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

Paul make such a plain and free confession: must not all mouths be stopped, and all of us understand that when we thought too have served God, we were (as ye would say) in a maze, and it was but a leading of us too the bottom of Hell? And in good sooth, as the wretched unbelievers rack themselves, they do but double their own condemnation, for the Devil snarleth them so much the more in their damnation. Therefore let us acknowledge that we have bin rebels too God ever since the time that we would needs serve him so after our own fancy, and that there was nothing in all our whole life, but error too make us stray all the world over, and too pluck us back rather than too set us forward, and finally that all the devotions which ⟨image 58⟩men deuyze, are but slights and illusions of Satan, to sink us down too the deepest dungeons of death. So then let us return too this obedientnesse, and acknowledge that there is no way for us too rule our life well, but by being taught in the school of the Son of God. But do we think that the Superstitions that reign now adays in the world, and have their full scope there, are better than the traditions that were in the time of S. Paul? It is true that there were many wicked corruptions in the Church of the Jews. For Sects were sprung up, and the Pharisees (which were yet the purest and soundest of all the rest) had mingled many gewgaws with the seruis of God, insomuch that all was corrupted among them. But howsoever they fared, yet Saint Paul had always the law and the holy Scripture. As for the traditions whereof he speaketh, he took them as appurtenances: but yet in the mean while his mind was too maintain the Law of Moses, which had Gods word in it, and the unchangeable truth, and which ought too have the same reverence to the worlds end. Yet notwithstanding he had but the letter of the law, as we have seen heretofore in the Epistle too the Corinthians.¹ But now adays as for them that be the devoutest in the Popedom, what have they? When they have alleged all that they can, it is certain, that the holy Scripture is as good as buried among them, and no man makes account of it. They will not say that it ought to be cast away, for that were too great a blasphemy, and men would abhor it.

Paule make such a playne and free confession: must not all mouthes bee stopped, and al of vs vnderstand that when wee thought too haue serued God, wee were (as yee would say) in a maze, and it was but a leading of vs too the bottome of Hell? And in good sooth, as the wretched vnbeleeuers rack themselues, they doo but double their owne condemnacion, for the Diuell snarleth them so much the more in their damnation. Therfore let vs acknowledge that wee haue bin rebelles too God euer since the time that wee would needes serue him so after our owne fancie, and that there was nothing in all our whole lyfe, but errour too make vs stray all the world ouer, and too plucke vs backe rather than too set vs foreward, and finally that all the deuotions whiche