A17722:33
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.
And why? it is for that his wife was barren, until that he was come to the age of Lx. years. Behold a wonderful thing, yea but we shall find, that after God had ratified his promise, to wit, that he should be multiplied in such sort, as he had showed unto him, that he had not spoken in vain. For what was it to see such a multitude of people ⟨p. 6⟩in Egypt, as if grass had grown in the midest of an hot burning Oven? For this was as a furnace, (as the scripture speaketh) which was the tyranny & bondage of Egypt. Behold the people as chaff, and see the fire which is kindled in every place all about, and yet for all this the people is not consumed, like as is showed in the figure of the Bush,1 which was as it were burning on a light fire, and yet the bush remained whole and was not consumed. We see likewise how the people multiplied, being under such oppression and anguish, that thē was not only question of an hundred thousand, or of three or four hundred thousand, but behold six hundred thousand issuing out under such a captivity. And how was this possible? Behold a miracle to ravish us in astonishment. Now then let us know, that as God after this manner tried the faith and patience of Isaac, so in the end he found a mean to accomplish his promise, yea beyond the reach of man. For this came to pass after a strange fashion, & which a man would not have thought. Let us also at this day apply this to our selves, and let us practise that which is spoken in the 37. Psal. If we see the wicked & the contemners of God to be advanced as the Cedars of Lebanon, let us wait: for there needs no more, but even to turn our eyes,2 and lo, they are razed & cut off, and one shall not see so much as the place where they were. And why so? Because they were not planted in God. We hear that which our Lord Jesus Christ saith, Matth. 15.3 Every plant which my heavenly father hath not planted shall be rooted up.
And why? it is for that his wife was barren, vntil that he was come to the age of Lx. yeres. Behold a wonderful thing, yea but vve shal find, that after God had ratified his promise, to wit, that hee should be multiplyed in such sorte, as hee had shewed vnto him, that he had not spoken in vaine. For what was it to see such a multitude of people