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 hereby we may see, how we ought always too suspect our affectionate passions. For they rush upon us always to butte against God. As a Bull chafed pusheth with his horns, so our appetites & desires drive us, and ravish us, in such wise, that we make war most notoriously against god, yea with out ever thinking upon it: it never cometh into our memory, This is forbidden me, God hath condemned & rejected it. We have therefore many times our senses so encumbered, that we keep not either the way or the path. And hereof we see an example in Isaac. For all the time of his life, he was as a looking glass of holiness, & led as it were an Angels life, keeping himself in the fear of god: but herein he so faulteth, that god is nothing with him. He treadeth under his foot that which he had understood by his wife: that is, that now the right of the first borne was given unto Jacob. Nevertheless he passeth beyond that. Now this is a wonderful strange thing for he was notwithstā ding the minister of god, & a prophet: & as soon as he had charge to give the blessing to him to whom God had ordained it, yet he dealeth as if he had been the keeper and appointer thereof. God had done him this honour, as if he should have said, I will bless him whom I shall think good: ⟨image 143⟩but the testimony shall come out of thy mouth. Thou shalt be a messenger: especially that which thou pronouncest, shall have authority of justice: it shall be authentic, which I will ratify in heaven, God had done him this honour: and yet he leaveth himself to be so snared in ignorance, that he goeth quite contrary, specially from his duty, and from that which his office required. This at the first show should seem a thing intolerable: but God, who by his wonderful counsel directed him in such sort in this matter, that he turned darkness into light, & showed that this was not a thing according to mans fantasy, that the inheritance of salvation should come unto this man or too that man: but that in despite of all men, he must have it to whom it was ordained & established to hold it, & that it must have his effect. But because all things can not be understood at once, let us follow that order in rehearsing of it, which Moses useth: and afterwards we will gather in the end, the profit that this History bringeth unto us.

And hereby we may see, how we ought alwayes too suspect our affectionate passions. For they rush vpon vs alwayes to butte against God. As a Bull chafed pusheth with his hornes, so our appetites & desires driue vs, and rauish vs, in such wise, that we make war most notoriously against god, yea with out euer thinking vpon it: it neuer commeth into our memory, This is forbidden me, God hath condemned & reiected it. We haue therfore many times our senses so incumbred, that wee keepe not either the way or the path. And heereof we see an example in Isaack. For all the time of his life, he was as a looking glasse of holines, & led as it were an Angels life, keeping himself in the feare of god: but herein he so faulteth, that god is nothing with him. He treadeth vnder his foot that which he had vnderstood by his wife: that is, that nowe the right of the first borne was giuen vnto Iacob. Neuertheles he passeth beyōd that. Now this is a wonderful straunge thing for he was notwithstā ding the minister of god, & a prophet: & as sone as he had charge to giue the blessing to him to whom God had ordained it, yet hee dealeth as if he had beene the keper and appointer thereof. God had doone him this honour, as if hee shoulde haue sayd, I wil blesse him whom I shall thinke good: