A17698:1550
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.
WE saw yesterday how Moses did cast the people in the teeth with their malicious stubbornness, in that they had not ceased from doing of evil, even since GOD had delivered them from the thraldom of Egypt. And surely it was an ill acknowledging of such a benefit, to spite him so wilfully, which had been their Redeemer and Father. But now he allegeth a greater fault of theirs, and far more outrageous: that the remembrance thereof might lead them yet further, namely to bethink themselves of all their former offences, and to confess that they had been ⟨p. 387⟩a froward and in manner desperate people in all respects. And he putteth them in mind, that even while Gods law was a giving to them in Mount Horeb or Sinai, they provoked Gods vengeance by making of a molten image: This is not set down without cause. For if ever God showed himself to hold men in his obedience: it was then. For the law was not given after an ordinary manner: but Gods majesty appeared so visibly in the doing thereof, that the §10people was sore abashed at it. Behold, the Mountain was full of fire, lightnings, and smoke: the air was heard to roar: the Trumpets sounded: and to be short, there were such a number of tokens of Gods presence, that the people was constrained to say, Let not the Lord speak unto us, for then are we but dead. After this, Moses was on the Mount as one separated from the company of men, and as an Angel of God, exempted from mortal state, so as he §20needed neither meat nor drink, which was such a miracle as ought well to have ravished the people to the serving of God. And yet for all this, they rejected all that had bin taught them, and not tarrying so much as the end of one year, but even before forty days were expired, they said they wist not what was become of Moses, terming him scornfully the fellow that had brought them out of Egypt.1 What can we tell what is become of this fellow, said they? And therefore §30let us have some God to go before us. Yet had they been taught familiarly enough: For God showed himself to them both evening and morning, he led them a nights by a sign of fire, and a days he stretched out a cloud over them: and yet would they needs have a God that should be present with them. And what manner of God? forsooth a puppet.