A17698:1950
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 that was the cause why he willed that there should be light continually in the Temple.1 It was not to give light unto God, or to do him any service, but to do the rude people to understand, that we must not do things disorderly, and be as blind folks when we approach unto God: but that we must have light to guide us by, which light is not to be found in our own brains, but must come from above. And for that cause the holy candlestick had Lamps upon it, wherein was oil continually. Whereby was meant, that if men be not guided & governed by the holy Ghost, they do nothing but wander up & down, & in the end they shall fall into destruction. Again,2 God willed that no strange fire should be brought unto his Altar. Whereby is meant that men must not bring aught of their own to the serving of God: but we must have the holy fire, that is to say we must pray to God in the Church, & not go beyond his word, or beyond the doctrine that he giveth us.3 Moreover it is said that no sacrifice should be offered without salt. And why so? For when we offer things to God without warrant that he alloweth them & requireth them, they have no savour at all before ⟨p. 503⟩him. Thus you see in effect how it was Gods intent to comfort his servants, & to encourage them, y• they might serve him as became them. And again, it was his will to cut off all occasion of adding any thing which they had learned to the heathen. We know that although men have no encounters before their eyes, yet they cease not to forge many fond things, weening to please god by that means. But when we see examples on either side of us, it is a further provocation to us. Besides the ticklishness §10which we have already of nature, it pricketh us forward to say, why should not such a thing be good? For the Jews had seen the fashions of Egypt & of other heathen folk: & therefore they might have bin provoked to fashion themselves like unto them: & that had bin a corruption to overthrow the whole service of god. To prevent this mischief, God gave them a remedy, which held them occupied in such sort, as they had enough to do in the things that were enjoined them, & had no leisure