A17698:4383
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.
If your God afflict you in the mean season, let it not seem strange unto you. For he must needs have a special care of his own children §60& chastise them seeing he hath adopted them. And as for your enemies, assure your selves that their turn will come about: and thereof your GOD assureth you here, in that he doth not simply affirm it, but also swear it. Therefore you may trust unto it. So then even in the middest of our afflictions▪ let us be upheld with this lesson. For it will be a good stud for us to lean unto, when we make it available as it deserveth, and as God himself intendeth it. Now we see the state of the faithful to be too too miserable both generally and particularly: for many of them endure such miseries and reproaches in this world, that to all seeming they be utter castaways, and that God disdaineth them no less than the world despiseth them. Behold they which walk purely & simply before God, which love righteousness and upright dealing, which will neither deceive nor hurt any man; even they nevertheless are fain to abide hunger and thirst, and are grieved with many temptations and troubles, so as they wot not which way to turn them. Now they might be brought to despair, if God withheld them not, by doing them to understand that they have need to be chastised, and put in mind of their sins. On the other side they see the wicked and the despisers of God sporting themselves in all manner of disorder, and in the mean while they be neither chastised nor corrected, but seem rather to be exempted and privileged from all harm,1 as it is said in the threescore and thirteenth psalm. Lo here a very sore temptation. We see generally that Gods Church is as a sheep in the midst of a great sort of Wolves. For the power of our enemies is such, as they might swallow us up out of hand, and we see there is no mean of resistance in us, we be all scattered abroad. Seeing then that we see such things, were it possible for us to hold out one minute of an hour, if we had not our refuge to this doctrine, that God scourgeth his own, and that he beginneth at them, because he must needs have a care of his own household? But the wicked shall fare never the better for his bearing with them as now, neither is it to be said that their state is therefore better than ours.
If your God afflict you in the meane season, let it not seeme straunge vnto you. For hee must needes haue a speciall care of his owne children