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…

When therefore it is said, that Isaac was driven out through famine, this is as much as if God would declare unto us, that when we shall fall into poverty and need, that we think not, that we are therefore forsaken of him, nor take it as a sign that he hateth us: or rather that we imagine not, that he thinketh no more of us: but that as our father Isaac endured hunger & thirst constantly, and in the end tried that God always had care of him, so we also acknowledge the like. Mark this for one special lesson. And this is that also which is showed unto us by S. Paul in the 8. chap. to the Romans when he saith: Shall hunger be able to separate us from the love that God beareth us in Christ Jesus our Lord. Saint Paul fighteth there, in the name of all the faithful, showing therein that if God should cut of our morsels, yea and that we should be deprived of all nourishment, as if it seemed that he would exclude us, from all the benefits that he hath created in the world, as though we were not worthy to be upon the earth: yet must we overcome this tentation there, & conclude, though it be in the middest of famine, that God will be ⟨image 79⟩our father, and we must content our selves with this, rejoicing in our afflictions. But in the mean while we are also exhorted by the example of Isaac, not to be so grieved and vexed with famine, nor for other afflictions of what sort soever they be, to the end they make us to forsake God, or turn us out of the path wherein he hath set us: For as we have seen Jacob forsook his meat, to aspire to that spiritual inheritance, which had bin promised unto him: So now likewise we see that Isaac had no regard to that which he might suffer in that length of time. He saw Egypt which was a good refuge, nevertheless he was turned from it. And why so? Because God had forbidden him to go thither. So then, when we see that Isaac was not overcome by famine, that he obeyed God & forsook not to be guided by his hand: by this we have also to learn, when our Lord will afflict us with poverty & need, that we look not to unlawful means to relieve our necessity. And above all, if Satan lay before us his baits to entice us, that we rather choose to dye of hunger (if need be) then to withdraw our selves from the conduction of God: seeing that we cannot be nourished but by his blessings.

When therefore it is sayd, that Isaack was driuen out through famine, this is asmuch as if God would declare vnto vs, that when we shall fall into pouertie and neede, that we thinke not, that we are therefore forsaken of him, nor take it as a signe that he hateth vs: or rather that wee imagine not, that he thinketh no more of vs: but that as our father Isaack endured hunger & thirste constantly, and in the end tryed that God alwayes had care of him, so we also acknowledge the like. Marke this for one speciall lesson. And this is that also which is shewed vnto vs by S. Paule in the 8. chap. to the Romaines when he saith: Shal hunger be able to separate vs from the loue that God beareth vs in Christ Iesus our Lord. Saint Paule fighteth there, in the name of all the faithful, shewing therein that if God shoulde cut of our morsels, yea and that we should be depriued of all nourishment, as if it seemed that hee would exclude vs, from all the benefites that hee hath created in the worlde, as though wee were not woorthy to be vppon the earth: yet must wee ouercom this tentation there, & conclude, though it be in the middest of famine, that God will bee