Sermons upon Deuteronomy

And it is a marvellous thing, that the world becometh never the wiser for all the great number of punishments which God hath poured out, and still poureth out to warn us to come to repentance. For within these fifty years, since which time God of his grace hath set up the preaching of the gospel in divers places: besides his sufficient smiting of the people of the earth with his rods in former years, he hath also made them feel his scourges divers ways, in punishing their contempt of his holy doctrine. Yet notwithstanding we hope that God (conditionally that we continue in prayer) will one day show by more abundant effect, that he hath heard the prayers of his silly faithful ones, even in this behalf, and draw the rest of his churches out of the miserable desolation, which hath lasted now too long by reason of our sins. And hereof we have good handsel in the furtherance that he hath given already to the gospel, notwithstanding that Satan hath spit out his spite against it on all sides. For albeit that the holy doctrine do sound in the ears of the poor people in divers places, the sacraments of Baptism and of the Lords supper be ministered purely, the praises of God do ring shrilly to mens understanding in the psalms and songs, and the father is worshipped in the name of Jesus Christ our hope and the only advocate of wretched sinners: yet are there a number which hope, or at leastwise wish, that as the sun hath been eclipsed this year, so there might be an everlasting eclipse of the preaching of the gospel: but by the help of God and of our great day sun Jesus Christ, they shall be deceived. And in the mean time while Gods kingdom may enlarge it self still further out here below, we pray all such as are desirous to have the understanding and use of the doctrine of this godly book of Moses, to take the pain to read these present Sermons of the faithful servant of God Master John Calvin: of whom like as the speech and pen served the Church as long as he lived, (whatsoever some Balaam's babble to the contrary:) so we believe that his writings will by Gods help edify all men continually hereafter.

And it is a maruelous thing, that the world becommeth neuer the wiser for all the great number of punishments which God hath powred out, and stil powreth out to warne vs to come to repentance. For within these fiftie yeres, since which time God of his grace hath set vp the preaching of the gospell in diuers places: besides his sufficient smiting of the people of the earth with his roddes in former yeres, he hath also made them feele his scourges diuers wayes, in punishing their contempt of his holy doctrine. Yet notwithstanding we hope that God (conditionally that we continue in prayer) wil one day shew by more aboundant effect, that he hath heard the prayers of his sillie faithfull ones, euen in this behalfe, and draw the rest of his churches out of the miserable desolation, which hath lasted now too long by reason of our sinnes. And hereof we haue good hansel in the furtherance that he hath giuen already to the gospell, notwithstanding that Satan hath spit out his spite against it on all sides. For albeeit that the holy doctrine doe sounde in the eares of the poore people in diuers places, the sacraments of Baptisme and of the Lords supper be ministred purely, the praises of God do ring shirlely to mens vnderstanding in the psalms and songs, and the father is woorshipped in the name of Iesus Christ our hope and the onely aduocate of wretched sinners: yet are there a number which hope, or at leastwise wish, that as the sunne hath been eclipsed this yere, so there might be an euerlasting eclips of the preaching of the gospell: but by the helpe of God and of our great day sunne Iesus Christ, they shalbe deceaued. And in the meane time while Gods kingdome may inlarge it selfe stil further out here below, we pray al such as are desirous to haue the vnderstanding and vse of the doctrine of this godlie booke of Moses, to take the paine to reade these present Sermons of the faithfull seruaunt of God Master Iohn Caluin: of whom like as the speeche and pen serued the Church as long as he liued, (whatsoeuer some Balaams bable to the contrarie:) so we beleeue yt his writings wil by Gods help edifie al men continuallie hereafter.