A17698:3912
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.
Then he addeth, That GOD will never be merciful to such a man: but his wrath shall kindle against §20him, and his indignation shall be moved at him, all the curses contained in the Book of the Law shall be heaped upon him and rest upon him, and he shall be cut off from the Tribes of Israel to his undoing. This is the same thing which I alleged erewhile out of the Prophet Isaiah,1 where God sweareth, that he will never forgive such people, as have so abused his patience, and made a jest and a scoff of the warnings that he gave them. As much also doeth Moses say thereof §30here, though in another phrase. God (saith he) will never forgive such a man. Hereby we are admonished, that although we have offended God, yet there is place to obtain mercy and forgiveness, so we be not hard hearted, but do lament, specially when we be admonished, and when men show us more plainly that we must repair to the goodness of God. When we deal so, then there is a convenient help already prepared for us. But contrariwise, if §40we continue in our stubbornness, and for the having of more liberty, do proceed to wilful stubbornness against all counsel, and become deaf to all the threatenings of the Scripture, bearing our selves in hand that there is no judge in heaven: when we deal so, let us not think that our Lord will suffer such stoutness, for it is too devilish. Needs must men have utterly forgotten what they are, when they can so provoke their Judge. GOD therefore §50will never forgive such a man. Now then, are we called to repentance? Let every of us bow down our necks, and be touched with such a fear of God's judgement, as may hold us in awe, and make us to repair to him when he calleth us, while we have time, and while the gate is open let us enter, for if GOD do once shut it, we may knock, and we may wail and howl as Esau did:2 but it is too late. To be short, Moses telleth us, that whilst we have mean and access to return unto §60him to obtain grace, we ought to steppe to it without mocking of his word: and that when we be exhorted by it to consider our sins, we ought to beware that we make a right confession of them, and not resemble other men which are so dull that they have no understanding of the vengeance of God wherewith they are beset.