The sermon we'll hear today is the Thirteenth
Sermon of Jacob and Esau by the minister
John Calvin from the book, Sermons on Election
and Reprobation.
The minister uses for his texts the book
of Genesis chapter 27.
Genesis chapter 27 beginning in verse 31, reading
from the translation as provided by Mr. Calvin
from the French into the English, we begin,
Isaac said, Accursed be every one that shall
curse thee, and blessed be he that shall
bless thee.
Now as Isaac had made an end of
blessing Jacob, it came to pass, I say,
that Jacob, being scarce gone forth from the
presence of his father Isaac, that Esau returned
from his hunting.
Therefore he also brought unto his father delicates
prepared.
And he said unto his father, Let my
father arise, and eat of the venison of
his son, that thy soul may bless me.
Now Isaac said unto him, Who art thou?
He said, I am thy first begotten son
Esau.
Then Isaac trembled with a wonderful fear and
said, Who is that which brought unto me
venison even now?
And I have eaten of all before thou
camest, and whom have I blessed?
Also he shall be blessed.
Now Esau, hearing the words of his father,
cried out with a wonderful, great and bitter
cry.
And he said unto his father, Bless me,
my father, bless me also.
Who said, Thy brother came through craft, and
hath taken away thy blessing.
And he said, How rightly is his name
called Jacob, for he hath supplanted me now
the second time.
He hath taken my birthright.
And lo now, he hath taken my blessing
also.
Yesterday, we stated this word concerning the blessing
which Isaac gave unto his son Jacob.
Namely, that whosoever should bless him, should be
blessed.
And whosoever should curse him, should be accursed.
But it is very certain that this was
not in the hand of any mortal man.
For it belongs unto God to punish those
which do any wrong to his children.
And besides that, it is forbidden us to
seek revenge.
It is not in our power to bring
to pass that our enemies have their reward.
Now therefore, it is very certain that Isaac
pronounced here the sentence of God.
And that he spake not in his own
name.
But was authorized as a prophet.
And indeed, we have seen that this was
pronounced from the mouth of God to Abraham,
in the twelfth chapter of Genesis, verses two
and three.
Where we read, I will bless all those
which shall bless thee, and I will curse
all those which shall curse thee.
God reserved this unto himself.
But now how is it that Isaac presumes
to speak after the manner of God, unless
because he knew that this inheritance was left
unto him.
And so he resigns it unto his son,
to the end that after his departure, he
might be the possessor of it.
We see then briefly, that Isaac does not
speak in this point rashly, that although he
had many foul faults, yet despite this, he
was grounded upon that which God had promised
him.
And he knew that this office was committed
unto him.
And thus, he doubted not to curse all
those which should curse his stock.
Now seeing it is so, that this was
not man's word, but a sentence given by
the power of the Holy Ghost.
We have then first of all to learn,
that if we be knit together with Jacob
by faith, that God takes us into his
custody upon such condition, that all they which
shall hurt us, and shall do us any
harm, they shall fight against him.
For he defends us as the apple of
his eye, as he has also spoken of
it.
And what a benefit is this, that God
takes all our quarrels, and becomes the enemy
of our enemies, that none can lift up
so much as a hand against us, to
do us wrong or violence.
But that he by and by, sets himself
against him, as if that were to violate
his own majesty.
Where therefore, God comes so low, that he
declares that we must address ourselves to him,
and stay upon him, as often as any
wrong is done unto us.
What better thing can we desire?
Thus therefore, let us learn to be patient
in all our afflictions, and if we be
unjustly persecuted in this world, let us know
that nothing shall escape unpunished, but that all
our adversaries must come to an account.
They may imagine for a time that they
have gotten all, but as sure as God
dwells in heaven, their reward shall light upon
their own heads.
And they shall know that in imagining to
trouble and torment us, they have violated the
protections of God, and his safeguard.
Thus much then for one point.
And further, let us learn also by this
place, to do good to all the children
of God.
