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

let us profit our selves by such grace, and beware that we envenom not our selves with opinions that come incontinently in our heads, as that the party hateth us, that he seeketh us, that there is some heartburning, that there is some enmity, and that there is I wot not what. Let all this gear be trodden under foot, and let us accept their warnings if they be true. To be short, if any man blame us, we cannot do better, than to consider what our own conscience telleth us of it. Mark this for a special point, that we must not look what the person is that speaketh, nor pass whither there be any grudge or enmity in him: but only what our own conscience judgeth of the matter and then must we needs conclude, ⟨p. 205⟩I am rightly reproved. It is a marvellous thing, that they which do so chafe and storm and grind their teeth when they be rebuked, should nevertheless condemn themselves continually whither they would or no, if they entered into their own consciences, and yet had much lever to play the mad bedlams against God, and too spite him by all means possible, than to humble themselves in acknowledging their offences. Ye see then that the way which we have to keep when we be found fault with, is too hearken unto such as may make us too enter into account, and specially too have an eye too that which is in us. And where shall we find that? Even written and engraven in our consciences. And although we perceive it not throughly: yet let us mistrust our selves, for no man is a competent judge in his own case as they say. True it is that God doth already make us judges in part: but yet must we rather receive the condemnation which we perceive not, than carp against it before we have well and throughly weighed whither we be faulty or no. But there are a number that are well apaid to shut up, or rather too see up their eyes, that they might not see their own shame: when a man comes to provoke them to amendment, they fall to skirmishing at the first push, with, did they overshoot themselves so? And then all is dispatched, they will hear no further of the matter, let a hundred things be proved against them, and all is nothing with them. They do but wring their mouth awry at it.

let vs profite our selues by such grace, and beware that we inuenim not our selues with opinions that come incontinently in our heads, as that the partie hateth vs, that hee seeketh vs, that there is some hartburning, that there is some enmitie, and that there is I wote not what. Let all this geere bee troden vnder foote, and let vs accept their warnings if they be true. To bee short, if any man blame vs, we cannot do better, than to consider what our owne conscience telleth vs of it. Marke this for a speciall poynt, that wee must not looke what the persone is that speaketh, nor passe whither there bee any grudge or enmitie in him: but onely what our owne conscience iudgeth of the matter and then must we needes conclude,