A17698:3507
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 secondly it remaineth that seeing God hath chosen us out, & set us apart for his service, we may not take liberty to all manner of wickedness, but endeavour to obey him. For this cause we must be quickened up and pricked forward by his promises to serve him. Thus ye see how the conditional promises shall not be in vain in respect of us: ⟨p. 924⟩namely, when they are referred unto the freebestowed goodness of God, whereby he receiveth us although we be not worthy to be received: and secondly he imputeth not our vices unto us: but although there be many stains and corruptions in us, yet he hideth them and will not call them to account. And so we see now in what sort God encouraged the people of Israel to be of good comfort. For if he had begun thus with them and said: Serve me & you shall be well recompensed §10for your labour, if God should speak this simple word unto us, alas what should we do? For when we would think to serve him, we should be very far from the perfectness which he commandeth us: they which should run best would be but in the midway, when they ought to be come to their ways end. We should therefore all be discouraged rather than have any good hart. But we must join both these things together, to wit, that he will not deceive us in any thing, & secondly that §20he bindeth us to serve him, & declareth that he will bear with us in our infirmities, & not deal severely with us to pay us as we have deserved, but use a fatherly goodness. Now hereupon we may be of good comfort to serve him, when we may say, Surely it is true Lord, that I discharge not my self of the hundredth part of my duty towards thee, but howsoever the world goeth, yet thou wilt not fail to accept me because thou respectest not what I do, but takest a pleasure in me as in thine own §30child. Ye see then how God pardoneth us, and regardeth not our faults & imperfections which are in the service that we yield unto him. So we serve him not hypocritically, but of an unfeigned good will, he liketh of all that we do, and rewardeth us for it. Sith we hear this, let us bestow our pains, let us receive the bridle into our mouths (as they say) and let us go on; & although we be hindered by the vices of our flesh, yet let us enforce ourselves to go on further. And why? For we shall §40