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

The greatest honour that we can have, is too be witnesses of Gods truth, so that although we be subject to lying, yet notwithstanding he justifieth his eternal truth which proceedeth from him self, even by us which are wretched creatures, which are but wind, smoke shadows, and less than nothing. Seeing then that God appointeth and ordaineth us to be lawful witnesses for the advancing & in larging of his Gospel by us: hath he not just cause to complain, if we swerve aside from it after we have suffered for it? Therefore let all such look narrowly to them selves, as have had any good beginning. And there is not any warning better worthy ⟨p. 121⟩too be taken heed unto, than this. For seeing that the least of the Church have enough too bind them to Godward for his choosing of them from out of the world, & for his directing of his Gospel unto them, insomuch that he hath left the great ones & such as take highly upon themselves by reason of their great excellency, & preferred the lesser sort & such as are despised too the worldward, and shall surely have the harder account to make, if they shrink away afterward: what shall become of those whom God vouchsafed to have to be his standard bearers, and whom he preferred in such wise, as they ought too have bin an example and looking glass to others? what excuse shall there be for them, if they give the slip? And specially if they that have suffered for the name of Jesus Christ, & for the doctrine of his Gospel, so far forth as to have bin kept in prison and too have bin tormented, yea and to have bin brought even unto deaths door, do afterward start aside: is it not an abolishing of Gods grace so far forth as in them lieth? So little then ought any mans suffering for the Gospel, serve to excuse him or cause him to be borne withal: that such as have suffered most▪ ought too bridle themselves shortest, knowing that the honour which God doth them, holdeth them so much the more bound unto him, and that it behoveth them to be the more watchful and ware, that they give none occasion of stumbling to any body. For when folk shall say, how cometh this too pass? such a one should have bin a Martyr of God, he hath endured much for the maintenance of the truth, and now behold he is become a renegate: it is a putting of the Gospel to shame & reproach, and what a thing is that?

The greatest honor that wee can haue, is too bee witnesses of Gods truthe, so that althoughe we be subiect to lying, yet notwithstanding he iustifieth his eternal truthe which proceedeth frō him selfe, euē by vs which are wretched creatures, which are but wind, smoke shadowes, and lesse than nothing. Seeing then that God appoynteth and ordeineth vs to be lawful witnesses for the aduancing & in larging of his Gospel by vs: hath he not iust cause to complayne, if wee swarue aside from it after wee haue suffered for it? Therefore let all suche looke narrowly to them selues, as haue had any good beginning. And there is not any warning better worthie