A17698:3531
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.
but that he will show in the end how it is not without cause that he claimeth to himself the title to be the Judge of the world.
but that he will shewe in the ende howe it is not without cause that hee claimeth to himselfe the title to be the Iudge of the world.
Now it is said further, Cursed shall he be, which causeth the blind to stray out of his way or to stumble in his way. Here is yet a cruelty even against nature. For the more necessity a man is in, the more ought other men to pity him & to succour him. There is a poor blind man, men see him ready to take a fall, & they withhold him not from it. They that take pleasure herein, must needs be altogether of a lewd and corrupt disposition, so as there is not one drop of common kindness in them. To be short, they must needs be lovers of all cruelty and mischief. For even the Heathen did greatly abhor that thing; in so much that in some places, such a deed was as grievously punished, as murder. Theft, or such other like things. Howbeit, commonly men made not a law for it. And the reason that was yielded for it, was, that it seemed that every man ought to be sufficiently learned in the behalf of himself; so as it had been a superfluous thing to have said, If a man see a blind man, let him set him in his way. Nevertheless (as I have declared afore) we have to note that God extendeth his matter and doctrine yet further. And ⟨p. 931⟩in effect his meaning is to say, Cursed shall he be which suffereth his neighbour to go astray, for want of good Counsel. For as a blind man rusheth against things, stumbleth, and goeth astray if he be not led, and guided in his way: so also when we want Counsel and good advice, surely we be in the same plight that blind men are, unless we be succoured. Yea and although a man have eyes, yet if he be in a strange and unknown Country, and go quite and clean from §10his way, and run wandering here and there, and men let him alone: it is all one as if they had made a blind man to go out of his way, and so did the heathen men themselves construe it. It is not for us to seek excuses and to say, Why so? God speaketh but of blind men only. Yea, but even they which had neither the law nor the Gospel, could well skill to say so, and have showed us our lesson; namely that whosoever showeth not the way to a traveller when he sees him