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

And yet for all that, they be not a whit the less guilty before God. But what for that? If we that know the way of salvation, which hear Gods voice ringing continually in our ears, which are enlightened with the sun of righteousness,¹ even with our Lord Jesus Christ, If we (I say) become as good as brute beasts, and discern not between ⟨image 133⟩good and evil: must it not needs be that we are (as ye would say) bewitched? For seeing that God is so gracious unto us, as too come to us and to teach us so familiarly: surely he hath just cause to complain of us as he also doth: My people (sayeth he by his Prophet Micah) what can I do more for thee than I have done?² Then if God plead against us, and charge us with all the means which he hath given us to make us wholly his, that he might enjoy us without gainsaying: and we on our side cast a stop in his way, and are loth to bow down our necks to receive his yoke, or else be fickleminded and fleeting too forsake all again too day or too morrow, and had lever too be beguiled by the crafts and illusions of Satan, than to be guided by the truth which is certain: must it not needs be that we are as monsters, that is to say folk, that make utter defiance too nature? Therefore let us learn to look better upon our selves here: for look what was once said too the Galatians, is spoken still at this day unto us. For it was not for that peoples sake alone that S. Paul wrote: but the holy Ghost quickeneth us up still now, and telleth us that if we have once received the doctrine of the Gospel, and afterward start away from it, so as if a man trace us he shall find no constancy nor steadiness of faith in us: we be so much the more damnable, and cannot shield our selves with any thing: for when we shall have taken all the coverts in the world, we shall abide convicted of such lewdness, as in the end we must needs have our mouths stopped, and God must set us forth as an example of all unthankfulness, insomuch that we shall become odious both too men and Angels,³ because we made no better account of the doctrine of salvation, which is so precious a seed as we see that the Scripture speaketh of it. Ye see then that the thing which we have too bear in mind, is not that the only Galatians are rebuked here by S.