A17698:1378
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.
After he hath said so,1 he addeth now, Thou shalt not serve their Gods, for that would turn to thy decay. Although this saying have bin set down by Moses already heretofore: yet is it not without cause that he setteth it down here again. For we soon forget what God commandeth us, if we be not quickened up to put it in execution. We cry out daily to have justice executed: but how do men discharge themselves thereof? Let their ears be never so much beaten, it is to no purpose, they pass not much for it: but they be the more forgetful from day to day. Therefore doeth Moses put them in mind of the things that he had told them before, to the intent that the people should in any wise refrain from serving the idols of the heathen. And he addeth a threat, It would turn to thy decay. In deed the Hebrew word which he useth is commonly taken for cords or lines, but here by a similitude it is taken for snares or ne••, and for ruin, decay, downfall, or stumbling. Then if thou fall into idolatry: it will be a deadly fall to thee, saith he. Keep thee from that. Thus we see that when God punisheth the wicked, we must always learn at their cost, to live in his fear. For our condemning of other folks will not justify our selves, if we follow them or become like them: but rather they shall be witnesses against us to bereave us of all excuse. Therefore let us think upon that which is added here, that when God had commanded his people to destroy the idolaters: he addeth, beware ye meddle not with their superstitions, for then shall ye be overthrown out of hand Yea & we see also that God did not bear with the people of Israel any long time after they had offended. For the heathen might yet have some excuse, because they had not had any teaching: but the Israelites sinned wilfully, & their doing was a manifest rebellion, because they had bin sufficiently warned thereof before, specially for as much as God had done them so great honour, as to put the sword into their hand, as if he should say, Thou shalt punish the misdoings of others. Seeing then that God had so honoured that people: was it not an increasing of their evil much more, when they happened to become like those whom they punished? Yes: for the punishment which they had executed upon others, served to bereave them of all colour of ignorance, and to double their own fault. For after as God honoureth men:
After he hath said so,