A17717:92
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.
Moses hath made declaration hereof, as it is sufficiently showed in the book of Exodus. For God, after he had published his law in the 20.1 Chap. he revealeth it to Moses, and declareth to what end this serveth, and saith, That he hath ordained the Sabaoth day, as a sign, that the people of Israel should be sanctified unto him. This is (saith he) the mark of my sanctification, which I have justified among you. Now when the scripture speaketh of our being sanctified unto God, it is to separate us from all that which is contrary to his worship and service. But where shall one find such purity? We are in the world, & we know that in the world there is nothing but perverseness and wickedness (as saith S. John in his Canonical epistle.)2 Yea men need not go forth of themselves to have battle with God and his justice. For all our senses and reason, and all our affections (as saith S. Paul to the Romans) are enemies against God.3 When men loose the bridle to their thoughts and imaginations, to their desires and lusts, then make they open battle with God. And we are not ignorant of that which is declared in the sixth of Genesis,4 That all that which man can think and imagine, is nothing but evil continually: and all that which man forgeth in himself, & frameth in his own shop, is untoward and corrupt before God. So then we see well, that we cannot be sanctified before our God: that is to say, we cannot serve him in holiness and pureness, being not yet separated from that uncleanness, and those defilings, which are contrary thereunto, & not having first ⟨image 35⟩abolished all that which is of our own nature. It behoved then that this should be represented in a figure to the ancient fathers, for that Christ was not yet fully revealed unto them. But at this day we have in Jesus Christ the accomplishment & the performance of all things. In this wise s. Paul speaketh of the old man,5 understanding by this word, all that which we have of Adam, that it ought to die, & be eleane abolished: namely, not the nature of our body or of our soul, but the malice which is within us, & the blindness which maketh us err, the lusts & evil desires which are altogether rebellious to the justice of God. It behoveth that all this, in as much as it is drawn from Adam, be beaten down, & clean taken away. And how is this done?