our weakenesse that we neuer leaue to be his Children albeit we honour him not as our father as were meete And that he will not onely shewe vs this fauour but also to all peoples nations of the earth c. ⧠The eight Sermon of Iacob and Esau Genesis 26. 11 And Abimilech commaunded all his people saying He that shall touch this man or his wife he shall vndoutedly dye the death 12 Now Isaack sowing in that lande he got euery yeere an hundred measures so did Iehoua blesse him 13 So did that man increase and growe on with a continual increase euen vntill he was very rich 14 For hee had great possession of flockes and possession of droues and so great a familie that the Philistians inuied him ▪ 15 And they dammed vp all the Welles which his fathers seruantes had digged in the time of his father Abraham filling them vp with earth 16 So as Abimilech said vnto Isaack Departe from vs for thou art made more mightier then we 17 Therefore Isaack departed from thence and pitching his tentes in the valley of Gerar he setled there 18 For Isaack had digged againe the wels of water which they had digged in the time of Abraham his father and which the Philistines had dammed vp after the death of Abraham he had giuen them names according to the names which his father had giuen them 19 And the seruants of Isaack digging in the same valey they found there a well of liuing waters 20 Now the Shepheards of Gerar contended with Isaacks shepheardes saying These waters are ours Wherefore they called the name of that wel Hesek because they had mooued strife with them of their owne accorde 21 Afterwards when they had digged another Wel they contended also for that Wherfore he called the name of that Sitnah WEE haue seene howe God had pittie vppon Isaack althoughe hee was woorthy to haue beene forsaken in the time of his necessitie For this was a singular fauour that Rebeccaes chastitie was kept because Isaack had giuen it ouer asmuch as was in him forsaken it for the sauegarde of his owne life Loe a distrust which deserued rather seuere chastisement but yet would God supporte him and be the protector of his wife who otherwise was forsaken Now it is said heere that God stretched out his mercy farther that is to say that he would haue Isaack to be in safetie for the time to come and that none should molest him either in his owne person or concerning his wife And in very deede it must needes be that this prouision was frely giuē him For it might haue byn layd in his dish that he had not greatly passed that his wife had byn put to shame and reproch And this was to cause him euery day to haue many quarrels But heerin God tryeth him and yet he vseth the King of the coūtrie to the end he might be in rest to the end that none shuld come to assaile him It is therfore ordained that none shal touch him vpon pain of death Now this was don by special priuiledge according to that we haue aleaged out of the Psal. That God for the fauour he did beare to Abrahā Isaack euen chastised Kings rebuked peoples but yet so much as we may gather that Abimilech beeing seazed with feare made a decree the which was very right And why was not this lawe perpetual Because that men who haue not the liuely roote of the feare of God doe nothing but by force and violence there is no holde nor constancie in them as we shal finde oftentimes But in asmuch then as Abimilech perceiued that if Isaack were offended or that any did him any wrong that this shoulde not remaine vnpunished that God would take vengeaunce of it Loe why he was thus brideled Now this is rehearsed vnto vs aboue all to the ende wee might knowe how God hath kept his owne though they haue dwelt amongst wicked cruel people as it were amongst sauage beastes neuerthelesse hee hath mayntained them by his power this is to the end that we likewise shuld trust in him For the goodnesse of God which he vsed towards our olde fathers is not only rehearsed vnto vs to the end that we should know that he was then pitifull towards them which trusted in him but that we should not doute that he wil suffer vs to be molested at this day so that wee haue our refuge vnto him and when we knowe that he will be on our side that we be also certaine that he wil maintaine our parte and that his protection wil be inough for vs against whatsoeuer men shal be able to attempt or deuise against vs. When therfore we shal haue such an affiaunce the example of Isaack which is here rehearsed vnto vs ought too serue vs for an instruction as if God should shew vs his hand stretched out to help and succour vs in our neede And specially when our enemyes shal be