A17698:2283
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.
And here the first thing that we have to gather, is the substance of the law, which concerneth §10even us at this day. There is no more any such bondage among us as was then among the Jews and all the heathen. In deed in some countries the same bondage remaineth still, as in the East countries, in Greece, and in Barbary, but yet for all that it is the better that the use of it is abolished, as it is among us: and that is a very commendable thing. Yet notwithstanding, it behoveth us to consider, how our Lord admonisheth us by his law, to deal gently with such as §20do us service, so as we bear with them and defraud them not of their hire, ne stand upon rigour towards them to take the uttermost of them that we may, but that we deal uprightly with them, & rule our selves, as those that have a stay of them selves, & look not to be compelled by law, but every man rightly to rule himself. That is the thing in effect which we have to note in this text. As how? A master that hath a servant wringeth all that ever he can out of him without any regard §30to him: therein he shows himself to be cruel. If he say, I find him meat & drink, & I pay him his wages: that is true, but he must also have respect what he is able to do, & what service he may receive at his hand. Above all things we must have an eye to this natural uprightness; that we do not any thing to another body, which we would not have done to our selves. If a man have servants, he ought to think with himself, how would I desire to be dealt with, if I were in their stead? I would §40desire to be borne with. Trueth it is that we must not be at that point when a servant would live idly & do nothing, but would be kept like a cockney, never to put his hand to the doing of any thing. For it is not meant of such as live disorderly, but only of such as we know to be reasonable. As how? I think with my self, if I were in this fellows place, what ought I to do? I speak not here of wishing, but of the reasonableness which every of us knoweth. For when the case concerneth §50our own profit or disprofit, we can very well skill to judge of it: but when the case concerneth other men, then are we blind. But such as have servants ought to consider thus with themselves: If I were in their room, what would I reasonably desire to be done to me? Then must I not take more upon me than my conscience warranteth me.