A17698:2332
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.
Now it is said, that the Paschal Lamb was offered up, to the end that the houses which were marked with the blood thereof,1 should be spared of God. For an Angel passed swiftly through the land of Egypt, and slew all the first borne both of man and beast. There was but one reservation, namely the sacrificing of the Lamb, & look what door of a house was dipped with the blood thereof, that house did the Lords Angel pass over. The only safety then which §30we have, when God uttereth his wrath and vengeance through the whole world, is to bear the mark of our Lord Jesus Christ. For inasmuch as he was sacrificed for us, & we be besprinkled with his blood, God acknowledgeth us for his own, & upon special privilege withdraweth his hand from us, so as we be not comprised nor enclosed under the common curse of the whole world. For the land of Egypt was at that time as an image of all mankind. And in deed, we be all accursed by nature:§40 & good reason it is that God as a just Judge should execute his vengeance upon us.2 But here the faithful are dispersed and mingled with the faithless. And how then are they discerned asunder, seeing they dwell together? God can well enough skill to discern the mark of his son. True it is that the state of our life may well be like the state of the faithless and the despisers of God. But yet howsoever we fare, our Lord gathereth us continually to himself. Insomuch that if we be §50of his flock, he will be merciful to us even to the end, conditionally also that we bear the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ for our badge. At that time the doors of their houses were sprinkled with a branch of Hyssop:3 but as now our besprinkling must be spiritual, as S. Peter telleth us. Would we then that God should take us to mercy, when his hand is stretched out to punish all the world? Let us understand that there is no other mean for us to be marked by our lord Jesus christ, than only the holy §60Ghost. For his blood is not now a shedding, that we might make an outward and visible sprinkling of our selves with it: but he hath shed it for us in spirit (as the Apostle speaketh of it in the Epistle to the Hebrews.