A17698:1905
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.
And it is certain that if the religion be true, & good, it is ⟨p. 489⟩not new nor devised in our time; but our repair must be to the things that are witnessed in the Law and the prophets. There we shall see how God hath gathered his Church, how he hath governed it, & how it hath always had his truth, even from the beginning of the world. In deed the number of people is but small that have followed godliness: the rest have turned away after their own inventions. Howbeit, we must not have an eye to the world, but let it suffice us that god hath had a church §10of his own in all ages, whereunto it behoveth us to be joined & to become one with it. For although the Church have bin despised of the world; yet hath it always bin precious in Gods sight. And we see the like still at this day. True it is that the most part of such as boast themselves to be believers, are doted with leasings, errors & abuses: but we must let them alone, & submit ourselves to the truth that God telleth us, knitting ourselves in unity of faith & concord with the faithful which §20are contented to follow whatsoever God hath showed them. Thus ye see that the way for us to put this text in ure where the God of the fathers is spoken of, is that it is not enough for us to have some antiquity as the papists allege, saying; we have bin a long time in possession: but we must be well grounded upon certainty, so as we know that the God whom we worship is not an idol. When a man knows that once, then let him proceed to the con sent & agreement of faith, according to our belief §03whereby we confess that there is but one almighty god, which is the father of our lord Jesus Christ, and by the same reason our father too; that our Lord Jesus Christ is the redeemer that hath appeared unto us; that we be sanctified by the holy Ghost, and also that we can bear record of the majesty of our God, at leastwise according to his uttering of himself unto us by his holy scriptures. Which done, then let us add, that we believe the holy catholic Church, and that there is a communion of §40Saints, so as there is but one body. But yet must God be fain to show himself to us to be the almighty: that he is the same which made both heaven & earth, that he is the same at whose hand we must hope for salvation; that he is able to maintain his own glory, so as all the things that men have devised of their own brain are but lies.