Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 1 · Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIV. Verſ. 1. And Abraham was old]
NOn tam canis & annis, Beurer. in vita Attici.quàm virtutibus & ſapientiâ gravis, as One ſaith of Atticus. Abraham had a good gray head, as it is elſewhere ſaid of him: Hence, ſo honored not onelyonly at home, but of the Hittites, Chap. 23. Cognata ſunt foreign (ut foreign & foreign) old-age and honor are neer a kin in the Greek tongue. And God bids, honor the face of the old man, Levit. 19.32. for the hoary-head is a crown, Pſal. 111.9. Si prolixa facit ſapientem barba, qu…d obſta… Barbatus poſſet quin caper eſſe Plato? Baron. Annal.ſo that it be found in the way of righteouſneſs. God is called the Ancient of dayes: and, becauſe holy, therefore reverend is his name, as ſaith the Pſalmiſt. But it is a poor praiſe to Nectarius, who ſucceeded Nazianzen in the Church of Antioch, that he was venerandâ canitie & vultu ſacerdote digno, a comely old man, and of a Biſhop-like viſage, and that was all that could be ſaid for him.
Verſ. 2. Put I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh] Either as a token of ſubjection, or for the honor of circumciſion, Quae erat in parte femoris. q. d. I adjure thee by the Lord of the Covenant, whereof Circumciſion is a ſigne. Or (which is moſt likely) in reference to Chriſt, who was to come of Abraham, according to that phraſe, Gea. 46.26. The ſouls that came out of Jacobs thigh.
Verſ. 3. I will make thee ſwear by the Lord] Who alone is the proper object of an oath, Iſaiah 65.16. Jere. 12.6. Howbeit, in lawful contracts with an Infidel or Idolater, we may admit of ſuch oaths, whereby they ſwear by falſe gods; as thoſe of old, that ſwore by God and Malcom; and the Turks great oath nowadayes is, By the immortall God, Turk. Hiſt. fol. 345.and by the four hundred Prophets, by Mahomet, by his Fathers ſoul, by his own children, and by the ſword wherewith he is girt, &c. [That thou ſhalt not take a wife unto my ſon, &c.] Leſt they ſhould turn away his heart from following God, Deut. 7.3, 4. as thoſe Outlandiſh wives did Solomon, Neh. 13.26. whom therefore God Almighty puniſhed both in himſelf and his ſucceſſor Rehoboam, his onelyonly ſon (that we read of) by ſo many Wives and Concubines; and he was none of the wiſeſt, nor happieſt: 2 Cor 6.14.tam auspicata ſunt conjugia contra Dei legem contracta, ſaith the Divine Chronologer. Be not unequally yoked therefore, with any untamed heifer that bears not Chriſts yoke. If Religion be any other then a cipher, how dare we not regard it in our moſt important choice? D. Hall.I wiſh Manoah could ſpeak ſo loud (ſaith a Reverend Divine) that all our Iſraelites might hear him: Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all Gods people, that thou goeſt to take a wife of the uncircumciſed Philiſtimes? What's the reaſon, the Pope will not diſpenſe in Spain or Italy, if a Papiſt marry a Proteſtant (yet here they will;) but in hope to draw more to them? For they well know what power wives many times get over their husbands, as Jeſabel did over Ahab; the Hen was ſuffered to crow, and all went as ſhe would have it. And therefore the Legats in the Councell of Trent, Hiſt. of Count. of Trent, fol. 680.were blamed for ſuffering the Article of Prieſts-marriage to be diſputed, as dangerous; becauſe it is plaine, that married Prieſts will turne their affections and love to wife and children; and by conſequence to their houſe and Countrey. So that the ſtrict dependence that the Clergy hath upon the Apoſtolick See, would ceaſe: And to grant Marriage to Prieſts, would deſtroy the Eccleſiaſticall Hierarchy, and make the Pope to be Biſhop of Rome onelyonly.
