A17698:2132
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.
Furthermore, let us mark well ye God meant to do us to understand what it is to have wicked persons in a city.1 For (as saith S. Paul) a little leaven soureth a whole lump of dow. Now then, wheresoever deceivers be, there are the people by & by infected. God speaketh so thereof plainly, to the intent we should not suffer evil to harbour among us. If there be any poisonings, we are all afraid of them, and it troubleth us to provide how to save our selves from them. ô (say we) such a plague must not abide among us. Now it is certain that there is not a worse nor a more deadly plague, than the stepping up of unruly persons, despisers of God, and wicked men, which seek to turn all things upside down, and to bring all to confusion, corrupting all things to the intent to have the more liberty to do evil. When such folk rise up, & be borne withal; it is good reason that all should be guilty of their fault. And we see also that God punisheth those that bear with evil doings when they both should and could correct them: insomuch that the common proverb is verified in them, that when a man is saved from the gallows, he could find in his heart to see them hanged that delivered him from it. And good reason it is that they should have such reward, for their corrupting of Justice, and for their impeaching of right. Therefore when we see men go about to turn all things upside down, we must repress them aforehand: and not tarry till the end, for that is a cursed patience. True it is (as I said afore) that if God give us not the mean to rid away evil so soon as we would; then must we be sorry for it & have patience. But when things are evident, & there is none other let than lack of courage: then if we be cold and la•ie, and shut our eyes because we be loth to sustain displeasure; [as if a man should say,] I will not be too forward, least I be left in the briers, for fear least I pay for the shot when I have entered into such a quarrel, for I see that such fellows are full of revenge and may easily be even with me: when we use such cowardliness, then must we ⟨p. 549⟩abide the penalty of it. And surely it is a great grace of God to have power to redress a mischief that hath bin known of long afore: and therefore it must not be let slip without providing for it in time convenient.