A17698:3510
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.
If the fornicators who are brutish in their fleshly lusts, can enjoy their pleasures, they welter in them, they are drunken with them, they are wholly bewitched by them. If a vain glorious man be in any dignity, and be advanced to any authority among men; he thinketh there is no other joy nor happiness, but to be in high estate. At the same point are all the despisers of God. And in the mean time the poor faithful ones are mocked: they are poor persons, they are set at naught, they hang their wings, they do nothing but drop and pine away in this world. These wretched souls (say some) are not well advised to take so much pains they know not why; for what profit have they for all their travail? It seemeth therefore that they which seek to serve God are greatly beguiled, and that the wicked bear the whole sway. But we must on the contrary side be throughly resolved herein as it is said in the prophet Isaiah,1 Say ye; Yet there is fruit for the just men, for they shall eat the fruits of their labours. The prophet Isaiah would have us to fight against this temptation. Insomuch that although the world laugh the Godly to scorn, & the wicked triumph over them: yet for all that the faithful should not be astonied; but conclude with themselves, and say: No no: the righteous man shall not loose his labour; he shall not be deceived of his expectation when he dependeth wholly upon the promises of God. The thing then which we have to gather upon this place is, that as often as we read the promises in the scripture where ⟨p. 925⟩it is said: Blessed is the man which feareth the lord, they which shall walk in the obedience of his word shall be blessed;2 blessed is he which walketh uprightly, and soundly with his neighbours: but specially they which renounce the world because they have a better inheritance in heaven: as often (I say) as we read these things, we must be confirmed in our faith, and answer with a good courage Amen, Lord, it is so: we reply not against that which thou hast said, we §10embrace thy promises in this place, and trust assuredly unto them. Thus ye see how every man ought to enforce himself to serve GOD, even because he beareth so gently with us, & commandeth us not so precisely as he might, having all authority over us, but applieth him self to our rawness to win us, and to enjoy us.