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

The Sunday the refore ought to serve us for a tower, to make us mount on high to view the works of God from a far, when we are neither hindered nor occupied with anything, but that we may apply all our senses, and our whole understanding to reknowledge the gracious gifts and benefits which he hath bestowed on us. And when we shall well have practised this on the Sunday: namely, shall have deeply considered of the works of God, it is certain, that all the rest of our time, we shall be given hereunto, and that this meditation shall so fashion and polish us, that the Monday, and all the rest of the week, we shall be led to thank our GOD, when so before hand we shall have premeditated on his works, to make our profit therein. But when the Sunday is spent not only in games and pastimes full of vanity, but in things which are altogether contrary unto God, that men think they have not celebrated the Sunday, except God therein be by many and sundry ways offended: When men (I say) unhallow in such sort this holy day, which God hath instituted to lead us unto himself, is it any marvel if we become brutish and beastly in our doings all the rest of the week? What is to be done then? Let us all know, that this is not sufficient, that we come to the Sermon on the Sunday, to receive some good doctrine, and to call upon the name of GOD: but we must digest those things we hear and receive, and apply all our senses to the better understanding of those benefits which God bestoweth on us, and that by this mean we be so formed and fashioned to this thing, that the Monday and all the rest of the week beside, cost us ⟨p. 37⟩nothing, to aspire and to come to our God: and that we need but to call to mind, that which we shall have learned before at good leisure: when our minds be as it were unwrapped from all those things, which hinder us to recount the works of God. And this we have to note touching the order we are to observe at this day, which is not in keeping the ceremony so straightly as it was observed under the law. We have no longer this figure.

The Sunday the refore ought to serue vs for atowre, to make vs mount on high to view the workes of God from a farre, when we are neither hindered nor occupied with anything, but that we may applie all our senses, and our whole vnderstanding to reknowledge the gratious giftes and benefites which he hath bestowed on vs. And when we shall well haue practised this on the Sunday: namely, shall haue deepely considered of the workes of God, it is certeine, that all the rest of our time, we shall be geuen herevnto, and that this meditation shall so fashion and polish vs, that the Monday, and all the rest of the weeke, we shall be ledde to thanke our GOD, when so before hand we shall haue premeditated on his workes, to make our profite therein. But when the Sunday is spent not onely in games and pastimes full of vanitie, but in thinges which are altogether contrarie vnto God, that men thinke they haue not celebrated the Sunday, except God therein be by many and sundrie wayes offended: When men (I say) vnhallowe in such sort this holie daie, which God hath instituted to leade vs vnto himselfe, is it any meruell if wee become brutishe and beastlie in our doinges all the rest of the weeke? What is to bee done then? Let vs all knowe, that this is not sufficient, that we come to the Sermon on the Sunday, to receiue some good doctrine, and to call vppon the name of GOD: but wee must digest those thinges we heare and receiue, and applie all our senses to the better vnderstanding of those benefites which God bestoweth on vs, and that by this meane we bee so formed and fashioned to this thing, that the Monday and all the rest of the weeke beside, cost vs