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 have but a certain opinion, which carieth them away and beguileth them: and yet notwithstanding they hold on still without turning aside, and stick wholly to it: and why then should you which know what God ye obey, be so fleeting? Now therefore let us mark well, that if we be lightly turned and thrust aside from the doctrine of the Gospel: there shall need none other witness against us at the last day, than the wretched unbelievers which follow their own superstitions: for we see they be wedded ⟨image 134⟩to them. Look upon the Turks and Paynims, look upon the Jews and Papists. They wot not what God they worship, they have but a weening in stead of faith: and yet not withstanding a man cannot pluck them from their false fancies, and they be so given unto them as a man can never remove them. Then if we on our side knowing that it is the living God which calleth & teacheth us daily, and that the thing which is uttered by men cometh of him and of his holy spirit, and having record of the law & the Gospel which cannot fail, if we (I say) having such a resting stock for our faith, be afterward unconstant, so as our ears itch to receive every new toy, and men make us to alter our mind in less than the turning of a hand, what else betokeneth it, but that we wilfully refuse God's grace, as if we would shut the gate against him that he might not come in unto us? Or else, if after we have once known, that he offereth us so in estimable a benefit in his Gospel, we cast it down and trample it under our feet: think we that God will suffer his grace too be so lightly esteemed and held scorn of? No. For we cannot despise the doctrine of the Gospel, but we must unhallow the blood of Gods son, which he did shed for our redemption: for the one cannot be separated from the other. Whensoever and how often soever God speaketh to us, and offereth us forgiveness of our sins, showing himself ready to receive us to mercy: so often is the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ sprinkled upon us. All the teaching in the world cannot do us any good, except our Lord Jesus Christ be with it, to apply the shedding of his blood unto us. And if we despise the doctrine of the Gospel, it is all one as if we did spit at the holy blood of God's son, which thing is an intolerable traitorousness.

They haue but a certayne opinion, which carieth them away and beguileth them: and yet notwithstanding they hold on still without turning aside, and sticke wholly to it: and why then should you which know what God ye obey, be so fleeting? Nowe therfore let vs marke well, that if we be lightly turned and thrust aside from the doctrine of the Gospel: there shall neede none other witnesse against vs at the last day, than the wretched vnbeleeuers which follow their owne superstitions: for we see they be wedded