A17698:4240
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.
Again, whereas he sayeth, that they had worshipped gods whom their fathers feared not: it is all one as if he should upbraid them, saying; What? I adopted and choose your fathers to be my children, and they worshipped me as their God, and will you now forsake me? To be short, we must hold this for a general rule, our fathers are those whom God hath reputed, and avowed to be his children. Therefore whosoever seeketh any other fathers than the children of God, shall find nothing but bastardy. And at that point are the Papists. For in speaking of the fathers, they consider not that the Apostles and such other as have been begotten by the pure doctrine of the Gospel, are our true fathers: but they call hypocrites, and dreamers, yea and scorners of GOD which have turned all things upside down, their fathers. They allege the great Asses which never tasted any whit of the holy Scripture; so that if a man mark what manner of fathers they avouch, surely it is so fond a thing, that they be worthy to be laughed to scorn for it even of little babes. True it is that for honours sake they will say that Saint Augustine, S. Ambrose, and Saint Bernard are their fathers: but if any good thing be alleged that is found in them, they abhor that: in so much that if they had them alive at this day, they would burn them as well as they do the Martyrs, whom we see them handle most cruelly. Therefore (as I said afore) it behoveth us to walk discreetly in that behalf, and to consider who be our true fathers that we may follow them: namely those whom God avoweth for his children, and have begotten us by his word, which have held us to it, and which have taught us it. But as soon as this incorruptible seed of salvation is marred;1 by and by there is no more fatherhood. And herein we must practise Saint Pauls saying, which is,2 that all kindred proceedeth of God. Let us then refer all kindred unto God, and so shall we not be ashamed. But if every man will needs follow his own fathers without difference; he shall find that when the blind followeth the blind, both of them fall into the pit and break their necks together. At that ⟨p. 1131⟩point are all they which stand stiffly in their own opinion against God, & lean to the things which have been devised by men.