A17698:4494
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.
And let us mark now, that Moses magnifieth here the tribe of Levi, of purpose to wipe away the dishonour that was there afore. For we know how Jacob had said,1 Ye Simeon and Levi, ye be instruments of wickedness, ye have destroyed a town, and ye have slain the men like murderers as ye be; I will not have to do with you, neither in speech nor in heart, I refuse you. And thou Levi shalt be dispersed among my people; for thou art not worthy to have any heritage. Lo after how terrible a fashion GOD speaketh against Levi and all his offspring. He seemeth to be quite razed out, as one that was not worthy to have any place or degree in the Church. But what reverence now had there been in the priesthood, if the tribe of Levi had continued in that reproach? For seeing that their father was degraded by Jacob, who was Gods deputy as I have declared afore: what should have become of all those which ⟨p. 1199⟩were descended of his race? Now then it was requisite that this tribe of Levy should be reestablished, to the intent that the order of priesthood might not be despised, least it might keep men back from hearkening to the doctrine of their mouth. What will become of it if they which have the charge of teaching the people, be pointed at with mens fingers, set light by, scorned or blemished with any mark of reproach in themselves, so as men disdain them?§10 Surely they shall never profit men, they shall not be able to edify them, men will utterly mislike of them. Now we know, and it shall be declared more fully hereafter, that the Levites were ordained of God to teach all the people. Then if they had been reputed as men of no valour, it would have carried great prejudice with it, so as the law it self should have had no great reverence, men would have made no account of it, and the very common people would §20have shrunk away from the expounders thereof. Therefore it is not causeless that Moses telleth them, that The Thummim and Urim of god, that is to say, his perfections and teachings are in that tribe, and God will have it known, that there remaineth not now any such reproach there, as there did before, but rather that he setteth his ensigns there. For in Aaron's Mitre was Gods name,2