A17698:3489
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.
Now albeit that this Ceremony serve not us nowadays: yet may we gather a very profitable doctrine of this place. And first of all let us note that we must not ground ourselves upon that which God hath commanded for a certain time, as if it §40ought to be observed for ever. For under the law it was Gods will that men should sacrifice brute beasts unto him; but nowadays there is no such thing. He required that there should be perfumes made, and lights set up, & fire always burning upon the altar. These things are now done away, & if any man renew them, they are but dung as we see how they are yet used in popery. When the Papists come & perfume their idols noses, they bear them selves in hand, that it is an acceptable sacrifice unto §50God. And when they have consumed much wax on their torches & tapers & candles, O here is a wondrous great devotion think they. And yet it is but a mere mocking of God. For it was his will to be so served under the law: But if we should now go & in lighten the sun, that is to say, if now after the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ into the world, we should yet still use those lights as in the night & in the dark; it were a perverting of the whole order of nature. The ancient fathers walked under dark shadows & therefore they stood in need of those aides. And when they had a light, it was to show them, that they came not to worship God at all adventures, or at random▪ but that they were guided & directed by the word of God, & by his holy spirit. And so they were held bridled, to the intent they should not presume upon any thing on their own fancies. But as now we have no need of all these things: for why? The veil of the temple is rent in sunder;1 & god showeth us his face in the gospel, even in the person of his son, so as we may now walk as at no one day. So then let us consider what is everlasting & what is but for a time; that we make no fond & foolish confusion nor do as the papists do. For that is the fountain from whence so many superstitions have risen. When the Papists baptise, they take spittle. And why? Forsooth because Jesus Christ did so. Yea but would he have it drawn into consequence & that men should make a rule of it, and that his miracle should be mocked at in baptism? Will they make a young infant to speak, by their spitting upon his lips? Again, they have the annealing of the sick, and that is a sacrament with them. And why?