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 on the one part, it behoved him too deal with all those things▪ as for example, when we in these days teach, that men must not keep the superstitions of the Papists, nor any of the things that have bin so devised by the wit of man: we shall not only debate whither flesh may be eaten upon fridays, or whither such a wake, vigil, or Saints even be too be kept, or whither this thing or that thing be to be done: but we shall treat generally whither it be lawful for a mortal man to make laws to bring mens consciences into tyrannical bondage.¹ For God hath reserved to himself alone the authority and prerogative to be called the lawmaker, to the intent that no man should usurp any such preeminence in the Church. Then seeing that the spiritual government of our souls ought to be taken out of Gods pure word: we may conclude, that neither Pope, nor any other man of what calling soever he be, hath power to burden us with any laws, or ought to attempt any thing that is against the doctrine which we have of God. Then ⟨image 102⟩may we well enter into that general discourse: and that is because the reason of them is alike in all points. If we should dispute only about the eating of fish or flesh, it would be but a fond disputation. For every man must eat according as is for his health, or as he can get: and therefore such disputation should not concern the health of mens souls, or the matter that were requisite for them to rest their conscience upon. But when we take in hand too show that it is not for any living creature to advance himself so high, as to lay laws upon mens necks: the other disputation is fully resolved and dispatched. Again when as men say, that in babbling paternosters to buy out their sins, and in gadding on pilgrimage to get there the things which in popery are termed the works of supererogation (that is to say, works of overplus that men do more than God commandeth them) they ransom them selves and make him some recompense for the faults that they have committed: If we speak simply of pilgrimages, and go not to the ground and wellspring of the matter: it will be a cold and slender discourse.

Nowe on the one part, it behoued hym too deale wyth all those thynges▪ as for example, when we in these dayes teache, that men must not keepe the superstitions of the Papists, nor any of the thyngs that haue bin so deuised by the witte of man: wee shall not only debate whither fleshe may be eaten vppon frydayes, or whyther suche a wake, vigil, or Sainctes euen bee too be kept, or whyther thys thyng or that thing be to be done: but we shall treate generally whither it bee lawfull for a mortall man to make lawes to bring mennes consciences into tyrannicall bondage.