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.

On Saturday the vij. of December. 1555. The Cxiiij. Sermon which is the third vpon the nineteenth Chapter.

14 Thou shalt not remoue thy neighbours boundes which bounded thy pre∣decessours in thine heritage that thou shalt possesse in the lande which the Lord thy God giueth thee to possesse.

15 Let not one witnesse alone rise vp against a man for any maner of trespasse or sinne, or for any fault that he offendeth in: but at the worde of two or three wit∣nesses shall the matter be stablished.

FOr the better vnderstanding [ 40] of that which is commaunded and forbidden heere concer∣ning bounds or limits; we haue to marke first of all, that God in giuing the land of Chanaan to his people, had ordeined that partitions should bee made, and his intent was the same shoulde cōtinue for euer. For although sales were made; yet behooued it that in the yeare of Iubily,* 1.1 all thinges should returne to their former state a∣gaine. [ 50] And Eleazer the highpriest & Iosua were to make those partitions, which shoulde indure to the end. Nowe there was moreouer assigned to euery house an inheritance. For the trybes hauing parted the lande after that manner, a∣greed afterward as touching the heads of their houses: but yet for al that, it behooued the for∣mer partition to continue still, and that y^e others neuerthelesse should inioy their goods; and that if any sale were made, it should bee vnder such [ 60] condition, as euery man might afterwarde re∣turne to his owne inheritance, at the time that God had appointed. Now let vs come to that which is said here. Gods wil is that the boundes (which we in this countrey call limites) shoulde remaine fast, so as no man might alter any of them: and this serued as well for the vniuersall inheritance of the whole body of the nation, as for the pe∣culiar possessions of euery seueral person. And although there was a special reason for the peo∣ple of Israel (as I haue touched heretofore:) yet did the heathen know well ynough, y^t if the same thing were not obserued otherwhere also, there woulde bee no vprightnesse among men, but all would go to confusion. And therefore they held it for a crime, when any man altered the land∣marks, & it was counted a kind of falshood euen among the Heathen. And to the intent it should be taken for a holy matter, they made a God of it, according to their cōmon maner, which was to mingle some superstition with their matters to hold folke in awe, when they intended to bri∣dle them. Now it was a diuelish inuention to set vp an ydol for the maintenance of equitie be∣tween men. Yet notwithstāding, we see how na∣ture hath alwayes taught vs this principle, that if bounds & limits were not kept and maintay∣ned, there would be a horrible confusion among men, and no lawes would be any longer kept. Therefore to benefite our selues by this text, we must marke two things. The one is not onely that the children of Israel had the possession of the lande of Chanaan of Gods gifts; but also that

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he should be conuicted of them by order of law. This is a sin that lyeth stil in couert. Now of all this while (as it is said in Genesis) the party may go forth where he wil,* 1.2 & wander in his own af∣fection; but his sin is stil at his doore, & watcheth him surely for going out. God then letteth men take their pleasure after that fashiō for a time; & afterward bewrayeth thē when it pleaseth him. And we see examples hereof as I saide afore. There are some other sinnes which come to [ 10] knowledge at the first push, as though God had sifted them out. Therefore we must marke this rule, that we may brydle our selues, and not bee too hastie to iudge, but tarrie patiently for the conuenient time. Also we haue to follow y^e rule which our Lord Iesus Christ giueth vs;* 1.3 namely that if any man haue done amisse towardes vs, wee warne him secretely; & that if hee receiue not our warning wee take two or three witnesses to vs, that in their mouth the thing may be the [ 20] better stablished. Nowe it is certaine that in y^t place our Lord speaketh of y^e faults that are vn∣knowen: for if there be an open offence giuen, so as the partie may be openly conuicted: it is not meant that I should say to him secretely in his eare, Sir you haue done amisse. We see that our Lord Iesus Christs meaning was nothing so. As for those that alleage that text nowadays when they haue offended in the open face of y^e world, and say, Why do ye not warne me of it secretely [ 30] betweene you & me? [We answer them,] & why did not you hide your self to doe your naughti∣nes out of sight? Thou cōmest hither to poyson a whole streete; & thou wouldest haue mee to draw thee aside into some corner to tell thee of thy fault. Wee see a number of these nyce per∣sōs which know not one word of y^e gospel more than this text; & yet they do falsifie that too. Our Lord speaketh there of y^e sins that are vn∣knowē, & wherof they haue no witnesses. Ther∣fore [ 40] it behooueth vs to follow the order which we heare in that behalf. When a man hath done amisse & there is none to beare witnesse of it, he must be admonished secretly, & haue his faulte layd afore him: & if hee bee wilfull, then must I take two or three witnesses with me, & proue it to his face: for otherwise it cannot be done. If we were so delt with, we should not be so lustie as we be, at leastwise as a number of vs are: but wee would vnderstand y^t it is our Lordes wil to keepe [ 50] vs in vre, & that wheras our faults come not to light at the first committing of them, but God seemeth willing to conceale them: the same is not without cause. And although it be a temp∣tation that is hard for vs to beare, yet doth God do it to our benefite, to the intent that we should inure our selues to patience, & striue against the euill, though wee cannot discouer it when wee would.

