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…

Now it is very true that a man might think at the first blush, that this was but a Childish toy. For what hurt was it in Esau, after that he had laboured and taken great pain, yea for to bring Venison unto his father, if he were weary, if he were an hungered & should demand to eat? It seemeth not that this should be imputed unto him for a fault. And again on the other side, some man might ⟨image 61⟩say, what cruelty was there in Jacob, seeing his brother in such want, not to succour him, at the least with half of his repast? For he should not have tarried his brothers complaint, and till he had cried for hunger, but rather ought frankly to have offered him of that which he had prepared for him self. For if he had seen but a stranger too be so needy, so weary, and so weak, he must yet have given him some refreshing and alms.

Nowe it is very true that a man might think at the first blush, that this was but a Childish toy. For what hurt was it in Esau, after that he had laboured and taken great paine, yea for to bringe Venison vnto his father, if he were weary, if he weare an hungred & should demaund to eate? It seemeth not that this should be imputed vnto him for a faulte. And againe on the other side, some man might ⟨image 61⟩say, what crueltie was there in Iacob, seeing his brother in such want, not to succour him, at the least with halfe of his repast? For hee shoulde not haue tarryed his brothers complainte, and till hee had cryed for hunger, but rather ought frankly to haue offred him of that which he had prepared for him selfe. For if hee had seene but a straunger too bee so needie, so weary, and so weake, hee muste yet haue giuen him some refreshinge and almes.

But behold his own brother, for they were borne both in one belly: yet he leaveth him in this case, and vouchsafeth not to give him one spoonful of his pottage. A man might say therefore that Jacob was too too uncourteous. And again. Why should he compel him to sell his birthright? For he put here the knife as it were to his throat, and we know that bargains are always of no force, when there shall be any violence offered: If men do any thing by constraint, or if they promise any thing by compulsion rashly, they are not bound to keep it. But see Esau, who was an hungered, he could do no more, he was so far past him self, that he knoweth not what his birthright meaneth. So then, besides the cruelty of Jacob, there was to gross an oversight: and when he bargained, what oath soever came between, yet this ought not in any case to hold, by any right or reason. Well, notwithstanding all this, this is not recited to reprove Jacob, as though