A17698:1869
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.
Now immediately Moses addeth, That wheresoever the people set their foot, they shall possess the whole land, from the wilderness unto Libanus, and from the great River Euphrates unto the Sea. For those were the bounds & borders which God had promised to his people, as appeareth in the person of Abraham. For the promise that is made here is no new thing,1 but a ratifying or confirming of the same thing that God had spoken long afore. As if he should say, nothing shall bar you from enjoying the heritage that I have assigned you: stick you to me, & I will perform whatsoever I have said unto you. True it is that if ye have an eye to the great number of Nations which you have to overcome; ye may be so scared as to say, How shall we now do? Indeed we be a great multitude of us; but what are we in comparison of our enemies, which are men exercised in feats of arms, & huge men like giants? as we have seen already heretofore. Again they be nestled already, they have their towns well fortified, and when we shall have taken a two or three hundred of their towns, yet is it nothing in respect of the rest, but our enemies will be continually both before us & behind us. Ye see then that these were things that might well have made the people afraid. But it is said unto them; Although the land be never so large, although ye have never so many cities to take, and although there be never so great a number of battles prepared for you: yet settle you your selves upon the promise of your God, for he can skill well enough how to perform the thing that he hath spoken. Shut you your eyes against all likelihoods of things that may daunt your courages, and open your eyes to behold the inestimable power of your God, & doubt not but he will show himself faithful. Now we see whereat Moses aimed. But yet was not this thing accomplished to the full, until the reign of David & Solomon. For although Joshua made partition of their portions, & god appointed him to that office: yet were the unbelieving people mixed still with the Jews; and (which worse is) whereas they should have rooted them out quite & clean, & have had peaceable possession of the land: they payed tribute to their enemies, which held them in bondage like slaves & fleeced the wool from their backs.2 They were vexed in such sort, that they were as good as flayed quick, & they endured such cruelty as was pity to see.