Moreouer let vs marke also, that wheras our [ 60] Lorde punisheth not a number of faultes in the sight of men, ne suffereth thē to come to know∣ledge: therby it is his wil to shew vs, that we must walke before him, & that wee must content our selues with his record, although men knowe not what wee be. It is saide in the common prouerb, that a mans owne conscience is as good as a thousand witnesses: and they that haue saide so, knew neither why nor wherefore. Yet notwith∣standing God wrested that saying out of their mouthes, as if a man should drawe an offender to execution. On our part we must vnderstande, y^t the reason is, that inasmuchas God inlighte∣neth our consciences & is the Iudge of them; we haue mo than a thousand witnesses. For our sinnes must be layd open, not only before y^e An∣gels of heauen, but also before al creatures. See∣ing then that our consciences are inlightened by God, & must aunswere before him: let vs not thinke it strange that it shoulde counteruaile a thousand witnesses. But now let vs come to that which I spake of. It may bee that I liue honestly & vprightly, so as my desire is to serue God, and to discharge my selfe towardes my neighbours also, & al this shalbe ill taken, & no man wil cun me thanke for my labour. If it greeue mee that men perceiue not the soundnesse that is in me, & therupon do seeke the more to bee knowen; I receiue my reward in this worlde, as sayeth our Lord Iesus Christ. Neuerthelesse let vs marke, that God to draw vs to him,* 1.4 will oftentimes not suffer vs to be knowen of men, but will haue vs to be taken for other than we be. And that is (as I said afore) to the end we should hold our selues contented with his only record, & that y^e same should wey so much with vs, as wee might defye the whole worlde, so God allowe of vs. Marke that for one poynt. Againe, when men grudge against vs, wee must haue the courage and con∣stancie to appeale continually vnto God, and to take him for our sufficient warrant. Thus ye see on the one side what we haue to beare in mind.

But in the meane whyle wee see howe the wicked doe mocke both God and the worlde, & harden themselues in their leaudnesse, because they bee not called foorth to Iustice for it, nor are punished for it. For sometimes they be born with, and somtimes also our Lord holdeth them at that stay to encrease their condemnation. Yet notwithstanding let not vs bee tempted to resemble them, neither let vs be grieued at their escaping so from the handes of men, and that they be not condemned out of hand by order of iustice. For what shall they gaine by it? So li∣tle is their market mended by it, that it shall serue to increase their confusion before God, as hath beene saide alreadie. If our Lorde bring a mans sinne to knowledge, it will surely grieue him at the first, and when hee shalbe dri∣uen to his shiftes, it will make him to looke a∣bout him and to think thus with himselfe: What though I am falne and haue committed this fault? Is it reason that men shoulde come and rebuke mee thus roughly at the first dash? I see such a one haunt these things more than I, and I see such a one offende more grossely than I, and yet they scape vnpunished. I in the meane whyle haue chaunced to make a scape, rather of ouersight than of any euill purpose; and must men bee so rough and fierce vppon mee? Such complaintes and murmurings shal a man heare; or if the partie that is greeued make not com∣plaint

