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

then is it certain that they are nothing but corruption, till God have taken them into his guiding. And so ye see that men shall be abused, because they stick too their mother wit in judging what is good and evil. But contrariwise our Lord Jesus Christ telleth us,¹ that all the things which are highly esteemed afore men, are abominable before God. Surely howsoever the case stand, S. Paul had endeavoured himself to live holily and without any blame or reproach, And yet for all that, when he was once converted, he could not say he had done well, and that his devotion was worthy too be allowed. But contrariwise he declareth that he had bin a persecutor, and that all this gear was nothing worth. ⟨p. 37⟩What is too be said then of that which now adays is called devotion and the seruis of God?² As for example, in popery those terms run roundly enough in every•mans mouth: all things are done of good intent, all men (too their own seeming) have affection and zeal, and they bear themselves in hand that God is much beholden and indebted too them for the things which they do. Yea, but we know that God hath not commanded them any of the things that they bring unto him, but every of them behaveth himself after his own fancy. How soever the world go with them, it is but an opinion, that they ween they do well, and that is all. One says, it seemeth so to me: another says, I learned it so, and so was I taught. Now if God should allow all these things, he should have great burdens to bear. For the things that men have invented of their own heads, are but stinking dung before him. And yet for all this, every man alleges this foolish brag, that he meant to serve God. But therefore it is said in one word by the Prophet Isaiah,³ who hath required these things at your hands? Let him that set you a work pay you. For as for me, I will never put this gear in my reckoning book: I utterly disclaim it, because I require obedience. Now S. Paul hath very well gathered this matter. For if he had judged here of other men, it should have had less power and force, than when he speaketh of himself, and in nowise spareth himself, but sayeth that all the holiness for which he had bin commended among men, was but a the every, because he had bin as a mad beast, full of fierceness and rebellion against God. Then if S.