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

We see then that to please God, and to yield him acceptable service, it is not for us to behave our selves after our own fancy, but we must suffer our selves to be guided and governed by his word and holy spirit. Moreover if we will follow the opinion of this man and that man, they be not a two or three that this text speaketh of, but we see it is impossible to have any good rule, or to hold the right way, till God have taken the charge of us to draw us too him. So then, they that follow the steppes of their forefathers, and make custom and antiquity the rule too frame them selves by, do show that they despise God. And why? for they wilfully leave the fountain of living water, & go to seek puddles, as though they had no wit to discern between white and black. Seeing then that S. Pauls meaning here, is too show us as it were in a lively image, that men can not but go astray and deal untowardly, till God have brought them into the way of salvation: Let us renounce our own nature, and let all things which we know to come of man be thrust utterly under foot, and let us learn to hold us simply to Gods pure truth. This (say I) is the thing that we have to remember upon the words of S. Paul, where he saith, that those which knew not God had served such ⟨p. 194⟩as were but Idols. Moreover let us not think our selves too be wiser than the Galatians: but (as I have said already) let us understand that in this place the holy Ghost meant too beat down all pride, that men might not presume upon their own reason and skill to do what they like themselves, but rather know that there is nothing but brutishness in us, till God have enlightened us with his grace. Furthermore whereas S. Paul saith, that Idols are no Gods by nature, he meaneth that we be very dulheaded, when we can not repair to the maker of all things, who showeth him self both above and beneath, too the end we should know him to worship and serve him. For we can not look upon our hands and our feet, but we must openly see Gods wonderful wisdom, power, and goodness: and when we behold the skies and the stars, we have there a sufficient record that there is a sovereign Lord which maintaineth them. When we consider the changes of seasons, and see the snow, rain, wind, or heat: behold therein doth God show him self.

VVee see then that to please God, and to yeelde him acceptable seruice, it is not for vs to behaue oure selues after oure owne fancie, but we must suffer our selues to be guided and gouerned by his worde and holy spirite. Moreouer if we will follow the opinion of this man and that man, they be not a two or three that this text speaketh of, but we see it is impossible to haue any good rule, or to holde the right way, till God haue taken the charge of vs to draw vs too him. So then, they that followe the steppes of their forefathers, and make custome and antiquitie the rule too frame them selues by, do shewe that they despise God. And why? for they wilfully leaue the fountaine of liuing water, & go to seeke puddles, as though they had no wit to discerne betweene white and blacke. Seeing then that S. Paules meening heere, is too shewe vs as it were in a liuely image, that men can not but go astray and deale vntowardly, till God haue brought them into the way of saluation: Let vs renounce our owne nature, and let all things which we know to come of man be thrust vtterly vnder foote, and let vs learne to holde vs simply to Gods pure truthe. This (say I) is the thing that we haue to remember vpon the words of S. Paule, where he sayth, that those which knewe not God had serued suche