A17698:1765
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.
To be short, let us mark, that here Moses intended to commend equity and uprightness unto us. I say he showeth us how our Lord will be served at our hands: namely by behaving our selves plainly with our neighbours, so as we offer §60no violence or wrong to any body, & specially to the weaker sort, and to such as have no maintenance at mans hand. God then will not have us to serve him with Ceremonies, but we must deal justly and uprightly, so as we yield every man his right. That is the true serving of God, as is showed us oftentimes in the holy scripture. And from thence also is it, that the Prophets have drawn these sayings,1 That God requireth mercy & not sacrifice; That God will have us to live among our neighbours without doing harm to any body; That he will have all violence to cease; & that he will have all cruelty & deceit to be far from us. The Prophets have good store of such exhortations: & the fountain whereout of they have fetched them, is this doctrine of Moseses, that God will not be served with I wot not what superstitions as men are wont to do, who use much pomp & gloriousness in serving God with fair temples, goodly pictures, gay imagery, sweet perfumes, ringing of bells, setting up of tapers, & such other pelting trash. They bear themselves in hand that God delighteth in such things, & that when they play upon their Organs, they make him to dance as if he were a little babe. But let not us busy our heads about such small trifles, for God will be served with truth, righteousness, & soundness of heart. Again he will have us to endeavour to serve our neighbours: for we have nothing else that is worth the bringing unto him: but he will have us to communicate together, so as every of us according to his ability, do strain his wits to succour them that have need of help, & in any wise to beware that we take not liberty to do any hurt or harm to any body. Now then let us mark well the mean of serving our God according to his will, that we transform him not by our vain folly, by bearing our selves in hand, that he is well honoured when we bring in our own pelting trash, as it were to dazzle his eyes withal, which thing is unpossible.
To be short, let vs marke, that here Moses intended to commend equitie and vprightnes vnto vs. I say he sheweth vs how our Lord will bee serued at our handes: namely by behauing our selues plainely with our neighbors, so as we offer §60