A17698:4534
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 speaketh of Benjamin, and he saith, That he shall dwell safely by God, and be his well beloved; and that God will shelter him and dwell betwixt his shoulders. I have told you already that here Moses confirmeth and warranteth the promises which God had uttered afore by the mouth of Jacob: or else that where there was any hardness in them, Moses mitigateth the same, to the §60intent that the faithful should not be troubled out of measure. As touching the tribe of Benjamin, Jacob had said that it should be like a wolf that inatcheth up his pray in the morning,1 and divideth the spoil at night. For that is the native sense. Benjamin then shall be as a ravening wolf, always given to the pray: insomuch that when he hath robbed in the morning, he shall divide the spoil at night also. It is a hard condition that a people should live upon robbing and ravening: and it might seem by that means that they were degraded. For we know that all men will hate them that use such violence and live upon the spoil of other men by doing them harm and annoyance. To be short, it seemeth that the tribe of Benjamin should become as robbers. Truly this was spoken in respect that in the end they should be placed in the borders or marches of two kingdoms; which thing came to pass when the kingdom of Israel was departed from the tribe of Judah. For then the one half of the tribe of Benjamin abode on the one side, and the other half on the other side; by reason whereof they were as members rent in pieces. And because the first brunts lighted upon them, so as they were fain to bear the first blows: it behooved them also to be men of war. That was the thing which Jacob had an eye unto. Yet could it not be but that the Beniamits must be grieved, seeing that God did set them there, to maintain themselves by violence, and to be always with sword in hand. It was a very hard case, whereat the faithful might be sore grieved and disquieted. Here therefore Moses qualifieth the thing which might seem over sharp in the Prophecy of Jacob; in respect whereof he saith that ⟨p. 1210⟩Benjamin shall be Gods darling, and that he shall dwell safely by him.
Nowe he speaketh of Beniamin, and he saith, That he shall dwell safely by God, and be his wel beloued; and that God will shelter him and dwell betwixt his shoulders. I haue told you already that heere Moses confirmeth and warranteth the promises which God had vttered afore by the mouth of Iacob: or else that where there was any hardnesse in them, Moses mitigateth the same, to the