40. The people asked. But how badly, how
wickedly! And yet his grace forgave the sin of their grumbling and heard its
meaning: or perhaps we may consider that while the multitude grumbled there
were a few who were really gracious people, who prayed, and therefore the
blessing came. He brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven. He gave them what they asked amiss as well as what was good for
them, mingling judgment with goodness, for their discipline. The quails were
more a curse than a blessing in the end, because of their greed and lust, but
in themselves they were a particular indulgence, and favor: it was their own
fault that the dainty meat brought death with it. As for the manna it was
unmingled good to them, and really satisfied them, which the quails never did.
It was bread from heaven, and the bread of heaven, sent by
heaven; it was a pity that they were not led to look up to heaven whence it
came, and fear and love the God who out of heaven rained it upon them. Thus
they were housed beneath the Lord’s canopy and fed with food from his own
table; never people were so lodged and boarded. O house of Israel, praise ye
the Lord.
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