Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Commentary · Chapter 22

Commentary on Genesis and Exodus · Commentary · Chapter 22

p. 199CHAP. XXII.

1. The Method.

THis Chapter entreateth first of Abrahams purpose to sacrifice Isaack his sonne, with other things adjoyning, vers. 1. to 20. secondly, of Abrahams kindred, namely of the issue of his brother Nachor by his wife Milcah, and his concubine Reumah, vers. 20. to the end.

In the first part wee have 1. Gods commandement to Abraham to sacrifice his sonne: vers. 1, 2. 2. Abrahams obedience: vers. 3, 4.5. 3. The preparation to the sacrifice, the wood, the fire, the knife, the altar, Isaacks binding, are all expressed, vers. 6. to vers. 10. 4. Gods prevention of Abraham, and provision of another sacrifice: vers. 10. to 15. 5. The Lords commendation of Abrahams faith and obedience, with renuing of the promise.

2. The divers readings.

v. 2. Only begotten sonne. H. only sonne. caet. he. jachad. to unite.

Into the land of vision. H. high land. S. the land of Gods worship. C. the land of Moriah. cat. which some derive of jarah, to feare: some of raah, to see.H.S.c.

v. 6. a sword. H.S.C. a knife. caet. maacelet. signifieth both derived of acal to devoure.

v. 7. Where is the sacrifice: H. the sheepe. S. beast. B. lambe. G.P. the little beast.H.S.c. divers. signif. T.H. sheh signifieth a small beast of sheepe or goats.

v. 13. one ramme. S. after that a ramme, &c. C. aramme behind. cae. behind achad: S. ap. f. pr.caught in the plant Sabech. S. in a tree, C. in a thicket or bush: caet. Sabach, the perplexity, or intangling in bushes or trees.

v. 14. And Abraham prayed and offered sacrifice in this place, and said before the Lord, here shall be generations serving him: therefore it is said to this day in this mountaine, Abraham sacrificed to God.Ch. cor. See more of this verse. 17. afterward. C. and the Lord called the name of the place, Iehovah …ireh. G. or the Lord seeth. caet.

v. 16. hast not withdrawne thy sonne. T. spared thy sonne. caet. chashach to forbid.

v. 18. all the people of the earth shall be blessed because of thy sonnes. Ch. in thy seed shall all the nations be blessed. caet.differ. verb. Ch. cor. H.S.c.

v. 24. concubine Rema. S. Roma. H.C. reumah.

v. 21. the father of the Syrians. H.S. father of Aram: cater.

3. The explanation of doubtfull questions.

QVEST. I. At what yeare of his age Isaack should have beene sacrificed.

Vers. 1. AFter these things. 1. Though it be uncertaine in what yeare of Isaacks age, Abraham was bidden to sacrifice him; yet it is neither like, that he was then but 12. yeare old, as Aben Ezra ex Tostato, seeing Abraham laid a burthen of wood upon his shoulder; neither was he yet 37. yeares old, as some Hebrewes hold, which was the yeare of Sarahs death; for this was done, Sarah being yet living, and in good health; But Iosephus opinion seemeth to bee more probable, that Isaack was at this time 25. yeare old. 2. But that this was done the first day of the seventh monethmonth, upon which occasion the Jewes observed the feast of blowing of Trumpets, in remembrance of Isaacks deliverance, is but a Jewish tradition without ground. 3. Whereas Nyssenus and Augustine thinke, that Sarah knew of this intended sacrifice, Chrysostomes opinion is more like, that she knew it not,Whether Sarah knew of Abrahams purpose. lest she should have beene too much grieved with the losse of her sonne. Ex Perer.

QVEST. II. Why Isaack was commanded to be sacrificed.

Vers. 2. TAke thy onelyonly Sonne, &c. There seeme to have beene two principall ends of this commandement of God: 1. that thereby Abrahams faith and obedience might be tried: as the Apostle saith, Heb. 11.17. by faith Abraham offred up Isaack. 2. The other end was, to bee a lively type and representation of the sacrifice of Christ: and to this sense some expound that place, Heb. 11.19. that Abraham received Isaack, èn Parabolè, in a similitude or parable; which though it seeme not to be the proper meaning of those words, yet this offering up of Isaack in sacrifice, in many things representeth the death of Christ: 1. as Abraham offered Isaack, so God gave his sonne to dye for the world:Isaack how a type of Christ▪ 2. as Isaack was not sacrificed, so Christ was the lambe, that was as though hee had beene killed, Revel. 5▪ 6. his divinity died not, and his humanity was revived. 3. the time also agreeth, Abraham was three dayes and three nights in going to the place of sacrifice; as Christ was so long in the grave. 4. the wood is laid upon Isaack, Christ carried his crosse. 5. the ramme is entangled in a thicker, Christ was crowned with thornes. 6. Isaack was offered in the same place, where afterward the temple stood, and our Saviour suffered at Hierusalem.

p. 200QVEST. III. Of the ten severall tentations of Abraham.

THis was the last and greatest tentation of Abraham, and in number the tenth. 1. Abraham was tempted and tried, when he was bidden to come forth of his countrey, not knowing whither. 2. When by reason of the famine he went downe to Aegypt. 3. When Pharaoh tooke away his wife, that both hee was in danger of his life, and she of her chastity: 4. When there was a strife betweene Lots servants and his. 5. When he was constrained to arme himselfe and his servants to rescue Lot, taken captive. 6. When at Sarahs motion he expelled Agar out of his house. 7. When at ninety nine yeares of his age, he was circumcised in his foreskinne. 8. When Abimelech tooke away his wife. 9. When he sent away Hagar and Ismael his sonne. 10. When he was commanded of God to sacrifice his sonne Isaack. Perer. ex Haebreis.

QVEST. IV. Whether this mountaine Moriah, were the same, wherein the Temple was built.

Vers. 2. TO the Land of Moriah: 1. That this was the mountaine, where afterward the temple was built, there is no question: for so it is directly affirmed, 2. Cron. 3.1. 2. But whether Christ were crucified upon this mountaine, it cannot certainely be affirmed, as Avgustine thinketh, receiving it from Hierom. serm. dempor. 71. seeing Christ suffered without the citie in mount Calvarie: unlesse it can bee shewed, that these two mountaines are continued together and so in effect but one 3. But that Cain and Abel did sacrifice in this place, it is unlike, seeing they kept not off from paradise, which was in Mesopotamia:Whether Cain, Abel, Noah; sacrificed upon this mountain. neither did Noah build his altar here after the floud, because the scripture saith, that the arke rested upon the hills of Armenia, Gen. 8. and immediately upon Noahs comming forth of the Arke, he reared that Altar unto God. 4. This hill whereon the temple stood, was sometime higher than the rest of the City, as Iosephus describeth it, but the Romans cast it downe into the brooke Cedron, so that now it is in a manner a plaine, lower than the other parts of the City. Perer. ex Borchard.

QVEST. V. Of the originall and derivation of the name of Moriah.

FOr the signification of the word Moriah: 1. some interpret it, the bright or shining hill, deriving it of oorh, light: because there was the oracle of God. Aquila. 2. Some would have it so called of Marar, myrrhe, because that place abounded with myrrhe and cynamon, Cantic. 4.6. 3. Some of jara, to feare: because God was there feared and worshipped. Chald. 4. Some of jarah, to teach: because there the law and heavenly doctrine was taught. 5. Oleaster fetcheth it from mar, bitter: because of the bitter griefe of Abraham offering his sonne. 6. But we neede not goe far for the derivation of this word: Abraham sheweth the originall to be from raah to see: not because it was a conspitious hill, and easie to bee see… or because it was the countrey of the seers and prophets: Lyppoman: but because the lord was there seene of Abraham, and did provide for him. Iun.

QVEST. VI. The greatnesse of Abrahams tentation in the sacrificing of Isaack.

2. TAke now thine onelyonly sonne: Many difficulties doe concurre in this tentation of Abraham. 1. He saith not, take thy servant, but thy sonne. Muscul. 2. The only sonne. If hee had had many, t…e griefe had beene the lesse, but now, Isaack was his onelyonly sonne, Ismael being abdicated and sent away. Calvin. 2. It is added, whom thou lovest, &c. Isaack was a vertuous and obedient child, and Abraham loved him so much the more: if he had beene an ungracious sonne, the griefe had beene much lesse. Calvin. 4. yea he is bid to offer Isaack, of whom the Lord said, in Isaack shall thy seed bee called: so that Abrahams hope of posterity by this meanes, and the expectation even of all those promises made in Isaack are cut off. Origen. 5. Ipse primus author inusitati exempli, &c. Abraham must be first Author of an unwonted example, in sacrificing humane flesh. Philo, 6. He is bid with his owne hands to kill him, to be the executioner himselfe. Muscul. 7. Hee must offer him for a burnt offering, that no memory or monuments should remaine of him, but he should be consumed to ashes. Perer. 8. He must not doe it presently, but he taketh a journey of three dayes, all which time his soule is tormented with griefe and care: dum ambulat, dum iter agit, cogitationibus animus ejus discerpitur: while he walketh upon the way, his mind is as torn in sunder with these thoughts. Origen. hom. 7. in Genes. 9. It must bee done upon a mountaine, in the view and sight of the world: if a secret place had beene permitted for this sacrifice, it had been more tolerable. Marlorat. 10. But the greatest conflict of all was, in that the Messiah was promised to come of Isaack, sic in ejus persona perire videbatur tota mundi salus: and so the safety and salvation of the world did seeme to perish in his person. Calvin.

QVEST. VII. How Abraham knew that it was God that bad him sacrifice his sonne.

Vers. 3. THen Abraham rose up early, &c. 1. It appeareth, that the Lord spake not unto Abraham by dreame in his sleep, but being awake: both because Abraham rose up in the night, to addresse himselfe to his businesse: he staied not till he was awaked out of his sleepe: as also this being so hard and unaccustomed charge, it was requisite, that Abraham should have beene in the plainest manner spoken unto, that without all ambiguity he might acknowledge it to be Gods voyce, Cajetan. 2. Now Abraham knew it to be Gods voyce, partly by that experience which hee had of such heavenly conferences: that he knew it as well, as he discerned Sarahs voyce when she spake: partly the Patriarkes and Prophets, by the cleere light and illumination of their soules, did understand such visions to be of God: as the soule naturally discerneth of certaine generall notions and principles: but in these dayes, there being no such cleare light of illumination, it is hard to judge of visions, without some speciall direction & better certainty out of Gods word. 3. Wherefore Abraham nothing doubting, but that God spake unto him, did easily p. 201overcome all other troublesome thoughts. As that it might seeme an unnaturall and cruell part, for the father to kill his owne sonne; and that God did appeare to be contrary to himselfe, in commanding him to be killed, in whom Abraham was promised to bee blessed and increased: the first doubt Abraham was satisfied in, because nothing which God commandeth can be against nature, seeing he is the author of nature, although God may worke against the ordinary course of nature. And like as God hath inflicted death justly upon all both good and bad, so at Gods speciall bidding to take away mans life, is not mans act, but Gods: and therefore just. Against the other doubt Abrahams faith prevailed: for hee doubted not, but that God was able to raise up Isaack againe from the dead, Heb. 11.9.

QVEST. VIII. Of the distance of the mount Moreah from Beersheba.

Vers. 3. THe third day Abraham lift up his eyes. 1. Neither doe I thinke with Tostatus, that this mountaine Moriah was under 20. miles, and so not a dayes journey from Beersheba, where Abraham dwelt, and that hee as full of care and griefe went but an easie pace: for it was most like, that hee which rose up so early, assoone as the Commandement was given him, would make all haste also to performe it.Hieron. tradit. h…braic. in Gen. 22.Gen 22 2. Neither need wee thus to reckon the dayes with Perer. that the first day must be accounted, that, which went before, whereof the night was a part, wherein God spake to Abraham, and so hee travelled but one whole day; for this seemeth to bee against the text, that counteth the third day from Abrahams setting forth. 3. Therefore I approve rather Hieromes opinion, which thinketh that from Gerar to mount Moriah, it was three dayes journey: and so we need not force the letter of the Scripture.

QVEST. IX. How the mountaine Moriah was shewed to Abraham.

Vers. 4. SAw the place afarre off. 1. Abraham knew not this mountaine by a pillar of fire upon it, at some Hebrewes thinke: nor by any externall visible meanes: 2. neither by any vision, or dreame: for in the last vision the Lord said, which I will shew thee, v. 2. 3. but it is most like, that God shewed it him by some secret instinct, as he used to speake to his Prophets, and as David was shewed to Samuel, 2 Sam. 16.12.

QVEST. X. In what sense Abraham saith to his servants, we will come againe.

Vers. 5. ANd come againe unto you. 1. Neither doth Abraham here utter an untruth, saying they would come againe, whereas he in his minde purposed to sacrifice Isaack. 2. neither doth he so speak, including a secret condition, si Deus voluerit, if God will, Thom. Angli. for Abraham knew the will of God was otherwise, that Isaack should be sacrificed. 3. neither was this a figurative speech, in using the singular for the plurall▪ as though Abraham should meane only himselfe, for he meaneth his sonne directly, I and my child, &c. 4. neither yet doth Abraham speake so cunningly or captiously: captiose loqu…batur, &c. lest any of his servants, knowing his businesse, should have gone about to hinder it: as Ambr. lib. 1. de Abraham. c. 8.5. nor yet did Abraham so speake, because he knew God would raise up Isaack againe to life: as Origen. hom. 8. Genes. The Apostle only saith, that he considered, that God was able to raise him up even from the dead: but that God would doe it so presently, he knew not: neither had it beene such a triall of his faith to sacrifice his sonne, if hee had beene sure, that his sonne should in that instant have beene restored againe to life. 6. I thinke rather that Abraham, being generally by faith assured of Gods power, yet was ignorant in this particular, what would fall out: and therefore spake as a man amazed and astonished: and yet ignorantly prophesied. Prophetavit quod ignoravit. Ambr. Iun.

QVEST. XI: Of Abrahams constancy and Isaacks obedience.

Vers. 7. MY Father, &c. 1. Abrahams setled constancy appeareth that notwithstanding these amiable words of his sonne, yet cannot be turned from his purpose: nomina v…tae solent operarigratiam, non ministerium necis: words of life, as to call father, sonne, doe insinnuate grace and savour, they minister occasion of death. 2. Isaacks obedience is commended, who willingly submitteth himselfe. 1. beeing now 25▪ yeares old, and so strong enough to resist his old and weake father, yet he yeeldeth himselfe. Calvin. 2. He was bound, not that his resistance should be feared, but least any involuntarie motion by the pangs of death, might have beene procured. Perer. 3. his willingnesse further appeareth, in that Isaack maketh no request for his life: nemo rogat, nemo se excusat: neither he entreateth, nor his father excuseth this fact, Poets doe fable, how Iphigenia Agamemnons daughter, was sacrificed to the gods, for the safety of the whole armie; but here we have a true stistory. 4. It is most like, that Abraham had before declared Gods commandement unto Isaack, to the which hee was obedient. Iosephus proceedeth further to shew what the communication was betweene them: but whence knoweth he that? it is out of doubt that Isaack was made acquainted with Gods counsell, wherewith hee rested contented, Luther.

QVEST. XII. Why the Lord would not have Isaack offered up in sacrifice though he so commanded, for the triall of Abrahams faith.

Vers. 11. THe Angell of the Lord called to him. 1. I will omit here to make any long mention of the fables of the Hebrewes: how that Sathan appeared in the shape of an old man to Abraham ▪ and againe to Sarah; and in the likenesse of a young man to Isaack, to draw them from obedience to Gods commandement, but he prevailed not. Muscul. 2. The heathen also by their poeticall fictions … p. 210obscured the credit and truth of this history: for as the Angell of God appeared in this last and extreme point to Abraham, so they have also counterfeited the apparition of their gods in extreme perils. Calvin. 3. Thus it pleased God, that, although Abrahams faith was tried with this hard Commandement, that it should not be performed: 1. for his owne glory sake, lest that Abrahams God might have beene traduced among the heathen, as a lover of humane bloud: 2. for Abrahams sakes, that the Lord might more amply reward him for his faithfull obedience. 3. for our sakes, that we might have the example of faithfull Abraham to follow: 4. and for the generall instruction of Christians: that this might bee a lively figure unto them of the sacrifice of Christ: both of Gods love in giving him to dye for the world, and his obedience in humbling himselfe to the altar of the crosse. And therefore Ambrose fitly applyeth those words of Abraham, v. 8. God will provide him a lamb for a burnt offering, to the sacrifice of Christ: which was, that alia hostia, quam Deus pararet, that other offering which God would provide: lib. 1 de Abrah. c. 8.

QVEST. XIII. How the Lord saith, I know now that thou fearest, &c.

Vers. 12. NOw I know, &c. 1. Not that God is ignorant of any thing, or can have any experimentall knowledge of any thing which hee knew not before: for all things are naked in his sight. 2. Neither, as Augustine expoundeth, is God said to know, quia fecit, ut sibi Abraham innotesceret: because he made Abraham to be knowne to himselfe, qu. Genes. 58. for then he should have rather said, Now thou thy selfe knowest, &c. 3. Some doe take it for the knowledge of approbation: I have knowne thee, that is, approved this fact of thine, as it is said, Psal. 1. The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous. Hillary. 4. Some referre it to Gods eternall knowledge: I have knowne from the beginning, that thou shouldest doe this thing, but I appointed it to be done only now: but this had beene no commendation to Abraham: for thus God may be said to know every thing, whether commendable or otherwise. T. hom. Angel. 5. Wherefore the Lord speaketh here, humanitus, after the phrase of man, and by a metaphor. Iun. and in effect it is nothing else, but that Abraham had now declared and testified his faith by his fruitfull obedience. Calvin. as Chrysostome saith, Nunc omnibus declarasti, quomodo De…m syncere colas▪ thou hast made manifest to all, that thou sincerely worshippest God. hom. 47. in Gen.

QVEST. XIV. Why this fact of Abraham is rather ascribed to feare than love.

Vers. 12. THat thou fearest God. It is so said, rather, than that thou lovest God: 1. because the love of God must be joyned with a reverent feare of God: serve the Lord with feare. Psal. 4. and the love of God bringeth forth a filiall and dutifull feare: as the child that loveth his father, will also feare him. 2. the feare of God is generally taken, not for the particular act of feare, but for the whole worship of God: as Psal. 25.14. The secrets of the Lord is revealed, to those that feare him: and so feare in this sense comprehendeth also love. 3. because Abraham had now forgotten his naturall love and affection, toward his sonne, because he feared God, this act is more properly ascribed to his religious feare. Per.

QVEST. XV. This fact of Abraham wherein it excelleth the like among the heathen.

