A17698:1567
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.
Furthermore, let us mark that God thought it not enough to proclaim his Law, but he did also put it in writing. And why? because men are short witted in bearing away the trueth. Therefore is our Lord fain to provide for it, & to warn us to look well to all things, because we be so feeble. Had the Jews done their duty, Gods speaking to them had been enough:§20 for he had given his law in so small room, as every man might count it upon his fingers ends, These are the ten commandments, in these hath God comprehended his whole will, which is the rule of good life, All this doctrine (say I) is comprehended in ten verses. Ye see then that the people had been taught familiarly enough. Now if they that heard Gods voice upon the mount had done their duty: they should have taught their children, so as the doctrine might §30have been kept in mind from the father to the child.1 For God had taught them familiarly enough, as I said afore. Insomuch that he had willed them to make their ornaments of the sentences of the law, so as in steed of bracelets and other pretty toys, which folks do wear to make themselves gay: all the deckings of his people should be to have the sentences of the law written & engraved about them, that which way soever they turned their eyes, they might §40still have some mark to put them in mind of Gods law. Howbeit, to the end they should have a more certain remembrance thereof: like as men have bin wont to engrave their leagues in some tables of brass or stone: so God took stone to write and engrave his law in. It was not his pleasure to use paper or parchment: but to have his law written in stone▪ [and that was done] not by handicraft, (for he borrowed no workmanship of man in that behalf,) but with his own §50finger. Not that God hath any hands: but that the holy scripture speaketh so by a resemblance as if it were said, the law was not written or engraven by mans hand: but God approved and ratified it by way of miracle. Now then sith it is so: let us learn that God hath provided well for the assuring of our faith, to the intent we should not be put to any great pain or hardness to know what we ought to follow. True it is that the world will run into all lewdness,