A17698:4177
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 concerning the Jews, he said, Bethink thee of the old time, call to mind the days that are past. As if he should say, How now ye wretches? Must God give you wit and memory, and yet you not §30consider what he hath done heretofore? The wit of an Ox or of an Ass extendeth no further than to the things that are present: but men have reason to consider of things past and of things to come. For we have a certain foresight of things to come: we make comparison of things past, experience showeth us how to dispose things in our selves. Now if we apply not all this to consider how God hath ever governed us, and how he hath showed himself a father towards us,§40 shall we not be guilty of perverting the whole order of nature? So then, not without cause doth Moses say: Bethink thee of the old time. And afterward he saith: Thou hast witnesses enough: Inquire of thy Fathers, inquire of all those that have lived afore thee, & they will tell thee news; they will show thee, that at such time as thy God divided the nations of the world, and made the partitions between people & people, he had a special regard of thee, & showed plainly that his adopting & §50choosing of thee was not in vain. For the mark that he aimed at, was to dedicate thee to his service, & to reserve thee for his own inheritance. Now then, is it not a perverting & confounding of the order which he had set down to be inviolable, when thou turnest so away from him? Yes: for he had shouled thee out from all the heathen, & chosen thee as it were for his own portion. That is the thing in effect which Moses meant to say unto the Jews.
As concerning the Iewes, he sayd, Bethinke thee of the olde time, call to minde the dayes that are past. As if he should say, How now ye wretches? Must God giue you wit and memorie, and yet you not §30consider what he hath done heretofore? The wit of an Oxe or of an Asse extendeth no further than to the thinges yt are present: but men haue reason to consider of thinges past and of thinges to come. For wee haue a certaine foresight of thinges to come: we make comparison of things past, experiēce sheweth vs how to dispose things in our selues. Now if we apply not all this to consider how God hath euer gouerned vs, and how he hath shewed himselfe a father towardes vs,§40