A17698:1700
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.
He had reported heretofore, how he had bin heard: & now he addeth here, What is it that the Lord requireth of thee? He chargeth thee not with §10any amerciaments, he layeth no punishment upon thee, he layeth no burden upon thee to bear thee down with: his only desire is, that thou shouldest love him, that thou shouldest honour him, that thou shouldest keep his commandments. And is this any profit to himself? No. Every whit of it redoundeth to thine own benefit. Was it not enough to make this peoples heart to melt, though they had bin the wickeddest in the world, when they might say, whereas we had forsaken the §20Lord, & broken the covenant that he had made with us, & chosen an idol in stead of him; he hath not only forgiven that so heinous crime, & bin con tented to take us still for his children, & to leave us the inheritance that he had promised us: but also he governeth us after such a fashion, as it might seem we had deserved all the benefits in the world. Could he deal more kindly with us, if we had honoured him & given our selves wholly to him? Such consideration then ought well to have meekened §30the harts of that people; & although they were hard & stubborn, yet ought they to have bowed, seeing they knew that God sought nothing but their benefit & welfare. Thus we see now the intent of Moses, & to what circumstances his sayings are to be referred. Which is, that the people should know that God had not only pardoned their fault aforepast, but also was minded to forget it utterly for ever after: & that in the mean while they should think thus dutifully §40with themselves, our God behaveth himself towards us, as if we had never offended him, our state is not a whit appaired, he useth nothing but gentleness towards us. Mark that for one point.
He had reported heretofore, how he had bin heard: & nowe he addeth here, What is it that the Lord requireth of thee? He chargeth thee not with §10any amerciaments, he layeth no punishment vppon thee, he layeth no burden vpō thee to beare thee down wt: his only desire is, yt thou shouldest loue him, that thou shouldest honor him, yt thou shouldest keepe his commandements. And is this any profit to himselfe? No. Euerywhit of it redoundeth to thine own benefite. Was it not ynough to make this peoples heart to melt, though they had bin the wickeddest in ye world, when they might say, wheras we had forsaken ye