A17698:301
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.
Here we see more fully the proof of the matter that I treated of §40yesterday: that God in chastising men, doth teach them to obey him, & by that means holdeth them in awe by force, because they would not submit themselves to §50him willingly: And secondly that he trieth their obedience, by reining them back, whereas we of our own nature are desirous to press forward, and to purchase our selves estimation. Moses then saith, that the people turned back after they had bin so beaten by their enemies: For before they could not be tamed by no means. God had commanded them what they should do: but we saw they rebelled for all that. When he said, be ye still: they were in a heat and would needs be running upon their enemies:§60 And when he said, go not: they would needs run faster than before. But were they once taught to their cost, and had God once performed his threatening, by making them to be overthrown by their enemies: then were they pliable enough: But it was all too late, as we commonly say in the proverb, a fool is never wise till he be well beaten. Now hereby we be taught how greatly it is for our behoof to be so dealt with. For except God bring us home to him by correction: it would be unpossible for us to be such as we ought to be, so as we would hearken to his voice and follow him whithersoever he commandeth us. Therefore we must be fain to be prepared with stripes of the rod.
HEre wee see more fully the proofe of the matter that I treated of §40yesterday: yt God in chastising men, doth teache them to obeye him, & by that meanes holdeth them in awe by force, because they would not submitte themselues to §50him willingly: And secondly that he tryeth their obedience, by reyning them backe, whereas wee of our owne nature are desirous to preace foreward, and to purchase our selues estimation. Moses then sayth, that the people turned backe after they had bin so beaten by their enemies: For before they could not bee tamed by no meanes. God had commaunded them what they should doe: but wee sawe they rebelled for all that. When he sayd, be ye still: they were in a heate and would needes be running vpon their enemies:§60 And when he sayde, goe not: they would needes runne faster than before. But were they once taught to their coste, and had God once performed his threatning, by making them to be ouerthrowen by their enemies: then were they plyable enough: But it was all too late, as we commonly say in the prouerb, a foole is neuer wise till he be well beaten. Now hereby we be taught how greatly it is for our behoofe to bee so dealt with. For except God bring vs home to him by correction: it would be vnpossible for vs to bee such as we ought to be, so as we would harken to his voyce and followe him whithersoeuer hee commaundeth vs. Therefore wee must be faine to be prepared with stripes of the rod.