A17698:1213
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.
Seeing it is so that all that ever belongeth to the one only God, is contained in an oath: must it not needs follow that it is a cursed superstition, when we swear by the name of an idol? Yes: for the honour that is due to the only one God, is conveyed away to the creature. All they therefore which swear by any other than by the name of God, do show themselves unworthy to be his people, yea and that it is not long of them that they bereave him not of his due homage.§10 Now we see how it was not for nought that Moses hath told us here, that we must swear by the name of God. And indeed when the prophets intend to show that the right Religion shall be set up every where,1 they say that all tongues shall swear by the name of God. The heathen men likewise had the same opinion, that their swearing by their idols was a token of their serving of them. And that was comprehended under the worship which they §20yielded unto them. If they had not imagined that there was some divine majesty in an idol: they would never have sworn by the name of it. True it is that afterward they disguised their oaths, so as they sware likewise by their kings and princes: but that flattery was an unhallowing of Gods name, and they themselves knew full well that they were blameworthy in so doing. For in going about to flatter men, they unjustly snatched to their idols the honour §30which they pretended to be due to them. Seeing that the Infidels knew that an oath is a kind of worshipping, should not they that have been rightly taught, have a much more surer rule? Yes: and therefore let us mark well, that Moses in commanding men to swear by none but by the name of God, showeth that therein they do him the honour of acknowledging him for only Judge,2 and attribute unto him the office of searching mens harts and thoughts, and of bewraying §40the things that are secret and hidden,3 & finally acknowledge him to be the certain and unfallible truth, and therefore that he is able to be sufficient witness thereof. That is the effect of that which he meant to say.