A17698:1973
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.
Again, it is showed us here moreover, that forasmuch as we be subject to this corruption of forging fond opinions, & consequently of false and wicked opinions out of number: God meant to hold his people in the true unity of faith, and his choosing of one Sanctuary was as a band of con cord, to the intent that men should not run gadding every one after his own fancy. To be short,§20 without agreement in that one faith, we cannot serve God or do any thing to his liking. And hereby we see that men do themselves no good at all by their foolish devotions, but rather provoke Gods vengeance the more, by their straining of themselves to do the things that they have devised of their own brain. For the very ground of religion is to know whom we ought to serve, as our Lord Jesus telleth us in the fourth of John,1 saying: We know what we worship. Now he §30speaketh there of the Jews, because they had the law, & therein the full certainty how God was to be served. But it is said by the Prophets, that at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ there should be three Altars,2 one in Egypt, another in Assyria, & the third in Jewry. Whereby is meant that God shall be served everywhere. For the material Altars were beaten down. As for the things that are termed Altars in the Popedom, they be devilish abominations: for their setting of them §40up is to sacrifice christ on them. But he hath offered himself once for all, according to the office that was given him by God his father.3 And therefore it were high treason & blasphemy against God to have altars nowadays among Christians. For Jesus Christ is our only spiritual Altar: & when we be knit unto him; then is God duly worshipped and as he himself requireth. Wherefore let us learn that although the ceremony be disannulled; yet the meaning of it may greatly profit us:§50 which is, that we must serve God, not by turning aside every man after his own conceits, but by linking our selves together in the bond of faith & by agreeing rightly together. And whereupon shall this concord be grounded? Upon Gods word & upon our Lord Jesus Christ, who is his very wisdom. For if we resort to him, we shall have a certain mark to shoot at, & such a one as cannot deceive us. But as soon as we swerve aside from him, be it never so little; by & by we vanish away