15. Rom. ix. 13.
POLITICAL WRITINGS 337 there perfect bliss will dawn on us. // / prefer not Jerusalem in the height of my joy.
Then he tumeth to God in prayer against the enemies of that city. Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom. Edom is the same who is also called Esau: for ye heard just now the words of the Apostle read, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. ^^ Two sons were there in one womb, both twins, in the womb of Rebecca, sons of Isaac, grandsons of Abraham: both were bom; one to inheritance, the other to disinheritance. But Esau was his brother's enemy, because he, the younger, forestalled his blessing, and the prophecy was fulfilled, the younger shall serve the elder. ^^ Who then the elder is, and who the younger, and who the elder that shall serve the younger, we now understand. Elder seemed to be the people of the Jews, younger in point of time the Christians. And see how the elder serveth the younger. They carry our Scriptures, we live by their Scriptures. But that ye may understand the elder and younger generally of all mankind, the elder meaneth 5ie carnal man, the younger the spiritual man, for first is the carnal, afterward the spiritual. Thou fiuQdest the Apostle saying clearly. The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy; and as is the Heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. But above this he had said, Howbeit, that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural, and afterward that which is spiritual. By natural he meaneth the same as he
15. Rom. ix. 13. 16. Gen. xxv. 23.