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 there is not so very a naughtypacke but he will still have some shift too conceal his own sha•• before men▪ […] if we were a hundred times convicted, yet the Devil would ever put some device in our mind, too set a good face upon a foul matter. ⟨p. 302⟩And because we be inclined thereto by nature, and hardened therein by custom: it standeth us the more in hand too mark the thing that S. Paul telleth us here: which is, too beware that no man beguile himself, and that we err not wilfully. For it is certain that hypocrisy shall never deceive men, till they beguile themselves willingly and wittingly. The hypocrites shall now and then be deceived, and yet notwithstanding be convicted therewithal, and they shall have such hartbitings, that they shall be the first that shall condemn themselves, though all men else did acquit them. But there are that fall asleep, and bear themselves in hand that nothing is amiss in them. Yet cease they not therefore to have some pricking within them: and although they be blind, yet doth God make them unexcusable, because he quickeneth them up, & they seek shifts still to entangle them selves in, so as they themselves perceive not the mischief, that they might repent them of it. Ye see then that the worst kind of Hypocrisy that can be, is when men deceive themselves by fond flattery in alleging this & that, & in seeking to shift off the matter, not only before men, but also before God. Now S. Paul sayeth here, that God will not be mocked▪ And if he should say, that such as beguile themselves after that fashion with their fond excuses, are mockers, yea & very mockers of God. For if we bare such reverence too God as we ought to do: it is certain that when we be cited before his majesty, we would sound our selves to the hard bottom of our thoughts and affections, so as there should not be any thing that were not examined to the quick. All they then which make so light a matter of coming before God, as though he were but some little babe & might play with him at their pleasure, do thereby show themselves to be full of ungodliness. Now therefore we see how profitable this text is for us, where S. Paul having warned men that they should not beguile themselves, addeth that God cannot be mocked. This should seem not too make too the purpose. For what though we be deceivers?

And there is not so very a naughtypacke but he will still haue some shifte too conceale his owne sha before men if wee were a hundred times conuicted, yet the Diuell would euer put some deuyce in our minde, too set a good face vpon a foule matter.