A17698:1253
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.
Furthermore it behoveth us to mark, that here God showeth not the end of his commandments, what is meant by them and to what use he hath appointed them. He doth not only show, that the people were justly bound to keep the law that was given them, seeing that God had bought them so dearly. Here are two things. The one is that inasmuch as God hath given us his word, he doth well deserve that we should yield him obedience. Why so? Because we be his creatures, and he hath vouchsafed to gather us together unto him, to be his people and to fight under his standard, and hath made us to be of his flock and of his Church. Mark that for one point.
Furthermore it behoueth vs to marke, that here God sheweth not the end of his commandements, what is ment by them and to what vse he hath appoynted thē. He doth not onely shew, that the people were iustly bound to keepe the lawe that was giuen them, seeing that God had bought them so dearly. Here are two things. The one is that inasmuch as God hath giuen vs his worde, hee doth well deserue that wee should yeelde him obedience. Why so? Because we be his creatures, and hee hath voutsafed to gather vs together vnto him, to bee his people and to fight vnder his standard, and hath made vs to bee of his flocke and of his Church. Marke that for one poynt.
The other is, that we should know to what end he hath given us his Sacraments, so as we have the precepts of his whole Law, which pertain to the exercising of us in his fear and in the hope of our salvation: and to what end he hath set such order among us as we now have. We must know what is meant by all this. Nevertheless, this briefness will be darksome, if it be not declared better. When we consider how God hath created & shaped us, and moreover made us after his own image, and given us wit and reason, and therewithal the hope of a better life▪ and finally hath vouchsafed to take us as his household folk: it showeth us that we be bound to submit our selves unto him. For seeing he is our maker: do we not owe him all obedience? Nay there is yet more: namely that in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ his son,