A17698:1541
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.
Whereas he sayeth, God hath brought you: it serveth to quicken them up the better. As if he should say, Who hath been your leader? Lewd folk as ye be, your GOD hath well maintained, guided, and led you: he hath upheld you and helped you in all your necessities: and yet will you needs come and §40set up your bristles thus against him? Now sith we hear this of the Jews: let it not make us to blame them: but let it make us behold our selves in their persons, and consider how near this example toucheth us, that every of us may look into himself, and all of us acknowledge generally that we be no better than they. And for proof thereof, we be not in a wilderness, neither is there a time of forty years set a forehand unto us: but §50let every of us take his whole life, even from the time that GOD did put us into this wo•lde, unto our burying day. Howe live we? God for his part poureth out so many benefits upon us, as we have good cause to serve and honour him, yea though there were no more than that which he hath done already. But seeing he continueth in doing us good still: is it not enough to soften our hearts, though they were of iron or steel? Yes verily: and yet we §60cease not to spite him by going on still from evil to worse. Now then like as Moses upbraided the Jews with their continuance in evil doing: so let every of us consider, that our provoking of our GOD hath not been for once only: but that whereas we should have been drawn unto him, we have shrunk away from him and rebelled against him. And whereas we should have offered our selves readily to bear his yoke: we have been so stubborn as he could not wield us: and one naughtiness hath so drawn on an other, that our sins are come to a horrible confused heap. Thus then must we compare our selves with those to whom Moses speaketh here.
Whereas he sayeth, God hath brought you: it serueth to quicken them vppe the better. As if hee shoulde say, Who hath beene your leader? Leaude folke as ye be, your GOD hath well mainteyned, guided, and ledde you: hee hath vphelde you and helped you in all your necessities: and yet will you needes come and §40sette vp your bristles thus against him? Nowe sith wee heare this of the Iewes: lette it not make vs to blame them: but lette it make vs behoulde our selues in their persons, and consider howe neere this example toucheth vs, that euerie of vs may looke into himselfe, and all of vs acknowledge generally that wee bee no better than they. And for proofe thereof, we be not in a wildernesse, neither is there a time of fortie yeares sette a forehande vnto vs: but