A17698:3232
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.
The first thing that God declareth in this place is, that if any stole away a man of Israel and sold him, the offence which §50he committed in this behalf, was to be punished by death. And hereby he giveth us to understand how dearly he loved that people which he had chosen unto himself. For we know how God appointeth punishments accordingly as he esteemeth of the greatness of the sin which is committed. So then whereas he punisheth that man by death which had stolen away his brother, thereby we see that the life of the children §60of Israel was precious unto him. And no marvel. For if a father have lost one of his children, especially if he be stolen from him, and he knoweth not what is become of him, we know he would have bin better contented to have lost his goods, than his child. Now seeing that God had adopted the stock of Abraham, he accounted those which descended from it, to be of his own household, and named himself their father, and in very deed circumcision was a mark to separate that people from other nations. Therefore whosoever sold any one of the stock of Abraham, he did wrong and injury not only to the person it self, but also unto God. Again a man being sold unto another people, was in danger of being constrained by force to commit idolatry. In deed he were better suffer death; than do so: but like as many are frail & weak in this case, so might they also be seduced, and turned aside from the law, & from the service of God: & therefore by this means ensued not only the destruction of a mans body, but also of his soul. We see then now that this law was grounded on great reason. And moreover we know likewise, that God had so redeemed this people, that they were called a royal priesthood. And therefore if this honour ⟨p. 847⟩should be abolished, it were all one as if a man should rent in pieces the privilege which a prince had given: and like as God is greater than mortal men, so such an outrage committed against his majesty, were more heinous and intolerable. But we must now return unto our selves. For albeit there be not nowadays any certain people which God hath chosen, & singled out from the rest of the world; yet are we come by succession into the room and place of §10the Jews. For God hath received us into his Church, and we are at this day in the same degree of honour which the children of Abraham were in.