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…

Now what chastity can there be where it is so driven away and banished by force, and on the contrary part, the trumpets sound on all sides, that every body should give over themselves too superfluity and garishness, and seek nothing else but too plunge themselves over head and ears in it? So then, let us mark well, that when there is such disorder both in gestures, and in countenances, and in talk, and in dancing, and in all like fondness, and in all vanities and looseness: it is all one as if man should cut trenches from a river too convey the water too him. For whereas a river runneth his ordinary course, if a man cut the stream of, and draw it on the other side, must it not needs have his course that way? Then if men fall too corrupting of the world after that fashion, (as in deed it is one of the cunning tricks that the devil hath used a long time:) must not all needs go too havoc, and be utterly past recovery? Yes: and therefore let us mark well what is said unto us here. For when we hear these jesters say, What a Gods name: men shall shortly be at the point that they may not laugh and be-merry: dancing is forbidden: it shall not be lawful for folk too talk together: a good fellow may not be so bold as to come in company with a mans ⟨p. 244⟩daughter, too talk unto her of love matters: if a man do but speak too a wife, though it be but in sport, by and by it shall be turned to a crime: and in the end what will come of it, when there shall be such stowrenesse and sternness in the world? when men speak after that manner, it is all one as if they proclaimed themselves too be the Devils proctors and advocates, too infect and poison the whole world, that there might be nothing but looseness, and that whoredom and ribaldry might reign in such liberty, as men might no more think it too be sin. That in effect is the thing that we have to bear in mind.

Now what chastitie can there bee where it is so driuen away and banished by force, and on the contrary part, the trumpets sound on all sydes, that euery body should giue ouer themselues too superfluitie and garishnesse, and seeke nothing else but too plundge themselues ouer head and eares in it? So then, let vs marke well, that when there is such disorder both in iestures, and in countenances, and in talke, and in dauncing, and in all lyke fondnesse, and in all vanities and loocenesse: it is all one as if man should cut trenches from a riuer too conuey the water too him. For wheras a riuer runneth his ordinarie course, if a man cut the streame of, and drawe it on the other syde, must it not needes haue his course that way? Then if men fall too corrupting of the world after that fashyon, (as in deede it is one of the cunning trickes that the diuell hath vsed a long tyme:) must not all needes go too hauock, and bee vtterly past recouery? Yis: and therfore let vs marke well what is sayd vntoo vs heere. For when wee heare these iesters say, What a Gods name: men shall shortly bee at the poynt that they may not laugh and bee-merrie: dauncyng is forbydden: it shall not bee lawfull for folke too talke toogither: a good fellowe may not bee so bold as to come in company with a mans