A17698:1983
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.
So much the more therefore ought all men both rich and poor, to mark well this text. Let the man of wealth say in himself, it is the blessing of my God: & sith it is so, I must yield him account of it, and I must look very well about me how I may use these things aright according to his ordinance: so as I give not my flesh whatsoever it liketh or lusteth for, but that I behave my self soberly howsoever the world go, and also impart my overplus to such as have want or need, and relieve them with mine abundance. Let the rich deal after that manner. Again on the other side, let the poor bethink them thus: Well, God giveth us not wherewith to find our selves, and therefore it behoveth us to bear our poor state patiently, and not give head to our lusts: for then shall we but provoke Gods wrath, by following our dainty desires & such other like things: wherefore let us be well advised to content our selves with the little that he giveth us.
So much the more therefore ought all men both rich and poore, to mark wel this text. Let ye man of wealth say in himselfe, it is the blessing of my God: & sith it is so, I must yeelde him account of it, and I must looke verie well about me howe I may vse these thinges aright according to his ordinance: so as I giue not my fleshe whatsoeuer it liketh or lusteth for, but that I behaue my selfe soberly howsoeuer the worlde go, and also imparte my ouerplus to such as haue want or neede, and releeue them with mine aboundance. Let the rich deale after that maner. Againe on the otherside, let the poore bethinke them thus: Wel, God giueth vs not wherewith to finde our selues, and therefore it behoueth vs to beare our poore state patiently, and not giue head to our lustes: for then shall we but prouoke Gods wrath, by following our deintie desires & such other like thinges: wherefore let vs be well aduised to content our selues with the little that he giueth vs.
Thus ye see that although the rich enjoy their ease & have wherewith to maintain their delights for the present time: Yet they must be of such mind, that if God list to bereave them of all things the next morrow, they must not repine to give over all, but so humble themselves as they may say, Lord I will live to day according to the blessing which thou hast given me: and if thou list to impoverish me to morrow, do thy good pleasure: only grant me the grace to learn to content my self with any other state of living than I live in to day. Whereas to day I fare according to mine ability; if thou list to bring me down to brown bread, let me abide to be brought thereto, and let my neck be pliable to receive thy yoke. That is the effect of the things which we have to mark upon this sentence of Moseses, where he declareth that every man must moderate his diet and fare according to gods blessing, that is to say, according to the ability that God giveth him wherewith to do it.