A17698:1629
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.
And specially whereas mention is made of their wilful stubbornness at Cades Barne, 1where they refused to go forward to enter into the inheritance that was promised them: let us understand that we be no less worthy of blame at this day before God, for that he cannot hold us in, to make us go through with our course. To what purpose hath GOD called us into his Church? It is (as I said afore) to the end that in passing through this world, we should not be wedded to it, but use it altogether as a wayfaring, and as a strange country, travelling still through it towards heaven. For behold, our Lord crieth to us both early and late, that we should go on still to come unto him. But we on the contrary part, vouchsafe not to remove one foot to go to him: but in stead of setting forward we retire back, or else sit snugging still in our own slothfulness. We see it is so. Now then, forasmuch as our Lord findeth us so lazy and stubborn, that in stead of plucking up a cheerful courage to go forward, and to hold on our course until we be come to the end of it, we resist him and are loth to pass any further: ⟨p. 412⟩Let us understand that this story is told us, to cast us utterly down in our selves, so as we should not seek any worthiness in our own persons, (as in deed there is none in us:) But yield God the whole praise of his benefits, knowing that he is not bound at all on his side, but that he doth all things of his own mere free goodness and infinite mercy: and therefore that we on our side ought to sigh, beseeching him to correct us and reform us according to his will. And §10for the better perceiving hereof, I pray you after what sort go we forward when God calleth us? We partly limp, and partly make many a false step. Let every man examine himself, and see how forward he hath bin since the time that God hath reached him his hand. True it is that even before we knew the Gospel, we were already without excuse of our rebelling against our God:2 but now seeing he hath enlightened us by his word, and showed us the way §20of salvation, and setteth his will before us, saying, come, and reacheth us his hand to guide us: if of all this while we have not vouchsafed to come unto him, how shall we excuse our selves? Let every of us consider how he dischargeth himself: and afterward let us have an eye to the common state.