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. 3. Sermon.

Deut. Chap. 5. 8 Thou shalt make thee no graven image, or any likeness of that, that is in heaven above, or which is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters under the earth. 9 Thou shalt neither bow thy self unto them, nor serve them: for I thy Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, even to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me: 10 And showing mercy to thousands of them that love me, & keep my Commandments.

Deut. Chap. 5. 8 Thou shalt make thee no grauen image, or any likenes of that, that is in heauen aboue, or whiche is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters vnder the earth. 9 Thou shalt neither bow thy selfe vnto them, nor serue them: for I thy Lord thy God am a gelous God, visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children, euen to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me: 10 And shewing mercie to thousandes of them that loue me, & keepe my Commaundements.

Because men are so far inclined to corrupt the worship of God by wicked superstitions, it behoveth that God fear them by his threats, to the end they might be as it were forcibly kept back: when otherwise they would carry them selves headlong by their vanity, to imagine of GOD clean contrary to all that which is agreeable with his Majesty. And this is a point worthy to be noted. For it seemeth (as we have already touched) that it was now needless to forbid the people of Israel to make any images, after they had known the living God. But because of our cursed inclination, it was requisite that this so strait a forbidding, as we see, should be adjoined. And this is done as well for us, as for them: because this vice is as it were settled in our bones. If God show not, that he will not suffer idolatry, and that we be not wounded with such threats, there is not one amongest us which forgeth not an infinite number of idols, and by this mean the honour due to the living God is transported unto our fantasies. Let us note then, that here we are reproved of having a cursed and perverse nature, which always draweth us to superstition, and that there is great need that we be held back after some violent and forcible manner. For of our own good will we never serve GOD in such sort, as that we imagine nothing of him, but that which is proper to his Majesty. And withal we may note, to what purpose our good meanings serve us. For if there be any thing in which men may excuse them selves with this, that they think they do well, it is when they forge unto them selves idols. For to what end do they make them, but to serve God, to be stirred up to greater devotion, and to have a more strong assurance that GOD will hear them in their requests: These then are the men which may best pretend this colour of good meaning: but yet we see on the contrary side, that God hereby is grievously angered: we see how he pronounceth an horrible sentence of condemnation upon all them, which leave them selves to be governed by their thinking and meaning. They will say still, and the thing is so, That they think to serve God: but what? He accepteth no such service, but rather accurseth it, and