The institution of Christian religion, vvrytten in Latine by maister Ihon Caluin, and translated into Englysh according to the authors last edition. Seen and allowed according to the order appointed in the Quenes maiesties iniunctions

The tenth Chapter. ¶Howe we ought to vse this present lyfe, and the helpes thereof.

BY suche introductions the Scripture doth also wel informe [ 1] vs what is the right vse of earthely benefites: whiche is a thyng not to be neglected in framyng an order of lyfe. For if we must lyue, we must also vse y^e necessary helpes of life: neyther can we eschue euen those thynges that seme ra∣ther to serue for delite than for necessity. Therfore we must kepe a mea∣sure, that we may vse them with a pure conscience, either for necessitie or for delight. That measure the Lorde apointeth by his worde, when he teacheth that this lyfe is to them that bee his, a certaine iorney through a strange countrey, by whiche they trauayle towarde the king∣dome of heauen. If we must but passe through the earth, doubtlesse we ought so far to vse the good thynges of the earth, as they may rather further than hynder our iourney. Therfore Paul doth not vnprofitably counsell vs so to vse this worlde, as though we vsed it not: and to bye possessions with suche a mynde as they vse to bee solde. But because this place is slippery, and so slope on bothe sydes, that it quickely ma∣keth vs to fall, let vs labour to fasten our foote there, where we maye stande safely. For there haue bene some, that otherwyse were good and holy men, whiche when they same intemperance and ryot continually to range with vnbridled lust, vnlesse it be sharply restrained, & wer desi∣rous to corret so great a mischiefe, thei could finde none other way, but suffred man to vse the benefites of the earth, so far as necessitie requi∣red. This was in dede a Godly counsell, but they wete to seuere. For (whiche is a very perilous thyng) they did put streighter bondes vpon consciences, than those wherewith they were bounde by the worde of God. And they expounde necessitie, to absteine from all thinges whiche a man may be without. And so by their opinion, a man might scarcelye take any more foode than bread & water. And some be yet more seuere: as it is red of Crates the Thebane, that did thrawe his goodes into the sea, because if they were not destroyed, he thought that he shoulde be destroyed by them. Many at this daye, while they seeke a pretence, whereby the intemperance of y^e fleshe in vse of outwarde thinges may be excused, and whyle they goe about to prepare a way for the flesh ra∣ging in wantonesse, do take that as a thinge confessed, whiche I do not graunte them, that this libertie is not to be restrained with any limita∣tion of measure, but that it is to be left to euery mans conscience to vse as muche as he seeth to be lawfull for him. Truly I confesse, that con∣sciences neither ought nor can in this point be bounde by certaine and precise formes of lawes. But for as muche as the Scripture teacheth generall rules of lawfull vse, we must surely measure the vse according to these rules

Let this be a principle: that y^e vse of Gods giftes swarueth not out [ 2] of the way, when it is referred to that ende, wherunto the authour him

selfe hath created and apointed them for vs, for as muche as he hathe created them for our good and not for our hurt. Therfore no man can kepe a righter way, than he that shal diligētly loke vnto this end. Now if we consider to what end he hath created meates, we shall finde that he meant to make prouision not only for necessitie but also for delite & pleasure. So in apparell, beside necessitie he apointed an other ende, whiche is comlinesse & honestie. In herbes, trees, and frutes, beside di∣uerse profitable vses, there is also a pleasantnesse of sight, & swetenesse of smell. For if this were not true, the Prophet would not recken amōg the benefites of God that wyne maketh glad the heart of man, & that oyle maketh his face to shine: the Scripture woulde not echewhere, to set fourth his liberalitie, rehearse that he hath geuen all suche thinges to men. And the very naturall qualities of thinges do sufficiently shew, to what end and howe far we may vse them. Shall the Lorde haue set in floures so great a beutie, as presenteth it selfe to our eies: shall he haue geuen so great a swetenesse of sauour as naturally floweth into our smelling: and shall it be vnlawfull either for our eies to take the vse of that beautie, or for our smelling to feele that swetenesse of sauour? what? Hath he not so made difference of colours, that he hathe made some more acceptable than other? what? Hath he not geuen to gold and siluer, to iuorie & marble, a speciall grace whereby they might be made more precious than other metalles or stones? Finally hath he not made many thinges commendable vnto vs without necessary vse?

