Deuteronomy — Chapter 30
These annotations are from the original 1609 Douay Old Testament, the first complete English Catholic Bible translation, produced by English scholars in exile at the English College of Douai. The archaic spelling is preserved.
This content was digitized from the original 1609 Douay (Old Testament) and 1582 Rheims (New Testament) print editions by OCR. The OCR process sometimes confused print page numbers with verse numbers, and may have assigned annotations to the wrong chapter. Chapter and verse labels on this page reflect the OCR output from the original print pagination and may not correspond to canonical Scripture chapter/verse numbers. For canonical reference, consult a standard Douay-Rheims edition. The annotation texts themselves are authentic 1609/1582 Douay-Rheims content.
Verse 6
God wil circumcise thy hart.] Most true it is, that of our selves, without Gods grace, none can keep or fulfil the commandments. But he, whose hart God doth circumcise, is thereby made able to loue God with al his hart, and with al his soule. And except some harts were thus circumcised, and so made able to loue God aboue al, and consequently their neighbours, God should not performe his promise, that he wil circumcise the hart of some.
Verse 11
It is not aboue thee.] When thou art stirred vp, afflisted, and indued with Gods grace, the commandment of God is not (then) aboue thee, nor farre off from thee, but very neer thee, in thy mouth (to confesse God, and his truth) and in thy hart, to doe it: But you wil aske: How then commeth it to passe, that manie hauing receiued sufficient grace, yet doe not keep Gods commandments? God himselfe answereth:
Verse 15
He hath set before thee life and good, and contrariwife death and euil; he inuiteth and helpeth, yet forceth thee not: he giueth thee power & abilitie, helping and not destroying thy freewil, that thou maist loue our Lord thy God, walke in his wayes, and keep his commandments. But if thy hart be auerted and (v.17.) thou wilt not heare, thou shalt perish.
Verse 19
I cal for witnesses heauen and earth, that I haue proposed to you life and death, blessing and cursing: choose therefore life &c. What Doctour can teach more plainely the possibilitie of keeping Gods commandments and freewil in man, then this text of holie Scripture?