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

Besides this,¹ Saint Luke showeth us that Saint Paul must needs have bin led with an invincible constancy, seeing he stepped not out of the way, although men made no reckoning at all of his doings. For he saith that the faithful had him in suspicion, and that they shunned him when he came too Jerusalem. Now it was a grievous temptation to Saint Paul, to see that he could not be received into the company of the faithful, considering that he had suffered so much already. For we know that at his first coming to Damasco,² the gates were shut upon him, (as we have seen heretofore) so that he was fain too be let down in a Pannier or Basket. Ye see then that as soon as he was converted to the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, he was by and by tossed with great persecutions. After that, he went into the Country of Araby, and there travelled faithfully. And thinketh he for all that, too have friendship and atonement with the faithful? The gate is shut against him, and men shun him as a wild beast. But before [he was turned to the faith,] he had bin honoured, and in great credit, both with the enemies of the Gospel, and in the Synagogue of the Jews. He had renounced all these things, even so far as too see himself banished out of the place: and yet for all that, they vouchsafed not to admit him to have place in the Church. Wherefore he might have bin so grieved at such unkindness, as it might have made him to have given over all, if he had had his mind tied here below. Howbeit forasmuch as he had given himself wholly too Gods service, and was fully determined too hold out to the end although men conned him no thank for his labour: therefore he turned not aside from his right way. And such examples ought too encourage us at this day, when we see there are so few (yea even in the Church,) that like well of the thing that is done of a pure and right meaning zeal, insomuch that some backbite it through envy, others are so squeamish as a man cannot by any means content them, and other some are full of wicked slanderousness and lying. Therefore forasmuch as we see how men do oftentimes cause us to swerve one way or other:

Besides this,¹ Saint Luke sheweth vs that Saint Paule must needes haue bin led with an inuincible constancie, seeing hee stepped not out of the way, although men made no reckening at all of his dooings. For he sayth that the faythfull had him in suspition, and that they shunned him when hee came too Ierusalem. Nowe it was a greeuous temptation to Saint Paule, to see that he coulde not bee receyued intoo the companie of the faythfull, considering that hee had suffered so much alreadie. For we knowe that at his first comming to Damasco,