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

They endure hunger and thirst, heat and cold, and dare neither eat nor drink half their fill, and all too the intent to heap up out of measure. Lo at what point they be. Again, such as covet to be esteemed and exalted too the worldward, endure as great misery as if they were in the hands of the hangman: nay, the hangman would not torment them so cruelly as they do themselves: and yet they be so headstrong, as they cannot by any means be turned from it. But when God is so gracious as to show us where our welfare lieth, that is to wit, in the kingdom of heaven: although we be warned that our life is of no continuance, and that we slip away out of hand: yet are we so ravished in love with our vanities, that we forsake the inestimable joy whereunto God calleth us, and set light by the heritage of heaven, in comparison of these worldly things which are right nought. Therefore let us consider, that S. Pauls present upbraiding of the Galatians when he asketh them where their happiness is become, toucheth and concerneth us now adays. For he presupposeth that the Galatians knew that God could not have done them a greater good turn in this world, than to enlighten them with the knowledge of his Gospel, whereby they had bin throughly persu••d and resolved, that the world hath ⟨p. 209⟩nothing but deceitfulness in it, for so much as it turneth us away from the heritage of heaven, according also as our Lord Jesus Christ allegeth the same similitude,¹ that the Gospel and the treasures & riches contained therein are a precious stone, and that if we should give over all the things which we esteem in this world, and which we like best of, we should lose nothing by the bargain, nor have any cause to repent us. But now are we double too blame, seeing we turn away after we have known that God drew us from beneath to make us partakers of his heavenly glory, and put that inestimable benefit out of our remembrance for the whisking of a fly overthwart our eyes as they say. Forasmuch then as it hath pleased God to open our eyes, and too pluck us out of the mire wherein we were plunged with the unbelievers and ignorant persons, not only in following superstitions and idolatries as others did, but also in giving ourselves over to our fleshly likings and wicked lusts:

They indure hunger and thirste, heate and cold, and dare nother eate nor drinke halfe their fill, and all too the intent to heape vp out of measure. Lo at what poynt they bee. Againe, such as couet to bee esteemed and exalted too the worldward, indure as great miserie as if they were in the hands of the hangman: nay, the hangman would not torment them so cruelly as they doo themselues: and yet they bee so headstrong, as they cannot by any meanes bee turned from it. But when God is so gratious as to shew vs where our welfare lieth, that is to wit, in the kingdome of heauē: although wee be warned that our life is of no continuance, and that wee slip away out of hand: yet are wee so rauished in loue with our vanities, that we forsake the inestimable ioy wherevnto God calleth vs, and set light by the heritage of heauen, in comparison of these worldly things which are right nought. Therefore let vs consider, that S. Paules present vpbrayding of the Galathians when he asketh them where their happinesse is become, toucheth and concerneth vs now adayes. For he presupposeth that the Galathians knew that God could not haue done them a greater good turne in this world, than to inlighten them with the knowledge of his Gospell, whereby they had bin throughly persud and resolued, that the world hath