A17698:4553
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.
But by the way it is said, the thousands of Ephraim, & the thousands of Manasseh. Here he maketh Ephraim tenfold greater than his brother: yet was Manasseh in very deed the elder son of Joseph:1 but at such time as their grandfather [Jacob] blessed them, he declared that Ephraim should be greater than his brother Manasseh. Thus was the order of nature quite changed, in that God gave the birthright of the firstbegotten to the younger son; to show that we bring not any thing of our own unto god, but that we receive all things of his mere goodness, & that he disposeth of us at his pleasure, without being bound thereunto. And this hath God showed by a figure in the persons of Manasseh & Ephraim. For it lay not in Jacobs power to make Ephraim greater than Manasseh: the matter concerned not the inheriting of the country only, but also the having of a Tribe. And the same is called a special gift of God. Although riches also do come of him, yet will he have men to acknowledge, that to have issue is a peculiar gift which cannot be gotten by cunning nor by any other mean. The scripture then in speaking so, doth well show that it lieth not in the power of any creature, to say, This man shall grow into a great people, as Jacob ⟨p. 1214⟩said, & yet he could not then discern them asunder by outward sight. For he was blind for age.2 And when Joseph came & brought him his two children, he did set Manasseh the elder to his right hand, & Ephraim to his left; to the end that Jacob in blessing them (as the fashion and ceremony then was) should lay his right hand upon Manasseh, & his left upon Ephraim. But Jacob putting his hand sacrosse, did lay his right hand upon the younger, & his left hand upon the §10elder. Whereat Joseph said, Sir ye mistake them. No, no, said Jacob; let me alone, I do it not through ignorance: for he that is the inferior by nature, must be the greater; God hath so ordained it. Behold here a silly blind soul, an old man, such a one as seemeth to dote for age: he speaketh of things unknown, & yet for all that, he dealeth in that behalf as if he were God sitting in his seat. And in very deed (as I have told you afore) He was Gods deputy and §20