The sermon we'll hear today is the tenth
sermon of Jacob Medesa, from the book Sermons
on Election and Reprobation, from John Calvin.
Genesis chapter 26, starting in verse 26.
He takes his text.
Now Abimelech coming unto him to Gerar, with
Accusath his friend, and Pechol the captain of
his host.
Isaac saith unto them, Why came you unto
me, seeing you hated me, and have sent
me away from you?
Who said unto him, We saw for a
surety that Jehovah was with thee.
Therefore we said, Let there be an oath
between us, that is, between us and thee.
Let us therefore strike a covenant with thee.
Ask vengeance upon thyself, if thou shalt hurt
us, like as we have not touched thee,
and like as we have done thee good,
and have sent thee away with peace.
Do thou consent now, thou blessed of the
Lord.
When therefore he had made them a feast,
they did eat and drink, and rising in
the morning they swore either to other.
And Isaac led them forth, and they went
from him with peace.
And it came to pass that the selfsame
day, Isaac's servants coming unto him, showed him
concerning that well which they had digged, and
said unto him, We have found waters.
And he called the name Sahiba.
Therefore the name of the city is Beersheba
even until this day.
Now when Esau was forty years old, he
married a wife named Judith, the daughter of
Beer the Kithite, and Basmatha, the daughter of
Elon the Kithite, who were a grief of
mind to Isaac and Rebekah.
Howsoever men living in this world are subject
to many miseries and afflictions, yet nevertheless the
most part of the evils that they endure
proceed from themselves, every one of them being
as a wolf to his companion.
We are compassed about with savage beasts who
are altogether our enemies.
There is neither heaven nor earth nor other
elements that do not bring with them a
thousand hurts.
We know not how to go upon the
water, but we must be within half a
foot of our death.
There needs but one torment to swallow up
a people.
The earth also has many annoyances as if
God had threatened us on every side.
But when we shall make comparison, there are
no wild beasts nor heaven nor earth nor
anything whatsoever which so much annoys men as
each one annoys his neighbor.
Now for this cause, we ought to think
it a singular benefit of God bestowed upon
us when he gives us peace, and that
we are not oppressed and wronged on every
side, when no mischief is devised against us,
no hurt nor damage done unto us.
It must necessarily be that the protection of
God have a hand in it, seeing that
every man will always be as a wolf
unto his neighbors, as we have said.
And this is the mark whereunto this present
story tends.
For Moses would show that after God had
appeared to Isaac, he yet farther declares his
favor unto him, in that the king of
Gerar came unto him and sought his amity
and friendship, and hereby was Isaac honored, and
especially it was unto him a great advantage,
because he might always have been in doubt,
inasmuch as he had been greatly envied in
the country and had been constrained to depart
from that place, notwithstanding he had lived among
them in all humanity and courtesy, he might
therefore have been always in great suspense, fearing
the rage of his neighbors.
But God made them to come unto him
of their own accord, and not only to
show themselves friends, but they flatter him, and
fear that he will hurt them, and therefore
they demand a covenant to be made between
them with a solemn oath.
Now we have to note here, first of
all, that God has the hearts of men
in his own hand to mollify their hardness
when it pleases him, and to abate all
their rage, and to turn them to courtesy
and kindness.
For certainly the king of Gerar had not
changed his nature when he came to Isaac,
and on the other hand, if he feared
Isaac, he might have conspired with his subjects
and neighbors, and so have set upon him
altogether.
On the other hand, he had given no
occasion to doubt of him, inasmuch as Isaac
had not given him any argument of distrusting
him.
He rather had behaved himself in such a
way that he plainly declared that he desired
not to grieve any, no, not so much
as his presence, for we have seen how
he departed from their company.
It must necessarily be, therefore, that God stirred
up these profane people to cause them to
come unto Isaac, and to submit themselves, as
they do with such humility, that they entreat
a poor man, a stranger, who had no
great credit among them, nor had any but
his own family, which he kept apart, without
giving any token of attempting any such manner.
Before, God had laid the bridle in their
neck, but this was to prove the patience
of his servant, for when he was denied
water, and that in the end it was
said unto him that he was stronger than
they, and that he could be no longer
suffered, there is no doubt but that God
then exercised him to the end he might
try what patience there was in him.
And so Isaac knew that if it had
pleased God to give him peaceable dwelling in
that country where he was, that he should
not have been driven from that place, but,
inasmuch as he saw men perk up against
him, he knew that it was as a
passport from God for him to depart.
Now, on the contrary, we must also note
that God moved them suddenly to come towards
Isaac, and to appease and abolish all enmities
and quarrels, which might yet be moved, either
on the one side or on the other.
Let us mark well, then, when any outrage
is done against us, and there where we
shall have endeavored to do pleasure and service
to everyone, that we shall be wonderfully pricked
and tormented, that this should be done by
God's appointment, who wills us to strive, not
in doing evil, or requiting evil for evil,
but by processing our souls in patience, as
also our Lord Jesus Christ has to that
exhorted us.
And likewise, on the contrary, when we shall
see men to be favorable unto us, and
to intend no evil quarrel or riot against
us, let us know that God has pity
upon us, and that he governs his creatures,
and directs them to such purpose as he
sees good.
And likewise, let us beseech God, as often
as our enemies shall use any cruelty against
us, and that we cannot win them by
any means, nor by any moderation that we
can use, that it will please him to
put to his hand, knowing that he can
turn, when it shall please him, those that
are wolves into sheep.
This is that which we have to learn,
first of all, by this history.
But it is said that Isaac, at their
first coming, spoke bluntly enough in this way,
Why are you coming to me, seeing you
hated me, and draw me out from amongst
you?
We shall see by the sequel of the
matter, that Isaac nourished no spite, nor bitterness,
nor any desire of revenge in his heart,
for he was quickly appeased.
And when he upbraided Abimelech and all his
company, that they had hated and persecuted him,
it was not in manner of any injury,
so as we are accustomed to do, for
if any spite be done unto us, or
any wrong, we sharpen our tongues to speak
evil and to slander.
There is nothing but hatreds, contentions and bickering.
To be short, if we could tear them
in pieces that have hurt us, we would
willingly do it.
And this is it that Solomon says in
the book of Proverbs chapter 18, verses 2
and 3, that hatred discovereth reproaches, faults and
injuries.
When the hearts then are thus set on
fire, it is not possible, but that the
tongues also must overflow to outrage one against
the other.
But Isaac took no such course.
But we have to note that whenever we
shall be patient, that this hinders not, but
that we use our liberty to show them
that have faulted the wrong that they have
done unto us, and so make them to
understand their offense.
To the end, all may profit them.
It is true that in this case we
must thoroughly examine our affection.
For it is a very hard and rare
thing that a man shall have been provoked
and offended, that he should not be moved
with some passion, and so always pursue his
own particular cause.
And therefore I have said that we must
enter into ourselves and diligently mark, if we
be not moved with some desire of revenge
or tainted with some hatred or enmity.
When we shall have thoroughly known this and
find ourselves clear that we may have an
open mouth to show them their offense, that
shall have wronged us, not to be revenged
in condemning of them, but to the end,
that they flatter not themselves in their sins,
as this is a very common evil against
men.
Lo, then, a point which we have diligently
to mark, that is, that the patience of
the faithful is not without all touch of
any passion, neither is it against this that
we frankly show them.
You have done me wrong, and you have
offended God, and you have had no occasion
to do so.
And yet, that they always have special regard
unto the salvation of those who have persecuted
them and have been their enemies.
For this, that Isaac nips them together with
this, was undoubtedly as an abomination, whereby he
sought the good and salvation of them to
whom he spoke so bluntly.
For if he had cloaked it, what profit
might come to him by that?
The others would have thought it deep hypocrisy
if he had made show to have been
contented and well pleased with them, and that
he had nothing but honey in his mouth,
and to have said, Lo, it is even
so.
Abimelech, knowing himself to be faulty, would have
thought, See, a double man and a liar.