It is true that it is not lawful,
especially for us, to do any wrong to
our enemies, although they were the most wicked
men in the world.
But yet we do see that God has
his faithful ones in his tuition, and they
cannot be touched the breadth of a finger.
But God sets himself before us to be
our buckler, and declares that he will curse
all those that shall curse us.
We have therefore the more occasion to abstain
from doing all injury, and to take good
heed that they whom he has so received
to himself be not violated nor offended by
us.
And to the contrary, when we see the
children of God to have need of our
aid and help, although we look for no
recompense for them after the manner of the
world, and that they have no means to
show any or be unknown unto us, when
it is said that God will bless us,
let us learn to employ ourselves in that,
seeing that our reward is prepared for us
in heaven, and that we cannot be frustrated
of that.
This therefore is the sum of that which
we have to learn out of this place,
namely that we take good heed that we
do no wrong to those whom God will
maintain.
For, seeing that they are in his keeping,
it is certain that we must come to
a reckoning when we shall do them any
wrong.
And with all this, let us endeavor always
to do good unto those whom God offers
unto us, and seeing he declares unto us
that he will accept all as if it
were done to his own person, let us
not think that we have lost anything, although
the men to whom we do good be
not able to repay it.
For if they be poor and destitute of
all ability, or rather have no occasion to
show that they are not unthankful, nevertheless, let
us know that God does receive with his
own hand all that which we have done
in supporting those which were destitute and have
need.
When we have this, I say, we shall
have enough to content us.
But, if we desire that God bless us
in such manner, let us first take heed,
as I have already touched, already touched, that
we be the true children of Jacob, not
of the carnal race, but by faith, and
that we be regenerate by the same spirit,
that we may have the testimony of our
adoption imprinted in our hearts, and as it
were, sealed.
To the end we may have full assurance
from it, and that in this trust we
may cry out unto God.
Now, to the end we may do this,
we may, we have to praise the head
of all, that is to say, our Lord
Jesus Christ, who, as Saint Paul says in
Romans chapter 9, verse 5, is blessed forever,
when he spoke of his human nature, and
that he was descended of the stock of
Abraham.
And yet, he says nevertheless, that he, Jesus
Christ, is God blessed forever.
Now, we have to bless or praise him,
not after the manner of men, but to
glorify him as he deserves.
And moreover, when we pray unto God for
the advancement of his kingdom, we say as
that prayer is suggested unto us by the
Holy Ghost, in Mark 11, verses 9 and
10, Blessed is he that cometh in the
name of God.
O Lord, make thy kingdom to prosper.
O Lord, increase the kingdom of David.
So then, this is the way to make
us partakers of that which is here recited
by Moses, namely, that God bears such special
favor and singular love towards us, that he
not only blesses us, but if any do
us good or evil, he accepts this as
done to his own person, and will recompense
them that have pity upon us, and shall
help us in our necessity.
And again, he will revenge our cause.
And although we be patient in all the
wrongs and outrages that men do against us,
yet nevertheless, he will keep us and stretch
out his arm to chastise all those who
shall unjustly oppress us.
Behold then the sum of the matter concerning
that word that was left for us.
Now it is said that Jacob was even
hardly gone forth from his father, and that
scarcely he had obtained that he went about.
But lo Esau, returning from hunting, and brought
meat to his father, he brought it unto
him being upon his bed.
If we shall consider that which is here
rehearsed by Moses, according to the outward appearance,
it is certain that Esau was worthy to
have been blessed.
For he diligently performed that which was directed
and commanded him by his father, and discharged
himself of his duty.
For what reason then was he deprived of
his birthright?
But see wherein we are often deceived.
That is, because we regard that which we
see with the eye.
But God regards the right and truth, as
Jeremiah says.
So then, let us not think that God
occupies himself in the outward appearance, which indeed
is nothing.
And yet despite this, we are inclined to
be seized with it, in that we are
sensual men.
To be short, that which has the goodliest
glister and appearance before men, shall oftentimes be
rejected before God, as the pagans and heathen.
They set great price upon their virtues in
the outward appearance which they had.
But we must come further.
That is to say, we must know that
God sounds the hearts and secret thoughts.
So, an act may be highly and greatly
praised and esteemed, and yet nevertheless shall displease
God.
For if the affection shall not be right,
there is nothing but hypocrisy and a double
courage in it.
For else, the end shall not be well
ordered.
For let us put the case, that a
man gives himself to virtue, and yet has
this foolish arrogance in himself, to get reputation.
And that men should clap their hands at
him in the judgment of the world.
He has now already received his reward.
And because he is led with ambition, it
must necessarily be that all that he does
and takes in hand must be rejected of
God.
And why?
Humility is the foundation and root of all
virtues.
As long, therefore, as men do seek to
merit by their own virtue, it is certain
that if they were angels in outward appearance,
yet all that proceeds from them is nothing
else but baggage and very filth.
So let us learn that when we see
how Esau behaved himself so to the eye,
and that he failed in nothing, and yet
despite this that he was cast underfoot, and
that God made no reckoning of him, let
us learn, I say, not to give ourselves
to foolish ambition, to be seen of men
and to be well thought of, but let
us walk in simplicity and uprightness before God.
Let us know that if the heart go
not before, that all the service that we
can do unto Him shall be justly rejected.
Mark shortly that which we have to hold
concerning that which Moses has rehearsed here, touching
the obedience which Esau rendered unto his father.
Now, there is also to be noted further
when we shall make comparison of him with
Jacob, we shall find that which was showed
before, namely, that Jacob was not preferred but
by the goodness of God, of which thing
there appears no reason unto us.
For behold, Esau, who went to hunt, who
did not lie, who did not deceive his
father, and did not thrust himself in craftily,
neither by any deceit or indirectly.
He had none of all this.
But what does Jacob?
He deceives, he lies, and deals in disguise,
and prevents, rather, and presents himself as if
he were his brother Esau.
There was nothing in him but craft and
theft concerning this matter.
And further, he does greatly dishonor his father
to make him believe one thing for another.
We might well say then that Jacob deserved
to be rejected and cut off.
But nevertheless, God would that he should have
the birthright.
And on what is this founded unless it
be upon his everlasting counsel, which we cannot
comprehend.
And so let us learn to humble ourselves,
despite that the reason is not declared unto
us why God should rather accept Jacob than
Esau, and take the birthright from the greater
to give it to the lesser, even though
then that we know not what moved and
induced God to this.
Yet regardless, let us hold for most certain
that he does nothing but most justly, because
his will is the rule of all righteousness.
He is subject to no law, and much
less to our fantasy to do those things
that seem good unto us.
But so far off is it that though
we were able to dispute and to allege
all the reasons that possibly we could conceive,
yet the only will of God shall overcome
all the reasons in the world.
And all that which shall enter into our
brain must of necessity be overthrown, as it
is said, that he shall always be justified.
Yes, even though men condemn him, for they
rather have this devilish pride to murmur against
that which he does, and to find something
to say against it, and to bring forth
their reasons.
But when they shall have babbled a huckster's
strong language as long as they can, yet
shall the justice of God remain untouched.
And they which have dared rather to slander
it, and bark against it, they shall remain
ashamed and confounded.
Behold therefore yet another principle point that we
have to hold in this place.
Now it is said that Isaac first asked,
Who art thou?
And hearing that it is Esau, he was
astonished.
Yes, furthermore Moses adds, with a wonderful fear,
if Isaac had not known how much that
blessing had been worth, and that it should
be confirmed by God, if he had not
known that he, being called to the dignity
and office of a patriarch, must be a
witness of the inheritance of salvation, even if
he had known these, he had not been
so astonished.
For he would have done as other men
used to do.
I have been deceived by my son.
He would have stormed and chafed against Jacob.
Yes, and he would have cursed him.
And he would yet have concluded, Oh, I
will keep my right in whatever manner it
be.
This shall not one bit prejudice me in
that.
