Thirteen sermons of Master John Calvin, entreating of the free election of God in…Thirteene sermons of Maister Iohn Caluine, entreating of the free election of God in…

WE said yesterday that God approveth and ratifieth his election, when he governeth his Children by his holy spirit, and that he maketh them to strive up to the heavenly life, and giveth them an affection to despise the world, and to look up more high. Contrariwise, that he discovereth what mans nature is, when he letteth loose the bridle to those that are reprobates, so that they become as it were brute beasts, looking to nothing but this brittle & transitory life. We have the confirmation of this doctrine, in the history which Moses here reciteth: For on the one side he setteth Esau before us, who returning out of the fields from hunting, was as a famished wolf: he desireth nothing but to eat, and moreover is content to sell his birthright with another and here he renounceth his birthright, so that he may have wherewith to fill his belly. He then esteemeth the Pottage so highly, that his birthright was nothing unto him in comparison thereof. Now let us mark (as it hath already bin touched before, and as we shall see more fully) that ⟨p. 53⟩this was not an earthly privilege, to wit, that he should have a double portion, and that he should be advanced in his fathers house: but it was to be the chief of the Church of God, waiting till our Lord Jesus Christ should appear for the salvation of the world. Now although this was a thing of such importance: yet Esau preferreth his belly, and he careth for nothing, so that he may have meat. On the other side, Jacob although he had made ready his dinner, or his supper (albeit it were his refection,) and that he had an appetite to eat, yet, he chose rather to abstain and defraud him self, then to let slip the occasion of getting the birthright. We see then that Esau was but as a beastly man, who fought nothing but to be fed and nourished: yea and to be well franked. Jacob is a weak man, subject to hunger and thirst: yet he bridleth himself, and looketh up higher then too this world, and forgoeth bodily meat, to obtain a spiritual benefit, which was of more value then an hundred, yea then ten thousand lives. Mark briefly what we have to learn of this history.

WE said yesterday that God approueth and ratifieth his election, when hee gouerneth his Children by his holy spirit, and that hee maketh them to striue vp to the heauenly life, and giueth them an affection to despise the world, and to looke vp more high. Cōtrariwise, that he discouereth what mans nature is, when he letteth loose the bridle to those that are reprobates, so that they become as it were brute beastes, loking to nothing but this brickle & transitorie life. We haue the confirmation of this doctrine, in the history which Moyses heere reciteth: For on the one side he setteth Esau before vs, who returning out of the feeldes frō hunting, was as a famished wolf: he desireth nothing but to eate, and moreouer is content to sel his birthright with another and heere he renounceth his birthright, so that he may haue wherewith to fill his belly. Hee then esteemeth the Pottage so highly, that his birthright was nothing vnto him in comparison thereof. Now let vs marke (as it hath already byn touched before, and as we shal see more fully) that