A17698:1311
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 Moses addeth expressly yet further, That it was to the intent that this people should be separated from all the rest of the world. If God granted his grace commonly & without exception to all people, to have his word preached everywhere: yet ought we to be sanctified unto him, because he taketh us out of the corruption of Adam, and from the ruin wherein all of us are by nature. But when §40as he chooseth one Nation, and allieth himself to the same, and in the mean while letteth all the rest go: it serveth to give the greater beauty to his goodness: like as nowadays, our having of the pure doctrine of the Gospel, is as a cord whereby God draweth us to him, and whereby he vouchsafeth to be made one with us, as I said afore. The world seeth how he letteth the wretched papists run at rovers, so as their eyes be stopped & they see not one whit, nay rather they turn quite & clean §50away from the way of salvation. We see it. And what is to be done, but that inasmuch as god setteth such beauty upon his mercy: such comparison should make us the willinger to serve him, & to live the more warily, for fear of turning away from him, seeing he hath vouchsafed to prefer us before others, though we have not deserved it? But what? So far are we unable to profit our selves by such goodness of God: that we rather make it an occasion to take leave & liberty to do evil.§60 For when we have the examples of the unbelievers before our eyes: we think we may do the same things that they do. But that is far of from thinking upon that which Moses saith here. Your god (saith he) hath sanctified you above all other nations of the earth. As if he should say, Who be you? For ye be no better than other Nations: and yet nevertheless, your god hath vouchsafed to sanctify you. Now therefore, be you the more careful to bridle your selves, & to keep you undefiled, and meddle no more with the wretched unbelievers that are wholly given over to their own uncleanness, because your God never drew them unto him. Thus ye see why Moses compareth here the Jews expressly with the heathen.
And Moses addeth expresly yet further, That it was to the intent that this people should be separated from all the rest of the world. If God graunted his grace commonly & without exception to al people, to haue his worde preached euerywhere: yet ought we to be sanctified vnto him, bicause he taketh vs out of the corruption of Adam, and from the ruine wherin al of vs are by nature. But when