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

Truly we ought to go forward to the said perfection, and to labour continually for it: but yet howsoever we fare, let us not cease to seek God though we cannot come at him by reason of the great number of lets and impediments, & though we now and […] make false steppes, & our wicked lusts hold us back, hinder us, and lie sore upon us (as I said:) ⟨image 287⟩let us not forsake our way for all that, though we be shaken now and then. Although then that by nature we cannot keep our way lustily to come unto our God: yet is it enough that we fulfil not the lusts of our flesh: for although we feel them, & although they be overstrong in us: yet if we overcome them God accepteth it, & forgiveth us all the whole default. According whereunto S. Paul exhorting the faithful not to cast down their harts out of measure: saith that the flesh reigneth not in us. He saith not that wicked lusts and sinful affections dwell not any more in us: for we shall never be rid of them till it please God too take us too himself? Then till such time as we be out of this world, there shall always be blemishes and spots in us, and we must be fain too stoop under the fardel of our sins and infirmities, and that is too the intent to humble us the more, and to show that our life is a continual battle. Moreover although sin dwell in us, yet must it not reign, but Gods spirit must get the upper hand of it, and that shall be done when we flee unto God with an earnest zeal, praying him to remedy the evil which passeth our power to amend, and in such wise too increase the gifts of his spirit in us, as we may overcome all things that do as it were hold us down. Thus ye see what S. Paul meant by that saying in this text. And he addeth thereunto, that the spirit lusteth against the flesh, and the flesh against the spirit, so as we do not the thing that we fain would do. Here his meaning is to quicken us up to keep good watch, yea and too have our harness always upon our backs as they say, and too be in a readiness against the enemy. If we were clear from all vices, and that all men without gainsaying did follow the thing that God commandeth by his word: we should not need too strain ourselves much, no more than the Angels of heaven, who need not to fight, for they be ready to do all that is commanded them.

Truly we ought to go foreward to the sayd perfection, and to labor continually for it: but yet howsoeuer wee fare, let vs not ceasse to seeke God though we cannot come at hym by reason of the great number of lettes and impediments, & though we now and make false steppes, & our wicked lustes hold vs backe, hinder vs, and lie sore vpon vs (as I sayd:)