A17698:1760
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.
Sith it is so, let us mark for the first point, that if we vex such as are without defence in the §10world, God will set himself as an adversary against us. And surely, were we well persuaded thereof, we would be more afraid to offend a poor fatherless child, a widow, or a stranger, than to offend those that are best friended, and are able to revenge themselves to the worldwarde. But what? Our unbelief bewrays it self in that behalf: in so much that if there be a man that is rich, mighty and well propped up, we dare not withstand him. And although he have done us §20some wrong, yet we put it up meekly, & dare not complain of it, & much less dare we lift up our hand against him. But as for a poor man, we will not tarry till he have done us some wrong or outrage, we will be at host with him aforehand. For why? We fear not that he will be even with us; he may not be so bold as once to murmur against us. And if he do, we can put a bar in his way, with who are you sir? He shall obtain no right in Law. And if he do, yet shall he have §30the worse end of that staff. Thus stand we in fear of men if they be armed with any power, but in the mean while we fear not God, who declareth himself to be the defender of all poor folks that are destitute of help. If we believed the holy scripture, surely this only one saying of Moses would more abash us, than all the worldly considerations that could befall us. On the contrary part, when we be so bold in troubling poor folks; it is a token that we believe not any whit of all that is contained §40in the holy scripture, and that we be worse than heathen folk: And yet for all that, it is the common fashion of the world. But hereby it appeareth, that nowadays unbelief overfloweth the whole earth, like a water flood. In deed it is a horrible thing: but yet is it so, & it cannot be denied. What is to be done then? Let us look into our selves. If the Arms of a common weal or of a prince be set upon a house, or upon a piece of land, no man dareth presume into it, for it were a breaking of §50his allegiance and not a private offence. Behold, God setteth his arms or badge upon the widow, the fatherless, and the stranger, & he telleth us that he hath taken them into his protection. Now if a man fall to troubling of them, & deal outrageously, with them: