A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 1 · Chapter 12 (5 of 7)
1. In the way of Policy and Prudence, v. 7. 2. In the way of Piety and Prayer, Gen. 32.9.10. and ſo on.
Firſt, Of Jacob's Prudence and Policy: It plainly appeareth Jacob was not ſo overwhelmed with his Fear, as to be affrighted out of his Wits into an utter ſtupefaction of Deſpair and Deſpondency; though it be ſaid that he was greatly afraid, v. 7. his wiſdom ſtill remained with him, as Eccleſ. 2.9. he puts forth his Prudentials in providing for his Safety; Natura ſui Conſervativa, Nature's Law teacheth Self-preſervation: Humane means muſt be improved by a Moral-Prudence: 'Tis a tempting of God to neglect lawful means (though under a pretence of an immediate dependency upon God's Providence) for our Deliverance from Danger. Ahaz ſhould not have refuſed to ask a Sign of God for better aſſurance of Iſrael's Deliverance, when God gave ſo fair an offer to ſo foul a Sinner, Iſai. 7.11, 12, 13. he tempted God while he ſaid he would not tempt him: Chriſt would not caſt himſelf down from the top of the Temple, when there was a pair of Stairs for going down from thence, Matth. 4.6, 7. And Jacob here, although he might not doubt of God's Providence and Protection according to his Promiſe, yet he prudently practiſeth all thoſe probable means which he could warrantably Project for procuring his Brother's Favour; and thoſe means are Threefold.
1. He ſendeth an humble Meſſage or Embaſſage to his Brother Eſau, v. 3. where the word Malachim (the ſame that ſignifies Angels, v. 1.) is uſed for Meſſengers, which made a Rabby miſtake, that Jacob ſent ſome of thoſe Angels (that appeared to him, v. 1, 2.) as his Ambaſſadours to Eſau, had Jacob ſent them, he would not have inſtructed them what to ſay, as he doth to his Men-Meſſengers, v. 4, 5. This he prudently did, before he was greatly afraid, as he was after; for Eſau being now removed from Iſaac's Family (his Wives being an offence to his Parents, Gen. 26.35.) before Jacob's return, Gen. 36.6. (whereof poſſibly Rebekah might give Jacob notice) and being now at Mount Seir, Jacob muſt needs paſs through Eſau's Countrey in his way Homeward: This Jacob will not do without giving him due notice, and begging his leave by his Embaſſadours, leſt he ſhould by a new offence offer an occaſion of reviving the old Rancour, which Wiſdom and Juſtice taught Jacob to avoid: therefore his Embaſſage was fraught with all Humility, Candour, and Kindneſs that (if it were poſſible) Brotherly love between them might be recovered and continued: Wherein,
1. He calls Eſau his Lord, and himſelf his Servant, humbly ſubmitting himſelf to him.
2. He gives him an Account both of the time and place of his Pilgrimage ever ſince he left his Father's Houſe; that he had not been a Vagabond, but lets him know, he had lived all thoſe years in the Service of his Uncle Laban, whereby he tacitly Rubs him, and Reminds him how his bloody Threats were the Cauſe of his ſo long a Baniſhment out of his Native Country, and now he might eaſily hope his old diſpleaſure was thereby done away.
3. He ſends him an Inventory of his Eſtate, not for oſtentation-ſake, but to avoid all ſuſpition, that his Brother ſhould not unjuſtly Imagine, He return'd now as ſome Hunger bit ſtarveling, gaping for a Cruſt from him, or graſping at his Father's Wealth: And withal he intimates to Eſau, how Good God had been to him in the time and place of his Baniſhment, Bleſſing him with ſo great a Subſtance, as he doth more plainly tell him, Gen. 33.11. None of all this was the ſordidneſs of Jacob's Spirit, much leſs an Abrenuntiation of his bought Birth-right, or of the Bleſſing at which he was baniſhed, but a neceſſary pacification (thus ſubmiſſively propoſed, as that of Davids to Saul, 1 Sam. 24.7, 9.) till the Prophecy of his Superiority ſhould be accompliſhed; in the mean time he deſigns and endeavours that the old grudge might by an Act of Oblivion be everlaſtingly obliterated: Hence may we learn, that ſo far as is poſſible we ſhould live peaceably with all men, Rom. 12.18. and ſo much as in us lyeth, we muſt follow Peace with all men, Hebr. 12.14. even with wicked men, as Jacob with Eſau here: It ſhould not ſtick on our part ſo far as it conſiſts with Piety and Honeſty, ſo far we ſhould purſue it (and no farther) even when it flees from us, we muſt give any thing of Man for Peace, but nothing of God. He that parts with Truth for Peace buys Gold too Dear. Give no offence careleſly, take no offence cauſeleſly. Jacob here rather yields ſomething of his own Right, than by any Rigour (from the Oracle, The Elder ſhall ſerve the Younger) to rouze up a ſleeping Rage, He reverences his Brother in worldly Courteſies, becauſe he look'd to be preferr'd chiefly in the Heavenly Canaan.
