A17698:4678
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 then serve men as his ministers whom he sendeth, and by whose means he will have us to be guided. That is the thing in effect, which we have to gather here.
and then serue men as his ministers whō he sendeth, and by whose meanes he will haue vs to be guyded. That is the thing in effect, which we haue to gather heere.
Now finally he sayeth, That there was not any Prophet in Israel found like unto Moses, which knew God face to face, that is to say, to whom God revealed himself so familiarly. Here we see in the first place, that God keepeth not always one rate in uttering forth his grace as we would have him: but that he doth and dealeth in that behalf according to his own will. God then is not bound to any certain law, as who would say, that because he hath sent an excellent man to day, he must do the like to morrow too. No. Sometime we shall be deprived of a man, whose match we shall not find again. And why? Because God reserveth that to himself, to give the greater glory to his grace. That is the thing which we have to note in the first place: and it serveth to teach us that we should not be abashed. Notwithstanding, if our Lord do sometimes diminish his gracious gifts towards us; let it not cast us in despair. For why? It ought to content us that our Lord is liberal. And again we have seen already that he ceased not to have a care of his people, though Moses did far surmount Joshua, and had not his equal or match. Not that Gods intent was to magnify Moses as in respect of his person; but to the end that the Law should be received with the greater reverence, and the people know that Moses was sent of God. And God also meant to give some confirmation to the doctrine of the Law, to the intent to print the same the better in the hearts of the Jews, and specially the excellent deliverance that had bin wrought [by Moses]. For we see how all the other prophets also do beat about that mark, when they rebuke the people for their unthankfulness.1 When they blame them for their ungodliness, they set before them their deliverance out of Egypt: for it was a deed worthy of eternal memory. To the intent therefore that the people might be the better provoked thereunto; it is said that Moses was the excellentest of all men. And