A17722:215
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…
Thirteen sermons of Master John Calvin, entreating of the free election of God in Jacob, and of reprobation in Esau A treatise wherein every Christian may see the excellent benefits of God towards his children, and his marvellous judgements towards the reprobate, first published in the French tongue, & now translated into English, by John Field, for the comfort of all Christians.Thirteene sermons of Maister Iohn Caluine, entreating of the free election of God in Iacob, and of reprobation in Esau A treatise wherin euery Christian may see the excellent benefites of God towardes his children, and his maruelous iudgements towards the reprobate, firste published in the French toung, & now translated into English, by Iohn Fielde, for the comfort of all Christians.
London: printed by Thomas Dawson for Thomas Man and Toby Cooke, 1579London: printed by Thomas Dawson for Thomas Man and Tobie Cooke, 1579
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Behold a king which is of the country of Gerar, & yet God bridleth him from doing any hurt to Isaac, yea knowing well that he had no such virtue in him self, as was in his father Abraham, like as we have showed already: & mark also wherefore God preventeth him, when he had determined to go into Egypt he withdraweth him: as it were by force, & forbideth him to go out of the land which he had promised him. We have showed already that God according to the measure he hath given us, doth also prove us. He worketh therefore in all men, as in sundry shops and by instruments which are not of the same power. And so, mark Isaac who was spared for once: but also we see how pitiful & kind the Lord was unto him, when he loosed not the bridle to King Abimilech to do that unto him which was done unto Abraham ⟨p. 85⟩his father. For if we demand, why it fell out at one time, & not at an other. It is certain that God governed this by his wonderful counsel: For after he once loseth the reins unto men, it is certain that they pass their bounds. And it is said expressly that he holdeth the hands of Kings in his hand, and that he turneth them hither and thither as he thinketh good. So then it behoveth us to conclude, that the heart of the king of Gerar was holden that it desired not Rebecca: otherwise he had been subject to that concupiscence, that poor Isaac should have bin thereby tormented even unto the uttermost & had bin swallowed up with terrible distresses: but (as we have said) God who is faithful spareth his own, or trieth them more to the quick, according to the power that he knoweth to be in them.
Beholde a king which is of the countrie of Gerar, & yet God bridleth him frō doing any hurt to Isaac, yea knowing wel that he had no such vertue in him self, as was in his father Abrahā, like as we haue shewed already: & mark also wherfore God preuenteth him, when he had determined to goe into Egypte hee withdraweth him: as it were by force, & forbideth him to go out of the lād which he had promised him. Wee haue shewed already that God according to the measure hee hath giuen vs, doth also proue vs. He worketh therefore in all men, as in sundry shoppes and by instrumentes which are not of the same power. And so, marke Isaack who was spared for once: but also wee see how pitiful & kinde the Lord was vnto him, whē hee loosed not the bridle to Kinge Abimilech to do that vnto him which wadone vnto Abraham ⟨p. 85⟩