A17698:830
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.
Forasmuch as men are so inclined to corrupt Gods service with wicked superstitions: God is fain to threaten them, that they may be held under as it were by force, or else their fondness would carry them away to surmise of God, contrary to that which may beseem his Majesty. And this is a very notable point, as I have touched heretofore. For in as much as the people §10of Israel knew the living God: it may seem to be as it were needless to forbid them to make any image. Howbeit by reason of our cursed inclination, it was behoofefull that this forbidding should be added as strait as we see it here. And it is well for us that it is so. For this sin is rooted as it were in our very bones: in so much that if God told us not that he cannot away with idolatry, and that he wounded us not with that threat: there is none of us all which ⟨p. 188⟩would not forge infinite idols to himself, and by that means the honour of the living God should be conveyed over unto our own imaginations. Wherefore let us mark well, that here we be convinced to have a froward and cursed nature which draweth always to superstition, and that it is requisite for us to be restrained after a violent manner. For of our own will we can never serve GOD so purely, as to imagine nothing of him but as may beseem him. And herewithall §10we see also whereunto our good intents serve us. For if there be any thing wherein men may excuse themselves, by imagining that they do well: it is in forging of idols. For to what end do they make them, but to serve GOD, that they may be stirred up to the greater devotion, and be the surer that God will grant their requests? Therefore by this means men might shroud themselves under colour of good intent. But we see on the contrary part, that God abhorreth it:§20 we see how he uttereth the grievous sentence of condemnation, against all such as proceed to behave themselves so after their own imagination. They may well enough say, (and so it is in deed) that their meaning is to serve God. But what for that? He accepteth no such service, but rather curseth it and utterly misliketh it, & that justly. For (as I have showed afore) it is a disguising of his Majesty, to make any visible image unto him.
FOrasmuch as men are so inclined to corrupt Gods seruice with wicked superstitions: God is faine to threaten them, that they may bee helde vnder as it were by force, or els their fondnesse would carie them away to surmise of God, contrarie to that which may beseeme his Maiestie. And this is a verie notable point, as I haue touched heretofore. For in as much as the people