And I have my authority.
Free, undisguised, and free.
Behold then, how Isaac might have handled himself
in this, after the common manner, but he
knew that God had ordained him the minister
to cause that the inheritance of salvation should
rest in his house.
And he knew that he was but an
instrument in that.
And that this was not because God had
resigned his office to him, even though he
had communicated it unto him.
For if God communicate his authority to those
whom he has established in the ministry of
his word, he is not therefore, this is
not therefore meant that he deprives himself of
it, neither that he gives over his right
in it in any way whatsoever.
Isaac knew then that for as much as
he was but an instrument of the Holy
Ghost, that that which he had pronounced must
stand.
And there is no doubt also but that
it was revealed unto him.
For before he was as it were restrained.
The love which he bare to his eldest
son had so stupefied him that he had
quite lost the remembrance of that which we
have seen before.
For he was not ignorant of that which
God had determined that the greater should serve
the lesser.
And yet nevertheless, he is a man as
it were altogether senseless and devoid of reason,
always addicted to his son Esau and thought
not to yield himself to be governed by
God.
Now this was not of any deliberate and
set rebellion as we have declared before, but
it was love that blinded him and that
he marked not that he should simply have
rested in the will of God.
Behold how he hastily forgot himself.
So then, let us note that this great
fear whereof Moses speaks was as if a
man should suddenly come to awaken another man
making some alarm about him.
And as if that man had been seized
with some astonishment and thought this had been
some message of death and that his enemies
had even come to his bed.
Behold in what case Isaac was.
But here we have to note in the
first place that it is good that God
awaken us very roughly when we shall be
so sluggish and that he come unto us
every day.
It is true that we will think ourselves
watchful enough when we shall hear the word
of God and will be zealous and it
will seem that we are very wary in
that.
But all that we have heard is quickly
fled from us and specially when we have
contrary things before us.
If we have been exhorted to patience and
it seem that we have being in this
so well appointed that there lack nothing.
Let one come to trouble us.
Let us receive some little blow.
Uncontrollably we will be so inflamed with wrath
and displeasure that we forget that which was
spoken unto us.
Again, when we are exhorted to despise the
riches and honors of this world.
If we be allured to them by our
adversary the devil we will be as it
were asleep in them and all our senses
will be wholly occupied with them.
Now if our Lord used any simple admonition
it is certain that it is as if
it were spoken to a man that were
asleep.
And what shall man profit by that?
It is necessary therefore that God awaken us
often by force.
So, as often as God shall scourge us
and that some shall be chastised after one
man or some after another let us examine
that which was in us.
And so we shall know that we were
for a time dull and senseless.
That we have known nothing of that which
we ought or else that we were not
so attentive in it.
And let us learn by the example of
our father Isaac that seeing our Lord does
stir us up and would that we should
deeply and in good earnest think upon Him.
And that we should gather up all our
senses which before were wandering.
Let us learn I say to make our
profit of this behold this for one lesson
but let us mark how Isaac willingly submits
himself to the will of God.
I have already said that they that will
maintain their reputation will be willful.
Although they had done the greatest evil in
the world yet they will always maintain it.
And behold this is the cause that so
many people plunge themselves so deeply even unto
the depth of the bottomless pits.
That is they are ashamed to be reclaimed.
They would have the renown of constancy and
they think that if they should change that
it should be cast in their teeth as
a great likeness and lack of control.
Behold the cause why men harden themselves in
obstinacy with boldness and presumption to follow a
thing whatever it be and take the bit
in their teeth and will in no case
bow neither to the one side nor to
the other.
Now this is a vice very common and
so much the rather we shall be subject
unto it unless we come to that which
is rehearsed here.
Behold Isaac who might have been greatly ashamed
for that he was so deceived and abused.
A man might say look upon this drunkard
when he is worn out with fretting and
that he has eaten and drunk he takes
one for another.
And farther one might have said this was
a glutton when he could not discern between
a kid and venison.
And again it might have been said what?
When he blessed his youngest son instead of
his eldest being so deceived and because he
did this through error and theft does he
think that this shall be available before God?
Isaac therefore might have had many details to
look at.
To have continued obstinate in his action but
he forgets all and knows that for as
much as it was so ordained of God
that Jacob should be blessed.
That it must remain and no change must
be made in this.
We are then briefly taught that as often
as we shall do any act unadvisedly which
does not please God or else if we
shall exceed our bounds and go beyond our
calling to whatever degree it be that we
must always turn the bridle as soon as
we shall be warned and that we follow
not the matter because to continue to follow
the matter is to manifestly despise God.
But especially we have to consider although Isaac
was carried with an evil affection and although
he forgot that which had been pronounced by
God that faith was not utterly quenched in
him though it was choked.
This argument was handled yesterday more at large
yet it ought to be along the way
further thought upon.
For what moved Isaac to say I have
blessed your brother even though he obtained it
by deceit yet he shall remain blessed.
What lesson does he learn?
It must necessarily be that he knew this
before.
Now he knew it but as I have
said already the light of his faith was
as a coal of fire that had been
raked under the ashes.
One should have seen nothing of it but
let them remove a few of the ashes
and then behold the sparks appear by and
by and afterwards the fire shows itself.
Even so was it in Isaac and this
is not written only for his person but
to the end we should gather a general
doctrine of it.
For often times the same shall fall out
and come to pass with us.
Namely that when we shall much loose the
bridle to our vanities that one shall be
infatuated with ambition.
Another shall be kindled to covetousness to heap
up goods.
Another shall have some foolish appetite.
To be short another shall be drawn away
and estranged from God by some manner of
means.
Then behold our faith which is as it
were dead.
Now God suffers it not to be abolished
altogether.
For when the word takes lively root in
us it is an incorruptible seed.
It cannot then be completely rooted out.
But to whatever degree it be it cannot
be said that there was not one spark
of faith a drop of faith in such
way that we be so cold that we
think no more of God that the world
has completely overcome us.
When therefore any do so wonder that they
think only but on their lusts a man
would say that faith were quite dead.
Now this may well be in appearance but
despite this God yet reserves some hidden seed.
As we have said that the fire may
well be choked and yet not altogether quenched
when it shall be raked up under the
ashes.
For all our affections the riches, honors and
pleasure of the world are as ashes to
choke up this light of God which ought
to guide and lead us.
But our Lord having pity upon us brings
to pass that a little after we acknowledge
our faults.
And whereas we were so cold yes as
it were altogether frozen we begin to wax
warm in a good zeal and to return
unto him.
Behold then how God accomplishes that in his
faithful which we read here of our father
Isaac.
But this is not spoken to the end
and we should therefore tempt God as though
it were permitted unto us to suffer ourselves
in such a way to be carried astray
by the devil that our faith might be
as it were asleep in our hearts and
souls.
For it will not always fall out that
God will awake those which are asleep and
call them again which are estranged from him.
Let us learn therefore to walk in fear
and carefulness and especially when we shall find
men so dull that they shall be as
it were altogether block headed and that their
faith shall be as it were dead in
them let us learn to fear so much
the more.
What holiness was there in David and yet
nevertheless we see that he was for a
time as a man quite desperate afterwards having
committed such an abominable fault to have ravished
the wife of another and to have caused
her husband wickedly to be slain with such
villainous treachery that he deserved to be thrown
out from amongst men.
After all this we may see whatsoever manner
of profit he had been whatever fear of
God had been in him before to be
short albeit he had been a mirror of
angelical perfection.
We see that he was as an ox
or an hog.
He knew nothing.
He had no remorse.
It seems that God had given him up
into a reprobate sense and had stricken him
with a spirit of stupidity and dullness.
