A17698:2436
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.
Notwithstanding, we must generally bear in mind that which I have declared already; namely how Moses showeth us that we must so roundly yield unto god that which he requireth, as he be not disappointed, as we hear him complain thereof by his prophet,1 that although the Jews did §10not utterly refuse to pay the tenths & first fruits: yet they did it but by halves. But God cannot away with such partings, nor to be played with like a little child. And hereby we may learn that our serving of God must not be by pangs and fits only, & afterward fall to laziness: but that it must be done soundly & substantially throughout, with obedience to his word. And again, that in our doings there must be no hypocrisy nor constraint:§20 but y• we must go to work with a free will, & not set a fair countenance on it to the worldward, & in the mean while have a back shop that displeaseth God: nay we must go to work freely, as I said afore. That is the thing in effect, which we have to remember upon this text. We nowadays do not offer any moe Oxen or Sheep: but the offerings which we make unto God, are of our own selves & of all that ever he hath given unto us,2 so as all be dedicated unto him, & applied §30to such use as he alloweth; or else it is but uncleanness. For if God have given me a thing, & I abuse it: I am a traitor to God, because I unhallow the thing which he had dedicated to the clean contrary use. And therefore let us mark, that to please God in offering our selves unto him, we must do it soundly, without blemish or spot. True it is that there can be no such perfection in us, but that very great fault may be found in our service of him: but yet must we always hold us to this principle, that we §40come to God unfeignedly, and whereas there are infirmities in us, we must resort to our Lord Jesus Christ. For all our spots & blemishes are done quite & clean away by his blood.3 And that is the cause why it is said, that we offer our praises unto God by him. If there were any sacrifice clean on mens behalf, it were the sacrifice of praise: for when we fall to the magnifying of Gods name, & confess that we be beholden to him for all good things; our so doing seemeth to be clean. Howbeit forasmuch