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

But what soever they pretend, the Gospel is nothing with them in comparison of that which hath bin ordained by their holy Councils, and by our mother holy Church. Yea and they are not ashamed too say, that the Gospel & all the holy Scripture is as a nose of wax, so as there is no certainty in it, but that it must be interpreted altogether by men. Lo how Jesus Christ is mocked and scorned. Think ye that such men may make us believe all their own inventions, when as they be so manifestly contrary to themselves. Then let us mark, that if S. Paul did so condemn himself with his own mouth [in the things that he did] when he followed not our Lord Jesus Christ: no excuse shall be available nor go for payment before God, when men swerve aside from the simplicity of the Gospel. This is in effect ⟨p. 38⟩the thing that we have to gather upon his text. But let us mark therewithal, that God uttered a singular grace in S. Paul, too the end that by his example we might know, that our calling too salvation hath bin of his mere and undeserved goodness. And furthermore, that if we have slidden back, and broken our promise made in Baptism to our Lord Jesus Christ, yet how soever the case stand, we shall not fail to be received to mercy, so we confess freely & without hypocrisy, that there was nothing in us but confusion, and that God must have bin fain to remedy the matter of his wonderful goodness. True it is (as I have touched afore) that S. Paul was taken for a holy man, and it might well have bin said, that God had accepted his devotions, and that there had bin some good preparation in him afore hand: howbeit, all that was but a plucking of him back,¹ as I have touched already in the third too the Philippians, where he saith he could not take hold of Jesus Christ, and of the incomprehensible benefits that are in him, until he had misliked all the things that he had erst esteemed and had in reputation, as his own righteousness and holiness. We see then after what sort God wrought in the person of Paul, insomuch that in the first to Timothy,² he setteth forth himself for an example & pattern, saying that Jesus Christ had showed in him, that he was come to save all wretched sinners, to the end we should not doubt too be received when we keep the right way. What did Freewill in S.