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…

that is to say, that we have here a glass, wherein we may behold, that all they that are of the church, are not advanced thereto by their own virtue, and that they have not obtained this favour by their merits: but that God hath chosen them before they were borne: See then briefly what we have to hold out of this place. But now a man might here move some doubt: For Moses saith expressly that this was extended to two peoples, and that it was not only in respect of Jacob and Esau, that this struggling combat was moved, as touching their persons: but that it was in respect of their successors, & each others posterity. Now it is so, that many which descended of Jacob were nevertheless rejected. For he stayeth upon that that is spoken here: to wit, that the stock & offspring of Jacob was chosen and that of Esau rejected: and yet notwithstanding a man may see, that the most part of those that descended of Jacob, were disallowed of god, & that he pronounceth them bastard children, the children of an harlot, & such as were sprung of fornication, & that they belonged nothing at all unto him, & that it was a vain thing for them, to glory or boast of his name. Now how can these agree together? Let us mark that god setteth such a spectacle before the eyes of Jacob & Rebecca, to show them what the condition & state of the church should be: For God in few words testifieth unto them, that his church should come of Jacob: and not that all they which he should beget concerning the flesh must be of the church: but it was enough that he remained there, & that God kept him: & that Esau ⟨image 26⟩was driven out in time, as afterwards we shall see. This shall be better understood by that exposition which Saint Paul giveth: he taketh this sentence thus:¹ All they which are of Jacob after the flesh, are not for all that, true Israelites: that is to say, they are not of the people of God. For he had two names, as we shall see hereafter, to wit, Jacob & Israel. And that it is so, before the children were borne, lo God, which severeth the one from the other, and showeth that this is not one body, and that they were not united together: but that one was reserved, & the other rejected. S. Paul therefore well understood, that they which should be borne of Jacob, were not all elected of God:

that is to saye, that wee haue heere a glasse, wherein we may beholde, that all they that are of the church, are not aduanced therto by their own vertue, and that they haue not obtained this fauor by their merites: but that God hath chosen thē before they were borne: See thē briefly what we haue to holde out of this place. But now a man might heere moue some dout: For Moyses saith expressely that this was extended to two peoples, and that it was not only in respect of Iacob and Esau, that this strugling combate was mooued, as touching their persons: but that it was in respect of their successors, & eche others posteritie. Now it is so, that many which descended of Iacob were neuerthelesse reiected. For he stayeth vpon that that is spoken heere: to wit, that the stock & offspring of Iacob was chosen and that of Esau reiected: and yet notwithstanding a man may see, that the most part of those that descēded of Iacob, were disalowed of god, & that he pronoūceth them bastard children, the children of an harlot, & such as were sprong of fornication, & that they belōged nothing at al vnto him, & that it was a vain thing for thē, to glory or boast of his name. Now how can these agre togither? Let vs mark that god setteth such a spectacle before the eyes of Iacob & Rebecca, to shew them what the cōdition & state of the church should be: For God in few wordes testifieth vnto them, that his church should com of Iacob: and not that all they which he should beget concerning the fleshe must be of the church: but it was inough that he remained there, & that God kept him: & that Esau