A17698:1115
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.
Besides this, GOD wakeneth the people here, to the end they should think better upon the keeping of the commandments of his Law, than they had done. For the people had said, we will do it. And saith God on his side, who will give them the heart to do it, and who will give them such disposition of mind? And by those words he doth us to wit, that it was an easy matter for them to promise, ⟨p. 260⟩as men commonly make great protestations with full mouth, but when it cometh to the performance they show well that their promising was at adventure. God therefore to make the people perceive how hard a matter it is to keep the law, sayeth here, I would fain it were so. For the Hebrew word which he useth where he saith, who will give them the heart, importeth as much as when we say, be it so: I would fain it were so. True it is that here God speaketh after §10the manner of men: for he needeth no more but wish things done, all things are in his hand. And therefore it might be replied, Lord it belongeth to thee, and askest thou who shall give them the heart? To whom belongs that to do? Man of himself will never incline to good, but he must be driven to it by some other means, and that can no creature do, but it is thy spirit that must do it. Now then seek not thou who shall give them the heart, but let the power of thy spirit §20utter it self, and then shall they do it. Likewise we shall see how God will say,1 I will give you a heart to fear me. If it were in us, why should he say so? But he sayeth that it belongeth to him to do it, like as he addeth by the Prophet, I will give them a heart to obey me.2 As much shall we see hereafter, where he sayeth, I will cause them to keep my commandments. God then challengeth to himself the instructing of men, and the governing of them by his holy Ghost,§30 to the intent they should be subject unto him, & submit themselves to his righteousness. And why then doth he pretend to wish it in this text? It is because he speaketh after the manner of men, as he doeth in many other places. And (as I said afore) it is to the end that when there is any mention made of walking in obedience to Godward, we should understand that it cannot be done without hardness, and that our wits should be wakened to apply our selves earnestly to that