Ten Sermons, Collection of sermons · Sermon 2
JACOB and ESAU.
SERMON II.
Genes. xxvii. 35.
And he said, Thy Brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy Blessing.
THis day I am to tread in a Path little trodden before, a slippery narrow Path between two downfals; The one, to reject a saving mystery, seeing it attended with fraud: The other, to justifie the fraud, because it is joyned with a mystery; and thereby to learn to do evil that good may come. The Lord so assist me with his good Spirit, that, keeping the right Path, I may come to the true end, which in this Text, as in the whole labour of our hope, is the heavenly blessing: A blessing which ye ought to consider with more attention, because it was for you that Jacob got it; You, I say, his Sons and Heirs, the Israel of God, who are entred into all the rights of the Jews, his rejected children. They indeed, poor people, set forth still their title to the blessing, whilest others have the Possession. But it belongs to them to look to the title that have the Inheritance.
See then here a most ancient Title of your Covenant with God, and so diligently attend it, that you may get the Blessing with Jacob.
The words of the Text bear a double sense; of the Letter and of the Figure.
The literal sense, being a Plea, would have two questions resolved, of the Fact and of the Right.
The Fact consisteth in these five Particulars:
I. The Parties, Jacob and Esau, implyed in these words, Thy brother.
II. The thing sued for, The blessing.
III. The Judge in the suit, Isaac their Father: It is he that speaks here.
IV. The issue of the suit, Jacob took away the blessing.
V. What proceeding Jacob used to get it: Subtilty, and a forcible one, intimated in the word, took away: And Isaac said to Esau, Thy Brother came with subtilty, and took away thy blessing.
I. The Parties are first to be considered. Two Brothers, Esau and Jacob, for Esau was the Eldest by nature; but now, Jacob and Esau, for Jacob was made the eldest by the blessing. Two Brothers, two Twins, but two Enemies, that struggled together in the very Womb. So their quarrel was more ancient than their birth, and was seen in their birth; for Esau being come forth the first, Jacob was hard at his heels, yea and took hold of them, because he was to trip up his heels. No couple nearer in blood, none more different in nature. Esau red and hairy, Jacob white and plain: The first a great hunter, a Man of the Field: The other living in Tents, keeping at home. And as they were different in their inclinations, they were differently beloved of their Parents. The eldest was the beloved of his Father; for Venison was his Fathers meat. The youngest, as living more in his Mothers eye, was the darling of his Mother, but, which is more, he was the beloved of God. I loved Jacob, and hated Esau, saith God, Mal. 1.2.
II. The thing sued for between these two Brothers, was the blessing, their Fathers blessing and Gods too. They could not have the one without the other. Let Children make much of their Parents blessing, God's blessing doth most times go along with it. Though it be not tied to it, you shall seldom see that Child blessed, from whom the Parents have withdrawn their blessing.
That which these Parties contended for, was an especial blessing which went along with the birthright. Wherefore Isaac said to his eldest Son, Thy Brother hath taken away thy blessing, the blessing that belonged to thee as the first-born. Let us then search what was, and wherein consisted the birth-right here in question.
The birth-right is the most ancient of all rights next to that of Marriage. For as to the first Wife, God said, Thy desires shall be to thy Husband, Gen. 16.and he shall rule over thee. So to the first elder Brother, God said, Ʋnto thee shall be thy Brothers desires, Gen. 4.7.and thou shalt rule over him.
In the Line of Abraham the birth-right included four blessings.
The first, the dominion over the younger Brothers, which was also a Law for all the World, as it appeareth in the alledged words of God to Cain. David was great in Saul's Court, and General of the Armies; yet Jonathan excused David's absence to the King, because his elder Brother had commanded him to come to a Sacrifice. This dominion of the Elder is a natural Law, which stands in force still. And as it was the beginning, it is still the ground of Monarchies.
A second Blessing of the Eldership was the Priesthood. God said to Moses, Numb. 3. I have taken the Levites instead of all the first-born of Israel; because before that time all the first-born in Israel were Priests, and God then began to confine the Priesthood to the Family of Levi. It is the exposition of St. Hierome and Rupertus. In old time the firstborn of Kings were Priests; In our days the youngest of the meanest Houses are cast upon Gods service, Elder Brothers and great Houses despise it.
The Rabbins are of opinion that Jacob saying to Esau, sell me thy birth-right, would buy of him his Robe of Priest; And that Esau's Garment, which Rebekka put over Jacob when he stole the blessing, was that Priestly Robe.
God owned an especial right in the eldest.Numb. 3. All the first-born are mine, said he: Accordingly all the first-born of clean Beasts were sacrificed to God. And the first-born of Men and unclean Beasts were redeemed with a Sacrifice. Note also that before the Priesthood was bestowed upon the Tribe of Levi, all the first-born in Israel were Priests. All this prefigured the first-born of God, the blessed Jesus, who for the sins of the World was both Priest and Sacrifice.
A third Blessing of the birth-right was the double portion. It was the order set down by God, Deut. 21. A Man shall give to his first-born a double portion of all that he hath.
And in that especial Line whence the Messias is descended, there was a fourth blessing going along with the birth right, which was the Covenant of the blessed Seed, the inheritance of this promise to Abraham; In thy Seed shall all Nations be blessed: And to Eve before; The Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head.
These four Blessings are evident and distinct in the partage between Jacob's Children. For Reuben the Eldest being turned out of his natural right, by reason of his unnatural irreverence against his Father, his Incest with his Mother-in-Law: his right of eldership was shared among his Brethren; Levi had the Priesthood, Joseph the double portion; for in the division of Canaan he had two Lots for his two Sons, Ephraim and Manasse. Juda had the two other blessings of the birth-right, the Rule over his Brethren, in the Persons of those glorious Kings, David and Solomon; and more yet in the Person of the most Holy and Mighty, the Lord Jesus, God blessed for ever more.
In this Lord Jesus meet again the four Blessings of the Eldership which had been disjoyned ever since Jacob's death, that he might be the first-born among many Brethren; so St. Paul termeth him, Rom. 8.29.
He had the dominion, Thou sayest that I am a King; Joh. 18.37.For that end was I born, saith he himself.
He had the Priesthood. A great part of the Epistle to the Hebrews is employed to shew that to him belongeth the Prophetical declaration of the 110. Psalm. Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck.
He had the double portion, Jews and Gentiles, Heaven and Earth. I shall give the Heathen for thine Inheritance, and for thy Possession the uttermost parts of the Earth: Psal. 2. And so for measure of Graces, He was anointed with oyl of gladness above his fellows, Psal. 45.
And lastly, himself was the blessed Seed, the Prince of the Covenant; And his bloud was called by himself, the blood of the new Testament. Matth. 26.In him all the promises of God are Yea and Amen, saith St. Paul; 2 Cor. 2.20.that is, in him and by him all the promised blessings are made good unto us. Now you see what a great matter was in question between these Suitors for the blessing, no less than the Dominion, the double portion, yea, and the Holy Priesthood, and the Covenant of Grace.
III. In that Suit so important, they had their Father for their Judge, who had the blessing in his keeping, and made himself sure that he had it in his disposing; But it proved otherwise. It was not Man's blessing, but Gods; and therefore not to be disposed by Man's passion, but by God's disposition. That blessing he himself had obtained by Gods disposition over his Brethren, Children of Hagar & Keturah: That blessing he must now leave behind him, but still by the same disposition; Which, if he neglect, God will find a way that by him, though against his will, the blessing may be conveighed where Gods open Decree had pointed before his Sons were born. The good Man is blind; He seeth not what he doth, and doth not what he would do. A pregnant instance that Mans will, though never so unwilling, serveth for the execution of God's will. There are many devices in a mans head: Nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.
IV. That permanent counsel of the Lord which maketh way to it self through the contrariety of Mens counsels, is eminent in this issue of the Suit. For who prevailed? Jacob. He hath taken away thy blessing, saith the Father to Esau; And yet to Esau the Father intended the blessing. Never was the like judgment. The sentence was given in favour of Esau, and yet by the same sentence he was rejected. The blessing given unto Esau's right lights upon Jacob's Person. A strange issue of a judgment, and the proceeding's no less strange.
