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

So then we be warned by the example of Jerusalem, to yield our selves peaceably to the obeying of our God, & to suffer him to govern us, applying our selves to him in all respects, without puffing up into vain presumption, when he shall have bestowed any of his spiritual gifts upon us, but rather confessing that we be so much the […] beholden unto him, & thereupon ⟨image 241⟩taking occasion to humble our selves. And here by the way we see what a fondness it is of the Papists, too tie God unto Rome under colour (as they say) that it is the Apostolic sea. Let us put the case it were so, although we know not why, for all that they allege of S. Peter is but tales and stark lies. It is very certain that S. Paul was held prisoner at Rome, and it may be gathered that he was even put too death there. Behold, all the holiness of Rome is this, that the Gospel was persecuted there, and that that Devilish dungeon hath bin defiled with the blood of the martyrs, as it were to provoke gods wrath, and too confederate it self too fight against the truth, and as much▪ as may be to abolish the name and remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ. Behold here all the worthiness of Rome. But now admit that they had the records which the City of Jerusalem had, whereof not withstanding they find not one syllable in the holy Scripture. It is not said that God will reign or have any dwelling in the City of Rome, nor that it should be named the mother church, nor have any other dignity or preeminence at all. In deed Saint Paul sayeth that the faith of the Romans,¹ (& yet they were then but a handful of people,) was at that time known everywhere, even to their great renown. For ye must not think that those which bare the sword there were the Christians: but they were a few folk gathered together in covert. Those doth S. Paul praise and commend: but yet doth it not follow that the Church was over all the whole town of Rome, notwithstanding, whatsoever it were, we see what happened too Jerusalem. Saint Paul telleth us that it differed not from Hagar or Sinai, which is an unholy and defiled place, so that the holiness thereof was utterly done away, because it continued not in the pure doctrine of the Gospel.

So thē we be warned by the exāple of Ierusalē, to yeeld our selues peasably to the obeying of our God, & to suffer him to gouerne vs, applying our selues to him in al respects, without puffing vp into vayne presūptiō, whē he shal haue bestowed any of his spiritual gifts vpō vs, but rather cōfessing that we be so much the beholdē vnto him, & thervpō