A17698:2525
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.
True it is that all men are tempted to gather goods & to enrich themselves: but forasmuch as they have not the like opportunities to §50bring it to pass, it is as it were an abatement & a cooling of their courages. A king hath means to draw to himself continually, and to enrich himself more and more: for he hath authority to levi taxes & tributes, and by that mean to lay up much for himself. Therefore it is requisite that this evil should be corrected in him.1 And in that respect did David say, Lord reform my heart, that it be not given to covetousness: and turn away mine eyes, that they be not entangled,§60 beguiled, and carried away at the sight of gold & silver. Why doeth David speak after y• manner? For he had much more need, than if he had lived still in the house of his father •esse: he had been there but as a poor country clown or shepherd: and thereupon he had followed his common trade of living. But being once become king, and having the riches of the whole land before his eyes, so as no man could let him to gather as much as he would: such opportunity was a provocation to his flesh, & he might soon have overshot himself as men commonly do. And therefore he bridleth himself, saying, Lord, keep me. And in deed, if he had not been preserved miraculously by the goodness of God; he had soon been corrupted at the sight of such opportunities. Thus have we now the reason why Moses forbade the kings of Israel expressly to gather much gold and silver.
True it is that all men are tempted to gather goods & to inriche themselues: but forasmuch as they haue not the like opportunities to §50bring it to passe, it is as it were an abatement & a cooling of their courages. A king hath means to drawe to himselfe continually, and to inriche himselfe more and more: for he hath authoritie to leuye taxes & tributes, and by that meane to lay vp much for himselfe. Therfore it is requisite that this euil shold be corrected in him.1 And in that respect did Dauid say, Lord reforme my heart, that it bee not giuen to couetousnes: and turne away myne eyes, that they be not intangled,