A17698:934
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.
Besides this, let us mark that God speaketh here of the honouring of fathers and mothers, of purpose to draw us by means most convenient and agreeable to our nature. We know there is such pride in men, as they be loth to sloop one to another, and every man §40thinks he ought to be a master. And surely it is hard for men to yield and come down so low, as simply to obey those that are in any authority over them: until GOD have reclaimed them. GOD therefore perceiving subjection to be a thing so sore against our nature: hath set us down the terms of Father and Mother, to draw us to it by a more loving manner. Now it is an ugly and unnatural thing, that the child should not know §50those by whom he came into the world, and by whom he was nourished and brought up. Therefore if the child disdain his father or his mother: he is a monster, & every man will abhor him. And why? For without Gods speaking, without having any holy scripture, without much preaching unto us, nature it self showeth us, that the duty which the child oweth to his father and mother, is such a one as cannot be broken off. We see then that the intent of §60our God, is to win us to himself by setting down the terms of father and mother to the end we should not be stubborn, but come meekly to receive the subjection that he layeth upon us.1 And because all the authority which men have proceedeth from him, he speaketh according to the Law of civill order: meaning t••t we should be diligent in doing him his due honour, and every of us on his own behalf obey those that have superiority over us,2 and every man have an eye to his own state and calling, so as the children honour their fathers and mothers, the people the Magistrates, and servants likewise their masters: and to be short, that there be a good harmony of concord among us, according to the order that our Lord hath set, which ought to be inviolable.
Besides this, let vs marke that God speaketh here of the honouring of fathers and mothers, of purpose to drawe vs by meanes most conuenient and agreeable to our nature. Wee knowe there is such pride in men, as they bee loth to sloope one to another, and euerie man