after that manner before men, yet fay∣leth he not to repine in his heart. But we regard not the foresaid things as we ought to do. And therefore our Lord perceiuing vs to bee in dan∣ger of falling asleepe, if our misdoings should be suffered and let slip at the first: putteth vs into the handes of men to bee corrected by Iustice. And his so dooing is for our benefite. For wee must alwayes come backe to this saying, that God chastiseth those whome he loueth, shew∣ing [ 10] thereby that hee hath his eye vpon them as vpon his children, & that therefore hee holdeth them the neerer to him. That is the thing wher∣unto it would behoue vs to haue an eye. Neuer∣thelesse if our Lord giue the wicked the brydle, so as they heape sin vpon sin before it come to y^e knowledge of men, & no countenance is made towards them of punishing them: it is an increa∣sing of their condemnation, by rancling in their owne poyson, & the diuel wholly driueth them [ 20] into a reprobate sense, vntill they bee come to their ful measure. Let vs see what the inhabiters of the land of Chanaan fared y^e better by Gods bearing with them by the space of foure hun∣dred yeres.* 1.5 They were alreadie malicious and froward, there was no faithfulnesse nor loyaltie among them, they were extremely cruel: more∣ouer, who••edome, extortion, & such other like things raigned among them: & for all that, God maketh as though he saw it not. But what came [ 30] of it? It was tolde Abraham that their iniquities were not yet come to the full. That saying is set down to vs for a general rule. And therfore whē our Lord forbeareth to condemne the wicked at the first push, let vs assure our selues that their iniquitie is not yet ful rype. And how so? Is the sinne of Gods children come to ful rypenesse at the first day as soone as they haue done amisse? No: but our Lords intent is to chastice his chil∣dren in such wise as amendment may insue of it, [ 40] that his correcting of thē may serue for a salue to heale them: wheras his suffering of the wic∣ked folks sinnes to come to full rypenesse, is for that he punisheth them not but deadly. Thus ye see what wee haue to beare in minde, where mention is made of two or three witnesses.

Furthermore, hereby we bee warned not to make delay till wee bee conuicted by witnesses before men. Let the remorse of our owne con∣science be a sufficient rebuke vnto vs: for it is as [ 50] much as if God cyted vs before him, & made vs to be indyted, & impanelled a quest vppon vs, & condemned vs. Doth our own conscience speak to vs? It is as much as if God had made great Registers of our sinnes, & wee sawe witnesses brought in against vs, not one or two, but a hun∣dred. For (as I haue sayd alreadie) our own con∣science is of more force than a hundred witnes∣ses. Ye see how euery man ought to looke neer∣ly to himselfe, so as wee wrye not our mouthes [ 60] when wee haue done amisse, vnder colour that no man hath perceiued vs, & that there bee no witnesses that can shame vs for it before men. Also let vs marke, y^t inasmuchas our Lord hath sent vs his Prophets and Apostles, they be such sufficient witnesses as shalbe heard before all y^e priuate persons that can bee brought foorth at this day against vs.* 1.6 S. Paul speaking to the Co∣rinthians sayeth, that seeing hee had written to them alreadie, & told them of their faultes, and doth likewise againe the second time: if they a∣mend not, it was all one as if they were conui∣cted by two or three witnesses. Yea & he vseth this selfesame text, ye know (sayth he) that God hath ordeyned that two or three witnesses shold be credited. Now, I come to you againe; & looke how many times I speake, so many recordes will it be against you before the heauenly Iudge. I summon you not here before men: neither will God forget the things that I doe towardes you: for his stirring of mee vp to giue you warning, is to hold you the more conuicted.

