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…

And for the second point, if we chance too stumble and fall through frailty, that we be not so held back by the fear of God, but that we be faulty before him: let us beware that we do not harden and foade our selves in our evil doing, but as soon as we feel any unmeasurable moving in us, let us step before it, and endeavour too repress it: let us use violence in that behalf too subdue our passions that carry us so away, making us too skirmish so against God and our neighbours. Thus must we fight manfully too bridle all our cholleriknesse. Or else if any excess have escaped us, let us come back again and bethink our selves better, and let us rid it away quickly, assuring our selves it is as a disease that requireth speedy remedy, or else it will overgrow in such wise, as all succour shall come out of season. Let us think upon it.

And for the seconde poynt, if wee chaunce too stumble and fall through fraylty, that wee bee not so hild backe by the feare of God, but that wee be faultie before him: let vs beware that wee doo not harden and foade our selues in our euill dooing, but as soone as wee feele anye vnmeasurable mouing in vs, let vs step before it, and indeuer too represse it: let vs vse violence in that behalfe too subdew our passions that carye vs so away, making vs too skirmish so ageinst God and our neyghbours. Thus must wee fyght manfully too brydle all our cholleriknesse. Or else if any excesse haue escaped vs, let vs come back agein and bethink our selues better, and let vs rid it away quickly, assuring our selues it is as a disease that requyreth speedie remedie, or else it will ouergrowe in such wyze, as all succour shall come out of season. Let vs think vppon it.

Now if Saint Paul had said no more but thus: my friends, let not the Sun go down upon your anger, for if rancour do once settle, it will not be easily put away: it had bin much, and that warning ought too have sufficed us. But the threat which he setteth down with it in that he sayeth, Give not place too the Devil, ought too make the hairs stand up upon our heads. Some in deed have expounded it too be spoken of the enemies of the faith, which seek occasion of slandering it: but it is easy too be seen by the words them selves, how he intended too warn us of a thing which we ought too be more afraid of, and which will scare us worse: that is too wit, that the devil getteth as it were the mastery and dominion over us, when we feed any grudge and heartburning against our brethren. Now then, which of us will not quake for fear, when he heareth of his subjection unto Satan, as if he were in his bonds like a prisoner? And yet for all that we take no heed of the things that are told us here. For S. Paul hath uttered Gods sentence, which is, that if we pursue our anger and heartburning against such as have offended us, it is all one as if we wilfully passed an obligation too Satan, too be held as thralls under his tyranny. So much the more therefore doth it stand us on hand too bethink our selves advisedly, that if that vice cannot be thoroughly amended at the first brunt, we may at leastwise be well ware that it do not so settle in us, as that we cannot be set at one again, or that we should pursue our quarrels, or that men should not be able too weigh with us, until we have taken some