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

Now although this vice be horrible, and all men condemn it: yet is it as common as any other nowadays in the world. For what else maintaineth friendship, but lying, flattering, dissimulation, counterfeiting, and such other like things? Insomuch that if a man go roundly to work, he shall purchase himself hatred and ill will on all sides. And the very cause of the greatest contentions and debates that are nowadays in the world, is that men stop their ears against all truth and reason: for we would fain have all things buried that might mislike us: Therefore this was not written for the Galatians only, but is to be applied still at this day to the common instruction of all such, as cannot abide that men should deal faithfully and truly with them. For let every of is look upon himself and examine himself well, and he shall find that all of us are attainted with that vice, till God have purged us of it. So then let us assure ourselves that if we grieve such as tell us the truth, in so doing we despise God, and fall out with him rather than with the men. We will protest the clean contrary: nevertheless we do but lye, when we cannot endure that God should bewray the thing that we would have concealed, I mean, that he should discover our faults, and rebuke them, and hold us in awe, and not bear with any thing that is not lawful for us. Thus […] see in effect what we have to mark ⟨p. 210⟩upon this text. Now hereupon Saint Paul laboureth too win the Galatians by great gentleness. My little Babes (saith he) of whom I travel in birth again, till our Lord Jesus Christ be fashioned in you. Howbeit, although that his words be somewhat sweet, yet doth he not fail to sauce them a little to the intent to quicken them up, by calling them little babes, telling them that whereas they ought too have bin fashioned and borne long ago, yea and to have bin grown to mans estate in Jesus Christ, he wist not what too make of them. For you drive me so to my shifts (saith he) that I cannot tell what speech I may use towards you any more: and therefore seeing you be so strange and untoward, and so fickle to be dealt with that I cannot tell how to handle you, I must fain to transform my self into a new man. Lo how he useth a manner of speech mingled with rigour and great friendliness.

Nowe although this vice be horrible, and all men condemne it: yet is it as common as any other nowadayes in the world. For what else mainteineth frendship, but lying, flattering, dissimulation, counterfetting, and such other like things? In somuch that if a man go roundly to worke, hee shall purchace himselfe hatred and ill will on all sydes. And the very cause of the greatest contentions and debates that are nowadayes in the world, is that men stop their eares against all truth and reason: for we would fayne haue all thinges buried that might mislike vs: Therefore this was not written for the Galathians only, but is to be applyed still at this day to the common instruction of all suche, as cannot abide that men shoulde deale faithfully and truly with them. For let euery of ys looke vppon himselfe and examine himselfe well, and he shall find that all of vs are atteinted with that vice, till God haue purged vs of it. So then let vs assure ourselues that if we greeue such as tell vs the truth, in so doing wee despise God, and fall out with him rather than with the men. VVe will protest the cleane contrary: neuerthelesse we do but lye, when we cānot indure that God should bewray the thing that we would haue concealed, I meene, that he should discouer our faultes, and rebuke them, and hold vs in awe, and not beare with any thing that is not lawfull for vs. Thus see in effect what wee haue to marke