A17698:4610
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.
WE can well enough confess in one word the greatness and highness of God: but yet ye shall scarcely find one man of a hundred, which yieldeth unto God that which belongeth unto him. For every man will needs have his share of it, as though it were a booty or a pray.§60 For proof whereof, who is he that presumeth not either upon his own virtue, or upon his riches, or upon his courage, or upon his credit and authority? And by these means God is robbed of his glory. On the other side, if we perceive any danger, which of us trusteth and resteth upon God• which of us setteth his heart upon him? Nay, we be utterly dismayed. And what else betokeneth this, but that after we have declared with our mouth that God is almighty, that he governeth the world, that nothing can let him to perform what he listeth; we show by our doings that we believe none of all those things, or else that we be not fully & throughly persuaded of them? And therefore it is not for nought that the scripture doeth so magnify God unto us, declaring unto us that we cannot sufficiently consider his infinite highness and power which is in him to do whatsoever he hath ordained. ⟨p. 1229⟩And that is the thing whereunto Moses had an eye in this text where he said, There is none like unto God, ô right. This word is taken for Israel or for the Church, as we have seen heretofore.1 Now at the first blush a man would think that this doctrine were superfluous: specially being directed to such as even from their childhood were trained up in the law, and had the doctrine preached unto them. [A man would think (I say) that it were needless] to tell them §10that there is none like unto God. For who denieth it? But (as I have said already) it costeth nothing to say so; but yet for all that, we be so forepossessed with the leasings and darkness of our unbelief, that we cannot glorify God in such sort as to rest upon him, to call upon him, and to hold our selves persuaded and resolved, that all shall go well with us, so God do pity us.
WE can welynough confesse in one worde the greatnesse and highnesse of God: but yet yee shal scarcely find one man of a hundred, which yelde•h vnto God that which belongeth vnto him. For euery man will needes haue his share of it, as though it were a bootie or a pray.