A17698:2004
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 now to give the people the better courage, he addeth immediately a promise, saying: To the intent thou mayest prosper, both thou and thy children for ever. Here first of all we see that which hath been touched already; that is to wit, that our Lord provoketh us to serve him with the better courage, by proffering us reward. Truly he is not bound to us in any case: insomuch that when we shall have served him, yea though it be a hundred thousand times more §40than we do; yet are we still indebted to him nevertheless: for we be his. And we must mark our Lord Jesus Christs similitude,1 how that if a man have a servant that is as his slave, when his servant hath laboured all the day long, and cometh home at night, his master will not rise up to give him his supper, but command him to wait upon him still at his table. Now it is certain that we owe much more unto God, that men owe one to another.§50 Let us strain our selves to the uttermost of our power, yea and above all our power, and yet shall we not be able to discharge our selves of the hundred part of our duty towards him, and what reward then can we deserve at his hand? Nevertheless, of his own free goodness it is said that we shall not lose our labour in serving him. So then let us mark that Gods meaning is not to place any worthiness in our works by promising us reward: but only to §60encourage us the more to them. And indeed we be too slothful, if the regard thereof move us not. Behold, God might command me, and exact at my hand whatsoever he listeth, for I am bound to him in all cases and all respects: and yet to the end that no sloth should hold me back, he telleth me that if I serve him h•e will prosper me; and in his so doing there passeth as it were a covenant, whereby he bindeth himself unto us. If this move us not, must it not needs be that we be more hard than stones? Yet notwithstanding, we see that the wretched world cannot be won by any means. When the promises are set before us; that God will bless us, though we be minded to give our selves to his service, yet do we not cease to yield to all evil, and we bear our selves in hand that we shall benefit our selves greatly by provoking his displeasure. If we spy any likelihood of gain; we run gadding after it, and every of us is ravished in love of it.