A17698:4214
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.
But now let us apply this lesson to our selves also. For we see what the Prophet Isaiah saith where he speaketh of the redemption that was to be wrought in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is said in the 59. Chapter; that God sought and looked about him if he could find any help to redeem the world.1 Not that God was cumbered with the matter, or that he wist not what he had to do: but by that figure the Prophet expresseth the better, that it was only God that redeemed us, and that he was not helped by any other. Therefore when he had sought, he found that he should be fain to use his own only power. Then armed he himself with his justice, he fenced himself with his own power, and so finished and performed the thing which he had determined, that is to wit, the redemption of his people. Seeing then that God hath so purchased us to himself in the person of his son, as that he had not any companion in the doing thereof, but hath uttered forth the infinite treasures of his goodness, justice, and power: let us learn to hold our selves wholly to him, and not to be so fickle headed as to set up idols, and to run gadding here and there, and to let our selves loose to no benefit. Let us rather consider how God himself alone hath redeemed us once for all, and that henceforth he will have the guiding of all his himself alone, and that he will have us to stick to him alone. True it is that our Lord Jesus Christ also was a leader of the people of Israel in the wilderness,2 as showeth S. Paul in the tenth chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians, where he saith that they tempted Jesus Christ. And how was that? Even because he was always the mediator: howbeit, that was after a dark manner. But nowadays he showeth himself to us face to face: insomuch that if we look there, we have there the whole fullness of Gods majesty. Seeing it is so, that God in these days discovereth himself more fully unto us, than he did to the Jews in the time of the law: there will be so much the less excuse for us, if we abide nor fast settled in him, so as he alone do suffice us, and we do take our whole contentation in him. Yet notwithstanding, we see how froward the world hath been. For what a number of idols have men forged even since Christs coming into the world? And how have we behaved our selves since the time of our ignorance?
But now let vs applie this lesson to our selues also. For we see what ye Prophet Esay saith where he speaketh of the redemption that was to bee wrought in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ. It is said in the 59. Chapter; that God sought and looked about him if he coulde finde any helpe to redeeme the worlde.