A17698:739
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.
Remember (saith Moses) that thy God hath chosen thee. And why? Because he loved thy fathers. And the same also is the cause why that in that high and excellent redemption which was made by our Lord Jesus Christ, the scripture sendeth us to the love of God: for that is the only wellspring. God so loved the world that he spared not his only Son.1 What is the cause then that §10Jesus Christ is come to be our Saviour? What is the cause that the salvation which he purchased for us, is preached nowadays unto us? What is the very cause that faith is given us, and that God enlighteneth us by his holy spirit? We must always resort to this ground, that it is because God loved us. It is true that Saint John saith generally, that he loved the world. And why? For Jesus Christ offereth himself generally to all men without exception to be their redeemer.§20 It is said afterward in the covenant, that God loved the world when he sent his only Son: but he loved us, us (I say) which have been taught by his Gospel, because he gathereth us to him. And the faithful that are enlightened by the holy Ghost,2 have yet a third use of Gods love, in that he revealeth himself more familiarly to them, and sealeth up his fatherly adoption by his holy spirit, and engraveth it in their hearts. Now then let us in all cases learn to know this love of God,§30 & when we be once come to it, let us go no further. Thus we see three degrees of the love that god hath showed us in our Lord Jesus Christ. The first is in respect of the redemption that was purchased in the person of him that gave himself to death for us,3 and became accursed to reconcile us to God his father. That is the first degree of love, which extendeth to all men, inasmuch as Jesus Christ reacheth out his arms to call and allure all men both great and small, and to win §40them to him. But there is a special love for those to whom the gospel is preached: which is, that God testifieth unto them that he will make them partakers of the benefit that was purchased for them by the death and passion of his Son. And forasmuch as we be of that number, therefore are we double bound already to our God: here are two bonds which hold us as it were strait tied unto him. Now let us come to the third bond, which dependeth upon the third love that God showeth