A17698:226
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.
After that Moses hath rehearsed the peoples sin: now he putteth them in remembrance of the punishment that followed upon it, that they might be better advised thenceforth, & not provoke God to wrath after that fashion. For whensoever God punisheth men for any offences, the same ought to serve them for a warning, and other men for an example, to beware that §10they do no more so. True it is that they which had murmured after that sort against God, were already dead: but yet was it expedient that their children should have it printed in their minds, that God had not left such unbelief and disobedience unpunished. And so we see the intent of Moses. Wherefore let us note, that if God have showed us that he cannot away with some offence: his intent is that we should think upon it, and that the chastisements which he ⟨p. 43⟩layeth upon us should turn to our profit, and that they should serve us for the time to come, so as we should not look to have him to stretch out his hand against us: for it is good for us to be taught at other mens cost as the proverb sayeth. But we must mark, that Moses rehearseth here briefly, the things that are declared more largely in the fourteenth Chapter of the Book of Numbers, where God is so wroth with the people,1 that he would have destroyed them §10utterly. He sayeth there to Moses, pass not thou for it: I can give thee a greater and excellenter people than this: but as for these wicked folk, they must needs be rooted out, I cannot suffer them any more. Hereupon Moses maketh intercession for them and sayeth: Not so Lord: for if it should be heard in Egypt, that it were so come to pass, thy name should be blasphemed, & the wicked would make a scoffing at it, saying: because God could not perform his promise, therefore §20hath he slain this people, and so hath he beguiled them and betrayed them. Lord, wilt thou suffer thy name to be slandered after that sort? Thereupon God telleth him that he will not execute his vengeance upon any other than such as had murmured, & yet notwithstanding that he would therewithal reserve a seed, on whom to perform the thing that he had promised to his servant Abraham.
AFter that Moses hath rehearsed the peoples sinne: now he putteth them in remembraunce of the punishment that followed vpon it, that they might be better aduised thenceforth, & not prouoke God to wrath after that fashion. For whensoeuer God punisheth men for any offences, the same ought to serue them for a warning, and other men for an example, to beware that