A17698:1863
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.
For when we forsake our god it is good reason that we should be disfurnished of his help, and that §10he should let us alone like poor forlorn caitiffs looking on either side of us, & not espying any remedy to resist our enemies withal, because we be bereft of the guard and invincible fortress that God promised us,1 according as it is spoken of, both in Exodus and in the Psalm, where it is said that the people were disappointed of their strong hold, when they had once forsaken God. I pray you if we stand not in awe of God, is it not reason that he should make us afraid, both of men & beasts,§20 yea and even of a fly when it doth but fly by us,2 as the scripture telleth us? Behold, our God offereth himself in his majesty, requiring that we should do him homage, by humbling our selves unto him,3 and by offering our selves both body & soul in sacrifice to him, that he may possess us: & we despise him, making but a mock at his holy word, so as he cannot get any service at our hands, for we strive against him like wild beasts. Seeing that this is apparent, is it not reason that he should §30chastise us, by making us to stand in fear of men? Yes: for what are we? Behold I am scared & made afraid, at the peering of a worm that doth but put up his head at me. I need not to seek far to know the cause thereof. Let me but consider whether I have behaved my self well towards my God, in yielding him obedience in all things. Nay contrariwise, I have turned away from him, and moreover I have played the rebel, I have leaped beyond my bounds, and to be short, I §40have fought against him: and therefore I must not think it strange, if I be afraid of men, which are nothing. Verily God will yet more laugh our pride and overweening to scorn. For he will make us to quake at the falling of a leaf from a tree. To be short, as Solomon says, we shall flee when no man followeth us:4