A17698:1153
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 although this was spoken in the time of the law: yet doeth it agree better still to us. For although God gave the Jews sufficient warning that they should not have to do with the defilings and idolatries of the heathen: yet have we a much larger light now adays, since the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.1 He is the lively image of God his father (as I have said already,) and we may well agree to this saying in the first of Saint John,2 That no man ever saw God, but the son who hath always been in the bosom of the father hath revealed him unto us. The fathers of old time had a knowledge as I said, but that knowledge is esteemed as none at all, in comparison of the knowledge which we have now adays by the Gospel.3 God showeth himself more plainly unto us by the shining forth of the day sun of righteousness. And for the same cause the Prophet Isaiah treating of the redemption that was to be performed in the person of the son of God,4 saith expressly: Behold, this is he: behold, this is our God. The Prophet crieth out, this is he, this is our God. He contenteth not himself to say, behold our God: but he speaketh as if the thing were present, and as though God had appeared unto him. How so? And was not God in the mids of his people?5 Yes: for he said, I will dwell among you. And again, This is my rest, Zion is the place where I will dwell.6 And afterward he protesteth that he will never depart thence, and that the people is his temple and a royal Priesthood. Why then doeth the Prophet Isaiah say, Behold, behold our God: this is he, this is he: when our Lord Jesus Christ was to come into the world? Even because God revealed himself to us in greater perfection. Now then we be the less to be excused, if we run gadding now adays without holding of our selves to the pure trueth, so as every of us turneth away after his own dotages, to say, it seemeth so to me, this think I good. Let us assure our selves that all this is nothing worth, but we must repair to the certainty that is brought us by our Lord Jesus Christ.