Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsGenesis 24

The maid to whom I shall say.

Observation of speeches called ominous, which are interpreted to signify good or evil luck, ^[1] are sometimes superstitious & suggested by evil spirits, who now & then telling or insinuating some truth, get credit, & so allure men to attend to such vain, uncertain, and unlawful signs, as S. Augustine testifieth (li. 2. de Gen. ad lit. c. 17. & li. 12. c. 22.) ^[2] Nevertheless such signs are sometimes lawfully observed, & desired from God, as the same Doctor disputeth (li. quest. super Gen. q. 53) & S. Chrysostom teacheth more clearly (ho. 45. in Gen.) likewise S. Theodoret (q. 73. in Gen.) But whosoever will not err in particular cases, must follow either express Scripture, or the judgement of the Church ^{[3] [4]}, which is always directed by the spirit of truth. And touching this prayer of Abraham's servant, & his desire of this determinate sign to know the maid, whom God had provided to be Isaac's wife, the fathers generally hold that it was religious, devout, and discreet ^[5]. For he being careful of his Master's business, and not trusting his own judgement, but relying upon that Abraham had said, Our Lord shall send his Angel before thee, commended so weighty a cause to God by prayer, the Angel suggesting both to him to desire, & to the maid to perform (as the event sheweth) such qualities and virtues in her, as were most agreeable to the great charity and hospitality daily practised in Abraham's house, most convenient and necessary (as he discreetly considered) for that family, and good of many. The like observations were approved in Gedeon ^[6], and Ionathas ^[7]. And to pray for such signs in some case, or for manifest miracles is also approved by the Apostle's example praying God To shew by lot which of the two he had chosen to the Apostleship, in place of Judas. ^[8] And that he would extend his hand to cures, and signs, and wonders, to be done by the name of his holy son Jesus.

• 1 Ominous speeches sometimes superstitious.
• 2 Sometimes lawful.
• 3 Holy Scripture and the Church are judges of doubtful observations.
• 4 Ioan. 14.
• 5 Eliezer's prayer, for a particular sign, was lawful, devout, and discreet.
• 6 1. Reg. 14.
• 7 Act. 1. & 4.
• 8 Iudic. 7.