will alwayes holde vs in and keepe vs and that hee will imprint in our heartes suche an assurance of the hope which he hath giuen vs that we may beare therin the right marke of his election as if men spreade a little waxe vpon a seale the forme of the seale will remaine perfect but the wax hath the shape and image thereof So when our Lord engraueth his feare in our heartes by his holy spirit and such an obedience towardes him as his Children ought to performe vnto him this is as if he should set vpon vs the seale of his electiō as if he should truely testifie that he hath adopted vs and that hee is a Father vnto vs For asmuch as we haue the earnest of his free adoption that is to say the holy Ghost But now let vs come to that which is heere handled particularly It is saide That Esau beeing returned he asked of his brother Iacob that hee woulde giue him of that red Pottage and of that meate He saith it but this was as it were in cōtempt and yet heerein we see that he was not so delicate and fine mouthed but hee could doe no more hee was so weary that he knew not what he did and therefore he asketh nothing but to be satisfied And heereupon he sayth Giue vnto me as if hee shoulde say It is all one vnto me whether I eate browne breade or white so that I may fill my belly admit it were but with Acornes it is all one vnto mee A man might heere finde some coulour to excuse Esau and it seemeth that this might wel haue bin pardoned him But what So much the more in this must we beholde that our desires howe natural lawful soeuer they be are yet neuertheles to be repressed when there is any question of the heauenly life for then wee must bring vnder euery consideration and rather loose life an hundred times then goe out of the path of saluation It is not enough therefore that men abstaine from those actes that are altogither dissolute and wicked and whereof they may bee ashamed but yet whatsoeuer desire they shall haue yea permitted vnto them of God which is not altogither condemned yet must they tame them when there shall be any comparison with spirituall benefites But heereof wee shall yet intreate more at large In the meane time it behoueth vs to note this point that Esau sought not after great dayntyes he saw the Pottage whereof mention is heere made and he asketh nothing but to be satisfyed therewith Nowe Iacob asketh of him his birthright in payment If he had asked it of him through ambition and that it had not belonged vnto him vndoubtedly it had beene no bargaine on the other side the malice which he had could by no meanes haue beene excused and farther this had beene to commit an outragious and theeuishe acte so to holde his brothers throte shut vp as to say if thou wilte not forgoe vnto mee all that belongeth to thee I wil not giue thee one morcell to eate rather thou shalt perish And to what extremitie woulde this growe But Iacob demaundeth nothing of Esau but that which was before giuen him For he was taught that before the two children were borne nowe already this sentence was pronounced that God had declared that it muste needes bee that the elder must serue the younger Iacob then in respecte of God possessed already through faith the birthright It is true that that stoode him in no steede in the iudgement of the worlde but the question is heereof the right title that he knew that God had appoynted him to bee the first borne had declared that the birthright belonged vnto him So then hee robbeth not Esau of any thing that was his but hee rather asketh againe that which was his owne as if hee shoulde haue said Because thou art firste come out of the wombe thou despisest the sentence that God hath giuen both concerning me thy selfe but yet that must stand which God hath decreed it can not be called back againe For my selfe I alwayes remain in this hope that I shall obtaine that which was promised vnto me but for thy parte this is to the end that thou shouldest vnderstand that I sette more store by the seruice of God then by mine owne life and therfore sel me thy birthright We see heere briefely that Iacob woulde not get the good of another by deceite or malice neither enforce his brother to spoyle himself of that blessing which belonged vnto him but he demandeth that that which God had giuen him might be approued and ratified amongst men Loe then the sūme of that whiche is spoken heere And therefore they who will vse so great rigour to get the substance of an other to enriche them selues with the losse of their neighbours haue not whereof to make them any buckler heere as wee shall see very many who will espye out occasions that if a poore man be in any extreame necessitie it must needes be that he be robbed Lo then they wil pray violently grate vpon him For thē they wil bargaine with him when they see him in this case ô say they who liue vppon spoyles as Haukes doe vpon the pray this man must passe through my handes Lo then a poore man who shall haue but one fielde or one medowe if he be indebted or faile to find money to pay if hee come to some Vsurer he wil say vnto him loe there is no remedie I must needes sel you such a peece ô I haue no money saith he at this time yet in the meane time he will keepe his money in his pursse watching that occasion which is as a robery forasmuch as he seeketh the meane to deceaue his neighboure This is cōmonly seene that he that shal be pinched with any misery he shal be eaten euen to the bones of such as onely haue the meanes to succour those that are in necessitie But if such wicked wretches as I haue sayde will cloke their iniquitie in the person of Iacob it is too too vaine a thing For Iacob sucked not another mans good vnto him self nor he sought not to enlarge him selfe to the end to lessen his brother but he remayned in the possession of that which God had giuen him The birth-right was his owne alredy in deede not according to the order of nature but because it so pleased god Inasmuch therefore as he deceiued none did wrong to no man neither vsed any rigoure or excesse to drawe anothers good vnto himself we must not take any paterne and patronage from hence of those same theeueryes and oppressions which commonly are exercysed amongst men And forasmuch as the question is heere of a spiritual benefit that Iacob seeketh not riches he seketh not his commodities nor any earthly honor to aduaunce himselfe aboue his brother he forsaketh all this this is all one to him but hee would haue that which God had promised
with the blood of our Lord Iesus Christ for otherwise they shal be but prophane defiled but when the bloud of our lord Iesus Christ shal be applied therin certainely our Prayers shal be pure they shal be cōsecrated in such sort that God wil accept of thē And when wee shall call vpon God euery one in the secret of his owne hearte let vs laboure also to drawe our neighbours therto to the intent that he may be gloryfied in the middest of vs with one accorde And as we ought to be knit togither in one Fayth so also let vs haue but one mouth too protest that we holde him for our father and Sauiour and that we are wholly his But now wee will fall downe before the maiestie of our good God in the acknowledgement of our faultes praying that it will please him in such sorte to make vs feele them that it may bee to make vs to bee displeased with our selues for them and to make vs to lament before his iudgement seate to the intente wee may bee absolued through his mercie forasmuche as wee shoulde iustly bee condemned by his iudgemente And that it will please him to strengthen vs so as wee fainte not whatsoeuer miseryes wee haue too suffer in this worlde but wee may meditate in his woorde in such sorte that the onely promise which he hath giuen vnto vs to holde vs for his children may content vs and that wee may be armed therewith to the ende to submit our selues to his wil peaceably to beare all afflictions that he shall send vs that we may gloryfie him also in our heartes without any faigning or hypocrisie and that wee may labour also to show the frutes of our faith before men and that by this meanes he may bee honoured of all bothe of small and greate And that hee will not onely shewe vs this grace but also to all peoples nations of the Earth c. ⧠The tenth Sermon of Iacob and Esau Genesis 26. 26 Nowe Abimilech comming vnto him to Gerar with Achuzath his friende and Picol the Captaine of his hoast 27 Isaack sayth vnto them why came you vnto me seeing you hated me and haue sent me away from you 28 Who saide vnto him vve savv for asuretie that Iehouah was with thee therefore we sayd Let there be an othe betweene vs that is betvvene vs thee Let vs therfore strike a couenant with thee 29 Aske vengeance vpon thy selfe if thou shalt hurt vs like as vve haue not touched thee and like as wee haue don thee good and haue sente thee away vvith peace Doe thou consent now thou hlessed of the Lord. 30 When therefore he had made them a feast they did eate and drinke And rysing in the morning they svvore either to other And Isaack led them foorth and they vvent from him vvith peace 31 And it came to passe that the selfe same day Isaacks seruantes comming vnto him shewed him concerning that wel which they had digged and said vnto him we haue found waters 32 And he called the same Sohibbah therefore the name of the Citie is Beer-schebah euen vntill this day Chapter 27. verse 1. NOW when Esau was fortie yeeres olde he maryed a wife named Iudith the daughter of Beer the Chithite and Basmatha the daughter of Elon the Chithite 2 Who were a greefe of minde to Isaack and Rebecca HOwsoeuer men liuinge in this worlde are subiect to many miseryes and afflictions yet neuerthelesse the moste parte of the euils that they indure proceede from them selues euery one of them being as a Woolf to his companion We are compassed about with sauadge beastes who are altogither our enemyes there is neither Heauen nor earth nor other elements that doe not bring with them a thousand hurts We knowe not howe to goe vpon the water but we must be within halfe a foote of our death There needs but one torment to swallow vp a people The earth also hath many annoyaunces as if God had threatened vs on euery side But when we shall make comparison there are no wilde beastes nor heauen nor earth nor any thing whatsoeuer which so much annoyeth men as eche one annoyeth his neighbour Nowe for this cause we ought to think it a singular benefit of God bestowed vpon vs whē he giueth vs peace that we are not oppressed wrōged on euery side when no mischief is deuised against vs no hurt nor damage done vnto vs It must needes be that the protection of God haue a hand in it seing that euery man will alwayes bee as a Woulfe vnto his neighbours as we haue said And this is the marke whereunto this present story tendeth For Moyses would shewe that after God had appeared to Isaack he yet farther declareth his fauor vnto him in that the Kinge of Gerar came vnto him sought his amitie and friēdship hereby was Isaack honoured and specially it was vnto him a great aduantage because he might alwayes haue beene in doubte in asmuche as hee had beene greatly inuied in the countrie and had beene constrayned to departe from thence notwithstanding he had liued amongst them in all humanitie and courtesie He might therefore haue beene alwayes in great suspence fearing the rage of his neighbours But God made them to come vnto him of their owne accorde and not onely to shew themselues friends but they flatter him feare that he wil hurt them and therfore they demaund a couenant to bee made betweene them with a solemne othe Now we haue to note here first of all that God hath the heartes of men in his owne hand to mollifie their hardnes when it pleaseth him to abate al their rage and to turne them to curtesie kindnes for certainly the king of Gerar had not changed his nature when he came to Isaack on the other side if he feared Isaack he might haue cōspired with his subiects neighbors and so haue set vpon him altogither On the other side hee had giuen no occasion to doubte of him in asmuch as Isaack had not giuen him any argumente of distrusting him hee rather had behaued himselfe in such sort that he plainly declared that he desired not to greeue any no not so much as his presence For we haue seene howe hee departed from their company It must needs be therefore that God stirred vp these prophane people to cause them to come vnto Isaack and to submit themselues as they doe with such humilitie that they intreate a poore man a stranger who had no great credite amongst them nor had any but his owne familie which he kepte aparte without giuing any token of attempting any such matter Before God had laid the bridle in their neck but this was to proue the patiēce of his seruāt For whē he was denied water that in the end it was said vnto him that he was strōger then they that he could be no longer suffred there is no doubt but that God then
contempt of the worlde but holde fast a good conscience that you may be approued before god The Lorde Iesus blesse you both that as he hath knit you togeather so you may drawe on forwardes in one yoke towardes his kingdome that that may bee your aime and mark in all your deedes woordes and thoughtes Amen October 25. 1579. Your Honours most humble and faithfull euer to commaund in Christe Iohn Fielde Faultes escaped Fol. Page Line Fault Correction Fol. 1. a Line 29. for Iacob reade Isaack 2. a line 22. for him reade them 6. b line 5. for learne reade beare 7. a line 11 for the Period a Comma 7. b line 25. for the Period an interogatiue point ◠8. a line 19. for vp reade out 9. a line 5. reade and also God spareth vs. 9. a line 7. at such example put in for vvant therof vve are c. 9. b line 16. put out thus 9. b line 18. at 20. yeeres put point 11. a line the last at supplications put a ful poinct 13. a line first for commeth it into reade liueth it in 16. b line 7. at Paule put 16. b line 14. for farelie reade scarcely 23. a line 23. put out not 25. b line 16. vvhich vvill reade vvhich vvyll barke 31. a line 2. for deceiue in this reade deceiue vs in this 32. a line 1. for these reade those 32. a line 5. for vvhich shevveth reade vvhich hee shevveth 32. a line 9. for cerfie reade certefie 33. a line 20. at vvhy put a full poinct 33. b line 16. for euill disposed reade better disposed 34. a line 30. for nor and neither reade or either c. 36. a line 10. at thing put 37. b line 26. at the vvrde saluation put in that vve doubt not therof 42. a line 6. for Cooke reade a Cokes or Micher 52. b line 26. vvith another reade vvith an othe 58. a line 19. for placed me reade placed vs. 77. b line 21. at required it make a full point 77. a line 5 for touched reade couched 84. b line the last for vvadone read vvas doone 85. a line 6. for handes of Kinges reade heartes of Kinges 91. a line 14. for God reade good 91. b line 16. for adulterers reade adulteries 78. a line 12. put in betvvene spirite and that his feare obedience 123. b line 15. for abide reade avoyde 128. a line 28. for entanged reade entangled 130. a line 21. for so rtiatifie reade sort ratifie 135. a line handeleth vs shorte reade holdeth vs. 135. a line 18. for that as but some reade but that assoone 135. b line 21. for had in vvas had in 140. b line 13. for doe bring reade to bring 147. b line 30. for he vvill reade his vvill 154. a line 12. for an reade and. 154. b line 14. for to say reade then to say 162. a line 1. for in blasphemie reade a blasphemie 175. a line 6. for that GOD reade say that GOD. 175. b line 26. for that this reade saying that this ⧠The first Sermon of M r Iohn Caluin concerning Iacob and Esau Geues Chap. 25. vers 12. NOW these are the generations of Ismael Abrahams sonne whome Hagar the Egyptian Sarahs handmaide bare vnto Abraham c. To the end of the 22. verse WE haue heere to consider the differēce that Moyses putteth betwixte the Children of Abraham We haue seene already that the whole stocke which hee had by Keturah dwelled in a countrie farre off Concerning Ismael he is seperated farre inough from the land of Caanan notwithstanding he be yet as one reiected For it was necessary that the inheritance which was ordained to Isaack should remaine to him Now in the first place it is saide that Ismael had twelue sonnes the which in such sorte multiplyed that of them came twelue Peoples In this we see that God not without cause said to his seruant Abraham that for his sake Ismael also should haue a certaine blessing but that it should be transitorie and fleeting and the principall should remaine to Iacob But whatsoeuer it bee yet so it is that God did shewe himselfe faithfull and true in his promise the which belongeth to this temporall life If God would that his trueth and constancie should be knovven in these thinges of the vvorld vvhich slip avvay and haue nothing else but a figure which vanisheth as S. Paul saith what shall it bee when the promises are of farre greater importance as when he calleth vs to the inheritāce of the kingdō of heauē Think we thē that we cā be frustrate of that staying our selues vpon him See then how we must make our profite of this place If God wil bee knowen firme and faithful in his word towards those which are as straungers and which he hath shut out reiected frō his church what will he then doe towardes vs which are his children whome he hath adopted to whome it hath pleased him to shew himself nie For if God in small things as in the stock in al other things of like sort wil haue his trueth knowen what shal it be when in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ he setteth out vnto vs the inheritaunce of heauen declareth vnto vs that he wil be merciful vnto vs that he wil pardō our faults that we may be reconciled to him that by this meanes we may be the brethren and companions of Angels vnder one head to wit our Lord Iesus Christ Can God there faile in his promises Shall they be void and without effecte and execution It is impossible This then is that wee haue to holde in this firste place And further vve haue next to note that God will manifest him selfe not onely to vs in these his benefites which are moste great and excellent but also in those that concerne this life and that there is nothing so small in which he wil not haue some markes of his fatherly goodnesse imprinted And for asmuch as he hath said that he will haue care to feede vs let vs waite vppon him for all that which belongeth to the maintenaunce of this life and let vs not think that it derogateth any whit from his maiestie in that he will haue vs to call vpon him for drinke and for foode to feede vpon For he will that in all and through all wee shold haue our recourse to him let vs not thē dout but that God albeit our bodies be earth ashes rottennes wormes meat as the cōmon speech is but carrions which are nothing woorth wil yet notwithstanding prouide for all our corporall necessities This is that we haue to adde as the secōd point But now we must heere see the comparison which Moyses maketh betwixt Ismael and Isaack Beholde Ismael which is cut off is no more reputed among the children of God and yet notwithstanding we see that he prospereth that he hath a great train For of twelue sonnes which hee hath begotten beholde twelue peoples
wee are all bidden by the sonne of God not only two or three but all in generall For hee sayth Come all you that are heauy loaden and yet in another place hee saieth No man can come vnto mee except it be giuen him of my father None therefore can come vnto Iesus Christ vnlesse he be drawen by the heauenly father It seemeth that this is cōtrary yea he that would iudge thereof according to mans reason to say that Iesus Christ inuiteth vs all vnto him and further addeth that none can come vnto him vnlesse the father drawe him Very wel but as I haue already said when God generally setteth saluation before vs in Iesus Christe his onely sonne it is to make the reprobate so much the more inexcusable for their vnthankfulnes inasmuch as they haue despised so great a benefite in the meane season the elect are touched and God doth not onely speake outwardly to them but also inwardly And see why in another place our Lord Iesus Christ saith Whosoeuer hath beene taught of God my father the same shal come vnto me But as I haue sayd when the Gospel is preached in the name of God this is asmuch as if he himselfe did speake in his owne person and yet all come not to Iesus Christ Ther are a great many that go back the more whē they haue heard the Gospel for then the deuill kindleth them in such a rage that they are more outragious thē euer before this commeth to passe because there is a twofolde hearing the one is preaching For the voice of a man will not enter into the hearts of his hearers I speake but it behooueth that I heare my selfe beeing taught by the spirit of God For otherwise the word which procedeth from my mouth should profite me no more then it doth all others except it be giuen me from aboue and not out of mine owne head Therfore the voice of man is nothing but a sound that vanisheth in the ayre and notwithstanding it is the power of God to saluation to all beleeuers saith Saint Paule When then God speaketh vnto vs by the mouth of men then he adioyneth the inwarde grace of his holy spirit to the ende that the doctrine be not vnprofitable but that it may bring forth fruite See then howe wee heare the heauenly father that is to say when hee speaketh secretly vnto vs by his holy spirit then we come vnto our Lord Iesus Christ Mark then the summe of that we haue to learne that is when God declareth vnto vs his eternall election that he hath giuen vs such a testimonie that wee cannot dout therof when he hath shewed vs that this is our benefite saluation and so that we take not too much libertie to wrangle against him and to enter into crooked ouerthwart disputations that then the whole shall profite vs For it is certaine that this is the true reioycing of the faithfull to be instructed concerning this election of god Moreouer whē we see the wicked to cast foorth their cauels against God their slaunders to peruert all and to bringe this doctrine into hatred let vs not think it straunge for it must needs bee that they declare them selues to be reprobates I haue said that we must rest our selues in the euerlasting councel of God whereby hee hath chosen some cast off others If now the reprobate come to fight against the trueth of God it is no newe thing For they are appointed to this and it must needes be that they declare themselues to bee such as they are and wee must call to minde that sentence of Ose the which is put in the ende of his Booke The wayes of the Lorde are good right also The righteous will walke in them but the wicked shall fall therein Now he addeth also Who is wise that will vnderstand this And who is a prudent man that wil vnderstand these thinges The Prophet sheweth that when wee speake of the iudgements of God it behoueth that we haue a speciall wisedome to receaue them and shall this wisdome be found in al our braines that is farre off So then it behoueth that we haue a wisdome giuen vs by the meere mercie of God. Nowe that which followeth is to shewe vs that this is a rare and most excellent thinge when men shall be apte to bee taught and modest and that they shall yeelde to bee ledde by God and shall suffer them selues to bee gouerned by his woorde when they shall receaue full instruction which shall bee vnto them a good foode for their soules When this shall come to passe it must bee acknowledged to bee a rare and singular benefite of God and must assure vs that he hath blessed vs And therefore it behooueth that we be armed and prepared against all offences If wee see that the wicked shall come to pushe with their Hornes against GOD and to barke and shewe their teeth as Mastiues when they cannot byte then let vs practise this doctrine of the Prophet whē he saith that the wayes of God are righteous good yea and the righteous shall walk in them We shall alwayes finde this so that we haue not a malicious and frowarde spirit that may turne vs from God but let vs be quiet and let vs aske nothing but that our Lord shew vs the path that we ought to followe when we shall be such it is certaine that we shall alwayes finde euen grounde there shall be no question that wee shoulde walke and take our pleasure Beholde I say the ioy wee shall haue when wee shall walke in the Lordes wayes but contrariwise it is said that the wicked shall fall And where shal it be in hell Shall it bee in the Deuils way It is said that it shall bee in the very wayes of God that all that shall bee set forth vnto them of the iudgements of God of his eternall counsaile of his prouidence of his fatherly loue he beareth to his children in all these saith he the wicked shall fall So let vs be in such wise established that all the ruines and falles which we shall see before our eyes hynder vs not from marching alwayes forwards in that good way which our Lord doth set before vs But it behoueth vs oftentimes to remember that which is heere handled by Moyses And that is he sayth expressely That the one shal be stronger then the other and the elder shall serue the younger In speaking of the stronger it is to shewe vs that when Gods election is stedfast and vndoubted and that we are vpholden by his holy spirite we must no longer feare this is a very profitable poynt yea necessary For what is our condition There needes not but one puffe of wind to beate vs down there needes but a flye to dazel our eyes and yet wee are heere layde open to so many combates as nothing more Beholde our enemyes which are in number infinite and I speake
that our infidelity bewraieth it self and that we shew not hauing any victory against temptations that we are not sufficiently stayed and that we haue as a man would say our stragling thoughts For wee see that Isaack fel to a very vnlawful thing when to saue his life he cloked the trueth as we haue seene This therefore is a token that hee had no perfect faith but that hee had some mistrust mingled with it But in this he is not to be excused and yet neuerthelesse he was a mirrour of all holynesse So then we haue al good occasion to hang down our eyes and to knowe that when wee imagine that we haue well profited in Gods Schoole yet we shall be farre off from our marke And indeed it shal be a very easy matter vnto vs when we are farre of from all combates to be the valiauntest in the worlde but when they shal approch to buckle with vs then he holde vs al affrayde Thus then let vs knowe that there is not one that hath not neede to pray dayly that God wil encrease his faith correcting the remnaunt of his vnbeliefe Marke this for one lesson Now heervpon we haue one good aduertisement and that is that when any danger befalleth vs or that we feare to fall into any euill that this is as it were a cloude to dazel our eyes in such sort that we knowe not what wil become of vs we haue no certaine counsaile the wisest are ouertaken therin Let vs not presume to be subtile sharpe to haue such promptitude to esteeme that we shall alwayes be strong and mightie that we shall haue light harts and shall find remedies in our brain when any trouble shall come vppon vs let vs keepe our selues from such arrogancie but let vs rather acknowledge that God hath in himselfe the spirit of wisedome and of counsaile and let vs run vnto him And when we shall bee as it were oppressed and that we can not at the first resolue our selues let vs not bee as those that alwaies forge and coyne new discourses but let vs goe vnto God and pray him to shine vnto vs in the midst of darkenes yea and specially let vs waite that we be not altogither pressed downe but let vs acknowledge the ignorance that is in vs And forasmuch as wee haue not by a greate deale so muche stayednes as were requisite let vs both morning euening pray vnto God that he will guide vs and shewe vs what we haue to doe Marke then that which we haue to learne by the exāple of Isaack But heere a question might be asked whether hee committed so great a fault seeing he lyed not For we haue seene before that Rebecca was his Cousine Hee might then say shee is my sister For the worde in that language importeth asmuch as of my blood or kindred There is no question heere neither of the first nor secōd degree So Isaack lyed not in saying that Rebecca was his sister And yet notwithstāding al this he faulted yea indeed For God is no Sophister doth not stay vpon a word as we haue declared before but hee regardeth the intent When therefore wee shall haue well painted our wordes and that there shall bee some goodly coulour and faire shewe to acquite vs before men all this is nothing For GOD soundeth the heart And though men can finde nothing too say againste our excuses yet this prooueth not that GOD is content therewith And this which is heere is a very good profitable admonition For how doe men commonly iest with God It is true that wee wil confesse that it belongeth to him to search into our secret thoughtes and that nothing is hidden from him but yet so it is that we deale with him after the manner of men and which is worsse wee will altogither go beyonde him we will bleare his eyes and we wil ieste more boldely with him than with men For although wee haue many starting holes which might discharge vs of blame yet so much there is that we haue some remorse knowing other men will not iudge so thereof this man is no beast he may knowe my craft When therfore wee haue thus disguised our wordes yet we shal be alwayes in doubt whether men bee satisfyed or not But when the matter is of God wee doe nothing but wrythe our mouth or rather mowe and snuffe at God For we are as brute beastes yea and worse too in this poynt But so much the more ought we to learne this doctrine that is to say that God careth not for all our goodly coulers for they are nothing else but breeches of leaues and this excused not our father Adam that he came not out too make his account What must we then doe We must so acknowledg our faults in simplicitie that we be first our own iudges when we shall once haue found out that there was some crooked and indirect dealing we must acknowledge that ▪ it displeased god For mark Isaacks intention it was to hide his mariage It is true that the wordes which he vseth are not such as for which hee shoulde be called a lyer but yet for all that there was some leazing in him And whye so Because hee woulde not confesse his mariage but woulde that it should be vnknowen and that men should not thinke that Rebecca was his wife Marke then in summe the thing we haue to learne That is that whatsoeuer wordes we haue in our mouth nothing can iustifie vs vnlesse that our affection be pure and right and that wee goe not in any by-pathes to stray heere and there And when Saint Paule condemneth lying hee addeth that euery one speake in trueth to his neighbours When we shall haue proceeded thus farre heerein see how wee shal be holden and reputed true before god But if there be any sleights or craftes and that we indeuour to speake so that it cannot be vnderstoode what wee say and that it be so wrested and turned as if our tongue were double in this wee are already condemned for lyers This then in sūme is that which we haue to learne vpon this point Nowe when it is said That Isaack feared lest he should haue beene killed for his wiues sake There is no doubt but that hee might thereby also haue taken occasion seeing as Abraham his father alledged that there was no feare of God in the countrie not for that there was so outragious Impietie that neither good nor euil was knowen there For wee see howe the King of the Countrie spake but forasmuch as the true religion ruled not there and because there was nothing but Idolatrie it seemed rather to Isaack that all was confused For in deede we shall neuer haue a sure rule to walke in equitie and right vnlesse we haue the maiestie of God present and that wee be holden in with that as it were a bridle Nowe when we knowe not what God is and that we haue nothing but
vs learne albeit that God giue vs our desires and all the pleasures that are possible to bee wished for that we doo not in such sorte reste vppon them that we turne away from him but rather let vs learne too keepe our selues in that fauor and testimonie that we haue that in that hee hath adopted vs for his children he will alwayes shew him selfe a father towardes vs When then wee shall bee thus thorowly perswaded it is certaine that wee shall ouercome all feares but contrariwise when we shall imagine too be assured without the protection of God it must needes be that hee shewe vs what our follie and ouerweening is And this brieflie is that wee haue too beare awaye in this place And so let vs ioyne these two thinges togyther as inseparable and not to be sundred That GOD is with vs and that wee are well assured agaynst all euill For if hee bee farre from vs Alas we are more then miserable albeit we were in a paradise as I haue sayde alreadie but when hee is with vs though wee walke in the shadowe and darknesse of death and that it seemes wee must perishe euery minute of an howre yet vve leaue not of too comfort oure selues knowing vvell that death shall be turned to vs into lyfe that al shall fall out to our saluatiō Againe vvee haue too note this that hee sayeth That hee is the God of Abraham For by this vvoord hee calleth too Isaacks remembrance all the promises the which hee had learned of his father If hee had not bene instructed and that Abraham had not done his dutie too saye vnto him My Sonne GOD hath giuen mee this priuiledge aboue all men that hee hath declared vnto mee and sayde vnto me that my stocke shall be as his heritage and that hee will blesse vs and we shal be separated and sanctified from all the rest of the world but yet marke howe it behooueth vs too woorship him marke howe wee must call vppon him See howe wee must serue him If therefore Abraham had not faythfully taught his sonne Isaack this woorde should haue bene of no force I am the God of Abraham and in deed it had imported nothing but superstition And so let vs marke well that by this word God would giue a cōfirmatiō to Isaack of that whiche he had learned before of his father The Papistes make a buckler of this whē they wil keepe themselues to their filthinesses errors For they haue that from other fathers ancestors which they followe they haue not inuēted it at this day it seemeth therfore vnto thē that this is ynough to beate backe yea euen whatsoeuer god himself hath shewed by his word so that they follow their fathers elders Well but whē god is named the God of Abrahā he presupposed this one thing to wit that Abrahā had a faith ruled by the doctrine which had bin taught him And wherefore is it that he nameth not him self the god of Nachor And why is it that hee calleth not him selfe the God of Thare For this had bene somewhat more The Papistes will not say It is an hundred yeeres since that that which we call the seruice of God amongst vs was vsed amongest men but they will saye What There is a thousande yeeres since the worlde was so gouerned Loe then them selues in possession to despite God as seemeth vnto them when they alledge a thousand yeares Nowe then if the question were simply of Antiquitie he must haue said I am thy god of Thare and of Nachor or rather hee must haue gone further vntill he had come to those that went before But there is no question of speaking in that sorte God had called Abraham and Abraham was dead of late the others had bin a great deale more auncient what distinction shall wee make heere wee muste not forge it according too our owne braine but we must looke vnto that marke whervnto God would direct Isaack There is no doubt but this was bicause Abraham as we haue sayde alreadie had a full certaintie of faith that he had not an opinion onely as had the rest of the world to saye I imagine so I thinke so but he was fully certified that God had spoken vnto him Lo then in what respect and for what cause it is now said I am the God of Abraham thy father And so let vs wel marke what fathers we ought to follow that we be not deceiued therin For if our fathers had byn duely taught and that they had bene framed vnto the trueth of God it had nowe bene a good helpe vnto our faith For when vvee haue guides too shewe vs the way this is much to our aduantage and we ought not to despise it but if wee haue had fathers who were not the children of God wherevppon all paternitie and parentage dependeth as Saint Paule sayeth then must wee shut our eyes For when God hath not his soueraigne degree of being the father and euery thing be not referred to him then woe vpon al parentages and bondes which we shal haue in this world for they are so many nettes of Sathan So let vs marke wel that as it is said in this place that God is the God of Abrahā Isaacks father so it is saide on the contrarie by the Prophet Ezechiel Walke not in the rightuousnes of your fathers And why so These fathers followed not Abrahās steppes but departed therefrom and therefore they were no longer worthy of so honourable a title of fathers forasmuch as they were not at a very woord the children of god And so let vs feare least that be spoken vnto vs that S. Stephen hath spoken Ye vncircumcised of heart ye haue alwayes resisted God and his holy spirit as did your fathers also But if there were any ignorance or rebellion in our fathers let vs forsake it to the end wholly to resigne vp our selues too our heauenly father and notwithstanding whereas the Papists crie The fathers fathers let vs learne to discerne and let vs not bee beastes as they are too take oure fathers from some stewes as they take all those for their fathers who haue peruerted and corrupted the simplicitie both of the Lawe and the Gospell too witte these Dottards and rabble of Friars and Monkes who haue beene the falsifiers of the holy Scripture To the ende therfore we be not in such wise bereued and spoyled of our senses let vs know that our fathers must be the children of God of whome dependeth all parentage as wee haue alleadged out of S. Paule Loe then shortly what we haue to learne out of this place that is to say that Isaack was admonished to acknowledge and call to his remembrance whatsoeuer hee had learned before and that this was for too confirme his faith when GOD sayde that hee had manifested him selfe vnto his father Abraham And nowe at this daye wee haue too put this doctrine in practise as often as wee shall haue neede
calling Esau his elder sonne he said vnto him My sōne who said vnto him Loe here I am 4 Then he saide Behold nowe I am waxed olde I know not the day of my death 5 Therfore take thy implements vnto thee I pray thee thy bowe and quiuer and goe into the fields and hunt some venisone for me 6 And prouiding some delicate dishes for me euē as I loue bring them vnto me that I may eate and my soule may blesse thee before I die 7 Nowe Rebecca heard Isaack when hee spake thus vnto Esau Esau went therefore into the fielde to hunt venison which he would bring 8 But Rebecca spake vnto Iacob her sonne saying Loe I heard thy father speaking vnto Esau thy brother saying 9 Bring mee venison and prouide mee some daintie dishes which I may eate afterwardes I will blesse thee before Iehoua before I die WE sawe yesterday howe Esau by his mariage shewed sufficiently ynough that he had no great care concerning that blessing whiche had bin promised to the house of Abraham his father For this was the stocke which must possesse the lande of Canaan It must therefore needes be that the people which dvvelled there then must be quite rooted out and this lande be vvholy dedicated to the people of god Likewise it must be purged from all polutions Loe howe Esau mingleth him selfe amongst them whom God had already condemned this therefore was a signe that he was falne from God for otherwise he could not haue drawen neare too that people And if he would haue bin an heire of the promise he should haue alwaies kept him selfe as one listed chained in and not haue mingled him self which was no other thing but to stoppe the course of the grace that was promised But as we haue seene he tooke wiues from amongest the Hethites Marke then howe hee renounced asmuch as lay in him the grace of God through vvhich the whole stocke of Abraham must possesse the lande of Canaan for an inheritance But there was yet a seconde faulte For hee tooke two vviues which vvas cōtrary to the lawe of mariage as wee haue seene For the sentence which God had pronoūced to rest vpō was that a man shall haue an helpe and not tvvoo nor three And further when Eua vvas created and that shee vvas giuē to Adā it is said that they should be two in one flesh Mark then the rule vvhich mē ought alvvaies to keepe So then vvee see that Esau euen brake the bounds of al honestie yea of nature it selfe that he vvas as a beastly man in this behalfe It is true that his graundfather Abraham had tvvo vviues but herein hee vvas too bee condempned And besides it was not his desire that prouoked him therevnto but his wife through ouermuch haste brought him to it And whē euery thing shal be wel waied it was an inconsiderat zeale that he had to enioy that which God had promised him that is to say that his seed should be blessed Nowe he had no childrē He tooke therfore a secōd wife but this was as I haue said to peruert the order that God had established He cōmitted euil therin but in Esau what can we alledge but that he was a dissolute man had nothing but vice wickednes in him so that hee could not distinguish betwene mariage and whoredome And this is the cause that he tooke two wiues Now it is very true that in this time mariage was il kept amongst the peoples of the East For they were alwayes much giuē to their fleshly lustes in such sort that beyond that which is called poligamie that is to say pluralitie of wiues they cōmitted incestes also very cōmonly And this was a natiō very beastly in this point that they made no accōpt to prophane mariage but this custome doth not therefore excuse Esau And so let vs marke wel that this shal be no excuse before God when wee shall say that euery man dooth so and that wee haue a great sorte of companions let vs not thinke too bee free thereby before him Notwithstanding when vices doo raigne in a countrie and men make a lawe against thē if some neglect them euery man flattereth himselfe and euery man taketh for his warrant those vvhich haue led him too destruction And say they such and such doe it well and after when men come vnto them and saye too them wherefore doe you so ô see such a one did it wel But we shall all bee put in a bundle togither and God knoweth very well howe too wryeth vs vp altogither like thornes when wee shall make a cloke of their vices who ought when they doe euill to bee an example vnto vs to make vs flye them But notwithstanding all this that Isaack is yet blinded with the loue of his sonne Esau hee sawe him nowe too degenerate out of kinde because that he wallowed as it were a Swine vpon a dunghill because hee made a couenaunte with those people whome God had reiected and farther peruerted the order and institution of mariage yet notwithstanding his father beareth all this It is saide that the wiues of Esau did as it were spurre him and that his harte was wounded therewith but so it is that the loue of his sonne did alwayes holde him back Nowe there might well bee some vertue but this meaneth not that euery thing was therefore praise woorthy in him no hee wanted mucn in that behalfe For he should haue had his sonne how olde soeuer he had beene in detestation forasmuch as he was so estraunged from God and because asmuch as lay in him he had made the promise of saluation of no effecte For what might haue become of the Church if the stock of Abraham had beene ioyned with those people Isaack therefore ought to haue beene more touched to see his sonne so prophane And seeing he sawe this beastlynesse in him that hee made no matter of it to haue two wiues and he woulde haue had them by dozens if he had byn able to haue kept them When therefore he beareth with these faultes in his sonne it is very certaine that he offended god For vnlesse fathers vse seueritie correctiō when neede requireth when they see their children too be so wicked they are gilty inasmuch as they faile in doing their dutie Our Lord hath giuen thē authoritie ouer their houses offspring And wherfore vnlesse it be to the end to keepe them in awe and to restraine them that they may render an account when any euill shal be committed in their familie Loe then a faulte shamefull inough in Isaack but yet hee exceedeth farther in doting so vpon his sonne Esau It is sayd that his eyes began to faile him forasmuch as his sight was dimme but it is certaine that this foolish loue which hee bare to his eldest soone blinded him much more then his age or the lack of his bodily senses For he ought to haue marked as the trueth
how to distinguish betwene the outward preaching which is done by the mouth of men the secret calling of God whereby he toucheth the hartes within Now when it is cōmaunded in the last of Marke to preach the Gospell too all this importeth not that God therfore worketh in all by the power of his spirit and when it is said in the second Chapter of the first too Timothie that God would all men to be saued the solution is added by and by that come too the knowledge of his trueth Wherefore then is it that he him selfe would not at that present time that the gospel should be preached to all so farre of is it that he hath enlightened all the world in the faith It is maruelous that this shameles forhead is not ashamed too alledge for him self the 10. to the Romanes where the text expressely setteth forth that all beleeue not the Gospel because that Isay saith that the arme of the Lord is not reuealed to all Also the 6. chap. of S. Iohn where Iesus Christe expressely pronounceth that all that are giuen him of his father come vnto him And touching that that he saith that all shal be taught of God it is a speciall promise made to the Church as also the Lord Iesus Christ was a faithfull expositour therof saying He therefore that hath heard and learned of my father shall come vnto me Whereby he sheweth that all are not inwardly called According as a little after also hee confirmeth the same Therefore I haue said vnto you that none can come vnto mee vnlesse it be giuen him from God my father Notwithstanding this Rustick imagineth he hath well escaped hauing spoken a word of predestinatiō without making any semblance of the text so expressely set foorth wher it is said that God wil haue mercie vpon him on whō he wil haue mercy that our saluation is of the same mercy not of the willer nor of the runner and that before the two twinne◠were borne whē they had neither done good nor euill to the end the purpose of his electiō might stād sure he had chosen the one reiected the other Also whē we beleue that this proceedeth of that that God hath chosen vs Therevpon it foloweth that the rest of the world remaineth blinde But because it would be to long to alledge all consider those places whiche are gathered in a little booke that our brother master Beza hath made thereof and you shal be fully satisfied therein To shew that the hardening of Pharao proceded not of God he alledgeth that which is said in the third and fourth of Exod. I haue commanded thee to let my people depart and thou wouldest not But it foloweth not therevpon that God had not ordeyned Pharao to be glorified in his obstinacie hardnes as he protesteth Exodus 9. chapter And Saint Paule alledgeth it in this sense in the 9. chapter to the Romaines This therefore is sottishly concluded of this impudent fellowe that our will is the first and chiefe cause of euill I confesse in deede that it is the neere cause and the true roote of our condemnation But too the ende a man may graunt him hee alledgeth the authoritie of Amerbachius who is a lawier and as skilfull a Diuine as a Poticarie is a good butcher Concerning Melancthon if this Rustike rested not him selfe vppon him as hee protesteth but vppon the Gospell howe prooueth hee by the Gospel that God hath not ordeyned of his creatures Touching that hee imputeth vnto vs that we put a fatall necessitie as the Stoikes doo it is a verie vilanous slaunder For the Stoikes they made god him selfe subiect to such necessities making a net of obscure causes wherein God was entangled But wee set the Lorde and maister in full libertie attributing the soueraigne Empire too his prouidence too dispose of all things Concerning that this Clowne babbleth of Free will it is sufficiently reiected throughout the whole Scripture For Freedome and bondage are contraries Nowe that wee are the seruauntes yea the slaues of sinne there needeth not that we aledge one place alone seeing the whole Scripture are full thereof Notwithstanding too gyue some colour too his errour hee alledgeth that Ierusalem woulde not receyue the grace of God yea as though this prooued Free will too choose good or euill You shall finde throughout all my bookes howe I haue taught that wee must not seeke the cause of our perdition any where else but in our selues and in our peruerse will. But it follovveth not that it is in vs too chaunge our will which is altogither giuen too euill You shall also finde that I haue taught that which this troublecoast setteth down here to put out the whole light to witte that our wil is the cause or meane to come to saluation Wherfote it nedeth not to alledge that Abraham beleued God that it was imputed vnto him for rightuousnes For in very trueth it must needes bee that a man must accept the grace of god But the question is of knowing what is the first cause And this is the power of the holy ghost thorow which we are drawē to the obedience of god according as he hath chosen and adopted vs for his children before the foūdation of the world Nowe in this behalfe this vile dogge sheweth sufficiently ynough that he makes no accōpt of the holy scripture the which asmuch as lies in him he would abolish or tread vnder his feete For in going about to declare how Abrahā was saued by his wil he saith that this was of that wil which God had put in man creating him after his owne image Whereby he vtterly abolisheth the whole grace of the holy ghost and goeth beyonde not only the Papistes but also some of the Paynims in this impietie For the Papistes keepe such a measure in magnifying their Freewill that they confesse being corrupted and depraued wee can do nothing if God through his spirit supernaturall grace do not helpe driue and direct vs But concerning the holy scripture it sheweth vs that we shal alwaies be rebelles against God vntil that he shal haue chaunged renewed vs And loe why Moyses said to the people Deutero 29. that God had not yet giuen them an vnderstanding hart and seeing eyes And therfore to the ende hee might be obeied he saith that he would giue them a newe heart taking away that stonie heart Ieremie in the 31 Ezechiel in the 11. 37 S. Paule in the 2. to the Philipp that God giueth both too wil to performe And in the first of S. Iohn it is said that they which beleeue are not of the wil of flesh nor blood but renewed of god And S. Luke speaking of the woman sheweth wel how all are drawen vnto faith to wit that God openeth the heart to the end his word may be vnderstoode Now it is certaine that these things are not spokē of the cōmon order of nature And yet this
not of those which we see with the eye but of spirituall enemies For the aire is full of deuils which lye in wayte for vs yea which are as roring Lyons besides their slights Alas what shall wee be able to doe It must needes be that we be in distresse vexation continually without ende that we be as poore people strickē thorow if we knew not that our Lorde hath our saluation in his owne hand and that hee will keepe it S. Peter sayth that it is well kept in hope and that faith is as it were a capcase but hee sendeth vs to God and our Lorde Iesus Christe hath yet declared this more plaine vnto vs when he saith that all that was giuen vnto him of his father shall not perish And why so The father who hath giuen you sayth he vnto me is stronger then all So then he sayth that wee may reioyce in this that God will haue pitie vpon vs vntill the end and that he wil keepe vs and although he suffer vs to stumble yea so as we fall yet we shall be recouered vpholden by his hand And how is it that we can trust in this Without election it is impossible ▪ but when wee knowe that the father hath committed vs into the keeping of his sonne we are certaine that we shall bee maintained by him vnto the ende For wee haue his promise whereby he hath bound himselfe vno vs to preserue vs farther he maketh it vntill the last day vntill the resurrection And forasmuch as the beginning and end of our saluation is in him see in whome we may reioyce our selues That is that in acknowledging our weaknesses bricklenesse and that we are nothing and that we want all things yet we may say the Lorde which hath called me vnto himselfe will finish his owne worke as is said in the 138. Psalme Lord thou wilte not leaue the worke of thine owne handes in the middest So then we must holde fast this doctrine that the one shal be more strong For our faith shall remaine victorious ouer all the world And how It behoueth vs I say to haue our foundation vppon the election of God that we may be so setled thereon that wee knowe that our Lorde beeing our Father will not suffer that we perishe seeing wee are his children Now Moyses addeth by and by that the elder shall serue the younger In this wee haue yet a more ample confirmation of that which I touched euen nowe that is that we must be so assured of our saluation although that we be weake that the world despise vs and we haue no greater shew of strength And why so God would that we should for a time be the lesser that is to say that we should be little and despised to the end that his glory might be the more knowen esteemed For if we had greatnesse and glory in our selues dignitie it is certaine that these should be as vailes to shadowe the meere and free bountie of God but when we are weake in our selues see wherein it is knowen that it is hee which doeth all it muste needes be that his hand be in such sort aduaunced that we come not to mingle our selues therin and that we throw not forth our cloudes to hinder that the praise of our saluatiō be wholly attributed to him Marke then that we haue heere to learne that is on the one side although that we be weake that we cease not to goe freely forward knowing that our strength consisteth in God and when he doth not fully shewe it it is to the end that our weaknes should be an occasion to humble vs See this for one principall point And in very deede we should be colde yea and quite negligent in calling vppon him if we knewe not our necessitie but when we see that we can do nothing then we must haue our refuge to him who can supply all our wantes and then wee shall render vnto him the sacrifice of praise which is due vnto him after that wee haue byn heard of him In the meane time also we haue to note that God doth not at the first dash shew to the viewe of the eye our saluation but it must bee hid in appearāce and that for a time we be as castawayes and that the wicked treade vs vnder their feete that they be in degree without comparison more high then we Notwithstanding let it suffice vs that we are as a precious treasure before god Behold also why our Lord Iesus Christ saith Feare not my little flock but reioyce and be not as a scattered and discomforted flocke And why so Because the father delighteth in thee Mark then from whence we must haue all our reioycing marke of whome we must bee armed to haue victory and to tryumph against all temptations When we see in these dayes the enemyes of the Gospel and the Deuils supporters to make their bragges and make no account of others in comparison of them selues and when in the meane time they despise vs and not only that but farther account vs as most desperate creatures as though we were vnworthy as men say to be eaten of Dogges When therefore wee shall see this at this day yea that the greatest number shal be as poore staruelings and that they shal haue no bread to eate that they shall not haue their ease nor their commoditie Let vs remember that that is heere spoken that the greater shall serue the lesser Now this seruice came not to passe at the first dashe For we shal see afterwards that Iacob came to crowch before his brother and called him his Lorde hee trembled as a poore Lamb before him and then gaue him all his goods as a pray And where was this subiection of Esau where was the superioritie of Iacob when hee submitted him selfe in such sort It seemeth that he giues vp all but hee knoweth that God would not accōplish this at the firste day Marke then why he did beare his pouertie so patiently because God would as if a man might say that he should creepe vppon the earth and yet this shall not hinder but that hee should alwayes attayne to that saluation wherunto he was called And why so For God dependeth not vppon all all these earthly things And which is more as I haue already sayd he will that we begin heere to humble our selues before him following that which I alleadged ere while from the mouth of our Lord Iesus Christ that so we knowe that our Heauenly Father bee well pleased with vs wee passe not for the reste or rather that wee bee not so shaken that this doe depraue vs and bring vs out of tast and so hinder vs from doing good but that wee doubte not that amiddest all the troubles and greefes that may happen vnto vs we haue alwayes wherein to reioyce For who shall seperate vs from the loue that God hath borne vs in Christ our Lorde seeing that
God hath chosen vs in our Lord Iesus Christ that he hath called vs to the faith of his Gospel hath imprinted in our harts the testimonie of his fatherly loue we wil alwaies defie our enemyes although we be poore and feeble yea though we be nothing in the common opinion of men yet we shall not cease to be grounded vppon this promise That the greater shall serue the lesse and younger And seeing it is so let vs not desire to bee great after the worlde for although that we be cōtemptible despised yet this hindreth vs not from beeing the heires of the world although we neither haue landes nor possessions yet doe all things belong vnto vs contrariwise the wicked haue an horrible and heauie accounte to make for that they in such sorte deuoure Gods benefites and reioyce so much concerning those riches which he hath giuen them and yet glorifie not God in them But they must pay full dearely for them and as for vs although we bee stripped of all riches that we be in opprobrie reproch to be short that there is nothing but pouertie in vs yet seeing we know that hee hath his hād stretched out to vpholde vs we may boast our selues against all our enemies And in the meane time let vs remember that which is saide in Esay that we are as a precious crowne in the hand of the Lord and as the ring of his finger and as his seale and that neither Egypt nor Assyria that is to say the greatest Monarchies of the world are so highly esteemed of him as we are not for any value that is in vs as I haue said alredy but because it hath pleased him to chose vs to reserue vs in the number of those whome he will haue to him selfe and wee knowe this forasmuch as we see through faith and hope that he hath drawen vs from those gulfes in which we were to the end he might bring vs to an euerlasting inheritance Now let vs fall downe before the face of our good God in acknowledging our offences praying him that he will in such sorte make vs to feele them that it may be to spoile vs of all wicked lusts and rebellions and that wee may be so renewed that we may ratifie our vocation in lyuing holyly confirming our selues wholly to his righteousnes and that he wil so supporte vs in our infirmities that he suffer vs not howsoeuer wee bee compassed about with so many enemyes that we neuer faile but that he wil supply all our weakenesses to the ende that his election may declare his power euen to the end that we may in such sort feele the frute thereof that we may haue wherein to glorifie him both in life and death And so let vs all say ô Almightie God heauenly Father wee acknowledge and confesse in our selues as the truth is that we are not worthy c. ⧠The fourth Sermon of Iacob and Esau Genesis 25. 24 Therefore when the dayes of her deliueraunce was come beholde twinnes were in her wombe 25 So hee that came out firste was redde hee was all ouer as a rough garmente and they called his name Esau 26 And afterwarde came his brother out and his hand held Esau by the heele therefore his name was called Iacob Nowe Isaack was threescore yeeres olde when Rebecca bare them 27 And the boyes grewe and Esau was a cunning hunter and was a man of labour but Iacob was a simple man and dwelled in tents 28 And Isaack loued Esaw for Venison was his meate but Rebecca loued Iacob BEcause the election of GOD is secret in it selfe it is necessary that it shewe it selfe with the time as God caused his workes to come to perfection For it sufficeth not that God haue once chosen vs and that he haue marked vs but he must also cōtinewe this to the ende and that he declare that his election is not in vain but that he hath his strength and power to conduct vs to saluation Now hee doth this after diuerse sortes For God is not bound to keepe alwayes one course he hath his meanes such as it pleaseth him to appoynt Sometime he sheweth his election very quickly sometime he deferreth it for a long space and they that thinke that there is a certaine seede in all those whome God hath elected so as men may discerne them from other because they are enclyned to good and haue some affectiō to serue God they fouly ouershoote themselues and are also conuinced by experience Iohn Baptist was sanctified from the wombe of his mother but it is farre otherwise in many others For God suffereth his electe sometimes to be as scattered sheepe and they seeme as though they were altogether lost and this is to the ende to giue the greater glory to his grace As wee see now some signe in Iacob that God had chosen him and reiected his brother Esau For Iacob held the heele of his brother as if he had fought against him And this came not to passe by chaunce neither was it doone by nature but God shewed as it were with the finger that Esau was the firste borne and yet was neuerthelesse put back and Iacob who was the inferiour in his birth should yet in time be preferred Mark then what we haue to learne vpon this place that is that God will approue that which he hath pronounced as we saw yesterday That the greater shall serue the lesser and And this hath already beene shewed in the birth of twoo infantes But of this example we haue to gather in generall that those whome God hath chosen he hath preuented by this meanes doth ratifie his counsell and decree when his execution appeareth And so though we can not enter so farre to knowe who they are that were elected before the foundation of the world notwithstanding our election shal be testified vnto vs so farre foorth as shall be necessary For if God as a man woulde say doe keepe the protocoll or originall draught thereof with him selfe it followeth not but that hee doth giue vs such testimonie thereof that we may be assured that he both is and will be a father vnto vs to the end that we should call vpon him in this affiance For it is not saide heere albeit there were a vocatiō as the holy scripture speaketh that is to say that he had declared vnto Iacob that he had elected him This wil com with the time ▪ but it is said simply that God had shewed it as it were to the eye that the answere which he had giuē to Rebecca was not in vain Why so the effect appeared in this that Iacob helde the heele of his brother But heere by the way God would shewe by this figure that his electe come not to their ende without many combates It is true that Iacob knewe not what this ment and his age also did not suffer it but this notwithstanding muste serue to teach vs and
yet the euil shal be enrolled before God cry more loude before his maiestie then if all men were armed and set them selues against vs So then to the ende our faultes may be blotted out defaced before God that there be no cry that may hasten the Lord to iudgement against vs by reason of the offences that we haue committed let vs learne in such sort to appease al strifes quarrels that euery one may preuent it by humbling himself with an vpright pure cōfession This is that we haue to marke vpon this point Now on the otherside we see as I haue already touched that Isaack had not as a man would say an hart puffed vp neither that nourished any manner of rancour against such as had beene his enemyes for he pursued them not he had in deede speciall cause against Abimilech and his company For as Saint Paule sayth they which are not of the flock body of the church we cannot iudge them to the ende to bring them to repentance as we may those which make profession of Christianitie who ought out of hād as much as lyeth in them to receiue admonition of their faultes For this is the order which GOD hath sette amongest al those that are his that wee shoulde bee subiect to receaue admonition bothe from great and small So that there is as it were a mutuall iurisdiction without the sworde and without authoritie if we doe our duetie For euery one hauing the word of God in his mouth is as a Iudge to shew his neighbour the faultes which he hath cōmitted He shall be a iudge in one respect he shall suffer himself to be iudged in an other Mark then howe we iudge these that are of the housholde as S. Paule sayth that is to say such as are of our body and of the Religion of the faithful and of the children of god But those that are without although we condemne them yet can not we call them so familiarly to say Thou haste offended For they haue no such acquaintance with vs and there is no such mutuall right as there is amongst the members of the body of the church And this is the cause why Isaack dealeth not so earnestly with Abimelech and his people as if they had bin knit together in one faith worshipped the same God and had beene of one Church and had had one and the selfe same order established amongest them It is very like that Isaack would not haue passed this ouer to haue saide vnto him What Come you hither with your bragges making as though you were my good friends and had vsed nothing but courtesie towardes mee And what courtesie was that to denie me water yea and too damme vp the welles that I had digged by mine owne laboure and the sweat of those that were mine And this could bring you no losse or hinderance and yet through malice you haue gone about to put out mine eyes and in the ende you haue driuen me out and haue not suffered mee too dwell amongest you And what friendship was this Isaack therefore might haue stoode too haue mainteyned his cause if Abimelech had bene capable to haue receiued such reproofe but it was ynough for him freely to haue layde open his affection For seeing Abimelech would not be corrected neither had any such repentance as was requisite for him therevpon he leaueth him So thē when we shall haue laboured to bring those to repentance that haue offended if we see them obstinate we can no further presse or vrge them It is true that if they be members of the Church wee must followe them to the ende they continue not obstinate and if they will not endeuour too open them selues and that we see they will not bee displeased with their faultes that yet neuertheles we hold them as vanquished For marke howe it behooueth vs to handle them who are so wilde and harde hearted My friende nowe thou shewest thy impudencie before I wel perceiued that thou wast strayed out of the right path but nowe I see that thou art altogither desperate and without hope For thou doest manifestly despite god And what gettest thou either in this or in that For thine offence is well knowen And thus wee may very wel beate thē downe who imagine through toughnes stubbernes to winne their cause But if we haue to doo with those which haue no acquaintance with vs and are not our brethren let it suffise vs too haue shewed them the trueth in one word For this shal be dearely inough bought of them if they thinke not better vpon it to humble them selues And for our part when we shal be reprooued for any offence let vs not wayte for any long processe and such great enquestes too be conuinced as it vvere by fine force of many witnesses but let vs receiue correctiō patiently assoone as it shal be offred vs not be like to those that throvv vp an hādful of ashes to take away the cleare light let vs therfore cōfesse our faults for this is the only remedy except we wil resist god let vs know that whē any warning or admonitiō shall be giuē that then God would haue his grace felte of vs and that hee is carefull too drawe vs backe to the ende wee should not perishe that wee should not remaine obstinate and that Sathan should not take possession of vs Let vs knowe this too the ende wee may come to repentaunce and true lowlinesse Nowe Isaack sheweth yet better that hee keepeth no minde of reuengement or enmitie although they had offended him For hee prepareth a banquet and they eate and drinke togither Loe here a pointe which wee haue well too meditate vppon For this also sheweth howe that we must fight agaynst our passions all the tyme of our lyfe so that this is as it were the A b c of Christians not too requite euill for euill but contrariwise too render good for euill and to get the victorie in this matter the which can not enter into our fansie This I saye is as it were oure A B C and there is no such perfection in vs but that we should beginne here That so soone as wee desire and haue a will to serue God it behooueth that we be spoyled of all bitternes hatred rancour of all desire to reuenge not onely to forgiue our enimies without procuring of their hurt but also that wee bee readie too doo them good But nowe who is hee that dischargeth him selfe herein of the hundreth parte But we shall find albeit it seemeth that many are as they saye petie Angelles and haue nothing but a feruent desire to serue god to honor him yea there is nothing in thē but loue they are therin resolute setled yet assoone as they bee prouoked the poyson so breaketh forth and afterwardes dwelleth so long in them that they keepe the remembrance of some small offence in their heartes all the
time of their lyfe When we see therefore that we can not bee purged at the first daye nor the first yeare of this curssed affection of reuenge so much the more we must applie this remedie to the ende we may bee ordred and gouerned by the spirit of God not to remaine asleepe in enimities rancours but willingly to forgiue them and to be throughly patient in all things And so we shall haue well profited all the tyme of our life when wee shall haue learned to what vse this historie of Isaack is rehearsed vnto vs that is that hee prepared a banquet for his enimies not in a ceremonie or for fashion sake onely but to shewe that he was pure cleane from all malice and that hee had forgotten and buried all the offences whereat they might picke any quarelles Nowe it is saide a little after That they made a Couenant togither and sware eche to other It is true that Isaack had the hurte when the other demaunded of him that hee would promise sweare vnto them not to wrong them nor hurt them For they had had sufficiēt proofe that they had not founde him a violent man nor one giuen to doo any harme Wherefore come they then to disquiet him farther He might haue put all this backe but he dooth yeeld something of his right as when we would purchace peace amongst men we must alwayes haue this meane not to giue it them wholly who haue done vs wrong but for all that not too too extremely too chalendge and holde whatsoeuer belongeth vnto vs without yeelding vnto them one crūme as they say thereof For if euery man should be so giuen to his own particular right men could neuer bee vnited and knit togither and although they were they could neuer cease from day to day too haue newe occasions to deuoure and eate vp one another There is therefore but one way to nourishe peace and concorde and that is that no man seeke that which is his owne as also S. Paule maketh mention thereof speaking vnto vs of Charitie 1. Corinth 13. Chapter where hee saieth expressely That Charitie hath this propertie Not too seeke her owne And further when hee exhorteth vs too liue peaceably and that wee shoulde loue brotherly fellowshippe and that none of vs shoulde giue him selfe too ambition nor haue a desire too bee more greater and higher and too haue the vpper hande For the woorde which hee vseth meaneth there should bee no desire of superioritie or hauing the vpper hand Now as long as we shall haue this desire as I haue sayde Loe as it were a fire blowed vp and kindled there are a thousande wayes which Satan will finde to set vs at such discorde at warre dissention such contention that it should seeme we would ouerthrowe all So let vs marke well to the ende that we may dwell in friendship brotherly concorde with our neighbours it behooueth euery one that he forsake and yeeld of his owne right and that euery one keepe not this extremitie to say I wil keepe whatsoeuer is mine will pursue it and forgo nothing by no maner of meanes whatsoeuer Whē we shal deale thus certainly the Deuil will alwayes finde some cunning to kindle the fire of discord and strife of words in the ende of warre This therefore is that which we haue to learne cōcerning this text But here by the way wee see that it is lawfull for the childrē of God to enter into league friendship with heathen people and such as professe nothing but false religion as long as it is not to ioine our selues with them not too drawe in the same yoke For we must marke well that admonitiō of Paule who saith Take heede that you drawe not in the yoke togither with vnbeleeuers For he speaketh this by way of comparison as if two oxen were coupled togither to drawe in one yoke they must one answere the other though they be wilde sometimes straggle yet beeing tyed together by the necks with the yoke they must followe the same traine Sainct Paule would shewe vs that wee must not bee coupled with vnbeleeuers in such sorte that wee bee holden with their chaines and that wee bee so entanged with them that wee consente vnto euill neither in any respect too bee tyed therein but onely for too nourishe peace too stoppe outrages and violences it shal alwayes be lawful for vs too enter into league with them Let vs take heede therefore that wee bee separated from all their malice and therein that wee haue no acquaintance with them especially that wee condemne their iniquitie asmuch as lieth in vs so as we be not so much as companions and brethren with the wicked no not complices as it is sayde specially in the 15. Psalme that we must hare thē But neuerthelesse to stoppe their rage and to take awaye all occasion of hurte and to shut the doore against them to the ende they put not in practise their lewde enterprises wee may well meet with their euill by making league with them too the ende they may not flowe to all licentiousnes of euill when wee shall haue put such a barre first before them Yea we see that God hath shewed vs this fauour and grace that wee shoulde take his name to witnesse to the ende we might be assured either of other whereby he sheweth howe acceptable a thing Concord amongst men is vnto him in what detestation he hath al quarelles warres wronges hurtes outrages and oppressions which men shall doo eche vnto other For this is no small matter that God giueth his owne name so to bee vsed and as it were pawneth it And when a Prince must giue some of his childrē for hostage hee will doo it with great difficultie and much a doe but our Lorde giueth his owne Name for hostage when there is cause of nourishing peace amongest vs yea and when the matter standes so that Concorde must bee had with infidells too the ende they may leaue of to rage against vs and not hurt vs Seeing then God hath vouchsafed too lende his owne Name too this purpose so much the more ought we too be bente to seeke by all the meanes that can bee that men may bee peaceable and that wee haue no quarelles with them yea that we seeke too appease them that are raised vp wee must asmuch as lieth in vs preuent them but yet if wee can not altogether perfourme it when we shall see any quarelles begun wee should endeuour too kill it yea by the meane that I haue already spoken of that is too say by forgoing our right asmuch as shal be possible for vs This then is the summe of that we haue too learne Nowe it is not sayd in this place in what forme they sware but we shall finde afterwards that Isaack alwayes made his othe vnto the liuing and euerlasting God rendring honour vnto him too whom it belonged albeit hee had to do with