A17698:3655
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.
Concerning the curses, he saith: Thou shalt be cursed in the town, thou shalt be cursed in the field, thy coming in shall be cursed, thy going forth §50shall be cursed, the fruit of thy womb shall be cursed, and the fruit of thy cattle and of all thy flocks. Hereby are we again done to understand, that all the evil which we see in this world, proceedeth from the hand of God. By the word evils I understand all the punishments, and all the wretchedness whereunto we be subject, according also as he speaketh thereof by his Prophet Isaiah,1 saying: I am the Lord which made both light and darkness, which have in my power §60both life and death, and which doeth both the good and the evil. He useth this kind of speech purposely: not that the evil, whereof we be faulty, doeth proceed from God, nor that it ought to be imputed unto him: it is not so. But he meaneth that all the miseries and calamities which we suffer in this world, be as it were so many chastisements: we may not attribute them to haphazard, as shall be more plainly touched hereafter;2 where God sayeth, If you will needs come against me at all adventure, I will in like wise come against you at all adventure. He useth the same very words. And wherefore? Because that men do blear their own eyes, and say; Lo, what misfortune is befallen me? When they be any ways afflicted, they cast out spiteful speeches against God and overshoot themselves, not considering that God is a Judge, and governeth the world by his providence; they are not able to perceive that, so dull and senseless be they. And that is the cause why Moses useth this kind of declaration, and so large in this text. And it serveth to bring us to that which I alleged even now out of the Prophet Isaiah; where GOD showeth that he made both light and darkness, and did both the good and the evil. We may not here conceive vain thoughts, saying, Whence cometh this unto me? It is a misfortune. Would God it were not so. But we must acknowledge the hand that smiteth us; for that is great wisdom. And for the same cause doeth God complain thus by his other Prophet:3 This people have not regarded the hand that smote them. Ye see then how we must understand that all the afflictions and miseries which we endure in this world, be very strokes of Gods own hand.