A17698:3980
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.
To what end served the circumcision? It served for a testimony, for an earnest, for a visible sign, to declare that it is God that doth all in us. But these miserable beasts understand §20not that. See here I pray you the unthankfulness of men; which hath taken place not with that nation only, but among the christians also, where the goodness of God hath bin uttered much more at large. Behold, our Lord Jesus Christ calleth us unto him,1 he telleth us that we must seek all our welfare in him: & yet the Papists have not ceased to distinguish, and to seek out a work, which is wrought on mans part as they term it. They have yielded that the principal §30part of the Sacraments is a divine work; but yet nevertheless they stick not to say, that men do bring thereunto somewhat of their own. And no marvel. For we see to what point they are come; namely that they have changed the Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ, into a charm, and a devilish sorcery. Thus said Jesus Christ; Take,2 Eat: he commandeth us to receive it: & the Papists make God to believe, that they do offer it unto him. And further they stablish thereupon §40a work of merit, even the most excellent that ever they could dream of. But yet for all that we see how the devil hath bewitched them, so as they have changed the whole order of nature. For in stead of receiving that thing with humility which God offered them; they have presumed to offer unto him the things which they have forged in their own brain: & do make themselves believe, that all those things are acceptable unto him, yea and that he is very much beholding to §50them for so doing. So much the more therefore doth it stand us in hand to mark that which is spoken here, namely, The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart. So then, seeing God hath showed us what Baptism doeth signify, let us understand how it is our duty to reform us, and to renounce our own nature to serve GOD. But do we once know that? Then let us proceed to the promise that is given us, which is, that because we can do nothing,§60 GOD saith that he will put to his hand, that we may be changed, and become new creatures, through his holy spirit. This is in effect that which we have to observe in this place.