A17698:3334
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.
Now it is said by and by after: That the Ox which treadeth out the Corn shall not be muzzled, and that we must not bind his chaps together, so as he should not open them to feed. No doubt but that in this place GOD meant to persuade men unto gentleness and humanity: as before he forbade us to keep back the wages of the hireling,1 which hath bestowed himself in our service. And why? Because he sustaineth his life by his labour. It were therefore §20an overgreat cruelty to defraud him of his labour when he hath done his work. And so in this place it is expressly spoken of the ox which laboureth: as if our Lord had said, that uprightness and equity ought to be ministered even unto the brute beasts. The Ox cannot complain though he be defrauded of his food when he hath done his work: but God taketh pity of him, because he is his creature; and he will not have us to abuse the beasts beyond measure,§30 but to nourish them and to have care of them. And that is the cause why Solomon sayeth in the 12. Chapter of his proverbs;2 That the just man hath a care of his beast. If a man spare neither his horse, nor his Ox, nor his Ass, therein he bewrayeth the wickedness of his nature. And if he say: tush I care not, for it is but a brute beast: [I answer again]: Yea but it is a creature of God. It is said that the goodness and mercy of God extendeth to all the beasts of the earth.3 It is not §40said only of men whom God hath made after his own Image and likeness: but the beasts also are comprised therein as well as they. If God vouchsafe to consider of beasts, if he vouchsafe to have a care of them; what ought we to do which are but poor worms of the earth, which are nothing but rottenness? We think it were much against our honour to take care of beasts: but when God gave them us in subjection for our use, it was under no other condition, but that employing §50them to our labour, we should also use kindness and gentleness towards them. And Solomon saith, not only that the just man hath a care of his beast, but he saith also that the bowels of the wicked man are cruel: as if he had said, a froward and churlish man hath no pity nor compassion in him, no not even towards his like;