A17698:2286
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 for a conclusion our Lord addeth here, that the Jews had been in bondage in the land of Egypt ▪ and therefore he commandeth them to be kindhearted & pitiful towards those that are in their service. And hereby it is showed us, that if our Lord have given us experience of adversity, we must be the readier to succour the distressed▪ & not play the proud fools which cannot abide to hear their former state spoken of, when they have been in poverty, but are more scornful and disdainful than such as have lived continually at their ease. Nay, if our Lord have suffered us to be pinched, and to stand in need of otherfolks service; let us print it throughly in our minds, & let it be as a spur to quicken us up, that whensoever we see any folk in necessity, it may always run in our minds, Alas, when I was in their case▪ what desired I▪ I could have found in my heart that all men should have opened their hearts and their bowels towards me: and shall I now shut up mine? Lo what the declaration that is set down here importeth. ⟨p. 590⟩And it is not in this place only that Moses useth to say so. For there is not any thing more rife in all his books: insomuch that ever after the peoples deliverance out of the land of Egypt, Remember (sayeth he) from time to time, that thou thy self hast been in bondage. Therefore let us mark, that look what experience every of us hath had in his life, Gods will is that the same should serve us for an instruction, and that we should bear it continually §10in mind. As for example, when a man hath been a traveller of countries, he ought to consider into what distresses a man might fall: and he shall be the more inclined to succour others whom he seeth in like danger. Again, when a man hath been pinched for a time with poverty, and afterward cometh to wealth, his former poverty ought to be a teacher to him for ever after, to be the forwarder to put forth himself where need requireth. True it §20is that although a man had lived all the days of his life in ease, and never wist what need or want meant: yet shall he not therefore be held excused before God. But yet forasmuch as we be so slack and slow to do good: we had need to take to us the helps that may serve to quicken us up withal. And so let every of us for his own part cheer up himself to do good.