A17698:3563
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.
Again they have another devilish imagination; which is, that when they have done amiss, they can make amends unto GOD by their own satisfactions, and can ransom themselves, so as they shall go scot free, at leastwise in their own seeming. They will §20well confess in one word, we be endangered: but yet doeth it not follow that we have no mean to shift it off, and to make GOD to accept in exchange, whatsoever we bring unto him. Hereupon have they founded all their good devotions as they term them, as Pilgrimages, Masses, and Yeremindes, with all their free will devotions, as their fastings and diverse other things; in so much that even their Shrift is put among their §30works of satisfaction. Again the prattling of some Paternosters, the babbling before a Puppet, the chanting of some Mass, the setting up of some Tapers, and such other things. are all of them such recompenses as GOD can not find any fault at all with them, howbeit, because they see themselves overcharged with those things: they forge a sort of petty inventions, wherewith to play with GOD. And therefore they have devised venial sins; in §40so much that if a man be tempted to wicked desires, yet he shall not have offended God, until he be willing and perfectly consenting to the performance thereof. If a man be tempted in himself, if a man be moved to do evil; all this is no deadly sin, say the Papists; it is but venial sin, and one sprinkle of holy water is enough to wash it clean away. But contrariwise, we know how it is said;1 O Israel, what is it that thy GOD requireth of thee; but that thou shouldest §50love him with all thy heart? Here ye see how the righteousness of the Law is, that a man love GOD with all his heart. But he that hath offended is accursed. And all of us offend; and are not all of us then in danger of death? There is not that man upon whom GOD pronounceth not this curse. Now when men have thought evil, so as they have been provoked to do naughtily: it is no sin (say the Papists,) they be righteous §60still for all that. See how the Papists do fully mock God, in that they think that by some fond ceremony, or by a Meaculpa, they be discharged of their sins, & make account of them as of a thing of nothing. These are the starting holes which they have to mock God withal as a young babe; and that is a dreadful thing.