A17698:1357
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.
but also to try their patience, and to withdraw them from the world, to the intent they should not be too much entangled in it: and his will is to humble them, that they may know them selves as they be, & be sorry for it. So then forasmuch as God hath many causes to afflict the faithful: he will not have us to make one equal rule of it, & to say that he punisheth them according to their misdeeds. But whereforesoever he do it,§30 let us note that if God should utterly destroy them he had just cause so to do, & he should do them no wrong. Nevertheless we must have an eye to that which Saint Paul saith in the eight to the Romans,1 and be contented with it: namely that all things turn to the welfare of them that love God, so as they serve not to turn them aside, or to pluck them away from their salvation, but rather be as helps to further it. Mark that for one point. And yet notwithstanding it is evidently §40seen, that Gods grace faileth them not in the afflictions and miseries which they endure. True it is that they find themselves in pain, & the things are hard and grievous for them to bear: but yet there is always somewhat so sweeten them, they have still some comfort at Gods hand, which serveth to make them understand that he blesseth and prospereth them. If he should give them no more but one bit of bread: yet have they such an inward joy, as they can better thank God for it,§50 than the wicked can do [for great abundance,] who fret themselves inwardly, insomuch that although they labour to bring themselves a sleep that they might not have any remorse of conscience to trouble them, & strive even against nature, that they might be as it were senseless: Yet doeth not GOD let them so rest, that they can be so merry at the heart even with their abū dance, as the silly faithful ones are with their poverty, who hold themselves contented from §60morrow to morrow, waiting to be fed at Gods hand, & referring themselves wholly unto him, & calling upon him. And again, although they have not all that they would wish: yet think thy thus with themselves, well, yet doth not my God cease to watch over me, & therefore I betake me to his providence, and rest my self upon him. Thus ye see how the faithful cease not to be blessed of God, though the world see not Gods benefits so apparently in them.