The sermons of M. John Calvin, upon the Epistle of S. Paul too the…The sermons of M. Iohn Caluin, vpon the Epistle of S. Paule too the…

Therefore whosoever disdaineth any man, surely he forgetteth himself too much, and he knoweth not what he is, neither is worthy of the honourable degree wherein God hath set him. And why? Because he perverteth all order. Now if this reason ought too take place in general: much more ought men too be touched too the quick when it is told them what they be, specially seeing they be linked together in a much straiter bond. As if a man should say too a father, How now? If thou be so far out of love with thy son, that thou art unwilling too see him, and disdainest too talk with him, and he can find no means too come too atonement with thee: what a cruelty is that? For he is thy flesh and thy blood. And how then canst thou be so blinded in thine excessive mood, as not too consider that God hath given him thee as though he had come out of thine own person? And too a son it will be said likewise: How now? Is it meet that thou shouldest be borne into the world, and have room and place among Gods children, and in the mean while forget thy father that begat thee, and by whose means God sent thee into the world?

Therefore whosoeuer disdeyneth any man, surely he foregetteth himselfe too much, and he knoweth not what he is, nother is woorthy of the honorable degree wherin God hath set him. And why? Bycause he peruerteth all order. Now if this reason ought too take place in generall: much more ought men too bee touched too the quicke when it is told them what they bee, specially seeing they bee linked toogither in a much streyter bond. As if a man should saye too a father, How now? If thou bee so farre out of loue with thy sonne, that thou art vnwylling too see him, and disdeynest too talke with him, and he can fynd no meanes too come too attonement with thee: what a crueltie is that? For he is thy fleshe and thy blud. And how then canst thou bee so blynded in thyne excessiue moode, as not too consider that God hath giuen him thee as though he had come out of thyne owne person? And too a sonne it will bee sayde lykewyse: How now? Is it meete that thou shouldest bee borne intoo the world, and haue roome and place among Gods children, and in the meane whyle forget thy father that begate thee, and by whose meanes God sent thee intoo the world?

Now the holyest band that God hath set among us, is the bond between man and wife. That is the cause why Saint Paul saith, that a man cannot love his wife, but he must love him self: and contrariwise, that if he despise his wife or hate her, it is all one as if he fall at odds with him self. And is that possible? Heretofore he had exhorted husbands too do their duties, by having an eye too the example of our Lord Jesus Christ. And he had alleged, that the Son of God had given him self too the death too wash his Church: so that although it was poor and miserable, and full of filth and uncleanness: