A17698:1164
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.
And now to show his meaning the better, Moses addeth, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength. In these words we see the thing that hath bin touched already: that is to wit, that Gods intent is to hold us wholly to himself, and to possess us in such sort, as we serve him not by halves, ne wander in the mean while to and §50fro. Then like as God of his gracious goodness giveth himself to us: so doeth it behoove us to be altogether his possession and inheritance. That is the sum of the things contained in these words of Moses, where he speaketh of the loving of GOD with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our strength. As if he should say, There is no mean way in this case, deceive not your selves by imagining to serve God by piecemeal, and by making any restraint from §60him: for he will keep his own right throughout in all points. What is to be done then? You must give your hearts wholly unto him, so as ye reserve not any piece of it to idols. For that were a corrupting and a bastarding of his service: either he must have all whole, or else he will have none at all, accordingly as we see how he renounceth the people in Ezekiel, for mingling of superstitions with his Law.1 Go your ways (sayeth he) and serve your own idols: I will no more of you. He giveth them leave and casteth them up to Satan, telling them that he liketh not any of all the things which they doe• for he will not be matched with idols. What an outrage and blasphemy is that? Thus then we see now the meaning of Moses.
And nowe to shewe his meaning the better, Moses addeth, Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soule, and with all thy strength. In these wordes wee see the thing that hath bin touched alreadie: that is to wit, that Gods intent is to hold vs wholly to himselfe, and to possesse vs in such sort, as wee serue him not by halues, ne wander in the meane while to and §50fro. Then like as God of his gratious goodnesse giueth himselfe to vs: so doeth it behooue vs to bee altogether his possession and inheritaunce. That is the summe of the thinges contained in these wordes of Moses, where he speaketh of the louing of GOD with all our heart, with all our soule, and with all our strength. As if he shoulde say, There is no meane way in this case, deceiue not your selues by imagining to serue God by parcelmeale, and by making any restraint from