A17698:4324
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 our Lord showeth what manner of fruits the Jews deserved to gather. As if he should say, that the vengeance which he intended to execute upon them, could not be found to be cruel, because there was nothing else in them but gall, bitterness, and all manner of poison. And because these figurative speeches might seem somewhat obscure:§10 he addeth, That they brought forth none other than the fruits of Sodom and Gomor. Whereby he doeth them to understand, that their wicked deeds were as shameful as the doings of those two Cities, the which it was Gods will to destroy with lightening from heaven, to give an everlasting example to the whole world. Now we see in effect what the meaning of Moses was. In deed some take this for punishment, saying that GOD §20would pay them with the like. As how? Namely that he would give them bitterness, sourness, anguish, and all manner of punishments to drink of. And true it is that the Scripture speaketh oftentimes so: for it likeneth all the chastisements which GOD sendeth upon men,1 unto drinks. Thou shalt drink of my cup. As how? I will send you of my spirit of giddiness, and of the spirit of rage and madness. Likewise in another text he sayeth,§30 I will feed you with heaviness and sorrow, and I will make you to drink of my wrath till ye burst. This kind of teaching then is rife enough in the holy scriptures. But in this text God hath a higher respect. Indeed it is true that he threateneth the Jews, but yet therewithal he showeth that he will punish them justly according to their offences. They that refer this to the heathen and Infidels, deceive themselves. For they took it, that God after §40he had punished his own people, would turn his wrath against those by whom he had served his turn, accordingly as we know that when God listed to execute his vengeance upon the Jews, he used the service of the heathen, stirring up sometime the King of Egypt, sometime the King of Assyria, and another while the King of Chaldee. Ye see then that the Infidels were the instruments of Gods wrath. Not that they minded to serve God in making those §50wars: but we know that God by his secret providence overruleth all things here below;