A17698:1726
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.
Yesterday it was declared what was the use of it, namely that men should be humbled in them §30selves, to exalt Gods goodness, & thereupon take the better courage to serve him. For how greatly are we bound unto him, seeing he hath vouchsafed to take us for his heritage, & to adopt us to be his children, whereas in the mean season he hath rejected others that were like unto us? For if it be demanded wherein we differ from other men: there will no difference be found in respect of our selves. And therefore, seeing that God hath esteemed us so highly, we are bound to serve him §40and to give our selves wholly unto him. But by the way let us mark, that there is a general election belonging to all this people, which election deserveth well to be had in estimation. But yet should not all avail, except every man were made partaker of it particularly in himself. This would be darksome, if it were not declared more at large. But it will become easy enough, if we call to mind, first what Moses teacheth here, and which we have seen already heretofore:§50 namely that God chose Abraham's offspring out of the whole world. And why? because it pleased him. All the world was his (as hath been declared already) and all nations were alike near unto him, and in equal degree as that offspring was that was to come of Abraham. Nay: (which more is) he chose a people that had no being, and of whom there was no hope. For Abraham was like a dry timber log,1 and therefore was there no hope that ever he could have any offspring. Sarah his §60wife was barren & both of them drooped for age, and their bodies were withered, so as God chose the thing which was not, and his promise seemed as it were to hang in the air, without foundation to rest upon. And yet notwithstanding, by virtue of the promise wherein God said that he would bless Abraham's linage,2 there must needs come a people, as shall be showed in the next lecture.
Yesterday it was declared what was the vse of it, namely that men should be humbled in them §30