A17698:3734
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.
Behold how God dealeth with his children, instructing us thereby, that there is no rest in this world, and that our happiness is in heaven, and it is thither that we ought to lift up our hearts.1 And again, if this happen to the green trees, what shall become of the dry wood? If God spare not them which have endeavoured to follow his word,2 as appeareth unto us, what shall become of the scorners thereof, as saith the Prophet? If judgment begin at the house of God: miserable then shall they be which have hardened themselves against him. Saint Peter also doeth admonish us to put the same in ure.3 And so ye see how we ought to deal in this matter. Moreover, if we have patience, and meekness and be apt to be taught, it is certain that we shall evermore feel a taste of the goodness of God in the middest of the afflictions which he sendeth us. True it is that oftentimes we shall be put in fear by them. There will be a kind of unquietness in us which will so vex us that we shall think our selves utterly forlorn unless GOD withdraw his hand very quickly. If he prolong our afflictions; then we be altogether blank, our courage faileth us: so that if we be not held in with the fear of God, and with patience, to be altogether quiet under his hand: we be evermore wandering. But if we hold us still there, then shall we understand that he chastiseth us in his mercy and goodness: according as it is said in the Prophet Habakkuk,4 That the faithful after they have been in heaviness, do in deed understand, that God doeth nevertheless uphold them, and forgetteth them not but doeth always temper & mitigate their afflictions, so as they feel his fatherly goodness towards them, and therewithal do comfort themselves, and can well say with David, Lord if thou wilt be angry, it is but for a little while:5 but thy goodness endureth all our life long. Behold (I say) here we may always have matter wherewith to cheer our selves, and to rejoice in the middest of our afflictions: so as we may perceive indeed that our Lord will not fail to be merciful unto us, notwithstanding that he useth some rigour toward us, to try our patience, and to quicken us up to come unto him, and to labour to