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…

And afterwards he saith: That he will multiply his seed, that he will bless is, and that his seed shall be as the stars of Heaven. It is true, that the benefits which God will bestow upon us, they shall not always fall out to our desires, as we have declared. For oftentimes we shall want them, to the end, we may be the more eager to pray: and also he will try us, and show us that we have no such affiance in him as we ought: and our unthankfulness many times depriveth us of that, that GOD otherwise was ready to bestow upon us: For we are not always capable to receive that which he offereth unto us. He hath an open hand, but we have a close mouth: that is to say, we are shut up in unbelief & distrust. And therefore see the cause why we must so oftentimes wait: but so much there is, that if we be resolved in this point, he is with us, and we are blessed of him in that which he knoweth to be expedient for us, & we shall lack nothing.

And afterwardes he sayth: That hee will multiply his seede, that he will blesse is, and that his seede shalbe as the starres of Heauen. It is true, that the benefites which God will bestowe vpon vs, they shall not alwayes fall out to our desires, as wee haue declared. For oftentimes we shall want them, to the ende, wee may be the more egar to pray: and also he will try vs, and shewe vs that we haue no such affiaunce in him as wee ought: and our vnthankfulnesse many times depriueth vs of that, that GOD otherwise was ready to bestowe vpon vs: For wee are not alwayes capable to receiue that which he offereth vnto vs. Hee hath an open hand, but we haue a close mouth: that is to say, we are shut vp in vnbeliefe & distrust. And therfore see the cause why we must so oftentimes wait: but so much there is, that if we be resolued in this poynt, he is with vs, and we are blessed of him in that which he knoweth to be expedient for vs, & we shal lack nothing.

Touching this promise: That all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in Isaacks seed, this was special to him, as it was to Abraham: & this respecteth our Lord Jesus Christ, as it hath been expounded. For it was necessary that Jesus Christ should be the fountain of this blessing, the which should flow upon all the linage of Abraham. It is true that the faithful which descended of him, were blessed and partakers of this promise: but this was by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, if he had been separated from the seed of Abraham, it is certain that he had been barren and dry, and that he should not have had one drop of the blessing. But at this day, forasmuch as God would by his infinite goodness, that his only begotten son should belong unto us, we were joined to the true natural Children of Abraham: & howsoever we were of the nations of the earth, who were then strayed from the Church of God, and who were altogether departed far from it, yet at this day we are blessed aswell as they. For if it were said to him I will bless thy seed, and that God had added nothing, this had at this day bin a very slender comfort unto us: But when he sayeth: That all the nations of the earth should be blessed in the seed of Abraham, we are of that number.