A17698:1661
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.
Was there yet any likelihood in it? Nay. Abraham was yet childish, he was barren, he was utterly past hope of ever having any issue. Now then Gods choosing of Abraham, was when he was as a block already dead aforehand: and therefore S. Paul saith,1 that in the person of Abraham, God showed that he chose the things which are not, of purpose to give them being. And for the same cause it is said in the first Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians,2 that we be of God, that is to say, that he giveth us being unto salvation, because he hath vouchsafed to choose us: for we be nothing at all in our selves. Yet notwithstanding, this people made great account of themselves, & bare themselves in hand that they were better than all the world. For the which cause, the covenant & adoption that god had made with that linage was broken off: & so ye see that the people of Israel were rejected at God hands. Yea & well worthy were they to be abhorred, insomuch that this sentence of condemnation was already given upon them, that they should be rooted out of the world, & the remembrance of them be utterly destroyed. So little cause then had the children of Israel to make any boast of themselves, or to take upon them above the heathen: that they were thrust beneath them, and utterly disclaimed and condemned at Gods hand, as whom he showed to have nothing else but cursedness in them. Now therefore it behoveth them to know: that whereas God giveth them his Law, & teacheth them, & performeth his promise towards them: all this is done of so high & infinite favour. as ought in manner to make them astonished. For what a thing was it, that God after the breaking of the tables of his covenant, did yet still vouchsafe to have pity upon that wretched people? Behold, the two tables were not written by mans hand, but by gods hand, that is to say by his power: & that was a miracle. And what shall a man say to it, that Gods own workmanship should be defaced? Was it not mere that the people which were the cause thereof, should have perished utterly? If we make comparison between Gods word, & mens salvation: surely Gods word is far the preciouser. But behold, the word of God that is written, I mean the writing that was set down in the two tables of stone, came as it were from heave, & was not the workmanship of man: God himself wrought it of his own power.