A17698:2393
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.
Had we continued in the same soundness of nature wherein God created us: the order of Law (as men term it) should not be so needful, because every man §30should carry the law in his heart, so as no man needed to be compelled to obedience, but every man should know his rule, & we should all with one accord follow that which is good & rightful. And therefore law is as a remedy against the corruption that is in men. As oft as there is any talk concerning earthly government, we must understand that therein we have a mirror of our frowardness, in that we are fain to be compelled to the following of uprightness & reason. For §40they that are in authority,1 have the sword in their hand: and to what end? To repress such as burst out into excess and outrage. And whereof cometh that, but that whereas men ought of themselves to seek the thing that is good and just, they turn it upside down, and go about to bring all to confusion, if they be not letted? Surely it is a great shame,2 (considering that God hath created us after his own image, & given us dominion & sovereignty over all his creatures,)§50 that we should be fain to be enforced to it by reason of our naughtiness. Pick me out the most despised of all men, & yet doeth he carry in himself the image of God, and the said token of sovereignty. Yet for all that, we be fain to become underlings, and that is because of our sin, as I said afore. Let us know therefore that God hath not stablished the order of earthly government without cause: but that he had an eye to the corruption that is in us. Hereby we be well warned (as §60I said afore,) to humble our selves, seeing our sins require such remedy. But yet ought we to magnify Gods goodness, for that he hath provided aforehand, that all should not go to unrecoverable confusion among us, which thing would come to pass if we might do what we listed. For if the strongest might go away with the goal, what would com• of it? It were much better for us to be in the forests among wolves and wild beasts, than to be among men, if all things were at liberty. For no beasts are so wood, as are our own lusts. Therefore let us acknowledge the wonderful goodness of our God, in that he hath had such care to preserve us, that forasmuch as he saw we could not maintain our selves unless there were laws to hold us in, & Judges to execute y things that are set down in writing: