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

They may well be highly praised and esteemed in the world, and they may well beguile themselves by vain self soothings: but until such time as God have wrought in them too change them, it is certain that there shall be nothing in them but filthiness, & all the virtues that men make account of, shall be stark vice, too lead them too destruction and too plunge them in Hell. ⟨image 113⟩For although that they which are renewed by Gods grace and have already profited in his obedience, have some virtues which he loveth and esteemeth: yet are they not able to bring aught that may pass account before him: for they shall always find themselves in arrearages. And that goodness which is in them, they have it of him, and yet is that goodness also corrupted with their sins and infirmities: by reason whereof they are utterly bereft of all trust in their own righteousness: and so if we now seek our righteousness in the law, we be beguiled, we shall not find it there, we be all of us condemned from the greatest too the least. But here we see much better that which I touched afore: namely that when we perceive and find by experience, that we want all that ever pertaineth to the life of our souls: we must resort to Jesus Christ as to our refuge, so that the true preparative to make us believe in Jesus Christ, is to be touched with a lively conceit and feeling of our own sins. And for the same cause also he sayeth,¹ Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden & I will refresh you, and you shall find rest to your souls.² Again it is said expressly, that he is sent to preach the message of gladness to the poor, to set free such as are in prison, & to comfort such as are utterly oppressed and as it were overwhelmed. Those then which take pleasure in their sins, will never come at our Lord Jesus Christ. True it is that they will boast enough of faith, according as many scorners of God do unhallow that word as holy as it is. Every man will be counted a Christian, and they that be furthest out of square in all wickedness, will say they believe as much as any other man. But when a man speaketh after that manner, it is a token that he hath not one drop of faith. For the faithful will surely say, I believe, howbeit with so great weakness, that I see well if my God should not pity me, that little which I have would soon vanish away utterly.