A17698:4026
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 take these words of Heaven and Earth, for men & Angels: were too cold a doctrine. Moses undoubtedly had a farther respect; which is, that men shall be worse than ashamed, if they give not ear to God when he teacheth them. And wherefore? For it might be replied that it was an unreasonable kind of speech, to call heaven and earth to witness. For they be not of capacity to allege any thing. No: but let us consider how the earth, having no understanding,§10 doeth through a secret inclination obey God; she openeth her bowels to nourish men; she bringeth forth fruit, she doth her duty in all respects; yea, and she doeth it in such wise, as she maketh it manifest unto us by effect, that she tendeth to none other end, but to obey her creator. And what doeth the heaven? We see how it goeth about, and is in continual labour: what voyages doeth the Sun make every day? he fetcheth an infinite §20circuit. We see likewise how the moon doeth the like, and so the rest of the Planets. Also we see other motions which go a contrary course to these. To be short, the heaven doeth as it were burn in desire to serve God; and yet these be creatures without reason, without understanding. Seeing then that these show openly unto us, that the secrete inclination of nature do•th lead them thereto, & they never leave off, but there is such a constancy §30in them, that since the world was first created, this order hath always continued still: what is to be done of us in whom God hath imprinted his own image, to the intent we should have wit and discretion; telling us in our consciences, that we ought to discern good and evil asunder, and provoking us thereto by his word, whereby he discovereth himself unto us familiarly? If we for all this do draw back still, & will not receive his yoke, nor yield him any §40obedience, must we not needs be worse than monsters; and consequently be counted detestable? And on the other side, if after we have showed some semblance of obedience to God, we then become wavering, and by and by become weary of serving him, and turn away from him: shall we not be reproved & convicted by the continual order of nature? Let us mark well then, that it is not without cause, that Moses, (to make men more ashamed) telleth them §50