A17698:373
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.
Let us mark, that where as God commanded him to offer battle to Sehon king of the Amorites: his meaning was, that the war should in all respects be lawful, and that Sehon should well perceive, that he was justly assailed by the people of Israel. This therefore is no impediment, but rather a mean whereby God ordained his people to have lawful war with Sehon and all his subjects. Where as God had said, I will give you the land in possession: it was requisite that the malice of Sehon should be discovered and bewrayed, that it might appear to the world, that the ⟨p. 76⟩people of Israel had just title to discomfit him. For where as GOD promised the land of Canaan to his people: this was no part of that Country: he gave them this as an income or overplus, and extended his liberality further than the promise made to Abraham did contain. And therefore Sehon was not as yet declared to be an enemy to the people of Israel. And if they should have defied him as an enemy §10at the first dash, without giving him knowledge of the war: it had been a disorderly kind of dealing. These things then, agree very well: that is to wit, that Sehon was condemned aforehand by God: and that the children of Israel having chased out all the inhabitants of his country, should possess the same themselves: and also that these things should not be done, until the wilful stubbornness of Sehon were disclosed that he might dispossess §20himself, and be the cause of the war, so as the fault might justly be imputed to himself. Wherefore let us mark well, that Moses hath not swerved herein from Gods commandment, to play the wise man after the manner of the world, which is to have some politic devise by themselves, so as they must needs invent some toy or other of their own head, as though they were better advised than GOD. And surely that is the common fashion of all. But such forecast is cursed,§30 when we think to amend the things that God commandeth us, by our own policies and inventions. Moses went not that way to work, he followed simply Gods will.
Let vs marke, that where as God commaunded him to offer battell to Sehon king of the Amorrhytes: his meaning was, that the warre shoulde in all respectes bee lawfull, and that Sehon shoulde well perceiue, that hee was iustly assayled by the people of Israel. This therefore is no impediment, but rather a meane whereby God ordeyned his people to haue lawfull warre with Sehon and all his subiectes. Where as God had saide, I will giue you the lande in possession: it was requisite that the malice of Sehon shoulde bee discouered and bewrayed, that it might appeare to the worlde, that the