A17698:724
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 yet notwithstanding, we have a greater confirmation given us in our Lord Jesus Christ. For God hath appeared more visibly in him, than he did to the fathers in the time of the Law.1 We know that the whole fullness of the Godhead dwelleth in Jesus Christ, and that the same hath been known well enough in him. Sith it is so then: we may better assure our selves now adays, than the Jews could in their time, that we have one God, of whom we ought not to doubt, and that we have such a Religion as was ⟨p. 164⟩not invented by man, and that we ought not to go at all adventure, but that we have a most sure way to walk in. And here ye see whereof we ought to glory. For surely it is an inestimable benefit, that we stand not in a mammering, to say, I would fain do well but I wot not how: but are fully persuaded that God alloweth our doings, and that we have to do with the living God: and may take upon us to compare our selves with all the wretched idolaters and infidels §10throughout the whole world. True it is that the Papists pretend to worship the same God that we do: but we see how they swerve from Gods word. And therefore it standeth us on hand to put the thing in ure which I have spoken of heretofore: that is to wit, that it is not enough for us to conceive some Majesty of God, but we must also learn which is he, to the intent we wander not away in our own imaginations. For that is the thing wherein we differ from the §20Papists and the Jews. The Jews can say well enough that they worship the God of Abraham, and that they have the law that was given by Moses: but in the mean while they have renounced Jesus Christ who is the end of the law,2 and they have the veil that blindfoldeth their eyes, & moreover they have so perverted Gods service, that they be strayed quite and clean from the right way. Likewise the Papists will say that they worship God, and him whom he hath sent §30to be the Redeemer of the world: but yet for all that, men see how they have transfigured God, and abolished his service, & made a hotchpotch of all the superstitions of the Heathen, with the Religion that God ordained. To be short, there is nothing but uncleanness among them in that behalf. In respect whereof, ye see we ought so much the more to acknowledge the infinite grace of our God towards us, in that he hath so schooled us out from among the unbelievers.