“It is intolerable presumption for us to put our trust in creatures and to ground ourselves upon them, and yet there is no fault more common in all the world. We can say well enough that it is not lawful, and that we ought not to do it, but meanwhile everyone does it. Now, let us remember ourselves, for there is nothing that God holds more dear or whereof he makes greater account than His honor. Neither is it sufficient for us to leave Him the mere title and name of God. He must be known as He is; that is to say, that all power lies in Him; that He is the fountain of all manner of grace and goodness; that it is His proper office to maintain and preserve us; that our life is in His hand along with all things that pertain thereto. When we have thought well upon this, let us take order to gather our wits about us, so that we are not grounded upon creatures.” (John Calvin, Sermon on Deuteronomy 28:49-58)
Category Archives: Deuteronomy
Witnesses to Grace, Heralds of Damnation
“And indeed, does it lie within us [preachers] to promise men life everlasting or to denouce against them the vengeance of God? And yet we do it nevertheless, but we go no further than the Word of God, as it is put into our mouths. We have His testimony that we are his witness and heralds. By His “witnessess” I mean we assure the faithful of the grace and salvation promised to them and as His “heralds” we pronounce and publish His sentence against all the unbelieving and against all rebels.” (John Calvin, Sermon on Deuteronomy 28:1-2)
Not Just Us, But Our Works are Accepted
“It is true that we have not fulfilled all the law, but yet God records it in His accounts as if all had been performed because we are made clean by the blood of Jesus Christ. And just as we are cleansed, so are our works also, and when they come before God, He accepts them as though they were thoroughly good, righteous, and perfect. (John Calvin, Sermon on Deuteronomy 28:1-2)
Calvin Had 21st Century America in Mind
“I told you at that place [a sermon on Deuteronomy 19:14] that if a man’s lands are not kept secure, no man will be master of his own possessions, but all will go to spoil and chaos. And surely the maintenance of just weights and measures, of lawful money, and keeping boundaries unchanged, are things that are universally acknowledged. How can men buy and sell, or engage in any trade at all if the coin is not lawful? Again, if weights and measures are falsified, we shall be cheated. What purpose will justice serve any more? And we can say the same for boundaries and landmarks. So then, under this saying [Deuteronomy 27:17] God intended to show that it was necessary for us to observe equity and uprightness in dealing one with another.” (John Calvin, Sermon on Deuteronomy)
No Addition or Subtraction
“We must also note that God will not be served or worshipped after our fancies, but He will have us to walk according to His Word, without adding anything thereto or taking away anything therefrom, so that all the inventions of men are equivalent to so many idols. (John Calvin, Sermons on Deuteronomy)
Singing & Slaying 