An Exposition of Hosea 11-13, Exposition · Chapter 12 · Verse 3
VER. 3.
He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his ſtrength had power with God, &c.
THis Prophet enveighing againſt the ſins of theſe ten Tribes, and threatning Judgments in theſe words; He takes away the plea that he ſaw was in their hearts againſt what he had ſaid, We are the children of Jacob, and why do you thus charge us, and threaten us in the Name of God? was not Jacob our Father? As in Chriſts time they pleaded that Abraham was their Father.
Now in theſe words read unto you, the Prophet takes away this plea, and the ſcope of them comes to this, as Scope of the Text.if he had ſaid, you may bleſs your ſelves in that Jacob was your Father, but it will do you little good, for you are a degenerate off-ſpring from him; It's true, God was very gracious to Jacob, and Jacob was very deer to God, it's otherwiſe with you, Jacob worſhiped God after another manner than you do; The Prophet therefore ſets before this people here in the words read, Gods mercy to Jacob, and Jacobs graciouſneſs in his behavior towards God, that he might upbraid thoſe children of Jacob, who walked ſo unworthy of ſuch a gracious Father as Jacob was, that's the ſcope.
Now how this is ſet forth we ſhall ſpeak to preſently, only for the ſcope of the Prophet in theſe three Verſes read unto you we take notice only of this one inſtruction.
That it is a great upbraiding of children that are wicked, to Note.hear of the graciouſneſs of their parents, and ſhould be a matter of much humiliation to wicked children to hear of the relation that their parents had to God, and what worſhipers of God their parents were: children that have had gracious parents ſhould look upon it as a ſhame to them when at any time the graciouſneſs of their parents is but mentioned before them. I remember I have read of a King of Poland, that was wont to carry the picture of his Father in a plate of Gold about his neck, that he had honorable eſteem of, and when he was to do any matter of great importance, he would take this picture and kiſs it, and uſe theſe words, God grant that I may do nothing now remiſly, that I may do nothing now unworthy of my Father; becauſe his Father was ſo good a man. Oh! you that have had gracious Anceſtors, think often of them, and when you are tempted to ſin, think this, Is not this unworthy of my Anceſtors? would they have done thus? Children ſhould ſo walk as the vertues of their Fathers ſhould not die in them, but they ſhould hold them forth. As Ambroſe in an Oration of his upon Ambroſe. Theodotius.the Commendations of Theodotius, ſaith he, Though Theodotius be gone, yet ſurely ſo long as his Son lives, Theodotius will live among us. He meant thus, that the vertues of that vertuous Emperor would certainly live in his Son that was ſo hopeful. Oh! it's an excellent thing when the vertues of gracious parents do live in their Children; and it is a very evil thing when the Parents are dead, yea, and their vertues are dead in reſpect of their children, there's nothing of them appears in them; they love to inherit their Lands and Eſtates, but it was a great deal better to inherit their vertues, and their godlineſs. But the people of Iſrael did not inherit the godlineſs of Jacob, and did not ſo much take to heart the goodneſs of God towards their Father Jacob, that the Prophet doth here now lay open before them, and to that end he makes uſe of three Hiſtories. There is three famous Hiſtories in the two firſt verſes that I have read to you that the Prophet here makes uſe of, and there's much of the mind of God in them, I ſhall open much Three Hiſtorys to explain the Text.Scripture in the firſt two verſes, for they refer unto three Hiſtories that we have in the book of Geneſis.
The Firſt Hiſtory of Jacobs taking his brother by the 1.heel you ſhall find in Gen. 25. 26. He took his brother by the heel.
And then the Second Hiſtory you ſhall find in Gen. 2.32.
And the Third Hiſtory, partly in the 28, and partly 3.in the 35. of Gen.
The firſt is, He took his brother by the heel. You muſt Expoſ. 1.refer to that Scripture in Gen. to know the mind of God in this, there you ſhall find that in the womb of Rebekah there was a ſtriving between Iacob and Eſau, this was before they were born, and at their birth Iacob put his hand out and takes his brother by the heel, from whence he had his name Iacob; that ſignifies a heel, and from thence foreign á foreign ſupplantavit. foreign á foreign operatus eſt.a Supplanter. And Eſau he hath his name of Acting or Doing, he was made a man, that is, becauſe he was hairy when he was born, he was as it were a man already, from whence he had his name Eſau, he is (as it were) a man made in the womb: Saith *Habet nomen à faciendo, hic ille vir qui praeclarè omnia faciet, ut …ulgd dicitur fac totū mirabilit profectò Hiſtoria. Luth.Luther, here's the man that will do all things famouſly; when Eſau was born, and they ſaw him ſo hairy, they thought he was the man that would do very great and famous things in the world, and from thence he had his name Eſau: Now Iacob in his birth he takes this Eſau that every one thought when he was born would have been a famous man, and done famous things, he takes him by the heel: ſaith Luther upon the place, a moſt wonderful Hiſtory, this taking his brother by the heel.
But what's the meaning of this, (you will ſay?) why doth the Prophet inſtance in this? to what purpoſe is Reaſons why the Scripture ſets down Iacobs taking his brother by the heel.this to the ten Tribes, that Iacob took his brother by the heel? what good would this do to the People, that Hoſea was propheſying to? he tells them that their Father Iacob take his brother by the heel? what did he aim at? Was this ſtory to be a means to humble the people for their ſins? how could it do it? Therefore we muſt know that the ſcope & meaning of this great work of God, in taking his brother by the heel, it was this:
Firſt, It ſhewed, That though Eſau was the firſt born, and ſo in an orderly courſe the birthright ſhould have deſcended upon him, and upon his poſterity, for ſo it did, the bleſſing did uſe to go along with the firſt-born, and with their poſterity; in which the firſt-born was a type of Chriſt, who is called, The firſt begotten of all creatures: and the bleſſing upon the firſt born was a type of the bleſſing that we have by Chriſt: Now though this in an orderly way belonged to Eſau, as being the firſt-born, yet Jacob's taking of him by the heel, was a certain token from God that Jacob ſhould ſupplant him, and that he ſhould get the birthright from him, and ſo the bleſſing from him; and in that Jacob ſhould thus get the bleſſing, though he were the yonger, and this ſign was given of it when he was in the womb; this did ſhew the free election of God, that it was through Gods meer free Grace that Jacob had the bleſſing rather than Eſau, and ſo that the poſterity of Jacob were in a better condition than the poſterity of Eſau: It was only the free Grace of God, not from any excellency in Jacob, any worthines in him more than in Eſau, for God ſhewed a ſign of it that he intended good when they were in the womb, before Jacob could do any thing that was good.
Though Eſau was the Elder, ſtronger, hairy, active, ſtout man, and Jacob a plain man, yet Jacob is choſen, Eſau is rejected; and God ſhews the ſign of this, by his taking his brother by the heel. Now this concern'd the people very much, they underſtanding this to be the ſcope of it.
As if he ſhould ſay, What, you are the poſterity of Jacob, and not of Eſau, and you glory in this; Wel, how comes it to paſs there is ſo great a priviledge to the poſterity of Iacob rather than to the poſterity of Eſau? how comes this? Is it not from the free Grace of God in chuſing one rather than the other, & that in the very womb? as in Mal. 1. 2. I have loved you, ſaith the Lord; yet ye ſay, Wherein haſt thou loved us? Was not Eſau Jacob's brother, ſaith the Lord? yet I loved Jacob, and hated Eſau. In this I manifeſted my free love, even unto this people, that though Eſau was Iacob's brother, and eldeſt brother, yet I loved Iacob, and hated Eſau. So in Rom. 9. 11. The children being not yet born, neither having done good or evil, that the purpoſe of God according to election might ſtand; not of works, but of him that calleth. It was ſaid, The elder ſhall ſerve the yonger; as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Eſau have I hated. Now this was to ſhew Gods free grace, that it was in the womb.
If any ſhould ſay, But God foreſaw that Jacob would be Queſt.a better man than Eſau.
I anſwer: If it were of foreſeen works, there were no Anſw.Argument in this to prove Gods free election, but the Apoſtle makes it to be an Argument to prove Gods free election of Iacob rather than Eſau, becauſe he choſe them in the womb.
Luther upon the 25. Chap. of Geneſis hath an excellent Luther in Gen. 25.diſcourſe upon this ſubject, concerning Gods rejecting the pride, pomp and vanity of the world, and chuſing the things that are mean and contemptible in the eyes of the world; and it was an emblem of it, in that God would rather chuſe Iacob the plain man, than Eſau the hunter, and the hairy man: I ſay, it was an emblem of this, That the Lord intends to reject the brave things in the world, the galantry, glory and pomp of the world, and wil rather chuſe the mean and contemptible things of the world: Who can perſwade (ſaith Luther upon the place) the Pope, and Charls the fifth, the French King, and the like, that they being great in the world, yet are contemptible in the eyes of God, and God hath rather choſen deſpiſed and contemptible things than them? And that was the ſcope of the Prophet to humble this people, that they ſhould conſider of the free grace of God towards Jacob.
And we ſhould make uſe of this, We are to conſider the Obſ. 1.free Grace of God how it hath wrought in chuſing our for fathers, and what good we do enjoy by ſuch a choice, we are to acknowledg it to be a fruit of free Grace too; Others were before God as well as our forefathers; as now, when God brought the Goſpel firſt to England, other Nations were before God as well as them, It was meer free Grace that pitcht upon them rather than others, and we enjoy the bleſſing of it to this day, let us not ſin againſt this free Grace of God ſhewed to our Anceſtors.
And more particularly, You that now enjoy great bleſſings from Gods mercies to your Anceſtors either outward or inward, Obſ. 2.you muſt conſider the free Grace of God; as now, ſuch of you as are rich, great in the world; whence is it that your Anceſtors were richer than others, and were not beggers as well as others? Was it not free Grace, free Grace in The free grace of God to our Anceſtors.in the kind of it? it was the free goodneſs of God; Others that had their Anceſtors to be beggers they were before God in the ſame lump with your Anceſtors, and that God ſhould rather pitch upon your Anceſtors to be honorable in the earth and rich, and you enjoy the benefit of it in this world, look to the free goodneſs of God that hath made ſuch a difference between your Anceſtors and others; it may be ſome of you, though you be honorable, and rich, yet your elder Brother might be rejected, and ſometimes Families riſes from the yonger Brother rather than the elder; It was ſo here, Iacob that was the yonger he afterwards came to have the bleſſing, and Eſau rejected. And it may be that the poſterity of the elder Brother proves wicked; it was ſo here, Religion in the Family of Jacob and not in Eſau; look back to this, and ſee what cauſe you have to bleſs God, and how you are engaged to the free Grace of God towards you in regard of your Anceſtors; as here the Prophet would have this people look back to the free Grace of God to their Father Jacob; and that's the firſt thing the Prophet aim'd at.
But in the Second place,
Jacob took his Brother by the heel. That is, as if he ſhould Expoſ. 2.ſay, your Father Iacob he was greedy of the bleſſing, greedy of the birth-right, there was a ſecret in ſtinct of God upon the ſpirit of Iacob when he was in the very womb, to be greedy of the bleſſing of the birthright, and therefore he would do what he could to get it from his Brother, as if the Prophet ſhould ſay, Oh! but you that are his poſterity you are carnal, you do not regard the priviledg of the birthright, you do not regard the bleſſing that comes by it, being carnal you care not which way that goes, ſo be it you may but live and have your eaſe and contentment to the fleſh; Oh! you are not like your Father Iacob that was ſo greedy to have this bleſſing.
We are to make uſe of this for our inſtruction thus, Uſe of Inſtruction.ſome of you that have had your parents very forward in their youth, betimes ſome of your Parents were gracious and godly, were greedy of the things of God, now you ſhould make uſe of that for the humbling of your ſouls, Oh! how negligent have I been? how careleſs is my ſpirit, and ſlight and vain? yea, though I be come to yeers, do little regard that which my Parents were greedy upon when they were very yong. That's a ſecond thing.
And then yet further, Jacobs taking his brother by the Expoſ. 3.heel, in the third place, it was a type of the prevailing of the Church, of the people of God againſt the wicked at laſt; God made Iacob a famous and notable type in this work; That certainly the Saints though they may ſeem to be low and mean for the preſent, yet they ſhall get advantage over the men of the world. The men of the world are ſet out by Eſau, they are ruffling abroad in the world, & of fiery hot ſpirits as Eſau was, & they have great things in the world for a time, and the Saints are under them, as Iacob was under Eſau; but certainly the Saints ſhall prevail againſt all the Edomites, all the Eſaus (as I may ſo ſpeak) there is a time that they ſhall ſupplant them, and get the power over them, this was typified in this work of God upon Iacob in the womb, in taking his brother by the heel, the godly ſhall prevail at length againſt all the wicked and ungodly in the world: You ſhould conſider it, as if the Prophet ſhould ſay to them; you are ſeeking to provide for your ſelves in the ſinful way you are in, Oh! if you did but conſider, that the faithful, though they be perſecuted for a time, what low condition ſoever they are, yet they ſhall get the power over all the great ones in the world, it would be otherwiſe with you than now it is. So we find in Scripture that though indeed the way of the Saints be ſuch as they are kept low for a long time, yet the Scripture tells us, that at length they ſhall have the dominion, in Dan. 7. 18. The Saints of the moſt High ſhall take the Kingdom, and in the 21. verſe, I beheld, and the ſame horn made war with the Saints, and prevailed againſt them, (but how long?) Ʋntil the Antient of daies came, and judgment was given to the Saints of the moſt High, and the time came that the Saints poſſeſſed the Kingdom. And verſe 17. The Kingdom, and Dominion, and the greatneſs of the Kingdom under the whol Heaven ſhall be given to the people of the Saints of the moſt High, There is a time that it ſhall be given to them. And Pſal. 49. 14. The upright ſhall have dominion over them in the morning. This was typified in this notable work of God in Iacob's taking Eſau by the heel to ſupplant him.
Fourthly, Here we may ſee the providence of God, 4.how it extends towards infants, even in the very womb; the very ſtriving of children in the womb is not without providence; there was a mighty providence of God in this, to ſet out the greateſt things of God that are revealed in the Scripture. Now though there be ſuch extraordinary and great things ſet forth by the ordinary ſtirrings of infants in the womb, yet certainly there is no ſtirring of the child in the womb but it is with ſome providence of God, and God he hath his eye upon, and his hand in the working even of the very child in the womb.
And yet further, Luther obſerves the ſecret waies of 5.God in working upon infants, and though they have not the uſe of Reaſon, yet ſaith he, there may be mighty workings of God even upon their ſpirits in a ſecret way that we are not able to underſtand: And upon that occaſion he falls a crying out upon ſuch as do deny baptiſm to them, upon that very ground, becauſe they are not capable of any work of God upon them, and the denying of it upon that ground, he calls it a very odious Odioſum & impium dogma Anabaptiſtarum, qui ideo pueris Baptiſmum negant, quia ſenſu ac mentacareant, nec intelligant quae cum eu aguntur. Luth. in loc. 6.opinion, to think that becauſe of that, they ſhould not have it, for ſaith he, as it is with children, they have their nouriſhment in the womb in another manner than when they are born, and ſo the works of God upon their ſpirits may be ſuch as when they are in the womb, and when they are little ones before they come to the uſe of Reaſon, that may be far different to what the work of God is upon them when they come afterwards to have the uſe of Reaſon.
And then the laſt thing that is to be noted from hence, is this, That men who prove notable in their lives, have many times notable preſages of their notable exploits in their very birth of what they ſhould do after; as it was a notable exploit that Jacob ſhould do in ſupplanting his Brother: By ſome notable providences God ſhews many times what men ſhall do that he chuſes to be eminent in the world; as Moſes, by what was done upon his birth there was a preſage of his ſtrange and wonderful kind of deliverance when he was both, and being brought into Pharaoh's Court: and ſo John Baptiſt a Preſage of what ſhould be afterwards; and ſo other ſtories tell us of men that have been famous for good or evil, there hath been preſages at their birth. I remember it is ſaid of Nero that did ſuch monſtrous things, that when he was born, he was born with his heels forward: and it is ſaid of Dominicus that great perſecuter of the Saints, that when his Mother was with child, ſhe dream'd that ſhe had in her womb, a Wolf with a fire-brand in his mouth, and he even proved to be ſo, for he was one of the firſt that ſtirred up Perſecution againſt the SAINTS by FIRE; and your Papiſts they turn it quite otherwiſe; I remember one of the Papiſts interpreting this providence of God, that the Mother of Dominicus (who was the father of the Dominicans) ſhould have ſuch a dream; it was to S. Dominic. Vt ſplendore ſanctitatis & doctrinae homines toto orbe inflammaret.ſignifie ſaith he, That by the Splendor of his holineſs, and Doctrine he ſhould inflame the whol world, and that was ſignified (ſay they) by the fire-brand in his mouth, whereas experience taught otherwiſe. Now I note this only to ſhew the vanity of mens ſpirits in interpreting waies of providence meerly according to their own humors. And thus much for that notable ſtory of Jacobs taking his brother by the heel. Now follows the next, and that is, —He had ſtrength with God.Text.
Now this ſtory refers to Gen. 32. you ſhall find if you Expoſ. Gen. 32. 31. obſerved.caſt your eyes upon the Chapter before the 31. that God having bid Jacob return into the Land of his Fathers, and to his kindred, he promiſed him that he would be with him in his journy; yet mark, though God had made him go this journy, and had promiſed that he would be with him in the journy, yet Jacob for all that doth meet with as hard things in the journy as almoſt a man can reade, or hear of, that ever man did hear of, or meet with We may be ſorely afflicted in doing that which God commands us. See Judg. 20. 18. & 1 Sam. 4. 1, 2. 10, 11.in a journy or buſineſs that God ſet him about; he had an expreſs command of God to go, and a promiſe of God that he would be with him in the journy; it would ask ſome time to ſhew the many hard things that Jacob met withal in the journy, but among other of the hard things that he met with, this was a very ſad one, that being to go by the Land of Seer, the Country of Edom where his brother Eſau liv'd, he ſent meſſengers before him, not being altogether without ſome fear, that the old grudg that was in the heart of his brother ſtill remain'd, and that his brother might now have an opportunity for to ſatisfie his deſire upon him, and according as he fear'd he found it, for having ſent meſſengers to his brother, they reurn again to him, and bring him word that his brother was coming againſt him with four hundred men in a hoſtile way, ſo manifeſting by the manner of his coming that he did intend miſchief againſt Iacob, in Gen. 32. 6. and now upon this the heart of Iacob was Gen. 32. 6.much diſtreſſed, ſo the text ſaith, That Jacob was greatly afraid and diſtreſſed, vehemently afraid, and great ſtraits was upon his ſpirit; now being in ſo great ſtraights, Iacob ſeeks to provide for himſelf, he did not preſently conclude and ſay, we are utterly undone, but he would ſee what could be done, ſo though he knew the ſury of his brother, yet if it were poſſible but to ſave ſome part of his company he would do it, and ſo he divides them in the way of prudence as might be the beſt way that he conceived for the ſafety of any of them, but though he dealt in a way of prudence for ſafety, yet, That he truſted not to, but ſeeks unto the Lord, he would go to prayer in ſo great a ſtraight and extremity that he was in, for ſo in verſe 24 he had been at prayer, and there he was found alone, which cannot be interpreted to no purpoſe Verſ. 24.but that he might be waiting upon God to know his mind, and to ſeek God. And when he was alone there appeared to him in the form of a man that came out againſt him as an enemy, and as though he would deſtroy him, not only Eſau his brother came out to deſtroy him, but there comes out one wraſtling againſt him as though he intended to deſtroy him likewiſe, and this man that did appear as a man, the truth is, was no other than God himſelf, it was Jeſus Chriſt, and ſo he is call'd an Angel; That it was Chriſt appearing in the form of a man there, taking humane ſhape, it's cleer from verſe 5. for he is call'd Jehovah, and the Lord of Hoſt, and you ſhall find in Gen. 32. that Jacob call'd the name of the Gen. 32. 36. explainedplace Peniel, for ſaith he, I have ſeen God face to face, and my life is preſerved, ſo that Jacob knew before he had done, he knew it was God, God comes and appears againſt him as an enemy even at that time that this holy man Jacob was in ſo great ſtraights as he was, and yet Jacob though God did thus appear againſt him, he did not ſink in his heart, but ſtir'd up all the ſtrength that he had, and wraſtles even with God himſelf thus appearing like an enemy and prevail'd, and had power at length, though one would have thought that there had been enough to have ſunk Jacob's ſpirit, the diſtreſs that he was in at that time, his brother coming with four hundred men ready to deſtroy him, he left alone, one comes and wraſtles with him, yet he had power with God. This is a famous and a notable ſtory as any we have in the old Teſtament.
And for the Firſt, that which is implied here, He had Expoſ. 1power with the Angel, that is, with God, when he came and wraſtled with him in ſuch a time of ſo great extremity.
Oh! I beſeech you obſerve this in the firſt place, This Uſe. 1.is Gods way with his Saints, ſometimes with his beſt and deareſt Saints, that when they are in the greateſt dangers, and in the greateſt afflictions and troubles, God even then comes and ſeems to be an enemy to them at that time; for the time that God came & wraſtled with him, and ſeem'd to be as an enemy to him, it was in the time of the greateſt extremity that one would think it's poſſible for a man to be in, you cannot apprehend greater diſtreſſes, or greater cauſe than there was for the diſtreſ, of Jacob at this time; A poor man with a few women and children and cattel, and having his brother that owed him a grudg, and had ſought his death, to come with four hundred men in an hoſtile way, and he left alone, and at this time God appears like an enemy to him, this was ſad, a very heavie condition indeed. As God did with Jacob, ſo with Chriſt himſelf; when Chriſt was betrayed, God never appeared in outward appearance againſt Chriſt as at that time when his Diſciples left him, juſt in the night when he was to be betrayed then he was in an Agony, and ſweat drops of water and blood, yea, and when he was in the hands of his enemies, and lift up to the Croſs, and made a deciſion to all the world, yet then he cries, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? Forſaken at that time in ſo great a diſtreſs; Jacob in this was even a type of Gods forſaking Chriſt in times of ſuch great diſtreſs. And ſo we find in Job, when he was in ſo great diſtreſſes, yet the terrors of the Almighty were upon him. And Heman, with divers others that we might name: 'Tis a point of very great concernment to us; Oh Uſe. 2. Encouragement to the Saints.be not diſcouraged, be not diſcouraged you that are the people of God, if at any time you be brought into his condition, for Jacob was a type of all the people of God in this caſe, and therefore this ſtory is of very great concernment, Gods waies towards him were a reſemblance of what they are like to be to others afterwards, and to the end of the world, namely this; That the moſt eminent, precious Saints of God muſt not think to be excuſed even from this condition, but when they are brought into the greateſt outward afflictions that poſſibly can be imagined, that God even at that time ſhould appear againſt them like an enemy, Oh! this is the ſaddeſt condition that can be, to any one that hath any acquaintance with God. You ſhall have many poor Servants of God in affliction wil ſay, As for theſe afflictions they are heavy indeed upon me, my Eſtate gon, or Husband gon, or Wife gon, my Friends leave me in this condition, yea, and it may be the hand of God is upon me in ſickneſs, and ſo one trouble after another; Oh! but though theſe are heavy, had I but the light of the face of God upon me it would be nothing to me, had I but thoſe comforts that once I had in the aſſurance of Gods love, it would not be much to me; but when all theſe outward comforts are gone, and I never ſaw God appearing like an enemy to me ſo as at this time, Doth God deal thus with any of his people? Am I not a Reprobate? For God doth uſe when his People are in affliction, then to appear with the light of his face to comfort and encourage them; but he hath not done ſo to me, even at this time I find God more terrible to my ſoul than ever yet I found him, and therfore ſurely I am but a caſt-away: I make no queſtion but ſome of you may know the meaning of ſuch temptations as theſe are in the time of your afflictions, or if you have not known the meaning of them hitherto, you may come to know the meaning of them hereafter; and you that have known, or hereafter if you ſhall know what theſe things mean, Oh! treaſure up this Scripture, it will be worth a world to you, For the Devil wil mightily ſtrengthen himſelf with this, What, are not you a caſt-away? ſurely God hath rejected you, he would never appear againſt you in your afflictions if he had any love to you.
