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…

They will rather make such excuses as these: I have a charge of wife and children, and why is it not lawful for me too seek sustenance for them? Again, should I not have a care for hereafter, that I may set them in some good stay? Covetousness hath such store of ⟨image 261⟩excuses, that it is coloured and varnished with them, and the term hath such visors put upon it, that it is taken wellnigh for a virtue. But Saint Paul meant not that men should only forbear the bare names, which might make the vices themselves abhorred and hated: but he would rather that whoredom should be named as a villainous thing, and that men should understand that a whorehunter cutteth himself of from the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, banisheth himself from the kingdom of heaven, and is cursed before God and his Angels. Those are things that must be known. And again, that a Covetous person is an Idolater and forsaketh God, that he is as a damned soul and a confounder of all right and equity, that he is possessed of the devil, and a tormentor too himself. Those are the things which it standeth us on hand too know, and whereof we cannot speak too much. But we know what the manner of them is, which are desirous too take all liberty: for all their delight is too sharpen their wits too tell merry tales, (saying:) I remember me of such a thing and such a thing that was done in my time. Yea and they will not stick to report what they have heard of their grandfathers, before they themselves were borne into the world. And if there were any ribaldry or unthriftiness in their doings, that will they lay open. And top what end? To the end that every body should be desirous too inquire of such filthiness. Thus are snares laid too catch us withal, whensoever the devil shall have won so much at our hands. Ye see then that the things which Saint Paul meant, are the pleasant tales that are told too make the men merry, too the intent not only that every man should delight in whoredom, and be no more ashamed too give themselves over too all lewdness: but also take it as a lawful thing, so as there may be common speeches of it, and it may be made a table talk at all feasts, and an ordinary communication in the streets and every where else.

They will rather make such excuces as these: I haue a charge of wyfe and children, and why is it not lawfull for mee too seeke sustenance for them? Agein, should I not haue a care for heereafter, that I may set them in some good stay? Couetousnesse hath such store of ⟨image 261⟩