A17698:3440
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.
yet doth GOD accept their doings, as if they were sound & perfect. And why? For when we are justified through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, then doth §10God receive us unto mercy, not only to accept of us as of his children, but also to take in good worth whatsoever proceedeth from us, although it be worth nothing, nor deserveth any such liking. Seeing then that God showeth himself so gracious and favourable unto us; let us endeavour to do well. Although we perform not that which is required of us, and be but in the midway: yet shall it be allowed us in our account as if we had performed the law. Now according §20hereunto, the faithful protest, that they have walked according to Gods will, that they have kept his statutes, that they have forgotten nothing of them. And why? They mean that they have had an upright affection, that they have not bin double minded, that they meant not to serve GOD by halves as many do, but that in all respects they have bin willing to be subject to the Law. Yet for all this, they are not so blind, but they acknowledge their §30imperfections, and bewail them, and know themselves to be miserable in that respect: but it sufficeth them that God hath vouchsafed them such grace, as to walk uprightly, and not to halt on both sides as hypocrites do. We see that they which were the justest in all the world, have confessed their wretchedness, and bin ashamed of their whole life. Job in deed saith,1 that he was an eye unto the blind, a foot to the lame, a defender of the fatherless, a father §40of the poor, the refuge of the widow, that he deceived no man, that he abused not his credit, and that his hand was not shut unto them which were in need. And yet after he hath said all this, he saith, Alas; when I come before my Judge, I must have my mouth shut up. We see how the servants of GOD have not bin so presumptuous, as to set forth their own life as perfect.2 David had such a witness of God, as we may wonder at: I have found David (saith God)§50 according to mine own heart. Behold how God speaketh and avoweth that David was the holyest of all creatures, and yet for all this we hear what he saith: