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

No, saith he, ye be all of you in the way of destruction, & there is none of you that cometh to me without I draw him, for pity of the wretchedness wherein you be plunged. Therefore it is I that have discovered my self, and all this is of mine own mere gracious goodness, for you would never have sought me, yea there is none of you all but he withdrew him self further and further off from me. For we be not only as straying beasts, but also as wild and wood beasts: we be wholly given to rebellion till God have tamed us, and changed us that we might be sheep of his fold, that he may do the office of a shepherd towards us. So then it is not for nought that Saint Paul correcteth this speech of his when he saith, you have known God, or rather have been known of him. As if he should say, that when we be come too the knowledge of the Gospel, we must not imagine our selves too be better than other men, but that God prevented us, and that we should rather have perished a hundred times in our beastliness, than have come too any good amendment, if God had not utterly changed us. Now then we see what free will is able too do, whereof ignorant wretches boast them selves too the defacing of Gods grace. No doubt but all men will grant that they can not be enlightened without Gods working: but […] by after they restrain ⟨image 218⟩it again, saying that his working is but in part, and it seemeth to them that every man brings somewhat of his own. But all this gear is excluded here when he saith that none but only God knoweth us, who also marketh us out, too show him self unto us, and too make us come unto him. Then let us generally understand, that it is not our own worthiness that hath brought us too the obtaining of this benefit that the Gospel should be preached purely too us, and that every of us applieth it too his own behoof: for if I think my self to have aught at all in me why I should be preferred before one man or other: it is a taking away of Gods praise, and an usurping of it to my self: and that were an intolerable traitorousness. And therefore we must come back too that which S. Paul saith in another text:¹ Who hath made thee too excel, saith he?

No, sayth he, yee bee all of you in the way of destruction, & there is none of you that cōmeth to me without I draw him, for pitie of the wretchednesse wherein you be plunged. Therfore it is I that haue discouered my selfe, and all this is of mine owne meere gracious goodnesse, for you would neuer haue soughte me, yea there is none of you all but he withdrew him selfe further and further off from mee. For wee be not onely as straying beasts, but also as wylde and wood beastes: wee be wholly giuen to rebellion tyll God haue tamed vs, and chaunged vs that wee might be sheepe of his folde, that he may do the office of a shephearde towards vs. So then it is not for noughte that Sainct Paule correcteth this speeche of his when hee saythe, you haue knowen God, or rather haue beene knowen of him. As if hee shoulde say, that when wee bee come too the knowledge of the Gospell, wee must not imagine our selues too bee better than other men, but that God preuented vs, and that wee should rather haue perished a hundred times in our beastlynesse, than haue come too any good amendment, if God had not vtterly chaunged vs. Nowe then wee see what free will is able too doo, whereof ignorant wretches boast them selues too the defacing of Gods grace. No doubte but all men wyll graunte that they can not bee inlightened without Gods working: but by after they restryne