[ 3] Therfore away with that vnnaturall Philosophie, whiche in graū∣ting vs of y^e creatures no vse but for necessitie, not only doth niggardly bereue vs of the lawfull vse of Gods liberalitie, but also can not take place, vnlesse it first haue spoiled mā of al his senses & made him a blok. But on the other side we must with no lesse diligence prouide a stay for the lust of y^e fleshe, whiche if it be not brought into order, ouerfloweth without measure: & it hath (as I haue said) defēders of it, which vnder pretense of allowed libertie do graunt vnto it all thinges. First there is one bridle put in the mouth of it, if this be determined, that all thinges are created for vs to this end, that we should know the authour of thē, and geue him thankes for his tender kindnesse toward vs. Where is thy thankes geuing, if thou so gluttonously fill thy selfe with deintye meates or with wyne, that thou either be made senslesse, or vnfit to do the duties of godlinesse and of thy callyng? Where is the reknowled∣ging of God, yf thy fleshe by to great abundance boilynge in fylthye luste, dothe with her vncleannesse infecte thy mynde, that thou canste not see any thing that is ryght or honest? In apparel, where is thank∣fulnesse to God, yf with costlye gorgiousnesse thereof we bothe fall in admiration of our selues and disdayne other? If with the trymnesse and cleanlynesse of it, we prepare our selues to vnchastitie? Where is the reknowledging of God, if our mynde be fixed vpon the gaynesse of our apparell? For manye so geue all their senses to bodelye delytes, that the mynde lyeth ouerwhelmed. Many are so delited with mar∣ble, gold, and payntinges, that they become as it were menne made of marble, that they bee as it were turned into metalles, and bee lyke vnto paynted Images. The smelle of the kytchen, or swetenesse of ••auours so dulleth some, that they can smell nothyng that is spiritual.

And the same is also to be seen in the rest. Therfore it is certaine that hereby the licenciousnesse of abusing is somewhat restrained, and that rule of Paul confirmed, that we be not to carefull of the fleshe, for the lustes therof, to whiche if we graūt to muche, thei boyle out aboue mea∣sure and temper.

But there is no surer nor redier way than that whiche is made vs [ 4] by the contempt of this present life, and the meditation of heauenly im¦mortalitie. For therupon folow two rules: the one, that they which vse this world, should be so minded as though thei vsed it not, they y^t mary wiues as though they did not mary: they y^t bye as though thei did not bye, as Paul teacheth. The other, y^t they shold learne as well to beare pouertie, quietly & patiētly, as abundance moderatly. He y^t bidde••h thee to vse this world as though thou didst not vse it, doth cut away not on¦ly y^e intemperance of gluttonie in meat & drinke, & to much deintinesse, sumptuousnesse, pride, hautinesse, & nicenesse, in fare, bylding•• & appa∣rell, but also all care & affection y^t may either withdrawe thee or hinder thee from thinking of the heauēly life, or frō study to garnish thy soule. But this was long ago truely sayd of Cato: that there is great care∣fulnesse of trimming our body, & great carelesnesse of vertue. And it is an old prouerbe y^t they whiche are much busied in care of their body ar commōly carelesse of their soule. Therfore, although the libertie of the faithfull in outward thinges is not to be restrained to a certain forme, yet truely it must be subiect to this law, to beare very little with theyr owne affections, but contrariwise still call vpon them selues with con∣tinually bent mynde, to cut of all shew of superfluous plentie, muche more to restraine ryotous excesse, and to take diligent hede, that they do not of helpes make to them selues hinderaunces.

