A17698:1323
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 having done so, he stayed not with that grace: but forasmuch as a great number were estranged & as it were cut off from the line of Abraham: he pulled back also whom it pleased him. And that is the cause why S. Paul sayeth,1 that all they which come of Abraham according to the flesh, are not reckoned for his lawful children, I mean to Godward, in respect of the spiritual inheritance that was promised to the true linage. And for §50the same cause S. Paul allegeth the saying that is written in the 25. of Genesis,2 namely that the elder shall serve the younger, accordingly also as it is said by the prophet Malachi, Jacob & Esau were both of them the children of Abraham: & what is the cause why Jacob was received, and Esau refused so as god disherited him, and vouchsafed not to establish any Church in his offspring, but that as many as came of the line were mingled with the heathen, and belonged not at all to the §60body of Christ? Whereof came this? To whom shall a man impute it? It is to be understood, that (as sayeth S. Paul) God had given sentence of them before they were borne. For Jacob and Esau were twins, and their Mother Rebekah bare them both at one burden: and at that time what could the one deserve more than the other? God refused the elder to whom belonged the honour of first borne, yea, by order of nature: but God showed that his grace was above nature. So then, Jacob was chosen, and Esau refused. To whom shall a man impute all this? Brought they any strength and virtue of their own (as saith the prophet Micah) for the which God esteemed the one more than the other? Should the Jews (which came of Jacob) set up their bristles against God, to say that they were nobler than other men? No, but they ought to yield the honour to Gods free favour, acknowledging that to be the only cause of their salvation, and that they have not any thing of their own wherefore they should be preferred before other men. Herein we see that God having chosen a people in general, doeth notwithstanding reserve liberty to himself, to choose out of that people whomsoever he listeth, & to refuse the rest. And so as I have declared already, there is one election which god maketh generally: and another [particularly] of those whom he vouchsafeth to take for his children & heirs.