A17698:423
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.
What is our force to beat back such enemies? Again on the other side, we need never to seek out of our selves wherewith to be overcome.§10 For every of us doth nothing else but labour to overthrow our selves.1 All the affections and all the thoughts that we have, are enemies to God and to our own salvation. Therefore although we had no enemies to assail us without us: yet are we overthrown already by our selves within. Yea verily, but when as our Lord telleth us that his strength shall dwell in us: that is the thing whereat we must take courage. And it shall be no presumption to proceed §20after that sort, as the Papists [bear men in hand: which] say it is a folly for men to assure themselves, and that we must always hang in doubt. By means whereof they set up their own freewill, and all the other dotages invented by themselves, which are no better than illusions of Satan wherewith he hath bewitched them. And hereupon they say yet still, O, God will help us. Yea but they have not his promises: or at leastwise they regard them not.§30 And in good faith they be forepossessed with this devilish imagination, that they are able to do much, and that they have such strength in them, as they may well be Gods fellows. And yet for all that, their hoping is but off and on at aladuenture. But in the mean while they accuse us of presumption, when we rest all only upon Gods promises, assuring our selves that we can do nothing at all, and that there is not one whit of strength in us. Whereas we wait for §40the things which our good God hath promised us of his own free goodness, even without presuming any whit at all of our selves, but only hoping for the performance of that which he hath spoken, accordingly as he hath vouchsafed to bind himself by his promises: must it not needs be that the divill hath put out the Papists eyes quite and clean, when they term such belief presumptuousness, whereas it is grounded upon nothing but Gods promises?§50 [yes verily.] But as I said afore, let us go on boldly, and not doubt but that God can deliver our enemies into our hands. Although it seem that they should catch us in their paws, and utterly destroy us: yet hath God delivered them into our hands before the battle: and with such certainty doth it become us to fight always against Satan. Truly if we look upon the state of the faithful: