A17698:3664
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.
For then shall we be safe though all the world conspired our destruction. And albeit that our enemies be never so mighty and strong, and fully minded in their malice to destroy us utterly: yet is it sufficient that God doth warrant us and that albeit we have no succour of men, yet are we sufficiently fortified by his only power. But if we proceed to offend him: and he seeth that when he hath spared us to recover us unto him; we have leaver to be adversaries unto him §20and to continue in our rebellion: then after he hath borne with us long enough, he must needs bring us to this point of being consumed by the hand of our enemies. And although others seem as wicked as we, & that God do not prospe•• them more than us: let not that deceive us. For God will sometime give victory to the wicked, which be no better than we, but peradventure worse; yet will he not fail to destroy us by their hands, and yet they shall have their §30turn as well as we. But in the mean while, we must not think that this threatening is delivered in vain. Therefore let us not compare ourselves with others, saying, O, are not they offenders aswell as we? And hath not GOD good cause to punish them? Yes, he hath fo• but he knoweth the due time and season, and he can use them as seemeth good to himself: but let us prepare ourselves to abide his blows, if we stop our ears against his threatenings,§40 and sleep when he would waken us. For if we give no credit to his threatenings, we must feel by effect, that he which pronounceth them, hath power to put them in execution, and that he speaketh not, as they say, to scar little children. It is certain that GOD will threaten often, before he execute judgement. But therein let us consider his long patience in tarrying for us.1 And if we abuse the same, it will be nought else but a heaping up and a doubling §50of Gods wrath towards us: insomuch that it had been better for us that he had rooted us •ut the first day, than so long to have forborne us. Let scoffers say, that respite is worth gold. But there is no respite so long which we would not redeem with a hundred deaths, if it were possible, when we have been so stubborn against our GOD, and so disobedient to his word, that we have made but a laughing matter of his giving of some token of his anger.