John Calvin: 'The Importance of Customs Being Conformed to Nature'

 Posted at Purely Presbyterian:

Although this excerpt is in relation to 1 Corinthians 11:14 and men having long hair being disgraceful, the argument Calvin makes is more widely applicable to all cultural norms and the importance of them being conformed “to the word of God, the law of nature, and human decency.“

Sermon on 1 Corinthians 11:11-16

Men, Women, and Order in the Church, pg. 55-59

translated by Seth Skolnitsky

We must learn from these words, that we are not to have a flighty appetite, disposed to change what is accepted; rather we are to follow along. It is true that we must discern whether a custom is good and decent, whether it is according to nature, whether it is edifying and a good example; or if it involves corruption and vice. Whoever would want to keep all customs? Where would that lead? Men, as we know, are rather inclined to evil than to good. And therefore, they give themselves license for debauchery; and once one has begun, others follow; and they make law of common practice, and suppose it legitimate. So if one is going to approve every custom, he will surely produce a hodgepodge of all confusion, indeed of all infection, so that there will be no more balance and uprightness; there will be no more reverence toward God nor decency among men. Here, therefore, prudence and discretion are required.

Even the pagans knew enough to say that we must take our manner of life from decent people, just as our manner of speaking must be taken from learned people. If one is going to say, “there is a good word, and good usage, since the common people talk this way,” there will be nothing but barbarism, and that reason will be deemed insufficient. So also, if one is going to say, “that is accepted,” and it is among ne’er-do-wells, will such a reason suffice to make us follow an evil custom?

This, then, is where we must begin when we speak of customs. That is, let them be (the ones) accepted by those who order their lives according to the word of God, the law of nature and human decency. Where this is the case, we can say that those who seek to change an accepted custom are flighty people, who are only trying to turn everything upside down. This will never be done. And in fact, given the nonchalance and instability of people, and the diversity of spirits and opinions, if one believed us, everyone would want his own custom and then the next day it would have to be changed.

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