A17698:4110
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.
Here GOD §20entereth into disputation with the people because they were so defiled with Idolatry and had perverted all together. Go to (saith he) let us now plead together; my people, what have I done to thee that thou shouldest complain? I have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, I have stretched out my mighty hand to deliver thee from thence, I have led thee, and directed thee, I fed thee in the wilderness, I caused Manna to come from heaven, I gave §30thee the food of Angels: and when thou wast come into the land which I had promised thee, I fought against thine Enemies, and I gave thee victory against them all. But these be not the chief matters: I have moreover given thee my Law, which is the covenant of life and salvation, I have given thee my Sacrifices, to the intent thou shouldest have a Testimony that it is not without cause, that I would have you to my self. Also I have made thee to find so §40great riches of my bounty, that it is impossible to value the benefits which I have bestowed on thee: and doest thou now fall to despising me, and to breaking thy faith, and to turning away after strange Gods? Is this the recompense that I look for? If a man do plant him a vine and tend it; he meaneth to eat and drink the fruit thereof. And if the vine do yield a strange and a bitter fruit, to choke the master withal, what will come of it? Deserveth not such a vine §50to be quite plucked up? Let us therefore bethink our selves, and not tarry till our Lord accuse us to have grieved his holy Spirit:1 but let us turn this text to our profit. And for as much as we know by experience, that he is a liberal father unto us; let it move us to soften our hearts, how heard soever they be, that we may learn to give over our selves wholly to him. Thus ye see whereto this Text ought to serve us where it is said, I will set them in the Land which I §60have promised to their fathers, they shall be nourished there and made fat, and they shall turn away unto strange gods. And therefore seeing that GOD maintaineth us, let us suffer him also to guide and govern us, until he hath brought us to that eternal inheritance, which he hath promised us, and which we look for.