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

and that like as God hath begotten us again by it, so also we shall be fed by it too the end, as by the only food of our souls. Then let us not be so proud and presumptuous as to despise all teaching, as though we had no more need to be scholars. But let us from day to day receive that which is told us, and by that means let us become true children of the Church. Thus much for that point. The second point is that we must discern, and not be as beasts that are driven over marshes, and overthwart the wide fields: but consider which is the Church, according as God hath imprinted certain signs of the Church, which signs will never deceive us. Therefore when we have Gods word preached unto us purely without any mingling, so as there is no corrupting of the Gospel, but we be led wholly unto God to seek all our welfare in him, and keep the way which is showed unto us, which way is our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we being rid of all pride and overweening, do suffer our selves to be clad with the clothing that is offered us in our Lord Jesus Christ, and repose all our glory there, I say when we have the doctrine after that manner: then is it Gods house and Sanctuary, then is it the true Church and our mother, and we may be well assured that God also avoweth and accepteth us as his children. T• (say I) is a must sure and infallible ⟨image 246⟩proof, at leastwise if we become not brute beasts wilfully, as we see many do, who shut their eyes & stop their ears, and bear themselves in hand that they be safe, if they can once pretend the name of the Church, to hide all their abuses and trumperies, and the illusions of Satan with it. Wherefore let us not be so beastly by our own wilfulness: but let us consider whither God sendeth us to be truly regenerated by the seed of his word, and to be fed with it as with our only food. And for the same cause also is this text of Isaiah alleged, God speaketh not at random to some multitude that might vaunt themselves too be the Church,¹ but only to the flock that should be left, after that the Jews had bin horribly run astray and scattered asunder, as we know to have happened unto them. Surely at the first sight a man would have thought that God had utterly banished and abolished his Church out of the world:

and that like as God hath begotten vs againe by it, so also we shall bee fed by it too the ende, as by the onely food of our soules. Then let vs not bee so proude and presumptuous as to despize all teaching, as though we had no more need to be scholers. But let vs from day to day receyue that which is tolde vs, and by that meanes let vs become true children of the Church. Thus much for that poynt. The seconde poynt is that we must discerne, and not bee as beastes that are driuen ouer marises, and ouerthwart the wide fieldes: but consider which is the Church, according as God hath imprinted certaine signes of the Churche, which signes will neuer deceiue vs. Therfore when we haue Gods worde preached vnto vs purely without any mingling, so as there is no corrupting of the Gospell, but we be led wholly vnto God to seeke all our welfare in him, and kepe the way which is shewed vnto vs, which way is our Lorde Iesus Christ, so that wee beeing ridde of all pride and ouerweening, do suffer our selues to bee clad with the clothing that is offered vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ, and repose al our glory ther, I say whē we haue the doctrine after that maner: then is it Gods house and Sanctuarie, then is it the true Church and our mother, and we may bee well assured that God also auoweth and accepteth vs as his children. T (say I) is a must sure and infallible