"The apostle, in the former chapter, more plainly and fully lays down the absolute freeness of the grace of God alone to peace, life, and salvation, than any where else; clearly shewing, that merely and only for his own good pleasure-sake, he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy; especially in that instance of Jacob and Esau, he tells us plainly, that God hath no regard in the world unto good and evil, that might be done by either of them; but, before ever they could do any such thing, it is expressly written of them, 'Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated.'
And the reason, why God takes nothing into his consideration, either good or evil done by the creature as a motive to his love, the apostle gives there, is this, 'That the purpose of God might stand, according to election; not of works, but of grace,' that is, that all the world may see that the first thoughts of God, in his election, had no eye in the world unto any thing that the creature might do, which should have any prevalency with him, to sway him this way, or that way; it was not consideration of Esau, as one that would be resolute and peremptory in a way of sinfulness, that was a motive with God to reject him; nor was it consideration of any propensity in the spirit of Jacob to yield unto calling, or of any inclination in Jacob to glorify him being called...." -Tobias Crisp, Christ Alone Exalted, pg. 153
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