A17698:660
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 now furthermore, whereas Moses calleth heaven and earth to witness: it importeth yet a greater vehemency. True it is, that some take this for Angels and men. But that is not the meaning of Moses, as we shall see by the like manner of speech hereafter in the 32. Chapter,1 where he will say, Hearken O ye heavens what I say, and let the earth here the words of my mouth. And so saith the Prophet Isaiah,2 Hearken ye heavens, and let the earth give audience unto me, for the Lord hath spoken. Behold I have nourished children & brought them up, and they have despised me. When God calleth heaven and earth to witness after that manner, it is to rebuke mens brutishness so much the more. For we be created after Gods image, to have reason & understanding: & where to should we apply such gifts, but to know God and to give our selves wholly unto him? Shall men have wit enough to comprehend the whole order of nature, and shall they in the mean season despise the Lord? It is all one as if a man should think himself well forward, when he hath toiled in travelling and running all day long: and hath wandered all the while without keeping any path. And is not the knowledge of our God the final end of all our perfection? Yes, and therefore when God intendeth to show men that they be more than blockish, and that they be so marred as they be not worthy to be taken any more for reasonable creatures: then doth he direct his speech to heaven and earth. ⟨p. 148⟩As if he should say, I have not now any more witness in the world: for I chose these to be known of them: but hearken you to me ye heaven and earth, hearken ye to me I say now ye that are unreasonable creatures: for I shall find more reason in you, than in those to whom I have given wit and knowledge to discern between good and evil, and to have skill not only of this present life, but also of the immortality of heaven. So then, Moses calleth heaven and earth to §10witness here, to do us the better to understand, that if men flatter themselves and play the brute beasts when they have offended God, and think by that means to go quit: they beguile themselves: for when men shall have conspired together in naughtiness, and that every man may say, I have done as all others have done: so as there remaineth no more but heaven and earth, although they have no understanding in them, yet shall they be sufficient witnesses.