A17698:2646
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.
And hereby God showeth, first how greatly he would have us to abhor the shedding of mans blood: and it is a point which we ought to mark well. For thereby we perceive what love he beareth us, in that our life is so dear unto him, and that he is so chary of it. If God made no more account of us than he doth of the brute §20beasts, he would not set so much store by our lives. Therefore must we needs conclude that he loveth us with a fatherly love, seeing our life is so precious to him. Besides this, every of us ought to take knowledge hereby of his own duty: for we cannot do any outrage or violence to our neighbour, but we must offend God deadly. And not without cause. For in so doing we deface his image, as is said in the ninth of Genesis.1 Forasmuch as God hath printed §30his image in men; whosoever hurteth his neighbour maliciously, spiteth God to the uttermost of his power. And so are we warned to abstain from all evil doing, and to live in such sort among men as no man be hurt by us. And in deed we see that the manslaughters which are committed even of necessity, carry with them nevertheless a kind of defiling. As for example, when enemies are slain in battle,2 although the thing be lawful, yet doth God say that it §40is a defiling of mens hands. Not that he imputeth it for a crime, but to the intent that the man which is constrained to fight against his enemies, should be sorry to see the order of nature so troubled by reason of mens sins, that whereas we ought to be as brethren, and to acknowledge our own flesh in every man that is made after our own likeness: yet notwithstanding we be driven to destroy them after that fashion. Ye see then how §50that even in the time of war, he that putteth on armour against his enemies ought to do it, being sorry in his heart, and to bethink himself that such outrage happeneth not but through the great lewdness of men. The meaning of all this, is that we should live quietly, and every man endeavour to maintain peace and concord, and have our hands tied for committing of any evil deeds.