St. Augustine, Of the citie of God vvith the learned comments of Io. Lod. Viues. Englished by I.H.

Of the Sonnes of the flesh, and the Sonnes of promise. CHAP. 2.

THe shadow, and propheticall image of this Citty (not presenting it but sig∣nifying it) serued here vpon earth, at the time when it was to bee discoue∣red, and was called the holy Citty, of the significant image, but not of the expresse truth, wherein it was afterwards to bee stated. Of this image seruing, and of the free Citty herein prefigured the Apostle speaketh thus vnto the Galatians: Tell me you that wilbe vnder the law haue yee not (a) heard the law? for it is written that Abraham had two Sonnes, one by a bond-woman, and the other by a free: But the sonne of the bond-woman was borne of the flesh, and the sonne of the free-woman by promise. This is (b) allegoricall: for these are the two Testaments, the one giuen (c) from Mount Syna, begetting man in seruitude, which is Agar: for (d) Syna is a mountaine in Arabia, ioyned to the Ierusalem on earth, for it serueth with her children. But our mother, the celestiall Ierusalem, is free. For it is written, Reioyce thou barren that bearest not: breake forth into ioye, and crie out, thou that trauelest not without Child, for the desolate hath more Children then the married wife, but wee, brethren, are the sonnes of promise according to Isaac. But as then he that was borne of the flesh, (e) persecuted him that was borne after the spirit, euen so it is now. But what saith the scripture. Cast out the bond-woman and her sonne, for the (f) bond-womans sonne shall not bee heire with the free womans. Then brethe∣ren are not we the children of the bond-womā, but of the free. Thus the Apostle autho∣rizeth vs to conceiue of the olde and new Testament. For a part of the earth∣lie Cittie was made an image of the heauenly, not signifying it selfe, but ano∣ther, and therefore seruing: for it was not ordeined to signify it selfe, but another, and it selfe was signified by another precedent signification: for A∣gar, Saras seruant, and hir sonnewere a type hereof. And because when the light comes, the shadowes must avoide, Sara the free-woman, signifying the free Cittie (which that shadowe signified in another manner) sayd, cast out the bond-woman and her sonne: for the bond-womans sonne shall not bee heire with my sonne Isaac: whom the Apostle calls the free womans sonne. Thus then wee finde this earthlie Cittie in two formes: the one presenting it selfe, and the other prefiguring the Citty celestiall, and seruing it. Our nature, corrupted by sin pro∣duceth cittizens of earth: and grace freeing vs from the sinne of nature, ma∣keth vs celestiall inhabitants: the first are called the vessells of wrath: the last, of mercie. And this was signified in the two sonnes of Abraham: th•…•… one of which beeing borne of the bond-woman, was called Ismael, beeing the sonne of the flesh: the other, the free-womans, Isaac, the sonne of promise.

both were Abrahams sonnes: but naturall custome begot the first, and gratious promise the later. In the first was a demonstration of mans vse, in the second was acommendation of Gods goodnesse.

L. VIVES.

NOt (a) heard] Not read saith the Greeke better, and so doth Hierome translate it. (b) Al∣legoricall] An allegorie (saith Quintilian) sheweth one thing in worde and another in s•…•…ce: some-times the direct contrary. Hierome saith, that that which Paul calleth allegoricall •…•…ere, he calleth spirituall else-where. (c) From mount] So doe Ambrose and Hierome read it. (d) Syna is] I thinke it is that which Mela calles Cassius, in Arabia. For Pliny talkes of a mount C•…•…s in Syria. That of Arabia is famous for that Iupiter had a temple there, but more for Pom∣•…•… tombe. Some thinke that Sina is called Agar in the Arabian tongue. (e) Persecuted] In G•…•…sis is onely mention of the childrens playing together, but of no persecution, as Hierome •…•…eth: for the two bretheren Ismael and Isaac, playing together at the feast of Isaacs wea∣•…•…g, Sara could not endure it, but intreated her husband to cast out the bond-woman & her •…•…e. It is thought she would not haue done this, but that Ismael being the elder offered the y•…•…ger wrong. Hierome saith, that for our word playing, the Hebrewes say, making of Idols, or •…•…ing the first place in ieast. The scriptures vse it for fighting, as Kin. 2. Come, let the children 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and play before vs: whether it be meant of imaginary fight, or military exercise, or of a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fight in deed. (f) Bond-womans sonne] Genesis readeth, with my sonne Isaac, and so doe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…o. but Augustine citeth it from Paul. Galat. 4. 25.

Notes

• Gal. 4. 21 22. 23. 24, 25.
• Isay 54. 1
• The earthly Citty in two formes.
• An allego∣rie.
• Sina th•…•…∣moun.