A17698:294
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.
As for example: When a man hath played the unthrift, GOD plucketh him back, (there are examples enough to be seen thereof commonly:) and when another hath bin given to gluttony and excess: another hath bin a whoremonger or a drunkard, and another hath bin a blasphemer: very well, God seeing men become such beasts, subdueth them by force, he sendeth them afflictions which last not for a day or a month only, but linger upon them a long time: whereupon the one sort take the bridle in their teeth, and chaw upon it with fretting and chasing against God, continue still sturdy and stubborn in their sins: the other sort grant that they have offended, and are sorry for it before God, beseeching him to vouchsafe to moderate his rigour, & to assuage the pains which they endure. And yet in the mean while, their misery abateth not, but they continue at the same stay that they were at before. It should seem then that their prayers are lost, & that God ⟨p. 59⟩gave deaf ear unto them. Now although such folk pray heartily: yet let us mark that Gods hearing of them is not to outward appearance. And why? Because he knoweth that it is good for them to be so under his rod still. Even so was it with this people: it was to their benefit for them to be put in mind of their lewd dealings every minute of an hour. But yet for all that, he faileth not to have compassion of them: for he giveth them patience, and afterward maketh §10their afflictions to do them good: insomuch that although they were irksome to them, yet did they stand them in stead of medicines. Ye see then that God doth sometimes hear us, and yet notwithstanding it appeareth not so to any mans thinking, yea and even we our selves may suppose that we have lost our time. True it is that God will surely reject the yellings of the wicked when they cry out unto him, and that he will laugh at their weepings: and it is not to be §20marvelled at. And yet in so doing he faileth not to accomplish his promise, which is, that he will hear all them that cry unto him.1 And why? For this promise belongeth to none but such as cry unto God rightly, and come not to him with windlasses and feigning, according to this express saying of the psalm,2