A17698:1207
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.
So then, first of all let us mistrust prosperity. In deed we covet it, & for the love thereof we shun the things that are hard and cumbersome. If we suffer hunger and thirst, it grieveth us, & we never leave storming until God have provided §40for it: but yet for all that it would be more for our profit oftentimes, to endure hunger than to have abundance. Howsoever the case standeth, whensoever God bestoweth his benefits upon us, let us have prosperity in suspicion, as I said afore. Not that it ought of it self so to deceive us & blindfold our eyes, as we should not know God: but for that it behoveth us to perceive our own nature to be so sinful and evil given, as we cannot profit our selves by any of the benefits which §50we receive at Gods hand. Yea and we see how even Solomon was afraid to be overrich,1 for fear of advancing himself against God, least he should despise him and forsake him. See here how Solomon who was endued with so excellent gifts of grace, did nevertheless see the frailty of man to be such, that when he had all that his heart could wish, yet he might forget himself, & be oversotted as he should fall to renouncing of God by advancing himself against §60him.2 Now then, let us live in fear and awe, and if God give us not such abundance as we would desire, but do cut our morsels very small: let us understand that the same is for our benefit, in that we have need to be dieted, for fear least fatness stop our eyes, and so make us stark blind. If we think well upon this, it will make us to bear poverty the more patiently. When we want our pleasures and delights, when we want our delicate morsels, and when we want abundance to fill our selves withal: let us know that our Lord hath a regard to hold us in awe by that mean: for we should be in danger of forgetting him, if we should grow too fat. And therefore when we have wealth at will, let us bethink us thus: why was it said to the people of Israel, forget not thy GOD when thou hast thy fill? It was because men can not brook their wealth, in so much that if they have all that they have need of, yea and mor• too: they overshoot themselves, they play the loose colts, they arm themselves against GOD, and they have no more care of him. Is the wind in that door? Let us learn to have God always before our eyes: