A17698:4081
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.
yet nevertheless, it is not superfluous, neither ought we to say that God doeth §30dally, or that he doeth mock us: for he doeth the office of a teacher toward us, & telleth us what his will is. Wherefore let us desire him, not only to teach us by the mouth of men, but also to print his word in our hearts, and to make it prevail, to the end it be not in vain. Such request must we make, sith we see what is contained in the song of Moses. Moreover we must honour the wonderful providence of God, in that it is said unto us, that the foreseeth §40what shall befall unto men, & yet notwithstanding taketh no order for the redress thereof, as we would if he should follow our appetite. It seemeth a stranger matter at the first sight, that God should say, This people will run a whoring, and go and defile themselves with strange Gods. He saith it, and yet he giveth none other remedy but a song, of purpose that this people should be condemned by their own mouth. And wherefore doth he not §50rather prevent the mischief? For he might do it. But (as I have said already) it is not for us to enter into disputation in this case: for surely all they that use such arrogance & boldness, shall find themselves confounded. What must we do then? We must stoop & honour the glory of God which is incomprehensible to us, & suffer our selves to be governed by him. And whereas he knowing mens lewdness aforehand, doth nevertheless suffer them to rot therein until he §60provide for it: we must understand that he doth it justly, though the reason thereof be unknown and hidden unto us. We in deed will ever be grunting at it, until we be subdued unto such humility & reverence, as to conclude that God is just, & that we know not what is good for us, except that God reveal it unto us. Now then if we have not this modesty and sobriety in us, there will always seem to be some cause for us to grunt at: But yet must we ever be confounded, according as it is said in the 51. Psalm, that when men have condemned God,1 yet his righteousness shall not be a whit diminished thereby, but he will well defend it. Seeing it is so, let us beware that we enter not into such boldness as to reply against God, and to move the questions which many people in the world at this day do move, like these mastiff dogs which cease not to bark against God when they cannot byte him: