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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	bind_v	law_n	nature_n	1,568	5	5.4669	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17717	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.; Sermons sur les Dix commandemens. English	Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564.; Harmar, John, 1555?-1613.	1579 (1579)	STC 4452; ESTC S118603	228,662	264

conteined in the law and such desires are forbidden in this place So we see that God not without cause hauing condemned all euill desires and affections annexeth that this is not yet such a perfection as he requireth but wee must know that euerie affection which stirreth vs vp vnto euill albeit we conclude not any thing within our selues neither rest our selues on it that if onlie a concupiscence forceablie breake forth in vs and we striue therwith that this is a sinne committed we are culpable before god And thus we see what integritie is required in this place when our Lord hauing forbidden wicked desires adioineth that both our senses and mindes must be locked vp in such sort vnder his feare and inflamed with such a loue and desire to walke in all holinesse that we be not moued or driuen either on one side or other by any wicked passion to desire either the good or the wife of an other Now seing we haue the intent and meaning of God let vs diligently consider whervnto he bindeth vs For the law ought to serue vs for a looking glasse to behold the pouertie and miserie which is in vs and after that we shall haue vnderstood what our dutie is let vs know that we are to be condemned if we come not neere that perfection to the which God hath called vs Ye see wherevpon we must slaie to make our profite of this last commaundement of the lawe And to the ende that we may be so much the more attentiue and that we may knowe that this is a doctrine which requireth that we applie our whole studies therein let vs beare in minde that which S. Paule saith That being reputed a great and exceding wise Doctor hauing bene nourished in the law of God from his infancie yet was he so blind that he vnderstoode not what the lawe of God ment vntill he was conuerted and that our Lorde Iesus Christ had enlightened him by his Gospell to the end he might knowe whither the lawe of God ought to lead vs. Beholde then Saint Paule who was instructed in such sorte that hee was in great reputation among men not among the Painims to say that he was some great Philosopher but he was taught and brought vp in the lawe of god And touching his life hee protesteth that he liued irreprehensible as without all faulte beefore men Loe I say Sainte Paule an holy and learned personage after the common estimation of men but yet a poore beast touching the law of god And why He saith he esteemed himselfe liuing that he thought himselfe iust before God and knew not that he had neede of the mercie which GOD offereth vnto all sinners For he absteined from theft from fornication such like thinges he had no wicked desires in him which one might perceiue and which might be knowen vnto men so that he iustified him selfe in his owne fantasie Now in the end when God had taken pitie on him he opened his eyes made him to vnderstand that which is conteined in this last commaundement Thou shalt not couet Behold how S. Paul began now first to vnderstand the lawe in which before he was a doctor making profession thereof wherein hee had bene taught and instructed from his first age Vntill he had wel considered and medicated of this he tript ouer the quicke coles he learned his lesson as we say by rot he neuer tasted nor vnderstoode the force and power of the lawe he neuer knewe that this was sinne to condemne himselfe before God and to haue his refuge to his mercie in the which the hope of our saluation lieth and wherevpon it ought to be grounded Seeing then S. Paul knew not the law and had no right vnderstanding thereof but by this worde let vs labour herein with so much the more diligence and seeing that all the time of his life vntill his conuersion he was so blind that he vnderstood not this worde by so much the more ought we to bee attentiue in this place for we are of no greater abilitie than he but God by his holy spirit must reueale to vs what this concupiscence is which hee hath in this place condemned Now beyond all this we must haue an other admonition which is very needfull and necessarie for vs For the diuell hath sought in such sort to couer and hide this precept that a man should not knowe the intent and meaning of God but that one should lightlie content himselfe to condemne onelie those euill concupiscences for sinne which appeared manifestly and whereof a man were plainly conuicted So that many haue restrained this word of concupiscence to those euill affections and desires which importe a resolute will and full consent Now this is against the natural sense and meaning of Moses and yet is this a doctrine fullie concluded on in papistrie Although the Papists cannot denie that to be pricked and prouoked with an euil and wicked desire is a damnable vice and which procedeth from originall sinne and from this corruption which we drawe from our father Adam yet they imagine that after baptisme this is no more a sinne As if such a fantasie come into the minde of man to doubt of the promises of God