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…

This is the sum of that we have further to note here. Now hereupon we may be confirmed and strengthened, as often as we see the wicked and contemners of God (who are so deadly enemies to us) to cast out their froth, in that we know that our Lord can stay and hold them in well enough, and that he vvill turn them some other way, and when it shall seem that they are to cast and banish us out of the world ⟨image 16⟩that our Lord will hold them as Captives, albeit they know not how. To be short, this that is here set out of Ismael, we shall have trial off, so that we be patient, & call upon God, and nothing doubt, but that he hath means of his own in him self to save us, the which we at the first perceive not. But now let us come to that which Moses reciteth concerning Isaac. It is true that thereof he had already spoken some thing, but it is requisite that it be deducted more at large. He hath said, That Isaac was forty years old, when he took Rebecca to wife, & further that she was barren. Now it is like that Ismael was married sooner. For we have already seen that Hagar his mother had given him wife, without mention of his age, and a man may well gather that he was then very young. Isaac cometh to the age of xl. years and might all ready be enfeebled before he entered into marriage. See then how he was kept back. Now let us note that all this while passed not, but he often entered into reckoning, to inquire of this promise, which was made unto him, that his seed should be multiply-as the stars of Heaven and the sand of the sea, and all this while he found no wife, for he durst not take one in the country. And it is like that God showed him that he would keep her barren even till the end. But yet when he was married, it seemeth that then at the least God would bless him, & increase and augment him in his stock. But his wife is barren, yea by the space of xx. years. If any such temptation should come unto any of us, it is ⟨p. 9⟩certain that the best of us should hardly resist it one day: we lightly pass over that which is here recited by Moses. And why so? It is because we be not exercised with many conflicts, yea and because we shun them, and also by reason of infirmity and rudeness.

This is the summe of that vve haue further to note heere. Novv heerevpon vve may be confirmed and strengthened, as often as vve see the vvicked and contemners of God (vvho are so deadly enemyes to vs) to cast out their froth, in that vve knovve that our Lorde can stay and holde them in vvell enough, and that hee vvill turne them some other vvay, and vvhen it shall seeme that they are to cast and banish vs out of the worlde