Genesis — Chapter 32

Iustly may one meruel, why Iacob, so often assured by Gods promises, confirmed by his manie blessings, protected in al former dangers, accompanyed the night before with armies of Angels, indued also with al vertues, and namely with perfect charitie (which expelleth feare) was for al this so vehemently affraid. S. Augustin answereth, that he neither distrusted in God, nor did anie vnlawful thing: but did his owne endeauour wisely and confidently, lest by presuming or despayring he should rather haue tempted God then trusted in him. The causes of his feare were in respect of himselfe and his brother. For considering Gods former promises, benefits, & protections, were not to be presumed as absolute signes of his perpetual loue, but conditional, if himselfe perseuered sincerely in Gods seruice; and seeing The iniust man knoweth not whether he be worthie of loue or of hatred, he might doubt, lest by his twentie yeares conuersation among Infidels in Mesopotamia, he had contracted some sinnes, for which God might suffer him to fal into calamitie and affliction. Though reflecting vpon Gods goodnes, he prudently disposed of his people and flocks, and besought God to protect him and his, by prayer qualified with requisite conditions, to wit, with humilitie, not asking for his owne but for Abraham and Isaacs sake, and for Gods owne promise, acknowledging himselfe to be lesse then Gods mercies towards him, with gratitude recounting great benefits receiued, with confidence in that God hath said.

» whofe art thou > or whither goeft thou 2 or whofe are thefe that thou doeft follow > 18, thou {halt anfwer : Iacobes thy feruant , he hath fent them for guifts to my Lord Efau: himfelfe alfo commeth after vs. 19. In like manner he gaue Commandements tothe fecond » and the third , and toal that fol- lowed the flocks , faying : With the felte-fame words {peake ye-to Efau , when you fhal find him.20. And ye thal adde: Iacob alf> thy {eruant himfelfe followeth on after vs 3 for he faid : 1 wil pacifie him with the guifts that goc before, and afterward I wil fee him, perhaps he wil be gracious vnto me, 21. The guifts therefore went betore him, but himfelfe lodged that night in the campe. 22. And when he was rifen early , hetooke his two wiues , and his handmaids as manic , with his cleuen fonnes, and paffed ouer the ford Taboc. 23. And when he had fet ouer al things that appertained to him 924. he taried alone : and be- hold aman wraftled with him ul morning, 25. Who when he {aw that he could not ouercome him » hetouched the finow of his thigh, and torthwith it fhranke. 26. Andhe faid to him: Letme goe for it . Is que t. Loan, 4 q. Tor. in Gon, Eccl: 9. GENESIS. 99 is breake of day. He an{wered : 1 wil not let thee goe , vnleffe thou bleffe me. 27. He therefore faid : What is thy name ? He anfwered : Tacab. 28, Buthe ,no, thy name, quoth he, (4) fhal not be called [acob, but Ifrael : for if chou haft been {trong againit God , how much more shale chou preuaile againit men? 29, lacob asked him: Tel me by what name artthoucalled ? He anfwered : Why doeft thou aske my name ? and bleffed him in the fame place. 30, And Jacob cal. led the nameof the place Phanuel,faying : [ haue feen God face to face, and my foule was made fafe. 31, And immediately the funne rofe to him, after that he was paft Phanuel ; but he halted on his toot. 32. For Tacob, which caufe the children of Ifrael eate not the finow , that fhrunke in lacobes thigh, vnto this prefent day . becaufe he teuched the finow of his thigh, and it fhrunke. ANNOTATIONS. CHare XXXII

A man wrestled.] This wrestling with an Angel assuming a bodie in forme of a man was corporal, as the effect shewed in Iacobs sinow shrunke vp, which made him to halt. It was also spiritual, as appeareth by his earnest prayer, vrging and at last obtayning the Angels blessing. S. Dion. c. 4. cel. Hier. S. Greg. prefat. in Iob. Theodoret q. 91. in Gen.