A17698:106
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.
As if he should say, that a man shall never be meet to govern, unless he have soundness in him, so as he be not hollow-hearted, but walk on with a good con science.§10 And because that bribes do blind the eyes of the wise, and make good men to swerve from uprightness: he saith that if we will have men fit to bear authority, they must hate covetousness and despise the goods of this world, so as they can find in their hearts to forbear them. Seeing then that such a lesson is told us by a heathen man: I pray you what a shame shall it be, that we which profess our selves to be brought up in the law of God and in his Gospel, & have §20our ears so much beaten with it, should still be novices in the doctrine, or at leastwise put it so ill in practise among us? And yet for all that, if we use it not to our profit, it is written to be kept to our great confusion, & to make us unexcusable.
As if he should say, that a man shall neuer be meete to gouern, vnlesse he haue soundnesse in him, so as hee be not hollowharted, but walke on with a good cō science.§10 And because that brybes doe blinde the eyes of the wise, and make good men to swarue from vprightnesse: he sayth that if we will haue men fit to beare authoritie, they must hate couetousnesse and despise the goods of this worlde, so as they can finde in their hearts to forbeare thē. Seing then that such a lesson is told vs by a heathen man: I pray you what a shame shall it be, that we which professe our selues to be brought vp in the lawe of God and in his Gospell, & haue §20our eares so much beaten with it, should still be nouices in the doctrine, or at leastwise put it so ill in practise among vs? And yet for all that, if we vse it not to our profite, it is written to be kept to our great confusiō, & to make vs vnexcusable.
So then, let us weigh well this saying where Moses exhorteth the people to choose men of understanding and wisdom, and tried men. For if a man be put in office but upon hope, without good knowledge and experience had of him: is it not