A17698:3585
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 he addeth: To keep all the commandments which I set before thee this day, or which I ordain for thee. Although Moses be the speaker hereof: yet taketh he the authority and power to command, and to subdue men not to anything of his own forging, as who should say, it ought therefore to be received without gainsaying: but to God, because GOD §50speaketh by his mouth, and for that he himself doeth faithfully deliver the doctrine that was to him committed. Therefore speaketh he in such a high style, insomuch as he saith, that they should keep his ordinances. It lieth not in the power of a mortal man to bind folks consciences. And yet is that the thing which wholly corrupted the Church; in that men have usurped the office of God in making laws and statutes, for spiritual government of mens §60souls. And that is a point of high treason to Godward. For the creature usurpeth to himself the thing which appertaineth to GOD only, whom the Prophet Isaiah termeth the lawgiver,1 and in likewise Saint James,2 to the end that we should learn to hearken unto him, and wholly to depend upon his word. Let us mark well then, that it is not lawful for men to enjoin laws unto mens souls. But whereas Moses saith, I ordain unto thee, he presupposeth that he preferred not any thing of his own, nor forged any law of his own brain, or added any thing to that which God had committed unto him: but forasmuch as he did his office faithfully, he might well say, I ordain for thee. As when we set forth the pure word of God, the same very word is a sovereign commandment. Now it is not meant hereby, that we should usurp any dominion or sovereignty over mens souls. But that in doing service to GOD, we may command in his name and in his person. Thus we see here what the meaning of Moses was. And in deed, doth it lie in us to promise men life everlasting▪ or to denounce unto them the vengeance of God? And yet we do it nevertheless. Yea verily, howbeit no furtherfoorth than the word of God is put into our mouth, and that we have the testimony of him, being his witness bearers and his heralds: his witnesses (I mean) to assure the faithful of the grace and salvation which is promised unto them; and his heralds to pronounce and to publish his sentence against all the unbelieving sort and rebels.