to murmur against him to be angrie with him when a man shal be afflicted if it come into his fantasie to accuse God of iniustice and crueltie this is not a sinne say the Papists Neither are these of the rudest ignoraniest sort among them which speake thus but this is a generall resolution doctrine vniuersally concluded on in all their diuelish Synagogs There is not a Synagog among them where this hath not bene receiued as an article of faith namelie that a man being prouoked and stirred vp with some wicked desire sinneth not that if he be tempted in himselfe to commit murther to empoyson any to commit fornication and briefly to be guiltie of all the crimes and enormities in the world if so that he consent and assent not thereto for loe the wordes which they vse that is to say if hee resolue not himselfe herein to say I will put in practise my wicked conceite and that hee stay not himselfe hereon to please himselfe in this wicked affection all this is no sinne This is say they but to exercise vs in combate and fight against sinne and we then declare that we are valiant champions and that sinne beareth not rule ouer vs or reigneth in vs Now I graunt it is true that the faithfull shew well that the spirit of God reigneth in them when they repell and beate backe such temptations when they bridle and captiue themselues so when they resist and withstand such thinges knowing that they are contrarie vnto God and that he condemneth them It is certeine that hereby it is shewed that God hath geuen vs victorie ouer sinne and that the vertue and power of his spirit abideth in vs and that we are stoute and valiaunt champions to bid battell

confesse that our chief desire is willingly vnfeignedly to honor God that we cānot suffer any reprochfullie to abuse his maiestie Thus ye see what we haue to beare in minde vpon this place which we ought at this day with all diligence to obserue albeit it be preciselie geuen in commādement to the Iewes for in substance truth it belongeth vnto vs For as in old time our lord brought this people out of Egypt so at this day hath he drawen vs out of the gulfe of hell hath deliuered vs from eternal death from those deepe and darke dongeons wherein we were plunged to bring vs into his heauenlie kingdome hauing redeemed and purchased vs to himselfe by the bloud of his welbeloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Now let vs cast our selues downe before the face of our good God with acknowledging our faults praiing him to make vs feele them better than we haue done that labouring to reforme our selues more and more to his iustice we fight daily against the lustes and desires of our flesh and continue so long in this combate vntill he hath fullie freed vs from it and reformed vs vnto his image in the which we were first created That hee will graunt this grace not only to vs but to al people and nations of the earth c. The. 7. Sermon wherein it is entreated of the second Table Deut. Chap. 5. 16 Honour thy father and thy mother as the Lorde thy God hath commaunded thee that thy dayes may bee prolonged and that it may be well with thee in the land which the Lorde thy God geueth thee WE are now come vnto the second Table of the lawe wherein God sheweth vs how we ought all to liue here together For as it hath bene aboue touched there are two principall thinges required in our life The one that wee serue God purelie and sincerelie The other that we liue with men in all integritie and vprightnesse rendring vnto euerie one that which apperteineth and belongeth vnto him Now as the honour of God is more excellent than all that which concerneth men so it behoued that in the first and principall place the rule of honouring God as we ought should be geuen And this is handled dispatched in the first Table Here then God beginneth to declare vnto vs in what sort our life ought to be ordered if we wil applie our selues vnto the dutie we owe vnto men Now we haue also declared that God requireth no honour of vs for any neede he hath of it or for any profite it bringeth vnto him but it is for our welfare and saluation that he requireth it So then he will proue our obedience and the loue we beare him when he commaundeth vs to walke in all equitie and vprightnesse with our neighbours and that we liue together in such concord and fellowship that any one bee not geuen vnto himselfe but that we communicate together and that euerie one according to his abilitie and power to do well employ and force himselfe therevnto This say I is the proofe which God maketh to knowe whether we worship him vnfeignedly and from our heart For we might make many faire countenances and vse great ceremonies but God shall not content himselfe with it And this is the cause why our Lord Iesus Christ saith that the principall point of the law is iustice iudgement vprightnesse faith which worde importeth here fidelitie or faithfulnesse Therefore when we liue with men without hypocrisie and dissimulation when we are not geuen to our subtile sleightes nor malicious practises wee studie to minister vnto and to serue euerie one in his commoditie we mainteine right resist wrong as much as lieth in vs loe the chiefe and principal part of the lawe Not that the seruice of God ought in the meane while to be forgotten or that it is of lesse importance but because it is vnpossible that men acquite