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

The third is, that we wrong no man, nor use any deceit or cruelty, but that we endeavour to do our neighbour good. Lo what the life of Christians is. But S. Paul sayeth here, that if men will not acknowledge themselves to be utter enemies too God, and full of all naughtiness and rebellion: let them but make a short inquiry, and look into their life, and they shall find that some of them be whoremongers, some drunkards, some given to all ribaldry, some murderers, some Sorcerers, some seditious, some full of ambition, and othersome desirous to sow abroad darnel and troubles, and to bring up sects to pervert Gods truth with their corruptions. Thus ye see what is to be found in men if their lives be well searched. But what shall they win by going to law with God, and by labouring to cover their lewdness with shifting? nothing at all. Howbeit they confess not it with their mouth: it is their life that must speak it: their life together with all their works that are known in it, bear record of the things that I have said, and so there needeth no more disputing. Furthermore, when as S. Paul saith that the works of the flesh are manifest: he meaneth not that all those whom God suffereth to follow their natural swing, and whom he governeth not by his holy spirit, are attainted with all the vices here named: but that there is not any man which is not so corrupted, that he abandoneth himself sometime to one naughtiness and sometime to two or three at once, as occasion serveth. Ye shall see many heathen men and unbelievers, in whom there is no fear of God, nor any knowledge of his word, which have some outward show of virtue and honesty: yet is it no consequent that they be not corrupted, howbeit that the •••ection is hidden and settled inwardly, and there is an impostun•• that rotteth all within. Howsoever ⟨p. 269⟩the case stand, there is neither rule nor measure in mans nature, but all is out of order and confounded there. You see then that the thing which we have to gather upon this strain, is that we must not be beguiled with our own hypocrisy, but every of us must have an eye too himself, and examine his own life throughly, and then shall we all have cause to cast down our eyes, and to shut our mouths, and therewith to acknowledge that we be wretched, and that there is nothing but damnation in us.

The thirde is, that we wrong no man, nor vse any deceyte or crueltie, but that we indeuer to do our neighbor good. Lo what the life of Christians is. But S. Paule sayeth heere, that if men will not acknowledge themselues to be vtter enimies too God, and full of all naughtinesse and rebellion: let them but make a short inquirie, and loke into their life, and they shall find that some of them be whoremongers, some drunkardes, some giuen to all ribawdrie, some murtherers, some Sorcerers, some sedicious, some full of ambition, and othersome desirous to sowe abrode darnell and troubles, and to bring vp sects to peruert Gods truth with their corruptions. Thus ye see what is to bee found in men if theyr liues be well serched. But what shall they win by going to law with God, and by labouring to couer their lewdnesse with shifting? nothing at al. Howbeit they confesse not it with their mouth: it is their life that must speake it: their life togither with al their workes that are knowne in it, beare record of the things that I haue sayd, and so there needeth no more disputing. Furthermore, when as S. Paule sayth that the workes of the flesh are manifest: he meeneth not that all those whom God suffereth to follow their naturall swinge, and whom he gouerneth not by his holy spirit, are atteinted with all the vices here named: but that there is not any man which is not so corrupted, that he abandoneth himselfe sometime to one naughtinesse and sometime to two or three at once, as occasion serueth. Yee shall see many heathen men and vnbeleeuers, in whom there is no feare of God, nor any knowledge of his word, which haue some outward shew of vertue and honestie: yet is it no consequent that they bee not corrupted, howbeit that the ection is hidden and settled inwardly, and there is an impostun that rotteth all within. Howsoeuer