In the commandments of the Law [Matt 22:34–40, the Great Commandments], God does not look at what men can do, but at what they ought to do; since in this infirmity of the flesh it is impossible that perfect love can obtain dominion, for we know how strongly all the senses of our soul are disposed to vanity. Lastly, we learn from this, that God does not rest satisfied with the outward appearance of works, but chiefly demands the inward feelings, that from a good root good fruits may grow.
John Calvin, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, trans. John King (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1956), 59.
Does anyone have access to the Latin (or was it French…?) standing behind that word “feelings”? Or, better yet, the original language for the whole paragraph? My research skills have failed me; I can’t find it, and I don’t own the Logos Bible Software John Calvin Super-Deluxe “This-Package-Buys-You” Package.
Update: Jeremy Patterson helped me track down the original French, which seems to call the English translation above into question at the very point I highlighted. “Inward feelings” in French is actually “l’affection exterieure.” Now I need to find a copy of the Latin to fully (?) unravel this mystery.