A17698:2451
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.
As for example, ⟨p. 634⟩we have now the light of the Gospel, whereby our Lord holdeth us bound unto him, to serve him & to be his peculiar people. Seeing then that his Religion is known unto us, and that discipline is set up among us▪ if any of us hereafter turn away from it, and give himself to idolatry, spiting God wilfully: doeth he not deserve punishment? Yes. For had a man committed any thing against the state, and after his giving of his oath to the Magistrate, had broken it again §10by doing some deed to the contrary: surely he should be punished for his unfaithfulness. And what shall be done then, if men dally with God, falsifying the faith which they have given unto him, so as they confederate themselves with his deadly enemy Satan, and with idols which serve but to deface his glory, his majesty, and all his service? So then, if the scorners of our days reply, that if idolaters should be punished, all of us should die: the answer is easy,§20 namely that if the Law of God had bin executed, as had bin for our benefit and behoof, Christianity had not been so corrupted as it is, neither had Religion been so embased as we see it is. For the remedy thereof was good and behovefull: but men have not used it. And that hath caused all things to come to utter confusion. Therefore it standeth us the more in hand to take warning, that if this Law held us not in awe, we should always be in danger of §30withdrawing our selves from the serving of God: and he should no sooner have given us his word, but it should by and by vanish away again, through the malice and unthankfulness of a great number, which would soon overthrow the state that is stablished at this day among us. Mark that for one special point.
As for exāple, ⟨p. 634⟩wee haue now the light of the Gospel, whereby our Lord holdeth vs bound vnto him, to serue him & to be his peculiar people. Seeing thē yt his Religion is knowen vnto vs, and that discipline is set vp among vs▪ if any of vs hereafter turne away from it, and giue himselfe to ydolatrie, spiting God wilfully: doeth hee not deserue punishment? Yes. For had a man committed any thing against the state, and after his giuing of his othe to the Magistrate, had broken it againe