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

8 At such time as ye knew not God, you served them that by nature are no Gods. 9 But now that you know God or rather are known of God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and beggarly Ceremonies, whereunto ye would fain be in bondage again as before. 10 Ye observe days & months, and times, & years. 11 I am afraid of you least I have laboured in vain about you.

8 At such time as yee knevve not God, you serued them that by nature are no Gods. 9 But novv that you knovv God or rather are knowne of God, hovv is it that you turne back againe to the vveake and beggerly Ceremonies, vvherevnto ye vvoulde faine be in bondage againe as before. 10 Ye obserue dayes & monethes, and times, & yeares. 11 I am afrayde of you least I haue laboured in vaine about you.

We have seen heretofore how that after the Galatians had bin faithfully taught by S. Paul, who had taken much pain among them, they shrunk back again: not that they utterly renounced Jesus Christ and the Gospel: but that they had bin to easy in suffering themselves to be deceived in following diverse opinions, as we see it is come to pass through the whole world. For the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and baptism as a mark of faith do in deed continue still: but yet for all that, we see that all things are marred with superstition and Idolatry. So the Galatians pretended still to be of Gods Church: and yet in the mean while they were bewrapped in many follies, as specially in this, that they should partly purchase grace and soul health at Gods hand, by keeping the Ceremonies of the Law. But that was to great a defacing of our Lord Jesus Christ. For it is impossible for him too be our Saviour, unless we lay away all self weening, and put our whole trust in him. We see then that the fault of the Galatians was, that they ⟨image 215⟩were not so well grounded in the Gospel, as to be firm & steadfast, and to shake off all errors, but rather were misled through too light belief. In this respect Saint Paul saith that they be worthy of double blame, because that whereas God had set them in a good way, and in a good forwardness, they fleeted aside through their own inconstancy. And he maketh comparison between their present state, and their former state. For they had bin poor Paynims that had never tasted of true religion. God visited them, and graciously drew them to him, and gave them the knowledge of his truth. Now forasmuch as hereupon they mingled the illusions and trumperies of Satan with the pure truth of the Gospel: that was a fault too far out of square, and no more to be excused than their former. And that is the cause why Saint Paul sayeth, at such time as ye knew not yet any thing, it was no marvel though you served Idols, because ye were blinded in your errors, and God had never disclosed himself to you, that ye might have bin able to discern the living God from all the forgeries of mans own brain.