A17698:4389
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.
turneth his talk to such as were blind, & had not any knowledge or taste of the trueth, namely to the heathen, of purpose to make us to ⟨p. 1171⟩perceive the better, after what sort God causeth us to feel his goodness, even by experience, sealing it up in our harts by his holy spirit, which is named the •arnest penny and the seal of the hope of our salvation,1 & the causer of us to take hold of all the good things which we receive at Gods hand. Now then if we know nothing thereof, & that the infidels by beholding Gods wonderful working after a manner unaccustomed among men, be enforced to say, O what a thing §10is it to be of the number of Gods people ought not we to have a more lively knowledge thereof, & such as may comfort us in our afflictions, so as we may not cease to call upon our God to hold us continually under his obedience, and to have always wherewith to assuage the bitterness of our sorrows? Truly the thing that Moses rehearseth here is showed us in the example of Balaam. For he was a false Prophet, he was an enemy of God, he was such a one as had his §20tongue to sale and his heart upon his pouch, seeking to turn the trueth into falsehood, and yet for all this, as though God had held him upon the rack, he was enforced to utter this speech; Let my soul dye the death of the righteous.2 He speaketh there of the people of God, saying: Who art thou Israel? Who is he that can do any thing against thee, seeing thou standest in the favour of thy God? Was a deceiver and an underling of Satan fain to say so? Yea verily.§30 For it is Gods will that his will which he hath witnessed already to his people by his law and by his word, should be known, and further confirmed even by the mouth of his open enemy. Balaam was fain to say that the death of the Jews was more to be desired, than the life of all other men, because God held them for his people. So then, let us mark well, that whereas Moses saith, Ye Nations or ye Gentiles praise ye the people of God: it is as much to say, as declare