A17698:4541
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.
Thus much concerning the tribe of Benjamin.
Thus much concerning the tribe of Beniamin.
Now cometh Moses to the tribe of Joseph and saith; That his land shall be blessed of God with the delectable fruits of the Sun, with the fruits of the Moon, with the pleasures of the Dew from above, and of the depths from beneath, that is to say, of fountains and watersprings which give moisture and nourishment to the earth. That his honour should be as the firstborn of a bull; that he shall have excellent horns, wherewith to push against his enemies; that he shall have the old mountains, and the pleasant hills, where shall be nothing but sweetness. And afterward in the end it is said, That all these things shall come upon the head of Joseph, & upon the Crown of the head of the Nazarite of his brothers. Here we may see how the intent of Moses was to confirm the things that Jacob had spoken afore: for he useth many of the same words which are in the nine and fortieth Chapter of Genesis.1 Partly then Moses doeth but make a rehearsal of the things which had been written in the person of Jacob: and that is not superfluous: but God reneweth and ratifieth his promises, to the end they should be the more assured. And such confirmation also was needful, to the intent that the other tribes should not grudge against the tribes of Joseph. We know that the people of Israel were very full of quarrelling and rebellion, and that it was a very hard matter to hold them in awe. Now Jacob had given double portion to his son Joseph, because he had two children, Ephraim and Manasseh. He had said that Joseph should represent two heads in the house,2 because the tribe of Levy was excluded and had no portion in the Land, but only took the tenths and Offerings. Their successors therefore might have said, In deed it was the will of our father Jacob to give this advantage to his son Joseph, howbeit that was upon over earnest affection, because Joseph had succoured him in his need, and fed our fathers in the time of famine. But what? Should they therefore have two heads here, and we be so much abated? Because the people might still have pleaded for the partition which had bin assigned, and have striven when they had bin come into the Land of Canaan: Moses confirmeth the thing which had been declared afore;