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

Thus ye see how every of us ought to be prepared, if we purpose to be scholars too the son of God, and to yield him the mastery which belongeth unto him. And we ought too endeavour this thing so much the more, forasmuch as we see our nature driveth us to the contrary way. For we be blinded with self-love, and every of us coveteth too be honoured: but honoured we cannot be, but by flattery and lying. For who is he among us that deserveth to be commended? There is nothing but filthiness and infection in us before God. For all the goodly virtues which we have to outward show, are but corruption till God have reformed us. So then it is certain, that all that ever we have of our own nature must be cleansed, or else we shall rot in our own wretchedness. And therefore forasmuch as there is none other mean to draw us to salvation, but by cleansing us of all our vices, and the same cleansing cannot be done but by violence: when we be warned by the doctrine of the Gospel, so as our own consciences rebuke us, although we like well to be ⟨image 52⟩now and then flattered and soothed, yet let us seek to be spoken unto earnestly, and to have our faults told us, and to be made ashamed of them, and too have our unhonestie discovered, and not desire to be pleased: for it were the next way to make us rot in our own naughtiness if we should hold it so in secrete: and it would cost us dearly the setting on, if we should be so flattered by men, and in the mean season, the heavenly Judge should thunder down upon us. Thus ye see how every of us ought too profit himself by that which S. Paul speaketh here, namely that if the preachers gratify and please men, in so doing they renounce God: and if they renounce him, what shall become of the rest of the people? Whither shall they be led but to the devil? Therefore when any man comes to a Sermon, let him bear well in mind, that he which preacheth speaketh not of his own authority, but in the behalf of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom God his father hath appointed to be our judge. And to what end is Jesus Christ our Judge? To the end that every of us should condemn himself, and that having so passed condemnation, we should resort to him to be quit. Now then if a mortal man cover my sins for some love that he beareth to me: will the heavenly Judge spare me because he spareth me?

Thus yee see how euery of vs ought to be prepared, if wee purpose to bee scholers too the sonne of God, and to yeeld him the maystrie which belongeth vnto him. And wee ought too endeuer this thing so much the more, forasmuch as we see our nature driueth vs to the contrarie way. For we bee blinded with selfeloue, and euery of vs coueteth too be honoured: but honoured we cannot bee, but by flatterie and lying. For who is he among vs that deserueth to bee commended? There is nothing but filthinesse and infection in vs before God. For all the goodly vertues which we haue to outwarde showe, are but corruption till God haue reformed vs. So then it is certaine, that all that euer we haue of our owne nature must be clensed, or else wee shall rotte in our owne wretchednesse. And therefore forasmuche as there is none other meane to drawe vs to saluation, but by clensing vs of all our vyces, and the same clensing cannot bee done but by violence: when we bee warned by the doctrine of the Gospell, so as our owne consciences rebuke vs, although we like well to bee