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…

Now if Saint Paul would that the Slaves of his time should be so obedient too their masters, there is less excuse in these days, for Servants that take wages. Let us compare the one with the other. Those poor souls (as I told you before) were handled so rigorously, that their masters might imprison them, put them in the stocks, rack them, dismember them, maim them, yea and kill them. It was a grievous case, and yet were they bound too it for life and death.¹ There was no limitation of term but only among the Jews, among whom God had appointed a term. But the common and general law of all nations was, that bond folks with their children should continue bond for ever, so as the father had no more right too his own child, that a horse (as ye would say) or any other beast had over the young ones that came of their seed. And was not such a state as bad as a hundred deaths? Yes: for man doth always covet liberty, and too take his ease, and too eat his bread with quietness: and those wretched slaves had not a bit of bread at their own appointment. As touching their persons, they were worse than Captives, as I said afore. And yet for all this, God willeth and commandeth straitly, that they should bear this state patiently, and perform their duties faithfully, and fall too it with a free and cheerly hart. Now what is too be said of hired servants, which may warn themselves away, and have their wages paid them when they have served out their year, and are used and treated much more gently and liberally than those poor slaves were? For they were fain too labour every one in his trade and craft, they earned their bread, they drunk water many a time scarce their fill, and they were shut up in Cabins, where they were enforced too do their tasks. Then if Servants now adays can not stoop so low as too bear the state ⟨p. 317⟩that God hath laid upon their backs: it is certain that they be too unexcuzable. As much is to be said of subjects towards their Magistrates. Therefore inasmuch as we see that our Lord spareth us: we be so much the more bound too the subjection which S. Paul speaks of here.

Now if Saint Paule would that the Slaues of his tyme should be so obedient too their maysters, there is lesse excuce in these dayes, for Seruants that take wages. Let vs compare the one with the other. Those poore soules (as I tolde you before) were handled so rigorously, that their maysters myght imprizon them, put them in the stocks, racke them, dismember them, mayme them, yea and kill them. It was a greeuous cace, and yit were they bound too it for lyfe and death.