Or you may anſwer the temptation thus:
Yes, yes, I have read in the Book of God, and heard 2.that even thus God dealt with my father Jacob that was ſo precious.
Yea, but was not he in ſome way of ſin?Queſt.
No, he was in the way that God bad him go on in, Anſw.and yet even then when he was in ſo great a diſtreſs, God wraſtled with him, never wraſtled more with him than then, and ſeem'd to come againſt him like an enemy, and ſuch a time as that was, Oh! treaſure up this that your hearts may not ſink in deſpair, in the greateſt afflictions, and ſpiritual diſſertions that are both together.
Only this by the way, —He had power with God.Text.
It appears that when God came thus againſt him to Expoſ. 2.wraſtle with him, God intended no hurt to him, it was but to ſtir up his ſtrength, and to prepare him for great deliverance, and for choice mercies, God at this time did intend to Jacob as great a merciemercy as ever he gave to any of the children of men in this world, and that was this, That he ſhould have ſtrength to prevail with God, and as a Prince to prevail with God, and that he ſhould in this be a type of all his people hereafter that they ſhould prevail with God, that he ſhould have his name changed and be called Iſrael, becauſe he was a Prince prevailing with God, and in this he ſhould be honorable to the end of the world, and be ſet up as a type for the comfort of al the Saints to the end of the world; I ſay, it was as great a mercy as ever any meer child of man had in this world, at this time when Jacob was in the greateſt depth of affliction almoſt as you can conceive a man to be in.
Therefore oh remember this that it is the way of God God ſometimes brings the deepeſt afflictions when he intends the greateſt mercy.when he doth intend the greateſt mercy to any of his people, ſometimes to bring them into the depth of affliction, and therefore do not conclude that never any was ſo afflicted as I have been, why Jacob might have ſaid ſo, and yet at that time God had never greater thoughts of mercy than he had to him then, and therefore remember this again, when ſuch kind of temptations work, never any was ſo afflicted as I have been, grant it, yet it may be there is mercy intended for you at this time, that never yet was granted to any of the children of men before, 'tis poſſible it may be ſo, it was ſo with Jacob, and therefore let not your faith flag.
He had power with God; in this great diſtreſs that he was in he doth not lie down as a man diſcouraged, but Text. Expoſ. 3.he …rs up what ſtrength he had, and he falls a wraſtling, a wraſtling with this man, even with God thus appearing againſt him as an enemy: Oh! thus ſhould the ſeed of Jacob do, you that are the ſeed of Jacob, for ſo ſpecially your praying Chriſtians in time of diſtreſs are call'd by the ſeed of Jacob, [I ſaid not to the ſeed of Jacob, ſeek ye me in vain.] They are not call'd the ſeed of Abraham, but of Jacob, becauſe Iacob was ſo eminent in praying in ſo great extremity, the ſeed of Iacob ſhould do ſo, every little oppoſition that comes upon a ſluggiſh heart, a heart that hath low and mean principles, ſinks him preſently, I ſay, take a man or woman that hath but low and mean principles, every little oppoſition preſently damps his ſpirit and maketh him yeeld and bows him down, and they are ready to ſay al is gone if they are but oppoſed a little; Oh! art thou of the ſeed of Iacob? the ſeed of Iacob ſhould never think their condition to be ſo ſad, but there may be recovery; Is it a great affliction that is upon me? am I in great diſtreſs? let me ſo much the more ſtir up my ſtrength. As I remember it was ſaid of Alexander, that when he was in a great danger, ſaith he, Now there's a danger fit for the mind of an Alexander. So, doth God bring into great ſtraights? now there's a ſtraight fit for a gracious heart, for one that is partaker of the Divine Nature to incounter with; ſtir up therefore what ſtrength thou haſt, do not ſay, I ſhall never be table to overcome this difficulty, do not ſay ſo, for you are not in greater ſtraights than Iacob was at this time, and yet mark, Iacob had power, and ſtirs up his power. It may be you have that ſtrength that will do more than you are aware of, the grace of God is mighty in the hearts of his Saints: Have you never been enabled to do more than ever you thought you ſhould have been enabled to have done? he ſtirs up his ſtrength, he doth not lie down ſullen and diſcouraged; as it's uſual for Chriſtians to do if God doth but afflict them, and ſpecially if he draws but the light of his face a little from them, preſently they lie down diſcouraged, and will not be comforted: Oh! thou doeſt not ſhew thy ſelf to be of the ſeed of Iacob, thou haſt not the ſpirit of thy Father Iacob in thee. By his ſtrength he prevailed with God.
Strength: What ſtrength, you will ſay?Text. Queſt. Anſw.
He had very great bodily ſtrength, he wraſtled partly with bodily ſtrength, as in Gen. 29. 8. 10. you ſhall find that Jacob was a very ſtrong man of his body, for the Stone of the Well that the Shepherds was fain to meet together to roul away, Jacob took it and roul'd it away preſently; but certainly he had ſtrength beyond his ordinary bodily ſtrength at this time, God raiſed a bodily ſtrength beyond what ever he had, and it's like beyond what ever man had before; God raiſed Sampſons bodily ſtrength to be very great, and the power of God was ſeen in that, and may be ſeen much in the elevating of nature in a creature, whereas the Scripture ſaith, The body that is ſown in weakneſs, ſhall riſe in power. I remember 1 Cor. 15. 43Luther ſaith, That mens bodies ſhall be raiſed to that Luther.ſtrength that they ſhall be able to coſs Mountains as a man toſſeth a Ball. And Anſelme hath ſuch an expreſſion Anſelm.tending that way, That the Saints ſhall be ſo ſtrong in the world to come, that if they will they can ſhake the earth at their pleaſure. Surely much bodily ſtrength was here to wraſtle with an Angel; you know the power of an Angel, one, in one night could ſlay above fourſcore thouſand men, and yet here Jacob himſelf wraſtles with an Angel, that is the Son of God, the Second perſon in Trinity, that is the Meſſenger, the Angel of the new Covenant, but eſpecially his ſpiritual ſtrength was great, wraſtling with his ſoul, the wraſtling of Faith that was in his ſoul at that time, that was very great, he had power with his ſpirit when he did prevail.
Now from hence obſerve, That he did prevail with his ſtrength. That when God ſtrives againſt his ſervants he Obſ. 1.gives them ſtrength anſwerable to his ſtriving. Here Jacob, was in great extremity, and God comes and wraſtles againſt him, but God gives him ſtrength proportionable to his wraſtling; Oh! take this for thy comfort and encouragement, Many times thou art ready to reaſon thus, Alas, I am not able to lie under a little affliction, what ſhall I do if I meet with a greater affliction? certainly then I ſhould ſink. Oh! be not diſcouraged with ſuch unbeleeving thoughts, for though thou beeſt weak, and it is as much as ever thou canſt do to ſtand under the burden that there is upon thee, now, it may be there may be greater burdens, but then there may be greater ſtrength; there was anſwerable ſtrength put into Jacob to wraſtle with thoſe difficulties he was call'd unto: He will not ſuffer us to be tempted beyond our ſtrength. And then,
With HIS ſtrength] What, Jacob's ſtrength! Mark, Text.The ſtrength that God puts into us, though it be Gods own, yet when we have it, and work by it, God accounts it as ours, 'tis call'd Jacobs ſtrength, though the truth is, it was Gods ſtrength, God himſelf wraſtling with him gives him ſtrength, and yet he will account it Jacob's own ſtrength.
Further, That's another Note, It's a great honor to manifeſt much ſtrength in prayer in wraſtling with God; this Obſ. 2.was the honor of Jacob, O! with his ſtrength he prevailed with God, a great honor to put forth ſtrength in wraſtling with God even in prayer. We ſhould not come with weak and empty prayers, but we ſhould put forth ſtrength; if a Chriſtian hath any ſtrength in the world for any thing, he ſhould have it in prayer: According to the ſtrength of the fire the bullet aſcends; ſo according to what ſtrength we put forth in prayer it's that we prevail with; this ſtrength of Jacob was a type of the ſpiritual ſtrength that God gives his Saints when they have to deal with him: and we find in the new Teſtament, there's mention of very great ſtrength that the Saints have by the Grace of God; in Epheſ. 3. 16. According Eph. 3. 10.to the riches of his Glory, to be ſtrengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. Mark what expreſſions are here, That they might be ſtrengthened, be ſtrengthened with might, and with might by the Spirit of God, and in the Explained.Inner man; and all this according to the riches of his Glory: This is the ſtrength that a Chriſtian may attain to, I ſay, a Chriſtian may here in this world attain to that ſtrength, as it ſhall appear that there is Might added to Strength, and the Spirit of God to enable him to that Might, and that in the Inner man, and that according to the riches of Gods Glory; ſurely the ſtrength is great that is by the Spirit of God, but ſuch ſtrength as ſhall manifeſt the Glory of the Spirit of God, yea, ſuch ſtrength as ſhall manifeſt the riches of the Glory of the Spirit of God, this is the ſtrength that is attainable for Chriſtians, even here in this world: This is that the Apoſtle praies for the Epheſians. Oh! let us be aſhamed of our weakneſſes ſeeing there is ſuch ſtrength to be had, Jeſus Chriſt is the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah, he hath ſtrength, And of his fulneſs we may come to receive Grace for Grace, Oh! let us not be ſatisfied with faint deſires and wiſhes, when as Jeſus Chriſt is tendered to us as the Fountain of ſtrength.
Now I appeal to you Chriſtians, Do you walk ſo as Uſe.that it doth appear that you have ſuch ſtrength as doth manifeſt ſuch riches of the glory of God in you? And there's another Scripture, Col. 1. 1…. Strengthened (ſaith the text there) with all might, Mark; Strengthened with Col. 1. 11.all might; with all might, according to his glorious power: Thus Chriſtians ſhould ſeek for to be ſtrengthened with enlightned.all might, according to the glorious power of God: To what? Ʋnto all patience, and long ſuffering, with joyfulneſs.
Ʋnto all patience] It may be you have ſtrength to bear ſome afflictions, you have ſome patience; But are you ſtrengthened with all might? and are you ſtrengthened according to the glorious power of God, unto all patience? And it may be for a time you ſeem to have ſome patience; But hath Patience had her perfect work in you? and is it to all long-ſuffering? Though the affliction doth continue a great while, Will you patiently hold out to long-ſuffering, and that with joyfulneſs? This is the glory of a Chriſtian, to have ſtrength with God, the glorious power of God ſtrengthening of them to all might, to all patience, with long-ſuffering, and with joyfulneſs; And with his ſtrength he had power with God, and he prevail'd; he was as a Prince with God, and ſo, that's the word according to the expreſſion, in Gen. 32. 28. For as a Prince he hath power with God; whereas it is ſaid in your books, Gen. 32. 28. OpenedThat with his ſtrength he had power with God, the words may be as well tranſlated, He was a Prince with God; and then foreign Princeps fuiſti.it is repeated, yea, he had power over the Angel, he was a Prince againſt the Angel, and ſo prevailed.
Now the main thing in this expreſſion, That he had power with God as a Prince, and prevailed; The main thing that is held forth, is this,
That the way to prevail with men, it is, to prevail with God: Obſ. 1.This was an evidence to Jacob, that certainly he ſhould prevail againſt his brother Eſau, Eſau came againſt him to deſtroy him, and he was afraid, God gave him a certain evidence that he ſhould prevail, ſaith he, Thou haſt prevail'd with me, and there's no fear of prevailing with all the men of the world, now thou haſt prevailed with God. This indeed were a notable point, if one would ſpeak of this at large, and a very uſeful point in theſe times, That the way to prevail with men, it is, to prevail with God: What's all the powers of men? they are all at the diſpoſe of God; the work is done when thou haſt but prevail'd with God; thou heateſt of great dangers that there are abroad in the world, but do thou get alone in thy cloſet and fall a wraſtling with God, and be wraſtling till thou feeleſt thy faith wraſtling with God, then thou mayeſt come down and conclude the work is done; no men ſhal ever prevail againſt you that have ſo much intereſt with God, theſe may live joyfully in the world, never need fear the power and the rage of wicked men, they have that within them that helps them to prevail with God, and certainly man cannot prevail againſt them. Our rough brethren have come out againſt us, as here Eſau this rough brother of Jacob came out againſt him, and yet Jacob prevailing with God, prevail'd againſt him: And bleſſed be God, that when our rough brethren have come enraged againſt us, there hath been ſome amongſt us have prevailed with God, and by prevailing with God, have prevailed over them, and againſt them: But though we are delivered from theſe rough brethren, yet we have rough ones in another kind ſtill, that are againſt us; Oh, but let us carry our ſelves blameleſly, and inoffencively towards them, that yet behave themſelves roughly and furiouſly againſt us, and ſo ſeek to prevail with them that way, in a conſtant carriage of innocence and blameleſs lives before them, to convince them if it be poſſible of all their miſtakes: But above all, let us ſeek to prevail with God, and then God may turn their hearts, turn the hearts of our rougheſt and furiouſeſt brethren, whoſe mouthes are ſo opened as they are, and whoſe pens do go ſo as they do, let's prevail with God, that ſo at length they may come and fall upon their necks as Eſau did, and to give them the right hand of fellowſhip; it's not impoſſible that ſuch things may be done, ſurely one would not have thought that they that were at ſuch a diſtance as they were, that they ſhould have come ſo together, ſurely we have never provoked our brethren ſo as Eſau hath done Jacob: let's not be troubled more than God would have us, but ſeek God, and wraſtle with God, it's in vain to ſtand wraſtling with them, giving ill word for ill word, and pen for pen, that's not the way, but wraſtle with God, and walk convincingly before them, and ſo you may turn the hearts of our rough brethren, and that in a little time; ſurely it's not more impoſſible to ſoder the ſpirits of brethren that ſeem not to be at ſo great a diſtance and ſo imbittered one againſt another, it is not more impoſſible to ſoder them, than it was here with God to ſoder the ſpirits of Eſau and Jacob, and to have ſuch a comfortable meeting as there was at this time.
In this prevailing of Iacob againſt Eſau we have a type of the Churches prevailing againſt all the ungodly; though the Enemies may be ſtrong and furious, certainly the people of God ſhall prevail. As before in Iacobs taking Eſau by the heel, there was a type that the people of God ſhall ſupplant all the wicked; ſo in Iacob's prevailing at this time, here's a type that certainly the Churches ſhall prevail let men do what they will, and be as bitter as they will, the Iacobs ſhall prevail at length.
Mark yet further, With his power he prevailed even over the Angel.] If you look into the Story you ſhall find that Expoſ.he did prevail, but it was after he had wraſtled a great while; Conſtancie in wraſtling with God will overcome at length, though we do not prevail at firſt, as Iacob did not, but was wraſtling all night, and day broke, and then he prevailed: Oh! be not diſcouraged though you prevail not at firſt. Oh! I have been ſeeking God thus long, and have not prevailed, but go on ſtill, you know not but that may be done in one hour that hath not been done a long time before.
Mark further, Iacob after he was lame prevailed; Iacob Expoſ.had been wraſtling all night, and got nothing, then the hollow of his theigh was toucht and he was lame, now ſurely he will be overcome; ſhall he prevail now? he that could not prevail when he was ſo long and ſtrong he is not like to prevail now, Oh! this is very uſeful and ſeaſonable for us.
That the times for the Churches prevailing, it is the times when they are moſt weake, when they are moſt unlikely to Obſ.prevail, when they are lame, why then is the time for them to prevail; We are ready to think, Oh! if we could not get it when we had ſo much ſtrength, is it like to be done now we have ſo little ſtrength? Now by this Iacob came to be more humbled when his theigh was toucht, ſo that he was lame: God uſes to damp means, and to bring even the ſentence of death before he doth intend to bring the greateſt mercies.
Further, Iacob though he had a ſtrong Adverſary againſt him, and he wraſtled long with him, and he was lame, yet continuing wraſtling, he grew more reſolute towards the latter end than he was before; for you never read of Iacob ſo peremptory before, I wil not let thee go, until thou bleſs me; and that's one thing that's very obſervable for the ſad condition Iacob was in, the hollow of his theigh was toucht, and that likewiſe ſhould have been added, That the Angel would have been gone, God would have been gon and have left him in that affliction, but then Iacob's ſpirit grew up more with a greater reſolution than he had before, I will not let thee go, except thou bleſs me: It ſeems now that Iacob had more ſight of him that he was God than he had before. This ſhould be our way in our dealings with God, that when God brings us in the loweſt condition, and God ſeems as if he would leave us, we ſhould ſtir up our ſpirits then, and be more reſolute and ſtrong than before, Oh! it's time now for the heart to beſtir its ſelf, when God is ready to go away, do not ſay, God will be gone, and therefore link down ſullenly, but it's time for thee then to ſtir up all that thou haſt, and to act faith more then, as if Jacob ſhould ſay, I will try yet one fall more, I will not yield the cauſe yet, certainly I muſt not periſh; as if Jacob ſhould ſay, it's true, all things ſeem againſt me, as if I ſhould be deſtroyed, but it muſt not be ſaith Jacob, Faith begins to ſtir, Hath not God bid me come here? have I not the Word of God for it? did not God ſay, he would do me good in this journy? and though it's true, the providence of God ſeems to work againſt me, but yet the Word of God works for me, and I will try whether ſhall prevail, Gods Word, or Gods Providence: thus Jacob wraſtles, I will not let thee go, as if he ſhould ſay, I have the Word for what I do, and God hath bound himſelf by Covenant, and ſo long, though Heaven and Earth meet together, although I ſee my brother coming againſt me, and God departing from me, and all threatning ruin, yet I will beleeve ſtill that there is mercy for me; This was Jacobs laſt turn (as I may ſo ſay) as the trying as it were the laſt fall in this his wraſtling, in oppoſing the Word that he had, with the Work of God towards him: And this is a Note of very great uſe in al our conditions, let us not lay ſo much weight upon any Work of God as upon the Word of God, let us build upon the Word rather than fear the Works, for it hath been the uſual way of God when he hath given out a Word, that his Works have ſeem'd to go quite croſs, as not only in our father Jacob, but even in our father Abraham, What was the Word of God to Abraham? There was two promiſes by God made to Abraham, one was this, Two Promiſes to Abrahā. 1. 2.That he would bring him into a Land that flowed with milk and hony. And a ſecond, That he would make his ſeed as the Stars in the Firmament. Wel, here was Gods Word, But how was Gods Work? The very next thing that you hear of him, he was carried into Canaan, after he had left all his friends and was ready to ſtarve preſently, now the word is, Thou ſhalt be brought into a Land that flows with milk and bony; and aſſoon as ever he comes into that Land he was ready to ſtarve. Here's a Land indeed!
And then a ſecond Promiſe of having his ſeed as the 2.Stars of Heaven; Abraham was twenty five yeers after this before he had any one child of the Promiſe, and he grew old, and alſo his wife: Well, he had at length one, and God commands him to kill that one, to ſacrifice that one; But what a work is here? how quite contrary to the Word? Well he was ſaved; and Iſaac is forty yeers before he marries; here's ſixty five yeers gone from the promiſe, and there's but even one of his ſeed that muſt be as the Stars of Heaven, at length Iſaac marries and he was twenty yeers without a child, here's eighty five yeers and but only one birth from him; yea, and after that the ſtory will make it out, that Jacob was above fourſcore yeers before he married and had any children, there's between eight and nine ſcore yeers gone, and here's but only Iſaac and Jacob. How doth the Work of God ſeem againſt his Word in appearance? It's the way of God, and therefore let us never trouble our ſelves about Gods Works; he came indeed afterwards with his Works and fulfilled his Word to the uttermoſt, but for the preſent it ſeem'd to be againſt it. Oh! lay up this as a leſſon, you will have uſe of it many, and many a time. It follows. With his ſtrength he prevailed.Text
Prevailing at laſt will recompence all our ſtrivings; Jacob Obſ.was fully recompenced; here he ſpeaks in a way of recompence of Jacob after his ſtriving, Oh! it was a hard wraſtling, I, but he prevail'd at length. And ſo it will be with all the people of God, let them go on and wraſtle, and though things be hard for the preſent, when mercy comes it wil pay for all: Oh! thou wilt hereafter ſee no cauſe of repenting that ever thou did eſt continue in this wraſtling with God, Oh! thou wilt ſee cauſe to bleſs God: bleſſed be God that kept up my heart all this while; Oh! God knows that many times it was ready to ſink, and if I had left off, what had become of me? I had loſt the mercy that now I find; but I continued through Gods mercy, and now he is come, he is come at length; Prevailing recompences all our labor and trouble Prevailing recompences al our labor in ſeeking.in ſeeking.
Well, he prevail'd, but what's this to this people of Iſrael? Thus; this was to ſhew, the baſe degenerateneſs of this people, as if he ſhould ſay, Oh! of what a brave ſpirit was your Father Jacob, but you, you are a baſe people, you baſely ſubject your ſelves to Heathens, to Idols; your father was of a brave ſpirit indeed, and would not have ſubjected himſelf to any creature in the world, yea, he would wraſtle with God himſelf when he had his Word for it; Oh! but it is otherwiſe with Jacob's poſterity, you can crouch to every baſe thing, you will crouch to the humors of men in the Worſhip of God, and do any thing to ſave your skin ſaith he, you are unworthy to be counted of the poſterity of Jacob: that's the meaning of the Prophet here: Jacob's poſterity indeed they ſhould be prevailers upon the world, above temptations, it's unſeemly for one of the ſeed of Iacob to yeeld to the baſe luſts, and the humors of men; what, ſhall we yeeld to a baſe luſt when Iacob would not yeeld to the Almighty, but prevail'd with him? are we of the ſeed of Iacob now? Oh! we are of low, mean ſpirits, led aſide of every vanity, and overcome with every difficulty. But how did he prevail? in what way did he put forth this his ſtrength? It follows;