Yes, and when the prophet comes unto him
alleging this comparison and speaking unto him of
a neighbor that through violence had oppressed a
poor man oh, he knew well to condemn
others and in the meanwhile thought nothing of
himself till that the prophet in 2 Samuel
chapter 12 verse 7 till that the prophet
said unto him it is of thee it
is of thee that I do speak until
that the prophet said unto him it is
thou murderer that has done such a deed
until that he came to give him a
blow with a club as it were a
chafed bull he continues stupidly in it and
for as much as the devil had won
him so far that he was as it
were drunken yes, altogether bewitched it must necessarily
be that God even thundered against him when
therefore we see such like examples as this
which is here rehearsed unto us by Moses,
that Isaac the chief of the church is
as it were blind in this until that
God had revealed it by force so much
the more as I have said it is
advantageous for us to take good heed to
walk in fear and carefulness and in the
meanwhile let us learn when God gives us
such pushes and spurs to make us return
unto him where as we were before as
it were insensible and have gotten through long
habits such a strong smell when God gives
us the grace I say to call ourselves
back unto him that we be moved as
becomes us and that it be not to
wipe our mouth after we have said in
one word that we have faulted as there
are many but that we follow that which
is here taught us by Moses that Isaac
was afraid and how?
very greatly yes, wonderfully for it is impossible
that we should come to repentance unless we
have a heaviness that must torment us and
we be as it were in hell to
feel our wretchedness and be therein confounded until
so much be wrought in us that we
become to that place it is certain that
there shall be no repentance in us this
teaches how we must practice this doctrine namely
that when our Lord shall have touched us
that on our parts we be as it
were wounded to the bottom of our heart
and that we be so astonished that we
return no more to our slothfulness and negligence
with which we were for a time overwhelmed
now Isaac yet shows his faith better in
saying he shall be blessed for he knew
that God had ordained him to this office
and that he spoke not in his own
name for the sentence of God cannot be
called back it is necessary therefore that he
kept himself there so we have farther to
gather of this place that which we have
already touched that Isaac here passed not his
boundary although he had failed through ignorance and
being deceived in the person yet he always
kept a good principle namely that he had
executed that which God had committed to his
charge and that therefore this must remain concluded
and have his effect now this is said
for our instruction for we know that at
this day our Lord would have the remission
of our sins to be showed forth by
the mouth of men he would assure us
of the inheritance of everlasting salvation and also
would have his adoption to be declared unto
us now we must necessarily have on which
to resolve ourselves for if we have not
full assurance of our salvation and if we
cannot call upon God it is as much
as to shut the gate of paradise against
us but in the meanwhile behold the man
which speaks and says that he will pardon
our sins and yet he is a sinner
himself again he promises us of the heavenly
life and this is so poor a creature
so brittle as anything that is nothing but
smoke and yet will he open heaven unto
us and is not worthy to dwell on
the earth for who is he amongst us
that is worthy to be nourished here below
at God's charges so then when we shall
cast our eyes upon them that preach unto
us the word of God by which they
protest unto us that God holds and abounds
us for his children that he forgives our
sins that he receives us in the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ as righteous and
innocent it necessitates us indeed to look more
high for if we stay ourselves upon the
men it is certain that we shall always
go out too far and besides we see
that there are faults mingled in them and
this shall be to shake us and to
lessen the authority of God and in the
end quite to overthrow our faith so much
the more therefore must we take heed unto
this place the which is written for us
that is that when we shall be blessed
it is necessary that this hold and be
made assured as we have before alleged the
promise of our Lord Jesus Christ from the
gospel of Matthew 18 verse 18 that which
ye loose in earth shall be loosed in
heaven and that which you bind in earth
shall be bound in heaven the Pope to
ratify his tyranny has falsely corrupted this place
for he will have a man to be
bound to him and to all that he
has invented and further to believe that he
can do all although he quite overthrow the
authority of God he would be feared and
obeyed and no man must contradict or oppose
him in anything no matter what it is
now this is too extremely detestable a blasphemy
but we know that our Lord Jesus Christ
would not advance men's persons so far as
to make idols of them what then he
would give that certainty unto his word which
it deserves for without this what would it
be as I have said we should always
be in doubt of it and never in
quiet but when we know that by hearing
the promises of the forgiveness of our sins
and of the free adoption of God we
hear that he invites us to him that
he opens the door unto us to the
end we might have familiar access to call
upon him although it be a mortal man
that speaks unto us yet in that we
doubt not it is it as much as
if angels came down from heaven yes and
even more for Saint Paul in Galatians 1
verse 8 dares well to say that if
an angel come down from heaven and preached
any other doctrine than that which he had
preached that they should hold him for a
devil for he knew of whom he held
his doctrine namely that it was of God
so then let us learn to magnify that
reverence which we owe unto the word of
God when it is preached unto us and
highly to esteem that inestimable treasure albeit it
be in earthen vessels for who are we
that we should preach the word of God
if a man would regard what is our
condition it is certain that all that we
shall preach shall come to nothing but the
treasure as I have already said ought always
to be esteemed according to the dignity of
it although God hath put it in us
and we be but as broken pots that
have nothing but brittleness behold then that which
we have to learn upon these words he
that hath been blessed shall be blessed and
how so had Isaac that privilege in this
to say that that which he had pronounced
should stand after he had eaten and drunk
and further being a poor blind man being
so dull that he knew not what he
did being so dull that hearing the voice
of his son Jacob he suffers himself to
be led as a poor beast and yet
nevertheless says it shall stand yes but acknowledging
his fault he is confounded and nevertheless he
continues for he knew to what end God
had established him and on that matter he
gives glory to God and quite cast himself
down from his own understanding knowing well that
he had nothing of his own and so
let us learn that Isaac so ordered himself
and in such manner rested upon the word
of God that he altogether renounced his affections
with which he was formerly carried away in
the low and humble season we have here
a good rule concerning ourselves whereby we are
warned that when we shall be taught although
this be done by the means of mortal
men who are sent us that God does
accept us and account us for his own
that this ought to suffice us and that
we may despise Satan and all temptations and
all things that may come in our brain
to shake our faith and on that matter
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 despite this to be blessed and
that his father said unto him lo it
must needs be that the first blessing hold
and that then he despised his brother Jacob
and said it was right that he was
so named for we have declared before that
Jacob's name was drawn from a heel as
if a man should have called him heel
holder and this was for as much as
he held the heel of his brother when
he should come forth of the womb now
he says he has given me a blow
with his heel as if a man should
say when a beast rushes upon him that
the beast has stricken him with his heel
now Esau applies this to his brother he
hath supplanted me twice now he says and
this word also comes of tripping when a
man secretly gives one a blow with his
foot and makes one to fall he says
then that Jacob has 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 shows us in Hebrews chapter 12
verse 17 namely that all be yet Esau
wept and mourned despite this he obtained no
place of repentance for he came to that
too late and this is according to the
exhortation which we have made up to this
time 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 concerns our bodies and this
transitory life in such way that we should
forget the heavenly life and why so for
he says they which profane themselves and defile
themselves in their filthy desires they may cry
but they shall find no place of repentance
for as much as the gate shall be
shut against them now it is true that
this is this as at the first appearance
might be thought strange for it is said
as often and at whatever time a sinner
shall mourn and ask pardon that God will
be ready always to receive him to mercy
which return unto him behold the promise is
general so then how is it that that
apostle says that we shall not find place
of repentance if we come too late for
their needs nothing but to mourn but this
shall be easily understood when we shall have
distinguished between the cries of the faithful and
of the unbelievers both the one and the
other shall indeed cry unto God but in
diverse ways for the faithful shall be touched
with true repentance when they cry and when
they mourn it is said likewise that David
roared and that his throat was as it
were hoarse behold then the cries which the
children of God throw forth as it is
said that he himself brayed forth like a
lion and a little after we hear what
Ezekiel says that his speech failed him and
that he groaned in himself as swallows and
that he could speak no more that he
