A17698:1229
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.
Now then, whereas it is said, Thou shalt not tempt thy God: It is all one as if Moses had said, my friends, beware ye play not mockholiday. When God is patient, and poureth not out his rigour upon you at the first dash: think not that therefore ye shall scape scot-free, neither take occasion to fall asleep & to flatter your selves for it: but live in fear, and prevent the wrath which God hath not yet poured out upon you, because he spareth you. To be short, we be said to tempt god,§50 when we abuse his benefits which we possess, & which he hath put into our hands, & in the mean while acknowledge not him to be the founder of them. For why? under pretence that God dealeth gently with us, we bear our selves in hand that we may despise him. And that is a turning of his goodness to the clean contrary end that it ought to be applied. Doth not god apply himself to us, of purpose to win us, and to the end that we should have his love so printed in our hearts, as §60we might be wholly knit unto him and made one with him? But if every of us do contrariwise run at rovers, & devour the goods that he hath bestowed upon us: is it not a tempting of him? Yes. And above all things whereas it hath pleased him to impart unto us the doctrine of salvation: it is to the intent we should take him for our father, and Jesus Christ for our shepherd, and that we should hearken to his voice. Again he hath taken us as it were into his house, to the intent we should be his very household folk, applying our selves more and more unto him, and be utterly separated from the unbelievers, by dedicating our whole life unto him. But on the contrary part, if we will needs be unruly, & yet in the mean while vaunt our selves of having the Gospel, insomuch that we feed our selves with this vain hope to say, O ho, seeing we have Gods word, he cannot but love us,1 for it is his power to the salvation of all that believe: I say if men dally after this sort, & abuse the name of faith to make a shrouding sheet of it, to the end they may give themselves the more boldly to all naughtiness: it is a tempting of God. For inasmuch as he uttereth not his power at the first dash by thundering down upon them: he seemeth to them to be as a little babe & a weakling, & so they play with him [at their pleasure]. Therefore let us learn to fear God:
Nowe then, whereas it is saide, Thou shalt not tempt thy God: It is al one as if Moses had said, my friends, beware ye play not mockholiday. When God is patient, and powreth not out his rigour vpon you at the first dash: thinke not that therefore ye shal scape scotfree, neither take occasion to fall asleepe & to flatter your selues for it: but liue in feare, and preuent the wrath which God hath not yet powred out vppon you, because hee spareth you. To be short, we be said to tempt god,