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

And here is express mention made of the temple of Peor, to show, that although the people had in that place an object or sight to turn them to superstition, yet they had also a remedy, in that God daily stirred them up by his word, to the end they should not meddle with the idolatries of the Paynims. True it is, that it was an hard and grievous chastisement, that the people of God were feign to have ever before their eyes the temple of an idol: it was all one, as if God, to spite and anger them, should say: I did call you to possess a land, which should be dedicated to my service, where you should have seen nothing which might in any point have offended you: for my sanctuary should have been set up in the middest of you. I would have been purely worshipped according to my law, the land should not have been unhallowed & defiled with her old superstitions, all idolatry should have been so raced out, that a man should hear nothing but my praises sounded: but now ye see ye are here in the corner of the country, where you see a temple of idols, where you see many villainous abominations. This is then as a vengeance which you feel for your sins, for as much as you have not been worthy to enter into the land, which I did promise you. See then how God would chastise his people, when he suffereth them to dwell nigh unto the temple of Peor. And at this day, when we are mingled among idolaters, and perceive what uncleanness they commit, and how they pervert all religion, let us know that God by this means doth punish us, or at least humbleth us because of our sins. And in deed considering this, we ought not only to lament for the sins which are committed by these incredulous and unbelieving persons, but also because we know that we are not worthy to have the world wholly reformed, and to behold an agreement & harmony in religion, that God might be in all places purely worshipped, that when we are so near to the superstitions of other, ⟨p. 3⟩that we be constrained to see some of the marks and signs, and to hear something thereof, we must impute this to our own sins. But how so ever it be, God ceaseth not to give a good remedy to the people of Israel:

And here is expresse mention made of the temple of Peor, to shewe, that although the people had in that place an obiect or sight to turne them to superstition, yet they had also a remedie, in that God daily stirred them vp by his worde, to the end they shoulde not meddle with the idolatries of the Painims. True it is, that it was an hard and greeuous chastisement, that the people of God were feigne to haue euer before their eyes the temple of an idol: it was all one, as if God, to spite and anger them, shoulde say: I did call you to possesse a land, which shoulde be dedicated to my seruice, where you shoulde haue seene nothing which might in any point haue offended you: for my sanctuarie shoulde haue bene set vp in the middest of you. I woulde haue bene purely worshipped according to my lawe, the lande should not haue bene vnhalowed & defiled with her old superstitions, all idolatrie should haue bene so raced out, that a man should heare nothing but my praises sounded: but now ye see ye are here in the corner of the countrie, where you see a temple of idols, where you see many villanous abhominations. This is then as a vengeance which you feele for your sinnes, for as much as you haue not bene worthie to enter into the lande, which I did promise you. See then how God woulde chastise his people, when he suffereth them to dwell nigh vnto the temple of Peor. And at this day, when we are mingled among idolaters, and perceiue what vncleanesse they commit, and howe they peruertall religion, let vs know that God by this meanes doth punish vs, or at least humbleth vs because of our sinnes. And in deede considering this, we ought not onely to lament for the sinnes which are committed by these incredulous and vnbeleeuing persons, but also because we knowe that we are not worthie to haue the worlde wholy reformed, and to behold an agreement & harmonie in religion, that God might be in all places purely worshipped, that when we are so neere to the superstitions of other,