A17698:1025
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.
And that is to be marked well. For there are some which would fain that nothing at all should be condemned, but that men should alter their speech, so as if there be a robbery committed, it should be termed by some other title, and vices should not be condemned by their proper names. This is to be seen: insomuch that if wicked men be to be reproved, which have not only offended God, but also caused others to play the naughtipackes as well as themselves, and are as an infection to poison all the rest: if a man fall to rebuking of them lustily as he ought to do: by and by there are a sort of these nycelings which take grief at it. Yea (say they)? And ought men to proceed so far as to go up even into the pulpit, when they will cry out against vices? A man shall see blasphemy reigning, and a man shall see open, wickedness against God and his word, a man shall see as shameful disobedience as may be, a man shall see so outrageous occasions of offence as he cannot possibly bear with them, except he will be a traitor to God: and yet if he cry out against them, by and by he shall be answered, what now? The Gospel teacheth you to win all men by gentleness. Did not Jesus Christ call sinners lovingly unto him, by forgiving them their faults? Now then should the ⟨p. 239⟩preachers of the Gospel use such rigour? Verily as who should say that Jesus Christs will were that men should abuse his grace, to stablish the kingdom of Satan, that sin might have full scope,1 and men wink at it and let it pass uncondemned. Nay, contrariwise, he saith that by the Gospel he exerciseth a jurisdiction, to condemn the whole world. Behold, the thing that he aimeth at, is that when we be told of our naughtiness, we should be so ashamed of it,§10 as we should not know whither to flee for refuge, but only to his grace, and that we should be utterly confounded in our selves. Therefore let us mark well how we be forbidden to defame our neighbours, upon any hatred or evil will: but yet we be commanded on the contrary part, to blame the evil, and to rebuke them lustily that do amiss, to the end we may assay to bring them to good again, and also make other men take heed, that they §20be not corrupted by evil examples.