A17698:1144
Sermons upon Deuteronomy
The sermons of M. John Calvin upon the fifth book of Moses called Deuteronomy faithfully gathered word for word as he preached them in open pulpit; together with a preface of the ministers of the Church of Geneva, and an admonishment made by the deacons there. Also there are annexed two profitable tables, the one containing the chief matters; the other the places of Scripture herein alleged. Translated out of French by Arthur Golding.The sermons of M. Iohn Caluin vpon the fifth booke of Moses called Deuteronomie faithfully gathered word for word as he preached them in open pulpet; together with a preface of the ministers of the Church of Geneua, and an admonishment made by the deacons there. Also there are annexed two profitable tables, the one containing the chiefe matters; the other the places of Scripture herein alledged. Translated out of French by Arthur Golding.
London: printed by Henry Middleton for George Bishop, 1583
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.
Now hereupon we may gather, that God disalloweth all that ever men can do, when they ⟨p. 267⟩turn away from his word. As for example, the Papists are always serving of God (as they themselves say): but in the mean season what do they? They take much pain, but they be never a whit the forwarder, because they have nothing among them but mens inventions. Their serving of God, is to biblebable or to kneel down before puppets or idols, to scud from altar to altar, to cause Masses to be chanted, to gad on pilgrimage, to fast such a day in §10the honour of such a saint, and to eat no flesh upon fridays and saturdays. To be short, it is a gulf of all baggage, covered with the name and title of Gods service. But shall ye find that ever God uttered one word or syllable concerning such things? No. It was every whit of it devised by men. Now let us consider by this text, whether God accepteth such service for good and lawful. Nay contrariwise he saith, thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and keep §20all his commandments and statutes. So then, when men turn from that way, and follow their own imaginations and the inventions of men: thereby they show sufficiently that they have no fear of God in them, for else they would offer him the sacrifice which he preferreth before all things: namely the sacrifice of obedience, as is showed in the first book of Samuel the fifteenth Chapter.1 Insomuch that if a man hearken not unto Gods voice to submit himself §30thereto, but contrariwise followeth the invention of his own brain, or the things that other men have devised: surely it is an idolatry, and as bad as witchcraft, which God abhorreth. After that manner doth Gods spirit speak of it, notwithstanding that mortal men do deem the clean contrary. Now then we see how Moses declareth here, that if we fear God in good earnest, we will also do him the honour to be ruled by his will, so as we will not take leave §40at mens hands to do what they think good, but stop all mens mouths when God speaketh, and open our ears to hearken what he sayeth, and receive the same.