A17698:2158
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 now we see how it is no more than needeth. For why? True it is that the ceremony continueth not nowadays: for our lord Jesus Christ hath set us in greater liberty than the fathers were under the law:1 but yet is not the pith of it put away, that is to wit, that we should live soberly under the fear of our God, cutting off all corruptions, and abridging our selves of all liberty of having to do with the lusts of the world. What though the unbelievers do bear with themselves too much? should we do so too? Seeing that our Lord telleth us that we be his temples, so as he dwelleth in us by his holy spirit,2 and that he would have us to be as sacrifices unto him, so as we should offer up both our souls and bodies unto him daily: is it lawful for us to cast our selves into the uncleanness of the world, without any regard how to repress it? Then let us mark well that although the ceremony be no longer in ure, yet the law in it self is not done away, but that God enjoineth us the same sobriety at this day, whereto he meant to lead the people of old time by the means that were agreeable to that time. Again sith we see what privilege God giveth us; let the same move us the more to yield our selves freely unto him. If we compare our selves with the fathers of old time, we shall find that God led them but as young babes and yet were they as Angels among mortal men. If we look upon the life of Abraham, what a perfection of holiness shall we find there? As much is to be said of the rest of the Patriarchs and Prophets: and yet nevertheless, ye see how God held them in darkishnes, giving them but a small taste of his grace, insomuch that his showing of Jesus Christ unto them, was but a far off. But we in these days have much further preeminence: for God showeth himself fully unto us, and we have the spirit of adoption, whereby we may cry with full mouth,3 that God is our father, even we that come of the heathen, and had no acquaintance with God, but were utterly unclean, and (to be short) were by nature cursed, & had none other heritage than death and damnation. Now then is it not an inestimable privilege, that God hath brought us so near to himself? What is to be done then? Seeing that God allureth us more freely than he did the fathers, let us be the more earnestly minded to serve him.