Now let vs apply these thinges to our selues, & let vs vnderstand (as I sayd afore) that seeing we haue Moses & the Prophets, wee haue wit∣nesses ynow. True it is, that they speake not as now before men, they let vs alone and trouble vs not: but yet for all that let not vs fal asleepe, for our flattering of our selues will stande vs in no steede, but to plunge vs the deeper in Gods curse. But forasmuch as our Lorde setteth vs these witnesses before our faces: let euery of vs bethink himselfe; & seeing wee haue here our Lord Iesus Christ and his Apostles, let vs be the more moued to make our own inditements and to preuent Gods iudgements. For if wee con∣demne our selues,* 1.7 it wilbee a meane to obtaine fauour at his hand: and our faults shalbee forgi∣uen vs, if we craue pardon w^t vnfained misliking of them, desiring to depart quite & cleane from them. And not only y^e Prophets & Apostles shal be our witnesses before God; but also all y^e faith∣full that euer haue beene in the worlde shall re∣proue our vnbeliefe & disobedience, if wee be∣come not the better by the doctrine that hath been preached vnto vs. And for that cause doth the Apostle in the twelfth to the Hebrues say,* 1.8 y^t we must haue a good eye to the great and thick clowd of witnesses. Hee vseth this similitude there, which at the first may seeme fond: neuer∣thelesse it is not without cause that hee saieth there is a great & thick clowd of witnesses, after he hath made mention of the Martyrs that had suffered. For we see that the faithful were con∣stant to death, & held out to the vttermost when men went about to turne them away from the lawe of God, so as they could not bee made to swarue or step aside for any torments that were put vnto them. All they (saith he) are witnesses: As if he should say, there needeth none other proces against vs before god, for our negligence in these dayes: in so much that if wee faint for feare, & forsake God & his worde; our proces is sufficiently concluded, & information is already giuen against vs saith he. And why so? For it is not a two or three witnesses onely, but a great cloud of witnesses that stand vp against vs, which are able euen to stop our eyes. Seeing then that the case standeth so with vs: let vs note that it behoueth vs to set our eyes more aduisedly vpō God, & to better our selues in such wise by the thinges wherewith hee enlighteneth vs in his

worde, & by the doctrine which he will haue to bee confirmed vnto vs by such witnesses as hee raiseth vp, & daily bringeth foorth, as wee tary not til he shame vs & confound vs before men: but let euery of vs condemne himselfe. Thus ye see what we haue to marke in making compa∣risons betwixt the iudgementes of men and the iudgements of God. Namely that although mē do let vs alone, we m•••••• not think we haue sped the better, for our inditement is throughly fra∣med [ 10] afore the heauenly Iudge, though our faults were hidden & buried before men, so as neuer a∣ny mention or incling were made of them.

Now to make a conclusion of this text, wher∣as he saith that all cases shalbe stablished in the mou∣thes of two or three witnesses: it was our Lords will to speake here generally, doing vs to vnderstand that if that were not, there woulde bee no more order among men. For if men will not be con∣tented with two witnesses, offences must needes [ 20] be fostered, & there wilbe euery day greater dis∣order than other, whereby Gods wrath shalbee prouoked against the whole countrey, as hath bin said before. Therefore is it requisite that all matters shoulde bee stayed & concluded at the mouth of two or three witnesses. That is y^e drift of Moses in speaking so. Howbeit, men wil allege thus: It is a dangerous matter; for false witnes∣ses may be suborned, & if they be belieued, a mā may soone be oppressed, & he might be wronged [ 30] in a rightful case. It is true y^t such allegation may be made, & examples therof are to be seene. But yet doth it not follow y^t there should not be some certeine rule for men to direct themselues by, & to hold themselues vnto, whatsoeuer inconueni∣ences may be alleaged. For we see that when mē be minded to do euil, they seeke the darke by all the meanes they can, they sounde no trumpet, they call no witnesses to their doings. If it bee a thing that is for their aduantage & profite, they [ 40] can skill welynough to call witnesses: but when they do euil, they hyde themselues: & though they be spyed, yet they go about to bleare mens eyes. And what woulde come of it then, seeing there are so many shiftes vsed to conceale euill doings, if two witnesses might not bee admitted in a matter? Neuer could any thing be condem∣ned, but all iustice must needs go to wreck, & we should liue together like brute beasts. Not with∣out cause therfore doth our Lord tel vs heere, y^t [ 50] two or three witnesses must be credited, yea euē in all cases: though it concerned a mans life an hundred times, yet ought it to stande for good. But wee see how the diuel hath practised conti∣nually to ouerthrow this order. And why? For he knoweth that hee coulde not deuise a better way to win vs, than by couering our faultes, be∣cause that by that meanes Gods wrath is kin∣dled daily more & more, & euery man taketh y^e greater & more excessiue libertie to do what he [ 60] listeth: insomuch that the nonpunishing of his leawdnes, maketh him to think it lawful, & so he goeth on from one wickednes to another. Yea, it becommeth a cōmon infection like y^e plague: if it be not remedied in time, it will poyson all. In like case is it with euil deedes. That is y^e cause why the diuel hath alwayes practised that there might be no proofe of things, or else that there might be so many startingholes, as mens offen∣ces might not come to knowledge, to be cōdem∣ned. And therfore our Lord saith expressely, that the matter must be tryed at the mouth of two or three witnesses. It is not Gods wil y^t there shold be any exemption in that behalf. For they that be in high degree, ought to giue y^e greater light: & if they offend, the fault is double, & deserueth to be the grieuouslyer punished. Therfore they must hold themselues to that, & there ought to be as great rigor at the least vsed towards them, as towards those y^t may better be born withall. And so let vs marke, y^t seeing our Lord hath told vs that two witnesses ought to be beleeued in all cases; it is an ouerthrowing of that good lawe, to alleage that inconueniences may insew of it, as some always do, casting this dout & that dout to bring al things to confusion. O say they, such a thing may come of it. A man may alleage that y^e clouds wil fal out of the aire. And we haue seene examples therof. For without going any further, when one [was to be punished which] went a∣bout here to ouerthrow Gods order, & y^e things that our Lord Iesus hath ordained by his word: O we will none of that, said some: And why? For such an inconuenience might insue of it. And was that incōuenience seene? No. But a man can¦not tel what might come. And their meaning was, that Iesus Christ shoulde not reigne by his word. After that maner did they greeue God. And vnder what pretence? For sooth that some inconuenience might ensue of it. Lo here a diue∣lish wisedome. Nowe then if wee see necessitie pinch vs & hold vs short; whatsoeuer impedi∣ment or quarel doe set it selfe against vs, let vs learne neuerthelesse to follow Gods cōmande∣ment without disobedience in word or deede. And that is a thing which we haue to gather v∣pon this text, ouer & beside the things that haue beene declared.

Nowe let vs cast our selues downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledge∣ment of our faults, praying him to vouchsafe to hold vs so within our bounds by his word, as that the great number of our vices & imperfections hinder vs not from obeying his holy wil, & from abyding within he listes which hee hath set vs, but that we may be quickened vp by y^e witnesses which he giueth vs; And seeing hee draweth vs to him by so many means, we may not be so vn∣thankful as to drag backe when he calleth vs, & to seeke starting holes to hyde our sinnes, & to bury them before men, but rather giue him glo∣rie by confessing them, & conceiue not any o∣ther hope of saluation than through his meere mercie: & that euery of vs may so looke to him∣selfe, as we may be witnesses and Iudges to our selues, y^t he may receiue vs to mercie, when hee shall see that the euill dislyketh vs, and that we haue not gone about to shrinke away from yeelding obedience vnto him. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs, but also to all people and nations of the earth, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••5.28.
• * 1.2

  Gen. 4.7.
• * 1.3

  Mat. 18.15.16
• * 1.4

  Matt, 6.5.
• * 1.5

  Gen. 15.16.
• * 1.6

  2. Cor. 13.1.
• * 1.7

  1. Cor. 11.31.
• * 1.8

  Hebr. 12.1.