A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 1 · Chapter 12 (4 of 7)

A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament · Biblical tract · Volume 1 · Chapter 12 (4 of 7)

p. 2651. What though our Foes be never ſo high? yet the top of this Ladder over-tops them; he is higher than the higheſt of them, Eccleſ. 5.8. Though they be never ſo high, yet in things wherein they deal proudly the Lord Chriſt is above them, Exod. 18.11. The moſt High cuts off the Spirits of Princes, Pſal. 76.12. He ſlips them off with as much eaſe as a Man ſlios off a Flower between his Fingers from the Stalk, or a Bunch of Grapes from off the Vinebranch, therefore is Chriſt terrible to all the Kings of the Earth; as the Pſalmiſt ſaith there, he is a dread to all the Dread Soveraigns, who both over-tops them (being all but his Vaſſals, as thoſe three great and good Emperors, Conſtantine, Valentinian and Theodoſius did acknowledge) and alſo ſets the mightieſt Magnifico's their utmoſt Bounds, yea, a day for them he appointeth, he looks and laughs, when he ſees that their ſet day is coming, Pſal. 2.4. and 37.13.

The ſecond account of Bleſſing God for this long Ladder is, What though thy ſins be never ſo high? yet the top of this Ladder over-tops the higheſt of thy ſins as well as the higheſt of thy Foes: Suppoſe thy Sin to be one of thoſe four crying ſins.

1. The Sin of Blood, Gen. 4.10.

2. The Sin of Oppreſſion, Exod. 2.23.

3. The detaining of Hirelings Wages, Jam. 5.4.

4. The Sin of Uncleanneſs, Gen. 18.20, 21.

All crying up from Earth to Heaven for vengeance, though God be bound in Honour to ſtigmatize ſome ſuch with ſevere ſtroaks of his own heavy Hand, becauſe thoſe Diſturbers of Humane Society are ſo ſecret ſometimes in their ſins as to paſs Mans Cognizance, or ſo powerful as to ſurpaſs Mans Judicature, yet his Mercy hath triumph'd over his Juſtice, Jam. 2.13. in the caſe of Manaſſeh, who was a Defier of God, a Murderer of Men, and a Deifier (or Worſhipper) of Devils, yet found he Mercy, which ſhews that Gods Mercy in Chriſt is higher than the higheſt of Mans Sin, and the very notion of crying doth intimate, that God in ſome caſes is unwilling to puniſh, Lam. 3.33. until urged thereunto by the importunity and provocation of our crying Sins. Thus Salvian brings in God ſaying in the caſe of the Sodomites, Miſericordia quidem mea ſuadet ut parcam, ſed tamen peccatorum clamor me cogit ut puniam; My mercy perſwades me indeed to ſpare them, but the cry of their ſins conſtrains me to plague them, Salvian. lib. 1. de Provid. Though thy ſins do cry ſo far and ſo high as Heaven, yet Chriſt (thy Ladder of Love) is higher than Heaven, Heb. 7.26. and ſo is higher than the higheſt cry of thy moſt heinous ſin; thou canſt not commit more than he can remit, maiſt thou but truly repent.

The third account of Bleſſing God for this long Ladder, is, What though thy ſelf be never ſo low? yet haſt thou a Ladder high enough for thee. As it was with Zaccheus, ſo (indeed) it is with us all, he was of a low ſtature, Luke 19.3. yet deſirous to ſee Jeſus, he climbeth up into a Sycomore Tree, v. 4. that he might view him from top to toe as he paſſed by. So we are all naturally of a little ſtature in the faln eſtate as to the things of God, we are ſo low, and ſo p. 266far below thoſe things that are above, that in the croud of the World we cannot behold them, neither can we by taking thought add one Cubit to our ſtature, Matth. 6.27. no nor one Mite to our eſtate, which God by his wiſe and powerful Providence hath allotted us, Luk. 12.42. with Gen. 47.12. no not with all our carking care, and troubling our own houſes therewith, Prov. 15.27. And if we cannot add any thing to our Temporal Eſtate or Stature, much leſt to our Spiritual, which is hereby exceedingly hindred and hide-bound; therefore we all ſtand in need to climb up this Ladder, (as Zaccheus did the Sycomore Tree) that we may become many Cubits higher in our Spiritual Stature, the better to diſcern things that differ, and to diſcover the Excellency of Chriſt; and every ſtep we climb higher upon this Ladder; makes a further and fuller diſcovery thereof; this is a going from ſtrength to ſtrength, Pſal. 84 7. and a growing in grace, and in the knowledge of Chriſts Excellency, 2 Pet. 3.18. And the higher we climb, the more we are transformed into the glory of his Image, 2 Cor. 3.18. Behold more a wonder: This long Ladder is all of one piece; the Mediator is but one, 1 Tim. 2.5. foreign, Godman throughout the whole. And without the help of this long Ladder there can be no commerce or trading with Heaven.

The ſeventh excellent property of this Ladder is, 'tis a laſting, yea, an Everlaſting Ladder, Idol-makers chuſed the Tree that would not Rot, to make their Idol of, Iſa. 40.20. which indeed was not poſſible in the courſe of Nature, that ſubjects all to Corruption; tempus edax rerum, the Teeth of time conſumeth all things, likely the Cypreſs tree, Iſa. 44.14. as moſt durable, however the matter muſt ſecure the form, quite contrary to the foreign, or common Principles of natural Philoſophy, according to which the Form or Soul ſecureth the Matter or Body from putrefaction which immediately ſucceeds after the Souls departure, John 11.39. Hence it ſeems theſe were ſorry Gods that could not ſecure themſelves from Rotting, but muſt borrow that ſecurity from their Materials: But God hath choſen a better Tree than the moſt durable Cypreſs, even the Tree of Life (that ſtands in the midſt of the Garden of God, Gen. 2.9.) whereof to make this laſting Ladder, that laſteth through all the Ages of the World. Chriſt (this Ladder) is a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchiſedeck, Heb. 7.24. He needeth no Succeſſor, and what need then is there of a Vicar of Chriſt, as the Pope (Antichriſt) will needs be ſtiled: This Ladder hath laſted from the Foundation of the World, Revel. 13.8. being the Lamb ſlain from thence;

1. In Gods Purpoſe. 2. In Gods Promiſe. 3. In the Faith of his People. 4. In the Sacrifices. 5. In the Martyrs from Abel to this Day.

Jeſus Chriſt is the ſame Lamb and Ladder both yeſterday (to our Fore-fathers) to day (unto us that are now alive) and for ever (to all our ſucceeding Generations) Heb. 13.8. this Ladder ever liveth to make Interceſſion for the Saints, and to ſave them to the uttermoſt, Heb. 7.25. to wit, perpetually and perfectly, ſo as none ſhall need to come after him for finiſhing his begun Foundation. Chriſt is a Thorough-Saviour, a Saviour in ſolidum, not doing his Work to the Halves, but wholly to the End of his Mediatory Kingdom, when God ſhall be All in All, 1 Cor. 15.24, 28. Though this Ladder be ever Erected (and ſo much Weather-beaten) and ever uſed (never uſeleſs nor laid by as other Ladders in ſome ſecure place) for the Souls of Saints are climbing up and upon it Night and Day, yet never doth it wear, or need mending; ſo 'tis ever call'd newneſs of Life, Rom. 6.4.

Inferences very Remarkable hence are various.

The firſt is, There be ſundry ſorts of Sinners, ſuch as either diſuſe or abuſe this Ladder of Light, Life and Love. As,

1. Some ſuch there be, qui in Gehennam aedificant, as Tertullian's phraſe is, that inſtead of Building up to Heaven the Tower of Godlineſs, Luke 14.28. do Build a pair of Back-ſtairs (baſely enough) whereon to run down to Hell: Oh Men! Oh Women! Oh Children! which way are ye going or running? Are ye aſcending upward on this Ladder of Life and Salvation, which is of Gods making? Or are ye deſcending downward upon the Ladder of, Death and Damnation which is of the Devils making? As God ſaid to the firſt Man [Adam, Where art thou?] Gen. 3.9. and to the Prophet [What doſt thou here, Elijah?] 1 Kings 19.9. ſo ſhould every one ſay to themſelves (to ſpare God the labour to their coſt) Where are ye? Ave ye upon Gods Bleſſed Ladder, aſcending up towards Heaven? or upon ſome baſe Back-ſtairs of the Devils deſcending down towards Hell?

2. Others there be, whoſe choice it is to lye along groveling upon the Ground, being altogether Earthly-minded, thinking themſelves ſafe enough from going down to Hell, and that 'tis needleſs enough, yea, 'tis too much to trouble themſelves (as Jeroboam ſaid, 1 Kings 12.28.) with going upward. Thoſe terrigenae fratres, have their Names writ in the Earth, Jer. 17.13. and their Treaſures hid in the Field, Jer. 4.1.8. and are call'd the Inhabitants of the Earth, Revel. 12.12. Meer Earth-worms, that load themſelves with thick Clay, Hab. p. 2672.6. and ſtrive with the Toads who ſhall die with moſt Earth in their Mouths, having ſo much matters to mind on Earth (as Duke D' Alva once ſaid) they▪ have no time to look up (much leſs to climb up) to Heaven.

3. Others there be as the Graſhoppers that hop upwards a little; two or three ſteps they may climb up this Ladder, but fall down again: He that endures to the end is ſaved, Mat. 24.13.

The Second remarkable Inference is, If thou be not one that is poſting down quick to Hell with Korah's Conſpirators, Numb. 16.30. (who were all buried alive (with their Cattel and Goods) in the Pit) but thinks thou art climbing upwards to Heaven, then be well aſſured thou art upon the right Ladder; as there be many falſe Chriſts, Mat. 24.24. ſo there be as many falſe Ladders. As,

1. A Chriſt meerly within, denying the Chriſt without, who died at Jeruſalem (as ſome Quakers do. Or,

2. A Chriſt meerly without, never minding a Chriſt within, the hope of Glory, Col. 1.27. as all Papiſts do, who cry, that Chriſt is in the Deſert, Mar. 24.26. that is, in ſuch an Hermitage, or in ſuch a Blind Chappel built in ſuch a by-place to the Honour of the Lady of Loretto, &c. or on ſuch a Cupboard or Altar, as their Breaden God (ſometimes born up and down in a Box) and worſhiped by the common Catholicks (or Chacholicks rather) ſaying, Lo, here is Chriſt, and lo, there is Chriſt.) Or,

3. Thy own Righteouſneſs (as all Juſticiaries do) thinking (with the Spider) to ſpin a thread out of thine own Bowels, whereon and whereby to climb up to Heaven, and ſo to have Arachnes's Motto [mihi ſoli debeo] I owe all to my ſelf for my Salvation, I need no other Saviour but my ſelf, as Greevinchovius (the Arminian) moſt Proudly, Preſumptuouſly and Prophanely anſwered the Apoſtles Queſtion [Who maketh thee to differ from another? 1 Cor. 4.7.] ſaying, egomet meipſum diſcerno, 'tis I that make my ſelf to differ from others: Alas Mans Righteouſneſs (at the beſt) is not a Ladder long enough, nor laſting enough to tranſport us from Earth to Heaven. For

Firſt, 'Tis too ſhort, Gods Precepts are exceeding broad, Pſal. 119.96. but Mans Obedience is exceeding narrow, there is no Man that ſinneth not, 1 Kin. 8.46. 2 Chron. 6.36. Eccleſ. 7.20. 1 Joh. 1.8, 10. ſave the Man Chriſt Jeſus, Heb. 4.19. 1 Pet. 2.22, 24. who is therefore the only Ladder long enough to reach Heaven▪ And

