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

Ye shall see these drunkards which glut themselves as brute beasts, when they are well whittled, not stick to give them selves over unto all uncleanness & filthiness: they are then so besotted, that they know not their own shame. Therefore, when men lead so brutish & beastly a life, drinking excessively, and overcharging them selves with meat, and after this prostitute their bodies, and abandon them to all filthiness and villainy, albeit they commit not fornication in act and deed, think we that they shall escape the hand of God, and not have a malediction and curse fall on them as upon fornicators? Ye see then how the sobriety whereof Saint Paul speaketh, is so to be understood, that if we will be chaste and continent before God, we must not only abstain from fornication, and from all wicked lusts and concupiscences: but we must use our meat and drink soberly for our nourishment, and not to excess and intemperance, so that hereby all modesty and sobriety be laid aside and neglected. Lo what we have further to bear in mind. Now, if one object & say: And how shall we be able, seeing the frailty of our flesh is such, to abstain from all pollution & uncleanness? For we see the incontinency which is in men, & in this thing as much as in any: so vicious and corrupt their nature is. In deed it is true, that men shall not be able to be continent, for our Lord will that even in this behalf we feel the malediction & curse of the sin of Adam: namely, in this unruliness of our flesh, except he by an especial gift uphold and preserve us, as it ⟨image 71⟩is said, all have not this gift, so that every one must consider of that which God hath given him. But how ever we feel our selves disposed herein, God hath appointed a remedy for them which can not abstain. God therefore, albeit his pleasure is to leave this mark and sign of infirmity abiding in us, yet in the mean time hath he assigned us a convenient remedy. Shall some man perceive this frailty in his flesh? Shall some woman feel the like? It can not be denied but that this is a sin: and although it be an inclination as proceeding from nature, I mean from this corrupt nature which we have of Adam: yet is it in it self to be condemned.

Yee shal see these dronkards which glut themselues as brute beasts, when they are well whitled, not sticke to giue them selues ouer vnto all vncleannesse & filthinesse: they are then so besotted, that they know not their owne shame. Therefore, when men leade so brutish & beastlie a life, drinking excessiuelie, and ouercharging them selues with meat, and after this prostitute their bodies, and abandon them to all filthinesse and villanie, albeit they commit not fornication in act and deede, thinke we that they shall escape the hand of God, and not haue a malediction and curse fall on them as vpon fornicatours? Yee see then how the sobrtetie whereof Saint Paul speaketh, is so to be vnderstood, that if we will be chast and continent before God, we must not onelie absteine from fornication, and from all wicked lustes and concupiscences: but we must vse our meate and drinke soberlie for our nourishment, and not to excesse and intemperance, so that hereby all modestie and sobrietie be laid aside and neglected. Loe what wee haue further to beare in minde. Now, if one obiect & saie: And howe shall we be able, seeing the frailtie of our fleshe is such, to absteine from al pollution & vncleanesse? For we see the incontiuencie which is in men, & in this thing asmuch as in anie: so vicious and corrupt their nature is. In deede it is true, that men shall not be able to bee continent, for our Lord will that euen in this behalfe we feele the malediction & curse of the sinne of Adam: namelie, in this vnrulinesse of our flesh, except he by an especiall gift vphold and presarue vs, as it