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

True it is, that we may read often and in many places, that our Lord scorneth and derideth them, which so torment themselves to gather together great substance, when in the end all shall decay and fall away like water. But we shall see further, that great richesse shall be the cause of their destruction which have lived in credit and reputation. Behold, a father which shall have pilled one, and spoiled an other, which shall have the whole time of his life provoked and plucked on his head the vengeance of God: well, he dieth: it seemeth unto him that his children shall be young Dukes, Now, if he had left them but some small portion, to have bestowed them selves painfully in some trade: if he had learned them honestly to travel for their living, his children might have had wherewith to have lived a contented life: but lo, the father hath twisted the rope to hang his heirs. For when they repose their trust in the richesse which shall have been wickedly gotten, it must needs be, that either they be led to the gibbet, or otherwise perish unhappily. And what is the cause hereof? Even the anger and indignation of God, which lighteth on them, to consume all that which shall have been evil gotten by pilings and extortions. The house must needs be accursed, God must needs show that he is a just Judge, both upon thieves, and upon all such as make a scorn of his divine majesty, when one speaketh unto them thereof: as we hear these jesters & hickscorners will say: ⟨image 80⟩when the latter judgement is denounced them: Well, well, it is long time thither, when they oppress a poor man, who shall have neither ability, nor credit, to maintain his right against them. Now, in the mean time they bath them selves in their iniquities, and welter in their wickedness. But what? When God seeth that men are so senseless, and that he can not win them to everlasting life, and that they account it nothing to be banished and excluded the kingdom of heaven: Go to (saith he) I summon you to appear before my throne, behold, I will now begin to put in execution my once determined sentence: I will give you to understand, that my curse is upon evil gotten goods: I will show you that they, which for a time possess them, must in the end forgo them, and that they, their goods, and all their race and posterity be consumed.

True it is, that we may read often and in manie places, that our Lorde scorneth and derideth them, which so torment themselues to gather together great substance, when in the ende all shall decaye and fall away like water. But we shall see further, that great richesse shalbe the cause of their destruction which haue liued in credit and reputation. Beholde, a father which shall haue pilled one, and spoyled an other, which shall haue the whole time of his life prouoked and plucked on his head the vengeance of God: well, hee dieth: it seemeth vnto him that his children shalbe young Dukes, Nowe, if hee had left them but some small portion, to haue bestowed them selues painfullie in some trade: if he had learned them honestlie to trauell for their liuing, his children might haue had wherewith to haue liued a contented life: but loe, the father hath twisted the rope to hang his heires. For when they repose their trust in the richesse which shall haue bene wickedlie gotten, it must needes be, that either they be led to the gibbet, or otherwise perish vnhappilie. And what is the cause hereof? Euen the anger and indignation of God, which lighteth on them, to consume all that which shall haue bene euill gotten by pillings and extortions. The house must needes be accursed, God must needes shew that he is a iust Iudge, both vpon theeues, and vpon all such as make a scorne of his diuine maiestie, when one speaketh vnto them thereof: as we heare these iesters & hickscorners will say: