A17698:160
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 let us also mark well this saying in this text: The God of thy fathers hath promised thee the Land. Behold therefore, it is at thy commandment, enter into it and take possession of it. The meaning is that we should yield so much honour to Gods truth, as to be fully and throughly resolved in our selves, that inasmuch as he hath adopted us to his children, our inheritance is certain and infallible in heaven.§10 For to what purpose is the Gospel preached unto us, but to make us know that GOD is our father, and that we being become his children by his free adopting of us, should be assured that the kingdom of heaven belongeth unto us?1 And in very deed for the same cause is the Gospel called the kingdom of heaven, forasmuch as it openeth the gate unto us, to the end that we nowadays should not doubt but that GOD avoweth us to be his heirs.§20 But we must have a further consideration of the inheritance that God giveth us, than of all the benefits that Moses speaks of. For it stood the Jews on hand to have held themselves still to the thing that had been spoken to Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob. But now is the Gospel another warrant unto us. For God is called the father, not only of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but also of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our head in such wise, that being once united unto him, we §30become partakers of his own substance and life, and [therefore] we must not doubt but that the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven belongeth unto us. Now then, like as Moses said unto the Jews, The God of your fathers: so must this voice sound in our ears, The GOD and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, hath not only promised us the kingdom of heaven, but also given us wherewith to assure our selves the better of it. For we have the performance & effect thereof,§40 in that our Lord Jesus Christ suffered death, to recover us the inheritance, whereof we were bereft and dispossessed in the person of our father Adam. Now then we see after what sort we ought to look upon this doctrine: that is to wit, that although we be unhappy wretches, although we deserve to be rejected of our GOD, although there be nothing but cursedness in us, and although that by nature we be plunged in the gulf of hell: yet §50