A17698:2182
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.
The first was for the trial of their obedience, that they should show themselves to be subject unto God. And the second was, that thereby they might be quickened up to keep themselves from all corruption. But as for the heathen, they might have eaten of all meats, so they had acknowledged the giver of them and the creator that had made all things to their use, worshipping him purely and abstaining from all cruelty & outrage: but they lived in the world like beasts. They had in deed a kind of Imagination that there was one God; & they forged a great number of gods: and yet for all that while every man had an Idol by himself, the living God was forsaken of all men. For as much then as the heathen had not the Law appointed unto them: the Jews might well leave those kind of meats unto them.
The first was for the tryall of their obedience, yt they should shew themselues to be subiect vnto God. And the second was, yt thereby they might be quickned vp to keepe themselues from al corruption. But as for the heathen, they might haue eaten of all meates, so they had acknowledged the giuer of them and the creator that had made all thinges to their vse, worshipping him purely and abstaining from al cruelty & outrage: but they liued in ye world like beastes. They had in deede a kinde of Imagination that there was one God; & they forged a great nomber of gods: and yet for all that while euery man had an Idoll by himselfe, the liuing God was forsaken of all men. For as much then as the heathen had not the Law appointed vnto them: the Iewes might well leaue those kind of meates vnto them.
And verily thereby they were done to understand, ⟨p. 563⟩that the thing of it self was not evil. Seeing that God gave them leave to sell or give unto the heathen the flesh of such things as were not ordinarily slain; thereby they might perceive how it behoved them to look yet further. And why so? As touching murder, because it is forbidden of it self, if it be not lawful for me to kill a man, neither is it lawful for me to lend a sword to kill him withal, nor to use any manner of treachery. Now then, in things that God condemneth of them selves,