A17698:4664
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 herewithall we have yet one point more to observe: which is that our forefathers had •o ceremonies than we have, because they had not so evident a record of the everlasting life. And the selfsame reason was of burial under the law, for they buried men with greater pomp than they do nowadays. And what was §10the reason? forsooth because the resurrection was not yet so well witnessed as it is now. I grant that the fathers knew well what was requisite to their salvation: howbeit, it was under shadows and figures. But behold, nowadays God himself calleth us from heaven; our Lord Jesus Christ showeth us that as he himself is risen to glory, so we also shall be made like to his image, and therefore that we have no more need of such helps as the fathers of old time had. So then,§20 it were a mockery at this day, to counterfeit the things that were observed in the old Testament. And that is a thing wherein the fondness of the Papists appeareth unto us. For they would needs counterfeit all things without cause or reason. And ye see that in their burials they have so many gewgaws and pelting toys, that a man would be ashamed of them. And what is the cause thereof, but that they know not the difference that is come in §30since the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; namely that the ancient ceremonies are come to an end? Ye see then that the Papists are become Jews, howbeit but bastard Jews. For not without some reason did the Jews use that custom, because it behooved their ceremonies to supply the want of doctrine. But now that our Lord Jesus Christ is come, and we have the resurrection manifested in his person; if we set our minds still upon shadows and figures,§40 what is it but a defacing of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, & an utter quenching of the light of the Gospel? That is the cause why I said that the Papists are not worthy to be called Jews, but bastard Jews. But whereas it is said that the people made lamentation by the space of thirty days: let us on our side learn that it behooved the ancient fathers to be kept under, because God had not given them so large a testimony of the everlasting life, and that for §50their rudeness sake, they were governed like little children,