A17698:2383
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 for a conclusion Moses addeth, that they must resort thrice a year to Jerusalem, and there show themselves before God, as many as were males, & none to come empty, but every man to make some offering to §20God, according to the blessing that God had given him. This manner of speaking that the Jews should come before the face of God, served for the better expressing that the sanctuary was not a vain and unprofitable figure, but that God uttered his power there, to show in very deed that he dwelled among his people. If Moses had said singly, ye shall resort to the Sanctuary: every of you shall make his offering before the Ark of covenant: the Jews had not bin so well certified, that their §30coming to call upon God in the sanctuary, was not in vain. For they might have said, very well, indeed we have the figures & ceremonies, but yet are we not sure that God will hear us. But when it was said, ye shall come show your selves to god, it was a greater edifying of them, because they were well assured that the ceremonies of the law were not deceivable. Yet notwithstanding, it was not to make them to set their minds upon the visible signs, & so to hold themselves still down:§40 but they were to consider, that although God stoop to apply himself to our infirmity, yet is it not his meaning therefore to hold us down to these earthly things: but contrariwise his coming down to us, is to make us to sty up & to seek him above; so that when we have visible signs, we should consider that his glory surmounteth the heavens, & is infinite, & therefore that we must worship him with our minds lifted up above the world, and above all things that are corruptible. And so §50ye see that this manner of speech where it is said, ye shall be in the presence of your God when ye be come into his sanctuary: was profitable, and imported a very good lesson to the Jews. For why? God showed in very deed, that he had not instituted those signs without cause, but that thereby he made his grace and power to be felt of the faithful, when they came thither to call upon him. But yet for all that, it behooved the faithful therewithal to worship God spiritually.§60 For we see how the Jews are reproved for this:1