A17698:1844
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.
But according to the fashion of the world, which is always given to hypocrisy, & to shameful mocking at all Gods ordinances, the Jews made them frontlets of certain sentences of Gods law, and they observed the law very well as in respect of ⟨p. 473⟩the words that are set down here. For they had bracelets of them, & rolls, & attires on their heads, so as it might seem that there was nothing but holiness in them. Also they had the commandments written in their houses. All this (say I) was well done. But they surmised that they served God by these outward shows: and that was nothing so. We also for our part should come to the same point likewise, if we considered not what the will of our God is, to submit our selves §10thereto. For as I said afore) hypocrisy is so rooted in mans nature, that they would always be dallying with God, & content him with counterfeitings, so as there might be nothing but dissimulation: & yet for all that, they bear themselves in hand, that he ought to hold them discharged. But we must mark that God will not be served by the writing of some sentence of his Law upon a post or a door, or at the entry of a house; his meaning is nothing so. But what? Forasmuch as §20he seeth that we be short witted, & that although we have bin taught his word duly, yet we be easily turned away from it; it is not without cause that he will have us to seek all the helps that can be, that we may have the better stay of our selves, & learn the remedies of our frailty, sith we need none other thing to turn us out of the way. And sith we know that vice to be in us; let us be the diligenter in seeking God, & let us say: How is it possible that I should hold my self in the fear of my §30God? If I should pass but one day without thinking upon him & upon his commandments: I should forget him by & by. What is to be done then? As soon as I rise in the morning, the devil offereth me the many lets. Now it standeth me in hand to resist him, & that I tarry not till mine enemy give me the assault: but I must think upon my God who calleth me to him. Again at night when I go to bed, forasmuch as a nighttimes the devil ceaseth not to put many fond fancies in my head, and a §40man is not able to restrain his own mind from conceiving some vain thoughts or other: