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 therefore upon every light occasion they give themselves too all naughtiness, whensoever God giveth them the bridle. If it be said that the faithful also do overshoot themselves: I grant it: but yet hath God promised to strengthen them, so as they shall hold out too the end. Again there is great diversity between Gods children that are governed by his spirit, and the faithless that are still fleshly. For the intent and drift of Gods children, is to dedicate themselves wholly unto him, that they may be made pure through his grace: but the other sort walk at rovers, and when they do any good, they scarcely have the skill too know why they do it. They may well have the word virtue in their mouths: but yet for all that, their going is not to godward, but they keep still a loo•e from him. This in effect is the thing that we have to gather upon this strain. Now on the otherside S. Paul sayeth, that the fruits of the spirit are joy, peace, meekness, gentleness, patientnesse, and such other like. As if he should say, that considering our great frowardness and that there is nothing in us but corruption and naughtiness: we have enough wherewith to keep our selves occupied, so as we shall not need to be idle all our life long, if we do nothing else but fight against our own vices: we shall find enough there, to busy our selves with both day and night. Again on the otherside, sith we be commanded to be mild and gentle, to live sober and chaste in all respects, to keep our selves from all defiling, to offer our selves as it were in sacrifice unto God, to forbear from all harm or annoyance, and in stead of seeking our own profit too strain our selves to the uttermost to succour and help such as have need of us: sith we see that all this is commanded us: is it possible for us too bring it to pass? No: and yet the matter concerneth our catching up into heaven, that we might be near unto God. For the holiness that is required in the law, and all the good works that God commandeth us, are as a knitting of him unto us, and of us unto him. But where are now the wings that should carry us up so high? For we can be neither chaste, nor kindhearted, nor gentle, nor modest, nor sober: unless we […] and clean plucked from our own nature, by forsaking bot•••e world and our selves. But ⟨p. 273⟩that passeth all our ability.

And therefore vpon euery light occasiō they giue themselues too all naughtinesse, whensoeuer God giueth them the brydle. If it bee sayd that the faythfull also do ouershoote themselues: I graunt it: but yet hath God promised to strengthen them, so as they shall holde out too the end. Againe there is great diuersitie betweene Gods children that are gouerned by his spirit, and the faythlesse that are still fleshely. For the intent and drifte of Gods children, is to dedicate themselues wholly vnto him, that they may be made pure through his grace: but the other sorte walke at rouers, and when they doo any good, they scarsly haue the skill too know why they do it. They may well haue the woord vertue in their mouthes: but yet for al that, their goyng is not to godward, but they keepe still a looe from him. This in effect is the thing that we haue to gather vpon this streyne. Nowe on the otherside S. Paule sayeth, that the frutes of the spirit are ioye, peace, meekenesse, gentlenesse, patientnesse, and such other like. As if he should say, that cōsidering our great frowardnesse and that there is nothing in vs but corruption and naughtinesse: we haue ynough wherewith to keepe our selues occupied, so as we shall not neede to be idle all our lyfe long, if wee do nothing else but fight agaynst our owne vices: we shall finde ynough there, to buzie our selues with bothe day and night. Againe on the otherside, sith we be commaunded to be meelde and gentle, to liue sober and chaste in all respects, to keepe our selues from all defiling, to offer our selues as it were in sacrifize vnto God, to forbeare from all harme or anoyance, and in stead of seeking our owne profite too streyne our selues to the vttermost to succour and help such as haue neede of vs: sith we see that all this is commaunded vs: is it possible for vs too bring it to passe? No: and yet the matter concerneth our catching vp into heauen, that we might be neere vnto God. For the holynesse that is required in the lawe, and all the good workes that God commaundeth vs, are as a knitting of him vnto vs, and of vs vnto him. But where are now the winges that should carie vs vp so high? For wee can be nother chaste, nor kindharted, nor gentle, nor modest, nor sober: vnlesse we and cleane plucked from our owne nature, by forsaking bote worlde and our selues. But