Sermon of Master John Calvin, on the history of Melchizedek Wherein is also handled,…Sermon of Maister Iohn Caluin, on the historie of Melchisedech Wherein is also handled,…

Thus we see how in what a sound drowsy sleep he was in his vain flatteries. But afterward God awakened him and drew him further on, and made him enter and search into the depth of his thoughts. And where it is said, Thou shalt not covet, then he saw himself so convicted and condemned, as that there was no more absolution for him. For he felt a great many of vanities in himself that ⟨p. 138⟩tickled him, his weakness made him think upon many temptations, and he knew that he was not able to discharge himself of the hundred part of the love of GOD which ought to be in all the faithful. This did Saint Paul know: and so we see how that he, like a miserable dead man forgot his life, whereof he was beguiled & deceived, & acknowledged himself to be altogether like a wretched rotten carcass before God. For the law so slue him: as that he had nothing in the world to presume upon in himself. And therefore, as I have already said, we may see, that there is an especial reason contained in the law of God, to show us that there is nothing in us but condemnation. For we must chiefly stand here upon every commandment. We must have but one only God. And what is he? & how must we honour and serve him? Seeing then that we must be wholly bound and tied unto him, let us look after none other good, felicity, nor rejoicing, but to glorify him, let there be never heard from our mouths any thing else but praises & thanksgiving, unto his majesty, & let it not be perceived any manner of way, but that we forsake the world, and wholly desire to come unto him, & to magnify his name as he worthily deserveth. Thus then we see the four Commandments of the first table, set here before us. Now when ⟨p. 139⟩we shall have throughly searched the contents of them, let us then come to the examining of our selves, and we shall find that in steed of resting upon him, we are become very wild rogues & vagabonds, and such also as that our thoughts & imaginations do lead us and carry us away every where. And first let us come to speak of prayer: for this action should cause us that are here beneath on the earth, to have our cogitations in heaven, because we are then as it were in the presence of our God. And yet notwithstanding when we do pray, what a number of frivolous imaginations shall we have in our heads, which will hold us their captives?

Thus wee see how in what a sound drowsie sleepe he was in his vaine flatteries. But afterward God awakened him and drew him further on, and made him enter and search into the depth of his thoughts. And where it is said, Thou shalt not couet, then he saw himselfe so conuicted and condemned, as that there was no more absolution for him. For he felt a great many of vanities in himselfe that