Sermons of M. John Calvin, upon the.X.Commandments of the Law, given of GodSermons of M. Iohn Caluine, vpon the.X.Commandementes of the Lawe, geuen of God

Let those unto whom God of his goodness hath granted to have men servants & maids, consider well that there is a Master above them all, who ought so to be obeyed, that his right always be reserved unto him wholly & entirely. Lo what instruction all superiors, in what degree soever they be, ought to learn, the instruction, I say, which they are taught & commanded of obedience to God. Moreover, when fathers & mothers, & Magistrates will raise up themselves against God, and be lifted up with such tyranny, as to challenge to themselves that which pertaineth unto God alone, when they will turn us from his obedience, ye see an exception which before we have put down, which maketh that they ought not to be obeyed. It behoveth therefore that God go before, and then that the creatures follow after in their subaltern, as we may say, that is their several & successive order. And in very deed the cause why, for the most part, that meekness & humility is so little regarded in the ⟨p. 51⟩world, that the children arm themselves against fathers & mothers, and behave themselves as wild beasts, that the people are full of wickedness and rebellion, that servants also are full of disloyalty and disobedience, that there is no dealing with any of these to reclaim them in what sort soever, is the just punishment of God upon them, which abuse the dignity which he hath given them. For oftentimes we see that the Princes bear not rule to magnify and set forth the name and glory of God, to cause that he be honoured as he deserveth: but they draw clean backward herein, they will set up and make themselves idols, even to pluck God as it were cut of his seat, to place themselves therein. One shall see this, at the least, one shall see the Princes reign and bear rule licentiously, even with all the reins of the bridle loosed: and God therefore must needs revenge himself of them. As for fathers and mothers what zeal have they to instruct their children in the fear of God? All is one with them, so they may advance and set them up in the world: yea, it seemeth they are disposed to bring them up in all impiety and ungodliness, in all contempt of God and of this word. If the fathers be wolves themselves, they would have their children wolves whelps: if they be old foxes, they would have young cubs to their children:

Let those vnto whom God of his goodnesse hath graunted to haue men seruantes & maides, consider well that there is a Maister aboue them all, who ought so to be obeyed, that his right alwayes be reserued vnto him wholy & entirely. Loe what instruction al superiors, in what degree soeuer they be, ought to learne, the instruction, I say, which they are taught & commaunded of obedience to God. Moreouer, when fathers & mothers, & Magistrates will raise vp themselues against God, and be lifted vp with such tyrannie, as to challenge to themselues that which perteineth vnto God alone, when they will turne vs from his obedience, ye see an exception which before we haue put downe, which maketh that they ought not to be obeyed. It behoueth therefore that God goe before, and then that the creatures followe after in their subalterne, as wee may say, that is their seuerall & successiue order. And in verie deede the cause why, for the most part, that meekenesse & humilitie is so little regarded in the