A17698:1783
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 whereas he saith. It is not spoken to your children which have neither seen nor heard of it: He meaneth that he speaketh not of them as shall be spoken afterward. True it is that at this day when we read the story of the deliverance that was wrought at that time, we ought to be moved at it. For it is §40an everlasting evidence of the care which God hath had of his Church. And in the same we have a lively picture to show us how God draweth us as it were out of the dungeon and gulf of death, by choosing us to be of his house, and therefore it behoveth us to make our profit of the things that were done then, although we saw them not. But here Moses reasoneth thus by comparison. If I speak to your children (saith he) yet were it their duty to make their profit of yt things which §50they were taught: and although they have not seen the things with their eyes, yet ought this recording of them, to do them good. But as for you, ye ought to be better advised in taking heed to the things that God hath showed you. For your thanklessness is double, & much sorer shall your condemnation be, if you profit not by them. What can ye allege for your selves, if ye give not your selves wholly to the magnifying of such grace, that is to say if ye honour not God, seeing he hath §60bought you so dearly, and showed that he setteth so great store by your welfare? Seeing that God hath showed himself to be such a one towards you, what is your duty? Here we be put in mind that when our Lord hath made us to find favour by experience, if we profit not by it to serve him with the better courage and earnester zeal, it must of necessity come to account, & we must look for more horrible damnation in reward of such unthankfulness. But now let us see what we become the better by gods benefits. Hath it not bin sufficiently seen & perceived in our time, […] he hath helped us at our need, & how he hath stretched out his mighty hand? If every man would acknowledge for his own part, how many ways god hath showed himself bountiful towards him, surely we should be at our wits end. Again, let us look upon the state of the Church in general. Hath not god wrought after such a sort on all sides in our days, as if we be not very monsters, or at leastwise worse than brute beasts, we must needs perceive by his miracles, that he meant to show here how he reigneth in heaven?
And wheras he saith. It is not spokē to your childrē which haue neither seen nor heard of it: He meaneth yt he speaketh not of thē as shal be spoken afterward. True it is that at this day when we reade the storie of the deliuerance that was wrought at that time, we ought to be moued at it. For it is