A17698:2139
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.
After that Moses hath thus threatened us; now he addeth a promise that God will bless his people, if they obey his voice, & do the things that are right before him. Our Lord endeavouring after his manner, to win us to him always by gentleness and friendly dealing: when he hath done threatening of us in this text, doeth also attempt the contrary way saying: If ye find the means to have my service purely maintained, I will be with you; ye shall find that my seeking is but to increase the benefits which I have begun already to bestow upon you, ye shall enjoy the ⟨p. 551⟩Land that I have given you to inherit; ye shall perceive that my promising of my favour and mercy to your fathers is not in vain. And let us mark, that here it is our Lords intent to draw us to a willing serving of him. True it is that yet for all this, we must not forget his threatenings, seeing we be so slow in resorting unto him. Then let us be afraid of them, and consider that we shall not scape his vengeance except we maintain his service. But §10yet howsoever the world go with us, let us not do it by constraint, but let us go to work with a free courage. And how may that be done? Even by being drawn by the gentleness that Moses showeth here unto us: as if he should say, go to, happy will our state be if we serve our GOD, and every man endeavour to draw his neighbours with him, and suffer not any man (as far as lieth in us) to pervert or trouble our state when it is well settled.§20 If we do so, our Lord telleth us that he will be among us, blessing us in such sort as we shall prosper more and more, and that he will stablish us in the possession of all the benefits which he hath given us. Seeing the case standeth so; too too lewd were we if we would not submit ourselves to him, seeing that his desiring to have us, is altogether for our benefit and welfare. Let us learn then on the one side to quicken up our selves with Gods threatenings; but yet §30on the other side let us be moved and allured to serve him with a free and pure affection, void of enforcement or constraint. Let us go to work of our own goodwill, assuring our selves that we be bereft and dispossessed of all good things, if we serve not our GOD. And why? Because we can not prosper but by his favour. And let us not delude ourselves: