Sermons on Deuteronomy, Title page – To the reader 1
THE SERMONS OF M. IOHN CALVIN VPONUPON 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 ARTHVR GOLDING.
ET INVENTA EST PERIIT
AT LONDON, Printed by Henry Middleton for GEORGE BISHOP. Anno Domini 1583.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE Syr Thomas Bromley Knight, Lord Chauncelour of England, one of her Maiesties most honourable priuie Counsell, his singular good Lord, health, prosperitie, and increase of Honour.
BEing desirous to testifie my duetifull minde towardes your good Lordship, I thought there could be no better meane in all respects, than the dedication of this present worke; which containeth a large exposition of the whole Lawe of God, and of the practise thereof in the Commonweale of Israel: wherof the onelyonly reading with due consideration, may iustly commend it many wayes, euen to such as are of greatest learning, wisedome, authoritie and vertue. For if we hauehave an eye to the author of the groundworks thereof; it is God and not man. If to the Lawemaker; it is the Lawe of the Iudge of the whole world, the lampe of light, the welspring of wisdome, the touchstone of truth, the rule of right, the ground of goodnesse, the bond of blessednesse, the loadstarre to life, the opener of our vnderstanding, and the gouernour of our wits: the faithfull following whereof is the way to welfare, the procurer of peace, the path of true pleasure, the entrie of immortalitie, and the harbourer of happinesse. Or, if we hauehave an eye to the maner of the deliuering thereof; it is most woonderful, accompanied with many great myracles, signes, and tokens, and honoured with the glorie and maiestie of Gods owne presence. If to the intent of the Lawegiuer; it is the repayring and reforming of man according to the Image of his maker, in true holinesse and righteousnesse. If to the end of the Lawe, it is to driue vsus vntounto Christ, that by him wee might be saued. If to the obedience which it requireth; it is altogether spirituall, holie & euerlasting. All which things are not onelie great, but the greatest that can be, and fuller of maiestie and glorie than can be expressed or conceiued by man. Againe, if we hauehave an eye to the partie by whose seruice and ministery this law was published; hee was a man peculiarlie chosen of God, indued with most excellent giftes, ful of the holy Ghost, such a prophet as neuer had his like, (Christ onlie excepted) a figure of Christ, familiar with God, a perfect paterne of a good gouernour, and a verie father of his Commonweale. Or if we hauehave an eye to the parties to whom it was deliuered; they were a people whom God had purposely chosen, redeemed, and deliuered from most miserable thraldome, to the intent to be their King, and to dwell among them, and that they should be vntounto him a holie people and a royall Priesthoode for euer: which things are surelie most excellent and singular prerogatiues. And as for the Preacher of these Sermons, by whom the sayde things are laide foorth, and expounded to the better vnderstanding of the Reader: it is well knowen, that for the manifold talents and excellent gifts which God had bestowed vponupon him, and for his diligent and most painfull imploying of the same to the beating downe of Idolatrie and superstition, to the winning of folke vntounto God, and to the edifying of Christs flock: he was in his lifetime, and yet still is, a man of great reputation and renowme. As for mine owne trauell in translating this worke, I humbly submit the iudgement and censure thereof to your Lordships fauourable acceptation, the obtainement whereof shall greatlie increase my gladnesse in that I hauehave done any thing whereby the Church of GOD is or may bee any whit edified. Written the xxj. of December, 1582.
Your good Lordships most humble alvvaies at Commaundement, ARTHVR GOLDING.
To the Christian Reader, Grace and Peace from GOD, &c.
IT is no small fauour that wee daily receiue from the hands of our God▪ partly by the publike ministerie of his word, and partlie by the priuate reading of such good workes as by the meanes of manie his faithfull seruants he hath published and spread abroad in this last age of the world. But as the beholding of this doth make manie Godly mindes to reioyce in that they see Gods great goodnes striuing continuallie to ouercome the malice and frowardnesse of mans minde: So on the otherside it pincheth them at the heart when they perceiue not only what slender entertainment Gods graces hauehave amongst vsus, but euen what manifest contempt is offered vntounto them, while men notwithstanding the woonderful sunshine of Gods holie trueth, remaine in as great darkenesse almost, in respect of iudgement, and be as dissolute and carelesse in their conuersation as euer they were, in the time of the most grosse and palpable blindnes. Would to God that the miserable experience of our dayes were not too plaine a proofe of this point: And yet this is not spoken either as in dislike of our state with some discontented people, or to the discrediting and defacing of Gods religion which we professe, with the practising Papists (who with one blow at the Gospel, would if they could, craf…lie cut the throate both of Religion and policie,) but in all holie louelove and affection, to make this carelesse generation more studious to labour to abound both in sound knowledge of the trueth, and in all holie obedience to the same. In which respect, not onelie are these few lines written at this present, but this notable worke of Master Caluins Sermons vponupon Deuteronomie published, & that in our owne natiue Language: wherein what paine and cost hath beene bestowed, that they might come foorth as beneficiall to the Christian Reader as might be, though I my selfe may speake much in trueth as an argument of some weight, to induce the godly brethren to the buying and reading thereof; yet letting that point passe as a matter not much to be stoode vponupon, I minde onelyonly to presse those things, and that also in very fewe words, which shalbe most material. And that is; that as al states and conditions of men may out of the same fetch many profitable points for their instruction both in faith and obedience towards God and man: so particularly if a man would ouerthrow Atheists, or confute Papists, and other Heretikes, or wound the wicked, or encourage the faint hearted, or comfort the afflicted conscience cast downe with the sight of sinne, or performe any other seruice towards God, himselfe, or other men, he shall hauehave matter, and that in great store plentifully ministred vntounto him for the performance of these and all other dueties whatsoeuer. Wherefore I would aduise thee (good Reader) to get it speedilie, to reade it diligentlie, to remember it faithfullie, and to expresse it fruitfullie in thy conuersation, to the glorie of God, the profite of his people, and the saluation of thine owne soule through Christ. In whom I rest alwaies.
Thine vnfayned, T. W. the Lord his vnvvoorthie Seruaunt.