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 have seen the temptation which happened to Isaac, when he was so pressed with famine, that it enforced him too forsake the place of his habitation: For this should at the least have bin, that God should have nourished & fed him in that country which he had assigned unto him for an inheritance: But if he would not accomplish his promise unto him, should he not have given him some little taste thereof? But now when famine driveth him away, this is, as if God had forsaken him there, and as though he had had no more care of him. Isaac therefore had here a great combat to endure, seeing he was as it were destitute of Gods favour, which is common to all: For if he nourish the contemners of his majesty, & the wickedest of the world, making his sun to shine upon them, & causing the earth to bring forth fruit for their nourishment: what should he do for them whom he hath taken into his custody, & adopted for his children? But yet see a greater temptation, seeing Isaac was forbid to go into Egypt, & that God had showed him a certain place of rest, & would that he should dwell there, until he might return, & that the dearth were passed. When God then had led him thither as if he should say, behold a corner to rest in, which I do assign thee: & there farther, that he feareth lest he should be killed for his wives sake: & after that he was taken & reproved: mark further these tokens of the wrath of god upon him, ⟨image 90⟩in such sort that he could not be but in an horrible perplexity. Now it is very true, that he was wonderful weak, as we shall see hereafter: but howsoever it was, the issue showeth, that God was not forgetful of him. And this is sufficient. For he will for a time keep himself secrete, in such sort that the poor faithful ones shall be as it were lost: but this is enough, that after that he hath humbled them, after that he hath discovered their infirmities, that he showeth himself altogether to make them feel as it were by effect, that all this while that it seemed to them that they were quite abandoned from him, he yet in pity looked upon them. Mark then how it came to pass with Isaac.

WEE haue seene the temptation which happened to Isaack, when hee was so pressed with famine, that it inforced him too forsake the place of his habitation: For this should at the least haue byn, that God should haue nourished & fed him in that countrie which hee had assigned vnto him for an inheritance: But if hee would not accomplish his promise vnto him, should he not haue giuen him some little taste thereof? But nowe when famine driueth him away, this is, as if God had forsaken him there, and as though hee had had no more care of him. Isaack therefore had heere a greate combate to endure, seeing hee was as it were destitute of Gods fauour, which is common to all: For if hee nourish the contemners of his maiestie, & the wickedest of the world, making his sunne to shine vpon thē, & causing the earth to bring foorth fruite for their nourishment: what should hee doe for them whom he hath taken into his custodie, & adopted for his childrē? But yet see a greater temptation, seeing Isaack was forbid to go into Egypt, & that God had shewed him a certain place of rest, & would that he should dwel there, vntil he might returne, & that the dearth were passed. Whē God then had led him thither as if he should say, behold a corner to rest in, which I do assigne thee: & there farther, that he feareth lest he shuld be killed for his wiues sake: & after that he was taken & reproued: mark further these tokēs of the wrath of god vpon him,