A17698:2612
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.
Moreover let us proceed to the comparison which the Apostle maketh in the Epistle to the Hebrews. For he showeth (as trueth is) that Moses and his fellow Prophets were but servants.1 The master himself is come: and that is the only son of GOD, who hath superiority over the whole Church, and he speaks by his Gospel: which if a man despise he is not to be borne withal. He that transgressed the Law of Moses, was stoned to death as we have seen before. But now our Lord Jesus speaketh more lively in the Gospel: and shall men make no account of hearing him? Let us mark then that all such as strive nowadays against the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ, offend much more grievously, and shall be punished more rigorously, because they spite God openly, as though they protested in effect, that they passed not to provoke him to battle, and to deface his majesty utterly. Therefore let us bear in mind,2 that as oft as the Gospel is preached unto us, it is all one as if the son of God speak to us himself: and therefore that he ought much rather to be heard than Moses. True it is that the Law is of God likewise, and it was given by the very spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ. But as now we stand upon the means that God hath used in the Law and the Gospel. For the more that our Lord hath uttered his glory, the more ought we to ⟨p. 676⟩be provoked to submit our selves unto him: and that is done in the Gospel. Wherefore let us conclude, that as now we must have a greater regard to hearken to the things that are brought us and set forth unto us in the name of our God, than our forefathers had in the time of the law. And that is the thing which our Lord Jesus meant by this saying, that John Baptist excelled all the prophets,3 so as there was never any man that had so excellent an office as he had, and yet §10that the least of them which preach the Gospel nowadays, excelleth John Baptist. Jesus Christ speaketh not there of the holiness of mens persons: but magnifieth the doctrine of salvation which is preached to us at this day, insomuch that John Baptist was preferred before all the Prophets, as in respect that he brought the tidings that the Redeemer was come.