NOw concerning the excellency of Abrahams fact, whereas the heathen objected the like examples among them, to obscure this resolution of Abraham: as how Codrus of Athens offered himselfe for his people: and one Idomeneus King of Creet, as he came from the battell of Troy, being in a great tempest upon the sea, did vow unto Neptune, the first thing, which came forth to meet him, which was his sonne, and so he did: Marius is mentioned by Cyril against Iulian, that sacrificed his sonne: so the Scripture recordeth that inhumane facti of the King of Moab, that did offer up his sonne in sacrifice. 2 King. 4. It shall now appeare what great difference there is, between these examples, and the fact of Abraham, both in the difficulty of the object, the readinesse of his affection, the end also and purpose of the action.

1. Abraham offred up his only sonne, whom hee dearely loved, being the sonne of his old age: a vertuous and obedient sonne, upon whom depended, not only the continuance of his name and posterity, but the promise of the Messiah: these things could not concurre in any of the other examples.

2. Abraham did every thing with singular alacrity: in the beginning he answered God presently, hee tooke his journey in hand speedily: in the middest, he shewed in his three dayes journey a setled constancy; in laying the wood upon his sonne, and going up the hill, great magnanimity ▪ and in the end in building an altar, binding his son, lifting up his hand to strike, fortitude invincible: the like is not to be found in those heathenish presidents.

3. Concerning the end: they did it to purchase some benefit to themselves or their countrey, as Codrus Idomeneus: for feare, as the King of Moab; or to get them immortall fame. Some, because it was the custome of the countrey: as Philo giveth instance of the Gymnosophists among the Indians, that when they were old, did cast themselves into the fire, and their wives after them. But none of these things moved Abraham: not feare of man, for no man knew this oracle but himselfe: not the escaping of any calamity: w…ch was not neare him: nor any desire of praise, for he was alone upon the mountaine: neither was there any such custome in Babylon, or Mesopotamia, from whence Abraham came. Philo. but the only feare and reverence, which Abraham did yeeld unto God, and the love of his Commandements, did induce him to performe this hard part of service.

QVEST. XVI. Of the ramme that was intangled in the bush.

Vers. 13. BEhold there was a ramme caught by the hornes in a bush, &c. 1. Neither is the conceit of Euseb. Emissen. to bee received, that thinketh sabech, translated a bush, to be a kinde of goat p. 203with upright hornes: neither is it a kind of shrub, or bryer so called, as the septuagint thinke, or of a tree, as Gennad. and Theodoret, nor yet is it fitly translated, erectus, upright, as some read: but the word sabech signifieth the perplexity, winding, or clasping of a bush, a brier. 2. The fable of the Hebrewes, that this ram was created the sixth day, and kept 3000. yeares for this use, is ridiculous, and worthy to bee laughed at.Hebrewes fables. 3. Ambrose maketh this ram a type of Christ: by his hanging in a tree or bush prefiguring the manner of Christs passion, in hanging upon a tree: lib. 1. de Abraham. cap. 8.

QVEST. XVII. How Abraham would take a ramme which was not his owne.

NOw whereas it may be doubted, how Abraham would take a beast for sacrifice, that was none of his owne: It may be answered; 1. That Abraham having made an altar, and prepared himselfe to sacrifice, did take it to be an irreligious act to depart, having not performed that service, and therefore of purpose looked about, to see what sacrifice might be offered to God. 2. And seeing a ram, hee tooke it as sent of God, and remembred, what he had said before, that the Lord would provide a sacrifice: 3. Therefore, he knowing, that the Lord had provided this offering, he maketh no doubt or scruple to use it: neither is inquisitive to examine who was the owner: seeing that the earth is the Lords and all things therein: to whose dominion, every mans right and title ought to stoope and give place. Muscul.

QVEST. XVIII. How the Lord will be seene in the mountaine.

Vers. 14. IN the mount will the Lord be seene. 1. The septuagint, reading, the Lord was seene, referre it to the appearing of the Angell in the mount. 2. Hierome reading, the Lord will see, seemeth to understand it, of Gods providing of a sacrifice, as Abraham had said before, v. 8. 3. Some Hebrewes doe take it to bee a prophecie of the Temple, which should afterward bee built at Jerusalem, where the Lord would manifest and shew himselfe: so also the Chalde paraphrast expoundeth. 4. But beside these interpretations, which may indifferently be received: this name given upon this occasion, and growing into a proverbe, hath this sense, that in like sort, in the mountaine of the Lord, that is, in due time and place, his children in their necessities, shall be provided for: and therefore Iunius better readeth: in the mountaine of the Lord it shall be provided.

QVEST. XIX. He was an Angell, and not Christ, that spake here unto Abraham.

Vers. 15. ANd the Angell of the Lord, &c. 1. This Angell was not Christ: for the Angell addeth, by my selfe have I sworne (saith the Lord:) he speaketh then in the person of the Lord, as being not that Lord himselfe; but Christ, being God, would have spoken in his owne person. 2. Therefore Origen is found to be in a great errour: whose words upon this place are these, unde put…, quod sicut inter homines habitu repertus est ut homo, ita inter Angelos habitu repertus est ut Angelus: As among men he was found in habit as a man, so among the Angels he was found in habit as an Angell. Unlesse Origen be favourably interpreted to speake of the office of an Angell: for so Christ diversly appeared to the Prophets and fathers: but if hee meane, that Christ tooke upon him the very nature and person of an Angell, it is a great errour, and contrary to the Apostle, Heb. 2.16. hee in no sort tooke the Angels. 3. Therefore it is an Angell, which as Gods messenger, for the greater authority, speaketh in the name of him that sent him. Calvin.

QVEST. XX. Of the forme and manner of Gods oath.

Vers. 16. BY my selfe have I sworne: 1. Some would have the forme of Gods oath to bee in this particle, chi, translated by the Apostle foreign, certe, surely, Heb. 6.14. the Latine translateth it nisi, unlesse, as though it were foreign, as Psal. 95.11. I sware in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: as though the oath should be explaned thus: let me not live, or let me not be God, if, &c. Perer. But wee need not so curiously to search out any other forme of Gods oath, than that here expressed: I sware by my selfe: the Chalde, by my word. 2. Philo maketh a nice and curious difference betweene swearing by God,Phil▪ lib. 2. d… allegor. …egi…. and by the name or word of God: the first, God only sweareth by, man by the second: for to sweare by himselfe, by his name, by his word, are all one: God sweareth by himselfe, Isay 45.23. by his soule▪ Ierem. 51.14. Amos 6.8. by his name, Ierem. 44.26. by his holinesse, Amos 4.2. by his right hand, Isay 62.8. 3. So then like as a debter doth use two wayes to satisfie his creditor, by leaving a pledge or pawne, or procuring some surety: in like manner he that taketh an oath, sometime sweareth by his soule, by his honesty, faith, &c. as laying these things to pawne, that he will lose the credit of them, if hee speake not the truth: sometime by God, as making him his surety, and witnesse, that he speaketh the truth. So the Lord swearing by his holinesse, goodnesse, &c. doth pledge them, that unlesse that be, which he saith, he will lose them: and swearing by himselfe, he bindeth his Godhead for the performance, as though he should say in effect, If this be not, let me be no more God. Calvin.

QVEST. XXI. Why the Lord tooke an oath.

BUt further it will be asked, what need God had to take an oath, seeing the word of God is certaine of it selfe, and need no confirmation; and an oath is used in doubtfull cases, but to God nothing is doubtfull or uncertaine: an oath is used, when the party cannot be credited without an oath; but Abraham did beleeve God. The answer then is this. 1. The Lord sweareth not to any such end, as though any more credit and certainty by his oath might bee wonne unto his promise. 2. And yet wee take not this to bee a metaphoricall speech onelyonly with Cajetan: that God is said to sweare by himselfe. 3. But the Lord taketh p. 204an oath, ad ampliorem confirmationem fidei nostra, for the better confirmation of our faith: and hee doth it, the Apostle saith ex abundanti, more abundantly to shew the stablenesse of his counsell, Heb. 6.17. Calvin. 4. Where we may note the differences betweene this oath and other oathes.Difference betweene Gods oath, and other oathes. 1. God taketh this oath willingly, not forced thereto of any necessity. 2. He sweareth by himselfe, as having not a greater to sweare by; and Philo sheweth the reason: Solus de seipso asseverare potest, quia solus ipse suam novit naturam: He only can beare witnesse of himselfe, because he only knoweth his owne nature. 3. He also further saith; Sententiae nostra ex juramento fides accedit, ipsi juramento ex ipso Deo fides astruitur; Our sentence is credited because of our oath, but this oath is beleeved, because of God that taketh it.

QUEST. XXII. Whether the promises here made are new, or the old renewed.

Vers. 18. IN thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. 1. It is of all hands confessed, that the other three promises were made unto Abraham before. 1. That Abraham should be blessed, Genes. 12.2. 2. That his seed should be multiplied as the starres, and as the sand of the sea, Genes. 13.16. 3. That his seed should possesse the gate of his enemies, which is in effect the same with that Genes. 13.12. all this land will I give thee, &c. God promised Abraham the land of the Canaanites, which were his enemies. 2. But Ambrose thinketh that this was a new blessing, containing a promise of the Messiah; lib. 1. de Abraham c. 8. Paulus Burgensis confirmeth the same by these reasons; because Saint Paul rehearseth this as a speciall blessing concerning Christ, urging these words, in thy seed, which are onelyonly found here; and the Lord confirmeth this by an oath, as Zachary in his song maketh mention of this oath, which hee sware to our father Abraham, Luke 1.73. 3. But these reasons are easily answered; 1. Saint Paul citeth, rather that promise made, Genes. 12.3. in thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed, Galath. 3.8. for hee speaketh of that promise which was made 430. yeares before the law, which must needs be that former given to Abraham at the 75. yeare of his age; but there will want 50. yeares of that summe, if the account should begin at this time, when Abraham was 125. yeares old; And whereas Saint Paul also alludeth unto this place, v. 16. and thy seed; and so expoundeth one place by another, he sheweth, that in effect, they are both but one promise. 2. The adding of the oath, maketh it not a new promise, but confirmeth onelyonly the former; otherwise by this reason, all these promises should be newly made, seeing the oath goeth before them all; and indeed not onelyonly this promise of the Messiah, but the other also concerning the possessing of the land of Canaan was ratified by an oath, Exod. 13.5. Perer. 4. Wherefore here is no other promise made to Abraham, but such as he had heard before; but the same more amply and fully confirmed by an oath, and againe renued both to Abraham and Isaack: in which two respects, this promise is more excellent than the former, Calvin.

QUEST. XXIII. How Saint Paul applieth this word Seed only to Christ. 3 to the Galath.

HEre by the way, it shall not be amisse to explane that place of Saint Paul, Galath. 3.16. where the Apostle presseth the word seed, shewing that because he saith, seed, not seeds, it must bee referred to one, namely Christ. The Jewes doe make two principall objections against this place. 1. They urge, that this word metaphorically taken for the of-spring of men, is a nowne collective, never used in the plurall number, but put in the singular, only signifieth a multitude, as likewise doth the word populus, vulgus, people, commonalty, &c.

The objections of the Jewes against the Apostles collectiō answered.Answer. 1. True it is, that the word Zeraugh, in the singular number doth often signifie a multitude; but sometime in Scripture it is restrained to one, as Gen. 4.25. the name of seed is given to Seth, the Lord hath appointed me another seed for Habel, Genes. 21.13. Ismael is called Abrahams seed. Wherefore it is not enough to say that this word in the singular is sometime taken for a multitude, unlesse they could shew it so to be used here, Beza. 2. The Apostle then, being not ignorant of the phrase and usage of the Hebrew tongue, doth not contend about the word, but the sense: that the word seed in this place is not taken for seeds, that is, many, but for seed, that is, one specially, Perer. 21. They object further: that whereas it is said, In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, this is but a forme of blessing, by way of comparison, like to that, Gen. 48.20. God make thee as Ephraim, &c. Ans. 1. If this speech did onelyonly shew a forme, not the cause of blessing: it need not have beene said in thy seed, but in thee: that is, Abraham: God make thee like Abraham. 2. Where such formes of blessing are used, they are restrained to Israel: as in the place alleaged. Gen. 48. In thee Israel shall blesse: but here all nations shall bee blessed: how should it come to passe, that all nations should not blesse themselves, but bee blessed, but in being called to the knowledge of God, which is by Christ: wherefore these words shew the cause of blessing, not the forme, Calvin.

Now then, their objections being thus answered, I will shew the right meaning of the Apostle. 1. I first reject Hieromes collection,The meaning of the Apostle opened. Galath 3.16. expounded. reproved by Erasmus: Paulum hoc argumento abusum apud crassos Galata…: that Paul abuseth this argument, having to doe with the dull Galathians: for it becommeth us not so to think of so grave an Apostle, writing by the Spirit of God. 2. Neither is it enough to say, that Paul by the same Spirit whereby Moses did write, did understand him to speake of Christ, Cajetan. in 3. ad Galat. for Paul having to deale with the gain-saying Jewes, would not so much stand upon his Apostolike illumination, neither would they rest upon it. 3. Neither is the word seed taken here not singularly for the person of Christ, but collectively for the whole spirituall seed of Abraham, the people of God consisting of the Jewes and Gentiles, Beza. for this sense seemeth to bee coact and not proper: and the Apostle himselfe denieth it to bee understood of many, but of one. 4. Neither doth Saint Paul ground his argument upon the received opinion and confession of the Jewes, which hee was experienced in, being brought up under p. 205the feet of Gamaliel; who all generally did hold this promise of blessing in Abrahams seed, to be understood of the Messiah, Perer. for thus the Apostles reasoning should be inverted, and that made his conclusion, which is his argument: for the Apostle doth not reason thus; This place is referred to the Messiah, Ergo, he saith, not seeds, but seed: But thus rather standeth his argument; In saying seed, not seeds, hee meaneth but one, Ergo, the Messiah, that is, Christ. 5. Wherefore if the Apostles words bee thorowly weighed and examined, he enforceth two conclusions in this one sentence: the first is, that this place out of Moses must needs be interpreted, not of all Abrahams seed confusedly, but of some one specially: the other is, that this being evicted, that the Lord in this promise speaketh but of one, it will follow of necessity that this one must be Christ.

For the first; that Abrahams seed is not understood promiscuè, for all his seed, the Jewes themselves could not deny: for this seed was first restrained to Isaack, and Ismael excluded, then in Isaack it was assigned to Iacob, and Esau refused: in Iacob this seed was singled out in Iuda, when the other tribes were carried into captivity, and never returned: therefore seed here cannot bee taken for many, but wee must still proceed in descending, till we come to one in whom this blessing is performed, Calvin.

For the second; that this one must be Christ, it will necessarily follow, because none else can be named▪ in whom all the Gentiles received this blessing: for that place, Psal. 72.17. All nations shall blesse him, and be blessed in him, cannot be understood of Salomon, Psal. 72.17. expounded.Ps 72:17who was so farre from procuring a blessing to all nations, that he brought a curse upon his owne nation and posterity, when for his idolatry a rent was made in the Kingdome, the smallest part falling to the share of his sonne Rehoboam. And beside, this Psalme is a propheticall song of Christ under the type of Salomon, as vers. 5. They shall …eare him as long as the Sunne and Moone endureth: vers. 11. All Kings shall worship him: vers. 17. His name shall endure for ever. These sayings cannot be uttered of Salomon, or any other mortall man, but onelyonly are true of the Lord Messiah. There being then none else found by whom the Gentiles were spiritually blessed, in being called from their filthy idolatry, to the knowledge and worship of the true God, in being lightned with Scriptures, brought to the acknowledgement, and so remission of their sinnes, but onelyonly Christ: none else in whom they beleeve, whose name is blessed among them: Who can this else bee but Jesus Christ the Messiah? And thus it is evident, that the Apostle hath reasoned strongly from this place, that salvation commeth not by the Law, but by faith in Christ, which is the thing the Apostle in this place intendeth to prove.

QUEST. XXIII. Whether Abrahams obedience, or Isaacks patience were more notable.

IT may seeme that Isaacks obedience in yeelding himselfe willingly to death, was more excellent and worthy of note than Abrahams; because it is a greater patience to suffer death for Gods cause, than to inferre it: Isaack also should have felt the sorrowes and pangs of death in his body, which Abraham was onelyonly to behold. Notwithstanding these reasons, Abrahams example of obedience excelled: 1. Because he was to sacrifice his onelyonly, most beloved, and innocent sonne, which was no doubt more grievous unto him, than if he had died himselfe. 2. Isaacks death came unlooked for: it should have beene finished at once: Abrahams griefe, as it pierced his heart three continuall dayes before, so the remembrance of this fact would have continued still. 3. The Scripture giveth sentence with Abraham, which maketh mention in this place, and others beside, of Abrahams offering up of Isaack, but ascribeth no part thereof to Isaack.

Now because that example of the King of Moab,2 King. 3.27. expounded.2 Kgs 3:27 which offered up the King of Edoms sonne in sacrifice, and not his owne, as the common opinion is, may be thought to resemble Abrahams fact here, it shall not be amisse briefly to examine that place, as it is set downe, 2 King. 3.27.

QUEST. XXIV. Whether the King of Moab sacrificed his sonne, and wherefore.

FIrst then, 1. Neither is it like that the King of Moab having learned of his Priests that God prospered Israel because of Abrahams faith, which doubted not to offer his sonne, as Lyranus: therefore he attempted to doe the like: for at this time the Israelites did not so greatly prosper, the kingdome being divided because of the idolatry of Salomon, and diversly afflicted: and the King of Moab offered not his owne son, but the King of Edoms, as it is expounded by Amos 2.1. For three transgressions I will not turne to Moab, &c. because it burnt the bones of the King of Edom as lime. 2. Neither did the King of Moab this by the advice of the Priests, after the example of Israel, because they used to offer up their sons to Molech, thinking to please the God of Israel hereby, Burgens. For the Israelites rather learned this idolatrous use of the Gentiles: and the Israelites prospered not, but were punished of God for such impieties. 3. Nor yet did the King of Moab this to move the Israelites to commiseration, when they should see to what misery and necessity he was brought, to offer such a bloudy sacrifice, as Tostat. and Vatab. for he did it rather to despight them, as shall even now appeare. 4. Nor yet did he offer this sacrifice only with an intent thereby to appease his gods, and to procure their help: which opinion indeed the heathen had of such wicked and devillish offerings, Cajetan. Perer. 5. But it is most likely that the King of Moab assaying to breake thorow to the King of Edom, and could not, tooke the Kings sonne of Edom that was to reigne after him, (and therefore is called the King of Edom, Amos 2.1.) and sacrificed him in the sight of his father, to his great griefe, Iunius.

QUEST. XXV. What was the cause of the indignation against Israel.

SEcondly, where it followeth thus; For that Israel was sore grieved, and they departed from him, or there was great indignation against Israel: 1. This is not referred to the indignation or wrath▪ of God, as p. 206though the Lord should be offended with Israel, & sent a plague amongst them, because the King of Moab by their evill example did sacrifice the King of Edoms son, as Burgens. for no such thing is expressed in the text. 2. Neither was this indignation conceived by the idolatrous Israelites against the rest, thinking the King of Moab invincible, because of this sacrifice, Cajetan. for this indignation was kindled, not by the Israelites, but against them. 3. And for the same reason the common exposition seemeth not to be so proper, that this indignation and griefe of the Israelites was for the horror and cruelty of this unnaturall fact, which they could not endure to behold, Tostat. for this indignation or wrath should not have beene against the Israelites, but against the King of Moab. 4. Therefore it seemeth more agreeable to the text, that this wrath was on the Edomites part against the Israelites, because it was their quarrell that brought the King of Edom to take part with them against the Moabites, upon which occasion this hard hap fell out upon his sonne: and upon this division they brake off, and left the siege, Iunius.

QUEST. XXVI. Of Huz, Buz, Kemuel, Chesed, the sonnes of Nahor.

Vers. 21. HVz, &c. and Buz. Of this Huz was not named the Countrey where Iob dwelt, Iob 1.1. but of that Huz rather which was the sonne of Aram, Genes. 10.22. Hierome. 2. Of Buz came the family of the Buzites, of the which Elihu was, Iob 32.6. 3. Kemuel here mentioned, was not the father of the Syrians, as the Greeke and vulgar Latine read; nor yet of Aram Naharaim, as Tostatus, or Aram Seba, as Cajetane: for the City of Nahor was in Aram, Genes. 24.10. This name and Countrey therefore was more ancient than Kemuel Nahors sonne, and was rather so called of Aram the sonne of Sem, Genes. 10.22. 4. Neither is Chesed here named the father of the Chaldees, which was Abrahams Countrey, and could not therefore be founded by his nephew. 5. But these sonnes of Nahor were fathers of certaine families in Syria, whereof there was some remainder in Constantius Caesars time: as may appeare by the names of certaine townes, Reman, and Buzan, remembred by Ammianus, Lib. 18. ex Iun.

4. Places of Doctrine.

1. Doct. How God is said to tempt.

Vers. 1. GOd did tempt or prove Abraham, &c. 1. God is not said here to tempt Abraham, metaphoricè, metaphorically, as he is said to be angry, to repent, in a figurative speech, as Cajetane: but God truly and verily tempteth, that is, proveth and taketh triall of Abrahams faith. 2. And God doth it, Non ut ipse hominem inveniat, sed ut homo se inveniat: Not that God need to finde out man, but that man may finde out himselfe, as Augustine saith. 3. God tempteth otherwise than Satan is said to tempt: God properly is the author only of good temptations, but Satan is the tempter unto evill. Evill temptations proceed not from God, effective, sed permissive, by way of action, but by way of permission: when the Lord withdraweth his sufficient grace, and necessary helpe.

The difference betweene good and bad temptation….Gods tempting, and Satans tempting doe diversly differ: 1. In respect of the end, Deus t…ntat ut doceat, Diabolus ut decipiat; God tempteth to teach, the Devill to deceive, as Augustine saith. 2. In respect of the persons: God tempteth onelyonly the good, to make their faith and obedience knowne: sometimes the weake are tried, that after they have fallen they may repent and be restored: sometimes the strong, that they may be more and more confirmed: But the devill tempteth both good and bad, the good to bring them into evill; the bad that they forsake not evill. 3. The object of good and evill temptations are divers; good temptations are especially seene in outward things, as in poverty, sicknesse, persecution, and such like: evill temptations are exercised in spirituall and inward evils, as in evill suggestions, ungodly thoughts, stirring to evill desires, and provoking to sinne, Perer.

2. Doct. The grave motions of the spirit of God, differ from the furious fansies of those led with an evill spirit.

Vers. 4. THen the third day, &c. We see a manifest difference betweene the furious and sudden motions of those which are possessed with an evill spirit; such as Saul had, who in his rage all at once, cast a javelin at his sonne Ionathan to have killed him, 1. Sam. 20.33. and the deliberate actions of those which are guided by the good spirit of God: as here Abraham not suddenly is moved to sacrifice his son, but after three dayes journey, having thorowly advised upon it, he obediently yeeldeth himselfe to Gods commandement.

3. Doct. The obedience of the will is accepted of God for the deed.

Vers. 12. SEeing for my sake thou hast not spared thine onelyonly sonne. God accepteth the resolute purpose and will of Abraham for the done deed. An obedient will then is accepted before God as the worke it selfe: as the Apostle saith, If first there be a willing minde, God accepteth it according to that a man hath, not according to that he hath not, 2 Cor. 8.12. Muscul.

p. 2075. Places of confutation.

1. Confut. By faith we are assured of our justification.

Vers. 12. I Know that thou fearest God. It is confessed by our adversaries, that Abraham at this time was certaine that he was in the state of grace: but because it is their opinion, that we cannot by faith ordinarily be assured of remission of sinnes, they have framed divers answers to this place.

1. Thomas Aquinas saith, that this assurance that Abraham had, was a particular experimentall knowledge, that in this worke he feared God, Thom. 1.2. qu. 112. ar. 3. Cont. Abraham not onelyonly in this particular was assured of Gods favour, but was undoubtedly perswaded of the promise in generall concerning the Messiah: as the Apostle saith, Neither did he doubt of the promise, &c. but was strengthened in the faith, Rom. 4.20. And this is that which our Saviour saith, That Abraham desired to see his day, he saw it and rejoyced, Ioh. 8.56. His assurance which he had of salvation in the Messiah, procured unto him this great joy.

2. The same Thomas saith, Abraham illud cognovit per specialem Dei revelationem; That Abraham knew this, that he was in the state of grace by Gods speciall revelation. Contra. This assurance that Abraham had,Abraham and the Patriarks no otherwise assured of their justification, than the faithfull now are. was not by any particular or extraordinary revelation, but by the proper and ordinary operation of faith: as the Apostle saith, He was strengthened in the faith, Rom. 4.20.

3. Pererius answereth, that this revelation was made to the Patriarks in the old Testament, and the Apostles in the new, which were, as it were, the founders of the people of God, 10. disput. in 22. cap. Gen.

Contra. Saint Paul in the matter of faith maketh no such difference betweene the Patriarks and other beleevers; as he saith, Now it is not written for him onelyonly, that it was imputed to him for righteousnesse▪ but also for us, &c. Rom. 4.23. And the Apostle saith, That a crowne of righteousnesse was not onelyonly laid up for him, but unto them also which love his appearing, 2 Tim. 4.8. where the same certainty of the reward is decreed, the like assurance is not denied.

4. Bellarmine answereth, that hence it is evident that all beleevers are not sure of their justification, seeing Abraham that had served God most faithfully before, yet never till now was assured of his justification, lib. 3. de justif. cap. 11. resp. ad ration. 1.

Contra. It followeth not, Abraham was not alwayes assured, therefore every beleever cannot be assured: but it well followeth, that as there was a time when Abraham had not such assurance, so the faithfull at all times have not such perswasion, and that we grant. 2. It is untrue that Abraham had not this assurance till now, when he offered up Isaack: for the Apostle sheweth, that then hee had this assurance, when faith was imputed to him for righteousnesse, Rom. 4.22, 23. which was before he was circumcised, Gen. 15.6.

5. Bellarmine againe answereth, that the Scripture commending the righteousnesse of Abraham and other Patriarks, doth rather make us certaine and sure of their salvation, than themselves, ibid.

Contra. No mans salvation can be better knowne to another than to himselfe: for as the life of the body is more felt where that life is, than of others that see the bodies to live: so saith, which is the life of the soule, as the Scripture saith, The just shall live by faith, is better apprehended of those which have the possession of it, than of such as onelyonly behold it.

2. Confut. The promises not merited by Abrahams obedience.

Vers. 16. BEcause thou hast done this thing, &c. From hence Pererius inferreth, that Abraham, Egreg… illo facto meruisse, Deserved by this worthy act, that such promises were made unto him, and that the Messiah should be borne of his stocke, rather than of any other.

Contra. 1. The Apostle doth conclude the contrary, that because faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse, he was not justified by works, Rom. 4.2, 4. 2. These promises were made to Abraham before he had shewed any worthy worke: even then, when he was first called out of his Countrey, Gen 12.2. they then proceeded from Gods mercy, not of Abrahams desert or worthinesse. 3. The Lord therefore crowneth Abrahams obedience with renewing his promises, to shew us, that they which are justified by faith, ought to proceed and goe forward in good works, whereby their faith is approved, Muscul.

3. Confut. The assumption of the humane nature to the God-head in Christ not merited.

4. BUt to say that Abraham merited, that the Messiah should take flesh of his seed, is not farre from blasphemy; for then he should have merited more than Christ himselfe did, as he was man: seeing that the hypostaticall union of the humane nature with the God-head in one person, was of grace, not of merit: as Augustine well resolveth, Quod Christus est unigenitus aequalis patri, non est gratia, Tract▪ in Ioan. 37.sed natura; quod autem in unitatem personae unigeniti assumptus est homo, gratia est, non natura: That Christ was the onelyonly begotten Son equall to his Father, it was not grace but nature: but in that mans nature was taken to make one person, with the onelyonly begotten, it was of grace, and not by nature. But now, if the man Christ deserved not the assumption or taking of the humane nature to the God-head, and yet Abraham merited, that his seed should in the Messiah be united to the God-head, it will follow that he merited more than Christ; wherefore that is a sound and Catholike conclusion of Augustine, Tract▪ 8. in Joan.Neque enim illam susceptionem hominis ulla merita praecesserunt, sed ab illa susceptione merita ejus cuncta caeperunt: before the taking of mans nature there was no merits at all, but all Christs merits tooke beginning there.

p. 2084. Confut. The Chalde Paraphrast corrupt.

Vers. 18. IN thy seed, &c. So readeth the Septuagint according to the originall, in the singular number, and this reading is approved by the Apostle, Galath. 3.16. Wherefore the Chalde Paraphrast is found here to be corrupt: which readeth thus in the plurall number; In thy sonnes shall all the people of the earth be blessed.

5. Confut. Many in Scripture taken for all.

ALL the nations of the earth shall be blessed: And Gen. 17.5. the Lord saith, A father of many nations have I made thee: we see then that in the phrase of Scripture sometimes many are taken for all: by this place therefore that cavill of the Pelagians may be answered, who because the Apostle saith, By one mans disobedience many were made sinners, Rom. 5.19. would inferre that we became sinners not by originall corruption or propagation of sinne, but by imitation, for then the Apostle would have said, not many, but all. But the Apostle by many understandeth all, as he affirmeth, vers. 18. That by the offence of one the fault came upon all to condemnation: for they which are all, may truly be said to bee many. The like cavill in another question is urged by Catharinus a popish writer, who because it is said in Daniel 12.2. That many of them which sleepe in the dust shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame: collecteth, that all shall not,Of Infants dying unbaptised. but that some, as namely infants dying without baptisme, shall neither be in heaven nor hell: But this objection may receive the same answer, that as in the promise made to Abraham many is taken for all: so also is it in this place of the Prophet, as before also is shewed the like use in the Apostle.

6. Places of Exhortation.

1. Observ. To beare the death of children patiently.

Vers. 10. ABraham stretching forth his hand, tooke the knife, &c. Origen from this example of Abraham, that doubted not to offer up his sonne, perswadeth parents to beare patiently the death of their children, Laetus offer filium Deo, esto sacerdos anima filii tui: Chearfully offer thy sonne unto God, and be a Priest of his soule. This is nothing (saith he) to Abrahams strength, which bound his sonne himselfe, and bent his sword, Hom. 8. in Gen.

2. Observ. Confidence in Gods providence.

Vers. 14. IN the mount will the Lord provide, &c. We are taught with the like confidence, when all other meanes faile, to cast our care upon God, as Abraham did; for whom the Lord provided another sacrifice which he thought not upon, in stead of his sonne Isaack, Calvin. Therefore it is said in the Psalm. 68.20. To the Lord belong the issues of death: he knoweth how to make a way for our deliverance, though we at the first see it not.

3. Observ. Gods voice must be obeyed.

Vers. 18. IN thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voyce: Whereupon Ambrose giveth this good note, Et nos ergo audiamus vocem Dei nostri, si volumus apud eum gratiam invenire: Let us therefore heare and obey the voice of God, if we will finde grace with him.