A17698:3444
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.
In deed when men are come to the fullness ⟨p. 907⟩of all wickedness, they have no longer any remorse of conscience (as S. Paul saith,1) they make no conscience of doing any thing as we see these robbers which are altogether brutish, and not only such as beset the high ways, but those also which are given to pilling and polling; they are so settled in cruelty, that they make no conscience of doing any thing. The adulterers likewise, after the devil hath once blinded them, are no longer ashamed of their own filthiness. As §10much is to be said of all others, which are set to follow their carnal affections and desires. These seem to have no feeling nor remorse of conscience at leastwise as in respect of themselves. But yet in the mean time God presseth them in such wise, that spite of their teeth they are constrained to have within them many blind sights, they are awaked when they would rest, and they have secret stings which torment and vex them,2 as the Prophet Isaiah sayeth, That the §20wicked man hath no peace, & that his thoughts are as the waves of the sea which meet together, and beat themselves one against another. In this case are all such as offend God. So then it is not without cause that it should be said: I have not eaten of it with anguish of my heart: as if it were said: Lord I have not eaten my bread in such sort, that I have bin touched with any remorse of having given any thing unto thee feignedly, or of having kept back the offerings which §30thou hast commanded me to make. Now hereby we are warned, so to content our selves with that which God giveth us, as that no prick of conscience might grieve us for keeping back other mens goods. Yea but in the mean while we must note also, that we must be diligent in considering what we have done: for they that flatter themselves may well protest that they have no anguish in their hart; but in the end it must needs be stirred up by God, and they must feel his anger in despite of their §40•eeth, & know how guilty they are in his sight. Let us therefore on our part take good heed, and consider whether we have wronged any man: & let us eat our bread in such sort as we may truly declare before God, that we have neither remorse nor prick of conscience.