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

Now he addeth immediately, that the Apostles which were in great estimation, brought nothing unto him, (And he uppeneth here Peter, John, and James, who were had in great reputation above the rest, as pillars,) but only took in good worth, and allowed the doctrine which he had taught theretofore. And therewithal he addeth, That •ee passed not what opinion men had of Peter, John, and James, for as much as God regardeth not any mans person▪ That is too say, his outward show or estimation too the worldewarde.

Now he adedth immediatly, that the Apostles which were in great estimation, broughte nothyng vntoo hym, (And hee vppeneth heere Peter, Iohn, and Iames, who were had in great reputation aboue the reste, as pillers,) but onely tooke in good woorthe, and allowed the doctrine whyche hee hadde taughte theretoofore. And therewythall hee addeth, That •ee passed not what opinyon menne had of Peter, Iohn, and Iames, foras muche as God regardeth not anye mannes persone▪ That is too saye, his outwarde shewe or estimation too the worldewarde.

It should seem here at the first blush, that S. Paul striveth for himself, and for his own authority and credit. There were dogs that barked against him in times past, & specially the backsliders that had tasted of the Gospel: who to pretend some colour of their backsliding ⟨image 85⟩and of their renouncing of Christ, alleged thus for themselves. Tush it is well enough known, that the Apostles strove to wit who should be greatest, which was an unseemly thing, and showed well that they had ill borne away their masters doctrine, who commanded them to humble themselves in such wise, that every of them should make himself least, although he were the greatest. But we have to mark here, that S. Paul had no controversy with the Apostles, as he himself also declareth. Therefore there is some special cause why he magnifieth himself so much: which is, for that those dogs which laboured to set debate between the Apostles, & therewithal to turmoil and falsify the Gospel, pretended always too be the disciples of the Apostles and familiar with them, like as in these days we see many fugitives and shameless fellows which abuse the names of Gods servants, and pass not to lie with open throat, saying: Oho, I learned it of such a man. And yet they speak of a matter that was never heard of, yea and their shamelessness overshooteth it self so far as to name the very cities, when as notwithstanding, if a man examine them throughly, he shall find the clean contrary. So then it was for S. Paul to show that the authority of men is not sufficient to deface the sovereign authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, nor the reverence that men ought to bear to his word. Therefore we see first of all, that Paul strove not here against Peter, James, or John, for he agreed very well with them. And secondly that he regarded not his own person, but meant to maintain Gods case: that is too wit, that he was ordained and established in the state of an Apostle Mark for one point that he did not thrust himself in upon a bravery nor at adventure, but that God had chosen him thereunto, and that thereupon, he had so borne abroad the doctrine that was betaken unto him as the pure truth of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ.