and by he taketh his advantage too enter: It shall not seem that there is any gap open for him, and yet we may be taken tardy before we be aware. Wherefore let us mark well the warning that God giveth us in this text, and let us make our advantage of it. And on the other side we see how the Devil hath at all times served his own turn with the name of God, and made thereof a false cloak too disguise the truth, and ⟨p. 2⟩too turn it into a lie, or else too sow some discord, that by little and little the Gospel might quite fade away. The Apostles (as they that were chosen by our Lord Jesus Christ too bear abroad his Gospel, and to preach it through the whole world) were well worthy too have bin reverenced every where, and to have bin of such renown and authority, as the things that proceeded from them should have bin [throughly] received. For their calling was lawful: it was [well] known that they did not thrust in themselves of their own heads, but that the son of God had chosen and appointed them by his own mouth, yea and made them as it were new creatures: being silly souls and ignorant folk, they were so changed, as it appeared well that their doctrine came altogether of heavenly miracle. For they had not learned ought but in Gods school: and he had in one instant of time so endued them with his grace and power, that they became as instruments of the holy Ghost. Yet notwithstanding, the Devil missed not too abuse their name and title, too bring store of troubles and stumbling blocks into the Church For such as went in their company, made their brags when they came in far countries, that they had bin familiarly conversant with them: and yet for all that, some of them were full of vainglory & pride, & sought nothing but their own advancement.