A17722:320
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.
It is said that Isaac seeing himself now to draw towards his end, forasmuch as he was transitory. He saith unto his son Esau: I know not the day of my death: And therefore go and hunt Venison that thou mayst provide me meat according to my appetite, and which I love, and my soul shall bless thee,
It is sayde that Isaack seeing himselfe now to drawe towardes his ende, forasmuch as he was transitory. He sayth vnto his sonne Esau: I knowe not the day of my death: And therefore goe and hunt Venison that thou mayst prouide me meate according to my appetite, and which I loue, and my soule shall blesse thee,
Isaac in saying that he knew not the day of his death, signifieth, that he saw himself to draw ⟨p. 135⟩near to the grave already: For there is none that knoweth the day of his death. God would always hold us in suspense & doubt concerning this, too the end we might always be ready. Death (as it is said in the common proverb) is sure to all, but the hour of death is unknown unto us: & this is very profitable for us: for we see how men are given to their pleasures & are merry whiles that they think to have some truces or some release. And what should this be, if we knew certainly of the end of our life? Every one would bend himself to all kind of evil, and God should be despited even to the end. But when our Lord handleth us short in such sort, that from the womb of our mother we are still besieged with death: as we see of young infants, who die before they come into the world: so far is it off, that we cannot live even the minute of an hour, but that as soon as we are borne we are subject too death, as our frailty declareth. For with what a number of diseases are we compassed? And to how many dangers and hazards is our life subject? So then, there is neither young nor old that should not say by good right, that he knoweth not when he shall die but the meaning of these words is as I have said: to wit, that Isaac knew well that he could not continue in the world. And indeed, although young people & they which are strong and in the flower of their age, ought too prepare themselves to forsake the world, & every hour to dye, while they live: yet do we most fail herein, albeit our nature warneth us to give our selves no