Lo, would they gain that cloak so much,
and set such a fair countenance upon it.
So then, although the children of God be
patient, and that they be always ready to
forgive all wrongs committed against them, and have
not any manner of ways cankered hearts against
their enemies, yet they cease not oftentimes to
say, See wherein you have done me wrong.
And this is to show that they walk
in all directness and simplicity.
And this end ought always to be kept.
That is to say, when we shall be
grieved, or any wrong or extortion shall be
done unto us, that yet we procure the
always the good of our enemies, and that
the reproofs and accusations that we make unto
them be so many proclamations or warnings to
draw them to the right way, and to
touch them, to the intent they be not
hardened and made obstinate, and that they may
be better advised in time to come, and
that they fight not against God, thinking they
have to do with men, as it is
very likely that Isaac did here, who would
likewise provide for the time to come.
For this shall be very lawful for us,
when we shall have suffered any wrong, to
do as much as lies in us, to
rid ourselves from it.
For although our Lord Jesus Christ commands us
to be ready, when we shall have received
one blow upon the one cheek, to turn
the other, yet it means not that we
should go and provoke our enemies, and give
them occasion to use us.
We ought to avoid this as much as
is possible for us.
And by all good and loving means, we
ought to stop their malice, who have no
fear of God in them.
Isaac then had respect to himself in this
case, but it was not to the end
to be avenged, nor to render like for
like.
He only contented himself to have set a
bar against all those which had entreated him
evil, and dealt unjustly with him before time.
To the end they might be stayed, and
might discontinue from such wrongs.
This briefly is that which we have to
learn out of this place, and this rule
is very necessary.
For often times when men are reconciled one
to the other, they must be silent, and
then there shall need none other means.
And he yet who shall have sustained the
greatest wrong, he shall have more liberty, and
more boldness to justify himself, against them that
would make us believe that the lamb has
troubled the water.
Let us mark well therefore, that when any
shall have done wrong to his neighbor, if
he come not to pursue his particular quarrels
so stoutly, that he rest on that matter,
that it shall be good that each one
be notified, and that he which has done
the wrong, notwithstanding know it, confess it, and
be humbled in it.
But we see that this greatly profited not.
So far off was it that Isaac pursued
not the matter to the uttermost, although he
saw that his admonition was not received, and
that it touched not their hearts to whom
he had spoken.
Howsoever it was, he dealt not spitefully against
them.
Notwithstanding mark Abimelech, who says, Like as we
have been friendly unto thee, and have done
thee no hurt, so swear unto us, that
thou wilt attempt nothing against us.
Abimelech not only hides the evil which he
has committed, and would excuse it, but he
boasts that he has done his duty wonderful
well towards Isaac.
And this is the common practice, as we
have said.
For there is nothing more hard for a
man than to condemn himself, although he feel
himself faulty, imperfect.
Man will be drawn sooner to anything than
to this lowliness, which, yet in spite of
this, is a token necessarily required to true
repentance.
For if a man feel that he have
faulted, and have true repentance, he must necessarily
confess himself guilty before God, and likewise towards
his neighbor, when it shall be required.
And therefore our Savior, Christ, also exhorts us,
that if we have any quarrel against our
neighbors, that is to say, if we have
offended them, that rather we should leave our
sacrifices at the altar to the end, to
seek agreement, than to flatter ourselves, and to
harden our hearts, despising those to whom we
are bound.
Now, he speaks of that time of the
sacrifices, but that as much as if he
should, but that was as much as if
he should have said, that we cannot pray
unto God, nor do anything that shall be
acceptable unto him, as long as we disdain
to repair the faults which we have committed.
Now, although God commanded us never so straightly
to humble ourselves when we have offended, yet
none can attain unto this way.
And that is here sufficiently taught us, in
the person of Abimelech, and of his companions.
For men are so blinded, both with self
-love, pride, and arrogance, that they cannot in
any case be brought to this, to say,
I have offended.
For they are always ashamed to confess their
fault, and yet notwithstanding, are not ashamed to
be condemned before God and his angels.
And yet, when they have remorse in themselves,
they must condemn themselves, in spite of their
teeth.
They can trembly trace out all the ways
that can be to maintain their corruption, they
have their goodly starting holes to uphold themselves
in their mischievous cause.
But when they shall have won, both great
and small, whether it be through corruption or
favor, or by any other means, and all
the world stand for them, yet must they
in the end come to the judgment of
their own conscience, which they cannot abide.
And as I have said, there they shall
find themselves to have gotten nothing by all
their fetches and starting holes.
For in spite of their beards, willingly, unwillingly,
they must feel themselves guilty before God.
Now, when this is set before us, it
is not to the end that we should
sleep in any such vice, but to the
intent that we, knowing ourselves to be subject
unto it, should the rather seek for remedy.
When Moses says, therefore, that Abimelech made as
if he had reliquited himself towards Isaac, and
we know the contrary, by that which is
being rehearsed, it was not only to show
that Abimelech was a hypocrite and a double
-man, but it was also to set a
looking-glass before our eyes, to the end
we might know that there is not anyone
among us which is not inclined to flatter
himself, and who is not bent to bolster
out an ill cause, although he were sufficiently
convinced to have offended, that yet nevertheless pride
would not suffer us to submit ourselves, lo
then the purpose and drift of Moses.
So then, what have we to do?
That everyone gauge and sound himself to the
bottom to find what is in him.
And after we have duly examined ourselves, we
shall find that there is not any one
of us that would not hide his faults,
and that would not wrong his adversary when
we have any quarrel.
And hereupon it is that we seek out
goodly colors to excuse ourselves, and starting holes
and delays, and turn as they say, black
to white and white to black, that we
might justify ourselves.
Seeing therefore that we are subject to such
an evil, let us fight against it.
For it is not enough for us to
feel our vice, for we must forsake it,
and in forsaking it, we must yet resist
it.
Albeit we cannot altogether get the upper hand
of it.
And when we shall come to put this
in practice, and shall have offended this man
here and that man there, let us not
look upon men to dim and blur our
eyes, but let every man withdraw himself into
his own secret and say, Hey, what can
I do now?
It is true that I might justly do
wrong unto my adversary, for he has offended
me thus and thus.
But notwithstanding, am I innocent before God and
his angels?
It is proper that I begin to judge
myself, for although that I be a poor
blind wretch, yet for all that, I feel
in myself that I have offended, and I
cannot lie unto myself.
And in the meanwhile, will God be deceived?
When I have cunningly disguised, will not he
find out the least drop for all that?
So then there is no other means to
be absolved and released before God, but this,
that I condemn myself.
Mark then, I say, how we ought to
practice this doctrine, and to apply it for
to our use and advantage.
And to be short, how often soever we
offend, let us note, that repentance contains in
it confession, not to go and whisper in
the ear of a priest, as was done
in the papacy, but a confession to give
glory to God, and likewise, to make amends
for the fault which was committed against our
neighbors.
And therefore, they who committed any wrong or
outrage against another, it was necessary for them
to labor the amendment thereof in humbling themselves.
And in whatever manner, it was not to
be ashamed to say, I have offended you.
I pray you, forgive me.
For mark also, how we shall obtain favor
and forgiveness before God.
And by what means those wrongs we have
done to our neighbors shall not cry out
for vengeance against us.
For undoubtedly, although they to whom we have
done the wrong content themselves, and think no
more of it, yet the evil shall be
enrolled before God, and cry more loud before
his majesty, than if all men were armed
and set themselves against us.
So then, to the end our faults may
be blotted out, and defaced before God, and
that there be no cry that may hasten
the Lord to judgment against us by reason
of the offenses that we have committed.
Let us learn in such manner to appease
all stripes and quarrels that everyone may prevent
it by humbling himself with an upright and
pure confession.
This is that which we have to mark
upon this point.
Now on the other side, we see, as
I have already touched, that Isaac had not,
as a man would say, an heart puffed
up, neither that nourished any manner of enmity
against such as had been his enemies, for
he pursued them not.
He had indeed special cause against the Bimelech
and his company, for as St. Paul says,
They which are not of the flock and
body of the church, we cannot judge them,
to the end to bring them to repentance,
as we may those which make profession of
Christianity, who want out of hand, as much
as lies in them, to receive admonition of
their faults.
For this is the order which God has
set among all those that are his, that
we should be subject to receive admonition, both
from great and small, so that there is,
as it were, a mutual jurisdiction without the
sort, and without authority, if we do our
duty.
For everyone having the word of God in
his mouth, is, as a judge, to show
his neighbor the faults which he has committed.
He shall be a judge in one respect,
and he shall suffer himself to be judged
in another.
Mark then how we judge these that are
of the household.
As St. Paul says, That is to say,
such as are of our body, and of
the religion of the faithful, and of the
children of God.
But those that are without, although we condemn
them, yet we cannot call them so familiarly
to say, you have offended.
For they have no such acquaintance with us,
and there is no such mutual right, as
there is among the members of the body
of the church.
And this is the cause, why Isaac deals
not so earnestly with Abimelech and his people,
as if they had been knit together in
one faith, and worshiped the same God, and
had been of one church, and had had
one and the self same order established among
them.
It is very likely, that Isaac would not
have passed this over, to have said unto
him, What, come you hither with your brags,
making as though you were my good friends,
and had used nothing but courtesy towards me?
And what courtesy was that to deny me
water?
Yes, and to dam up the wells that
I had dug by my own labor, and
the sweat of those that were mine.
And this could bring you no loss or
hindrance?
And yet through malice you have gone about
to put out mine eyes.
And in the end you have driven me
out, and have not suffered me to dwell
among you.
And what friendship was this?
Isaac, therefore, might have stood to have maintained
his cause, if Abimelech had been capable to
have received such reproof.
But it was enough for him freely to
have laid open his affection.
For seeing Abimelech would not be corrected, neither
had any such repentance as was requisite for
him, on that matter, he leaves him.
So then, when we shall have labored to
bring those to repentance that have offended, if
we see them obstinate, we can no further
press or urge them.
It is true that if they be members
of the church, we must follow them.
To the end they continue not obstinate.
And if they will not endeavor to open
themselves, and that we see they will not
be displeased with their faults, that yet nevertheless
we hold them as vanquished.
For mark how it is necessary for us
to handle them who are so wild and
hard-hearted.
My friend, now you show your impudence.
Before I well perceived that you were straight
out of the right path.
But now I see that you are altogether
desperate and without hope.
For you do manifestly despise God, and what
do you get, either in this or in
that?
For your offense is well known.
And thus we may very well beat them
down, who imagine, through toughness and stubbornness, to
win their cause.
But if we have to do with those
which have no acquaintance with us, and are
not our brethren, let it suffice us to
have showed them the truth in one word.
For this shall be dearly enough bought of
them, if they think not better upon it
to humble themselves, and for our part, when
we shall be reproved for any offense.
Let us not wait for any long process,
and such great inquests, to be convinced as
it were by fine force of many witnesses.
But let us receive correction patiently, as soon
as it shall be offered us, and not
be like to those that throw up a
handful of ashes to take away the clear
light.
Let us therefore confess our faults, for this
is the only remedy, except we resist God.
And let us know that when any warning
or admonition shall be given us, that then
God would have His grace felt of us,
and that He is careful to draw us
back, to the end we should not perish,
that we should not remain obstinate, and that
Satan should not take possession of us.
Let us know this, to the end we
may come to repentance, and true lowliness.
Now Isaac shows yet better, that he keeps
no mind of revenge or enmity, although they
had offended him, for he prepares a banquet,
and they eat and drink together.
Lo, hear a point which we have well
to meditate upon, for this also shows, how
that we must fight against our passion, all
the time of our life, so that this
is as it were the ABCs of Christians,
not to requite evil for evil, but contrary
wise, to render good for evil, and to
get the victory in this matter.
The witch cannot enter into our imagination.
This I say is as it were our
ABCs, and there is no such perfection in
us, but that we should begin here.
That so soon as we desire, and have
a will to serve God, it is necessary
that we be stripped of all bitterness, hatred
and enmity, of all desire to revenge, not
only to forgive our enemies, without procuring of
their hurt, but also that we be ready
to do them good.
But now who is he that discharges himself,
in this of the hundredth part?
But we shall find, albeit it seems that
many are, as they say, subordinate angels, and
have nothing but a fervent desire to serve
God, and to honor Him.
Yes, and there is nothing in them but
love, and they are therein resolute and settled.
Yet as soon as they be provoked, the
poison so breaks forth, and afterwards dwells so
long in them, that they keep the remembrance
of some small offense in their hearts, all
the time of their life.
When we see therefore, that we cannot be
purged at the first day, nor the first
year, of this cursed affection of revenge, so
much the more we must apply this remedy,
to the end we may be ordered, and
governed by the Spirit of God, not to
remain asleep in enmities and bitterness, deep-seated
ill will, but willingly to forgive them, and
to be thoroughly patient in all things.
And so, we shall have well profited, all
the time of our life, when we shall
have learned, to what use this history of
Isaac, is rehearsed unto us.
That is, that he prepared a banquet for
his enemies, not in a ceremony, or for
fashion's sake only, but to show that he
was pure and clean from all malice, and
that he had forgotten and buried all the
offenses, where that they might pick any quarrels.
Now it is said a little after, that
they made a covenant together, and swear each
to other.
It is true that Isaac had to hurt,
when the other demanded of him, that he
would promise and swear unto them, not to
wrong them, nor hurt them.
For they had had sufficient proof, that they
had not found him a violent man, nor
one given to do any harm.
Wherefore, come they then to disturb him farther.
He might have put all this back, but
he does yield something of his right, as
when we would purchase peace among men.
We must always have this means, not to
give it them wholly, who have done us
wrong, but for all that, not too extremely
to challenge, and hold whatsoever belongs unto us,
without yielding unto them one crumb, as they
say of it.
For if every man should be given, to
his own particular right, men could never be
united, and knit together.
And although they were, they would never cease
from day to day, to have new occasions,
to devour and eat up one another.
There is therefore but one way, to nourish
peace and harmony, and that is, that no
man seek, that which is his own.
As also St. Paul, makes mention thereof, speaking
unto us of charity, in 1 Corinthians, the
13th chapter, the 5th verse, where he says
expressly, that charity has this property, not to
seek her own.
And further, when he exhorts us to live
peaceably, and that we should love brotherly fellowship,
and that none of us should give himself
to ambition, nor have a desire to be
more, greater and higher, and to have the
upper hand.
For the word which he uses means, there
should be no desire of superiority, or having
the upper hand.
Now, as long as we shall have this
desire, as I have said, low as it
were a fire, blown up and kindled, there
are a thousand ways, which Satan will find,
to set us at such discord, at war,
dissension, and such contention, that it should seem
we would overthrow all.
So let us mark well, to the end,
that we may dwell in friendship, and brotherly
harmony with our neighbors.
It is necessary for everyone, that he forsake
and yield of his own right, and that
everyone keep not this extremity, to say, I
will keep whatsoever is mine, and will pursue
it, and forego nothing, by no manner of
means whatsoever, when we shall deal thus.
But here, by the way, we see that
it is lawful, for the children of God,
to enter into league, and friendship with heathen
people, and such as profess nothing, but Paul's
religion.
As long as it is not, to join
ourselves with them, nor to draw in the
same yoke.
For we must mark well, that admonition of
Paul, who says in 2 Corinthians 6, verse
14, Take heed that you draw not in
the yoke together, with unbelievers.
For he speaks this by way of comparison,
as if two oxen were coupled together, to
draw in one yoke, they must one answer
the other.
And though they be wild, and sometimes straggle,
yet being tied together by the next with
the yoke, they must follow the same course.
Saint Paul would show us, that we must
not be coupled, with unbelievers, in such way
that we be held, with their chains.
And that we be so entangled with them,
that we consent unto evil, neither in any
respect, to be tied therein.
But only for to nourish peace, to stop
outrages and violences.
It shall always be lawful, for to enter
into league with them.
Let us take heed therefore, that we be
separated from all their malice, and therein, that
we have no acquaintance with them.
And especially, that we condemn their iniquity, as
much as lies in us, so as we
be not, so much as companions and brethren
with the wicked.
No, not associates.
As it is said, especially in the fifteenth
psalm, that we must hate them.
But nevertheless, to stop their rage, and to
take away all occasion of hurt, and to
shut the door against them.
To the end, they put not in practice
their lewd enterprises.
We may well meet with their evil, by
making league with them.
To the end, they may not flow to
all licentiousness of evil, when we shall have
put such a bar, first before them.
Yes, we see that God has showed us
this favor and grace, that we should take
his name to witness, to the end we
might be assured, one to another.
Whereby he shows, how acceptable a thing concord,
peace and agreement among men, is unto him.
And in what detestation, he has all quarrels,
wars, wrongs, hurts, outrages and oppressions, which men
shall do, each unto other.
For this is no small matter, that God
gives his own name, so to be used,
and as it were, pledges it for security.
And when a prince must give some of
his children for hostage, he will do it
with great difficulty, and much ado.
But our Lord gives his own name for
hostage, when there is cause of nourishing peace
among us, yes, and when the matter stands
so, that concord must be had with infidels,
to the end, they may leave off to
rage against us, and not hurt us.
Seeing then, God has permitted, to lend his
own name to this purpose, so much the
more ought we to be bent, to seek
by all the means that can be, that
men may be peaceable, and that we have
no quarrels with them.
Yes, that we seek to appease them that
are raised up, we must, as much as
lies in us, prevent them.
But yet, if we cannot altogether perform it,
when we shall see any quarrels begun, we
should endeavor to kill it.
Yes, by the means that I have already
spoken of, that is to say, by foregoing
outright, as much as shall be possible for
us.
This then is the sum, of that which
we have to learn.
Now, it is not said in this place,
in what form they swear, but we shall
find afterwards, that Isaac always made his oath,
unto the living and everlasting God, rendering honor
unto him, to whom it belonged, albeit he
had to do with heathen people, who had
forged idols, and corrupted the true service of
God, through their own superstitions, yet continued he
in his own soundness.
Thereupon it is said, that his servants being
returned, as we expounded yesterday, they said unto
him, we have found living water.
And after, he adds concerning Esau, that he
took a wife from among the Hethites, yes,
two wives, which were bitter to the souls
of Isaac and Rebekah.
Here we see on the one side, how
God would comfort his servant every way, for
it was not only showed him, that he
should be assured from thenceforth, that none should
hurt him, seeing the king himself of the
country, was come to seek to him, but
also he had given him, which he might
enjoy peaceably, and quietly as his own.
When therefore our Lord shows this great favor
towards Isaac, let us know, that he tempts
not him above their strength, but always sweetens
their afflictions in such manner, that they shall
not be as it were, ever oppressed and
quite overthrown.
And let us hope, that altogether like as
Isaac was upheld, and that God after he
had afflicted him, looked also again unto him,
to give him somewhat with which to comfort
him.
So likewise must we wait, and then we
shall not be deceived, if we rest there.
For God knows our frailty, and there is
no doubt, but he will give us such
taste of his mercy and favor, that we
shall have good cause to bless his name,
and have no occasion to grieve ourselves in
such manner, that we know not how to
comfort ourselves any more in him.
But the principle point is, that Esau took
two wives from among the Hittites.
Here we begin to see already, that Esau
was not only once profaned, but that he
went on in that course, and gave himself
wholly to it, as we have showed up
to this time.
That after he had well filled his belly
with the pottage, that Jacob his brother had
prepared for him, and when he had eaten
and drunk, he went his way and despised
his birthright.
Moses also rehearses now, that he took two
wives from among the Hittites, for if he
had had any remorse within him, and that
he had esteemed the promise, of the spiritual
inheritance made unto his father, it is certain,
that he would have held himself as separate,
from all those people.
For he knew full well, how his grandfather
Abraham, had behaved himself in that point, that
he had made his servant to swear solemnly,
that he should not take a wife for
his son Isaac, in the land of Canaan.
He knew, that his mother was sought after
in a far country, in Mesopotamia, because God
would have this house, as it were, torn
apart, and would not have it mingled and
mashed, with those of that country.
What does he therefore, when he takes two
wives of the inhabitants of Canaan, whom God
had accursed, this was as much as if
he had forsaken, the promise of salvation, and
as though he had renounced, to make any
more reckoning thereof, than if it had not
been worth a straw.
Lo, one testimony already, how Esau made himself
unworthy of his birthright.
And this came to pass, because he was
not governed, by the Spirit of God, as
also we have shown before, that God will
so hold in, and keep his elect, and
in such a way ratify, and seal in
their hearts, his goodness and fatherly adoption, that
they shall soar up to him, and despise
this world.
To the end, they may rejoice, in those
spiritual benefits, he has prepared for them.
But contrarywise, he lets loose the reins, to
all those whom he has rejected, in such
a way, that they harden themselves.
And although this be not done all at
once, at the first push, yet notwithstanding, a
man shall find in the end, that there
is no seed, of the fear of God,
nor of godliness, in them.
This therefore is the thing, we have to
bear away upon this place.
And all this, let us learn in such
manner, to behave ourselves, that always, we labor
to separate ourselves from them, that would draw
us to destruction.
For it is without all doubt, that if
we live over familiarly, with the despisers of
God, they will soon defile us.
Their fellowship and conversation, is a deadly pestilence.
And so much the rather, it necessitates us,
to walk with carefulness in this, taking good
heed unto ourselves, that we defile not ourselves,
with the filthiness of this world.
And let us in the mean season acknowledge,
that it is also, a wonderful providence of
God, that he would have Esau, to take
two wives in this country, for this was
to the end, that he might be as
it were, cut off from the house of
his father Isaac.
He loved him dearly.
And although his wives distressed him, yet for
all that, he could not withdraw his heart
from Esau.
Knowing in spite of this, that God had
rejected him.
And in this he resisted God, without ever
thinking upon the matter.
But God brought therein, after another manner.
When he saw such infirmity, in his servant
Isaac, he brought to pass in the end,
that he must utterly forsake his son Esau.
Mark then, how God ruled in all such
way, that his church continued always, in her
smallness.
As it were hidden under the earth, as
though it had been nothing.
There remained no more but Jacob, as we
shall see often times.
And Isaac was half spent.
He was three score years old, when his
children were born.
And now was Esau of the age of
forty years, when he took his wife.
Isaac therefore was very old.
And concerning Jacob, he was also forty years
old, and yet was not married.
And where then was this stock?
It should seem that the church must quite
perish, and all the promises of God be
utterly abolished.
But although it were so small, that it
was contemptible in men's judgments, yet we see
that God so well governed his church, that
it remained pure and sound.
And that which was profane, was cut off
from it, as if a house should be
swept, and the sweeping be cast out of
doors.
So fell it out that Esau was rejected,
and that Jacob remained alone, as also the
heritage was appointed to him.
But now let us fall down before the
high majesty of our good God, with acknowledging
of our faults, and praying him that he
will make us to feel them in such
way, that it may serve to make us
continually to mourn before him, and to ask
pardon from them in such way, that we
may labor to resist it, and more and
more be withdrawn from it, until we shall
be thoroughly clothed with his righteousness.
And that he will support us in our
weaknesses, so as we leave not off upon
him as our father, although we fall many
ways.
So let us all say, O mighty God,
Heavenly Father.
Please stand with me and we'll pray together.
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This Reformation audio resource was read by Mr.
Mike Grounds on September 16, 2001, and is
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