A Golden Chain

for in that God ordaineth some to eternal salvation, he testifies thereby, that his purpose is to pass by some without showing of mercy. III. The author of this distinction, God himself by his purpose before all times, which purpose he made manifest by testimony given to Rebecca, saying, the greater shall serve the younger: that is, the first borne and more excellent according to the flesh, shall loose his birthright and the blessing of his father, and in respect of title to the covenant, be subject to the younger. And because this testimony concerning the freedom and servitude of Jacob and Esau might seem sufficient to prove the election of the first and the rejection of the second, therefore Paul adds a second testimony out of Malachi, I have loved Jacob & hated Esau: that is, I have purposed to love Jacob & to hate Esau. And these words no doubt, are alleged to expound the former place out of Moses, and show that the bondage of Esau was joined with the hatred of God, and the freedom of Jacob with the love of God as tokens thereof.

for in that God ordaineth some to eternall saluation, hee testifies thereby, that his purpose is to passe by some without shewing of mercy. III. The author of this distinction, God himselfe by his purpose before al times, which purpose he made manifest by testimony giuen to Rebecca, saying, the greater shall serue the younger: that is, the first borne and more excellent according to the flesh, shall loose his birthright and the blessing of his father, and in respect of title to the couenant, be subiect to the younger. And because this testimony concerning the freedome and seruitude of Iacob and Esau might seeme sufficient to prooue the election of the first and the reiection of the second, therefore Paul addes a secōd testimony out of Malachi, I haue loued Iacob & hated Esau: that is, I haue purposed to loue Iacob & to hate Esau. And these words no doubt, are alleadged to expound the former place out of Moses, and shew that the bondage of Esau was ioyned with the hatred of God, and the feedom of Iacob with the loue of God as tokens thereof.

Against this received exposition of the former words which I have now propounded, sundry exceptions are made. First, that the prerogative of Isaac above Ismael, and Jacob above Esau, was only in temporary blessings, in that God vouchsafed unto them the right of the land of Canaan. Ans. If these places are to be understood of temporal blessings and not spiritual, then the Apostle hath not fitly alleged the former examples, to prove the rejection of the Jews from the Covenant. For though it be granted, there be a difference between man and man, in respect of earthly blessings, yet doeth it not follow that there shall be the same difference in things concerning the kingdom of heaven. If a father for some cause disinherit one or two of his children, it were absurd thereupon to conclude that he might therefore kill any of the rest. Again, the land of Canaan was not only an earthly inheritance, but also a pledge and figure unto our forefathers of a better inheritance in heaven: and therefore the excluding of Ismael and Esau from the land of Canaan was a sign that they were excluded from the covenant of grace, and the right of eternal life. Some others say, that by Jacob and Esau are not meant two persons, but the two nations of the Idumeans and the Israelites. Ans. It is a manifest untruth. For it was not possible for two nations to strive in the womb of Rebecca, unless we considered them as they were comprehended under the two heads, to wit, the very persons of Jacob and Esau. And whereas they say that Esau in person never served Jacob, but only in his posterity, the answer is, that Jacobs freedom and prerogatives were spiritual, and not temporal, which by faith he saw a far off, but enjoyed not: and therefore proportionally Esau was debased to the condition of a servant in respect of his younger brother, not so much in respect of his outward estate and condition, as in regard of the covenant made with his ancestors from which he was barred. And though it be granted that by Jacob and Esau