A17698:258
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 furthermore we have to mark here, that Gods laying of his temporal chastisements upon his faithful ones, is not to drive them to despair, but to humble them for a time: for in the end all turneth to their benefit, and therefore they must not be out of heart for it. It was a very hard and bitter punishment unto Moses, to be banished out of the land that had been promised him.
And furthermore we haue to mark here, that Gods laying of his temporall chastisementes vppon his faithfull ones, is not to driue them to despayre, but to humble them for a time: for in the ende all turneth to their benefite, and therefore they must not bee out of heart for it. It was a verie harde and bitter punishment vnto Moses, to bee banished out of the lande that had beene promised him.
The time is come that the people should be delivered out of the thraldom of Egypt, to be conveyed into the Land of promise: Moses is chosen to be their guide, so as he supplieth Gods office in delivering them: and yet notwithstanding this shame is done unto him, that GOD shutteth the gap against him and sayeth, thou shalt not come there. Ye see then how Moses is (as ye would say) branded with a mark of reproach before God. Now had he taken it in despite: it had been enough to have plunged him into some blasphemy. But he bare this correction patiently, knowing that it should be to his benefit, because it was but temporal. And therefore let us mark this saying of Saint Paul,1 that Gods punishing of us is to the intent we should not perish with the world. Seeing then that GOD procureth our welfare thereby, and his mortifying of us for a time as in respect of the flesh: and his condemning of us in such wise as we be ashamed afore men,2 is to the intent that our souls should be saved at the latter day, and we live in his presence: seeing that that is the end & butte that he shooteth at: let not us on our part be so headstrong, as to chafe or fume at his corrections, but rather follow the example of Moses, who (as we see) did make no words against God. It might seem he had some occasion to say, how falls this out, that I am driven out of the land of promise? What shall a man say to it? For thou hast ordained me to be as a redeemer in thy stead: and now must I tarry here still. It was thy will that I should serve in this office, to put the people in possession of the promised land: and why shall I not be partaker of the benefit that thou hast purchased them by my hand? What though there have been some little distrust in me, which continued not the turning of a hand? Is the offence so heinous, that I must be so grievously punished for that? Moses then might have held such plea with God: but he holdeth his peace, and yieldeth to the sentence of condemnation willingly. Therefore let us follow that which is showed us here by example: and (as I said afore) when GOD is so gracious to us, that in stead of casting of us away (as he might justly do) he doth no more but chastise us as in respect of the flesh, and shame us before men, to the end to bring us to repentance, and to humble us: