A17698:494
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.
And besides this, let us assure our selves that God furthereth our souls health, in refusing to grant us the things that he knoweth to be unmeet for us. We see that divers times he granted the disobedient their desires:1 but that was not to their benefit. It had bin much better for them to have gone without them, and that God had said them flat nay of them. Contrariwise, when he denieth our requests, and maketh us to perceive that it is not reason that our lusts should range unbridled, and we have all that our fancy runs upon: his making of us to perceive all this, is to our benefit. As for example, if a child have a fickle head, (as commonly all children lack discretion) and desire his father some fond or evil thing: if his father let him have his swing like a goose: he putteth the halter about his neck, by cockering of him too much. But if he show him a grim look, and make him perceive that he is a lightheaded boy, without wit or discretion: his child will be the better for it afterward, and this correction whereby his foolish appetite is repressed, will do him good. Even so doth God towards us: for he knoweth it is much better for us to have our lusts subdued, than to give them too much liberty. And that is the cause why he did so precisely deny Moses request.
And besides this, let vs assure our selues that God furthereth our soules health, in refusing to graunt vs the thinges that he knoweth to be vnmeete for vs. Wee see that diuers times hee granted ye disobedient their desires:1 but that was not to their benefite. It had bin much better for them to haue gone without them, and that God had sayd them flat nay of them. Contrariwise, when hee denyeth our requestes, and maketh vs to perceiue that it is not reason that our lustes shoulde raunge vnbrideled, and wee haue all that our fancie runnes vppon: his making of vs to perceiue all this, is to our benefite. As for example, if a childe haue a fickle head, (as commonly all children lacke discretion) and desire his father some fond or euill thing: if his father let him haue his swindge lyke a goose: hee putteth the halter about his neck, by cockering of him too much. But if hee shewe him a grim looke, and make him perceiue that he is a lightheaded boy, without wit or discretion: his child will be the better for it afterward, and this correction whereby his foolishe appetite is repressed, wil do him good. Euen so doth God towards vs: for hee knoweth it is much better for vs to haue our lustes subdewed, than to giue them too much libertie. And that is ye cause why he did so precisely deny Moses request.