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…

Again, every man complains of his wife, saying: I cannot live with her, it is a mad beast, there is nothing in her but pride and peevishness, and there is nothing in her but froward stubbornness. I cannot speak a word too her, but she pays me again with four for it. Now surely, such as men make their wives, such have they of them. For were there no more but this that I spake of, namely that men do (as it were) in spite of God maintain their wives wrongful quarrels: ought not God too yield them their deserved hire, and too make it rebound back upon their own pates? Whatsoever I say, if a man mark well e•ery mans ordinary trade of life: he shall find that there may be a sort of fond loves, and a forte of excessive affections, but as for well ordered friendship, such as dependeth upon God, and is grounded on his word: hardly shall he among a hundred houses find one, where the husband and the wife are so well qualified. Yet notwithstanding we be unexcuzable, if we profit not in this doctrine. So then, every of us must fight against his unruly affections: & if a man have not such a wife as he could wish, let ⟨p. 294⟩him understand, that God intendeth to try his patience by that means and let him consider well, that he behaveth himself worse towards our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the husband, too whom all of us are married. And therefore let him not be rigorous towards his wife, seeing that he himself deserveth too be so humbled. Too be short, let every man so mind this doctrine, that when the husband hath not all things in his wife that he desireth, he may think thus with himself: yet am I bound unto her, yea and I am not only bound unto my wife, but also unto God, who is the master of marriage, and too our Lord Jesus Christ, who is as a mirror and lively image of it unto us. Therefore am I bound too do my duty towards her, and both too love her, and too bear with her, although there be vices in her. Yet is it not meant, that the husband should foster and feed his wives vices. For as we must warn and counsel one another: so must there not be any such nearness or linking together, but that if the husband see any thing amiss in his wife, he must at leastwise tell her of it, yea and rebuke her, and labour and endeavour too bring her into the right way, as much as he can possibly.

Agein, euery man complaynes of his wyfe, saying: I cannot liue with hir, it is a mad beast, there is nothing in hir but pryde and peeuishnesse, and there is nothing in hir but froward stubbornnesse. I cannot speake a woord too hir, but shee payes mee agein with foure for it. Now surely, such as men make their wyues, such haue they of them. For were there no more but this that I spake of, namely that men doo (as it were) in spyte of God maynteyne their wyues wrongfull quarelles: ought not God too yeeld them their deserued hyre, and too make it rebound backe vppon their owne pates? Whatsoeuer I say, if a man marke well eery mans ordinarie trade of lyfe: he shall fynde that there may bee a sorte of fond loues, and a forte of excessiue affections, but as for well ordered frendship, such as dependeth vppon God, and is grounded on his woord: hardly shal he among a hundred houses fynd one, where the husband and the wyfe are so well qualifyed. Yit notwithstanding wee bee vnexcuzable, if wee profit not in this doctrine. So then, euery of vs must fyght ageinst his vnruly affections: & if a man haue not such a wyfe as he could wish, let