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…

It is true that there was in Abraham and Isaac excellent virtue and holiness: but howsoever it be, yet so it is that we at this day are also anointed to be under the keeping of God, and we succeed to all the promises which were given unto them. So then, though we shall be never so small a number, and as a poor despised people, as Sheep in the throat of Wolves, yet let us not doubt, but that GOD hath wherewith to defend us, and that he will display his power, as much as shall be necessary, yea and that against the mightiest Kings of the world. For sometimes ⟨image 98⟩God hath indeed suffered that those of the meaner and common sort of people have vexed and molested his servants, as we shall see hereafter, & that very shortly. Which what soever it be, when he hath declared that he foreseeth the war, & that he setteth him self in order against the Kings: Hereby he hath showed that the life of his servants is deer and precious unto him. Let us therefore hope the like, and we shall not be deceived. And when we shall see the mightiest of the world to be our enemies, and shall daily hear rumours of many tumults & troubles: let us not doubt, but that our Lord will remedy all, & will always be our buckler to put back all our blows, when it shall be most like that they must fall upon our heads. Lo what we have to put in practise by the example of Isaac. And although here God afflicted not Abimilech as before, & that he reproved him not as he had done the king of Egypt: nevertheless he keepeth him bridled, and holdeth him as it were in fear: so that although Rebecca were fair, yet it fell so out: that the king of the country desired her not, no albeit he imagined that it had bin lawful for him to have taken her to wife. Lo then on the one side what we have to mark: on the other this, that nevertheless God humbled Isaac & suffered not his infidelity to remain altogether unpunished: yet the punishment is very gentle, But howsoever it was, he was reformed. Now if nothing had happened unto Isaac, and that it had not been perceived that Rebecca had been his ⟨p. 89⟩wife, he had not returned from it, neither had he ever remembered his fault which he had committed: and specially he had pleased himself herein, because the event was good and as he would have wished, and therefore he would have thought that God would have allowed it.

It is true that there was in Abraham and Isaack excellent vertue and holynesse: but howsoeuer it be, yet so it is that we at this day are also annoynted to bee vnder the keeping of God, and we succeede to all the promises which were giuen vnto them. So then, though we shalbe neuer so small a number, and as a poore despysed people, as Sheepe in the throte of Wolues, yet let vs not doubt, but that GOD hath wherewith to defende vs, and that hee will display his power, asmuch as shall bee necessary, yea and that against the mightiest Kings of the world. For sometimes