A17698:4476
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.
It was to the end that the tribe of Ruben, (that is to say, the people which came of him, for there were at that time a great number of heads of houses, as it were about a fifty thousand §20men,) should think with themselves, we be after a sort cut off from gods house. For inasmuch as our father was after a sort banished & bereft of his birthright, and we be succeeded in his place; what is our inheritance now but utter infamy? Thus ye see how the Rubenites, (that is to say the people that came of Rubens line,) might have bin ashamed, if they had not bin upheld, by putting their trust in God, to serve him with a pure and freehearted affection, or if their §30hearts had failed them so as they had not still embraced the promise of salvation which had bin made unto them, and known themselves to be the children of Abraham, a linage which God had accepted and separated from the rest of the world. It behoved the Rubenites to have that. And for that cause it is said, Let Ruben live & not dye: as if Moses had said, true it is that Ruben deserved to have his life thrust down to the bottom of hell: but yet shall he live; for his fault is §40forgiven; and God hath given him life, & that not such a common life as all the sons of Adam have, but Reuben shall live in the Church of God, he shall have place among the Patriarchs, & the people which shall come of him shall be a member of Gods Church, and of the number of those people whom he hath chosen and sanctified. Thus then we see now the meaning of Moses.
It was to the end that the tribe of Rubē, (that is to say, the people which came of him, for there were at that time a great number of heades of howses, as it were about a fiftie thowsand §20men,) should thinke with thēselues, we bee after a sort cut off frō gods house. For inasmuch as our father was after a sort banished & bereft of his byrthright, and wee be succeeded in his place; what is our inheritance now but vtter infamie? Thus ye see how ye Rubenites, (that is to say the people yt came of Rubens line,) might haue bin ashamed, if they had not bin vpheld, by putting their trust in God, to serue him with a pure and freehearted affection, or if their §30heartes had failed them so as they had not still imbraced the promise of saluation which had bin made vnto them, and knowen themselues to be the children of Abraham, a linage which God had accepted and separated from the rest of the world. It behoued the Rubenites to haue that. And for that cause it is sayd, Let Rubē liue & not dye: as if Moses had sayd, true it is yt Rubē deserued to haue his lyfe thrust downe to the bottom of hell: but yet shall he liue; for his fault is