A17698:1606
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.
Moreover whereas he saith, I looked, & beheld you had offended your God, by making your selves a calf of metal, and ye were turned out of the way which he had appointed you: this looking of his was because God had certified him thereof: but yet ⟨p. 403⟩behoved it him to bear witness of their deed [with his own eyes]. And whereas Joshua said it seemed to be some battle: Moses answered that it was not so,1 for as much as some of them made not signs of mirth, and othersome signs of fear and sorrow: but all the whole multitude was merry and joyful: and therefore (quoth he) there must needs be some other matter in it. At his coming down he saw them dancing as it were upon fond devotion,§10 according to the manner of Idolaters, who think themselves to serve their Gods very well by such foolish and wanton toys. And so the Israelites took this dancing of theirs to be a piece of Gods service: wherefore Moses executed the punishment afore mentioned. But as touching this text, the only thing that we have to mark, is the thing which we spake of even now, and which we have spoken of afore: namely that he upbraideth the Jews with their sudden §20starting aside from the way which GOD had showed them. For the wellspring of the mischief was, that they held not themselves to the rule that is contained in the Law. We see then that the cause of all ruin and destruction, is our fickleness in turning away from Gods word. For as soon as we pass those bounds swerve never so little aside: by and by we run astray into utter destruction. And therefore it standeth §30us so much the more on hand to hold our selves warily in obedience to our GOD, specially when he hath been so gracious unto us, as to set us in the right way. For he vouchsafeth not so to guide all men. Trueth it is that all men, yea even those which never heard one word of teaching, have enough to make them unexcusable.2 But as for us, we ought to make singular account of this privilege, that GOD calleth us to him,§40 that he taketh us into his government, and that he showeth us the way of salvation. Sith we have that, we cannot go astray, so we hearken to the doctrine that is set forth to us in Gods name. But if we despise such a benefit: then are we worthy of too too much blame.