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…

Here we see on the one side, how God would comfort his servant every way: For it was not only showed him that he should be assured from ⟨image 138⟩thence forth that none should hurt him: seeing the king himself of the country was come to seek to him: but also he had water given him, which he might enjoy peaceably and quietly as his own. When therefore our Lord showeth this great favour towards Isaac, let us know that he tempteth not his above their strength, but always sweeteneth their afflictions in such sort, that they shall not be as it were ever oppressed & quite overthrown: and let us hope, that altogether like as Isaac was upholden, and that God after he had afflicted him, looked also again unto him to give him somewhat wherewith to comfort him, so likewise must we wait, & then we shall not be deceived, if we rest there, For God knoweth our frailty, and there is no doubt but he will always give us such taste of his mercy & favour, that we shall have good cause to bless his name, and have no occasion to grieve our selves in such sort, that we know not how to comfort our selves any more in him. But the principal point is, that Esau took two wives from among the Hittites. Here we begin to see already that Esau was not only once profane, but that he went on in that course, and gave him self wholly thereto, as we have showed heretofore, that after he had well filled his belly with the pottage, that Jacob his brother had prepared for him, & when he had eaten & drunk, he went his way, & despised his birthright. Moses also rehearseth now that he took two wives from amongst the Hittites: for if he had had any remorse within him, & that he ⟨p. 130⟩had esteemed the promise of the spiritual inheritance made unto his father, it is certain, that he would have holden him self as separate from all those people. For he knew full well, how his grandfather Abraham had behaved himself in that point, that he had made his servant to swear solemnly, that he should not take a wife for his son Isaac in that land of Canaan: he knew that his mother was sought after, in a far country, in Mesopotamia, because god would have this house as it were apart, & would not have it mingled & mashed with those of that country. What doth he therefore, when he taketh two wives of the inhabitants of Canaan, whom God had accursed?

Here we see on the one side, how God would comforte his seruaunt euery way: For it was not onely shevved him that he should be assured from