A17698:910
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 it is said therewithal, that neither manservant, nor womanseruant, nor Ox, nor Ass, nor any other Cattle must labour on the Sabbath day, no nor any stranger within thy gates. As concerning cattle, it might be thought strange that God should comprehend them under the keeping of the Sabbath or day of rest, seeing it is a high and heavenly mystery, as was declared yesterday. Doeth such gear belong to Oxen and Asses? GOD saith,1 I have given you the Sabbath day, to be as a sign that I make you holy, and that I am your GOD which reigneth among you. This is not common to all mortal men. For God granteth not such grace and privilege to the paynims and infidels, as to make them holy: He speaketh but only to the people whom he adopted and chose to be his heritage. But now seeing that the Sabbath day is a sign of Gods separating of his faithful Church from all the rest of the world: wherefore is it extended unto Oxen and Asses? Let us mark that it is not done for the brute beasts sakes: but to the intent that men should have a monument before their eyes, to be the more touched therewith. This Sacrament then concerneth not the beasts, which have no understanding nor reason: but it concerneth men, who ought to make their profit of it. We see that the Sacrifices were made of the brute beasts: we see there was great preparation in that behalf: there were vessels of gold and silver & such other like things: and whereas all these things were hallowed, is it meant that God did put his spirit into the corruptible metals, and into the other things that have no feeling? No: but all this is referred to the men, for whose use and commodity they are made. God doth not only serve his own turn with them in this present and brittle life:2 but also give them to us as tokens of his favour, to be as means and helps to draw us up to heaven. Now then, whereas God would have the Oxen and Asses to rest the seventh day: it is not meant thereby that he maketh them partakers of the spiritual ⟨p. 208⟩rest that we spake of before: but it was done to the end that the Jews beholding their Stables and stalls shut up, should consider thus with themselves: Lo: God setteth us down this sign and visible Sacrament before our eyes, and extendeth it even to the brute beasts: