Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 9 · Section 3 · Subsection 13 – Subsection 14
Quest. 13. Whether these examples concerne temporall or eternall election and reprobation.
It is by some obiected, that these examples of Isaac and Ismael, Iacob and Esau, doe only shewe their temporall reiection, not their depriuing of eternall life: but they are set forth onelyonly as types of the reiection of the Iewes.
1. For the text cited out of Genesis, chap. 15. speaketh of servitude, that the elder shall serue the younger; but one may be in seruitude, and yet not eternally reiected.
2. And this prophesie was not personally fulfilled in Iacob and Esau, but in their posteritie.
3. That other place Malach. 1.2. sheweth wherein the louelove of God consisted toward Iacob, and his hatred toward Esau, because he gaue vntounto Iacob the land of promise, but vntounto Esau he made his mountaine wast, and gaue him a drie and barren countrie: Thus Erasmus obiected, in his diatrib. pro liber. arbit. and of late Humius and Huberus.
Contra. To these obiections of Erasmus, Luther hath sufficiently made answer, lib. de orbit. c. 166. much differing herein from the Lutherans so called in these times.
1. First here Luther, and so Pet. Martyr vponupon this place answer by way of concession, that if it were admitted, that Saint Paul onelyonly speaketh of their temporall reiection, yet it is a strange argument to shew, that election is not by works, seeing euen the disposing of this temporall inheritance was not by workes, but according to the purpose of God: secondly it is denied, that this testimonie onelyonly concerned the temporall inheritance: for this externall promise of the inheritance of Canaan, had relation to Christ, and the spirituall promises were therein exhibited: and so the Apostle draweth his argument, à sig no ad rem significatam, from the signe to the thing signified, Iun. lib. 2. parallel. 10. so also Pareus dub. 9. this right giuen vntounto the younger ouer the elder, was effectus singularis gratiae, complectens ea omnia, quae ad foedus Dei, &c. it was an effect of speciall grace, comprehending all things belonging to the couenant, and euerlasting life.
2. As this prophesie was historically fulfilled in their posteritie, so also it must hauehave some effect in their persons: for it is said to Esau, Gen. 27.40. Thou shalt be thy brothers seruant: which seeing it was not fulfilled visibly, for Esau had a more flourishing outward state than Iacob, it had a spirituall accomplishment in them, Esau beeing a seruant in respect of Iacob, because he was cut of from the couenant off grace: And though there be not euident testimonie of the reprobation of Ismael and Esau, yet it is most probable: seeing Ismael was a mocker and persecutor of Izaak, Gala. 4.29. and Esau is called a prophane person, that they were reprobates: vnlesse it can be shewed that they returned in their life time to the fellowship of the Church, for without the Church there is no saluation: Par. dub. 4.
3. In Malachie, the Lord vseth this as an argument of his louelove to Iacob, and hatred to Esau, because he had giuen a pleasant land to the one, and a barren ground to the other: but yet the Lord riseth higher; and sheweth how that with Esau he is angrie for euer, and that he will be magnified in Iacob: that place then cannot be restrained to temporall things.
4. And if these examples onelyonly concerned temporall things, then had not the Apostle alleadged them to the purpose: which was to shew who were the children of God, and the children of the promise, v. 8. but this is not to be thought of the Apostle, that he cited Scripture impertinently: See further hereof, Synops.
Quest. 14. How this saying of the Prophet, Esau hauehave I hated, agreeth with that, Wisedom. 11.2…. Thou hatest nothing which thou shalt made.
1. Catharinus to dissolue this knot, referreth this hatred of Esau vntounto things temporall: that Iacob is said to be loued, and Esau hated, because Iacob had the better blessing, and more temporall gifts bestowed vponupon him, and Esau seemed to be neglected; like as the younger sonnes may say their father hateth them, when the inheritance is giuen vntounto the Elder: But it hath beene shewed before, that these examples are alleadged by the Apostle to shew who were the children of promise, and who not, and therefore they cannot be restrained to temporall things.
2. Augustine saith, non edit Deus Esau hominem, sed adit peccatorem: God hated not Esau as a man, but as a sinner: lib. ad Simpl…ian. qu. 2. and he explaneth his mind thus further: distinguishing betweene these three, creaturam, peccatum, poenam peccati, the creature, the sinne of the creature, and the punishment; the first God hateth not, nor the last, the one he made, the other he ordained, but he hateth the third, that is sinne, which he made not like as a iudge condemning a theefe, neither hateth his person, nor the punishment, which is according to iustice, but the crime of thes…, &c. vponupon this answer insisteth Pererius, and before him: Haymo, non edit naturam, quam fecit, sed peccatum, quod non fecit, he hated not the nature, which he made, but the sinne, which he made not: so aso Gorrhan: and the ordinarie gloss. he hated nothing in Esau, nisi originale peccatum, but his originall sinne, &c. But the Apostle here speaketh of an hatred, before Esau had done any euill, and before the fight thereof.
3. Neither doth it satisfie, to say it is spoken comparatiuely, Esau was hated, that is lesse beloued: as a man is bid to hate father and mother to cleaue to his wife, that is, louelove them lesse, then his wife: for the Apostle calleth them the vessels of wrath afterward, whom he is here said to hate; therefore such are not beloued at all.
4. This then is the solution: hatred in God signifieth three things. 1. the negation and deniall of his louelove, and of this degree of hatred sinne is not the cause, but the will of God, that electeth whom he will, and refuseth whom he pleaseth: thus God hateth Esau, and all the reprobate. 2. the decree of punishment, and this proceedeth from the foresight of sinne, and thus God is said to hauehave the wicked. 3. it signifieth the anger of God, and his abhorring of that which he hateth; and thus God is said to hate iniquitte: and of this hatred is that saying to be vnderstood, thou hatest nothing, that thou hast made: for God in this sense hateth not his creatures, but sinne in them: Pareus dub. 11.