A17698:2696
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 in the mean while we see how the wicked do mock both God and the world, & harden themselves in their lewdness, because they be not called forth to Justice for it, nor are punished for it. For sometimes they be born with, and sometimes also our Lord holdeth them at that stay to increase their condemnation. Yet notwithstanding let not us be tempted to resemble them, neither let us be grieved at their escaping so from the hands of men, and that they be not condemned out of hand by order of justice. For what shall they gain by it? So little is their market mended by it, that it shall serve to increase their confusion before God, as hath been said already. If our Lord bring a mans sin to knowledge, it will surely grieve him at the first, and when he shall be driven to his shifts, it will make him to look about him and to think thus with himself: What though I am fallen and have committed this fault? Is it reason that men should come and rebuke me thus roughly at the first dash? I see such a one haunt these things more than I, and I see such a one offend more grossly than I, and yet they scape unpunished. I in the mean while have chanced to make a scape, rather of oversight than of any evil purpose; and must men be so rough and fierce upon me? Such complaints and murmurings shall a man hear; or if the party that is grieved make not complaint ⟨p. 701⟩after that manner before men, yet faileth he not to repine in his heart. But we regard not the foresaid things as we ought to do. And therefore our Lord perceiving us to be in danger of falling asleep, if our misdoings should be suffered and let slip at the first: putteth us into the hands of men to be corrected by Justice. And his so doing is for our benefit. For we must always come back to this saying, that God chastiseth those whom he loveth, showing §10thereby that he hath his eye upon them as upon his children, & that therefore he holdeth them the nearer to him. That is the thing whereunto it would behove us to have an eye. Nevertheless if our Lord give the wicked the bridle, so as they heap sin upon sin before it come to the knowledge of men, & no countenance is made towards them of punishing them: it is an increasing of their condemnation, by rankling in their own poison, & the devil wholly driveth them §20into a reprobate sense, until they be come to their full measure.