92 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN. stakes: stretchforth yet to thy righthand and to thy left hand; and thy seed shall possessthe nations,and shall inhabitthe desertedcities.Fear not; because thou shalt overcome : nor be afraidbecause thou art cursed; for thou shaltforgetthy eternalconfusion."1 Thus alsoto Abra ham, when hisformer son was born of a bond-woman, Sarah remained long barren; and latein old age bare her son Isaac,of promise,who was the type of Christ. Thus also Jacob received two wives: the elder Leah, with weak eyes, a type of the synagogue; the younger the beauti ful Rachel,a type of the church,who alsoremained long barren,and afterwardsbrought forthJoseph,who alsowas himself a type of Christ. And in the firstof Kings it is saidthatElkanah had two wives: Peninnah, with her sons; and Hannah, barren,from whom is born Samuel, not ac cording to the order of generation,but accordingto the mercy and promise of God, when she had prayed in the temple; and Samuel being born,was a type of Christ. Also in the firstbook of Kings : " The barren hath borne seven; and she that had many childrenhas grown weak."* But the seven childrenare the seven churches. Whence also Paul wrote to seven churches; and the Apocalypse sets forth seven churches,that the number seven may be pre served; as the seven days in which God made the world ; as the seven angels who stand and go in and out before the face of God, as Raphael the angel saysin Tobit; and the sevenfoldlamp in the tabernacleof witness; and the seven eyesof God, which keep watch over the world; and thestone with seven eyes,as Zechariah says; and the seven spirits; and the seven candlesticksin the Apocalypse; and the seven pillarsupon which Wisdom hathbuildedherhouseinSolomon. 21. That the Gentilesshouldratherbelievein Christ. In Genesis: u And the Lord God saidunto Abraham, Go out from thy country,and from thy kindred,and from thy father'shouse, and go into that land which I shallshow thee: and I will make of thee a great nation,and I will 1 Isa.liv.1-1. s 1 Sam.ii.6.