A17698:1324
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.
Now then, it is of Gods free election, that we have his word purely preached unto us,1 and that we have his gospel & Sacraments. And even therein we have cause to confess that he hath showed himself liberal unto us. For by what title is the gospel given to us, rather than to such as make greater account of themselves than we do, and which are not inferior to us in respect of the world? Why doth God leave great kingdoms & principalities, and nations of renown: & choose a little nook, & a small number of people, to say that his word shall be preached there? When it raineth so upon us, and all the rest of the world abideth still in drought: is it not to be concluded that God hath liberty to do good to whom he listeth? And is it not his only love, whereto we be beholden for it? Yes▪ So then, when the Gospel is preached in a place, and it hath the warrants that God giveth men salvation: (as when we have baptism & the Lords holy supper ministered uncorruptly:) we may say it is an election that God maketh. But yet for all that, in the mean time he retaineth to himself whom he thinketh good, to the end that men should not trust to the outward signs without faith & obedience, knowing that although we have bin chosen to be of the body of the Church, yet if we make not our profit of that election, God can well enough cut us off again, & reserve a small number to himself. And although there be some great multitude of us which confess all with one mouth that God hath chose• us: yet can we not therefore say that he avoweth us for his children, except we live in pureness of faith, & have ratified the covenant which god hath made with us. And so let us understand that Gods liberality showeth it self after all sorts to us, and that therefore we have the juster cause to love him more and more,2 & to yield him all praise. For have we his word? It is a free gift aforehand, whereby he hath bound us unto him.3 Have we his sacraments? They be the badges of his fatherly election: we have not deserved any of all these things. But above all,4 when it pleaseth him to imprint the