The other rule shalbe, that they that haue but small and sclender [ 5] rychesse, may learne to lacke paciētly, that they be not carefully moued with immeasurable desire of them: whiche paciēce they that kepe, ha••••e not a litle profited in the Lordes schole: as he y^t hath not at least some∣what profited in this behalf, can scarcely haue any thing wherby ••o pro¦ue him selfe the scholar of Christ. For beside this that the most part of other vices do accompanie the desire of earthly thinges, he that bea∣reth pouertie impatiently, doth for the moste part bewray the contra∣rie disease in abūdance. I meane hereby that he whiche wilbe ashamed of a poore cote, wilbe proude of a costly cote: he that will not be content with a hungry supper, will be disquieted with desire of a deintier, and would also intemperately abuse those deinties if he had them: he that hardly and vnquietly beareth a priuate & base estate, will not absteine from pryde if he climbe to honors. Therfore let all them that haue an vnfained zele of Godlinesse, endeuour to learne by the Apostles exam∣ple, to be full and hūgry, to haue store and suffer want. The Scripture hath also a third rule, wherby it tempereth the vse of earthly thinges, of whiche we haue spoken sumwhat when we entreated of the precep∣tes of charitie. For the Scripture decreeth that al earthly thinges are so geuen vs by the bountifulnesse of God, and apointed for oure cōmo∣ditie, that they may be as things deliuered vs to kepe, wherof we must one day yelde an accompt. We must therfore so dispose them, that this saying may continually sound in our eares, yeld an accōpt of thy ••ayly∣wike.

Therwithall let this also come in our mynde Whoe it is that as∣keth suche an accompt, euen he that hath so muche commended absti∣nence, sobrietie, honest sparing, and modestie, and abhorreth riotous sumptuousnesse, pride, ostentation and vanitie, whiche alloweth no o∣ther disposing of goodes, but suche as is ioyned with charitie: whiche hath already w^t his own mouth condemned all those deliteful thinges that do withdrawe a mans mynde from chastitie and cleannesse, or doe dull his wit with darkenesse.

[ 6] Last of all, this is to be noted, that the Lorde biddeth euery one of vs in al the doinges of his life, to haue an eye to his calling. For he kno∣weth with how great vnquietnesse mans wit boyleth, with howe skip∣ping lightnesse it is caried hether and thether, how gredy his ambitiō is to holde diuerse thinges at ones. Therfore that all thinges shoulde not be confounded with our follie and rashenesse, he hath apointed to euerie man his duties in seuerall kindes of lyfe. And that no man rash∣ly runne beyond his bondes, he hath named all suche kyndes of lyfe, vocations. Therfore euery mans seuerall kinde of life is vnto him as it were his standing apointed him by God, that they should not all theyr life vncertainly wander about. And this diuision is so necessary, that al our doinges are measured thereby in his sight, and oftentimes contra∣ry to the iudgemēt of mans reason and Philosophie. There is no dede accompted more noble, euen among the Phylosophers, than for a man to deliuer his contrie from tyrannie: but by the voice of Gods iudgemēt the priuate man is openly condemned that layeth hand vpon a tyrant. But I wil not tarry vpon rehearsing of examples. It is sufficient if we knowe that the calling of the Lord is in euery thing the beginning and fundation of well doing: to whiche he that doth not diriect himself, shal neuer kepe a right way in his doinges. He may paraduenture somtime do somwhat seming worthy of praise: butte whatsoeuer that be in the sight of men, before the throne of God it shalbe reiected: moreouer there shalbe no conuenient agrement in the partes of his life. Therfore our life shall then be best framed, when it shalbe directed to this marke: For then, no man caried with his owne rashenesse will attēpt more thā his calling may beare, because he knoweth that it is not lawful to passe beyond his bondes. He that shalbe a man of base estate, shal contented∣ly liue a priuate life, least he shold forsake the degree wherin God hath placed him. Againe this shalbe no smal relefe to cares, labors, greues, and other burdens, when a man shall know y^t in all these thinges God is his guide. The more willingly the magistrate will execute his office•• the housholder will bynd him selfe to his dutie: euery man in his kinde of life will beare and passe through the discommodities, cares, tedious∣nesse, and anguishes therof: when they are perswaded that euery mās burden is laid vpon him by God. Hereupon also shal growe singular cō∣fort, for as muche as there shalbe no worke so filthy & vile, (if it be such a one as thow obey thy calling in it) but it shineth & is most precious in the sight of God.

Notes

• Psa. c.iiii.xv.
• Rom. xiii.x••iii.
• i. Cor. vi••▪iii.
• Phil. iiii.xij.