A17698:1554
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 whereas Moses rehearseth how he was upon the Mount by the space of forty days §10and forty nights together without eating or drinking: let us note that that was done for the better authorising of the law, that it might be received with the greater reverence, and that men might know it was not a worldly thing. And hereby we see that the communicating of Gods word unto us is a matter of great importance, so as we need not to doubt but it cometh of him, and that we ought to submit our selves unto it. If we have not that: there will be no religion among §20us. Indeed we may well enough surmise our selves to have it: but the chief groundwork of religion, that is to say of faith and of the service of God, is to be sure of our doctrine. For if we go but by weening: as the paynims, Turks, & all Idolaters do: and as the Papists do in dreaming upon their good intents: it is but a toy, it is but a building in the air and upon imagination. Therefore let us mark well, that the first entrance to serve God, and to be allowed of him, is §30to be throughly sure of our rule, so as we say not I thought this had been good, it seemed so to me, it was told me so: but that we have Gods word for our guide, and then let us go on hardly, we cannot go amiss as long as we follow that way: for our leader will never deceive us, we shall not be beguiled in obeying him. That then is the thing which we have to bear in mind, for as much as we see that God hath so avowed and authorised his word, as he showeth §40plainly that men ought no more to call it in question or to doubt of it. But although we see that this is very needful for us: yet do we see that the world makes none account of it. Whereof comes it that the Papists are so wilful at this day: but because they shut their eyes at the things that I have now touched? For if a man examine throughly all that ever they have, surely he shall find that they can allege none other reason than §50their own imagination. They can not maintain the things which they term Gods service and the articles of their faith, otherwise than by their own reason, only because other men have said it, and they believe it without further inquiry. Therefore are they always in a mammering, without any stay or steadiness: