A17698:4047
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.
Moreover he showeth that when God calleth us to any charge, he doth also give us the ability to accomplish that which he commandeth us. And this is a necessary doctrine. What is the cause that men be so fearful, that if they see but a shadow, by and by they be amazed and at their wits end how to do the things which they know to belong to their office? They see well enough whereunto God hath called them; and yet for all that they shrink away their shoulders: and what causeth that? Even that cursed distrust of ours, in that we consider not that God doth guide us, and that he hath his hand evermore stretched out to help us, so we walk simply, and do out endeavour to obey him, and follow him quietly, having regard to our office and calling. And so it is a lesson whereof we can not be too mindful, which is meant in these words: Thy God will not forsake thee. And well ought we to put the same in ure. For it is a Testimony, that God will never give them over, whom he setteth a work, but that he will give them power, & bless them, & make the success of their travail to be good and happy, if they stay upon him and lean unto ⟨p. 1077⟩him. Yea and we see that in the epistle to the Hebrews,1 the Apostle extendeth the same yet further, where he saith, Let your hearts be far from covetousness, and know ye that it is written, The Lord will not forsake you. Whereby he showeth us, that whereas we use so many wicked trades; and whereas treason, cruelty & malice do lead us into such extremities, that we fling overthwart the fields, and walking in bypaths do follow our own disordered lusts:§10 the wellspring of all these vices is that we put not our trust in God; neither is it throughly well sealed in our hearts with any certain assuredness that the Lord is near unto us, and that he will never forsake us. And therefore seeing we have no stay, but be so wavering & carried away with unquietness, yea & set on fire, and our lusts be as a thousand furnaces continually burning within us, because we have not our trust in God; let us learn to commit ourselves to his providence, & to §20hold ourselves assured that he will not fail us: & then shall we find the thing that is told us here: namely, that every man in his vocation may be assured that God will be always present with him. Is a man charged with a household?