A17698:1151
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.
Howbeit forasmuch as men are always so ticklish, that (as I have said already) they cannot be bridled enough to restrain them: Moses confirmeth the whole doctrine that he had uttered here, saying, Hearken therefore O Israel, the Lord thy God is one God. He had said afore, Hearken: he had said, take heed: he had said that it behoved them to keep the law: but here he confirmeth the whole matter ⟨p. 269⟩much better, by setting down expressly that the God of Israel is the one God. And hereby his meaning is to exclude all the Gods which the world forged to it self, and to show that it is not lawful for us to conceive any thing in our own imagination, whereof we have not warrant in Gods word. Therefore whereas the God of Israel is called the one God, it is all one as if Moses should compare the God that had set forth his law, (who had also manifested himself before §10to his servant Abraham, and to the Patriarchs,) with all those whom the world weened to be Gods, and should set him against them all. For in deed God had been called upon in all ages, and that name was common to the heathen. But what for that? The Heathen wandered at rovers, so as every man said I worship God. And yet in the mean while, what was it they did? nothing but dreams and fantasies: for when men take upon them to worship God without knowing §20him: no doubt but they worship idols. The Turks at this day do say they worship the God that made heaven and earth: but yet is it but an idol which they worship. And how so? They name him the maker of heaven and earth, and they have none images. That is true: but yet for all that, they have but an idol in stead of God, because they admit not our Lord Jesus Christ,1 who is the lively image of God his father. And we know how S. John sayeth that he which §30denieth the son, denieth the father too. Therefore they have not God, but an idol. As much is to be said of the Jews. The Jews boast of their having of the law, and of their worshipping of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But what for that?2 They be but backsliders and have renounced Gods law, for as much as they have rejected Jesus Christ who is the soul of the law. It is he in whom God the father intendeth to manifest himself unto us: It is he, whom he will