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

namely, that we must not, as our wont is, give our selves leave to do evil under this colour of persuading with our conscience, that it is no mortal and deadly sin which we attempt: but we must always think the contrary, to say thus: If I do the least harm a man may possibly name unto my neighbour, I am a murderer before God. This we ought to think: for when we are willing to do evil, lo the devil is at hand to blind us herein, to be willing at the first to kill, and to cut a mans throat. This (as I have said) seemeth unto us a fearful and cruel thing: for nature withholdeth us from such rage and fury, as to say: I will kill and murder. But when one shall have grieved and angered us: well, we fume and fret with him, and this seemeth nothing. But are we despitefully handled? We will endeavour, as far as we are able, to quite him with the like: and if we use no extreme and violent fierceness, we think we may well be pardoned. Are we more abused? We draw our dagger, and we strike our neighbour: but it shall be but one blow, and no deadly wound given, and then we think there is no murder committed. Behold how men dispense with themselves. And why is this? Because they think of no other thing, but how to diminish their faults. But it behooveth us, as God hath taught and instructed us, to follow a contrary order to this: that is, that when we think of doing wrong, of striking and beating our neighbours, of conceiving any hate or despite against them, we set murder always ⟨p. 61⟩before our eyes, and think: Poor and wretched creature, whither runnest thou, whither doest thou cast thy self headlong, when thou seekest to be culpable and guilty of murder before God? So then let us not make this vain allegation, that we know not how or where to begin, for God teacheth and showeth us, & we cannot be ignorant of any thing, but wilfully and wittingly: and it cannot but appear manifest in the end, that we would not cast aside our eyes to see and know that which might have been visible and apparent unto us. Lo what we have to bear in mind in this place. And withal let us remember, that God hath first forbidden murders, not mentioning any thing of charity, and not showing us before that we are bound to succour one another as need and necessity requireth. And why?

namelie, that we must not, as our woont is, geue our selues leaue to do euill vnder this colour of persuading with our conscience, that it is no mortall and deadlie sinne which we attempt: but we must alwayes thinke the contrarie, to say thus: If I doe the least harme a man may possiblie name vnto my neighbour, I am a murderer before God. This we ought to thinke: for when we are willing to doe euill, loe the diuell is at hand to blinde vs herein, to be willing at the first to kill, and to cut a mans throte. This (as I haue said) seemeth vnto vs a fearefull and cruell thing: for nature withholdeth vs from such rage and furie, as to saie: I will kill and murder. But when one shall haue grieued and angred vs: well, wee fume and fret with him, and this seemeth nothing. But are we despitefullie handled? We will endeuor, as farre as we are able, to quite him with the like: and if we vse no extreame and violent stercenesse, we thinke we may well be pardoned. Are we more abused? We drawe our dagger, and wee strike our neighbour: but it shall bee but one blowe, and no deadlie wound geuen, and then wee thinke there is no murder committed. Behold how men dispense with themselues. And why is this? Because they thinke of no other thing, but how to diminishe their faultes. But it behooueth vs, as God hath taught and instructed vs, to followe a contrarie order to this: that is, that when wee think of doing wrong, of striking and beating our neighbours, of conceiuing any hate or despite against them, wee set murder alwayes