A17698:1505
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.
Ye see then that he is as a wretched man in utter extremity,§20 and as a silly creature past hope of recovery: and yet for all that, he ceaseth not to make his boast, that he will never be afraid as long as he hath God on his side. And after the same manner doeth Saint Paul conclude: If God be on our side,1 who shall be against us? Not that we shall not have store of enemies: but that they shall not be able to prevail against us. They shall make their triumphs aforehand, but the victory shall go with us, if we have §30God for our defence. Now we see the reason of this similitude. In the fourth Chapter of this book Moses used the like saying, but it was to another purpose. For there his meaning was to stir up the people to fear and wariness.2 And in deed we have need to know that God is a consuming fire two ways. The one is the same that we have seen in the fourth chapter, which is also alleged by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews, who expoundeth this §40text faithfully,3 saying: My friends, it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God: let us beware how we dally with such a Lord, and let us receive his word with all reverence, or else we shall find therein that God is a fire to consume us. In deed when God cometh to us and calleth us unto him, he allureth us graciously, and he showeth us all manner of gentleness and fatherly loving kindness. But yet howsoever he deal, his meaning is not that §50men should abuse his goodness, as we see these scorners do, of whom there is ever too great store. We see a number of scorners in these days which scoff at Gods word, bearing themselves on hand, that he which reigneth in heaven, hath no authority over them. They overshoot them selves with desperate malapertness, and bewray themselves to have no more religion than dogs, & yet they persuade themselves that they may mock with God after that fashion in all matters,§60 & yet notwithstanding that they shall scape unpunished. Now forasmuch as men are so thankless, & do set up their hellish bristles against god to despise his goodness, it is said, that they shall feel him to be a consuming fire.