A17698:2503
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.
But yet will you be so malicious & froward, that when I shall have given you a Judge, you shall desire a king. And this frowardness of yours shall cause me not to set up the kingdom which I have ordained, & which I have reserved to my self, that is to wit, of the tribe of Judah. Yet notwithstanding our lord showeth that he will set up y• kingdom, but that shall be after the people are made fit to obey, & have acknowledged their sin, because they had covered a change against Gods will, & before y• fit time was come. Thus are all these places easily made to agree. And hereupon we may gather a good lesson; which is that when God hath promised us any benefit or token of his mercy: we must hold our lusts in awe, and not run a head to challenge him to do that which he hath said, when we list, but use patience, and be quiet until God show us by effect that he meant not to disappoint us, in promising any thing that belongeth to our salvation. Here then is a general rule; which is, that in all Gods promises we must be patient, & not be so hasty as to say, how goes this gear? why doeth God make delay? why performeth he not the thing which we hoped for at his hand? Let us beware of such impatience, seeing the example of the people is such as we see it is in this place. But let us be still when God hath promised us any thing, until the convenient time thereof be come of itself. And yet shall not this hinder us but that we may pray unto him for it. For wherefore doth he call us to him & command us to pray,1 but to y• intent we should discharge all our care & sorrow upon him, & receive comfort of it? Therefore we may well pray unto god when we are stirred up to impatience: but yet must we ever refer all things unto him: & good reason it is that he should dispose of things according as he himself hath determined in his own purpose, & not after our fancy. Also let us bear in mind what I have touched afore; to wit, that seeing God hath given us a convenient state, & that we be so governed by Judges & magistrates, as that the Laws do reign over us: we ought to give God thanks for that benefit, & to take good heed that we provoke not his wrath by our fond fickleness, in desiring this or y•, and in saying why is it not thus or thus?