Wesley Corpus

As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” (ix. 12, 13.) For it is undeniably plain, that both these scriptures relate, not to the persons of Jacob and Esau, but to their descendants; the Israelites sprung from Jacob, and the Edomites sprung from Esau. In this sense only did “the elder” (Esau) “serve the younger;” not in his person, (for Esau never served Jacob,) but in his posterity. The posterity of the elder brother served the posterity of the younger. The other text referred to by the Apostle runs thus: “I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.” (Mal. i. 2, 3.) Whose heritage was it that God laid waste? Not that which Esau personally enjoyed; but that of his posterity, the Edom ites, for their enormous sins, largely described by several of the Prophets. So neither here is there any instance of any man being finally condemned by the mere sovereign will of God. 58. The unchangeableness of God, we allow likewise. “In Him is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” But you seem to lie under a mistake concerning this also, for want of observing the scripture account of it. The Scripture teaches, (1.) That God is unchangeable with regard to his decrees. But what decrees? The same that he has commanded to be preached to every creature: “He that believeth shall be saved; he that believeth not shall be damned.” The Scripture teaches, (2.) That God is unchangeable with regard to his love and hatred. But how? Observe this well; for it is your grand mistake, and the root of almost all the rest. God unchangeably loveth righteousness, and hateth iniquity. Unchangeably he loveth faith, and unchangeably hateth unbelief. In consequence hereof he unchangeably loves the righteous, and hateth the workers of iniquity. He unchange ably loves them that believe, and hates wilful, obstinate unbe lievers. So that the scripture account of God’s unchangeable ness with regard to his decrees, is this: He has unchangeably decreed to save holy believers, and to condemn obstinate, impenitent unbelievers. And according to Scripture, his unchangeableness of affection properly and primarily regards tempers and not persons; and persons (as Enoch, Noah, Abraham) only as those tempers are found in them.