themselues in their duetie toward their neighbours except they be led herevnto by the feare of god Now let vs handle this commaundement last recited which concerneth the honouring of father and mother And here although expresselie mention be made of the father and the mother there is no doubt but GOD meant to deliuer a generall doctrine of hauing all superioritie in honour For graunt we which must needes be confessed that the lawe conteineth a perfect rule of doctrine wherein nothing is wanting and this which we haue said must needes be so For if it hath not touched any thing of the duetie we owe to other superiours as princes and magistrates and those which haue the sworde of iustice if it hath deliuered nothing concerning maisters it should haue some default in it Therefore we must conclude that God hath commaunded that all they which are in any degree of honour and authoritie be honoured and obeyed Moreouer seing all preeminence and superioritie commeth from God and that this order is established and appointed by him without the which the world could not stande what might be thought if God made no account of this when he gaue forth a certeine forme of liuing well and in all holinesse Neither ought we to account it straunge that vnder one speciall kind of obedience to bee yelded to all superiours the whole is comprised For we haue alreadie touched how this ought to be obserued in the law and we shall see it more plainlie hereafter And this was not done because God could speake in no other manner but for our better profite and instruction For we know that albeit men desire to seeme subtile and sharpe witted yet cease they not alwayes to couer themselues with the buckler of ignorance If we might espie that the law of God presseth vs ouer sore we would feigne haue some excuse to exempt our selues from the subiection of it And if the lawe of God were not apt and conuenient to instruct the rude and ignoraunt many would alledge that they are no great Clerkes that they neuer went to schoole It should seeme then that the law of God might not bind them But when we see that God abaseth himselfe to our rudenesse and that he speaketh grosselie according to our capacitie this taketh from vs all excuse this remoueth all pretences whatsoeuer and euerie one is bound to order him selfe aright and we all must confesse that there is nothing which hindereth vs from doing our dueties but that we be rebellious against God and will not beare his yoke Lo why vnder one kind God comprehendeth the whole that he might instruct traine vs vp like yong children whiche are not capable nor apt to be taught after some absolute and perfect maner This therfore is the true and naturall sense of the place as we shall see hereafter For as God deliuered the ten commaundementes or wordes as he calleth them so he annexed also the exposition of them to the end nothing might be obscure and that men might not doubt or dispute of that which

regardeth not what is happened but respecteth the counsell and purpose of men Seeing then earthlie Princes and Magistrates punish him which endeuoureth with all his might to doe euill although beeing hindered he bee not come to the full end of his enterprise what shal be thought of God Shall he haue lesse authoritie than a mortall creature Beholde I say to what point wee ought to come if wee will knowe that of good right God condemneth all them whiche hate their neighbours And why Consider wee I say what his nature is Will wee therefore obserue this commaundement Wee must beginne in short and summarie wise with murder And why For God would haue vs preuented and foretaken with some fright and horror that when we thinke of hurting our neighbors of committing any violence of doing any iniurie wee remember that this is an horrible and detestable thing which he can by no meanes bee able to suffer And why Because this is a kinde of murder Yee see then howe GOD at the first would daunt vs and this is the point whereat we ought to beginne And if we thinke it a straunge thing that God condemneth one boxe on the eare for murder nay one verball iniurie as we may terme it which is done but in a woord yea one wayward grudging be it neuer so secretlie hidden within vs if wee account it straunge that this bee condemned as murder before God let vs consider what his nature is and that he deserueth to haue more yealded vnto him than vnto mortall men But earthlie Iudges punish an euill and wicked affection when it sheweth it selfe what shall then God doe vnto whom nothing is hidden And againe we haue to note that which the Apostle saith in the Epistle to the Hebrewes That the woord of GOD resembleth him which is the authour thereof so that it must bee as a two edged sword whiche pearceth euen to the marrowe of the bones that there is no thought in vs whiche it searcheth not And why For nothing is hidden in the presence of god Seeing it is so that nothing is hidden before GOD it behoueth that this woord proue and sound the depth of our heartes So then it is necessarie that all that which is secrete and vnknowen vnto men come into account before God and by this wee bee admonished to walke in such sorte that wee beare no enimitie nor euill will vnto our neighbours But yet notwithstanding wee must proceede further For this is not enough that men absteine from doing of euill seeing they are created