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

That therefore is the thing which we have to remember concerning that process. On the other side we see also the mildness of Peter. It had bin said unto him by the mouth of our Lord Jesus Christ, that besides his ordinary name of Simon,¹ he should be called Peter for the steadiness of his faith. He was excellent among the rest of the Apostles: and yet nevertheless he stoopeth with his head, and boweth down his neck when he seeth that he hath done amiss, and maketh no buckler of the honourable state wherein he was, but only considereth, that sith Gods word is given us too correct us, it becometh us to submit our selves too it, except we will be rebels against him, who in the end will beat down all the pride of the world. Therefore S. Peter perceiving that nothing is better for a man, than to receive chastisements when he hath done amiss: yieldeth to that which was told him by S. Paul. Now if we consider all these things well: we have here a very profitable story. For on the one side we see how every man desireth too hold in with the world: and that is an occasion too blind us continually ⟨p. 75⟩in our misdoings. For there is nothing with us but flattering, and (to our seeming) we cannot be friends, except every of us bear with his fellow. Surely there is a manner of bearing with things, which is commendable, as I have said already: which is, to be gentle in rebuking such as have done amiss, so as we labour to win them, and draw them back again by friendliness, and be not too fumishe and hasty with them. For there are faults that may be borne with, and which are not to be searched to the bottom, for it doth but sharpen men when they see an overeagerness of fault finding, according as ye shall see divers which keep as it were continual watch, too see if they can find any thing too carp at in some man or other: all their holiness consisteth in taunting of one man, and in railing upon an other: and too be short, they be the greatest Correcters of the world. But our desire [of rebuking] must be so bridled, as we seek not to find fault with men. And yet on the other side, the flattering that reigneth nowadays to much in the world, is a vice which we ought to shun as a deadly plague. Therefore according as every of us loveth his neighbour, so let him learn to use the freeness of speech which S.

That therfore is the thing which we haue to remember concerning that processe. On the otherside we see also the mildnes of Peter. It had bin said vnto him by the mouth of our Lord Iesus Christ, that besides his ordinarie name of Simon,