A17698:618
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 contrariwise the Prophets meaning is, that §30God (besides his uttering of himself to his people by his word) had bestowed so many and so apparent gifts of grace upon them, as they might well say, Our God hath sufficiently assured us that he was our Saviour, not only by his promises, but also by the deed it self whereof we have had experience. And yet notwithstanding under colour of that text, these rascals will needs bear men in hand, that God must be represented by puppets.
But contrariwise the Prophetes meaning is, that §30God (besides his vttering of himselfe to his people by his word) had bestowed so many and so apparant giftes of grace vppon them, as they might well say, Our God hath sufficiently assured vs that he was our Sauiour, not onely by his promises, but also by the deede it selfe whereof we haue had experience. And yet notwithstanding vnder colour of that text, these rascals will needes beare men in hand, that God must be represented by puppets.
But if they will needs that there must be visible images: our Lord hath given us as many of them as he knew to be for our behoof. When we have Baptism,1 is it not a visible image of the thing that is spiritual? that is to wit of the washing which we have by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we be renewed by his holy spirit? And have we not a representation of the heavenly mystery set forth to us in the Lords supper? Yes: but yet for all that we must not §50make any image at all of Gods being. And why? for it were not for our profit as I have declared afore: but it would rather turn us away to lies and besot us in all manner of superstition. God therefore knowing that the having of images is an untoward thing and as a deadly plague: hath not listed to give us any, but rather holdeth us back to this, that having such signs as may convey us upward, we should travel towards him, howbeit without having any representation of