A17698:1847
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.
Above all things we must observe that which is said here; Lay up the commandments which I set before thee, in thy heart and in thy soul. To the intent then that men should not stand poring upon the outward fashion & figure; that is the chief point. The mark (say I) whereat he shores, and whereunto all this doctrine is to be referred, is that Gods law should be in our hearts and in our souls. For though we have it ever before our eyes, & at our tongues end, so as we seem to set never so great store by it, and yet in the mean while our heart is locked up, & we have no courage to serve God: truly we do but deceive men, & procure our selves the sorer condemnation before God. Now then let us have Gods law written, let us have the sayings of it painted upon our walls as in tables, & let us have things to put us in mind of it early & late: but let not it serve for our discharge, as though God were to be payed in such coin. How then? Let us endeavour to have it so graven in our hearts, as it may never be wiped out again, yea even in our harts & in our souls, that is to say, in such sort as it may possess all our affections. For that is the place where Gods word is to be kept. But what? The thing that S. James speaketh of,1 is seen more nowadays ⟨p. 474⟩than ever it was; namely that they which come to hear Gods word, take as much profit by it, as by looking upon themselves in a glass: they be no sooner gone, but all is forgotten. What fareth a man the better by his seeing of himself in a glass? As soon as he turneth away his face, his shape vanisheth away. Even so is it with us. Whereas our coming to Gods word, should be to be transformed into the likeness of God,2 (as S. Paul teacheth us in the second to the §10Corinthians,) & whereas it is the power & property of the Gospel, to transform us into the glory of God, by beholding him in the person of Jesus Christ: we come to it but to make a pastime of it, so as anon all slippeth away again, & there remaineth no substance nor power of it with us. And by that means the precious seed of the Gospel perisheth. For it lighteth among stones, so as it can take no root. A man may loose a good deal of corn, if he cast it upon the dry §20