Genesis — Chapter 20

but other ob- feruances by which Abraham and other holic Patriarchs before him , ferued God with certaine external worship , differing from the rites of the Gentiles, efpecially from Enos time (Gen, 4.) and fo forward.

S, Auguttin (li. 16. c. 34, de ciuit. sheweth that both Agar and Cetura,being Abrahams lawful w ines ( for fo thcy are called int holie Scripture ) are alfo called concubines , becaufe they had not like pri- utledges to Sara, whofe fonne was fole heyrc to hits farher , and the children of: the others had only guifts cor moueable goods) not attayning to the promifed Kingdom. And al this for myfterie fake. For Ifmacl fignifcu the carnal people before Chrift , the children of Cetura prefigured Heretikes , who fuppofe them- felues to pertaine to the new Teflament , but are feparated no Icife then the lewes fron: Chrilts Kingdom. And albeit there was alfo an other particular reafon why Ayar was. called concubine , becaufe she was a feconad wife the arft then liuing , yet this learned father faith, he did not fee why Cetura, beng. mari¢d after the death of Sara, slrould be called concubine , but only for “this My fterie,

perceiuing that God Almightic , whom he ferued ,fo blefled him, the reft of the land remaining barren, they fought to make league with him (v,28, ) Euen fo the Kings and nations of the world, firft cnuying and perfecuting Chrifis Church, at length feeing it ftil profperous , became with al humilitie children of the fame Church , and fcruants of Chrift, being ouercome not by torce of armes but by patience ,& peaceable endcauours of thofe whom they moft hated, Wherof excellently faith S$. Leo (Ser, 1. in Natali Apoft.) Although Rome renowmed by manie vitories , dilated her Empyre by land and by fea, yet was it lefle that martial trauel fubdued, then that which Chriftian peace hath obtained. The Bishops of Rome hauing lar- ger. Iurifdidion fpiritual , then euer the Roman Coefars had temporal j ominion, CHAP. GENESIS. 83

the fainc. And Moy fes here attributeth Rebeccas conceiuing to Ifaacs prayer, Wherby we fee thar Gods forefecing , predeftinating , and promifing , exclude not, but indeed in clude fecondarte caufes , and ordinarie meanes , by which his eternal wik and pleafure is fulfilled, For as God did forefee that Rebecca should haue children, N fo he 79 - Y i(q.72.1n Gen.) (6) S.Auguftin idifputeth , but ‘could not des ‘cide , whether Rebecca went to fome Prieft,} or Propher, or Altar, or whi- ther els , or only retyred to priuate prayer, ¢) Holie Scrip-f tare premoni- sheth Tacobs. } finceritie, left in the Myfte~ } rics following he might be- fufpected of talfe dealing. S. fug. lid, 6.57. cimis, Why Agar and} Cetura being: lawful wiues are called con- cubines, Their childre: fignied Pa- gans and He-] > retikes, Gods predeftt nation. & fore- feciny include, '& not exclude the meanes by which hiswil is is done. me made to Abra~ ham pertained only to [faac and Iacob , not to the reft of his iffue, Gods mere miercie in ele- inftice to the reprobate, Tacob lawful- ly bought, but Efau finned in felling the firft- birth-right, (4) God by A- brahams exam- plar life inui- ted the Agyp- tians to true religion : now commandeth Ifaac to ftay in Gerara to the like end. S$. Theed. 4.76. io Gen. meen ame Thecouenant Ging anic, his 80 GENESIS. Ifaac. fo he did forefee that Ifaac should pray for it, and obtayne it; and the one was as fure to come to paffe as the other. And the fame confequence is true concer- ning cternal life as S. Gregorie teacheth li.1,¢. 8. Dialog.

to Ifmael, nor to the other brothers ; fo the fame belong motto Efau theelder , but only to lacob the yonger fonne of Ifaac , the Holic Ghoft faying , Tie elder shal ferue the yenger, And withal fignificth (faith S. Augu- ftin ) that the elder people of the Iewes thal ferue the yonger Chriftian people, For although it may be vnderftood literally tu be fulfilled >in that the Idumeans comming of Efau were fubdued by King Dauid comming of Lacob ; yer itis more conueniently belicued , that this prophecie tended to a greater ching, And what is this , but that which is evidently fulfilled in the Iewes and Chriftians ? ; ; An other great document of grace S, Paul gathereth vpon this Myfterie: that the twinnes being not yet borne, nor hauing done any thing geod or euil , Without anie good merits the yonger is eleted, the elder reprobate, For doubt. les (faith S, Auguftin ) touching original finne they were both equal , and concerning proper finnc , neither of themhad anieat al. By which example he sheweth Gods mere mercie inthe elect , and iuftice in the reprobate , as is more largely noted in the English New Teftament , vpon the ninth chapter to the Romanes,

At laft Abinetech maketh league with [aac N D when a famine was rifen in the land , after that fterilitie that had chanced in the dayes of Abraham , Ifaac went to Abimelech King of the Paleftines into Gerara, 2. And our Lord appeared to him, and faid : (4) Goe not downe into Egypt, but reft in the land which I fhal tel thee. 3. And {eiourne in it , and I wil be with thee, and wil bleffe thee : for to thee and to thy feed I wil giue al thefe countries, accomplifhing the oath which I {ware to Abraham thy father, 4, And I wil multiplie thy feed as the ftarres of heauen : and1 wil giue toth pofteritie al thefe countrics : and inthy feed SHAL BE BLESSED AL li, 16,¢,

Sel me shy firft-birsh right. ] Tacob inftru&ed by his mother,that God had chofen him in place of his brother Efau (for to her God had reuealed that the elder should ferue the yonger ) did lawfully vfe this oportunitie to get Efaus grant of the right pertaining to the firft-borne , but Efau in felling it finned , shewing himfclfe an intemperate prophane man Heb, 12.

