A17698:2495
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.
1Heretofore Moses hath spoken of the Judges that were ordained §40in every city to govern the people, and specially of the chief Judge to whom all things were referred. Now he addeth that if the people be disposed to choose a king, he showeth what manner a one he ought to be. And first he ordaineth that he must be taken of the linage of Abraham: and secondly he declareth his duty to him, to the intent he should not go beyond it, nor play the Tyrant in stead of playing the §50king. That is the meaning of Moses generally. But here we must consider what is the cause, why God setteth not up a king by his own authority, but rather leaveth it to the liking of the people. For if he allowed the state of a king, or if it were a thing that he liked well of; ought he not to have showed the way, that the people might have obeyed whatsoever he had commanded them? But he sayeth, When thou art come into the Land which thy God giveth thee, and enjoyest it, if thou wilt choose §60a king as other Nations have. Hereby it should seem that God was not willing there should be any kingdom in Jewry▪ but that if the people were so desirous of a king that they could not be held from it, then he granted it them by way of sufferance. Notwithstanding this, we hear how it is said in Genesis,2 that the sceptre should not be taken from the tribe of Judah, nor the governor from between his legs, until the person that was to be sent were come & had appeared. This prophecy was not a cu•se that should come upon the people, nor a vengeance of God: but rather a singular and special favour above all other. For in saying so, Jacob declareth that God would set up an everlasting king, by whom salvation should be sent throughout all the world. And until the time of the manifesting of our Lord Jesus Christ it behooved the people so be maintained still in hope of him: and God gave unto him the kingdom of Judah and that whole tribe. We see then in few words, that this kingdom was a figure of our Lord Jesus Christ, and as a warrant which God gave to that people, that he himself reigned over them, and the kings of Judah served always to hold the people under Gods protection, as it were in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. For albeit that all the Princes of the world be called Gods children and his lieutenants: