A17698:4176
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.
Howbeit forasmuch as men do by all means possible plead ignorance, to the intent they might not come to account before God, nor be convicted or touched for their evil doings: Moses addeth; Ask of thy fathers, and they will teach thee what thou hast bin: Inquire of all thine Elders, and call to mind the time that is past. Here Moses meant to spurn forward the slothfulness of the Jews, because they did wilfully bury the grace of God, and took pleasure in the not minding of them. Now although he spake this to the Jews: yet notwithstanding, forasmuch as the same vice is common & ordinary through the whole world, and that we be too much attainted therewith: it standeth us in hand to think, that the holy ghost directeth the like accusation to us nowadays. For after what sort do we call Gods benefits ⟨p. 1115⟩to our mind? Do we bethink us of them evening & morning? Nay there is none of us all which shutteth not his eyes against them, as much as he can. To be short, nothing grieveth us worse, nothing troubleth us more, than to be bound unto God. And yet is that the thing wherein all our happiness consisteth. For it is not with him as with mortal men. If we be overmuch bound to a creature, we will be as it were ashamed of it. I am so much in such a mans debt say we, that I wot not §10how to requite it. But if we consider how liberal God hath bin to us, it is a mean to confirm us still the more in faith, & to make us the bolder to repair still unto him: for he is the fountain that never dryeth. Think we that God can ever be diminished in his grace, or in any goodness? Nay. And yet notwithstanding, our naughtiness is such, that when God hath bestowed never so great graces and benefits upon us, insomuch that we be as good as overwhelmed with them; all our seeking §20is to put them out of remembrance: let us mark well therefore, that Moses hath not without cause blamed the Jews, and that we nowadays have need to be blamed after the same manner, and to be pricked forward like Oxen and Asses.
Howbeit forasmuch as men doe by al meanes possible pleade ignorance, to the intent they might not come to account before God, nor be conuicted or touched for their euill doings: Moses addeth; Aske of thy fathers, and they will teach thee what thou hast bin: Inquire of all thine Elders, and call to minde the time that is past. Here Moses meant to spurne forward the slothfulnesse of the Iewes, because they did wilfully bury the grace of God, and tooke pleasure in the not minding of them. Now although he spake this to the Iewes: yet notwithstanding, forasmuch as the same vice is common & ordinarie through the whole world, and that we be too much atteinted therewith: it stādeth vs in hand to thinke, that the holy ghost directeth the lyke accusation to vs nowadayes. For after what sorte doe we call Gods benefites