A17698:1827
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 he addeth thereunto; If ye keep the commandments which I set before you, so as ye love your God, & serve him with all your heart, in the land• which I will give you. Here Moses putteth the people in mind again what the true service of God is: namely that we learn to obey him. This hath bin sufficiently laid forth already: but yet is it not without cause that the holy Ghost speaketh of it so often. For it standeth us in hand to have such warnings set before us, as it were every minute of an hour. And for proof thereof, how serve we God, but by force & constraint? We have no willingness nor desire at all to it. But our Lord telleth us that he accepteth no service that is done unto him, except it come from the heart, & that we love him as our father,1 according as it is said in the psalm that we cannot fear God but because he showeth himself merciful unto us. For so long as we conceive nothing in God but rigour; we can do nothing else but shun him, & shrink away from him as far as is possible: & although we be constrained to look unto him, yet shall he draw nothing that is aught worth from us. Therefore the first step to serve God well & to love him, is to know his favourableness, that we may rest upon it, & look for mercy & favour at his hand. For like as in the said hundred & thirty psalm: so also here, mention is made of obedience after love, to show us that it is not enough to pretend the service of God; but that we must so submit our selves to him, as we may say, Lord thou hast given us the grace to rule our life aright; & therefore vouchsafe to govern us in such sort, as none of us may take leave to do what he list, but all of us may hearken simply to thy voice, to submit our selves thereunto.
Now he addeth thereunto; If ye keepe the commaundements which I set before you, so as ye loue your God, & serue him with all your heart, in the land• which I will giue you. Here Moses putteth ye people in minde againe what ye true seruice of God is: namely yt we learne to obey him. This hath bin sufficiently layd forth alreadie: but yet is it not wtout cause yt the holy Ghost speaketh of it so often. For it standeth vs in hand to haue such warnings set before vs, as it were euery minute of an howre. And for proofe thereof, how serue wee God, but by force & constreint? We haue no willingnesse nor desire at all to it. But our Lord telleth vs yt he accepteth no seruice yt is done vnto him, except it come from the heart, & that wee loue him as our father,