A17698:4103
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.
although thou seek starting holes, yet must thou be as it were pent up, and feel that God is against thee, & that thou shalt be more & more tormented, until thou turn again unto him. True it is that this is spoken of a witness that was against the people, and that it serveth to express the stubbornness which was in the children of Israel, as hereafter we shall see more at large. ⟨p. 1093⟩And surely although God vouchsafe to show us mercy, and would have us to hear his word, to the intent to bring us to repentance, yet must that word first be a witness against us. As for example, we shall never obtain favour of God until he have condemned us. And wherefore? Because we be wrapped in our sins, and do sooth and flatter our selves in them. Now so long as men do thus glory in themselves, or become careless, there is no place §10for mercy: for they make but a scoff of the goodness of GOD. Ye see then that we be shut out from all hope of salvation, until we be condemned of God. To bring this to pass, his word must discover our iniquities, and all our filthiness, and make us abashed and ashamed, and also drive us to feel the sorrows of death, and to see hell which is prepared for us. The point then whereat God beginneth when he meaneth to bring men to salvation,§20 is that he stirreth up his word for a witness to them, to make them to know that they be utterly forlorn and damned. Is that done? Then doth God admonish us, and give us Testimony of his good will; and not only lay us forth his doctrine, but also recite the process of all our faults. Now then, let us receive the word when it testifieth unto us our condemnation; that being drawn thereby to repentance, and altogether ashamed of our selves, we may obtain §30favour before GOD. Yet let us understand moreover, that when GOD doeth so frame our indictment, it is for our benefit: for he maketh us our own Judges, to the intent that he himself would not judge us, but surcease from it. Now if we will needs play the wild beasts, when as GOD testifieth our sins unto us; or else if we go to seek for leaves to cover us,1 that is to say, if we will needs scape his judgement by our lying §40