A17698:4234
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.
And to aggravate the evil, Moses addeth that they were new gods, gods that were start up but a while ago, gods whom their fathers knew not: and so in effect, that they had done sacrifice; not ⟨p. 1129⟩unto God, but unto the devil. When he speaketh here of new gods, whom the fathers feared not, and which came up but tother day: thereby God doth the children of Israel to understand, that they ought to have sticked unto him, because he is the maker of the world, and there was none but he only from all everlastingness, and that without him there is nothing firm and stable. Here therefore he reproveth the peoples foolishness in forging §10new gods to themselves, even such gods as had never been known of afore. And here we must note, that Moses termeth all things by the name of Novelties, which are invented by men, though the error have continued never so long time. For it is a fondness to allege that men have done so heretofore a hundred years ago, and that things have been held and observed so beyond all remembrance of man. For God passeth not for that. And why? We must go §20to the everlastingness which hath been before the creation of the world. Men then can not prejudice Gods trueth by their long possessing of their abuses. For God will still use such style as we see here, namely, that it is all but new stuff. For in deed the idols of whom mention is made here, had been worshipped long time afore. As for example, the Egyptians boasted themselves to have been often thousand years continuance before the creating §30of the world: they bare them selves in hand that they had their kingdom long afore the Moon was created in the sky. But what could all this boot them as in respect of their superstitions? Let us mark well then, that the children of Israel, intermeddling themselves with the abuses and corruptions of such as boasted themselves to have lived after that fashion by the space of five hundred, a thousand, three thousand, yea and (as I said) ten thousand §40years before the creation of the world, are (notwithstanding all this) condemned of devising of new gods. Could not they have replied thus? This is not new: for let it be inquired, and it will be found that the Egyptians have ever lived so: and Gods law may be called new in comparison, at leastwise to outward seeming.