strong and mightie and that nothing shal be able to let them here belowe from oppressing vs then let vs knowe that God wil not cease to put to his helping hand For we knowe what he hath saide by his Prophet Esay touching his Churche that it is more precious vnto him than all the Realmes and Empires of this world Nowe admitte wee be neuer so much despysed of worldlings that wee seeme not woorthy too them as a man woulde say to be caste too the Dogges Yet howsoeuer it be forasmuch as God hath once declared that wee are his flock and that he hath taken vs into his charge let vs assure our selues that he wil not fayle vs when we shall bee assaulted of them who torment vs and to whome it seemeth that God must not touch them But moreouer Moyses addeth That Isaack sowing he gathered an hundred measures That is to say an hundred times asmuch as hee sowed Heere a question might be asked seeinge Isaack had not one foote of land how hee coulde sowe But some imagine that hee had purchased some there but this were against all reason For it must bee that the fathers content them selues with the promise which was giuen them and that they dwell in the land of promise as straungers And in deede it is said soone after that Isaack pitched his tentes to declare that he had no certain house nor building We see therefore that he was a vagabonde in earth as was his father Abraham but he might well hyer some land to sowe therin For he had a great familie as we sawe Abraham him selfe had who gathered out of his house more then foure hundreth chosen men to enter into battel Isaack had not much diminished it as wee see likewise it must be that he could not bee much encreased especially dwelling in a straunge country he had hyred some farme or taken some lande to sowe therin according as we knowe that the ancient fathers although God had inriched them yet they ceased not
so too languish But there is no queston of that which is past but of that which was to come Thou shalt dwel there yea and the worde whiche Moses vseth signifieth to dwell as it were in a straunge countrie as one that were still going Loe Isaack then who had a Lordship vpon the earth yet had not one foote therof but must remaine there by leaue and must be subiect to many troubles and tryalls which were bent towardes him and yet hee had not one foote of lande vnlesse it were the burying place wherof mention is made before To be short wee haue to gather heere that God would haue Isaack wholly to rest vpon his word as lykewise it is the foundation wherevpon wee must builde all the dayes of our life yea and in death too For if wee should haue all that wee desire what shoulde wee neede any more fayth or hope It behoueth therefore that the benefites which wee waite for from God that they bee hidden from vs and notwithstanding that we beholde them onely by faith that we do God this honour to account him sure in all that he hath spoken although hee shewe vs not the effecte and trueth of his promises vvhich vve apprehend not after our reason and carnall feling notwithstanding vve must say it suffiseth vs that he hath spoken it he vvil performe it When therefore vve can fetch all our contentment from the vvord of God only thē let vs assure our selues of a right tryall of all that vvhich vvee proteste that vve beleeue in him but if wee vvill alwayes haue a gage and haue all that vvee desire it is certaine that the worde of God shal not be esteemed of vs and we can not exercise ourselues sufficiētly ynough in this meditation And therfore as often as we see God to haue spoken to his seruaunts and not to haue shewed them the accomplishment execution of his woorde let vs know that this is rehersed vnto vs to the end that we should learne to cal vpon God when he shal leaue vs in suspēce yea and that we shal fainte and be stripped of that which should haue beene in our hande that wee learne to say O Lorde seeing wee haue thy promise wee shal not bee frustrate in waiting for it When God promiseth Isaack to be with him that he will giue him the rest this lykewise is too shew vs that the principallest of all benefites that we can desire is that God haue care ouer vs and that he thinke of our necessities and that we find him at hand when we cal vppon him For vnlesse that wee haue him merciful vnto vs although he giue vs in al fulnesse and abundaunce that wee aske of him yet it should be nothing but we must beginne at this point that is to say we must be wel perswaded that God loueth vs and that hee is fauourable vnto vs Whē we haue attained to thisto resolue our selues that GOD wil alwaies bee merciful vnto vs and ready too succour vs when nede shal require that he wil neuer forsake vs thē shal we easely waite for the rest but if wee knowe not that hee is with vs that is too say that hee wil make vs feele his presence and in feeling it will withdrawe vs from those daungers wherein wee are and in withdrawing vs will lifte vs vp when we shall be falne wil leade vs there where as there is no path and wil there giue vs an issue and way to escape where there is nothing else but confusion If wee haue not I say attayned to this there is no true foundation but if wee haue once obtayned it wee muste stay therevpon and hope for the reste For if God loue vs it is certaine that he hath wherwith to sucocur help vs in all and thorow all and he wil doe it And this is the cause why Moyses beginneth at this poynt I will be with thee And afterwardes he sayth That hee will multiply his seede that he will blesse is and that his seede shal be as the starres of Heauen It is true that the benefites which God will bestowe vpon vs they shall not alwayes fall out to our desires as wee haue declared For oftentimes we shall want them to the ende wee may be the more egar to pray and also he will try vs and shewe vs that we haue no such affiaunce in him as wee ought and our vnthankfulnesse many times depriueth vs of that that GOD otherwise was ready to bestowe vpon vs For wee are not alwayes capable to receiue that which he offereth vnto vs Hee hath an open hand but we haue a close mouth that is to say we are shut vp in vnbeliefe distrust And therfore see the cause why we must so oftentimes wait but so much there is that if we be resolued in this poynt he is with vs and we are blessed of him in that which he knoweth to be expedient for vs we shal lack nothing Touching this promise That all the nations of the earth shal be blessed in Isaacks seede this was speciall to him as it was to Abraham this respecteth our Lorde Iesus Christe as it hath beene expounded For it was necessary that Iesus Christe should be the fountaine of this blessinge the which shoulde flowe vpon all the linage of Abraham It is true that the faithfull which descended of him were blessed and partakers of this promise but this was by the power of our Lorde Iesus Christe So then if he had beene separated from the seede of Abraham it is certaine that he had beene barraine and dry and that he should not haue had one drop of the blessing But at this day forasmuch as God would by his infinite goodnesse that his onely begotten sonne should belong vnto vs we were ioyned to the true naturall Children of Abraham howsoeuer wee were of the nations of the earth who were then strayed from the Church of God and who were altogither departed farre from it yet at this day we are blessed aswell as they For if it were saide to him I will blesse thy seede and that God had added nothing this had at this day byn a very slender comforte vnto vs But when he sayeth That all the nations of the earth should be blessed in the seede of Abraham we are of that number Marke then wherein we haue specially to reioyce knowing that after our Lord Iesus Christ appeared vnto vs this promise is to bee applyed vnto vs It is true that it is oftentimes sayd in the holy scripture that men shal be blessed by men as for example when they shall set him before thē for a paterne and example and that men will say desiring to be blessed ô that God wold do vnto me as he hath doone vnto this man heere or vnto that man there but the interpretatiō of S. Paule sheweth vs that that which was aswell spoken to Abraham as to Isaack was not onely to be vnderstoode in
putteth it in the plural number and contenteth not himselfe to say Loe a Largesse but he saith beholde the Largesses which God hath bestowed vpon vs Wee yet see more plainely that which I haue touched before That is when Isaack was in so greate distresse that hee had no water to drinke that men were so cruell vnto him that hee could not drinke of the water which he had digged by his owne labour and by the handes of his familie that hee remitteth this matter to GOD who is the iuste Iudge But contrarywise when God had compassion vppon him and that men came no more to torment him and that hee had water to drinke for him selfe and for all his company Oh well saith hee This is God that hath bestowed this vpon me He sayth not ô in the end yet I haue obtained my purpose These wicked ones haue let me alone at the length nowe let vs take our ease Hee speaketh not so simply as a prophane man would haue doone but he would haue a memoryall of thanks giuing vnto God as he had set vp memorialls of his complaint to drawe the Lord to haue mercy vpon him Likewise his minde is now that this benefite of God should bee as it were ingrauen there and that men should speake of it not onely for three dayes but after his death and that they should acknowledge that Well a signe of the fauour that God had shewed him And let vs note this circumstance For hee ceaseth not to giue GOD thankes with a quiet hearte though hee hadde beene a longe time afflicted When wee haue endured long the like troubles the graces of God are wont to bee darkened by that feeling of our euill and if GOD suffer vs to languishe for a time although afterwards hee reach out his hand vnto vs yet we thinke it is not from him but we attribute this to fortune But Isaack did not so but although he was driuen out and that he had indured this for a long time yet so soone as God had giuen him release he blesseth his name and sayth God hath inlarged me Loe sayth he the largesses or bounties of god which I beholde in this Well But nowe in the ende we haue to note the patience of Isaack when we preach now a dayes of patience hardly can we get this poynt that if wee haue to indure neuer so little we be not by and by hot angry and when it seemeth that we are very patient yet there wil alwayes be some grudging vnlesse God euen at the first push comfort vs in the meane season what suffer we Surely in a manner nothing If we endure but a fillip ô it is so hard as nothing can bee harder and moreouer if men goe on to doe vs wrong ô we suffer too much But we are farre of from this lenitie and softnesse which is here shewed vs in our father Isaack Wee wil say I cannot beare it If any man wronge vs but the value of three halfpence or of some small portion of our good ô I can not indure it this is too much Yea but Isaack striued for water I say striued hee tooke not a sword to fight but he suffred wrong although he had digged the welles and his father had purchased them with his owne proper good and that the Kinge had made him a graunte and that he had digged them againe and taken a greate deale of trauell to haue water to drinke notwithstanding all this we see his patience And so when God shall afflict vs and shal loose the bridle to the wicked that wee shal be pilled polled of them let vs yet knowe that we are not come to that extremitie not to haue a drop of water and to haue those elements taken from vs which God would haue common amongst men For euery man will haue his portion aparte bothe of corne and of wine of flesh and such like thinges and of moueable and possessions euery one will haue his owne but as for water it is an Element which GOD hath ordayned for all men When there are Riuers Welles and fountaines in any high way why shoulde they be taken away from those that are the creatures of God But howsoeuer it bee yet it fell out that our fathers were brought to such extremitie And this as I haue already touched serueth to this purpose that wee should learne to be patient not onely to suffer some one little iniurie or twoo or three but that in all respectes we shoulde bee so meeke and softe natured that if it were in a matter of life and death as they say we put our hope in God that he wil shew himself pitiful towards vs And therefore let vs not double our euil let vs not make of one deuil two when the wicked and vngodly persecute vs vniustly but let vs labour to soften their heartes and to asswage the malice which they vse against vs If we doe so it is certaine that howsoeuer we be for a time in extreme anguish yet in the ende God will so inlarge vs that wee shall haue good cause to blesse his holye name with full mouth their dwelling they must bee flitting and haue no resting place vnlesse they bee lodged from day to day as it were by the hand of GOD and in the meane season that they prepare thēselues to wāder go from place to place after the exāple of their fathers who learned by experience not too haue their inheritance here beneath vpon earth confessed them selues to be Pilgrimes as we shall see heereafter that Iacob answeared Pharao In the meane time we may see also the malice of all those neere neighbours thereaboutes For the Welles especially which Abraham had bought were taken from him after his death to the ende that his successours and Children might haue no vse of them But it is said that Isaack yet digged a Well there for he could not be without water both for the familie he had which was greate as for his Cattel but he wente very farre to seeke water vntill GOD restored him too that which was wrongfully taken from him He dwelleth therfore in Beer-scheba for a time without water vnlesse hee borrowe or buye it but afterwardes hee findeth his Well againe and so is at some better ease then before and God suffereth them not that would as it were haue made them to dye of thirst to vse their malice and to come to their purpose But howsoeuer it be God hearde him not at the first dashe Wee haue then to learne heere that which was touched yesterday that is that wee learne to endure need yea in the need of water that we thinke it not straunge which our fathers haue tryed For it is no reason that wee should bee more priuiledged then they And if God spare vs that we acknowledge his goodnes in this point and if he afflict vs in any other sort that wee be so much the more framed to patiēce But yet it is
calling Esau his elder sonne he said vnto him My sōne who said vnto him Loe here I am 4 Then he saide Behold nowe I am waxed olde I know not the day of my death 5 Therfore take thy implements vnto thee I pray thee thy bowe and quiuer and goe into the fields and hunt some venisone for me 6 And prouiding some delicate dishes for me euē as I loue bring them vnto me that I may eate and my soule may blesse thee before I die 7 Nowe Rebecca heard Isaack when hee spake thus vnto Esau Esau went therefore into the fielde to hunt venison which he would bring 8 But Rebecca spake vnto Iacob her sonne saying Loe I heard thy father speaking vnto Esau thy brother saying 9 Bring mee venison and prouide mee some daintie dishes which I may eate afterwardes I will blesse thee before Iehoua before I die WE sawe yesterday howe Esau by his mariage shewed sufficiently ynough that he had no great care concerning that blessing whiche had bin promised to the house of Abraham his father For this was the stocke which must possesse the lande of Canaan It must therefore needes be that the people which dvvelled there then must be quite rooted out and this lande be vvholy dedicated to the people of god Likewise it must be purged from all polutions Loe howe Esau mingleth him selfe amongst them whom God had already condemned this therefore was a signe that he was falne from God for otherwise he could not haue drawen neare too that people And if he would haue bin an heire of the promise he should haue alwaies kept him selfe as one listed chained in and not haue mingled him self which was no other thing but to stoppe the course of the grace that was promised But as we haue seene he tooke wiues from amongest the Hethites Marke then howe hee renounced asmuch as lay in him the grace of God through vvhich the whole stocke of Abraham must possesse the lande of Canaan for an inheritance But there was yet a seconde faulte For hee tooke two vviues which vvas cōtrary to the lawe of mariage as wee haue seene For the sentence which God had pronoūced to rest vpō was that a man shall haue an helpe and not tvvoo nor three And further when Eua vvas created and that shee vvas giuē to Adā it is said that they should be two in one flesh Mark then the rule vvhich mē ought alvvaies to keepe So then vvee see that Esau euen brake the bounds of al honestie yea of nature it selfe that he vvas as a beastly man in this behalfe It is true that his graundfather Abraham had tvvo vviues but herein hee vvas too bee condempned And besides it was not his desire that prouoked him therevnto but his wife through ouermuch haste brought him to it And whē euery thing shal be wel waied it was an inconsiderat zeale that he had to enioy that which God had promised him that is to say that his seed should be blessed Nowe he had no childrē He tooke therfore a secōd wife but this was as I haue said to peruert the order that God had established He cōmitted euil therin but in Esau what can we alledge but that he was a dissolute man had nothing but vice wickednes in him so that hee could not distinguish betwene mariage and whoredome And this is the cause that he tooke two wiues Now it is very true that in this time mariage was il kept amongst the peoples of the East For they were alwayes much giuē to their fleshly lustes in such sort that beyond that which is called poligamie that is to say pluralitie of wiues they cōmitted incestes also very cōmonly And this was a natiō very beastly in this point that they made no accōpt to prophane mariage but this custome doth not therefore excuse Esau And so let vs marke wel that this shal be no excuse before God when wee shall say that euery man dooth so and that wee haue a great sorte of companions let vs not thinke too bee free thereby before him Notwithstanding when vices doo raigne in a countrie and men make a lawe against