to aid and helpe one an other and to mainteine and defende one an other God therefore in forbidding of murders sheweth on the contrarie side that the life of our neighbours ought to bee deare vnto vs that we ought to employ all our trauell and paine to preserue and mainteine it as much as in vs lieth But he would beginne at the negatiue point the better to declare vnto vs that whiche he commaundeth And why For we see how vicious and wicked we are as many thoughts as are in vs so many thornes briers are there within vs as many affections as wee haue so many brambles and thistles such like thinges growe in vs GOD therefore not without great cause would plucke out of our heartes and out of our thoughtes the wickednesse and the vice wherewith they are ouergrowen yea he would correct euerie euill and corrupt part of vs For without this it is not possible to moue one finger to that whiche is good nay it is impossible to haue one good thought This is the cause why the Prophete saith That men must breake vp their fallowe ground and not sowe among the thornes as if he said I see well what you doe when one telleth you that you haue offended God you counterfeite some faire countenaunce and it seemeth that you bee as it were reformed and yet you alwayes continue the same you were But it is not enough to sowe in a field but one must ridde the grounde of rootes and thistles and first breake vp the ground whiche hath lien fallowe But while you doe nothing else but endeuour to appeare faire vnto the eye the thornes the brambles the nettles and such other like euill weedes remaine still within Yee shall not therefore haue any good seede so farre shall yee bee from bearing of good fruite And for the same cause our Lorde saith here Thou shalt not kill in steede of saying Take ye heede ye defend and preserue the life of your neighbours And verilie we see by common experience how men would acquite them selues before GOD with some faire shewe and appearaunce when notwithstanding they reteine still their vices and corruptions according to that which wee haue alledged of the Prophete For if one exhort vs to doe well vnto our neighbours true it is wee knowe not how wee might altogether contradict and gainsaie him Wee would therefore acquite our selues in some sorte but yet our filthie corruptions remaine still within vs and wee doe but plaster and white lime them ouer as they which would bee at no great cost doe when their houses are ruinous and full of cleftes For what doe they They stop vp the holes and creuises with morter and plaster them ouer and all this while the runious and decaide places of their houses remaine still vurepaired So is it with vs wee plaster and parget ouer and so wee would lightlie discharge our selues in our dutie And yet nature teacheth vs the contrarie for if one will sowe a field will he cast his corne among briers and thornes No but when he seeth his ground after it hath bene laide fallowe to bee couered with thistles and thornes he breaketh it vp with the plough he grubbeth vp the brambles he manureth and tilleth it Let vs then learne that not without great cause GOD condemneth first of all the vices which are in vs For he seeth well that they haue taken deepe roote and that he shall neuer bee able to hold vs in such a stay as to cause vs to walke according to the rule of his iustice except he first plucke vp this cursed roote of euill which he knoweth to bee within vs Loe why he saith Thou shalt not kill as if he said Will you liue in mutuall loue and charitie one with an other It behoueth that euerie one enter into himselfe you must all diligentlie examine your owne heartes whether you beare any hatred any enimitie any euill will against your neighbours whiche may occasion you to attempt any one thing against them Let vs then beare in minde all these thinges and let vs knowe that when wee shal be purged from all anger and choler from all hatred from all iniuries and wronges wee must then come to this point to vnderstand that it sufficeth not that we abstaine from all harme and iniurie from all violence and oppression that we haue attempted nothing against the persons of our neighbours that wee nourish no

such shiftes will serue vs to escape And why God followeth on alwayes to condemne wicked desires hauing condemned wicked counsels and purposes Nowe this doctrine ought to serue two wayes to our vse and profite First it may teach vs more feruentlie to praie vnto God to gouerne vs by his holy spirit and to purge vs from all our corruptions and vices And againe hauing made our request and prayer vnto him that euery one force himselfe that we vse violence with our nature with all our senses and appetites seeing there is in vs such a rebellion against the law of god As S. Paul also speaketh not onelie of the wils of men when he saith That through their peruerse and crooked nature they are enimies vnto God but he mentioneth the affections thoughts for he vseth a word in that place which signifieth the thoughts which we conceiue Seeing it is so let vs knowe that when we shall haue bestowed our labour well to hold our selues snaffled with the bridle of God that yet some euil desires shal escape vs for which we ought to lament and bewaile our selues before god Loe what the first vse of this doctrine is namelie that we haue this zele to call vpon God to gouerne vs