A17698:2501
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.
Furthermore let us mark, that God intending to set up a king, did tarry nevertheless till the people required one. And that was to put them in a desire, that they might not afterward rebel against the king that was to be set up. For the unthankfulness and malice of the people bewrayed it self, in that they could not find in their hearts to hold them to the state which God had stablished already. And what a thing had it been, if he had set up a Monarchy among them at the first day? For it is a far more tolerable thing for us to have governors that go by choice and election, who in executing their office shall know themselves to be subject to the Law: than to have a Prince whose word must stand for reason, and whose child must inherit, though he be never so very a babe, and consequently obeyed; though he be the willfullest fool or the cruellest person in the world. Therefore it is a far more tolerable state to have Judges and Governors. Now if the people of Israel could not away with this state, but would needs through a wicked desire seek to have a king: what would they have done if God had at the first day said unto them, I set this or that house to reign over you, & it behoveth you to obey the king? What murmuring would there have been? ⟨p. 646⟩What practising would there have bin? Therefore it was Gods will to make the people willing, to the end there might be no occasion of rebelling, when David was to be made king. Verily we see what fell out. For soothly, their requiring of King Saul, was through a foolish ambition & spite,1 which they bare to their neighbours. When they saw how there were kings in Egypt, in Edom, in Ammon, in Syria, & in the other Countries: they thought there was no such dignity & stateliness among themselves because §10there was no royal seat among them. And therefore they would have one. But see their folly. When they had chosen Saul, although he vexed them & put them to as much hardness as could be: yet notwithstanding they were so wedded to him, that they would needs keep the crown to his children, & not suffer David to reign. Albeit that God had declared that David was the man whom he had chosen, and that they had not the authority to choose any other to be their king: yet the people chose Sauls §20son, as who would say, we will have this house to continue for ever, yea even as it were in despite of God.