Verſ. 4. But thou ſhalt go unto my Countrey, &c.] N…hors ſtock were neither pure in Religion, nor preciſe in life, Joſh. 24.2. Gen. 31.30. yet far better in both, then thoſe curſed Canaanites. Some knowledge they retained of the true God, of whom they ſpeak much in this Chapter, and concerning whom they hear Eleazer here relating, how he had anſwered his prayer, and proſpered his journey. And for their manners, we finde them hoſpitable, and their daughter, though fair, yet a pure Virgin. Now, Lis eſt, cum forma, magna p…dicitiae. Like unto theſe are the Greek Church at this day, Breerewoods Enquiries, p. 139. B. Vſhers Serm. at Wansteed. D. Field of the Church. Jac Reviue de vit. Pentif. p. 320.which is far greater then the Roman: And though in ſome points unſound, and in other very ſuperſtitious, yet holdeth ſufficient for ſalvation. Cyrill their good Patriarch of Conſtantinople, ſet forth the Confeſſion of the faith of thoſe Eaſtern Churches, Anno 1629. agreeable in all things for moſt part, to the Reformed Proteſtant Religion, but diametrally oppoſite to that they call the Roman Catholick. He is alſo buſie about a generall Reformation among them, and hath done much good.
Verſ. 5. Peradventure the woman, &c.] He ſwears cautelouſly, he doth not raſhly ruſh upon his oath; he ſwears not in jeſt, but in judgement; ſo muſt we, Jer. 4.2. duely conſidering the conditions and circumſtances, as the nature of an oath, the matter whereabout, the perſon by whom, and before whom, the time, the place, our calling, and warrant thereunto, Eccleſ. 5.2. Be not raſh; the beſt that can come of that, foreign, as the Romans in Plutarch ſaid of P…mpey.is repentance, that fair and happy daughter of an ugly and odious mother. Swear not in heat and choller, as David did when he was going againſt Nabal; but ſoon after bleſſed Abigail for better counſell. Swear not in jeſt, leſt ye go to hell in earneſt, Jam. 5.12. Swear not petty oaths, thoſe civilified complements, and interjections of common talk, Faith and Troth, &c. Thou muſt not ſwear by thy hairs, thou canſt not make one of them white or black; much leſs by Faith and Troth, that is more worth then hairs. Remember that large rowl, ten yards long, and five yards broad, full of curſes againſt the ſwearer, Zach. 5.2. And it re…s upon his houſe, where he thinks himſelf moſt ſecure. When we are called to take a lawfull oath, we muſt be reverently affected (as this good ſervant in the text) according to the excellency of the duty, and greatneſs of the perſon, whom we atteſt and invocate. The ancient form of taking and impoſing an oath was, Give glory to God, Joſh. 7.19. Joh. 9.24. And he that took the oath was ſaid, to confeſs to God, Eſa. 45.23. with Rom. 14.11. Therefore alſo St. Paul in ſwearing, uſeth a word of attention, and ſaith, Behold I speak it before God. Gal. 1.20. Lewis the French King was taken priſoner by Meletiſaka the Sultan; and conditions of peace being concluded between them, for more aſſurance thereof, the Sultan offered to ſwear, that if he failed in performance of any thing, to renounce his Mahomet; Turk. Hiſt.requiring likewiſe of the King to ſwear, if he failed in any thing that he had promiſed, to deny his Chriſt to be God: which profane oath the King deteſting, and wiſhing rather to dye then to give the ſame, the Sultan wondring at his conſtancy, took his word without any oath at all, and ſo publiſhed the League. As o'tother ſide, King Iohn of England, being overlaid in his Barons Wars, when he ſent Embaſſadors to the Monarch of Morocco for aid, Heyl. Geog. p. 714.offering to ſwear fealty unto him, and to receive the law of Mahomet, he grew into ſuch diſlike of our King, that ever after he abhorred the mention of him.
Verſ. 6. That thou bring not my ſon thither again] Where yet he had never been, but in his fathers loyns. He would not, his ſon ſhould part with the promiſed Land for any out ward accommodations. Let us fear, foreign. Heb. 4.1.lest a promiſe being left us of entring into Gods reſt, any of us ſhould ſeem to come ſhort, to fall back. or be l…ft behinde. Take we all heed, leſt for our lingering and hankering after the fleſh-pots of Egypt, God carry us back again into Egypt, which was the laſt & greateſt curſe, threatned againſt the people of Iſrael, and is the greateſt miſery can come upon this Nation, Deut. 28.68.
Verſ. 7. He ſhall ſend his Angel] There are myriads of Angels, and all ſent out for the ſolace and ſafe conduct of the Saints. Dan. 7. Heb. 1.14.Oh the dignity and ſafety of a childe of God! [Thou ſhalt take a wife] He argues from what God hath done for him, to what he will doe. Every former favour, is a pledge of a future. Thou haſt, thou wilt, is a Scripture demonſtration. See Pſal. 86.1, 2, 3, 4 Six Thou-haſts, whereupon he infers and inforceth his, Turn us O God of our ſalvation, &c.
Verſ. 8. OnelyOnly bring not my ſon thither again] This ſecond time he layes charge on his ſervant not to do it. Better no wife, then diſpleaſe God, then violate conſcience. He purchaſeth his pleaſure at too dear a rate, that payes his honeſ…y to get it. He hath leſſe of the ballaſt, and more of the ſayl, makes more haſte then good ſpeed, that thus ſpeeds himſelf.
Verſ. 9. And the ſervant put his hand, &c] That, and the lifting up of the hand to heaven, Gen. 14.22.was the ceremony of old, as now it is, laying the hand upon the book. Let it be what it will, if not wicked, we need not ſtruple it. Henry the Third of England undertaking the croyſade, in taking his oath laid his right hand on his breaſt (according to the manner of a Prieſt, Daniels Chron.ſaith the Hiſtory;) and after on the book, and kiſſed it as a Lay-man. The Moors, when they ſwear to be faithfull to any, Turk. Hiſt. fol. 747.they put their ſword to their own throats. At the ſiege of Norwich by Ket and his complices in Edward the ſixths time, the Earle of Warwick Generall for the King, Life of Edw. 6. by Sir Jo. Heywood, p. 75.drew his ſword, and cauſed others to do the like; and (according to a Souldery cuſtome in caſes of extremity) by enterchange of a kiſs by every of them upon the ſwords of others, they bound themſelves, as by an oath, to maintain the place.
Verſ. 10. Took ten Camels] Creatures that are famous for their ſwiftneſs, ſtrength, hardineſs; for they will travell, they ſay, three dayes together, without water; which, in thoſe hot Countries, is in many places hard to come by. Sir Francis Drake in his Travels tells us of certain Sheep in America as big as a Cow, World encomp. p. 55.and ſupplying the room of Horſes for burden or travell. The Mule, they ſay, muſt have the bag hang by his mouth; ſo muſt ſome, the pipe or the pot at their elbows.
Verſ. 11. And he made his Camels kneel down] Or, reſt themſelves, Prov. 12.10. Rom. 8.22.as the Greek interprets it. A good man is mercifull to his beaſt; but the poor creature groaneth and travelleth in pain under our abuſes.
Verſ. 12. And he ſaid, O Lord God] Begin we all our enterprizes with prayer. God may give good ſucceſs without, but it will be nothing ſo ſweet: See therefore that.
Hoc primum repetas opu…, Hor. Ep. 6.hoc poſtremus omittas.
Verſ. 13. And the daughters, &c.] So did Rachel, and thoſe in Deborahs Song, that rehearſed the Acts of the Lord at the places of drawing water, Judg 5.11. and Jethro's daughters, though he were Prince of Midian: Oh the ſimplicity and plainneſs of thoſe times! They that plead Rebecca's ornaments for their gariſh attire, would be loath to take her office, be at the pains that ſhe was.
Verſ. 14. Drink, and I will give thy Camels, &c.] This argued a good nature, a kinde courteous diſpoſition; which therefore it may be he ſingled out, as a token of a meet wife, as a thing eſpecially to be looked at in a wife. Good diſpoſitions ſanctified, become more uſefull, becauſe more amiable; and ſo more graceful to the Goſpel, and powerful with others. As if not yet ſanctified, yet there is more hopes they may be. For where a good nature is, the Soul is a plain ſmooth board, whereon a Painter may more eaſily draw a Picture: and a harſh crabbed nature, is as a board full of knots, and rugged, whereon the Artificer cannot ſo well ſhew his workmanſhip. …ee Mr. Valent Faſt. Serm.And though the power of God will ſhew it ſelf, whereſoever he intends to make a veſſel of Mercy, yet it is with more ado; and will coſt a man the more ſorrow, and him that hath the working of it, the more pains.
Verſ. 15. Before he had done ſpeaking] So quick is God, many times, in the anſwer of prayers, Iſai. 65.24. Dan. 9.23. The Angel had even tired himſelf with flight, to tell Daniel, that his prayers were heard. David did but ſay, I will confeſs my tranſgreſſions unto the Lord; and before he could do it, God forgave the iniquity of his ſin, Pſal. 32.5. [Rebeccah came out] She took her name, ſaith One, as it may ſeem, Itinera…. Script. pag. 97.from the expectation of eternal life. For Rebecca denoteth a woman, which expecteth a free delivery from all calamity, and an inheritance of eternal life. Therefore, ſhe is a notable type of the Church, which is the Spouſe of Chriſt ſhadowed in Iſaac.
Verſ. 16. And the damoſel was very fair] foreign, Aelian. var. hist. l. 12. c. 1.Fair and wiſe, as it was ſaid of Aspaſia Mileſia. Here beauty was not ill beſtowed, as a Gold-Ring in a Swines Snout, but (as the Hiſtory reports of the Lady Jane Gray) adorned with all variety of moral Vertues, as a clear Skie with Stars, Life of Edw. 6. p. 176. foreign. Bucholcer.as a princely Diadem with Jewels. Beauty is of it ſelf very attractive, as the Poet hath it. For which cauſe, Heraclonas the young Emperor of Conſtantinople, being ſent into baniſhment, together with Martina his mother, had his noſe cut off, leſt his beauty ſhould move the people to pity. And Angli tanquàm Angeli, foreign ab foreign quod ab … ve…cratio. Sic …a…us quaſi … ornatus.ſaid Gregory the Great, of the Engliſh boyes preſented to him. How much more when accompanyed and accompliſhed with Chaſtity, as in this Damoſel? [A Virgin, neither had any man known her] This latter clauſe is added, becauſe many paſs for Virgins that are not ſo; if that of the Poet be true, eſpecially Quae, quia non licuit, non facit, illa facit; and that of the Orator, …. in declan…t.Inceſta eſt, & ſine ſtupro, quae ſtuprum eupit. The Romans caſhiered a Veſtal Virgin for uttering this Verſe, Foelices nuptae! moriar, niſi nubere dulce eſt. The Strumpet when ſhe eats ftoln bread, hath ſuch dexterity in wiping her lips, that not the leaſt crum ſhall be ſeem to her ſhame. So that Solomon ſhews it to be as hard to finde it out, Prov. 30.18, 19, 20.As the way of an Eagle in the ayr, the way of a Serpent upon a Rock, the way of a Ship in the Sea, and the way of a man with a maid, that is a cloſe and chaſte Virgin; Muffet. in locum.one that ſhould be haſte at leaſt, as being kept cloſe from the acceſs of ſtrangers. [Filled her pitcher, and came up.] Here was no tarrying, gazing, goſ…ipping. Not ſlothful in buſineſs, Rom. 12.11. She had not been delicately or wantonly bred, but inured to hard labor, Thucyd. lib. 2.and ſhe followed it cloſe. Thucydides ſcribit Lacedaemoniis foreign.
Verſ. 20. And ran again to the Well] In the City of Haran, at this day, (ſaith One) there is to be ſeen a Well of very clear water, where Rebecca gave drink to Eleazer, and his Camels; there likewiſe, Rachel Labans daughter, firſt ſpake to Jacob, &c. It is called by the Townſmen Abrahams Well. This water hath a very pleaſant taſte, Itinerar. Script. p. 83.and is a notable type of holy Baptiſm. For as the Patriarchs took their Wives by this Well; ſo Chriſt receiveth his Spouſe the Church, by that Sacrament; which is, Beerſheba, the Well of an Oath, where we paſs into the Covenant, and are betrothed unto Chriſt in faithfulneſs, Hoſ. 2.20. the Thiſtle to the Cedar, 2 King. 19.4.
Verſ. 22. The man took a golden Ear-ring] Abiliment or Jewel, Ʋt imponeret naſo ejus, ſaith Junius, to hang upon her noſe, or forehead, as verſ. 47. Each Countrey hath their faſhions, and garniſhes. In very many places of America, they have their lower lips bored through; as likewiſe, the upper parts of their ears, and ſomething put into them. Archb. Abbots Geog. 278.Which, as it ſeems to themſelves to be a point of beauty; ſo it makes them appear to others, to be wondrous ugly.
Verſ. 25. She ſaid moreover unto him, &c.] It is well obſerved by an Interpreter, Ai…ſworth.that in the Narration of this ſtory (which yet ſeemeth to be of light and trivial matters) the Spirit of God is very exact and large; whereas other things wherein great Myſteries are infolded (as the Hiſtory of Melchiſedech, &c.) are ſet down in few words. That men might conſider Gods Wiſdom, and Providence in things of leaſt eſteem amongſt men. I adde, that all may ſee what delight he takes in the meaneſt actions and ſpeeches of his deareſt children; when the great acts and exploits of Nimrod, Ninus, and other Grandees of the world are not once mentioned, but lye ſhrouded in the ſheet of oblivion or ſhame.
Verſ. 26. And the man bowed down his head] See how he relliſheth of his maſters houſe, and ſheweth a gracious heart, ready to offer up a ſacrifice of praiſe, whereever God ſhall pleaſe to ſet it up an Altar. The ſame word in Greek ſignifieth, foreign.Grace and Thanks; to ſhew, that as any man hath more grace, he is more grateful to God and man. It is obſervable alſo, that our Saviour ſets theſe two together, the unthankful, and the evil, Luke 6.35. He is kinde to the unthankful, and the evil.
Verſ. 30. Theſe make earth their throne, Heaven their footſtool. Auguſt.When he ſaw the ear-ring and bracel…ts] Theſe were the bones that Laban looked after; theſe drew the churl forth, and made him ſo courteous. Worldlings in ſerving God, ſerve themſelves of God; they follow him for loaves, more then for love. Vix diligitur Jeſus propter Jeſum. Hypocrites would uſe Chriſt as a bridg to get to Heaven by; which if they could compaſs, let Chriſt fink or ſwim for them, they would not much care: Their love is meretricious, their obedience mercenary; they work onelyonly for wages. Fac me pontificem & ero Chriſtianus, Ezra 2.62.ſaid one Pammachius a Heathen, to the Pope. Thoſe degenerate Prieſts would fain have had Pri…ſts places, when ſomething was to be got, but might not.
Verſ. 33. I will not eat, till I have told mine errand.] He preferred his work before his food. So did our Saviour at the Well of Samaria, John 4. And another time, when he thought to have ſlaked his hunger at the barren fig-tree, and found nothing but leaves, he went on to Jeruſalem; and forgetting his hunger, as he had before forgot his break-fuſt, he turned not into a victualing-houſe, but went to the Temple, and taught the people; and confuted the Elders all that day long, till the evening. Matth. 21.18, &c. with Mark 11.13, &c. Job 23.12.Job eſteemed Gods word more then his neceſſary food; not onelyonly more then his dainties or ſuperſ…uities.
Verſ. 35. And the Lord hath bleſſed my maſter] Miniſters, Chriſts Paranymphs, muſt likewiſe wo for Chriſt, by ſetting forth his great wealth; and not ſpeak one word for Chriſt, and two for themſelves, as thoſe did, Phil. 1.15. John Baptiſt was no ſuch ſpokeſman, Joh. 3.29. It is the ſpeciall office of the Miniſtery, to lay Chriſt open, to hold up the Tapiſtry, and let men ſee him as he is ſet forth, Heb. 1.2, 3. that they may be ſick of love; for otherwiſe, Chriſt is like to have but a cold ſuit of it.
Verſ. 39. Peradventure the woman will not] Here he leaveth out, in his diſcretion, Abrahams charge, verſ. 6. For that would but have offended and irritated. Part of the truth may be concealed ſometimes, as Jer. 38.27.
Quid, quod, ubi, per quos, quoties, cur, quomodo, quando,
Quilibet haec animo reputet, medicamina dando.
Verſ. 44. The woman, whom the Lord hath appointed] God is the Match-maker, and Marriages are made in Heaven, as very Heathens have yeelded. The Governour of Eski-chiſar hearing Othomans relation of a fair Lady, with whom he was in love, ſeemed greatly to like of his choice; Turk. Hiſt. fol. 136.ſaying, that ſhe was by the Divine Providence (for ſo the Turks religiouſly uſe to ſpeak) appointed onelyonly for him to have.
Verſ. 47. And I put the ear ring upon her face] So did Chriſt put upon his Spouſe his own comelineſs, which was as a jewell on her forehead, an ear-ring in her ear, and a beautifull Crown upon her head, Ezek. 16.12, 14. whence ſhe is called Callah, of the perfection of her beauty and bravery, Vxor ſplender radiis mariti. A maxime in the Civill LawJer. 2.32. And Hephzibah, Iſa. 62.4. of his delight in her; ſince he hath purified her, as Eſther, ſanctified her, Epheſ. 5.26. and ſo beautified her, that now he rejoyceth over her as a bridegroom doth over his bride, Eſa. 62.5. Yea he reſteth in his love, and will ſeek no further; he joyeth over her with ſinging, as wel-apaid of his choyce, Zeph. 3.17.
Verſ. 53. And gave them to Rebeccah, he gave alſo] Note that the cuſtome was then, Heyl. Geog.to give gifts to the bride and her friends. Now it is otherwiſe. Yet in Hungary their women have no portion (they ſay) but a new coat at their wedding. Mor is eſt apud Thraces (ſaith Solinus) ut nupturae non parentum arbitratu tranſeant ad maritos; ſed quae prae caeteris specie valent, ſubhaſtari volunt; Solin. cap. 14.& lic…ntiâ taxationis admiſſâ, non moribus nubunt, ſed praemiis.
Verſ. 54. And they did eat and drink] It is lawfull to be honeſtly merry, after buſineſs diſpatcht.
Verſ. 55. Let the Damoſell abide with us] Men promiſe in haſte, perform by leiſure.
Verſ. 56. Hinder me not] Say we ſo to Satan ſolliciting us to ſtay a while in our old courſes and companies.
Verſ. 57. And enquire at her mouth] Eve was not dragg'd, but brought by God to her husband. There muſt be a mutual conſent, or it is not of God.
Verſ. 59. And her nurſe] Deborah, who was a great ſtay to Jacobs family, and her loſs much lamented, Gen. 35.8.
Verſ. 60. Be thou the mother of thouſands] Votum nuptiale, Hebraeis ſolenne. We wiſh them joy, we aſſure them ſorrow, and that in the fleſh, where they look for moſt felicity.
Verſ. 61. They rode upon the Camels] A tireſome and tedious journey it was, but for a good husband. Suffer we with, and for Chriſt, that we may be glorified together, when the marriage ſhall be conſummated. Heaven will pay for all. What though thou ride on a trotting Camell; it is to be married. He that rides to becrowned, will not think much of a rainy day.
Verſ. 63. To meditate in the field] Or to pray; there he had his Oratory, there he uſed to pray ſecretly (but now more earneſtly, upon ſo important an occaſion) with deep meditation or ſoliloquy. Domitiau, about the beginning of his Empire, Sueton.uſually ſequeſtred himſelf from company an hour every day; but did nothing the while, but catch flyes, and kill them with a pen-knife: Gods people can better employ their ſolitarineſs, and do never want company, as having God and themſelves to talk with. And theſe ſecret meals are thoſe that make the ſoul fat. It was a witty and divine ſpeech of Bernard, that Chriſt, the ſouls Spouſe, is baſhfull; neither willingly commeth to his Bride, in the preſence of a multitude.
Verſ. 65. She lighted off the Camell] To meet him with the more reverence and ſubmiſſion; for which cauſe alſo, ſhe veyled her ſelf. Here that of the Poet hold not, Fastus ineſt pulchris, ſequiturque ſuperbia formam.Ovid.
Verſ. 66. And the ſervant told Iſaac] Miniſters alſo muſt give account of their Stewardſhip. Happy he, that can preſent his people as a chaſte Virgin to Chriſt, with Paul, 2 Cor. 11.2. that can ſay with the Prophet, Here am I, and the children that thou haſt given me: And with that Arch-Prophet, I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to do, Joh. 17.4. Reverend Mr. Stork was wont to proteſt, Abrab. deceaſ by M. Gat…k.that it was more comfort to him, to win one of his own charge, then twenty others.
Verſ. 67. Iſaac brought her into his mothers tent] There to reſt till the marriage-rites were performed; till he had got her good-will, till their affections were knit, and in ſome ſort ſettled; till they had plighted their mutuall troth, ſought God for a bleſſing, and performed ſuch ſolemnities as the time required. Youth rides in poſt to be married: but in the end, findes the Inne of repentance to be lodged in. [And took Rebeccah] Not as Shechem took Dinah, or Amnon Tamar, to deſloure her; but as Boaz took Ruth, and David Abigail, to make her his wife by lawfull wedlock. [And he loved her] Not onelyonly as his Country-woman, or his kinſwoman, or a good woman, &c. but, as his woman with a conjugall love. And he had reaſon: For 1. She was his wife, the proper object of his love. 2. A wife of Gods providing, a mate meet for him, none in all the world ſo meet. 3. She was love-worthy, becauſe fair, courteous, vertuous: And as meat pleaſeth us better in a clean diſh, ſo doth vertue in comely perſons, ſaith Hugo. 4. She forgat her fathers houſe, and forſook all her friends for him, &c. [And Iſaac was comforted] If God takes away one comfort, he will give another. Chear up therefore.