thē if some neglect them euery man flattereth himselfe and euery man taketh for his warrant those vvhich haue led him too destruction And say they such and such doe it well and after when men come vnto them and saye too them wherefore doe you so ô see such a one did it wel But we shall all bee put in a bundle togither and God knoweth very well howe too wryeth vs vp altogither like thornes when wee shall make a cloke of their vices who ought when they doe euill to bee an example vnto vs to make vs flye them But notwithstanding all this that Isaack is yet blinded with the loue of his sonne Esau hee sawe him nowe too degenerate out of kinde because that he wallowed as it were a Swine vpon a dunghill because hee made a couenaunte with those people whome God had reiected and farther peruerted the order and institution of mariage yet notwithstanding his father beareth all this It is saide that the wiues of Esau did as it were spurre him and that his harte was wounded therewith but so it is that the loue of his sonne did alwayes holde him back Nowe there might well bee some vertue but this meaneth not that euery thing was therefore praise woorthy in him no hee wanted mucn in that behalfe For he should haue had his sonne how olde soeuer he had beene in detestation forasmuch as he was so estraunged from God and because asmuch as lay in him he had made the promise of saluation of no effecte For what might haue become of the Church if the stock of Abraham had beene ioyned with those people Isaack therefore ought to haue beene more touched to see his sonne so prophane And seeing he sawe this beastlynesse in him that hee made no matter of it to haue two wiues and he woulde haue had them by dozens if he had byn able to haue kept them When therefore he beareth with these faultes in his sonne it is very certaine that he offended god For vnlesse fathers vse seueritie correctiō when neede requireth when they see their children too be so wicked they are gilty inasmuch as they faile in doing their dutie Our Lord hath giuen thē authoritie ouer their houses offspring And wherfore vnlesse it be to the end to keepe them in awe and to restraine them that they may render an account when any euill shal be committed in their familie Loe then a faulte shamefull inough in Isaack but yet hee exceedeth farther in doting so vpon his sonne Esau It is sayd that his eyes began to faile him forasmuch as his sight was dimme but it is certaine that this foolish loue which hee bare to his eldest soone blinded him much more then his age or the lack of his bodily senses For he ought to haue marked as the trueth
was that God had preferred Iacob before Esau yet neuertheles he resisteth it as we haue seene before whē it was said that he loued Esau that Rebecca loued Iacob and this loue of hers was an obedience that shee yeelded vnto that heauenly reuelation For GOD had pronounced this sentence before That the elder should serue the younger Rebecca was a greate deale better aduised then her husband But hee continueth stil as wee may see in this place and it seemeth that hee would haue resisted god It is very certain that his purpose was not such But hee is in such wise rauished by his affection that he forgot himselfe and had no discretion and iudgement And hereby we may see how we ought alwayes too suspect our affectionate passions For they rush vpon vs alwayes to butte against god As a Bull chafed pusheth with his hornes so our appetites desires driue vs and rauish vs in such wise that we make war most notoriously against god yea with out euer thinking vpon it it neuer commeth into our memory This is forbidden me God hath condemned reiected it We haue therfore many times our senses so incumbred that wee keepe not either the way or the path And heereof we see an example in Isaack For all the time of his life he was as a looking glasse of holines led as it were an Angels life keeping himself in the feare of god but herein he so faulteth that god is nothing with him He treadeth vnder his foot that which he had vnderstood by his wife that is that nowe the right of the first borne was giuen vnto Iacob Neuertheles he passeth beyōd that Now this is a wonderful straunge thing for he was notwithstāding the minister of god a prophet as sone as he had charge to giue the blessing to him to whom God had ordained it yet hee dealeth as if he had beene the keper and appointer thereof God had doone him this honour as if hee shoulde haue sayd I wil blesse him whom I shall thinke good but the testimonie shall come out of thy mouth Thou shalt be a messenger especially that which thou pronouncest shall haue authoritie of iustice it shall be authentique which I will ratifie in heauen God had doone him this honor and yet he leaueth himselfe to be so snared in ignorance that he goeth quite contrary specially from his dutie and from that which his office required This at the first shew should seme a thing intollerable but God who by his woonderfull counsaile directed him in such sorte in this matter that he turned darkenesse into light shewed that this was not a thing according to mans fantasie that the inheritance of saluation should come vnto this man or too that man but that in despight of all men hee must haue it to whom it was ordained established to holde it that it must haue his effect But because all thinges can not be vnderstood atonce let vs folowe that order in rehearsing of it which Moises vseth and afterwardes we will gather in the ende the profite that this History bringeth vnto vs 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 Isaack in saying that hee knewe not the day of his death signifieth that he saw himselfe to draw neere to the graue already For there is none that knoweth the day of his death God would always holde vs in suspence doubt concerning this too the end we might alwayes be ready Death as it is said in the common prouerb is sure to all but the houre of death is vnknowen vnto vs this is very profitable for vs for wese how men are giuē to their pleasures are mery whiles that they think to haue some truses or some release And what should this be if we knewe certainly of the ende of our life Euery one would bend himself to all kinde of euill and God should be despited euen to the ende But when our Lord handleth vs short in such sort that from the wombe of our mother we are still beseeged with death as wee see of younge infants who die before they come into the world so far is it off that we cannot liue euen the minute of an hower but that as soone as we are borne we are subiect too death as our frailtie declareth For with what a number of deseases are wee cōpassed And to how many dangers and hasards is our life subiect So then there is neither younge nor olde that should not say by good right that he knoweth not whē he shal dy but the meaning of these words is as I haue said to wit that Isaack knew wel that he could not continue in the worlde And indeed although young people they which are strong and in the flower of their age ought too prepare themselues to forsake the world euery houre to dye while they liue yet do we most faile heerein albeit our nature warneth vs to giue our selues no more to the worlde So that we haue to gather of this drifte of Isaack that as euery man seeth himselfe weake and transitory so that hee drawe his legges after him where he hath liued longe that this I say should stirre vs vp so much the more to prepare our selues to dye Nowe it is very true that he spake heere to no other ende but to blesse Esau but so much this admonition importeth that when we see death to approch that we learne freely to yeelde vp our selues into the handes of God and to glorifie his name in such obedience that we liue no longer to our selues and after wee shall haue disposed of euery thing in such sort that there be nothing that holde vs or let vs from going cheerefully forwards when we shall be called But when he speaketh of the blessing this is not to be vnderstood of common praier For there is no dout but that Isaack praied euery day for his children and it is said here That I may blesse thee before my death We may thē gather that this blessing wherof Isaack speaketh was had in special regard in deed as I haue said Isaack was as it were the warden and keeper of Gods promise and this treasure was cōmitted into his charge credite to blesse And marke why the Apostle sayth The lesser was blessed of the greater because it must needs be that in this case he must haue his authoritie from god This was declared more plainly in the time of the law For the priests were ordained not onely to teache the people and to offer vp sacrifices but also too blesse and the very forme thereof was set downe vnto them And oftentimes when Moyses speaketh of this office he setteth the
