A17698:3936
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.
In deed it is true that GOD punisheth privy faults, for he reserveth many sins to his own punishing. We see that Idolaters do blear out their tongues, and make a mock, when they have rushed out into all manner of naughtiness: for their iniquity is not yet ripe. Yet notwithstanding, God taketh order that some crime shall come to knowledge, and be justly punished, that they which see it, shall be compelled to say, that it was right. This is very true. But Moses meant not so: for that were too bare a matter for this place. The thing that he meaneth in effect is this; That God hath his secretes to himself, and that unto us & unto our children he hath uttered his law, which is an apparent matter: as if he should say, that we must put a difference between that which is contained in holy scripture, and that which GOD hath hidden from us, of which also we have neither doctrine nor Testimony. We must put a difference between those two things. True it is, (as I have said) that all the doctrine of holy scripture surmounteth our capacity, and is too high for us, were it not that God did enlighten our minds. Notwithstanding, how soever the world go with us, yet when God uttereth a thing unto us, then he calleth it an open matter. Why? Because he would have us to apply our selves to the same. And thereunto he addeth a promise, that they shall not be disappointed; according to this saying of his by his Prophet Isaiah: It is not in vain that I have said,1 seek me; As if ye should say; that all they which are desirous to be instructed in the word of God shall know his will by the same, neither will he suffer them to err, or to be deceived. Thus ye see how ⟨p. 1044⟩all things that God hath revealed unto men, are called open matters. And why? Because it is not a doctrine laid up in huckermucker, but a matter that ought to be known to all men. Now we understand, what Moses meant. Under colour that we must not be too inquisitive of Gods secretes through too much curiosity, the world becometh brutish, and is well appayed to have some excuse of ignorance: the Idolaters yea even the veriest idiots of them §10can skill to say, Let Gods secretes alone. And to what end? Verily to the intent that men should seek for nothing. O, beware, we must not know too much. Not but what mean you by that?