A17717:182
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
Sermons of M. John Calvin, upon the.X.Commandments of the Law, given of God by Moses, otherwise called the Decalogue. Gathered word for word, presently at his sermons, when he preached on Deuteronomy, without adding unto, or diminishing from them any thing afterward. Translated out of French into English, by I.H.Sermons of M. Iohn Caluine, vpon the.X.Commandementes of the Lawe, geuen of God by Moses, otherwise called the Decalogue. Gathered word for word, presently at his sermons, when he preached on Deuteronomie, without adding vnto, or diminishing from them any thing afterward. Translated out of Frenche into English, by I.H.
London: printed by Thomas Dawson for John Harison, 1579London: printed by Thomas Dawson for Iohn Harison, 1579
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Moreover, we must always return to this point, to consider of the nature of God, that he is not an earthly Lawgiver, that he forbiddeth not only the exterior act, and permitteth us in the mean while to be given unto our wicked lusts and affections. For GOD will not be served with eye service, and forbiddeth not only the act it self when marriage shall be broken and violated, but he interdicteth all wicked desires and affections. And this ⟨image 68⟩is the cause why Jesus Christ saith,1 That he which looketh but awry on the wife of another, that even he is an adulterer before God: and albeit he be not culpable by the laws of men, and that he may be accounted chaste, as not having committed any whoredom: yet notwithstanding, before God he is already condemned, as if he had committed fornication. Therefore, when we hear this word of adultery, which is so condemned, let us learn to abstain from all fornication, not only touching the act thereof, but to keep and retain all our senses chaste, that chastity & continency be both in our eyes and in our heart.2 For behold how S. Paul hath defined true chastity when he saith, That all which are unmarried, ought to study how they may obey God, by keeping their bodies & their minds pure & clean. He saith not, That they who have not defiled their bodies with fornications, remain chaste: but they which took pains to keep both their bodies and souls undefiled. And when we shall have considered, how God abhorreth and detesteth all adulteries, we must yet go further, applying and extending the same to all fornication & uncleanness. True it is, that he which breake• the faith and truth of marriage, committeth a double offence, and much more enormous (as I have already said:) but we must always remember this, that God will not have men only, not to attempt any thing against marriage, but he commandeth also that men lead not a brutish life, that they suffer not fornications to have their full float. He forbids them which are not married, to wander hither and thither in their concupiscences, and to abandon themselves to all lustful meetings, willing them to be pure and clean both in bodies and minds. For he saith, That not only their souls, but also their bodies are the temples of the holy ghost, as it hath been already recited. And these are the words of S.