was so hoarse that he knew not how
to speak one word distinctly pronounced that he
was as it were altogether thrown down we
see then that the faithful have had this
affection but in the meantime they have repentance
which touched them to the clip for their
faults as it must necessarily be that they
displease themselves in that respect and humble themselves
before God and after this they conceived some
hope to obtain pardon now the unbelievers they
were brave enough but in the meanwhile they
will not quit to have their hearts hardened
tears trickle down from their eyes but in
the meanwhile they will not quit to be
proud and rebellious against God they have indeed
some horror of his judgments but this is
but to set themselves in despite against him
for they never go so far as to
hate their offenses and to be displeased with
them observe how it is with Esau and
therefore we have to gather that without repentance
these cries shall be rejected of God and
shall never come unto him and when the
apostle speaks of repentance it is not that
he means that Esau had repentance but he
means that he obtained not mercy and that
God was not merciful to him and so
let us take good heed unto ourselves and
let us detest this blasphemy which the devil
sows in the world that there needs no
more but one good sigh for behold those
merry Greeks when they shall be exhorted to
return from their wickedness oh I must yet
a good while use it and God is
a good fellow behold yet another blasphemy as
detestable at which even the very stones should
cleave and split and further God is merciful
it seems to them that under the name
of mercy they should hold God bound unto
them but it shall be sold them dearly
yes behold they come so far that they
say oh there needs nothing in the end
but one good bulk and one good sigh
yes but who is that which shall give
it do we have it in our fist
must not God work in it when a
man shall fall albeit he has hurt himself
he may well recover himself but if he
have broken his neck can he afterward recover
himself now before God all our faults are
deadly and what is more it is to
put us into and deliver us into the
hands of Satan and as I have already
asked can a man rise up when his
neck shall be broken now it is certain
that as often as we offend God it
is as if we break our neck as
much as lies in us and so can
we restore life to ourselves after we have
lost it behold then what art to stir
us up to walk in carefulness and not
to tarry till the gate be shut against
us but let us hearken to all the
warning that have been given us and when
God shall knock let us open unto him
and moreover we have to hold that which
is spoken unto us by the prophet Isaiah
in Isaiah 55 verse 6 seek the Lord
whilst he may be found call upon him
when he is ready to hear it is
true that the time makes no great matter
that we should take any great advantage of
it but yet we must understand for conclusion
that this place of Isaiah was fulfilled when
the gospel was preached as Saint Paul declares
in the second epistle to the Corinthians chapter
6 verse 2 lo the acceptable days lo
the time of salvation and likewise we must
mark the similitude which is alleged unto us
by our Lord Jesus Christ that we let
not the occasion slip but when God bids
us that we come unto him let us
come unto him yes hastening ourselves and let
us not drag our legs to come slowly
let our unthankfulness in the end separate us
and that the gate be shut against us
let us take good heed I say to
all these exhortations and so let us make
our profit of them that having found place
of repentance before God we may after we
have bewailed our faults have our mouths open
to rejoice in him and to praise his
holy name for that he shall have been
merciful unto us but now let us throw
down ourselves before the majesty of our good
God in acknowledging our faults praying him that
he will in such way make us to
feel them that it be not to keep
us long in them nor to slug or
flatter ourselves in them but in such way
to return unto our judge that asking mercy
in him we may there find it in
him and that it be not only to
the end that he enter not into account
with us to impute unto us our iniquities
and offenses but that by his holy spirit
he will purge us and that we may
be more and more reformed and that he
awaken us that we be not obstinate in
our faults but that we think upon all
the corrections whereby he would draw us away
from the evil way wherein we have strayed
and that we make such profit of all
the declarations and proclamations which he gives us
that we be not ashamed to be condemned
of him to the end to obtain mercy
that not only will he show this favor
unto us but to all peoples and nations
of the earth let's stand together and bow
our hearts in prayer This recording is copyright
and was made with the permission of Old
Paths Publications and may not be duplicated without
their written permission.
This Reformation audio resource was read by Mr.
Mike Grounds on October 28, 2001 and is
a production of Stillwater's Revival Books.
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