A17698:948
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 he addeth a promise. That thy days (saith he) may be prolonged, and that thou mayest prosper in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. But there is yet one thing more: which is, that forasmuch as we be loth to yield our selves to humility: God giveth us here a stroke with the spur, saying: thy God commandeth thee. And it serveth to confirm the doctrine that I have touched already: that is to wit, that it is but ⟨p. 217⟩a fond & trifling shift, to dispute whether such as are in state of honour above us, do deserve to have that room: Or whether they do discharge their duty, as well as they are advanced thereto. All such gear must be laid aside. And why? For we must hold us contented with Gods ordinance, and rest altogether upon his good pleasure. And that is the cause why Moses addeth here expressly, according as the Everlasting thy God hath commanded thee. As if he should say, true it §10is that men do always kick against it as much as they can. If one would bring them under awe, they will not abide it by their good will: Again they have such loftiness in them, as provoketh them continually to be desirous to exalt themselves too much. By means whereof there will never be any willing subjection, until God have wrought it. But you be always rebellious against God (saith he) when ye once enter into such debatings as this: Should such §20a one reign over me, and I obey him, seeing he is no better than I? If ye bear such spite towards men: God himself steppeth forth, and desireth to know whether ye will serve him or no: And if ye will not receive his lieutenants when he sendeth them unto you: it is a certain sign that ye refuse his yoke likewise, by means whereof his justice is impeached, and he feeleth himself to be injured by you. Sith it is so then, know ye (sayeth Moses) that §30the children which are disobedient to their fathers and mothers, may well allege this and that: and the folk that rebel against their superiors, may well make excuses: but none of those things shall stand them in any stead. The reason is, that God, who hath ordained superiority in the world, will also have it maintained: he hath spoken the word, and it cannot be called back.1 When God hath once given his definitive sentence, it is not for us to call the