V. The proceedings, how Jacob got the blessing, are termed, by our version, subtilty. Wherein our Translators have minced a little the original foreign which signifieth a downright fraud: Of the carriage of that fraud the History is known; How Isaac, old and blind, willing to set his House in order before he died, commanded his beloved Son Esau: Take I pray thee thy Weapons, thy Quiver and thy Bow, and go out to the Field, and take me some Venison; And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat, that my Soul may bless thee before I dye.
The Mother hearing this, and having more inclination for Jacob, bends all her wits, and immediately performeth in his favour all that a Mothers care and a Woman's quickness can possibly imagine. As soon as Esau's back is turned, she dresseth two Kids Venison-like, bids Jacob to present them to his Father, and ask his Blessing, encouraging him by her authority, and her taking the whole fault and danger upon her self. Now because Esau was all hairy, she puts the Kids Skins about the Neck and Hands of Jacob, that he might feel rough like his Brother. With these Mittains made in haste, and a Garment of Esau's, he was disguised enough to cozen a blind Man. Thus attired he goeth to his Father, presents his savoury Meat, and desireth to be blest. But having almost betrayed himself with his speech, he mends the matter by giving his Hands to feel, and his Garment to smell. Then the good Man kisseth him, takes his false Venison, and giveth him a true blessing; and in that blessing all the rights of the Eldership.
Scarce was the blessing given, and Jacob gone, but in comes Esau with his Meat after Dinner. Isaac hearing the true Esau's voice, trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? Where is he? that hath taken Venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed.
After this all the wailings and bitter cries of Esau will not serve. Jacob is blest by his Father, and by God through him; Esau excluded, and made his Brothers Servant. Lachrymae movent, sed nihil promovent. He found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears, saith the Apostle to the Hebrews: Heb. 12.17Where you must understand the repentance of his Father, not his own, as many expound it; for whosoever seeketh repentance, finds it, and hath repented already. And here is, by the way, the clearing of a Text misunderstood. Now you see the case opened, you have all the informations of the Suit, and I ahve done with the matter of the Fact.
Now followeth the matter of the Right: A matter of great difficulty, which no Author either Ancient or Modern hath sounded to the bottom, for any thing that ever I read. Truly if the World were wise, it should be left untoucht: We should content our selves to know that God would have that end, and leave the means untoucht. But because men have stirring wits, prone to abuse the examples of holy Fathers to justifie their wrong dealings, the question of right must be handled with all possible modesty, and four difficulties must be cleared.
The First is, Whether the proceeding of Jacob was just. The Jesuits justifie it, to defend the doctrine of Aequivocations. And while they commend it, yet they call it a lye; They justifie wrong dealings for good ends, calling them pious frauds, and officious lies. Pererius and Lapide call this action of Jacob, dolum bonum, a good fraud; a doctrine fitter for the Disciples of Plato, than for those of Christ: So, whether Jacob's action was good or evil, they run into the curse pronounced, Isa. 5.20. Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil. For if this action was pious, it was not a fraud; and if it was a fraud, it was not pious.
We ought indeed to speak with respect of such a great Patriarch: But the more the Person is holy and illustrious, the more heed ought we to take that his actions be not used to authorize foul dealing, or to colour it with a good intention, and to teach to do evil, that good may come.
Four Reason may be alledged for Jacob's proceeding.
I. That before he was born, God had adjudged to him the preheminence.
II. That Esau had sold him his birth-right.
III. That his Mother had commanded him to do as he did.
IV. And that she had taken upon her self the curse that might follow.
Whence these Inferences are drawn, That since both his Father and his Brother opposed Gods declared will, they deserved to be cosened. That although they were circumvented, Jacob took nothing but his own, given by God, and confirmed by Esau himself. That Jacob being under authority, seeing his right eclipsed, and himself overawed with power, had no way but subtilty to get his right, of which he should have been debarred without remedy, if he had demanded it openly. Also that he could not do amiss while he followed his Mothers directions, whom God had immediately informed of his will, which made her so confident to take all the fault and danger, if any was, upon her self.
These Reasons may pass for excuses, not for justifications.
I. As for the first Allegation, That God had adjudged the preheminence to Jacob before he was born, it is not simply true, for these Reasons.
1. That this declaration of God, Gen. 25. that the elder should serve the younger, was not a command, but a prophecy; whereby Rebekka and Jacob were no more authorized to divest Esau of his right, than do drown him, if they had had a revelation that he should be drowned.
2. But here is more; for the prophecy was not of the Persons of the two Brothers, but of their descent. It is plain in the Text, Gen. 25.23. The Lord said unto Rebekka, Two Nations are in thy Womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels, and the one people shall be stronger than the other people, and the elder shall serve the younger. It is known that Esau never was a Servant to Jacob. We read the clean contrary, Gen. 33. that whereas Esau calls Jacob Brother, Jacob calls Esau his Lord, and himself his Servant. Esau was chearing up and advancing himself by his Father, and with his Wives, whilest poor Jacob was twenty years drudging in Padan-Aram. And for two or three hundred years after, the Seed of Esau reigned and flourished in Seir, while the Seed of Jacob was kept under in Egypt, or wandering in the Wilderness, or fighting for their Habitation. Neither were the Idumeans made tributary to Israel before David's time, eight hundred years after this prophecy: Then, and not before, was the Prophecy fulfilled, made of their descent, not of their Persons, The elder shall serve the younger.
3. Esau was by nature invested with all the rights of the eldership; God had made him the eldest in effect. This was to Jacob an obligation to reverence. Esau's eldership was a divine declaration of his present right, God's revelation to Rebekka was but a prediction of what his Posterity should be. The Will of God's command must not be confounded with the Will of his Decree. The first we must seek to know and to do; the second we must leave unto God. Neither must we meddle with the execution of the Decree, but when the decree and the command go together, as when God commanded Jehu to execute his decree upon the House of Ahab. But such examples were rare. For God's providence doth commonly employ mens actions and intentions without declaring to them his purpose. He declared to us by his word what he will have us to do, not what he intends to do. God's declaration to Rebekka, that the elder shall serve the younger, belonged to the will of his decree, and had no Commandment annext to it. But the natural eldership of Esau was an open declaration of the first will, that will of the command, that sentence given between the two first Brothers of the World, That the elder should rule over the younger. That first will, Rebekka and Jacob ought to have regarded, and left to God the execution of the second.
David a great Heir of their blessing, was more proficient in that doctrine: He had been anointed King by Samuel from his youth. That was a declaration of the will of God's decree: But because there was no command joyned with it, he never made any attempt either upon the King or the Kingdom, although he had the hearts of the People, and the Armies under his command. Even when he was persecuted by Saul, brought to great extremities, and tempted with the opportunity of killing Saul, he still remembred that the fifth Commandment of God's Law obliged him to respect and preserve that Enemy, who was his Sovereign and his Father-in-law. And whereas it was God's decree and promise to make him King over Israel, he wisely considered that it was God's part, not his, to fulfil it; and to God he left it, who also brought it to pass in his good time.
But Rebekka and Jacob did confound these two Wills. They transgressed God's command to execute his Decree, which was doing God's will against his will, and going about to help God whether he would or no. Whereas had they left it to God, no doubt but that he would have fulfilled his promise in due time: And the elder served the younger never the sooner for their hastiness. He that believeth, shall make no haste, Isa. 28.
This doctrine is of great use. It is Gods decree and promise, that his Kingdom shall come. Wherefore Christ commands to pray, Thy Kingdom come. But it is our duty to do his command. Wherefore he commands us to pray, Thy will be done. Let us not interfere these two Petitions of the Lords Prayer. Let not the hastiness of our zeal to make God's Kingdom to come, cast us upon transgressions of his revealed will. That would be open hostility against his Kingdom. Be ye sure that the Kingdom of God, which is righteousness, peace and joy, through the Holy Ghost, seeks not to be establisht by unrighteous and destructive ways.
God indeed advanceth his Kingdom through the wickedness of Men. But they that are thus instrumental in the advancing of God's Kingdom, have no share in it; as the builders of Noah's Ark were not received into it, but perished in the Flood. Such as have done evil that good might come, soon or late have got confusion by it.
II. The second excuse employed to justifie Jacob's dealing, is, That his Brother had sold him his birth-right, which is maintaining one wrong by another. For, in that bargain, Jacob was in fault as well as Esau, to have bargained for such a holy thing as the Royal and sacerdotal Birth-right: and it is a measuring Cast, whether it was more sacrilegious to sell or to buy such a sacred thing.
In that bargain Jacob was more guilty in five respects.
1. Because he made the first motion.
2. No man that hath his senses about him, will believe that a birth-right of that nature and consequence could be purchased with a mess of Lentils. It is a civil Law consonant to the Natural, That a bargain under the half of the just value is of no force; Si infra dimidium, invalidum. The precious holy birth-right had been too enormously undervalued.
3. It was a surprise, not a legal and lawful contracting, Jacob having taken advantage of the hunger and faintness of his Brother, who was so spent, and so out of himself, as to say, Behold I am at the point of death, What profit shall this birth-right do to me?
4. It was a bargain of a thing that was not in their power. A Contract between Sons under authority, without the consent of their Father, whose will could not be tied by their particular conventions. And if they could not dispose of their Fathers blessing, much less of that of God.
5. And finally, Jacob shewed that he mistrusted that title, else he would have pleaded it before his Father. He that stealeth that which he pretendeth to be his, brings thereby his right in question.
Truly that profane contempt wherewith Esau cast away his birth-right, declareth him worthy to lose it; but declareth not Jacob worthy to have it, nor conferreth any right upon him.
III. The third excuse to justifie Jacob's action, is of less weight, That he did nothing but by his Mothers command; for his Mothers was not grounded upon God's command. To obey his Mother, he should not have abused his Father, and circumvented his Brother: He was come to age to be wise without his Mothers consent. Adam sinned, though by his Wife's instigation.
IV. The fourth excuse is yet more frivolous, That Rebekka had taken upon her self all the curse. She might indeed have drawn a curse upon her self; but to exempt her Son from it, was more than she could do. Christ is the only Person that ever had the power to take upon himself the sin of others, and by making himself guilty, to make them guiltless. The very fear which Jacob exprest to his Mother, to get a curse by that action, was an argument of his conscience against him.
But Jacob's experience will shew the right or the wrong of that reason. Let us see then what Jacob got by this subtilty.
Observe how Laban paid him in the same coyn, for this is a great instance of God's justice and wisdom. As he had deceived both his Father and his Brother with a false name, now he is deceived in a Wife under a false name, and to a supposititious Esau was given a supposititious Rachel; for in the morning, behold it was Leah: He had born himself for the elder Brother, being the younger; Now he hath the elder Sister put upon him instead of the younger: Since he is so greedy of eldership, he shall have enough of it, even the elder Daughter, whether he will or no. How is he punisht in the very kind in which he had offended? Thus he that leadeth into captivity, shall be led into captivity. He that killeth by the sword, shall be killed by the sword. He that dealeth treacherously, shall be treacherously dealt withal. As a Man offendeth, so shall he be punisht. Let every Man's conscience apply this doctrine, and tremble. Joseph's brethren in Egypt seeing themselves doomed to be Captives, called to mind that they had sold their Brother captive into Egypt. Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it, saith God, Micah 6.9. Who so will hearken to the several rods of God to him, shall find in them feeling applications.
Hosea in the 12. Chap. had regard to this History, when rebuking the Israelites under their Fathers name, he saith, That God would recompence Jacob according to his doings. That Jacob was a merchant, with balances of deceit in his hands. He mentioneth also how Jacob fled into the Countrey of Syria, and how Jacob served for a Wife, and for a Wife he kept sheep.
What a long and toylsome service had he with Laban! How soon after he had laboured to make himself a Ruler, was he made a Servant! As he fled from his Father's house, so He flieth from that of his Father-in-law's. Laban overtaketh him with an Army, and Esau meets him with another. He boweth before his Brother, whom he had circumvented, and lordeth him that was made his servant by the Blessing.
And it is most remarkable that in this meeting, Jacob makes homage of his blessing unto Esau: for bestowing a great Present of Cattel upon him, he saith, I beseech thee take my blessing which is brought unto thee.
But the passage of Jacob's life which most maketh to this purpose, is, the wrestling of God with him the Night before he met with his Brother whom he had so highly offended, who was coming in such a posture as shewed an intention to be revenged. For God would shew him, that to secure himself against his Brother's strength, whom he had defeated of his right by his subtilty, he had need to have his blessing ratified by better ways. God shewed him by wrestling with him, that to prevail indeed with his Brother, he must prevail with God, whom he had made his adversary, as far as in him was. Which Jacob in the end acknowledging, grew violent in his zeal, and would not let that wrestler go, till he had got his blessing. I will not let thee go (said he) unless thou bless me. He learned in the anguish of his Soul, and weariness of his Body, that to get that Sacred mysterious blessing, he had need of better ways than subtilty. He must wrestle, tug, weep, and make supplication, before he could get it confirmed.
It is true, that since that subtilty God had blest him at Bethel. But it is not the first nor the last time, that God poured blessings upon his Children after their great and unrepented sins, and yet found a time afterwards to make them sensible of their old sins, by some pressing and speaking Judgments.
Let this be said, saving the respect due to that holy Patriarch, a figure of Christ, and one of our Fathers in the Faith. A holy Man, whose Example we ought to follow, not in his wrestling with his Brother by fraud, but in his wrestling with God, by prayers, patience, and perseverance in goodness. These are the ways whereby he prevailed with God, as it is exprest by Hosea 12.4. He had power with the Angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication. Let us learn of him then to hold God the fastest when he striketh; To seek the Lord that hideth his face from the House of Jacob: then (I say) to seek him with an humble earnestness and importunity, and not to let him go till he hath blest us: Let us (as he did) banish all the reliques of Idolatry from our Families, so walking before him unto all pleasing, with faith and holiness, that at our last hour we may say with confidence and joy as he did, I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord. So much for the first difficulty.
But out of the solution of this first difficulty, three more do arise.
First, How such a great blessing comprehending the holy Priesthood, and the Covenant of Grace, could be purchased by fraud?
Then, How Isaac, knowing how he had been abused, did not declare that he would have Esau blest according to the true intent?
And lastly, How the blessing gotten under the name and right of Esau, did not light upon him? For Jacob by asking the blessing in his Brother's name, did acknowledge that the blessing belonged unto his Brother.
As for the first Objection, we answer it by denying that the holy blessing was gotten by fraud. Not his fraud, but the love of God got him the blessing, I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau, saith God, Mal. 1.2.
And it was not for his subtilty that he loved Jacob. Dilexit in eo Deus non culpam quam delebat, sed gratiam quam donabat, saith Austin. God loved the Man, and forgave the sin, yet not without chastening. Let so much bloud, shame and calamity, as attended his House, fright him that would purchase good ends by bad means: Truly when I look upon the hideous face of Jacob's Family, I must look for the full effect of this great blessing, many Generations after him.
For the second difficulty, Why Isaac knowing that he had blessed the Younger brother instead of the Elder, did not declare that he would have the Elder blessed according to his true meaning, but said of Jacob, I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed. The solution is, That Isaac was a Prophet, and when he gave the blessing he was possest with the spirit of Prophecy. And when he knew his mistake, he knew also that in the Spirit of God there could be no mistake, and that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance—: Yet by that exceeding great trembling of his, when Esau came to him to ask the blessing, it seems that his inclination towards his elder Son was striving against that prophetical knowledge, but that God kept him with a strong hand from revoking. And perhaps therefore when Jacob, contending with Laban, sware by the fear of his Father Isaac, he meant that exceeding great trembling of his Father, when the Spirit of God stood strongly for him against his Fathers inclination.
But now for the third difficulty, why the blessing, gotten under the name and by the rights of Esau, lighted nevertheless upon Jacob; I confess I see no humane reason. It is certain that if the cause could have been tried in a Court of Law or Equity, Jacob should have been cast. If by vertue of another Man's name and right I receive money, the money is his, not mine.
Well, we have spun reason to the last thred, and here it faileth. How shall we be resolved? Ʋbi desinit ratio, fides incipit. Faith must come to the supply of reason: Then, since the literal sense of this history cannot resolve this difficulty, let us consult the figurate sense. There we shall find the resolution, foreign, saith Chrysostom upon this place: Consider not meerly what is done, but what end God's providence did intend in it.
The Figure.
Because these two Considerations, the Letter and the Figure, are very remote the one from the other; Give me leave to set here a middle Contemplation, as a Bridge between both: How can a fraudulent Action be full of divine mystery? Indeed that these two may be together, I will prove by Example, but by Reason I cannot.
The Example of Caiaphas is illustrious to this purpose: He was a wicked Man, and had the chief voice in condemning Christ; And yet that wicked sentence of his had in it the Spirit of prophecy. This is plain from Joh. 11.49. One of them called Caiaphas, being the High Priest that same year, said, Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man dye for the people, and that the whole Nation perish not: Then St. John addeth, And this spake he not of himself, but being the High Priest that same year, he prophesied, that Jesus should dye for that Nation, and not for that Nation only, but that he should gather together in one the Children of God that were scattered abroad. There you have together the wicked meaning of Caiaphas, and the sacred meaning of the Holy Ghost, and with Satans motion the conduct of God's Spirit. Thus in Sampson's taking a Wife among the Philistins, there is together a disobedience to God's express command, and a mysterious figure that Christ should get to himself a Spouse, that is, a Church, among the Gentiles.
Likewise in the history which we have now in hand, there is together Jacob's Subtilty, and God's Mystery; a fraudulent, but yet a Prophetical proceeding. Little thought the Roman Souldiers by casting Lots upon the Robe of Jesus, and by piercing his side, to fulfil Prophecies; or the Jews by the murthering of him, to work for the Worlds Salvation. Little thought Jacob by his subtilty to give a figure of that Salvation. Mysterium fuit ex parte Dei, sed mendacium ex parte Jacobi; At mysterium non excusat mendacium, cum Jacob ignoraverit mysterium. A Text of St. Austin, whereby God gave me the greatest light in this matter. It was (saith he) on God's part a mystery, but on Jacob's part a lye: yet the mystery doth not excuse the lye, since Jacob was ignorant of the mystery.
Having thus made way to the figure of this history, I find in it four Mysteries.
I. The first, that Esau was a figure of the Jews, Jacob of the Gentiles. For as Esau was turned out of his birth right, and Jacob admitted into it; So the Jews, the eldest in the Covenant, were deprived of their eldership; and the Gentiles, the younger People, yea that were accounted no people, were received into that right, according to Christ's sentence, the first shall be last, and the last shall be first. And as Jacob was blest by the name of Esau; so are the Gentiles under the name of Israel. Wherefore the converted Gentiles are called the Israel of God, Gal. 6.16. and the Believers the seed of Abraham, Rom. 4.16.
II. The second mystery is, that the spiritual saving blessing is not gotten by nature. It is not by nature but by grace that we get God's blessing. Esau had the Eldership of nature, Jacob that of grace: For though in asking the blessing he was fraudulent, in the main course of his life he was gracious; Esau ungracious and profane. Yet say I not, that he got the Blessing by the inherent Grace in him; for it is by the goodness and operation of the Giver of Grace, that gracious Men get the saving Eldership.
III. In this also that seemeth so contrary to reason, there is a great mystery, That whilest Esau was busie about a duty of obedience, hunting for his Father; Jacob, who was about an action of deceit, was blessed: This is a figure, how the Jews were rejected while they hunted the blessing by the works of the Law, and the Gentiles had the blessing graciously bestowed upon them while they were in their sins; that where sin abounded, there Grace might abound much more. This mystery I have learned of St. Paul, who, Rom. 9.30. after he had much insisted upon the history of Jacob and Esau, concludeth in these words, What shall we say then? That the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness, have attained unto righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith; But Israel which followed after the Law of righteousness have not attained unto the law of righteousness. A Text speaking of the choice of Nations, not of persons: And yet teaching every person, that none must hope to deserve the blessing by his works. And though none shall have it without works, yet it is the righteousness of faith (that is) the righteousness of Christ embraced by faith, which must get it; not the righteousness of the Law, which saith, Do this, and thou shalt live.
But that mercy to the Gentiles, great sinners, is no warrant for any to live in sin, and hope for a blessing. For whereas God pitied sinners among the Gentiles that knew not his will; he punisht the proud Jews that knew his will, but would serve him according to their own, yea, and challenged a reward for disannulling God's command by their Tradition.
IV. But the fourth mystery is the most noble and comfortable. For the birth-right of Esau is a figure of that of Christ; his Eldership, I say, not his Person. And so Esau's advantage to be the beloved of his Father. For the Lord Jesus is the first born of God, so called under David's name in that Prophetical Hymn, the 89. Psalm. And he is God's beloved Son in whom he is well pleased, Matth. 3.17. In these qualities only Esau is a Figure of Christ.
And as for Jacob he is a figure of the sinner, who in the name of Jesus his Elder Brother, obtaineth the Eternal blessing. And truly the sin which Jacob committed at that time made him a fit Figure of the sinner. See how God fetcheth good out of evil; This very sin serveth to make up the mystery. Compare now the history with the figure.
Jacob presents himself to his Father, taking the name of Esau his elder Brother, and the beloved Son. The sinner also is going to God his Father, taking the name of Jesus his elder Brother, and the well-beloved of his eternal Father. Yet the sinner is not soon perswaded to go to God. He is kept back with fear: He saith, as Jacob, Oh if my Father feel me! For sure if God feel us, and take us for such as we are in our selves, we shall draw upon us a curse, and not a blessing.
In that perplexity here is for us savoury meat such as our Father loveth, the Sacrifice of our Saviour Jesus, the Lamb without blemish, and without spot; and with that dish the penitent sinner shall be sure to be accepted. Jacob indeed presented a Kid, not a Lamb; but Kids went for Lambs in the Passeover, and were alike figures of the Lamb of God.
Observe that this Kid was of his Fathers Flocks, to shew that we cannot obtain our heavenly Fathers blessing with any thing but his own. We must not hunt it abroad like Esau. That which we present to him must be his own. Nothing is meritorious before God but the Lamb of God.
Our obedience indeed is acceptable unto God and conferreth to our glory. None of our good works shall be unrewarded before God: But when we claim the blessing of Salvation by merit, and to be justified before God; Then our obedience comes as unseasonable before his justice, as the dish of Esau which was served after Dinner.
What more? Faith covereth us with the robe of our eldest Brother, that precious robe of righteousness dyed in the blood of Jesus Christ, and makes our neck, hands, and all like unto him by a holy disguise of imputation.
The sinner thus disguised goeth to God, and saith, My Father: and the Father answers him, Here am I, my Son. And when the Father saith, Who art thou my Son? he takes confidently the name of his elder brother; yea and makes bold to say, as Jacob, I have done as thou baddest me: And although he hath done nothing so, yet is he believed, because he speaks it in the name of his elder Brother, who had done so indeed.
And as Jacob, presenting his Venison to his Father, said, The Lord God hath brought it unto me. Likewise when we present unto God the Sacrifice of his Son, we may say that God brought it unto us. Lord, take that which is thine own. This satisfaction was gotten for us by thy Son, and brought unto us by thy good Spirit.
After that, if our Father feel us, as Isaac did Jacob, he shall feel over us his Sons merit, and smell that Priestly robe of his elder Sons holiness, and so kiss us, and say, Here is the smell of my Son, as of a Field which the Lord hath blessed.
For all this the sinner is never thoroughly disguised. He hath always too much of his own to be known. But (Oh the deepness and sweetness of this divine mystery.) Our Father behaveth himself with us, as if he were blind like Isaac. He will not see. He winks at our unlikeness. He will wittingly mistake us for his elder Son. Poor sinners that we are, we have the voice of Jacob; and while we ask in the name of our Elder Brother, we give to our Petition the tone of our infirmity. But we have the hands of Esau, the works and obedience of Christ our Elder brother, now made our own: The last excuseth the first. The voice of Jacob with the hands of Esau, the prayer of the sinner with the obedience of his elder brother, will prevail, and so shall he be blessed, even with the blessing of the Text, The Lord give thee of the dew of Heaven, and of the fatness of the earth; the dew of Heaven before the fatness of the earth, to teach us to seek the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof before temporal interests. And yet this very fat of the Earth signifieth the spiritual abundance attending the justifying blessing. Thus Lord Jesus, thy Brother is come with subtilty, and hath taken to himself thy blessing.
But because the Lord Jesus is not angry afterwards at our taking of his blessing; for it was himself that put us upon that course, and by our taking of his blessing is not deprived of it: Therefore the mystery goes no further than the taking of the blessing; And at this point of blessing, the Mystery ends, and so do I.
The End of the Second Sermon.