A17698:3850
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.
Proceeding with the matter that was begun yesterday. Moses doth here declare unto the people, that they were too dulheaded in that they considered §60not the goodness of God, which they had seen, and enjoyed by the space of forty years. If God should nourish a man but the space of a three or four days, without one morsel of bread; it would seem to be above the ordinary course of nature. But behold, here was an infinite multitude of people nourished with a kind of meat that had not bin common. God made it to rain down Manna from heaven, and the people were fed with it; for they had always so much as was needful, and this miracle was so visible, that it could not be called in doubt. Yet notwithstanding, the people continued still hard hearted, howbeit, not for want of knowing that they received that food from God. If the Jews had bin asked that question, ⟨p. 1020⟩there was none of them which would not have answered thereunto saying,1 Since the time that we came into the wilderness, God hath had pity of us, and sustained us; we should have dyed through miseries and hunger, had he not caused Manna to rain down from heaven.2 Also he caused water to issue out of the Rock, that we might have whereof to drink. Every one would in deed have confessed this. But yet notwithstanding they ceased not to murmur against §10Moses and Aaron, neither ceased they to have longings after their own lusts, saying that the Manna was nothing toothsome,3 and therefore they could not like of it. Then fell they to fornication, and sedition, and gave over themselves to idolatry and much filthiness.4 Thus doth it appear that this people forgot GOD. The matter therefore consisteth not altogether in the having of some sleight knowledge; but it must be applied to the right §20use, that is to say, that GOD be honoured among us, that we do him homage for the benefits that he bestoweth on us, and thereby begin to put our trust in him, and to have recourse unto him. Let us mark then, that whereas Moses in this place reproveth the Jews for not knowing the favour which GOD had done unto them when be fed them with Manna in the wilderness: he meaneth not that they