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 we must mark also that which he addeth of all wantonness and foolish (or fond) talk. For (as I said afore) it is certain that whoredom must needs grow lawful among men, when they suffer such provocations and occasions of naughtiness: for it is all one as if a man would wilfully give over himself too Satan. Therefore let us take heed too our selves, and drive the enemy far from us, and let us be sure that where such lightness and lewdness have full scope, by and by there must needs be a Brothelrie, or stews set up, not in some one corner of a City or town, but over all, so as no place shall be clean, as experience showeth too much. But yet would not men be willing too see it so. Every man complains now adays, that there is no more chastity in the world. And is it any wonder? For ⟨image 262⟩the time hath bin that there was some honesty and soberness too be seen in married women: but now they count it a virtue too be more than mannish, and too be brazenfaste and utterly shameless. And why? will men say that a woman is chaste, if she be not well tried? Ho, no, no. Come who will (says she:) if these roisters fall too dallying with me, tush, I can tell well enough how too send them away, they shall well find to whom they speak, for I wot how to answer them. Thus will a harlot play the chaste wife, as though she were a mirror of all honesty: and yet in the mean while she will stand at the barriers like a man of arms, against all comers that will hold talk with her of lewdness and ribaldry. Now therefore let us mark well what S. Paul telleth us here. For women have bin suffered a long time too be so unmeasurable bold: and besides wanton talk, there are also very garish attires, that it is very hard too discern whether they be men or women: they must have every day new deckings and trimmings, and every day some new disguised fashion or other. They make them great cart wheels like Peacocks tails, that a man cannot pass within three foot of them, but he shall feel as it were a wind mill sail flasking by him. Again, they have their ribaldry songs mingled with it.

And wee must marke also that which he addeth of al vvantonnesse and folish (or fond) talke. For (as I sayd afore) it is certein that whoredome must needes growe lawfull among men, when they suffer such prouocations and occasions of naughtinesse: for it is all one as if a man would wilfully giue ouer himselfe too Satan. Therefore let vs take heede too our selues, and driue the enemie farre from vs, and let vs bee sure that where such lyghtnesse and leaudnesse haue full scope, by and by there must needes bee a Brothelrie, or stewes set vp, not in some one corner of a Citie or towne, but ouer all, so as no place shall bee cleane, as experience sheweth too much. But yit would not men bee willing too see it so. Euery man complaynes now adayes, that there is no more chastitie in the world. And is it any wonder? For