A17698:1432
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.
Yet notwithstanding, it is not for naught that Moses saith here, Bethink thee of the way wherethrough the Lord thy God hath led thee. True it is that the people of Israel had peculiar instructions, so as a number of things befell them in their travelling through the wilderness, which belong not unto us in these days: but yet was that a figure of mans life. The wilderness (say I) wherein the people were by the space of forty years, was as a mirror of this earthly wayfaring of ours, wherethrough we must pass until GOD take us hence into his rest. Likewise the resting place of the land of Canaan (accordingly as it is named in the fourscore and fifteenth psalm) was as a warrant of the endless life that is prepared for us,1 and wherein we shall no more be tossed and turmoiled as we be in this world. Now seeing it is so: Let us note that as the Jews were exhorted to remember the journey wherein God had led them through the wilderness: so now the chief point of our duty is to consider that inasmuch as God governeth us, we live through his fatherly care, so as he guideth all our steppes which we have to go or come. And it behoveth us to bethink us well of all the time of our life, & to consider thoroughly what we have had experience ⟨p. 348⟩of in this world. True it is that we think oftentimes both upon the good and upon the evil which we have received: but that is clean contrary to the intent of our God. For our thinking upon our adversities is not to know them to be as rods wherewith God beateth us for our chastisement. No, it is but to fret and chafe against him, and to gather matter to grudge at, saying, what will become of this? Shall I always be new to begin? It should seem that God intē death §10to confound me presently: for my affliction was great enough afore: and was it meet that he should increase it yet more? After that manner do we gather a sum of all the miseries which we have felt from our childhood to our old age. Howbeit that is but to sharpen our selves against God, whereas we should rather think thus▪ Go to, my God hath not ceased to chastise me even from my childhood upward: and if I had returned unto him, surely he would have spared me:§20 but he was fain to double his stripes, & to hold on still, because I have always waxed harder & harder, & rebelled against him: