A17717:227
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.
Nay, contrariwise, it is said, that by the Gospel he exerciseth an authority & jurisdiction to condemn the whole world: & behold to what purpose this is: namely, that we should be confounded with shame, & as it were overwhelmed with confusion, when our sin shall be opened & declared to us, that we have no other refuge but to his mere grace & only mercy. Let us therefore diligently note, that we are forbidden to defame our neighbours of hared & for ill will. But for all this, on the contrary side, we are commanded to blame the evil we see in them, and to reprove them with sharpness, when they shall over grossly offend, endeavouring with all our might (if we may be able) to win them to do well: and withal, not ceasing to advertise others, not to be corrupted by wicked examples. This shall be better understood, if we shall take on the one side the sentence of Jesus Christ, where he saith, Who soever shall have called his neighbour Fool,1 shall be culpable of hell fire, who soever shall have only groined against him, is already damnable: and on the other side, that sentence where it is said,2 That we must reprove the unfruitful works of darkness, that we must detest and abhor evil: as Saint Paul speaketh hereof also, when he saith unto the Corinthians,3 That if the Gospel be preached, as it ought, they which shall hear it, having the secretes of their hearts made manifest, shall be constrained to give glory unto God, casting them selves to the earth, that is to say, being ashamed of their sins. And why? Because they are brought to light, whereas before they were hidden, when their sins were not known: they see that they are defamed before God, and there is no talk of hiding them selves any longer. Therefore when I shall have groined of evil will against my neighbour: yea, albeit so closely, that one can not say, that I have called him knave or fool, but shall ⟨image 86⟩only have wagged my head, or bit my lips at him. Lo, a false witness bearing before God. And why? For I despise my neighbour, I desire also to put him to reproach and infamy. And what hath stirred me up hereunto? Some grudge I bear him, some evil will I have conceived against him.