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

we must serve him after a spiritual manner, and not with these childish playing toys. Now let us come too that which S. Paul saith, Circumcision (saith he) is nothing: but faith that worketh by charity. Hereby he betokeneth that although Ceremonies be laid aside, we have enough too occupy our selves with, in doing the things that God commandeth: that is to wit, that all the perfection and holiness, of the faithful consisteth in charity. That is the fulfilling of the Law, that is the end and shoot anchor whereunto God bringeth us. Therefore if we have charity, let us not think that we be unoccupied. But now a days if a man rebuke the superstitions of Popery, and scorn them, saying, Go too, ye have much baggage amongst you: when ye come at Church ye besprinkle your selves with holy water, ye kneel down before a puppet, ye scud from alter to alter, ye do this and that, and to be short there is an endless hotchpotch of all manner of gewgaws among you: and poor souls as ye be, think ye that these things will go for payment? No, for God will not allow any of them. They reply unto it again and say, why not? Shall God be no more served? What shall we do for him? Verily it seemeth to them that unless they go to Mass, & ⟨image 264⟩be shriven, and pay some ransom, and do one thing or other, there is nothing at all done. And in deed we see how they leave the principal undone. For even they that are the devoutest of them, will not stick at all, some too keep whores, some to blaspheme God, and some too rob and spoil other men, in so much that if they which pretend greatest holiness can find occasion too pill and poll their neighbours, they will byte them to the bones. Their cruelty shall be so excessive, that they shall be brute beasts rather than men. Thereunto they be full of subtlety and wiliness. It is nothing with them too forswear themselves, if they may beguile any man by it. For they nuzzle themselves in all kind of lewdness, bearing themselves in hand that God must serve them for a cloak when they fall once too making of fair countenances, that it may be said they be devout or holy folk.¹ Ye see then that this hypocrisy is as a den of thieves, as our Lord Jesus Christ himself termeth it.

wee must serue hym after a spirituall manner, and not with these chyldishe playing toyes. Nowe let vs come too that which S. Paule sayth, Circumcision (sayth he) is nothing: but faith that woorketh by charitie. Hereby he betokeneth that although Ceremonyes bee layd aside, wee haue ynough too occupie our selues with, in dooyng the things that God commaundeth: that is to wit, that all the perfection and holinesse, of the faythfull consisteth in charitie. That is the fulfilling of the Lawe, that is the ende and shooteanker wherevntoo God bringeth vs. Therefore if wee haue charitie, let vs not thinke that wee bee vnoccupyed. But nowe a dayes if a man rebuke the superstitions of Poperie, and skorne them, saying, Go too, yee haue much baggage amongst you: when yee come at Churche yee besprinckle your selues with holiwater, yee kneele down before a puppet, yee skud from alter to alter, ye do this and that, and to be short there is an endlesse hotchpotch of al maner of gewgawes among you: and poore soules as yee bee, thinke yee that these things wyll go for payment? No, for God will not allow any of them. They reply vnto it agein and say, why not? Shall God bee no more serued? VVhat shall wee doo for hym? Verily it seemeth to them that vnlesse they go to Masse, &