A17698:2205
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.
Yet notwithstanding, we must return again to that which was touched yesterday, and which I am about to rehearse again now presently: which is, that inasmuch as the sacrificing §10Priests were found at the common charges of the people, in the time of the old Law, it is good reason that the preachers of the Gospel should be maintained likewise at this day,1 as Saint Paul speaketh thereof, howbeit not for his own advantage sake, but to the intent there should not be so great unthankfulness among those which name themselves Christians, as to defraud those of their bodily living, which preach to them the word of life, & bring §20them the spiritual food of their souls. The thing it self then remaineth still: but that it should be taken up in this kind or in that kind, that is not so: it is not so said by Gods Law, and therefore what shall become of Tithes? Let the possession continue still, and let the use of them be amended. That is to say, because men see evidently that Tithes have bin wrongfully usurped, and that the parties which hold them in their hands have wrested them by superstition:§30 let us now consider the right use of them. And to say the trueth, look how many Priests there are in the Popedom, so many thieves are there. I say not this according to the holy scripture, but according to their own Canons, whereby they be all excommunicated for thieves & robbers. For their Canons command them to part their Church goods in such sort, as the poor have one fourth part of them, and strangers another fourth part. To be short, the one §40half of the Church goods ought to be bestowed in alms upon the poor and upon strangers. Who says this? Not Gods word, (for the Papists make none account of that) but their own Canons have so decreed. Ye see then how all the Bishops, Canons, Priors, and Abbots in the Popedom are excommunicated everyone from the highest to the lowest, even by their own Canons: so as there is every where most horrible confusion among them, I mean even §50according to their own orders. But it is not enough for us to condemn them: we must also have an eye to our selves, and see that the right use of the things which have bin dedicated to God, be set up again: And that where any abuse hath been, the same be redressed. And how may that be?