A17698:1749
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.
Now Moses having told the people, that this Law was the Law of the living God; addeth now further, that he is great, strong, and terrible. For we see how men take leave to despise God, and oversotte themselves so much in their pride and presumption, as they cannot be brought to any subjection. To the end therefore that men should not dally with such a Lord, he saith expressly that the God which willed his Law to be published unto them at that time, is great,§40 mighty, & dreadful. His terming of him Great, is to show what honour is dew to him. His terming of him strong or mighty, is to withhold men from standing against him. And his terming of him terrible or dreadful, is to make us know that if he do but touch us with his hand, we must needs be undone. Therefore let us beware we despise him not: and when he calleth us before his Majesty, let us tremble and quake for fear, that we may come with right humility. Thus §50do we now see Moseses meaning. And therefore let us mark, that if we will direct our lives aright, we must have pure doctrine, that our religion may be grounded upon Gods truth, so as we may be sure that the doctrine which we profess, is infallible, & therewithal we must beware that when we know God, we set not light by him, but that our knowing of him do bring a lowliness with it, so as we submit our selves wholly to the honouring of him that is so high and incomprehensible,§60 before whom the very Angels themselves do tremble.1 Ye see then how the thing which we have to mark, is that men shall never know God, until they have gotten such feeling of the infinite glory that is in him, as maketh them to stoop, yea & to make none account at all of themselves, that they may give over themselves wholly to the honouring & serving of him. But this is very ill put in ure. For even they that make greatest boast of their profiting in the Gospel, can skill to babble well enough, & they bear themselves in hand that they be jolly fellows, when they can prattle at pleasure, though it be without any reverence at all. And we see how the holy scripture is shamefully abused now adays by a number of mens discoursing of it as it were but of a fable, or to show the fineness of their wit, by ranging into curious and unprofitable questions.