A17698:594
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.
But yet for all that, the cloud is still before his face, to make men know their own rudeness. Again forasmuch as we be overfickle and would know double as much as is lawful for us, insomuch that we attempt to know the things that are unpossible to be known: therefore did God cast a great and thick cloud between himself and the people. And if we were throughly persuaded hereof, it would be as a key to open us the understanding of the whole holy scripture. For why? Whensoever we came to the reading or hearing of it, we should be sure that our Lord jesteth not when he speaketh after that manner, and when he protesteth thus by his prophet Isaiah:1 I have not spoken it in secrete, neither have I said it in vain, that men should seek me. Therefore whosoever heareth me, and receiveth the trueth that I tell him, shall not be disappointed in seeking me. Thus ye see that we shall profit, if we bear well in mind that GOD manifesteth himself unto us, so far forth as is behoofefull for our souls health. And besides this, we should with all singleness reverence the things that we comprehend not, we should every of us walk according to the measure of his faith, and we should continually endeavour to come nearer and nearer unto him and to gather strength. And moreover if the things were too high for us:2 very well, we would (as Saint Paul warneth us in the third to the Philippians) tarry till God showed them more plainly, and yet in the mean while not cease to glorify ⟨p. 131⟩him. But we see the clean contrary. For under pretence that Gods word seemeth dark, many shrink from it, and make a defence of it to excuse their ignorance withal. Othersome again do rush forward with devilish presumptuousness, to seek out things that God hath not revealed, and through unsatiable desirousness of knowledge, do pick out new questions every minute of an hour, and if they may not see all things at will, they bend their horns against §10God as we see these rascals do, which spew out their blasphemies when Gods secrets seem strange to them after their own fancy. If they conceive not Gods eternal election▪ if they perceive not how he chooseth the one sort & refuseth the other even according to his will: if they understand not how he disposeth of his creatures, and that nothing happeneth but by his good will: