A17698:3855
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 a man would think at the first sight, that it were impossible for a man to live without ordinary food, because §40we would always tie the grace and power of GOD to these natural means, wherewith he is served. It seemeth to us that God cannot work, but according to our understanding, and experience. But on the contrary side it is said here, that the people having not a morsel of bread to eat, did not sail for all that to live in wilderness. And why? For God hath means incomprehensible whereby to sustain his creatures, as he showed manifestly §50at that time. In so much that if need required, God would rather turn the stones into bread, than forsake his people. Also he could as well feed them with milk as with bread. To be short, let us mark, that the power which proceedeth from the Spirit of GOD is the only thing that maintaineth and preserveth us in our state:1 as it is said in the hundred and fourth Psalm. Is not bread a dead or insensible thing? Howe then could §60we receive life thereby, but that it is Gods pleasure? Thus doeth Moses here put the people in mind of the miracle of the Manna, in such sort as he had reported it afore. For if the people had incontinently found Manna in the wilderness, they would have thought that the place had brought it forth: but they pined a while, and murmured against God. Then came the Manna, a very uncouth and strange thing. Whereby the people were convinced, that God had regard of their necessity. And when the Manna was fallen, every man gathered his quantity, and they distributed it all among them, so as nothing remained, neither wanted there a grain of the wonted measure. Whereby it appeareth, that the feeding of seven hundred thousand persons with the Manna, yea and that in such certain & foreappoynted measure as if a man should say, every man shall have as much as he needeth, came not of haphazard. On the other side, there fell none upon the Sabbath day, but on the day before fell double quantity. We see therefore that God distributed his Manna, like as when a mans children come about their father for their food, and he giveth every of them his pittance in due measure and proportion. Again, if they keep the Manna beyond the Sabbath day, it rotted: so as they could not keep it longer than was appointed by God, to receive thereof any sustenance and nourishment.