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 is that fault less to be condemned than whoredom or drunkenness? When a poor wretch that desireth but to eat & drink, hath well filled his belly, he goes his way as he was wont, he desireth to be neither King nor great Lord, he passeth away his time. Another that is given to play, goes to sport him with unthrifts like himself, and is not tempted with ambition or desire of honour. Those then which seem most honourable, & make most of their painted sheath, are most fleshly sayeth (S. Paul), according also as we have seen in the first Epistle too the Corinthians,¹ where he blamed them as fleshly, because they were at variance one against another about the doctrine, and were so fond & curious to be seen and had in estimation of men, in respect whereof also he mentioneth sects & heresies. If a man trouble Gods Church by false doctrine, whither it be in despite of some men, or to purchase himself reputation & renown: after the opinion of the Papists it is not to be said that it is fleshly dealing, it is to be said that it was but too subtle dealing. Yea, but S. Paul sayeth that heresy, vain glory, and strife or spiting, are works of the flesh. Now then we see the thing that we treated of this morning: to wit, that under the word Flesh is comprehended all that is a mans own, and that we must be changed and fashioned new again, or else we shall be given to all naughtiness. It is true (as I have touched already) that although God suffer the Paynims and Infidels to run upon the bridle, and have not begotten them again by his holy spirit: yet they may after a sort be counted virtuous, and a man shall find some honesty in their lives, at leastwise all of them shall not be whoremongers, drunkards, or thieves.² How then doth S. Paul call them fleshly? Because mans hart (as sayeth the Prophet Jeremiah) is a deep gulf of iniquity, whereof there is neither bank nor bottom to be found, and that doth the Prophet well bewray in saying, what a gulf is the hart of man, and who is able to sound it? None but God (sayeth he). For we see how men flatter themselves, and are so festered in their naughtiness, and so hardened in their sins, that ••ey heap mischief upon mischief, ⟨p. 272⟩and sin upon sin, and bear themselves in hand that their vices are virtues, but yet their life shall have some fair show and gloss upon it.