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

Then if an earthly father have authority to appoint Tutors to his children: why should not God have the same power? A child shall not be licensed nor suffered to choose a Tutor to his own liking. Sith it is so: by what right or title will we devise this or that, too say, we be young children, and therefore we must have a ⟨p. 181⟩fashion meet and agreeable to our slenderness? Yea, and God hath provided one for us: now shall we be wiser than he? Howsoever the case standeth, the very cause why mens wits have bin so ticklish to devise store of Ceremonies in the Christen Church, was that they saw so much rudeness among the common people. Yea marry (say they) it is good reason that there should be this & that. Baptism were to simple a thing if there were nothing else to be seen in it but water, and that water would not be sufficient. For there are a great number of lay folk, which are so dull that they understand not what that mystery meaneth, that is to wit, that we be renewed by our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore there needeth oil and cream to represent the holy Ghost, as it were in a visible figure. Besides this there needed light, and a white Chrisom, and salt, and eft one thing, and eft another. Very well: thus was baptism daily decked, yea in the opinion of men: but all of them are but defilings: for did not our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the incomprehensible wisdom of God his father, know well enough what should be for our profit? Shall men come creeping like little toads, and seek I wot not what, and bear them selves in hand that the things which our Lord Jesus Christ hath ordained are unperfect, and that they will take in hand to make them perfect? As much is to be said of all the rest. Specially the Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ hath not only bin corrupted and maimed: but also utterly defaced by the devilish abomination of the hellish mass. For they make it to be but an ordinary matter to take a bit of bread & to drink three sips of wine. [Gods word willeth us to] look to the promise [namely] that we be made partakers of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we receive his holy Supper with true faith and obedience, and that in him only lieth the food of our souls.

Then if an earthly father haue authoritie to apoint Tutors to hys children: why should not God haue the same power? A childe shall not be licenced nor suffered to choose a Tutor to his owne liking. Sith it is so: by what right or title will wee deuise this or that, too saye, wee bee yong ••yldren, and therefore we must haue a