A17698:4398
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.
Having rehearsed the song, now he addeth an exhortation. Set ye your minds (saith he) upon all the words of this Law. Here he showeth to what purpose and intent Gods will was to have the said song published: namely; that the people might know their own naughtiness, wherein they had continued a long time, and be reclaimed from it, and learn to mislike of their stubbornness, and thereupon to meeken their hearts that they might live in obedience to God. And this belongeth unto us, as whereof we may gather a general rule: which is, that whensoever our Lord entereth so into protestation & pleading against us, discovering our vices and bewraying the corruption that is in us: it is to the end to draw us to repentance, that knowing in what plight we be, we should humble our selves, and therewithal be more ready to receive the word of God, that whereas we were hardhearted and full of venom before, so as there was no entering into us to be found: our hearts might be disposed both to hear & to believe his sayings, and to be obedient to him in all cases. ⟨p. 1173⟩The end (say I) whereunto all the rebukes which God giveth us, in exhorting and quickening of us up, ought to serve to make us the better disposed to hear his word, because he seeth that naturally we would rather go backward than forward. This thing is declared here expressly by Moses, who having finished his song, sayeth, Set your hearts upon all the words of this law. Now the manner of speech which he useth, betokeneth that they should be attentive or give good ear.§10 And not without cause: according to his former discourse, where he saith that he wakeneth men after that fashion. For we see what negligence is in us. Although we pretend some zeal of profiting in Gods school: yet notwithstanding the doctrine is no sooner preached, but that not only the one half of it, but also the most part of it slippeth from us: in so much that even they that have profited best, do scarcely bear away the third part: and some others scarce one §20word. To be short, we be so light headed, that our wits are continually roving here & there, and we be at no stay to apply our selves wholly to the doctrine which is preached unto us in the name of God. But although we understand the things that are spoken, and can say them by heart: yet are not our hearts and affections ever the more given unto them.