villain dareth alledge that which S. Paule saith in the 3. Chap. to Titus that God hath saued vs not according to our works but according to his mercie to inferre vpon that that we haue Free will but not so constant Now when S. Paule speaketh in the 3. to the Roma of the will of mā such as it is by nature he decyfreth plainly inough that there is nothing but peruersitie and malice as also in the 8. chap. he saith that al our thoughts are enmities to god Mark thē how this agreeth with that which this ttoublecoast chatteth saying that God reneweth vs after that we haue consented to his calling And he is not ashamed to alledge to the same purpose the 5. to the Ephesiās where he speaketh therof as of the fables of Marlin but contrariwise he saith in the same epistle When you were dead in your sinnes and the captiues of Satan and that ye were the children of wrath as others God hath quickened you c. And in the first chap. he sheweth wel that faith and regeneration proceeded frō no other thing then Free election And in deede it must needes be that God accomplish in vs that which he hath spoken by his prophet Esaie in the 66. chap. I appeared vnto them which sought me not And loe why Iohn Baptiste reproouing the rudenes and hardnes of his disciples saith in the 3. chap. of S. Iohn No man can receyue any thing vnlesse it be giuen him from heauen And which is worst this troubler is not ashamed also to bring this place that God giueth both to wil and to perfourme to make vs beleeue that the grace of God followeth our good will howsoeuer it be that S. Paule in that place without leauing any thing too men would attribute the whole praise of our saluation to God as he saith in the first chap. that hee which hath begonne the good work of saluation will finish it Wherein it must bee that he make the grace of god to come after the taile of Frewil Now afterwards this troublecoast taketh great payne to proue that there is a wil in mā as though any man had euer denied it But he should shewe that that will is Free too choose good and euill Nowe howe proueth he it by the 7. chap. to the Romanes that this place can not be wrested But herein men may easily iudge howe his minde is froward peruerse seeing that S. Paule declareth there although his will laboured and striued too good inasmuch as it was regenerated by the spirit of God yet oftentimes he went but hopping vpon one foote He alledgeth a litle after the 7. of the 1. Epistle to the Corin. where he speaketh of a mans will that hath a daughter to marie Here is good stuffe to founde Freewill Concerning the 30. of Deuter. where it is said I set before you this daye life death choose you S. Paule in the 10. to the Roma giueth a sufficient solutiō that is that Moises presupposeth that God putteth his word in the heart And loe why it is said that this ought to be layd to the gospel Concerning that of Ecclesiast which notwithstāding is Apocripha there he speaketh but of the outward doctrine but the inwarde grace is a thing apart and by it selfe That which is soyl fauouredly iumbled togither by this troublecoast that vnder the shadowe that Iesus Christ calleth al those that are heauie loadē he cōcludeth that grace is giuen equally to all But hee maketh no rekoning that Iesus Christe after hee had preached more excellently then al creatures saith by by that his father must draw thē to beleue in him In the end going about to salue that place of S. Paule where it is said that if a potter make vessels of earth as he seeth good this sheweth that God disposeth of his creatures I pray you marke wel the goodly solutions that he giueth that God rauisheth by miracles or diseases both one and other as semeth good vnto him As if S. Paule spake not expresly there that God according to his vnchaūgeable purpose either chose or reiected men before they were borne or before they had done either good or euil too shewe that it is neither of the willer nor of the runner but of his mercy that his elect are saued Such premisses are woorthie such a conclusion as he maketh let vs drawe neere vnto God and consent vnto him and he wil draw neere vntoo vs As though the firste approching were not that he shoulde seeke vs out whilest that we are farre from him It is true that God oftentimes vseth this speech Returne vnto me I will come vnto you but this is to shewe what is our duetie and not what our power is Praise be vnto God. FINIS Gen. 17.20.22 Esay 45.1 Psal. 113.9 Exod. 3.2.3.4 Acts. 7.30 Psal. 37.10 Matt. 15.1 ▪ Psal. 29.12.13 Heb. 11. Heb. 10.37 Psal. 81.11 Gen. 1.28 Psal. 127.3 Iob. 14. Rom. 9 1◠Rom. 9.6 Exod. 33.19 Ephe. 1.4 Rom. 9.16 Phil. 2.13 Mala. 1.2 Iohn 17. Esay 53. Matt. 11. Ephe. 5.8 Matth. 6 3◠1. Tim. 4.8 Phil. 4.12 Matth. 5. 1. Tim. 1. 1. Tim. 4. Psalm 3.7 Act. 7.51 Spitle house Iohn 10 These be the Anabaptists that refuse the ministery of the worde and will be taught immediatly frō God. Jmprinted at London by Thomas Dawson dwelling at the three Cranes in the Vinetree For Tobie Cooke and Thomas Man. 1579.