A17698:1598
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.
Here Moses declareth the great good zeal that he had, at such time as he saw God so sore offended with the Jews for making the golden calf, and for §30their forsaking of their Redeemer to give them selves over to a dead thing, rather than to him of whose power they had had experience so many ways. Now he saith that he had the two tables in his hand, and that when he saw the people so fallen away to Idolatry, he brake them in pieces. Here it might be asked, whether Moses were not carried with overhasty mood. For we have seen that those two tables were written with §40Gods own hand, so as there was not any workmanship of man in them, but that the engraving of the ten commandments in them, was of Gods own doing: Now then, that Moses threw down Gods handy work after that fashion, notwithstanding that the people had sinned: it seemeth not to proceed of any modesty, but rather of too unadvised zeal and overviolent headiness. We must not presume to judge of such odd things: for we see §50that God governeth his servants by his holy spirit, and we know that sometimes he stirreth up his faithful ones to do his pleasure by extraordinary means. And although we may not make a certain rule of it: yet is not the deed it self to be blamed.1 We see what happened unto Phinehas. For although he was not ordained to be a judge, but only to be a priest: yet did he execute Justice upon the adulterer, & the adulteress which had defiled the Sanctuary.§60 God allowed his doing, and there is record of it in the holy scripture,2 and yet notwithstanding it was a peculiar deed which we may not follow, without a special moving of the holy Ghost. As much is to be said of the thing which we read of in this text, where Moses brake the two tables, which thing he did not through hasty mood, but as led thereto by a zeal to Godward, and GOD showed himself therein, of purpose to do the people to understand, how heinous their transgression was. It is said that Moses was sent of God to bring down his covenant, and to be as in his stead, whom he served. And therefore his deed was as it were a declaring to the people, that his covenant was broken and torn in pieces.