A17698:3296
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.
As if the chief Lord of the fee should say unto them which hold of his tenure: What? The land you have is mine, and I have granted it unto you with condition that I shall receive at leastwise the rents and services. God therefore in token of a kind of homage, reserveth unto himself, the gleaning and other things for the poor that come after to gather the grapes and the olives which are left behind. God sayeth that these are royalties which belong unto him, and that he giveth and bestoweth them on such as have need: and therefore, that the rich men ought not to be grieved therewith, as if they had lost any thing, or as if their own goods were taken from them: for God saith, all is mine. Ye see then in effect what is here contained. Now let us note ⟨p. 866⟩well, that God meaneth not that the poor should be in such wise relieved, as that the rich should be spoiled of that which they possess. For what a confusion and disorder would that breed? We must therefore note, that God leaveth unto every man whatsoever he possesseth, either by way of inheritance, or by buying, or by any other just and lawful title. And hereby the poor are warned, not to ransack or make havoc of whatsoever cometh in their way, as many do, which §10think they may snatch away any thing by good right, so they be not punished by law, nor have any to witness against them. What? I have great need sayeth one. Yea, but what need soever a man standeth in, yet God will not have the civil order broken, and all right perverted. If the rich discharge not their duties, but be so cruel as to suffer the poor to dye in their need, they shall render an account thereof, but that shall be before the heavenly Judge. But in the mean §20while the poor ought to take things patiently, they must abstain from all malice, from all ravine, from all pilling and spoiling. This then ought to be diligently observed in the first place. For our Lord saith not in this place: he which hath need of corn in harvest time, let him take a reaphook, and go and cut his neighbours corn to carry it to the mill: but he speaketh only of leasing after the harvest is in. But a man shall see perilous gleaners nowadays. For if a man §30set not diligent watch over his possessions, every body will take his share; men are grown to such unruliness, that there is no upright dealing used: