A17698:2458
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.
Nevertheless God willed also that the hands of all the people should join with them, to show that all of us must be furtherers of the maintenance of his service, and of the pure Religion. If any trespass have been committed between man and man, it shall be pursued by such as have taken the hurt or loss, or by such as have to do therewith, or else some common solicitor shall have the prosecuting of it for them all. But when Gods honour is defaced, then ought every ⟨p. 636⟩man to bestir himself: and it is a singular favour that God showeth unto us, when he employeth us in so honourable a thing, as the maintenance of his majesty, to be as his Attorneys in that behalf. For what are we? Now if God do us the honour to declare unto us, that he will have his honour maintained by us and by our hands: should we be negligent in that case? So then we see now what was Gods meaning, in commanding all the people to help to stone §10the idolaters. For thereby it is done us to understand, that we ought to have a care to maintain Gods service purely among us; and that every man must be earnest and zealous in this behalf, that (as much as in us lieth) we suffer not religion to be had in scorn or to be perverted: But that if we bear good will to the common weal, when all things are well ordered, and that we love to have equity and uprightness among us: there is much more reason §20that we should be very chary of the worshipping of God purely, that men turn not away from his word, ne wander away wilfully from the Religion that he hath stablished. For although that we nowadays, be not bound of any necessity to the keeping of this Law, as in respect of the Ceremony: yet doeth the substance thereof abide with us. Every of us is not to stone idolaters: but yet our Lord doeth us to understand, that we must at leastwise have so §30great regard of his honour, that (so far as lieth in us) we suffer not his name to be scorned, and his religion trodden down: but that every of us do set our selves there against, and make himself an adversary party in that behalf. That is the thing which we have to note. And so, although the Ceremony of the Law be not such amongst us: yet doeth the substance thereof stand in force still, and we ought to observe it.