by his holy spirite and that we employ all our paines herein and vse such force with our selues to be retained from all euil that Sathan haue not his entrance into our heartes that he may not make any breach into vs to winne possession of our bodies but that we keepe him aloofe and farre off And as soone as we shal perceiue any thought in vs which shall tende vnto euill let vs come forth to oppose our selues against it let vs make this barre to say What God must beare rule wholie in thee he must possesse not onelie thy mind but all thy senses and thoughts For the second we must learne to condemne our selues giue all glorie vnto God in confessing that we are all culpable guiltie and that if he call vs to account shall vse seueritie with vs loe we all perish and are cast downe to the bottomlesse pitte of hell We must come vnto this point otherwise we shall not profite in the lawe of God as wee ought But here a man may demand seeing that God knoweth the frailtie and weaknesse of men Why he either strengtheneth not them better or why he maketh a lawe so straite and so austere For it seemeth that God would oppresse vs when he forbiddeth wicked desires and that he is not content that we render him obedience in our willes enioyning vs no further thing by adding this word And loe why these ieasters say That God would spite and anger men in his law and as it were forbid them to scratch themselues when they itch But we must come to knowe this miserie and wretchednesse which is in vs namely that we haue neither thoughtes nor affections which are not rebellious vnto god Let vs not therefore maruell if there be such a strife and combate betweene the lawe of God and our lustes and appetites And why For when we haue diligently sifted and examined what soeuer is within vs we shall finde there is nothing but all manner of corruption and damnable wickednesse For we cannot conceiue one onelie thought which tendeth not vnto euill Seeing it is so with vs and that God hath giuen vs a perfect rule of all goodnesse and vpright liuing hath hee not as it were thundered against vs And is it not manifest that the fire and the water are at lesse strife yea agree better than the nature of men and the iustice of God Let vs not therefore thinke it straunge that God hath so reproued our appetites and lustes and when we heare the blasphemies which these ieasters spue foorth let vs detest them as monsters For in steade of glorifying of GOD in his iustice they fling themselues and spurne against him as sauage and furious beastes Lo what wee haue to note touching the frailtie and weaknesse of men that albeit it bee so great yet he condemneth it in his lawe And why For when GOD ordereth our life and sheweth vs howe wee are to walke hee hath not respect what we can doe but hee considereth of that we owe him he respecteth what vprightnesse and innocencie of liuing is though it be not found in vs We are the creatures of GOD ought wee not then to giue ouer our selues wholie to his seruice Without all doubt we ought for this is a percemptorie reason and can not be gainesaide And men may well mutter and murmur hereat yet shall they alwayes bee conuicted with so manifest a proofe that hauing their beeing of GOD and for him they ought to dedicate vnto him all their senses and affections and whatsoeuer there is either in their bodie or their soule Nowe withall let vs note diligently that we cannot acquire vs of our duetie towardes him But where is the cause hereof but in our owne nature But this we drawe from Adam It followeth not for that we are helde captiues vnder sinne and that this cursed seruitude and bondage hindereth vs from doing well and maketh vs giue our selues altogether vnto that which is euill what euer other cause be hereof the roote is in vs and euerie one shall feele himselfe culpable And we must not say that we are driuen herevnto by anie externall force but euerie one is ledde and driuen vnto this by his owne proper concupiscence and so there remaineth no excuse for vs And hereby we see that we must not measure the lawe of God by our owne faculties and powers And why God respecteth not what we can doe or what our power and abilitie is but he respecteth howe farre we are bound vnto him he respecteth this integritie and perfection which is without vs Behold what we haue to obserue And this is that which abuseth and deceiueth the Papists For they haue this principle among them That the law of God is not impossible vnto men It is wonderfull how they haue bene so mad how the diuell hath inchanted and bewitched them in such sort For this doctrine is most cleare and manifest throughout all the holy scripture namely that men shall bee alwayes condemned by the lawe and must alwayes haue recourse to the meere grace and mercie of god When Saint Paule will proue that men are accursed being sinners and that there is not at all one iust man what argument or reason is it which hee vseth He alledgeth the place of Moses Cursed is euerie man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the law to do them Now it might seeme at first sight that Saint Paule hath euill argued and that this reason is impertinent For let it bee graunted that all they which haue transgressed the lawe of God are accursed yet it followeth not that all mankinde be curssed For if one man obserue the lawe and acquite himselfe herein