A17698:3218
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 now Moses addeth two Laws; whereof the one tendeth to the favouring of such as are new married: and the other serveth to bar them which lend money, from being over cruel, and from being so greedy in taking of pawns and gages, as to destroy their neighbours, and to take from them the means whereby they might §10live. Ye see in effect what the two points be, which are contained here. Now as touching the first, there is no doubt, but Moses had an eye therein unto the common profit of all. For at the first sight a man might find it strange what the cause should be why he dispensed thus with new married folks, that they should keep themselves at home, that they should not be compelled to go unto war, that they should have none of those charges laid upon them §20which might turn them from their family: For to what end and purpose was this, but that God in commanding such an order by his servant Moses, had an eye unto that which might follow by the contrary? For when a man taketh a wife it is good and requisite that he form & fashion her, that is to say, that he teach and accustom her so to live as they may agree both together all the time of their life. Now if a man take a woman to wife, and at the end of three days leave §30her while the wife knoweth not yet the manners and conditions of her husband, and while the husband likewise is unacquainted with the disposition of his wife it may be a cause that they shall not agree together all their life long. And again we know what young householders are, until they be by longer time inured to know by use and experience, how to set their household in order. Now if a man be led away the first day, and forsake his wife; the young woman not knowing what belongeth §40to the ordering of an house, and remaining alone may fall into many inconveniences. And though there were none other than this which we have alleged; yet were it enough and too much, namely that the husband returning after some time shall be as one utterly unacquainted with his wife, and the wife in like sort shall be as strange to him, which thing might be an occasion that they should never agree one with another. God then had respect unto this:§50 And therefore let us not imagine that this Law was made for pleasures sake, to say that a man should sport himself with his wife which he hath taken. I grant that Moses useth this word: