A17698:4626
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.
And he addeth immediately, that the Eye or Fountain of Jacob was upon a land of Corn & Wine, and that the heavens should drop down dews. Hereby Moses betokeneth in effect, that if we be Gods people, he will have a care to sustain us: and that because we have need of sustenance, he will provide us thereof according §40to our necessity, so as he will give us meat and drink sufficient. True it is that the Hebrew word which he useth, may be taken both for an Eye and for a Fountain. And in deed the Hebrews call Fountains Eyes, because the springs of the water (if ye mark them) have the shape of the eye in a mans body. If we take it for an eye in his proper signification; it is as much to say as that Gods people shall have their fight continually upon corn and wine, and §50that God will give them sufficient sustenance. For the dew shall come down from heaven, which shall make the ground to yield fruit. If we should take it for a Fountain; that were somewhat hard. I grant it is said in the Psalm, You that be of the fountains or wellsprings of Jacob:1 but that is because the Patriarch Jacob was the wellspring of that people. And it could not agree to the present text. And therefore let us content ourselves with the natural sense of §60Moses: which is, that God will make us feel & show us by experience, that we shall receive sustenance at his hand as long as we be in this world. Of a trueth, bread and wine are not the chief things which we ought to seek at Gods hand: yet is it much when we see he hath a care of this corruptible life. And that ought to make us to sty up higher. For when we see that God vouchsafeth to feed our bodies: ought we not to conclude that it is much more likely that he will feed our souls which are much more dearer unto him? The good then which we receive here beneath, ought to serve to make us to send up our trust above the heavens, to seek a better life at his hand, which we can not as now comprehend. And therefore of no small importance is this promise where it is said, that God will always make his people see and feel that he is their foster father, that he giveth them corn and wine for their sustenance, and that he will send them dew from heaven to keep the ground from parching up, so as it may have moisture to sustain those which otherwise should abide a hungered.