A17698:1515
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.
They could not say that God regarded what they were, as some fantastical persons do, which say that God foresaw what men would be. If he do but foresee: surely he shall find us all devils, that is to say unhappy and cursed creatures, full of all wickedness, and such as have nothing but utter abomination in us. Those are the things that God shall find in us, if he do but foresee. Nay, if he will have us good: he him self must frame us thereto: for we be his workmanship as sayeth Saint Paul in the second to the Ephesians.1 And the same is also expressed plainly in the fourscore and fifteenth Psalm,2 where it is said that it is he that made us. And David in that place speaketh not of Gods first creating of us, when we were set into the world as his creatures: but he meaneth it of his reforming of us by his grace. Now then, if God did but foresee things: then saw he nothing in us but utter rebellion and wickedness. To be short we be damnable in all respects, and heirs of endless death. And therefore if he chose us before we had done either good or evil: it was to magnify his own grace, as Saint Paul declareth in the ninth to the Romans.3 And so ye may see what Moses telleth us here.
They could not say that God regarded what they were, as some phantasticall persons do, which say that God foresawe what men woulde be. If he doe but foresee: surely he shall finde vs all diuels, that is to say vnhappie and cursed creatures, full of all wickednesse, and such as haue nothing but vtter abhomination in vs. Those are the thinges that God shall finde in vs, if he doe but foresee. Nay, if he wil haue vs good: he him selfe must frame vs thereto: for wee bee his workemanship as sayeth Saint Paul in the seconde to the Ephesians.1 And the same is also expressed plainly in the fourescore and fifteenth Psalme,2 where it is sayde that it is he that made vs. And Dauid in that place speaketh not of Gods first creating of vs, when wee were set into the worlde as his creatures: but hee meaneth it of his reforming of vs by his grace. Nowe then, if God did but foresee things: then sawe he nothing in vs but vtter rebellion and wickednesse. To bee short wee bee damnable in all respects, and heires of endlesse death. And therefore if hee chose vs before wee had done either good or euill: it was to magnifie his owne grace, as Saint Paul declareth in the nyenth to the Romanes.