A17698:3768
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 by the way we have to note, that the men which did so devour their own children, were not so blockish but that they were pinched §30with terrible heartbitings, and vexed with such furious fearfulness, as made them even to abhor that which they did. True it is that they were carried away by force, and had no reason in them; but yet for all that they had certain secret stings and prickings inwardly, and God held them as it were upon the rack or torture, as if he should have said unto them, What wilt thou do; thou wretched creature? It had bin better for thee to have bin borne afore thy time,§40 and that the earth had swallowed thee up a hundred times, than thou shouldest have committed so terrible a fact: but yet must necessity needs get the upper hand of thee. Let us mark therefore, that when we be not meekened by the hand of God, we must then fall into such a woodness, as shall overmaster us, and make us torment our selves without the help of any other executioner, so as every of us shall execute Gods vengeance upon himself, which he had scorned afore §50and scoffed at. I have said, that here is nothing spoken of, which hath not bin seen in effect: to wit, that the fathers have eaten their own children, and in like case the mothers. But like as the Jews had most exceedingly provoked God; even so came they to the fullness of iniquity, and consequently it behooved God so to utter his wrath toward them with extremity, as it was seen when they were besieged with their enemies; for then did they eat Pigeons dung,§60 and bought it by gold weight; ye shall see that they committed acts against nature in eating one another. But when they had once rejected the son of God, & had utterly cut themselves off from the hope of salvation by forsaking the redeemer upon whom were grounded all the promises which had bin made unto them concerning the goodness of God; then was it of necessity that those things should be the more accomplished. For if ye read the histories, even of them that were of the same nation, and which were present witnesses of the matter; ye would think that ye heard dreams or fables;
But by the way wee haue to note, that the men which did so deuour their owne children, were not so blockish but that they were pinched §30