A17698:1676
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 must we apply these things to the trueth of them, that we may be edified by them. Let us (say I) have a regard to apply these three things to their trueth & substance,1 which our Lord Jesus Christ hath brought us by his coming. It is said here, that the Levites must bear the vessels of God. And this belongeth, not only to the ministers of the word, or to such as bear public office in the church: but also to all the faithful in general. And that is the cause why it is said by the prophet Malachi,2 that the Levites were made priests, which thing I say was accomplished at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, at which time the church was advanced to greater perfection than it was under the law. Likewise Isaiah telleth us that all men shall be Levites unto the Lord.3 Al the children of Israel (saith he) shall execute the office of priesthood unto God. And in the same respect doth S. Peter say,4 that we be a royal priesthood. S. Peter speaks not there of any peculiar sort of people after the manner of the Pope, who hath villainously corrupted the said sentence of his, in attributing it to his own clergy as he termeth them, that is to wit to the stinking rabble of his powlshorn greaslings: but he attributeth that honourable title to all the faithful, & to as many as are of the church of God. Moses could well say even in his time,5 Ye be a priestly kingdom, that is to say a nation holy above all others. But S. Peter turning the same words, saith, that now we be become a royal priesthood, inasmuch as our Lord Jesus Christ having showed himself to the world, is ordained priest after the order of Melchizedek,6 to communicate the same grace to the whole church. Therefore let us mark well, that this gift of becoming Priests & Levites, is not a privilege or prerogative granted to three or four: but inasmuch as all the things which our Lord Jesus Christ hath received of God his father, are common to us all, & we be made partakers of them by his means: we be of the order & number of the Levites, that is to say, of them that are dedicated unto god. Not as the people [of Israel] were, which held themselves aloof in the body of the temple, & worshipped God afar of: