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…

Moreover he addeth afterward, Filthiness or uncomeliness. For when men take leave too be wanton, surely all ribaldry will have full scope. (As for example,) if wantonness and other foolish things be permitted, as dancing and such other things, men will say at the first, that that may well be borne withal, so there be no worse. But let men once bear and suffer dancing, masking, mummeries, & such other like dung: and out of doubt the devil will have a fling at them, & it cannot by any means be letted, but that all will be marred. That is the cause why Saint Paul in forbidding whoredom, addeth also all manner of ribaldry or unhonestie: And by and by therewithal fond talk. For a body would take it too be no great harm, if a man should jest and dally with a maid or a wife, and prattle of a number of things. But (as I said) they be all of them allurements of Satan: and if it be suffered, it cannot be but the maid must be made a harlot, though she were the honestest woman in the world. That in effect is the thing which we have too bear in mind.

Moreouer he addeth afterward, Filthinesse or vncomlinesse. For when men take leaue too bee wanton, surely all rebaudrie will haue full scope. (As for example,) if wantonnesse and other foolish things bee permitted, as dauncing and such other things, men will say at the first, that that may well be borne withal, so there be no worse. But let men once beare and suffer dauncing, masking, mumries, & such other lyke dung: and out of dout the diuell will haue a fling at them, & it cannot by any means bee letted, but that all wil be marde. That is the cause why Saint Paule in forbidding whoredome, addeth also all manner of ribaudrie or vnhonestie: And by and by therewithall fond talk. For a bodie would take it too bee no greate harme, if a man should iest and dally with a mayd or a wyfe, and prattle of a number of things. But (as I sayd) they bee all of them allurements of Satan: and if it bee suffered, it cannot bee but the mayd must bee made a harlot, though shee were the honestest woman in the world. That in efffect is the thing which wee haue too beare in mynd.

And he thinks it not enough too say, that Gods children must abstain from covetousness and whoredom, and from the things that come near unto them: but too the intent we may abhor them all the more, he sayeth, Let them not be once named among you. It is not without cause that he sayeth so, for (as I have said already, and as shall be declared more fully hereafter) as touching covetousness, it will be thought too be a virtue when a man worketh and scrapeth together on all sides: O that is a good thrifty fellow: men clap their hands at him, men soothe him: and although they count him but as a thief, and a robber, and a Cutthroat: yet notwithstanding so he have goods, every body will think he doeth well too maintain him self with such as be in credit. Lo how men are flattered in their covetousness. And again, as concerning whoredom, we see that if Gods word cried not out upon that vice continually without ceasing, it would be set at liberty, and every man would dispense with him self, so as there would be no more honesty among men. Saint Paul therefore perceiving it too be so hard a thing too keep men from them, saith, that not so much as the very names of them ought to be suffered to have their course, but that they ought to be driven from among us. And in deed if there be any plague in a town, every man will keep him self close in his house, and be afraid too go abroad where any peril is. Too be short, men will be ware enough too