A17698:295
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 therefore his rejecting of the hypocrites when they cry unto him, is no counterworking against his promise: For they be unclean. In deed they howl, and they will not stick to say, alas my God, they will make lamentation enough: but forasmuch as they seek not God of a desire to come unto him, but in stead of coming to him, would recoil back from him if it were possible: their crying out, my God, is as though they were upon §40the rack. Now then, this howling of theirs is brutish, and hath no affinity with faith to do them good withal. But the thing that I told you of even now, hath another manner of thing in it: that is to wit, that [divers times] God will not hear us to deliver us from the bodily punishments that he sendeth us: and yet in the mean while he ceaseth not to be merciful and well minded towards us. And therefore let us bear in mind, that when our Lord sendeth us §50any diseases, so as one is stricken with poverty, another is smitten after another fashion, and every man hath his grief: if we pray unto him, and the misery is as though it were tied to our shoulders, and he maketh no countenance to hear us: it is not to be said therefore that God letteth us alone therein, to drive us to despair. But if we bear the adversity patiently which he sendeth, let us look to be delivered of it in the end: and in the mean while let it suffice us to §60be comforted by his holy spirit, and let us hope that he will not suffer us to be tempted above that which we be able to bear.1 Thus ye see how God heard not the peoples cry, and yet that they which have sought him with a true and right-meaning heart, have not lost their labour. God showed not by outward deed, that he heard them, and yet in the mean while he made their bodily punishment to serve to the welfare of their souls: insomuch that albeit they lingered there by the space of forty years: yet were they not disinherited of the kingdom of heaven. Whereas they were disappointed of the land that was promised them: therein they felt Gods wrath: but yet did they overcome that temptation through faith: I mean them that came again into the right way, and grew not hard hearted as the most part did, which did nothing else but chafe upon the bit, as we have seen afore.
And therefore his reiecting of the hipocrites when they cry vnto him, is no counterworking against his promise: For they bee vncleane. In deede they houle, and they will not stick to say, alas my God, they will make lamentation enough: but forasmuch as they seeke not God of a desire to come vnto him, but in stead of comming to him, would recoyle backe from him if it were possible: their crying out, my God, is as though they were vppon