A17698:3951
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.
Anon after, out of this, he raised a great multitude of people until that Jesus Christ himself was come. Be the wicked and the contemners of God and his law escaped thereby? No, God hath punished them. But now must we benefit our selves by this doctrine. For albeit that our Lord Jesus Christ hath appeared for the salvation of the world: yet must the Church remain until the end: we have the promise that cannot fail. But in the mean while we see the thanklessness which is too common in the world, yea and it so overfloweth ⟨p. 1048⟩the world, that GOD must needs withdraw his goodness, and exclude us from being partakers thereof, because we have thrust him far from us. And that is the cause of the desolation which is to be seen still in the Popedom at this day. The Papists would shield themselves against GOD and his word, by alleging that it is unpossible that God should forsake his Church: yea, but in the mean while they do not understand how they misbehave §10themselves against him, and are gone away from him, and cannot suffer him any way to come near them. And why? Because they drive away the Gospel from them with sword and fire, so as Jesus Christ hath no place with them, nor access unto them. We see therefore, how GOD at the first blush seemeth to root out those whom he had called, and nothing is to be seen but confusion, as if the Church were lost, and utterly wiped out of the §20world. Yet notwithstanding God keepeth his own, he knoweth how to accomplish his promise; which is, that the state of the Church be ever continuing: and we see the marks of it. For when it was to have bin thought that there was no more trueth in the world, and that the service of GOD had been altogether brought to nought, he did set up some doctrine again. In deed the number of them that believe the Gospel is little: yet nevertheless it is a matter §30that exceedeth all expectation, and it would never have been thought, that he would have wrought after that fashion, against all hope: insomuch that (as it is said in the Psalm) it might be said that it is as a dream,1 if a man consider how the Gospel hath been set up again. Yet notwithstanding it falleth out that the wicked, & they that are wilfully bent to evil, gain nothing by that which God doeth, for it is to their more confusion: