A17698:1233
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.
let us beware & take heed that we give not too much scope to our lusts, so as they should make us to slip from him, and to overshoot §50our selves so far, as to run into the way of damnation. After this manner (say I) must the faithful quicken up themselves, bearing in mind that when they have once overshot them selves, & forsaken the right way: they must call themselves home again to walk awfully ever after, and betake themselves into Gods hand, that he may guide them & not suffer them to be so overseen any more. Also we must do the like particularly. When any man shall have bin overseen §60for a time, and not have dealt so warily as he ought to have done, even after he knoweth Gods trueth: let him bethink himself thus: Alas, I have been unthankful to my God, and for as much as I have started away from him, I am worthy to be utterly confounded: but yet hath not he suffered that to come to pass. Now then what is to be done on my part? It is not meet that I should forget the faults which I have committed, but that I should think upon them, and bear the bitterness of them still about me in my heart. After that manner must every of us deal, say I: not as distrusting God, or to provoke our selves to any despair: but to rein our selves the shorter, and to hold our selves the more in awe. For as soon as a man doeth but lift himself up, by and by he overshooteth himself if God let him alone. That is the thing which we have to note in this text, where Moses sayeth that they must not tempt God, as they tempted him once afore in Masa. And for the same cause and to the same purpose also is it spoken of in the Psalm, where it is said, To day if ye hear his voice harden not your hearts as your fathers did in the wilderness.1 This is spoken expressly of the temptation that Moses toucheth here. See how the Prophet warneth the people, yea and that desirously, as if he should say, very well, if ye be so teachable as to hearken to your God, seeing he doeth now exhort you to come unto him, refuse it not: for this benefit shall not last always to them that make delay and are never moved to obey him, but drive of from day to day when he calleth them. And therefore, if ye hear his voice (sayeth he) now when God calleth you.
let vs beware & take heede that wee giue not too much scope to our lustes, so as they should make vs to slip from him, and to ouershoote