A17698:4677
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.
Now heerewithall it is showed us, what manner of obedience it was which the Jews yielded unto Joshua. And thereupon we may gather how §40far forth we ought to obey men: namely so far forth as God have the dominion & chief sovereignty, and men be but his ministers. True it is that if God permit Tyrants to reign over us, it behooveth us to yield our necks to the bearing of that yoke. Yea, but yet must we not in the mean while swerve aside from his word. If the Princes, the Magistrates or the Pastors of the Church will turn us away from the things which our Lord telleth us: we must rather die a §50hundred times. Why so? For the obedience which we owe unto men, ought always to be led by this rule, that God hold still his place, and every man submit himself to him, both great and small. Let us mark well then, that if we will have our Lord to allow this lowliness of ours, which we show in being obedient unto men; we must not bereave him nor rob him of his right, but that he may govern us by the hand and means of men. And herein we see how a great §60number do overshoot themselves nowadays. For they bear themselves in hand that they be excused, if their fathers and mothers, or their elders, or leastwise their Princes do like and allow of their doings. But yet shall they not fail to be condemned at Gods hand; for if the blind lead the blind,1 both of them shall fall into the ditch, and the first shall not save the last. Wherefore let us learn to obey our superiors in such sort, as God may nevertheless hold us under him and under his guiding, and our life be ruled by his word. And specially let us have this regard to the spiritual government of the Church. For if we play the Papists, who allege that they follow their Prelates, and do as they have commanded them: we shall be Apostates. For we see that God hath reserved this obedience to himself, that he will govern us after his own will, and not have his word in any wise corrupted. He will so reign over us, as he will have none other to meddle, nor to put any thing of their own inventing, to that which he hath ordained, The way then for us to practise that which is set down here, is so to obey those which have superiority over us; that first we have an eye to Gods commandment and ordinance;