A17698:468
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.
Whensoever we have §30offended him, (which thing we never cease to do) we must resort to the remedy, praying God to forgive us our sins and to show us mercy. God hath assured us that he is ready to do it. And seeing he hath promised it, our coming to him to seek favour must not be as though we wist not what would be the end of our request: but we must be fully resolved that he will show us favour indeed. Yet notwithstanding, if therewithal we desire him to release §40his chastisements: that is now another thing. For he may well pardon our faults, but yet in the mean while he will not cease to subdue us, until he perceive that our vices are corrected. I mean not as the Papists do, namely that God pardoneth the fault, and retaineth the punishment still, as they have surmised, saying that when God forgiveth men their sins, he ceaseth not in the mean while to execute his rigour upon them as a judge. It is nothing so. But §50God chastiseth us for our sins after he hath forgiven them, howbeit, not in way of punishment, but to make us look better to our selves & to be ware hereafter, so as we become not so unconstant as to return to the self same fault again. Then if God perceiving us to have need to be tamed, do list to chastise us: if we require of him simply & without condition, that he should by and by withdraw his hand: that request were out of square. For why? He perchance §60sendeth us some sickness or some other cross, & he knoweth that it is not enough for us to be sick a two or three days: and therefore the disease must continue and increase, until we be throughly cleansed of it. Therefore when we make any requests unto God, he must have the moderating of them. Why? For we know not his will: I know not what is meet for me, neither hath God given me any promise of it: now must I in this case stay my self, and refer my self to God in praying to him, I must patiently wait for such issue as he shall think good, and I must yield my self as a prisoner wholly to his will, utterly forsaking all mine own affections. Now then we see that where we be not sure of Gods will: we must not warrant our selves any thing upon our own heads, but we must go to it with condition, that God shall do to us as he listeth.
Whensoeuer wee haue §30