Secondly, Mans Righteouſneſs is too Rotten a Ladder, in reſpect of Juſtification; when we have done all we can, we pay but our due debt, we do but our Duty, Luk. 17.10. and 'tis no matter of merit to pay Debts; Chriſt affirmeth, that the Righteouſneſs of Scribes and Phariſees (which was the beſt fort thereof) is but a rotten Righteouſneſs, and cannot convey the Soul ſafe to Heaven, Mat. 5.20. we may not look for any back-ſtairs to Salvation, Chriſt is the only Pontifex Maximus, or the great Bridge-maker (a Title which the Pope (Antichriſt) aſſumes to himſelf) who is indeed himſelf the Bridge that carries mover that great Gulph of the faln eſtate from Miſery to Glory, as London Bridge doth Travellers from the Burrough into the City. bad Bridges have deſtroyed many perſons: Euſebius telleth, how that evil Emperor Maxentius his Army were drowned by haſting out of the loſt Battel over a falſe Bridge which he had deſignedly laid to entrap the Army of his Adverſary Conſtantine the Great who then was his Conqueror. I know not what harm hath been done to the Bodies of Men, by venturing up Rotten Ladders, (upon the occaſion of building Houſes or pulling them down, &c.) but ſure I am, unſpeakable harm accrueth to the Souls of men by venturing their weal or woe in the other World upon ſome falſe reſts (ſhort of Chriſt) all which are but rotten Ladders: Chriſt is the only Bridge or Ladder that Joins Heaven and Earth together: He is the only way, Joh. 14.6. he that would go up any other way, muſt (as Conſtantine the great ſaid to the great Arrian) erect a Ladder thy ſelf, and go up alone by thy ſelf; none but Chriſt, none but Chriſt can bring to Heaven; his mediation makes God and Man meet together: As all fulneſs is found and founded in him, Col. 1.19. ſo all reconcilement muſt be received from him as well as procured by him.

The Third Remarkable Inference is, 'Tis of great importance, not only that you have the Right Ladder, but alſo, that you be a right Climber upon the Right Ladder, and for this mark theſe following Qualifications.

Firſt, You muſt have Hands to climb with, they that want Hands will make but bad Climbers, you muſt have the Hands of Faith, wherewith to take faſt hold of this Ladder in your Climbing work: hard hand-hold doth well here, leſt the ſtrong blaſts of Satans Temptations ſhould blow you from off the Ladder.

Secondly, You muſt have Feet alſo, ſuch as want Feet make but ſorry Climbers; you muſt have the Feet of Obedience, theſe are likewiſe of great uſe in Climbing this Ladder, as the p. 268Hands pull up, ſo the Feet do bear up the climbers body; thus are we to improve Chriſts Merits and Mediation as the Climber doth the Rounds or Steps of a Ladder both with his Hands and Feet.

Thirdly, You muſt have Elevated Affections, laying no lower limits to your Climbing work than the very top of this Ladder; never think it enough to climb a few Steps of the lower part of this Ladder, or to the middle thereof, no, but you muſt up to the top of it, where God (himſelf) ſtands not only Inviting and Incouraging you, (be of good Comfort and Courage, the Maſter calleth you, Mark 10.39. as to the Blind Man there, and as to Jacob here) but alſo Aſſiſting and Inabling, as Chriſt held out an helping hand to ſave ſinking Peter, Mat. 14.31. Therefore (with David, Pſal. 25.1.) lift up your Hearts to God at the top of the Ladder, and with Jehoſaphat 2 Chron. 17.6) let your Hearts be lift up in the good ways of God; you muſt give many an hearty lift to your heavy and lumpiſh Heart, which naturally beareth down as the poize of a Clock, and if this prove too hard a task for you (as undoubtedly it will) then pray for Divine Drawings, Cant. 1.4. Joh. 6.44. & 12.32. wherewith you may be able to Aſcend to him at the Top, who will hand you thence into Manſions of Glory. Oh that we may find and feel Chriſts forcible pulls, his kind halings at our Hearts, that thereby we be lifted up out of the horrible Pit, Pſal. 40.2. out of the depths of deſpair, and drawn up to himſelf (as the Load ſtone doth Iron) by a ſight of the Pardon of Sin, by a ſenſe of the Pence of Conſcience, and by a rich underſtanding of the aſſurance of Gods Favour; this would bring us to reſt quietly, contentedly and comfortably in our Fathers Boſom.

Fourthly, That this may be effected, you muſt ever be in motion, never ſtanding ſtill, the Angels (ſeen upon this Ladder) were all in motion (either Aſcending or Deſcending) not one obſerv'd to ſtand ſtill, Saints are [foreign] as the Angels in activity, Mat. 22.30. in continual Aſcenſions [elationibus fumi] like Pillars of Smoak towering upward, Cant. 3.6. and though they have (as thoſe. Angels) their times and turns of Deſcenſions downward into their own deep Hearts (ſo called Pſal. 64.6.) yet 'tis in order always to prompt and promote their Aſcenſions upward of their Hearts and Affections, which ſhould always be mounting Heavenward, Col. 3.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. non progredi eſt regredi, not to go forward is to come backward, like the Veſſel which Roweth againſt Wind and Tide, there is no ſtanding ſtill, if the Oars be ſlackened never ſo little, back ſhe goes; you muſt always be in a walking poſture upon this Ladder; as you have received Chriſt the Lord, ſo walk you in him, Col. 2.6. walking from ſtep to ſtep (from ſtrength to ſtrength, Pſal. 84.7.) walk in him, take not one ſtep out of him; 'tis a dangerous and frightful thing to ſtep one ſtep beſides the Ladder three Stories high, &c.

Therefore Fifthly, 'Tis not enough that you be a walker (in conſtant motion) but you muſt be a circumſpect walker, Eph. 5.15. Walk circumſpectly, [foreign] the word there ſignifies both accurately, exactly as by Line and by Rule, and compleatly to perfection, being Etymologiz'd foreign, a going up to the very top, which backſliders do not. You muſt therefore tread gingerly upon this Ladder, and take heed of miſſing one ſtep; He that thinks he ſtands upon this Ladder (though it be but for taking a little breath) had need to take heed leſt he fall, 1 Cor. 10.12. The higher any man climbs hereon, there is the more danger of falling: Heaven is three Stories high (at the leaſt) to wit, the three Regions of the Air above the Earth which is the Ground floor. We read of Stars falling from Heaven to the Earth, Rev. 6.13. Thrown down by the terrible blaſts of the Pope's thundring Excommunications (that Tail of the Beaſt) Revel. 12.4. God knows how ſoon this whisking Tail of the Dragon (monſtrous for length and ſtrength) may caſt down ſome Doctors of the Church from their high Exaltations in the Reformed, to the Baſe Earth of the Romiſh Religion, and ſo cauſe them to become Baal's Chemarims and Chimney-Chaplains: Yea, ſome Profeſſors we have ſeen who have ſhone like Stars (for a while) in the Heaven of a gawdy and glittering profeſſion, yet having a worm (of ſome unmodified Luſt in the very heart of them, they (like untimely Figs or Fruit) have drop'd down from the top into the very Puddle of Prophaneneſs. This muſt needs be not only a very far, but alſo a very foul Fall. The King of Saints, Revel. 15.3. the Lord Jeſus brought his Church and Children out of the lower Rooms of the World, up into his Chambers and Galleries, Cant. 1.4. and 7.5. both theſe words are of the Plural Number, implying, that Chriſt hath his Chambers and Galleries of ſeveral Stories, ſome lower and ſome higher than others. Oh happy is that Soul which is handed up ſo high as into the (foreign or) large Upper Room, and hath admiſſion there to ſit down with Chriſt to eat the Paſſeover, Luk. 22.12. Yet know there may be a falling down from this Upper Room, as did Judas that traiterous Jew, 'twas a great Fall that Eutychus got, Act. 20.9. his Name ſignifies [Well-Fortuned] but in this he was moſt Unfortunate to fall ſo high as from the third Loft faſt aſleep, and to be taken up for dead; yet was he very Happy p. 269in having a Paul by him, who reſtor'd him to life again, v. 10. Chriſt hath many Rooms (as this Ladder hath many Rounds,) ſome lower for Children, ſome middle for Young Men, and ſome higher for Fathers in Grace and Godlineſs: Now the higher that you climb, the more dangerous and deadly is your Fall, if you be not exceeding wary and watchful in your ſteps; you may not take up one foot, until you know where to ſet down the other, the ſteps are narrow, Matth. 7.14. (though the Ladder be large, as before) and ſoon miſt for want of due Caution and Circumſpection: This David felt, when he complained [my feet had almoſt ſlipt] Pſal. 73.2. and fear'd, when he pray'd [Uphold my Goings in thy Paths, that my footſteps ſlip not] Pſal. 17.5. If once you ſlip, there is no ſtop or ſtay in the way, you ſlide down (it may be headlong) to the very bottom, and if not ſlain by a backward fall (as heavy Eli was) 1 Sam. 4.18. yet, ſurviving, you have all your climbing work to begin anew, according to the Nazarites Law, Numb. 6.12. but the Days that were before ſhall be loſt, becauſe his Separation is defiled: ſo your foul Fall defiles all your former Devotions, and you muſt therefore begin the World and your work afreſh, Repent and do your firſt works, &c. Rev 2.5.

Sixthly, See then that you make daily Progreſs upon this Ladder, a man may be in daily motion that ſteps up ſome few ſteps, and then ſteps down again, and ſo keep continually aſcending and deſcending without any proficiency; non proficere eſt deficere; Grow in Grace, from the lower to the higher Form and Degree: your Knowledge muſt grow from a dram to a pound, yea to a Talent thereof: Poor Ezra and Nehemiah (coming out of Captivity) could give but Drams of Gold to Temple-work, Ezr. 2.69. Nehem. 7.70, 71. but Rich David was able to give not only Pounds, but whole Talents towards it, 1 Chron. 29.4. The man (heal'd of his blindneſs by Chriſt) at the firſt ſaw but men as trees, walking, but the ſecond touch from Chriſt made him ſee all clearly, Mark 8.24, 25. ſo your Faith moſt grow from a grain of Muſtard-ſeed to become a great Tree, wherein Divine Thoughts and Deſires may (as Birds of the Air) lodge in the branches thereof, Matth. 13.31, 32. ſo your Zeal muſt grow from ſmoaking Flax to a burning Torch, and ſo all other Graces ſhould grow; Monſtri eſt ſemper Infantem eſſe, the Child that grows not, is expos'd as a Prodigy: 'tis a ſhame, the Holy Child Jeſus ſhould lye always in Swaddling Clouts; you muſt be growing up in him, till you touch Heaven with your head and heart, Compare time with time for this, &c. See that you be active and abounding in God's Work, ſeeing 'tis not in vain in the Lord, 1 Cor. 15.58. Some ſay, the eight Beatitudes Chriſt proclaims in his Sermon on the Mount, Matth. 5.1, 2, 3, to the 12. are the ſundry ſteps of this Ladder, whereof Poverty of Spirit is the loweſt, v. 3. and Purity of Heart is the ſixth, v. 8. 'tis no eaſie labour to attain unto this ſtep, but if you be yet but on the loweſt, Chriſt pronounces you bleſſed, and more bleſſed are you ſtill, if you reach higher.

The Fourth Remarkable Inference is, Though climbing be hard work, and againſt the bent or tendency of Nature [Omne grave deorſum] all heavy things preſs downward; yet this hard work hath high Helps and Encouragements. As,

1. Here is an entire Ladder (the Mediation of Chriſt) wherein never a ſtep is broken; that is an uſeleſs Ladder which wanteth ſeveral ſteps, and what inſignificant things are ſteps when ſever'd from the Ladder; ſo are all our Gifts and Duties out of Chriſt, and his Mediation, which gives Life and Vertue to all.

2. As every ſtep muſt be on him, ſo Righteouſneſs and Peace, Mercy and Truth are met in him, Pſal. 85.10, 11. and in his Mediation, as the two Sides of the Ladder do kiſs each other. Chriſt is both our Righteouſneſs, Jer. 23.6. and our Peace, Eph. 2.14. Truth ſprings out of the Earth, or Heart of Man, and Mercy looks down from God out of Heaven: Theſe are the objects, and ſure Hand-Holds for our Faith in our climbing up.

3. Chriſt (himſelf)is gone up before us into Heaven, Job. 3.13. Act. 1.11. 1 Pet. 2.21. &c. he, being God-Man, needed no Ladder; yet, that where he is, we may be alſo, Joh. 17.24. he hath left his Mediation as a Ladder for us, Having open'd Heaven and Paradiſe to us, which the firſt Adam (by his Fall) ſhut againſt us, Gen. 3.24. we may therefore follow the Captain of our Salvation, Hebr. 2.10. with comfort and courage, and we muſt follow him faſt and cloſe (having the Help of a Ladder, which he had not, yet is become one to us) his Reſurrection, Aſcenſion and Sitting down, are the foot, length and top of this Ladder, for his footſteps drop fatneſs, Pſal. 65.11. for us to gather up for out refreſhing in the way, if we purſue him cloſe.

Our 4th Encouragement is, Angels attend Heirs of Salvation, Heb. 1.14. to ſecure us from falling, Pſal. 91.11. they are as our Nurſes, into whoſe keeping our Heavenly Father committeth us, and chargeth them to look well to us (his Children) while we live on Earth (as Citizens Children are committed to Country Nurſes) and to bring us ſafe Home to the City, and to our Father's Houſe when we die, as they did the Soul of Lazarus, Luk. 16.22. our p. 270Protection by Angels (though manag'd by an inviſible hand) is our Privilege purchaſed by Chriſt; oh Bleſs God for it.

Our 5th Encouragement is, God is leaning (as ſome read this, Gen. 28.13.) at the top of the Ladder, crying, Come up hither, Rev. 11.12. and humbling himſelf to take hold of our hand with his, and to draw us up to himſelf. He hath an Hand and an Heart to help us, that Child climbs the Style ſafely and cheerfully, who is in his Father's hand, &c.

The Fifth Remarkable Inference is, Even Rich mens Children may meet with much Hardſhip, as Jacob did here: His Father (Iſaac) had a vaſt Eſtate deſcended on him from his Grandfather (Abraham) who was a Prince among the Hittites, even a mighty Prince among them, Gen. 23.6. and whom God had bleſſed greatly with a very great Eſtate, Gen. 24.35. and all this Prince-like Wealth was given by him unto Iſaac, v. 36. yea, and Jacob's Mother (Rebekab) had brought up this Son, whom ſhe loved, Gen. 25.28. with much tenderneſs (no doubt) and indulgency: yet is Jacob baniſh'd from Home, forced to foot it five hundred Miles (having neither Horſe nor Chariot to carry him this long Journey) and in the way (of this wearying Walk) was conſtrain'd to lye out of Doors, having no better Accommodation, than the cold Ground for his Bed, an hard Stone for his Bolſter, and the open Firmament for his Canopy over him: Little do the beſt and wealthieſt of Men know what hard things their Children may undergo in this Life. Men ſhould be mindful of this themſelves, and ſhould be minding their Children thereof; fore-warn'd, fore-arm'd; 'tis then no ſurprize to them or theirs.

The Sixth Inference Remarkable is, Suppoſe the aforeſaid fall out, yet the Children of the Covenant (that both take hold and keep hold of it, Iſa. 56.4▪ 6.) ſhall certainly have their loſs of Temporals made up with Spirituals, as Jacob here, who had loſt the Comfort of his Country and Kindred, the company of a Bleſſing Father, and of an Indulgent Mother, no Camel or Coach he had to carry him, yet hath he here a Ladder (whereon he convers'd with Heaven) and God at the top to counter-comfort him, and to make up all his Loſſes out of his alone Fulneſs and All-ſufficiency: Now [Malè cubans ſuaviter Dormit, & ſoeliciùs ſomniat] though his Body lay cold and his Head hard (when well wearied) he both ſlept ſweetly and dream'd more comfortably than ever he had done upon a Bed of Down in his Mothers houſe; his Ladder of love makes up all his Loſſes, and Jacob's Bethel became better hereby than his prophane Brother's Beth-aven, Reſolving to Murder him.

The Seventh Inference is, All inferiour Affairs have their dependency upon and their diſpoſal by their Superiour, the moſt high God: All occurrences, that happen at the foot of this Ladder are ordered by him who is at the top of it, and therefore Fate and Fortune are but the idle Dreams and vain Dotages of the blind Heathens: A Godly Jacob cannot be baniſh'd by a Prophane Eſau, and put hardly to it here below, but God's Eye is upon all, and orders all for the beſt; in all this hardſhip God was but proving Jacob to do him Good at his latter End, as he did Iſrael after, Deut. 8.16. we ſhould not look too much upon the backſide of this Ladder of Providence, which ſeems black and rough, but upon the foreſide more, which is more lovely, and doth all things well, Mark 7.37. Pſal. 84.10. and 85.12. and Rom. 8.28. we can never judge of Providence by piece-meal, the injudicious Children and Fools cannot judge aright of half-done Deeds, ſome Trades have their Finiſhers, God is ſo to all, though the Devil may be in the Alpha, God will be the Omega, as Jam. 5.11. he winds up all, then beauty appeareth in every part of his work; he is the high Chancellour.

The Eighth Inference is, God uſes the miniſtry of Angels in managing of the World in matters publick and private, yet are they but Meſſengers of God, Zech. 1.12. not Mediators for men; Jacob did not apply himſelf to them as ſuch, Gen. 32.2. the Rabbies ſay, every Country has its Tutelar Angel, as that of Perſia, Dan. 10.13. the aſcending Angels belong'd to Paleſtine, whence Jacob was departed; they therefore return to Heaven, as having no farther charge of him, and thoſe deſcending belong'd to Meſopotamia, (whither Jacob was going) to take their care of him: undoubtedly there is an inſenſible hand (of God and his Angels) ordering all things. However,

1. Men muſt be as Angels, that climb this Ladder, of an Angelical (or Evangelical) Nature; for none elſe were ſeen upon it. And,

2. We ought (as they) be as willing to deſcend and be abaſed, as to aſcend and be exalted; their Pattern is for our Practice.

3. And laſtly, 'Tis matter of Confidence againſt the malignity of Men and Devils, for Angels miniſtry is mightier for us, than that againſt us; Angels are more and more mighty than angry Men and enraged Devils.

The Ninth and laſt Remarkable Inference is, More plainly to ask your hearts whereabout you are upon this Ladder of ten Rounds or Steps: As,

p. 2711. Examine your Conviction, which is the firſt Step in your climbing work, were you ever let Blood in Venâ Cordis, in the Heart-Vein? (which conduceth to your Souls Health, as much as Phlebotomy in Venâ Corporis, or opening the Arm-Vein doth to that of the Body) as thoſe in Act. 2.37. they had compunction, were pricked to the heart, foreign, they were punctually pierced, as if with the very Nails wherewith they had crucify'd Chriſt, ſticking faſt in their own hearts. Thus Paul tells of his own firſt workings, that the Commandment came to him, Rom. 7.9. How came it? to wit, with a witneſs, having a vital penetrative Power in it: The Law by the Spirit of Life (without which 'tis but a dead Letter) let out the lifeblood of Sin by its lively touch, and brought him to Senſe of Sin, and to Conſcience of Duty: when the Sun ſhines in at the Window, the Moats (unſeen before) do then appear.

2. Your Contrition, hath your Rocky-heart been ſmitten with Moſes Rod (the Law) as the Rock-Horeb was therewith, God ſtanding upon it to make Moſes's ſtroak effectual to ſet the Rock abroach, Exod. 17.6. then 'tis, that (God bleſſing the means) your hard-heart doth kindly melt into Tears and Tenderneſs in Goſpel and Godly ſorrow. There is Dolor ſenſus, (a Worldly ſorrow) which may make a great noiſe; but 'tis this [Dolor Intellectus] that made Joſiah's heart tender, 2 Kings 22.19. and Mary's, Joh. 20.13. ſo yours alſo, when you weep (as ſhe did) becauſe your Sins have taken away your Lord Chriſt, and you know not where they have laid him, your friend.

3. Your Converſion, or thorough change; a change in part only, is to be a Monſter, and a turning from Prophaneneſs to Civility, or f a little further) to Duty, is but a turn to Half-part, 'tis but the half-turn (from Weſt to North) not the good-turn, the whole-turn from Weſt to Eaſt, that Day ſpring from on high, the round-turn from Sin to Chriſt, that bright and morning Star, Rev. 22.16. The want of this turn to the full counterpoint (in ſetting the back to Sin, and the face to God) is that which God complains of; They return, but not to the moſt High, Hoſ 7.16. You muſt be ſanctified throughout, 1 Theſſ. 5.23. and the Thorn chang'd to a Firrtree, Iſa. 55.13.

4. Your Deſires after God come next your turning from Sin to God: Examine what Palpitations and Pantings of Heart have you after God's Goodneſs after your Surfeitings of Sins ſinfulneſs: David's Soul followed hard after God, Pſal. 63.8. following him Hot-foot (as we ſay) and hard at his Heels. God's Right hand upholding him, leſt his feeble Legs and purſie Heart ſhould faint and fail in the purſuit: The Deſire of the Prophets Spirit was after God, Iſa. 26.8, 9. This Deſire begets Prayer, as in Paul [Behold he prayeth] Act. 9.11. which he had never done before to any purpoſe, though a ſtrict Phariſee, Act. 26.5. what pourings out of heart have you? Pſal. 62.8. what ſpreadings of your Caſe before the Lord, as Hezekiah did the Rolls.

5. Examine your Delight in God, Trahit ſua quem que voluptas, your Delight (which every man muſt have) hath been in Sin, is it now in God? is your cloſe cleaving to this Ladder in your climbing-work, the continent cauſe of all your Comfort, Jerem. 13.11. Act. 11.23. Pſal. 37.4. and 84.10. Herod had ſome Delight in hearing the Word, Mark 6.20. but it was only as water that is ſpilt upon the Rock, which leaves a dew only, but ſinks not in, nor ſoaks it to a ſoftneſs, as the Rain of God's Bleſſing doth the fruitful Soil it falls upon; a bare taſt of heavenly things will not feed the Soul, Heb. 6.4, 5.

6. Try your Zeal for God, If your Ear and Eye be both ſanctified with ſaving Grace, you cannot abide to hear or ſee Sin in others, but your Righteous Soul will be vexed with it, as Lot's was, 2 Pet. 2.8, 9. [foreign] tortur'd with it, as if ſet upon a Rack; Guilt or Grief is the beſt a Godly Man gets by converſing with the Wicked: yet 'tis not enough you loath Sin in others, but you muſt loath it more eſpecially in your ſelf; for Jehu abhorr'd Idolatry in others, yet indulg'd it in himſelf.

7. Your Conformity to God, Children are like their Father; ſo muſt you paſs into the likeneſs of the Heavenly Pattern, purifying your ſelf, as God is pure, 1 Joh. 3.3. in quality, tho' you cannot in equality, you muſt be ſuitable to his holy Nature, as well as ſubject to his holy Law, Matth. 5.48. 1 Pet. 1.15, 16. Learn of Chriſt to be meek, lowly and holy, Matth. 11.29.

8. Your Communion with God, wherein (together with Conformity to God) conſiſteth your ſummum bonum, or higheſt Happineſs; 'Tis wonderful condeſcenſion in the moſt high God to converſe with worthleſs worms, and 'tis a glorious privilege that he will vouchſafe ſuch ſinful Duſt to be reckon'd his Neighbours, Levit. 10.7. in propinquis meis: Oh pray to maintain it, as David did for himſelf, Pſal. 86.11. and for his people, 1 Chron. 29.18. that God would fix their Quickſilver hearts, and to keep them in that holy temper, fit for Communion with God.

9. Your Confidence upon God, leaning wholly upon this Ladder with all your weight, both for Safety in this World, and for Salvation in the World to come; Can you truſt in him at p. 272all times, Pſal 62.8. as well in the Failure of outward Comforts, as in the Confluence of them? Can you confide in God without a Pawn in your hand from him, as Habakkuk did, ch. 3.17, 18. Can you confide in a killing-God, as Job did, ch. 13.15. who when his very breath was well-nigh beaten out of his body by multiplied ſtrokes, yet would he hang upon God ſtill, and not be eaſily ſhaken off, ſaying, If I muſt die I will die at his Feet, there, If I periſh, I will periſh, Eſth. 4.16. This is an high ſtep of this lofty Ladder thus to lean upon the Lord, Cant. 8.5. and Iſa. 50.10. with a faith of Recumbency, as the Hop doth upon the Pole, and to truſt God in his Promiſes, when we cannot trace him in his Providences, while Tryals and Troubles are upon us; 'tis an high Attainment.

10. And laſtly; Try your perſeverance in the good ways of God: This is the top-ſtep of this long Ladder; He that endureth to the end ſhall be ſaved, Mat. 14.13. 'tis but an he, here one, and there one that holdeth our, where many fail and fall ſhort; loſing their Love, and thereby their Reward, 2 Ep. of John, verſe 8. A godly man may grow remiſs, and leave his firſt love, Rev. 2.5. ſo may loſe the luſtre, comfort, yea and exerciſe of his graces, and thereby alſo loſe what he-hath wrought,

1. In reſpect of the praiſe of good men.

2. In reſpect of his own former feelings of Gods favour.

3. In reſpect of the fulneſs of his Reward in Heaven: Thus the Nazarite that broke his Vow, was to begin all again, his thirty days obſervance for an holy ſeparation, Numb. 6.12. And thus the backſlider that ſlips down this Ladder, hath his climbing work to begin again, as before, yet if truly godly, he falls not totally and finally, for the Root of the matter is ſtill in him, though the Reins may be conſumed, Job 19.27, 28. Iſa. 6.13. James 1.21. Radical, fundamental, ſpecial ſaving grace (proper to the Elect) wherein the Being of a Chriſtian conſiſteth, is certainly unloſeable; though not only common grace may come to nothing, but alſo the Joy of Faith, Confidence of Hope, and the Fervency of Love (all which belongs only to the Well-being of a Chriſtian, and which are the Shine, Luſtre, and Radiancy of the Radical) may be loſt, and perhaps irrecoverably, Pſal. 51.12. Therefore you ſtand in as much need of confirming grace to the end, as you did of converting grace at the beginning; pray that God may eſtabliſh your ſtep, Pſal. 37.23. as before, and uphold your goings, Pſal. 17.5. Chriſt prays too that your Faith fail not, Luke 22.31, 32. that you may hold on your way, and hold out to the end or top of this Ladder, otherwiſe as your Repentance was the Joy, ſo your Relapſing will be the Shame of Angels, Luke 15.10. And this conditional Caution doth not import as if it were in mans power to perſevere, for that is wholly aſcribed to the power and goodneſs of God, Rem. 11.5, 22, 23. but 'tis to ſtir up in us all godly care and circumſpection, that we may do our part to hold faſt our Confidence, Heb. 3.6. & 4.14. & 10.23. Rev. 2.25. & 3.3, 11. to hold on our way. Job 17.9. and to hold out to the end, Matth. 24.13. The Crown of Life is promiſed indeed to good beginners, but 'tis only performed to good enders; Vincenti dabo, to overcomers, Rev. 2.7, 26. & 3.5, 21. & 21.7. The duty (of walking in paths of Piety, or climbing this Ladder) is our part, but the Ability and Succeſs is Gods, who will bring Judgment unto Victory, Matth. 12.20. The holy Martyrs in the Martyrology are call'd [Holdfaſt men] as they did hold faſt (this Ladder) Hold up, hold on, and hold out to the top; inſomuch as the difficulty of any Act became to be expreſſed by this Proverb uſually [foreign] you may ſooner unteach a man Chriſt, as do it. Truth in the beginning, Zeal all the way, and Conſtancy to the end, makes a compleat Chriſtian. Perſeverance is the Salt of the Covenant of Grace, call'd the Covenant of Salt, 2 Chron. 13.5. as ſeaſoned hereby. This enduring Grace is purchaſed for us by Chriſts blood, and conveyed to us by Chriſt prayer. God decreed both that Peter ſhould perſevere, and that Chriſt ſhould pray for Peters perſeverance.

When Jacob was thus comforted with his Viſion of the Ladder, He (1.) Erects a Pillar, the better to perpetuate the memory of that mercy, calling it Bethel, the Houſe of God, and conſecrating it for Gods Worſhip as to uſe, but not to any Inherent Holineſs. (2.) He vow'd a Vow, v. 18, 20. wherein he became the firſt Holy Votary that ever we read of; and whence he is call'd, The Father of Vows. He makes a Religious Promiſe to God in his prayer, grounded upon the precious Promiſe of God, whereby he bound his looſe heart to do ſome things which were lawful and in his power (as building a Chapel for Gods Worſhip at Bethel) to expreſs his gratitude to his God for his (already) received goodneſs (in the Viſion of the Ladder) that he might obtain ſome farther favour from him. This was Jacobs Vow, and this laſt clauſe was the condition of it, he well knowing, that thankfulneſs for old, is the beſt expedient to procure new mercies. He ſaith, If God will be with me; if he will preſerve me, and provide for me, &c. All which God had promiſed him, v. 13, 14, 15. (wherein he had a Salve broad enough for his Sore, a fourfold Cordial, for his fourfold Cor-dolium, his Comforts as many as his Croſſes) therefore there was no need of his doubting and diſtruſting it, yet doth he help forward p. 273his weak Faith by this ſtrong Vow, to bind his Soul by this Bargain, to give God his utmoſt both in Inward and Outward Worſhip: And that his Bonds might be the ſtronger, the very Pillar (he reared and hallowed) ſhould be his faithful Monitor to mind him of fulfilling his Vow, and become a ſevere Witneſs againſt him, in caſe of his failing to fulfil it afterwards. What elſe could be Jacobs Inducement to lay theſe double obligations to duty upon himſelf, ſave only the conſciouſneſs he had of the Treachery of his own heart, and the certainty he knew of that great Truth (which Solomon mentions long after him;) He that truſteth to his own heart is a fool, Prov. 28.26. he is a great fool, a proud fool; therefore he binds it thus to good behaviour, and by woful experience he found all (he had done) little enough to keep it bent for God, Hoſ. 7.16. & 11.7. Zech. 9.13. for Jacob, who was ſo free, while the matter and the mercy was ſo freſh, as to promiſe ſuch great things to God in his Holy Vow, became afterward backward enough, and ſtood in need, that God ſhould pull him by the Ear once and again, Gen. 31.13. and 35.1. (to ſtrengthen his Faith againſt his fear of being deſtroyed, Gen. 34.30.) with a [Go up to Bethel, &c.] yea and God puniſhed him for his delays of paying this Vow; …. In the Rape of his only Daughter Dinah. 2. In the Cruelty of his two Sons (Simeon and Levi) to the Schechemites, Gen. 34. 3. Jacob, being refreſhed with this bleſſed Bait (of the Ladder) in the way, went on his Journey, Gen. 29.1. Hebr. lift up his feet, indefeſſ… curſoris adinſtar, as a generous Gyant (refreſhed with Wine) rejoyceth to run his Race, Pſal. 19.5. Thus Jacob (after he had drunk of this Divine Brook in the way, Pſal. 110.7.) did lift up both his head and his feet, and did walk lightly and luſtily his long Journey to Padan-Aram. The Joy of the Lord was his ſtrength, Neh. 8.10. This Viſion was as Oil to him, wherewith his Soul was ſuppled, and all his Limbs made more lithe, agile and fit for Action. Oh! were we but bathed (with Jacob) in this Bath at Bethel, having our Souls ſoaked in that Soveraign Oil, we ſhould pluck up our feet that are feeble, (as well as our hands that hang down, Heb. 12.12.) and paſſing on from ſtrength to ſtrength, Pſal. 84.7. ſhould take long and luſty ſtrides towards Heaven: 'Tis but a little afore us, a little more length of a ſhort life (and God knows how ſhort it may be, how ſoon it may end) will bring us to our long Home, and a rightly Religious and ready heart rids the way apace. Oh that we were ſuch! As,

1. The Comfort of this Viſion of the Ladder brought Jacob to Padan-Aram, though reputed and computed five hundred miles. So,

2. The B…oſſing thereof promiſed therein attended him all the twenty years of his ſtay there with his Uncle Laban, which ſignifies Candid, yet became rather a Nabal (which is Laban read backward) to him now ſeventy ſeven years old; yet this Churl exacts a double Apprenticeſhip of hard ſervice from him for his two Daughters, and yet another ſeven years for his Eſtate, though the Churl did confeſs that the Lord had bleſſed him greatly by Jacobs preſence and ſervice, Gen. 30.27, 30. much more God bleſt Jacob himſelf, if Laban were bleſt for Jacob's ſake.

The B…eſſing God conferr'd upon Jacob in Padan-Aram (according to his Promiſe from the top of the Ladder) was twofold.

Firſt, God Bleſt him with a numerous Off-ſpring by Leah and Rachel, who were Figures of the two Churches, that of the Jews under the Law, and that of the Gentiles under the Goſpel: The younger, like Rachel, was more Beautiful and Dearer too, yea, deeper in the Affections of Chriſt, when he came in the form of a Servant, though the elder, like Leah, was firſt Imbraced as a Wife both Wedded and Bedded.

NB. Jacob's Polygamy is not to be imitated by others, however it may be juſtified as to himſelf, who might

1. Have a ſpecial Warrant from God for this thing, as Sampſon's Marriage with the Philiſtin Woman was of the Lord, Judg. 14.4. which (in the Sentiments of ſome) ſeems to intimate as if Sampſon had Gods Warrant to do what he did.

2. This Marrying of two Wives by Jacob was done in a Myſtery, to repreſent the Church of the Jews and that of the Gentiles (as above) as Abraham's two Wives were an Allegory of the Two Teſtaments or Covenants, Gal. 4.24. No ſuch thing now can (at the leaſt) be pretended unto for its palliation; yet Jacob's caſe is thus far excuſable, in as much as he deſign'd to have but one even Rachel, Gen. 29.20, 21. though Laban deceiv'd him with Leah, by a like fraud as Rebekah (…his Mother) had, not long before, in a crafty Diſguiſe ſubſtituted him the younger, for Eſau the elder. God oft pays men home in their own Coin, (as before) and meaſures out the ſame meaſures to us that we have meaſured out to others, Mat. 7.12. Jacob thus deceived, might have ſome reflections upon his own deceit he had put upon his own Blind Father Iſaac.

Some Remarks in this Hiſtory I cannot omit, the firſt is, Though Leah was faulty in this p. 274Deceit, acting her part after her Fathers, as Jacob had done after his Mothers Directions, yet her ſin was graciouſly pardon'd, and Chriſt did chuſe to come from tender-ey'd Leah (who bare Judah to Jacob) rather than of Beloved and Beautiful Rachel, Gen. 49.10.

The ſecond Remark is, When this cheat was put upon Jacob. His thoughts in his Conjugal Embracements were upon a Child by Rachel, while he had Leah in his Arms, and ſo the Birth-right by his Intentions ſhould be Rachel's Firſt-born, which afterward God accompliſh'd, when Jacob Adopted Joſeph's two Sons for Tribes, and gave to Joſeph (Born of Rachel) the double Portion, as to Judah, the Dignity, from Reuben his Firſt-born by Leah, who had forfeited both by his Inceſt, Gen. 48.20, 22. and 49.4. 1 Chron. 5.1, 2. where 'tis ſaid that the Dignity was Judah's of whom Chriſt ſprang, but the Birth-right was Joſeph's, who had a double portion as his two Sons made two Tribes, and thoſe very numerous; and thus in the figurative Deſcription of the Church, Joſeph hath two Portions, Ezek. 47.13. as being Jacob's beſt beloved Son of his beſt beloved Wife Rachel.

The third Remark in the Hiſtory of Jacob's Marriage is, That he travell'd far, even five hundred Miles to fetch a Wife, and there ſerved an hard Service for her, during Seven long years (for Lovers Hours are full of Eternity,) Hoſ. 12.12, 13. He fled into the Countrey of Syria, there he ſerved for a Wife, and for a VVife he kept Sheep. Alas, he had nothing to give as a Dowry wherewith to purchaſe her (according to the Cuſtom of thoſe Countries, Gen. 34.12. 1 Sam. 18.25. and 2 Sam. 3.14. and Hoſ. 3.2.) coming thither as a poor Pilgrim and Traveller, with nothing but a Staff in his Hand, therefore is he willing to work Night and Day for her, and to Earn her with his hard Labour, Gen. 31.39, 40, 41. wherein is ſhewed both his Uncles unkindneſs to allow it, and his own ſingular Humility, Patience, Meekneſs, waiting upon Gods Providence to undergo it; yea, and ſo notorious a cheat at the end of it: And when he had ſerved his firſt Seven years hard Apprentiſhip for Rachel, he was cheated with Leah, yet he Indents to ſerve Seven years longer Service for his beloved Rachel, though he ſerved but ſeven days or a Week (which was the Earneſt of his following Seven years Service) before he enjoyed his Rachel alſo, whom he Married at the Weeks end: Yet Jacob's Journey five hundred Miles for a Wife was nothing ſo long, as that which Chriſt took from Heaven to Earth (which is computed before to be five hundred years Journey) to ſerve for a Wife, his Church, who is more Coy than Rachel, and will hardly be ſpoke with, though he ſtands knocking and calling, [Open to me, &c. Cant. 5.2. Revel. 3.20.] and hath made him to ſerve long with her ſins, wearying him with her iniquities, Iſa. 43.24. Oh ſtupenda Dignatio, moſt Glorious Condeſcention.

Secondly, As God bleſt Jacob with a numerous off-ſpring, ſo he did with a plentiful Eſtate, even to the envy of Laban and his Sons: 'tis ſaid, Jacob increaſed exceedingly Gen. 30.43. having much Cattel, and Men Servants, and Maid Servants, and Camels, and Aſſes; how he became ſo vaſtly Rich under ſo hard a Maſter, the means are mentioned by himſelf, Gen. 31.9. God hath taken away Laban's Cattel, and hath given them unto me, &c. God had promis'd his preſence with him to bleſs him, &c. Gen. 28.15. thus the promiſe was perform'd even in outward Bleſſings, God dealt kindly with him as a Son, while his Uncle treats him unkindly, yea unjuſtly as a Servant, changing his Wages ten times, Gen. 31.7. and ever for the worſe, though he did confeſs, he grew Richer by him, Gen. 30.27, 30. yet (as if that had been a crime to bring Laban Gods Bleſſing) that miſerable muck worm became the more churliſh to him; how much is it better to be Gods Servants than Mans? that old ſubtle Fox was far too hard for honeſt and plain Hearted Jacob, who was ſimple to evil, but of a Large reach, (eſpecially when advanced upon his Ladder) for Heaven, the Children of this World are too wiſe in their Generation for the Children of the Righteous, Luk. 16.8. theſe cannot project and practice deceit as they can do with their Spirit of this World, which skills them in the Devils depths, but the Children of Light know not thoſe depths of Darkneſs, Rev. 2.24. yet have received a better thing, the Holy Spirit, which ſearcheth all, yea the deep things of God, 1 Cor. 2.10. And this was Jacobs Mercy, the more moroſe and over-reaching (by colloguing and currying favour, Gen. 30.27.) Laban was to him, (there never wants ſaith the Proverb, a new Knack in the Knaves Cap) the more mercifully did the God of Bethel (ſo call'd, Gen. 31.13.) interpoſe for him to avenge him of his defrauder, 1 Theſ. 4.6. not only ſaving him from Labans miſchiefs, Gen. 31.7, 42. but alſo enriching him with Labans ſubſtance, Gen. 31.9. Thus God promiſeth, that his People ſhall ſpoil thoſe that ſpoil them, Ezek. 39.10. this cauſed a looring look in Laban himſelf (who was ſo ſubtile as to bite in his Tongue and ſay nothing for ſhame, but tickl'd it up with ill-thinking the more, but in his hot-headed Sons (right chips of the old block) it cauſed them to blurt out (they could not hold or hide what was in their evil Hearts) ſaying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our Fathers, and of him hath he gotten all this Glory, Gen, 31.1, 2. p. 275poor worldly wretches eſteem'd their wealth their chiefeſt glory, as 'tis twice called, Pſal. 49.16, 17. and both Father and Sons part with them, as if raked out of their Bellies, Job 20.15. and therefore they, envying Jacobs proſperity, do unjuſtly ſlander him, as getting all his goods by fraudulent means (which more likely was their own manner, muſing as uſeing) when all was graciouſly beſtowed upon him by God himſelf, as Jacob told his Wives, Gen. 31.8, 9. that God hath taken away, &c.

Objection, But did not Jacob uſe Wiles (in putting peel'd Rods into the Troughs) to beguile Laban of his Cattel?

Anſwer, What Jacob did therein, was done by Gods Direction given him in a Divine Dream (as was his Viſion of the Ladder, Gen. 31.10, 11. I have ſeen (ſaith God) all that Laban hath done to thee, v. 12. I am the true proprietary; who gives to men, and takes from men thoſe outward goods at my pleaſure, as Hannah hath it, 1 Sam. 2.7. I have ſeen the frauds Laban hath put upon thee, therefore I am reſolved to fleece him for thy encouragement. Laban(it ſeems) was changeable in his Covenants with Jacob, at firſt Jacob muſt have the increaſe of divers colours only, Gen. 30.32. as his Wages, this Laban thought would make Jacobs part very ſmall, for Cattel naturally bring forth young like themſelves, but 'twas overruled otherwiſe by the extraordinary Providence of God: which then Laban thought was too great wages for his Work, ſo reſtrains him from one colour to another, yet all multiplied to more than Laban was willing to allow Jacob, Gen. 31.8, 10, 11. what change or choice ſoever he made, the greateſt number did fall to Jacob's part according to the Covenants contracted between them: Though Jacob had juſt cauſe to complain of Laban's being ſo changeable in his Covenants, yet found he the God of Jacob unchangeable in his Covenant with him: And though there may be ſomething in the means by the ſtrength of Imagination, ſometimes of force to conform Conception to the Object, Gen. 30.37. yet this had been very uncertain, eſpecially in unreaſonable Creatures, had he not received it from God, who did make it effectual at all times when the means were uſed by him.

The next Remark in Jacob's Life is his return from Padan-Aram, wherein ſtill the comfort of that Viſional Ladder laſted him: The Ladder was a bare Sign, and God (at the top) added a word to the Sign, (without which a Sign doth not determinately ſignifie) ſaying, I will be preſent with thee, and I will preſerve thee, &c. and God perform'd his Promiſe.

1. In his going ſafely thither, and though he were a Stranger to the way, God order'd his ſteps, Pſal. 37.23. ſo as to bring him to the very VVell where he met his dear Rachel, and gave him there the ſtrength of three Men to roll away the Stone from the VVells mouth, Gen. 29.8, 10. as eaſily (ſaith the Rabbin Pirkei Eleizer) as one taketh a Pot-lid from off the Pot: Though now he was ſeventy ſeven years old, and well wearied with his long Journey: David ſaith, By Gods help I Atchieved great Matters, I broke through a Troop, and leaped over a VVall, though I be but a little Man, Pſal. 18.29. So Jacob by the help of God (who had promis'd him his preſence) rolled away this great Stone (ſo called, ver. 2.) which always required all the Hands of three Shepherds to remove, ver. 8. and 3. And no doubt but Jacob now ſtrained himſelf to the utmoſt, and ſtretched out his ſtrength the more, to render himſelf the more acceptable to Rachel, yea, and to Laban too, who liked well ſuch as were ſtrong to do Service, the Carnal Caitiff never thought his Servants did enough, Gen. 31.38, 39, 40, 41. All which unjuſt Auſterity Characterizes Laban to be a covetous Cormorant, and that Jacob ſtood in need of all his prodigious ſtrength, and of Gods helping Hand too to endure twenty years Service under him. Therefore

2. God perform'd his Promiſe of being preſent with him, during his abode there for twenty long years of hard Service, where God gave Jacob,

1. A numerous Offſpring. And, 2. A plentiful Eſtate, as before.

The Glory of both which did ſo dazle the Envious Eyes of Laban and of his Sons, Gen. 31.1, 2. that they take up a great grudge againſt him, their Avarice, (the Root of all evil, 1 Tim. 6.10.) made them think with Seianus, quicquid non acquiritur, damnum eſt, that all was loſt, which fell beſides their Lips, what they could not draw to them, they accounted it as ſnatch'd from them; hereupon, as the young ones frapp'd at him with opprobrious words, as if he had defrauded them of their Eſtates, ſo the old one frown'd upon him, though he had acknowledg'd him his Benefactor, and that God had made him [hominem boni pedis] a proſperous Man to his Houſe and Eſtate, Gen. 30.27. yea, ſome ſay, that God gave Laban for Jacob's ſake, thoſe very Sons that were the Murmurers, ſeeing we read of none he had before, but that for want of Sons, his Daughter Rachel kept his Sheep; if ſo, this muſt needs be a great aggravation to Jacob's grief, yet he could better bear the groundleſs Cavils of thoſe Raw-headed Lads by the goodneſs of his own Conſcience (which fears no Judge) for his own Righteouſneſs (as he ſaith) would anſwer for him againſt all their calumnies, Gen. p. 27630.33. He had done nothing but by Gods direction, Gen. 31.10. and according to a plain Bargain between them, wherein Laban hoped he had got Jacob upon the Hip for a bad Bargain to him, therefore ſaid, [Behold I would it might be ſo, as thou haſt ſaid,] Gen. 30.34. But he is in the Iſſue fairly diſappointed himſelf who would have deceived Jacob; neither had he uſed any fraudulent, unlawful and Magick means to beguile Laban of his Eſtate (as the words of thoſe Hot-headed youngſters do import) for what Jacob did with his pilled Rods, was no Charm or Inchantment, but 'twas done partly by the force of the fancy (which is much affected with Objects of Sight in the time of Copulation and Conception) ſo the means were meerly Natural: Partly 'twas done by Divine direction (as before) and not of his own Head; but chiefly, yea, altogether, theſe means were made effectual by a Divine Benediction, for he that will make the ſame Experiment now, ſhall upon tryal find himſelf fruſtrated: It then dependeth not on Mans skill, but upon Gods Bleſſing, beſides volenti non fit injuria, Laban could not be wrong'd, when he was ſo willing to this Bargain, and ſo cunning to ſet three days Journey betwixt the party-coloured (put into his own envious Sons Hands) and the white ſtill committed to Jacob's care, that ſo (if poſſible) Jacob's part might be little enough of ſpotted our of the white, as he had choſen, for naturally white brings forth white like the Dams. Sic canibus catulos ſimiles, ſic matribus haedos, ſaith Virgil.

Some ſay, the Reaſon why Jacob choſe the party-coloured to be his Wages, was, becauſe, as white and black Sheep were moſt eſteemed in Meſopotamia, ſo thoſe of a Motley Colour were moſt ſet by in Paleſtina, (hence the Shepherds of Jacob's Countrey are call'd nochdim, Amos 1.1. that is, Keepers of Spotted Cattel) whither he was now preparing to go, when he had ſerved out his full time of Fourteen years Service, and now was become a Freeman, Gen, 30.25, 26. though he then was a little too haſty (as Moſes was after, Exod. 2.12. and Acts 7.25.) for he ſtayed there yet other Seven years after this: God will not have him go empty (with only his Wives and Children) away, no, he will have him to go with a great Eſtate (for their Maintenance) alſo, and that honeſtly got by a plain Bargain betwixt his Uncle and him, though made with the greateſt diſadvantage on his ſide: But above all, that which moſt juſtifies Jacob from all fraudulency (wherewith Laban's Sons did calumniate him) is, becauſe 'tis plain, Jacob uſed theſe means (not by Deviliſh, but) by Divine Inſtinct, therefore 'tis ſaid, [God hath taken away your Fathers Cattel, and given them to me,] Gen. 31.9. ſaith Jacob to his Wives; and ver. 11, 12. he gives a further account to them, that thoſe means were no Invention of his own, but he had it from the Oracle and Angel; and that the Cartel were over-ruled by an Almighty Hand, rendring alſo the Reaſon why it was ſo. [I have ſeen all that Laban doth] God ſaw Laban's injuſtice to Jacob, not with a naked Obſervation, but with a juſt vindication; and again, ver. 16. Laban's Daughters do ſay, [All the Riches God hath taken from our Father, belongeth unto us] wherein they anſwer their own Brethrens calumniations, alledging, what Jacob (their Husband) had done, was not any Humane (much leſs Deviliſh) Device, but 'twas done by Divine Authority: And again, ver. 42. ſaith Jacob (himſelf) to Laban, [Except the God of my Father had been with me, ſurely now thou hadſt ſent me away empty,] wherein he aſſerts his own Honeſty and Integrity to his Uncles very Face, (together with ſome ſevere Reflections upon Laban's Fraudulency and Injuſtice towards him) and peremptorily declares, that God (himſelf) was his Avenger upon him, and the Righteous Rewarder of all his own hard Services under him during his treble Apprentiſhip, wherein he had ſerved his Uncle with all his power, Gen. 31.6. Oh that we could ſerve the Lord ſo, who is a far better Maſter, a more Liberal Lord, and a more Bountiful Benefactor, than ever churliſh Laban could be to Jacob. All this doth plainly hold our, that God is a good Maſter, and will ſee to his Servants, that they loſe not all, as Laban deſign'd Jacob ſhould do, by ſevering the Ring-ſtraked from the white, &c. Gen. 30.34. Hoping thereby to diſappoint Jacob of having any thing for his Wages in that way he (himſelf) had ſo modeſtly propoſed, caſting himſelf chiefly upon the good Providence of God in the uſe of lawful means, as we (all) ought to do, though the World (like Laban) doth think it neither pity nor iniquity to defraud us of thoſe things that are due to us both as Men and as Chriſtians: Neither did God (who is Lord of all, Acts 10.36.) any wrong to Laban in transferring his Cattel to Jacob, no more than to the Canaanites, when he gave their Land to the Iſraelites, for God is the true Proprietary of all, the Earth is the Lords, and the fulneſs thereof, Pſal. 24.1. God gives but his own Goods to whomſoever he gives them, and may not the Lord do what he will with his own, Matth. 20.15. Beſides, God herein gave to Jacob what was due to him by a double right.

1. In reſpect of his Twenty years Service, all which time he ſerved without Wages, as he complains, Gen. 31.6, 7.

In regard of his Wives Dowry, hereof his own Daughters do complain, as a part of p. 277their Fathers Hardneſs, ſaying, [Hath he not ſold us? and doth he not count us as ſtrangers, &c.] Gen. 31.15, 16. So that God only directed Jacob to recover out of his churliſh Uncles hands, that which was his right, and due to him both as wages for his hard ſervice, and as a Debt for his Wives Dowry. Thus the Iſraelites borrowed of the Egyptians their beſt things, which were but a due Recompence to them for their long Service, and cruel Bondage: Therefore Laban had as little cauſe to look lowringly upon Jacob, as his Sons had reproachfully to rail at him; and the great Grudge which the Father bare againſt Jacob in his heart (providentially proclaimed by the frowns of his face upon him, before friendly, now ſpiteful;) Hen quàm difficile eſt Animum non prodere Vultu.

The Fathers frowns (I ſay) grieved this good man more, and wounded him worſe than all the Fraps and Frumps of Slanders, that the bare-fac'd Boys blurted out of their black mouths, ſpeaking their malicious minds freely. This was the double occaſion of Jacobs reſolve to Return, which he would not do raſhly without a warrantable cauſe and call. God was good to Jacob while Laban and his Sons were evil to him;

1. In giving him due warning to beware of their wicked Intents againſt him, by the backbiting words of the one, and by the lowring looks of the other; therefore muſt he look to himſelf.

2. God bids him look homeward, Gen. 31.3, 11, 12, 13. This was the third and the fulleſt call for his Return. Oh that the Worlds Affronts, and the Frowns of wicked men (who change their Countenances, as Times do change towards us) may drive us to him who changeth not, Jam. 1.17. and may make us more to look homewards to our Heavenly Canaan and Countrey! Heb. 11.14, 15, 16. where we ſhall have a better place, v. 10. than heart-grieving Meſheks, Pſal. 120.5. and better company than churliſh Laban, and his curriſh Sons.

The two former Reaſons (both Impulſive Cauſes of Jacobs Return) were Humane, ariſing from the Sons carriage, and the Fathers countenance; but this third Reaſon of his Removal was Divine, from the Oracle of God, ſo more clear and ſatisfactory than the other two; upon this he obeys Gods call in way of Duty, and truſts him with the Event and Succeſs thereof: Former experience of Gods favour breeds in him future confidence therein. Hereupon he firſt conſulting with his Wives (as it ought to be in weighty matters, eſpecially in Removes) and gaining their conſent (they preferring an Husband before a Father, according to Gods Word, Gen. 2.24, Pſal. 45.16) caſts himſelf and all his upon God, who call'd him and commanded him to be gone: He packs up his bag and baggage, and yet ſteals away ſecretly, Gen. 31.20, 27. Gods Saints are often put upon the uſe of ſuch means for their own ſafety, as render them contemptible to worldly and wicked men. Jacob aſſuredly feared, that, had Laban known of his departure, his Avarice and Malice was ſuch, as he would lay his Tarrying-Irons upon him, and not permit him to go away ſo long as he could ſtay him as a Servant, whoſe ſervice had long been a vaſt bleſſing to his ſmall Eſtate.

NB. Jacobs obedience to Gods command was attended with two remarkable Miſchiefs and Diſcouragements; yet the God of Jacob (who had promiſed him his preſence) carried him ſafely and comfortably through both. This teacheth us two Truths.

1. That evils may attend good men even in the way of obedience; as Chriſts Diſciples were going whither Chriſt had commanded them to go, Matth. 14.22. yet in their way thither they met with a moſt dreadful ſtorm, v. 24. ſo that they were almoſt ſhip-wrack'd by the boiſterous blaſts (the Prince of the Air had raiſed) which ſat croſs and contrary to them; and if the Winds be contrary to blow in the face of thoſe that walk in the way of obedience, oh what horrible Tempeſts of Fire and Brimſtone (of the moſt tormenting temper) may beat upon the backs of thoſe that are found in ways of diſobedience, Pſal. 11.6. The firſt thing God will rain upon the diſobedient is Snares to catch them, and to hold them faſt, that they may ſurely and certainly ſuffer all the reſt that follow there; God will aſſuredly command his Judgments to go forth and take hold of the wicked (ſuddenly ſurprizing them, as ſome pelting Shower doth unexpectedly the unwary Traveller) and hold them faſt too, till they drink up the Cup of Gods Wrath, though it be brim-full, and hath Eternity to the bottom of it, Pſal. 75.8. God will ſooner or later wound the hairy ſcalp of ſuch as go on in their wickedneſs, Pſal. 68.21. The hairy ſcalp'd, or ſhag-hair'd ones, as evil Spirits are call'd Shegnirim, Levit. 17.7. Mark that all Anti-Round-heads, who ſuffer their locks to grow too long, Ezek. 44.20. like Womens, or who dreſs themſelves ſo in an Antick dreſs, with borrowed hair, ſurely (ſaith Mr. Burroughs) the Devil forgot this Text when he raiſed ſo much Reproach againſt the Round-heads, to be hairy-ſcalp'd, the garb of Gods Enemies, Pſal. 68.21. or ſhag-hair'd, the Character of Devils, Levit. 17.7. as before.

The ſecond Truth taught hence is, Though evils do attend good men in ways of obedience, yet a good God carries them ſafe through thoſe evils, and however ſaves them from the evil of p. 279evils. Many are the troubles of the Righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of all, Pſal. 34.19. as he did the Diſciples out of the Storm, &c. and Jacob here from his double Affliction.

1. From Labans purſuit after him.

2. From Eſau's aſſault before him; Laban leaves him, and Eſau meets him, both of them with a kiſs; this good mans ways pleaſed the Lord, and therefore both theſe his Enemies the Lord over-ruled to be at peace with him, Prov. 16.7. Though Laban purſued after Jacob with one Troop, and Eſau came before him to aſſault him with another, both with Hoſtile Intentions (as afterwards more appeareth) yet God ſo wrought for his Servant Jacob whom he had choſen, Iſa. 45.4. Iſa. 41.8. That Laban leaves him with a kiſs, and Eſau meets him with a kiſs; of the one he hath an Oath, and of the other Tears, with both he had peace; what need he fear men, who once is in League with God? Sin is the only make-bait, which ſets God and Man at variance; and when God is diſpleaſed, all created Beings are up in Arms to reduce the Rebels, and do execution upon them: Man muſt therefore be at peace with God, Job 22.21. and take hold of Gods ſtrength for it, Iſa. 27.4, 5. The former of theſe two evils wherewith Jacob was exerciſed after his departure homeward, was Labans purſuit after him, wherein more particularly theſe Circumſtances are remarkable.

1. Labans over-taking Jacob, though he had paſſed over the River Euphrates, and ſo declined the ordinary way, that his purſuing Uncle might not overtake him, which yet he did, for ſo God would have it, that he might have the greater glory of Jacobs Deliverance.

2. His ſevere Expoſtulation with Jacob, wherein he accuſeth him of two crimes; Firſt, Of ſtealing away his Daughters, carrying them away as Captives taken with the Sword, Gen. 31.26. The old Churl chargeth him home, pretending he would have ſent them away with mirth, v. 27. and therefore telling him, he had done fooliſhly, v. 28. and that it was in the power of his hands to do him hurt, v. 29. Secondly, Of ſtealing away his Gods, v. 30. laying Sacriledge to his charge, a ſin that deſerved death, and therefore Laban call'd his Kinſmen and Country men all to Arm themſelves for executing Juſtice upon the Sacrilegious Jacob.

3. Jacob's modeſt Apology and Defence for himſelf; firſt, he denies not his ſecret flight, yet purges himſelf from all falſe fraud or fault therein, ſaying it was done only from his Fear, leſt Laban ſhould force his Daughter from him, v. 31. So force him to ſtay ſtill as his ſlaviſh Servant; wherein he plainly taxes the Churl of his Inhumanity and violent Injuſtice, as the L…in Interpreter Reads it [Raperes] for Rapere is violenter Auferre, to take my Wives away by force: to Laban's Calumnies and Menaces, Jacob anſwereth nothing, whereas he might have replied, there is no ſuch matter as my taking thy Daughters Captives, as thou reproacheſt me; for I had my Wives good-will and conſent to go away with me: Beſides, they are now more mine, than thine; I have and hold them in Marriage (with thy conſent who gave them me) not in bondage as won by a conquering Sword, I carry them not away as my conquer'd Captives (according to thy Slander) but as my comfortable Companions: Moreover, thy Malice picks a quarrel where no fault is made, and thy Hypocriſie doth Pick-thanks where no Good is meant; 'tis a very likely Matter thou wouldſt have ſent us away with Mirth (as thou ſayſt) whereas thy Deſign hath been to detain us (which I feared) much leſs to diſmiſs us with voluntary leave, and leaſt of all with Honeſt Mirth and Jollity at our farewel: 'Tis the Hypocrite's Beſt to ſay the Beſt, he muſt ſay ſomething, though he all along belye his own heart while he thus reproacheth (and impeacheth the Reputation of) a righteous man, laying Sin to Jacob's charge, that thereby he might the better palliate his own, and telling him he had done fooliſhly; whereas he had done no more than what God warranted him to do. When Laban's Frowns were a Grief to Jacob, then the Lord call'd him to look homeward, and commanded him to be gone, Gen. 31.3. thus this old Churle calls Obedience to God an Act of Folly. There be many ſuch leud Labans in our Days, wretched ones will reprehend what they cannot comprehend; Diſdainful and doughty Diotrephes's do Prate againſt the Seed of Jacob ſtill, 3 Job. v. 10. the Greek word is [foreign] Trifles againſt us with malitious words: Diotrephes was a great Man, and he was as proud as great, prating like a proud Prelate againſt John, (Chriſt's beloved Diſciple who lay in his Boſom, and therefore one would wonder what he could prate againſt him for) and his words were great in Malice as well as in Pride; yet all were but Trifles to a clear Conſcience. When wicked men (though Wealthy and Mighty) do prate againſt us, they do but trifle and play the Fools themſelves while they revile us (as Laban did Jacob here) ſaying, We have done fooliſhly, when we have done no more than what God commandeth us to do: we ſhould ſhake oft ſuch cenſures and reproaches as Paul did the Viper, Act. 28.5. yea, and in an Holy Scorn laugh at them, as the wild Aſs doth at the Horſe and his Rider, Job 39.7. And as modeſt Jacob Anſwers not this Fool according to his Folly; Firſt, In reſpect of his Calumnies, (as we have heard he might have done) leſt he ſhould alſo be like unto him, Prov. 26.4. but paſſeth over all theſe material p. 278Replies) (which undoubtedly he might have made) in ſilence, as not worthy of anſwering in his groundleſs Cavils. 'Tis a good Rule of one of the Antients [Sile & funeſtam dediſti plagam] Say nothing to thy Reviler, and thereby thou pays him home to purpoſe: Thus Hezekiah would not anſwer railing Rabſhekah, 2 King. 18.36. Thus Jeremy turn'd his Back upon black-mouth'd Hananiah, Jer. 28.11. in ſtead of opening his Mouth in Anſwers to avoid a Tumult. Thus Iſaac puniſh'd ſcoffing Iſhmael with Silence, Gen. 21.9. Gal. 4.29. we read of no Reply: Thus alſo our Saviour Anſwered not his Adverſaries, Joh. 19.9. Matth. 27.12, 14. he Reviled not his Revilers, nor Threatned (as he might have done) his worſt Oppoſers, 1 Pet. 2.23. hearing that they objected nothing but notorious Lyes againſt him, and ſuch as he well ſaw; Pilate himſelf ſaw through, and therefore tried ſo many means to free him from them: 'Tis beſt (ſaith Baſil) foreign, to ſtop a too open Mouth with ſaying Nothing; And Tacitus tells us, Convitia ſpreta exoleſcunt, Reproaches diſregarded ſoon evaporate, and like ſmother'd ſulphureous Flames which are choaked in their own ſmoak for want of vent die out, only leaving an hateful ſtench behind them; So words of ſcorn and petulancy are beſt ſmother'd in their own ſtinking ſmoak, their beſt Anſwer is Silence, and no Anſwer puts the ſevereſt Spite upon railing Rabſhekah's. Godly Jacob would not therefore (as Solomon ſaith) be like unto the fool Laban, as hot, and as heady and headlong as he, and to give him as hot as he had from him: Had Jacob done ſo, as we are apt to do when evil intreated (thinking then we have Reaſon to be Mad) ſpeaking as big for our ſelves as our Revilers ſpeak againſt us; this is the High-way for both to become Fools; and men may then ſay, there is never a wiſer of the two: Yet doth wiſe Jacob anſwer Laban (the Fool) ſomewhat according to his Folly, leſt he ſhould be wiſe in his own conceit, Prov. 26.5. he caſts in ſome Anſwers that might ſting him, and ſtop his Mouth; yea, he plainly Stones him with ſoft words and hard Arguments, leſt he ſhould advance his Creſt too high, and inſult as a Conquerour too much, and be held ſo by his Hearers. In a word, when a Fool is among Fools ſuch as himſelf, he muſt be anſwered, leſt he ſeem Wiſe to them; but if he be among Wiſe men, then he is not to be Anſwered, for they will rather Regard thy ſeaſonable Silence, than his paſſionate prattle. Laban was among both here, ſo Jacob Anſwers ſome, not all Objections.

As Jacob Anſwers not all his Calumnies (about his ſtealing away from him) which was the (firſt … of Laban's Charge againſt him) ſo not at all doth he Anſwer concerning the Me…s and Threatnings Laban ſwaggers againſt him withal, ſaying, It is in the power of my … to hurt thee, v. 29. whereas Jacob might have reply'd; Uncle, You might better ſay, It … ſo (than it is ſo) for God hath now forbid you; Though (indeed) it never was, farther …. ſo far as was given him from above. Thus our Lord told Pilate upon the like Bravado, … 19.10, 11. Prophane Princes and Perſons bear themſelves over-bold upon, and boaſt of … power to do hurt, (as if they were little Gods within themſelves) not conſidering, that …lan's Time is in God's hand, and not in the hands of Men, Pſal. 31.15. and unto him bel…rgeth the Iſſues from Death, Pſal. 68.20. Reſtraining man's Rage that will not turn to his praiſe, Pſal. 76.10. Therefore the mightieſt man may not boaſt (as this Thraſonical Laban doth here) Pſal. 52.1. and as Caeſar ſaid to Metellus, he could as eaſily cut him off, as bid it to be done, and as Caligula to his Conſuls, I ſmile to think that I can kill you with a Nod of my Head, and with a word of my Mouth off goes the Head of my beautiful Wife: little thinking that their Power is limited by one higher than the higheſt, Eccleſ. 5.8. Chriſt ſaith, Fear not them that kill the Body; to wit, by Divine Permiſſion, Matth. 10.28. He ſaith not, them that [can] kill the Body, as if they had power to do it at their own pleaſure; for that is a Royalty belonging to God only: This Laban (himſelf) acknowledges in his [But], He breaths out his Threatnings with a [But] confuſedly [I can, and I cannot hurt thee] I can, in reſpect of my own Mind, and my Armed Men at my heels eaſily hurt unarmed Jacob, and his tender Flock; but I cannot in reſpect of God who forbad me, chaining up both my hands and my heart: Thus Laban as an Hypocrite, forbore his Sin, as the Dog doth his Meat, not becauſe he hates the Carrion, but fears the Cudgel, he is as wicked in a timorous abſtaining from Sin, as in a furious committing of it: The Wolf is a Wolf in Chains as well as out.

Yet as to the ſecond part of Laban's Charge [Why haſt thou ſtolen my Gods] v. 30. To this he Anſwers No, with much Confidence, adjudging them to Death with whom they were found, v. 32. wherein he gave Power to Laban to take away their life. This ſeems a raſh Sentence; ſorry would Jacob have been, if Laban had found his Images under Rachel, and taken him at his word: Haſty words may work much woe; what a ſad ſnare was a raſh Vow to Jephthah? Jacob's ſimplicity was ſuch, that he was confident of the Innocency of all his as well as of his own, upon which he made this ſmart Reply, wherein he was miſtaken, p. 280though God prevented the evil Effects thereof. Jacob might better have anſwer'd thus, Laban, Haſt thou acknowledged the true God to me, and that it was he who bleſt thee for my ſake, Gen. 30.27. and canſt thou ſtill call thoſe poor Images Gods? They are goodly Gods that could not ſave themſelves from ſtealing; how can ſuch Gods ſave their Worſhippers that cannot ſave themſelves from the hands of the Thief, &c. However Jacob ſeconds God's gracious Interpoſition with an angry Expoſtulation; wherein obſerve,

1. God's Care of his Servants againſt the rage of their Enemies, God lets Laban alone to band his Accomplices, and bend his Army for ſix days of his, and for thirteen days of Jacob's Journey: He lets him have the ball upon his foot till he came to the very Goal of overtaking Jaco… …t Gilead; There and then God appear'd to Laban, not for his ſake, but for his Servants, ſets bounds to him [ſpeak neither good nor bad, that is, either by Allurement, or by Affrightment to bring Jacob back, or do him Harm either by fraud or force.]

2. The Confidence of a clear Conſcience in the Godly under Fears and Straits. Jacob here profeſſes his great Travel and faithful Service, together with God's Bleſſing upon all, Accuſes Laban of hard dealing all the time, then Laban ſubmits, makes a Covenant of Peace with Jacob, which is ratify'd on both Sides with an Oath: Happy is he that can be acquitted by himſelf in private, by others in publick, and by God in both, as Jacob here, though God let out Laban's Tedder, yet he pulls him back again to his place, with a hook in his Noſe, and makes him miſs of his Game, Gen. 31.44. to the end. God grant it ſo now. Solomon ſaith, There is a time of mirth and a time of mourning, Eccleſ. 3.1, 4. The former is call'd the Day, and the latter Night. Thus the Pſalmiſt phraſeth it [Heavineſs may endure for a night, but Joy comes in the morning] Pſal. 30.5. the morning brings mirth after a mourning Night. Jacob had both thoſe Times interchangeably ſucceeding one another as Night and Day: he had his Night-time of mourning, when he was Baniſh'd from his Bleſſing as well as Bleſſed Father, and from his loving as well as lovely Mother; And he had his Day-time of mirth too, when he return'd back to Bethel after ſo long a Baniſhment; He had his Night-time of mourning all the Seven years ſevere Service under his unkind Uncle, and he had his Daytime of mirth when he embraced his Beautiful and beſt beloved Rachel: If ever any man may be ſaid to live at the Sign of the Checquer, aſſuredly this Holy Patriarch had his Dwelling there, having ſuch an equal mixture of the black of Miſery, and of the white of Mercy, as he ſometimes had occaſion to ſay [All theſe things are againſt me] Gen. 42.36. ſo he had as oft an occaſion to ſay, [All theſe things are with me and for me.] for he was never plung'd into any ſore Maladies, but God preſently ſent him moſt ſeaſonable and ſuitable Remedies: So that it was with him as with thoſe that live under the Aequinoctial Line, his Day was ever as long as his Night, and ſometimes longer; as it is with thoſe under the Tropick of Cancer in the Summer Seaſon: As his Afflictions abounded, ſo his Conſolations abounded alſo, 2 Cor. 1.5. His Antidotes were anſwerable to his Adverſities.

'Twas not only thus with Jacobs Perſon, but with his Poſterity alſo, who ſometimes were Sighing at the bitter Waters of Marah, and ſometimes Singing at Pharaoh's overthrow in the Red-Sea, &c. to teach both us and them, that this life is like the Land of Canaan, a Land of Hells and Valleys, Deut. 11.11. of ups and down God tempers our afflictions with his Favours, it ſhall not be all Night with us, nor all Day, the time when there ſhall be no Night, is reſerved for another World, Rev. 22.5. with 21.25. the day of glorified Saints is call'd foreign a Nightleſs Day, there is no fear of a ſudden ſurprize by a ſubtle Enemy there in the night ſeaſon. Indeed this Patriarch Jacob had longer Nights than any of the other Patriarchs; from hence the Church in Affliction, is always called Jacob in Scripture, but never is ſhe call'd either Abraham or Iſaac, for he had his Seas of Sorrow to ſwim in, where they did but barely wet their Feet, Abraham ſends his Servant with brave proviſions to provide a Wiſe for his Son Iſaac; but when poor Jacob wants a Wiſe, he muſt ſteal out ſecretly out of his Fathers houſe (in ſtead of ſending his Fathers Steward) as before, footing it five hundred Miles, as the Scripture Itinerary tells us, and moſt ſtupendous ſtories are recorded of him, above all others, in the ſacred Hiſtory (of his Life, which beginneth at his Birth, Gen. 25.26. and endeth at his Death, Gen. 50.1.) So that the account Moſes gives us of the condition of his Life containeth no leſs than twenty five Chapters of that his firſt book of the Pentateuch which is juſt half of the whole Book, and which cannot be parallell'd by any of his Hiſtories of the lives of the other Patriarchs, ſome whereof he gives but a very brief touch, and a ſhort relation, though he inſiſt ſo long upon this Holy man, who lived not near to ſome of their ages, as he ſaid to Pharaoh, [Few and Evil have the days of my Pilgrimage been, &c. Gen. 47.9.] few, in compariſon of his forefathers, who lived many years longer, and evil in reſpect of the manifold croſſes (which ſome reckon to he above ten) attending him: This Jacob had the deepeſt Draught of the Cup of Affliction above all the other Patriarchs, no ſooner was one p. 281Evil over and gone, but another comes upon him, no ſooner had he waded out of one Affliction, but he was preſently plung'd into another, fluctus fluctum trudit, one deep call'd upon another, Pſal. 42.7. one trouble (like Jobs Meſſengers) treads upon the Heels of another, to omit all other Inſtances, no ſooner had Laban left purſuing Jacob behind, and well quit of that unkind Uncle but preſently tidings come that his bloody minded Brother Eſau, was approaching to affault him before: This brought him into the Bryers (out of which he was newly eſcaped) again, thus God is pleaſed to exerciſe his Servants, giving them interchangeable cauſes and occaſions ſometimes of fears, and ſometimes of comforts, that their Hearts may be kept in an Holy frame, and in an equal poize betwixt deſpairing in adverſity, and preſuming in proſperity: here Jacob was a Joyful man that Laban had left him not only in peace, but alſo with a Kiſs, and with a Covenant too, Gen. 31.44, 55. Now he thinks himſelf ſafe, and his thoughts of his ſafety were not only confirmed, but alſo compleated by the Apparition of a double Hoſt of Angels (as the word Mahanaim ſignifies) making a Lane for his ſafe progreſs guarding him on both hands, the Hebrew is in the dual number, Gen. 32.1, 2. herein was Jacob's joy, but preſently a mar-mirth follows, news is brought him, v. 6. that his enraged Brother was upon his March with four hundred cut-throats at his heels, v. 6. to Revenge himſelf upon him for a wrong of twenty years ſtanding (to wit, the robbing him of the birth-right and of the Bleſſing) by force of Arms, Eſau's approaching in an Hoſtile manner, gave juſt ground for Jacob's fear, that he came not as a Friend (then he needed no ſuch Train, and he would, if ſo, have ſent ſome kind meſſage to his Brother) but as an Enemy, this brings Jacob into another ſad conſternation, v. 7. ex caelo repentè quaſi in infernum detruditur, ſaith Pareus, he is affrighted out of his former joy and much terrified with Eſau's Hoſtile intentions, expecting nothing but Blows and Blood from him, v 8. He was greatly afraid, which put him to this point of prudence, ſo to Marſhal his weak company, as to ſave what he could, when he could not expect to keep his All, and that which damp'd this good man the more, was, the Angels (that came to comfort him) were gone away from him, when his bloody Brother was marching towards him: he could not but argue thus within himſelf How unſeaſonably had I the Army of Angels, which appeared to me between my two dangers (before of Laban and now of Eſau) but not in either of them? Their Apparition to me was, when I had no need of their protection: Eſau now comes, but my Angels are gone when I moſt need them: no doubt but this was Jacob's weakneſs thus to deſpond after ſo many Promiſes of Gods preſence, and after ſuch an Apparition of Angels as his protectors which (doubtleſs) God ſent to corroborate his Faith againſt his Fear, who thereupon might argue, though my Brother Eſau come againſt me with 400 Armed Men, yet God hath a ſtronger Amy of Angels, in readineſs for my relief, though they now appear not, becauſe he would have me to live by Faith more than by Senſe. Thoſe Miniſtring Spirits do Miniſter many a Bleſſing to Gods Servants, tho' Inviſibly and Inſenſibly, they will not be ſeen of us to receive any Thanks (much leſs Worſhip) from us: And herein the mighty power of God was the more glorified, that made Eſau (who came out as an Enemy) in the very way of his March to become Jacob's Friend, nay as his good Angel, yea to look upon his Brothers face as the face of God, Gen. 33.4, 10. I am not Ignorant how ſome Learned Men have more charitable thoughts for Eſau, ſaying, that he came here as a Friend, to congratulate Jacob's return, not as an Enemy to be reveng'd upon him, and they render this plauſible Reaſon for this opinion, to wit, If Eſau could reſtrain himſelf when he was in his freſheſt and hotteſt pangs of Paſſion from a filial reverence to his aged Father over-awing the execution of his revengeful reſolves, it is not probable, that at this time when his killing Choller had▪ now twenty years time to cool it ſelf by that long abſence and far diſtance of his Brother, he ſhould now have leſs reſpect to the good old man (who was ſtill alive, Gen. 35.27.) 'tis not likely (they ſay) that by now being the Death of Jacob, he would bring his Father Iſaac's Grey Hairs down with ſorrow to the Grave: This (indeed) is handſomely urged by ſome Divines for excuſing Eſau, from now being an Enemy to Jacob, though the moſt be of another mind, for the reaſons aforeſaid, and had he been heartily reconciled to his Brother (according to this candid allegation) the Author to the Hebrews would never have left ſuch a black Brand upon him for a prophane Perſon, Heb. 12.16. had he thus become Jacob's Friend (though God made him ſo in the way) of a profeſs'd Enemy. What was ſaid before of Laban (whom God ſpoke to in the way of his purſuing Jacob, Gen. 31.24.) may be ſaid of Eſau, that God put a Chain upon him in the way of his aſſaulting Jacob, yet both were Wolves ſtill, worrying Jacob with their Minds, though neither of them were permitted to do it with their Mouths. Auguſtine hath an excellent deſcant upon this; ſaying, Lupus venit ad Ovile, quaerit invadere, jugulare, devorare: Vigilant paſtores, latrant canes—lupus venit fremens, redit tremens, lupus eſt tamen & fremens & tremens, Aug. de Verb. Apoſt. Serm. 21. The Wolf comes to the Sheepfold, attempts to aſſault, worry and devour, the Dogs bark, and the Shepherds defend, the p. 282Wolf that came thither raging, goeth thence trembling, yet is he a Wolf ſtill both raging and trembling: He kills not, becauſe he cannot, not becauſe he will not; this Jacob knew well, and therefore he feared the Hypocriſie both of Laban and of Eſau, that it was a cover only of implacable Malice and Revenge, and that though they ſhould come up to him, with fair pretenſions of good towards him, they both had foul intentions of evil againſt him: Jacob feared them both, but God was better to him than his two fears; God ſpake for him in the very Conſciences both of Laban and Eſau, and ſo he can ſtill, and doth oft, for us in the Hearts of our moſt enraged Enemies, reſcuing as out of the Hands of the chiefeſt Men of the Earth, (according to his Promiſe, Iſa. 41.9, &c. which drops all ſweet-ſmelling Myrth and Mercy) as he did Abraham and Sarah from both Pharaoh, Gen. 12. and Abimelech, Gen. 20. and as he did Jacob and all his Flock, both from Laban and Eſau. His fear (which is a more watchful Grace, and ſafer from ſecurity than hope is) puts him both times to make the beſt means of defence for his own preſervation: When (as before) he ſaw Laban ſo near, he ſet himſelf in as good order as he could, Gen. 31.25. pitching his Tent on the top of the Mount (Gilead) where Laban pitch'd his Tent at the bottom alſo of the ſame Mount, ver. 23. This Circumſtance much aggravated Jacob's Danger, when Laban ſeemeth to have caught him in a Pond, and no doubt but there was dreadful trembling, and horrible out-cries among the Women and Children, expecting nothing but Sword and Slaughter, yet Jacob ſtood upon higher ground than Laban, ſo was above him; and God went down to Laban in the Valley, and Cajoles him not to lift up a wicked Hand againſt Jacob above, yet debars him not from wagging his wicked Tongue (as he doth in the five following verſes) againſt him. His whole Speech to Jacob was full of cruelty as well as contumely, but words (as we ſay) break no Bones: Thus God watcheth over the miſchievous malignity of wicked Men, (even of ſuch as are too mighty for his Servants) and maketh them, not only not to harm them, but alſo to be kind to them (whom they came forth cruelly to cut off) as in the former inſtance of Laban, and in this latter of Eſau, Gen. 32.6, 7. and 33.8, 9. Yea, God ſometimes over-rules wicked Men ſo, as to make them Bleſs thoſe whom they came forth to Curſe, Numb. 23.11. No ſooner had God ſaved Jacob from his fears of Laban behind him, and brought him off from him, with Safety, Credit and Comfort, but Jacob is put again upon making new means of Defence from his fears of Eſau before him. His fear of a ſecond Malady cauſeth him to betake himſelf unto a double Remedy.