A17698:335
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 let us note further, that although God bestowed his blessings so largely upon those two Nations: yet they were never the better for it, but became so much the more unexcusable ⟨p. 69⟩in the end. For surely their unthankfulness showed it self in that they knew not that God spared them. Let us mark well then, that Gods preserving of us in this world, and his defending of us with his hand, and his making of us to scape our enemies hands, and his sustaining of us through his favour, is not all [that we ought to desire]. For the having of all this will boot us nothing at all, if we want the principal: which is, that God be merciful to us,§10 that we call upon him, that we refer our selves wholly unto him, and that we know him to be our father, not to maintain us here for a two or three days only: (for this life is but a little shadow that glideth away out of hand): but to be our everlasting Saviour, and that we walk in such wise under his awe, as we not only look to be guided by him for a little while: but also that he should gather us to him in the end, so as when he hath made us to pass §20through this world, at the last we shall have a much better inheritance which is prepared for us in heaven. When we once know this, we have all. And that will make us to enjoy these earthly blessings to our welfare. Otherwise they shall be turned into a curse: Insomuch that they to whom GOD hath done most good, shall be found most blameworthy before him. And why? Because they have abused them. For we do wickedly corrupt all Gods benefits,§30 when we be not led and provoked by them to honour him for them, and to put our selves wholly into his hands, to flee to him for refuge. Let us then put this doctrine in ure: and while we pass through this world, let us not devour the benefits that God sendeth us, to become brute beasts here, poring with our muzzles upon the ground: but rather let us lift up our heads to heavenward, and consider that God calleth us to him, and that it is to no purpose §40to have had some earthly prosperity, except we go further, that is to wit unto our GOD, to be knit unto him for ever. Thus ye see what we have to bear in mind.