Sermons on the Ten Commandments, Title page – Dedication
¶SERMONS of M. Iohn Caluine, vponupon 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 vntounto, or diminishing from them any thing afterward.
Tranſlated out of Frenche into English, by I. H.
¶Imprinted at London, for Iohn Hariſon. 1579.
¶To the Right excellent and Honourable Lorde, the Lorde Robert Dudley, Earle of Leycester, Baron of Denbigh, Knight of the moſt Noble Order of the Garter, Maiſter of the Queenes Maieſties horſes, and one of her Graces moſt Honourable priuie Councell, Iohn Harmar wisheth all godlie felicitie, continuance of health, increaſe of Honour, and Graces eternall.
OCcaſioned, Right Honourable, to conſider certeine of M. Caluins Sermons in the Frenche tongue, vponupon the lawe of God and his heſtes, and finding them (though gathered and ſet forth by others, yet) aunſwerable to their makers labour, to bee godlie, learned, and profitable, I was the bolder to aduenture the deliuerance of them into our mother language, and moſt bolde to preſent your Honour therewith: the beginning of ſmall abilitie, ſuch as they bee, yet due to your Lordſhippe, vntounto whom I owe all thankfulneſſe and humble duetie. Your Honours good procurement of her Maieſties gratious fauour, whereby I firſt became a Scholer in Wincheſter Colledge, afterward to bee remoued to the New Colledge of Oxford, whereof at this preſent I am a poore member, I could neuer ſince forget, or burie ſo good a benefite in ſuch great obliuion. Some ſignification therefore of a gratefull minde is herein ſought, together with the profit of many the ſimpler ſorte, which the rather may be atteined to, by your Lordſhippes honourable name, fauourable countenance, and protection, which being vouchſafed, will be ſufficientlieable to counteruaile the contrarie endeuours of ſuch euill diſpoſed perſons as ſeeke euen vnderunder the colour of greateſt truth, to pull out the eyes of knowledge, and to bring a palpable darkeneſſe vponupon the face of the earth, a darkeneſſe to be brought in by the groſſe miſt of deuout ignoraunce as more perillous, ſo more lamentable than the temporarie darkeneſſe of Aegypt. For that is the pretence which they vſe, when as they ſeeke no other thing than to entrap men by diueliſh Sophiſtrie. What need the lawe (ſay they?) We hauehave the Goſpel. What neede we written expoſitors? We hauehave the liuelie voices of Preachers ſounding in great plentie euerie where. Of which two ſpeaches, the former is vaine, the latter parciall, and both of them are wicked. Truth it is, that the ſtrength and ſting of the lawes dominion to condemnation, concerning the faithfull, is weakened and cleane plucked out: that the fire is extinguiſhed wherewith the mountaine ſmoked, that the ſtonie tables are ſoftened, that the heauie yoke is lightened, that grace hath ſuperabounded, and an horne of ſtrong ſaluation is erected and declared through the adminiſtration of the ſpirite. What then? Shall we therefore welter in ſinne, and wallow in the luſtes thereof, becauſe of theſe things? God forbid. Nay rather, as the lawe ſchooleth vsus, to ſeeke for grace at the bodie of Chriſt, ſo the gratious Chriſtian is taught to repaire againe to the booke of the lawe, to liue therafter: in deede now, without ſeruile feare, being deliuered from bondage, to ſerue in freedome of an vpright, holie, and ſincere conſcience. But as the Bee that hath in her honie, hath alſo a ſting: ſo the beſt men indued with the grace of GOD, a thing incomparablie better than honie, hauehave notwithſtanding certeine remnantes of the ſtaine of Adam, as a ſting of corruption to their mortall bodies. Whereof to put vsus in mind, that we may plucke out this ſting, and as it were weed the garden of our conſciences (who as the pureſt ground, yet bring forth ſome weedes of imperfection:) the lawe of God is moſt behoouefull and neceſſarie, and M. Caluins trauelles thereon, moſt fruitefull and profitable, who ſtriketh euer at the originall and roote of ſinne, and bringeth the commandement to his olde, firſt, and true meaning, from the corrupt and common vnderſtanding. For hee groundeth the expoſition of the law, vponupon the nature of the Lawgiuer, who, becauſe he is a ſpirit, will be ſerued in ſpirit and truth. And becauſe he ſearcheth the reines, & ſoundeth the depth of the heart, will be ſerued with euerie affection and motion thereof, in all holineſſe and ſinceritie: ſo that no man can ſafelie feede or flatter himſelfe in the ſmalleſt of his owne faultes or follics. And now, what need there is of this knowledge in England, all men ſee, and others can better ſaie, than my ſelfe declare, how thinlie, ſcant here and there, ſuch excellent vnderſtanding groweth. Which thing in more wordes to lament, were an ouerlong deteining of your Lordſhip from your greater affaires. The Lord of Lordes, and God almightie garde you euer, and guide you with his holie ſpirit, to the benefite and commoditie of our countrie, and to the profite of his Church, with increaſe of honour, to his honour alwayes.
Your humble to commaund▪ Iohn Harmar.