A17698:3673
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.
But let every one look to himself, and see if the customablenesse of sicknesses cause us not to turn our back upon God, & to have the less regard of his judgements and of our own sins, so as none of us findeth any fault with himself. Thus much touching the common and usual sicknesses. And as for the extraordinary diseases, we see how men are hardened by them also. I pray you have we not seen that God within these fifty years hath brought up new diseases, against whoredom? Whence cometh the pocks and all these other filthy diseases, which are not to be reckoned up at this time? Whence come all these things but from GOD, who uttereth such vengeance as erst was never known? The world wondered at it, and for a time, men were greatly afraid of it: but yet of all this while they have had no consideration of the hand of God. And at this day it is become so ⟨p. 972⟩ordinary a matter, that the despisers of GOD, I mean the lecherous sort and the whore hunters, which give over themselves to all lewdness, do but wring their groins at it. Though GOD smite them with that kind of leprosy (for it is a kind of leprosy in very deed) so as they be eaten with the fretting thereof and with other filthiness; yet they cease not to follow their trade still and to mock at it: and truly it seemeth a very strange case, that §10such a punishment of GOD should be so turned to a scoff. What a jesting make they nowadays of their baudry when they be thus punished at the hand of God? How cometh it to pass, that they themselves do make a jesting and scoffing at it, as it were in spite of God, and that whereas he calleth them to humble themselves in sackcloth and ashes, they do but blurt out their tongues at him, and are so far from being ashamed of their doings, that §20even as it were in spite, they make a sport of their own filthiness and miseries. We see then how froward men be, seeing that they can profit no better in Gods school. I mean not in the school of his doctrine, where he speaketh unto them, but when he smiteth with heavy strokes, and also raiseth up wars and troubles, which ought to make men besides themselves for fear: but yet in the mean while this is not written in vain. Let us therefore §30be better advised: and when GOD sendeth us any strange diseases;