A17698:1710
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.
Howbeit, forasmuch as men are given to devise services of their own brain, & do make boast that they glorify God when they have followed their own foolish inventions: Moses rebuketh this overboldnesse of men, and this curiosity of theirs, telling them that the service of God consisteth in keeping the commandments & ordinances which he delivereth to them in the name of God. Now then we see here, that our Lord hath cut off all our fond inventions, that we should not imagine to serve him any more after our own fancy. For why? He will have obedience, & he esteemeth more of that than of all the sacrifices in the world.1 Had this point been well observed, there would not be such disputing as is seen nowadays, among such as bear the name of Christians. For the Papists may good cheap say, that a man may fulfil the law of God. And why? Because they never wist what end or what mark God aimed at. They think it enough for a man to be able to discharge himself to the worldward; & so they make God like a little babe, by reason whereof they say it is a blasphemy to say that we cannot perform the law. For they never came to the trial of it. The despisers of God step forth here & say, that the law is easy, when as notwithstanding they never put so much as their little finger towards the doing of it. But when we have well weighed the things that are contained here; we shall find that it is not so easy a matter. Again if we compare the law with our own frowardness, we shall find that the law were easy enough of it self, if we were as well disposed as we ought to be. But we come far short of being Angels; & we had need of an angelical nature to the obeying of Gods law. For it draweth us from the world, and leadeth us up to heaven: and we go the clean contrary way. Again, when the serving of god cometh in question, it will not suffice us to play the hypocrites & to say, well, this or that is to be done, & in the mean while to overhip the chief point: but when it is said that we must love our GOD with all our heart;
Howbeit, forasmuch as men are giuen to deuise seruices of their own brain, & do make boast that they glorifie God when they haue followed their owne foolish inuentions: Moses rebuketh this ouerboldnesse of men, and this curiositie of theirs, telling them that the seruice of God cō sisteth in keeping the commandements & ordinances which he deliuereth to them in the name of God. Now then we see here, that our Lorde hath cut off all our fond inuentions, yt we should not imagine to serue him any more after our owne fancie. For why? He will haue obedience, & hee esteemeth more of that than of al the sacrifices in ye world.