Rom. 9, pa Wran- igling. Iaac. GENESIS. 81 AL THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH, 5. forbecaufe Abraham obeyed my voice, & kept my precepts and commandements, and obferued '’ my ceremonies and lawes. 6. Thertore Ifaac abode in Gerara. 7. Who when he was asked by the men of thar place concer- ning his wife, anfwered : Sheis (b) my fifter; for he was afraid to confeffe that fhe was married to him, thinking left paraduenture they would kil him becaufe of her beautie. 8. And when verie manie dayes were pafled , & he abode there , Abimelech the King of the Paleftines looking forth through a window {aw him fporting with Rebecca his wife. 9, And calling for him , he faid: It is euident that fhe is thy wite: why dideft thou faine her to be thy fifter > He anfwered : 1 feared left I fhould die for her, 19. And Abimelech faid : Why haft thou deceaued vs? fome man of the people might haue lyen with thy wite, and thou haddeft brought vpon vs (c) a great finne. And he commanded al the people , fayiag : Hethat fhal touch this mans wife , dying fhal dye. 12. And Ifaac fowed in that land , and he found that fame yeare’’ an hun- dred fold : and our Lord bleffed him. 13. And the man was made rich, and he went profpering and encreafing , til he was made exceeding great:14. and he had alfo pofleffions of {neep and of heards, and averie great familie. For this the Paleftines enuying him , 15, {topped at that time al the wels , thatthe feruants of his father Abraham had digged, filling them vp with water: 16. in fo much that Abimelech himfelte faid to Ifaac : Depart from vs, becaufe thou art become mightier then we a great deale, 17. And departing, to come to the Torrent of Gerara, and to dwel there, 18. againe he digged other wels,which the feruants of his father Abraha had digged , and which atter his death the Phili- {tines had {topped vp of old : & he called thé by the fame names which his father before had called thé. 19. And they diggedin the * Torrent, and found liuing water: 20, but there alfe the pattors of Gerara made a brawle againft the paftors of Ifaac , faying : It is our water. For which caufe he called the name of the wel , by occafion of that which had hapned , * Calumnie, 21, And they digged alfo an other ; and for that they brawled likewife , and he called the name of it, Enmitie.22. Going forward from thence he digged an other wel, for which they contended not : therfore he called the name therof , Latitude, faying : Now hath our Lord dilated vs , and made vs to encreafe vpon the earth, 23. And he went vp from that place vnto Berfabee, 24, where our Lord appeared to him that fame night , faying : I am the God of Abraham thy father, doe not feare , becaufe 1am with thee; T wil bleffe thee , and multiplic thy feed for my feruant Abrahams fake, 25. Therfore he builded there an altar : and hauing called vpon the name of our Lord, he pitched his tent: & commanded his feruants thatthey fliould digge a wel. 26. To the which place when there were come from Gerara Abimelech,and Ocozath his treind,& Phicol chiefe Captaine of his foidiers ,27. aac fpake tothé:Why arc ye come to mea Nnz man (5)Sce pag yo. (c) Adulrerie a great finne alfe among Paynims, *The chanel where fome- times a vehe- ment ftreame runneth, fome- times none at al, d) Sonations of the world firft cnuyed the Church of iChrift, but iafter made ipeace with it, e) Efau by ma- rying againft his parents wil, made breach from them, External cere- monies in the law of nature, Chriftian for- titude preuai- leth more by fuffering , then by forcible re- fitting, 82 GENESIS. Ifaac man whom you hated , and haue thruft out from you? 28, Who anfwered : Wefaw thar the Lord is with thee , and therfore we {aid : Let there be an oath between vs,aud (d) let vs make aleague ,29. that thou doe vs no harme, as we alfo haue touched nothing of thine, neither haue we done that whieh might hurcthee : but with peace haue we difmift thee encreafed with the bleffing of the Lord. 30. Therfore he made them a feaft , and after they had eaten and drunken 31. ari- fing in the morning , they {ware one to an other : and J{aac difmiffed them peaceably into their place. 32. And beholdthe fame day came the feruants of Ifaac telling him of a wel, which they had digged , and faying: We haue found water. 33. Wherupon he called it Aboundance: and the name of the citie was giuen Berfabee , euen vnto this prefent day. 34. But Efau being fourtie yeares old maried wiues , Iudith the daughter of Beeri the Hethite , and Bafemath the daughter of Elon of the fame place : 35. both which had (¢) offended the mind of Ifaac and Rebecca.