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…

In the mean season we have here a good rule concerning our selves, whereby we are warned that when we shall be taught, although this be done by the mean of mortal men who are sent unto us, that God doth accept us and account us for his own, that this ought to suffice us, and that we may despise Satan and all temptations, & all things that may come in our brain to shake our faith. And thereupon it is said, That Esau cried out, yea by yelling and roaring, and that he howled as it were a wild beast, and that he desired notwithstanding to be blessed: and that his father said unto ⟨p. 168⟩him: Lo it must needs be that the first blessing hold: and that then he despiteth his brother Jacob, and said: It was right that he was so named. For we have declared before that Jacobs name was drawn from a heel, as if a man should have called him Heeleholder: and this was forasmuch as he held the heel of his brother, when he should come forth of the womb. Now saith he, he hath given me a blow with his heel. As if a man should say, when a beast rusheth upon him, that he hath stricken him with his heel. Now Esau applieth this to his brother: He hath supplanted me twice now (saith he). And this word also cometh of Tripping, when a man giveth one secretly a blow with his foot, and maketh one to fall. He saith then, that he hath already tripped him twice with his heel. The first time when he took away his birthright, and now when he took away his blessing. Now here we have to note in the first place, that which the Apostle showeth us, to wit, that albeit Esau wept & mourned, notwithstanding he obtained no place of repentance: for he came thereto over late. And this is according to the exhortation which we have made heretofore. It is said that we must not be profane as Esau was, that we must not be given to the earth, nor to all that which concerneth our bodies & this transitory life, in such sort that we should forget the heavenly life. And why so? for (saith he) they which profane themselves, & defile themselves in their filthy desires they may cry: but they shall find no place ⟨image 175⟩repentance, forasmuch as the gate shall be shut against them. Now it is true that this at the first show might be thought strange:

In the meane season wee haue heere a good rule concerning our selues, whereby we are warned that when we shalbe taught, although this be done by the meane of mortal men who are sent vnto vs, that God doth accept vs and account vs for his owne, that this ought to suffice vs, and that we may despise Sathan and all temptations, & all things that may come in our braine to shake our faith. And thereupon it is sayd, That Esau cryed out, yea by yelling and roaring, and that he howled as it were a wilde beaste, and that he desired notwithstanding to be blessed: and that his father sayd vnto