A17698:4310
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.
And therewithal we see the goodness of God here expressed after a wonderful manner, in that he entereth into a complaining and sorrowing, as if he were a man that could suffer: O that this people (saith he) had bin well advised. True it is that our Lord is not subject to our passions; but he useth such form of speech, to show that the love which §50he beareth us, surmounteth the love of all earthly fathers. And therefore it serveth in effect to do us to understand, that when we go wilfully into destruction, and reject the grace which was offered us to our salvation: then do we grieve the spirit of God,1 as is said in the Prophet Isaiah: and it is all one as if we strake God with a dagger, as he complaineth also by his Prophet Zechariah. That is one thing in effect, which we have to remember upon this place. And were all this well §60graven in our hearts; I pray you would it not make us to abhor all our sins? When a man is tempted by Satan to offend his God, if he would bethink himself of this point▪ and say; How now? Thou grievest thy God, thou givest him cause to enter into complaint and sorrow, like a father that conceiveth grief and anguish of mind when he sees his children unruly and unreformable: It is a wounding of him at the heart, and so likewise God telleth us that we grieve his spirit: If a man (I say) would bethink himself throughly of these things: although he had a heart of stone, yet would they break it and soften it. And this is the cause why that throughout all the holy Scripture he complaineth of this; that we greatly grieve him, when we are so wicked & unruly. Therefore let us advise ourselves well: & for as much as he is desirous to be our father, let us be to him as children. For it must needs be that Satan hath more than bewitched us, & that he rageth most terribly in us, if we be not moved at such kind of dealing. And it behoveth us so much the more to mark well this text, because our Lord condemneth men for that they are too senseless and brutish, and telleth them that they be too too blockish, in that they have not eye to their end: but specially for that he proceedeth so far, as to cloth himself with our humane passions, and lamenteth to see us perish wilfully, and that we cannot abide that he should deal like a father with us. That is one thing more which we have to mark upon this text.