A17698:2510
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.
But now must we apply this to our own use, and understand first of all that the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, must be maintained in such soundness, as that we must beware of §60bringing any defilement into it. And what is the kingdom of Christ? I have told you already that it consisteth not in any visible things, or in any things belonging to this present life: but it is the gathering of us together by his holy spirit, into the hope of the heavenly life: and the preaching of the Gospel unto us, that it may be as a rule to hold us under the obedience of God. And although the Sacraments be visible of themselves: yet are they nevertheless spiritual, as in respect of their end, as all other Ceremonies are. We come hither together; well, it is a visible thing: we kneel down to pray unto God; & that is visible also: but yet it aimeth at a higher end, and hath a respect which is altogether spiritual. So then, let us learn that the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ ought to be maintained in his full soundness; that is to wit; we must beware that we mingle not any corruption with the things that he hath commanded in his Church, ne thrust in such persons as may serve to overthrow the common weal: For if we should choose false Shepherds and men of wicked doctrine, or of lewd conversation: were it not a dishonouring of Jesus Christs kingdom and a putting of all things to havoc as much as in us lieth? Seeing then that the children of Israel were forbidden to set up a strange King in the seat that was a figure of our Lord Jesus Christ: now that we have the son of God to govern us, not in shadow as in the time of the Law, but in full trueth; now that we have our Lord Jesus Christ who is called the daysunne of righteousness as the prophet Malachi termeth him,1 who telleth us that he is near at hand to us, and ruleth in the midst of us: what a treachery were it if we should deface his royal throne and not maintain it in such pureness, as that he might always reign by his word, and every man do him homage, and both great and small know him,2 and he have always his preeminence among us? Thus ye see how the first point is that God commandeth us here to have a special care of his Church, so as there may be no defilement to hinder Christs reigning over us as he ought to do.