A17698:3807
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.
When men are come to this point, and that their life, (notwithstanding that it be allowed of men,) is nevertheless heinous and detestable before God, and moreover §40they have no taste of his fatherly love, nor of the care that he hath of other men, but they be as in the dungeon of despair: when men (I say) be come to such an extremity, it were better for them that they had been borne before their time, and that they had never enjoyed this present life. And even that is the very cause why we hear it threatened that they shall say, O ye mountains fall upon us; and that they shall wish that the bottom less pits had §50swallowed them up.1 And why? For they find that all creatures be against them, when they have no more access to God. When men perceive once that he will not maintain them, but showeth himself to be armed against them: then do they understand that all creatures be their enemies, and it grieveth them to behold the sun: then be they so possessed with fear, that they wish there were no world at all: or rather that they were rooted out of it.
When men are come to this point, and that their life, (notwithstanding that it bee allowed of men,) is neuerthelesse hainous and detestable before God, and moreouer §40they haue no tast of his fatherly loue, nor of the care that he hath of other men, but they be as in the dungeon of despaire: when men (I say) bee come to such an extremitie, it were better for them that they had beene borne before their time, and that they had neuer enioyed this present life. And euen that is the verie cause why wee heare it threatened that they shal say, O ye mountaines fall vpon vs; and that they shall wish that the bottom lesse pittes had §50swallowed them vp.1 And why? For they finde that all creatures bee against them, when they haue no more accesse to God. When men perceiue once that hee will not maintaine them, but sheweth himselfe to bee armed against them: then do they vnderstand that al creatures be their enemies, and it gr•eueth them to behold the sunne: then be they so possessed with feare, that they wishe there were no worlde at all: or rather that they were rooted out of it.