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…

For besides that, we must abstain from all subtlety and deceit, when God once calleth us too be his children, and will have us too maintain a brotherhood among our selves: many of us also must give over our trades of living. For what a number of means too live upon, are there in the popedom? But when we come before God, let us always remember this definitive sentence which I have set down: namely that we consider how the case concerneth our not answering before an earthly Judge, but before him which seeth all things, and before whom there is no cloaking of any thing. Therefore let us think well upon it, seeing there are so many means excusable in popery, wherewith as good as a fourth part of the world is maintained, and yet are all of them not only unavailable, but also abominable before God. For first of all there be Priests and Monks, and all the rabble (of Cloisterers.) Secondly there are there hangers on which live of them, and are as it were their waged men, which have some gain by them, and do scum of some part of their fat by one mean or other: under which Covert there lurketh a very long tail that is turned in and out like a Maze. Again, there are a great sort too be seen, which give themselves all wholly too things that are nothing worth. True it is that in this darkness of theirs men see not very well: insomuch that black (as ye would say) is turned into white. But yet howsoever the case stand, there is no placard for men in this behalf, but every man must have an eye too this, that like as hitherto I have filched & polled to get my living: and have exercised some wicked practise or other, which God, condemneth by his word: seeing I had defiled myself in eating the bread which came not too me lawfully from the hand of God as it should do, according too my asking of my daily bread of him, but by filching here and there: I must now henceforth change my copy, and learn too labour in such wise, as I may truly say, that the things which I have, do come too me of Gods blessing▪ That ⟨p. 223⟩is the thing which we have too remember upon this lesson of Saint Pauls.

For besydes that, wee must absteyne from all suttletie and deceyte, when God once calleth vs too bee his children, and will haue vs too maynteyne a brotherhood among our selues: many of vs also must giue ouer our trades of liuing. For what a number of meanes too liue vppon, are there in the popedome? But when wee come before God, let vs alwayes remember this definitiue sentence which I haue set down: namely that we consider how the cace concerneth our not answering before an earthly Iudge, but before him which seeth all things, and before whom there is no cloking of any thing. Therfore let vs thinke well vppon it, seeing there are so many meanes excuzable in poperie, wherwith as good as a fourth part of the world is maynteyned, and yit are all of them not only vnauaylable, but also abhominable before God. For first of all there bee Priestes and Moonkes, and all the rabble (of Cloysterers.) Secondly there are there hangers on which liue of them, and are as it were their waged men, which haue some geyne by them, and doo skum of some part of their fatte by one meane or other: vnder which Couert there lurketh a very long tayle that is turned in and out like a Maze. Agein, there are a great sorte too bee seene, which giue themselues all wholly too things that are nothing woorth. Trew it is that in this darkenesse of theirs men see not very well: insomuch that black (as yee would say) is turned intoo whyte. But yit howsoeuer the cace stand, there is no placard for men in this behalf, but euery man must haue an eye too this, that like as hithertoo I haue filched & polled to get my liuing: and haue exercyced some wicked practize or other, which God, condemneth by his woord: seeing I had defyled myself in eating the bread which came not too mee lawfully from the hand of God as it should doo, according too my asking of my dayly bread of him, but by filching here and there: I must now hensfoorth chaunge my copie, and learne too labour in such wyse, as I may truly say, that the things which I haue, doo come too mee of Gods blissyng That