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 we shall never leave staggering till we be come unto God, and unto that person whom he hath stablished as head and chief teacher over us. Now whereas Saint Paul saith that he telleth it them: it is not for that the Galatians and others had not heard the like afore: but because they had bin unthankful, so as they had bin entangled in many errors and paltryes. Therefore he bringeth them back again too the well head: as if he should say, until such time as men have full concluded with themselves too suffer themselves too be governed simply by the pure word ⟨p. 34⟩of God, they shall be always in a mammering, and the Devil shall no sooner raise up any trouble against them, but they shall be so dismayed, as they wot not which way too turn them. For it behoveth us too be first of all sure, that as touching the doctrine whereupon our faith is settled, we hold it of God and not of men. True it is that all men shall not have the like revelation that Saint Paul had: but it ought too suffice us, that our Lord Jesus Christ having ratified the Gospel with his own blood, and also commanded his Apostles to publish it abroad, hath given them such proof, that the doctrine which we receive of them is of full authority, and utterly out of all doubt: this (say I) ought to suffice to hold us as it were in prison, and too keep us from admitting any of all the things that men can allege. But let us also call to mind what the Apostle telleth us in the first too the Hebrews:¹ namely that God hath lastly spoken to us by the mouth of his own son, to the intent we should have all perfection of doctrine in him. Ye see then that the thing which we have to bear away, is that the revelation whereof Saint Paul speaketh here, shall not be common to all other men, but serveth to warrant the doctrine which we have received by his means, so as we see it is our Lord Jesus Christ that hath spoken. And whereas he excludeth men after that sort: it is to show us, that our Lord Jesus Christ doth not give us some bare entrance, as if a man should teach a child his Apcie, and afterward send him to a better learned master: Our Lord speaketh not so by halves unto us, but in full perfection: insomuch that both in life and death, we must always stand steadfast in the things that we receive of him, and forsake whatsoever cometh of men:

For wee shall neuer leaue staggering till we bee come vntoo God, and vntoo that person whom hee hath stablished as heade and cheefe teacher ouer vs. Nowe whereas Saint Paule sayth that hee telleth it them: it is not for that the Galathians and others had not heard the like afore: but bicause they had bin vnthankfull, so as they had bin intangled in many errours and paltryes. Therefore hee bringeth them backe againe too the well head: as if he should say, vntill such time as men haue full concluded with themselues too suffer themselues too be gouerned simply by the pure woorde