QUEST. II. Wherefore Isaack biddeth Esau prepare him meat which he did love.

Vers. 4. MAke me some savoury meat, that my soule may blesse thee, &c. 1. Some thinke, that it was the manner of those dayes, that the eldest, before he received his fathers blessing, did performe some service: Lyran. But this no where appeareth in Scripture. 2. Some thinke, 〈◊〉 this was done, that Esau might seeme to deserve his fathers blessing: Thom. Anglic. But spirituall blessings, such as Isaack be∣stowed upon Iacob, cannot be merited by temporall service. 3. Gregory compareth the Jewes to Esau, which sought by their owne workes to please God: the Gentiles to Iacob, that found a more compendi∣ous way by faith, Hom. 6. in Ezechiel. 4. Some by Esaus portion of meat, to the which a spirituall bles∣sing is promised, doe signifie the duty of the people, in paying temporall things, for receiving spirituall. 5. Rupertus by Isaack promising a blessing for a temporall meat, shadoweth forth such Bishops in the Church, as doe for temporall rewards sell spirituall blessings. 6. But Isaack blind in eyes, and blind in affe∣ction, doth herein shew his partiall love to Esau: the Lord in his secret providence over-ruling this acti∣on, and disposing this occasion to the effecting of his owne purpose.