A17698:1733
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 we see the meaning of Moses, but it will §10become the plainer & easier unto us, if we come to our baptism. I have already touched the likeness that is between these two sacraments: and it is all one, as if a man should say unto us now adays, if you would that God should take you for his people and heritage, ye must be baptised in your souls. What? baptised in our souls? Yea for south. For the water that is cast upon our bodies is nothing, if we have not the trueth of it, namely that we be so plunged under the water,§20 as if we were in a grave;1 that is to say, that it maketh us to die in our selves, so as our own affections, our own thoughts, our own wit, our own reason, and our own wisdom bear not any more sway in us; but that we suffer our selves, to be governed by God, so as all our fleshly lusts be subdued and held in captivity under him, and under his yoke. Therefore if a man would show us the true meaning of our baptism, he should say, look that ye be baptised within. And for §30the same cause also doeth Saint Paul in the second to the Romans,2 set down a difference between the circumcision of the letter, and the circumcision of the spirit: And he sayeth that the one is inward, and the other outward. Whereas he termeth it the Circumcision of the letter, it is by a similitude, for he hath an eye to the word. To what purpose serveth the reading of Gods Law, and of the Gospel, if it touch us not inwardly? Verily if every of us have his §40Bible in print, and yet let it alone, what do we else but make it unholy by our not applying of so great a treasure to our use, & by our not employing of the same to our profit according to the intent of our God? Even so standeth the case with the sacraments sayeth Saint Paul. For they be but as a dead letter, so long as we have no more but the visible signs, it is but a gay appearance and show before men: But the whole matter consisteth in having the trueth before §50God. Will we have the true Circumcision? then must it be inwardly, that is to say, in the Spirit. That is to say, God must work there. So we see now that the meaning of Moses was, that folk should not boast vainly of the bare name of God, nor of the wearing of his badge, without the trueth of it, so as they could show the power thereof: