A17698:1007
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 now herewithall let us come also to Gods threatenings. When he hath showed us sufficiently that this commandment is exceeding rightful, and hath also given us means to live uprightly without hurting or wronging §40of any man: perceiving us to be hard hearted still, and that our wicked lusts do turn us the contrary way: he addeth threats to make us afraid. And is it a small matter when he sayeth,1 that thieves and robbers shall not enter into the kingdom of God? Now then, shall we set so much store by this present life, that to gather a little good for the maintaining of it in this world, we shall wilfully provoke God to displeasure? He telleth us that we shall be banished §50out of his kingdom. If we had any spark of faith at all, would not this threatening pierce us to the heart? Yes: but our Lord proceedeth yet further. For in as much as he sees us to be so fleshly, and so greatly given to the earth: he telleth us that even in this world he will make us to go backward: in so much that he which thinketh to further himself by his crinking, pilling, and deceiving, shall be consumed, and a secrete curse shall waste him §60away. According whereunto it is said in the forealledged text of Zechariah, that Gods curse shall light upon the house of the thieves, and there abide until he be consumed.2 Also we see how he speaketh of it by the rest of the Prophets: In so much that our Lord telleth us, that when men ween they have enriched them selves and done much: he will blow upon them, yea and he will blow after such a sort, as all shall vanish away, and that so suddenly, as a man would never have looked for. But God passeth yet further. In deed it is enough and too much already, when we see how our Lord mocketh at those which martyr themselves so much in heaping up of riches, when all goes to decay and slippeth away like water: but a man shall see moreover, that the same goods are a cause of the overthrow of such as have been in some reputation. Look me upon a father that hath pilled & polled and provoked Gods wrath against himself all the time of his life: When he dyeth, he beareth himself in hand that his children shall become little princes.