A17698:3709
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.
WE know when the people of Israel chose them a king, with what affection they were led;1 even of pride, for that they would not be inferiors to their neighbours. Moreover they thought to be very sure, by having a head over them, that should have the whole authority. And so ye see that the children of Abraham could not content §50themselves with their liberty, but desired to have a king. Because they saw the Egyptians, the Syrians, the Moabites, yea and the Tyrians, and other like people to have kings: they bare themselves in hand, that if they also might have a head, all would go well with them. Now like as pride and ambition was the cause that they chose a king in Israel: even so became they hardhearted thereupon, supposing themselves to be out of all perils, by having such a defence:§60 by mean whereof we see that they despised the prophets, under pretence that they thought themselves well fenced. The spirit of GOD foreseeing this (albeit that it was not yet come to pass) said in this Text, That the king which they shall appoint should be lead captive into a strange country: As if God should have said that they might well seek starting holes to save themselves: but they should stand them in no stead at all against his hand. This is the thing that we touched yesterday; namely, that when God is our adversary, we may not think to maintain ourselves against him by the mean of creatures, knowing that he will surely apply them to our destruction. Therefore let none of us deceive himself, neither let us make our defence of that which is nothing but smoke and leasing. It is true that the king which was first chosen by the people of Israel, namely king Saul, was not brought to captivity:2 howbeit that he dyed in battle: but the successors of David were handled cruelly & with great reproach, notwithstanding that God had ordained them, yea and that they were a figure and Image of our Lord Jesus Christ. And it is a horrible thing, that the kingdom which GOD had dedicated unto himself, (as witnessed the anointing) should be laid forth to such a reproach. Ye see how the successors of David which had received the promise that their seat should be everlasting, and in the mean while ⟨p. 982⟩