This Firſt part of Jacob's Politicks proving unſatisfactory and ineffectual;
Jacob's Second Policy was to make his beſt Defence againſt an aſſaulting Adverſary, he could now expect no other, ſeeing his Meſſengers brought back to him no Tidings of Peace from Eſau: Some ſay, Jacob's Ambaſſadours were not admitted to any Audience, others more likely think, that though they had Audience, yet had they no Anſwer: Their words to him, Gen. 32.6. imports this, intimating, We came to thy Brother and found him ſo moroſe, he would ſend thee no Anſwer to the Heads of thy Embaſſage; only this we ſaw, that he thereupon call'd for his Arms, and armed himſelf, and …00 of his Men who are all coming to accoſt thee. Hereupon Jacob neither became as a man aſtonied and affrighted out of his wits, nor as one careleſs of Events, ſo as to tempt God by neglect of means, but betakes himſelf to the means his preſent Circumſtances would afford him, which was a dividing his Company into two Bands, not of ſtout armed Men, but of weak Women, Children and Cattel with a ſmall Band of their Keepers, not thus ranked for fighting, but either for flying or dying: The latter of theſe two was the beſt he expected to his former Band, wherein he placed the Handmaids with their Children, and ſome part of his Shepherds and Cattel, as his forlorn Hope, and ſuch as he could moſt eaſily (in compariſon) part with for glutting the greedy Sword of his (as he thought) bloody-minded Brother; but the former (to wit, Flying, not Dying) he deſigns to ſave his ſecond or latter Band thereby from being ſacrificed, wherein he placed Leah and Rachel with their Children, (more dear to him than the firſt Band) with all the reſt of his Cattel and their Keepers, v. 7, 8. Neither did he this from any Cowardly Spirit to ſet both theſe Bands betwixt him and danger, but like a couragious and careful Captain he marcheth before both, in his own Perſon, being more chary for his Charges ſafety than for his own, Gen. 33.3. He paſſed over before them, like a good Commander, whoſe brave reſolution is to fight in the Front, and to bear the firſt brunt of the Battel. Though he ranked his two Bands according to the reſpect he had to them, placing thoſe before in a time of Danger, whom he cauſed to come behind in a time of Safety, that where all could not be ſaved or ſecured, thoſe Deareſt to him might be chiefly cared for and ſuccoured; yet like a faithful Leader, he puts himſelf into a poſture of readineſs to be a Sacrifice himſelf (in the firſt place) for ſaving his Charge committed to him, however of his two Wives, and their Children; for ſome Authors ſay, Jacob's place was betwixt the two Bands, following the firſt, but going before the ſecond, in the Safety whereof (moſt near and dear to him) he offered himſelf, an offering to his Brother's Rage. Thus good Miniſters and Magiſtrates ſhould ſet themſelves in the Front and bear the Brunt alſo; the Church is as weak a company as this of Jacob's, but ſhe hath a ſtrong God to guard her.
The Third part of Jacob's Policy or Prudentials is, his ſending a pacifying Preſent to purchaſe his own Peace with his (as he judged) enraged Brother, Gen. 32.13, 14. well knowing that a gift maketh room for a man, and bringeth him before great ones, Prov. 18.16. and 17.8. whitherſoever it turneth, it proſpereth, or wins the Party, eſpecially ſuch a great Gift, and ſo large a Preſent from a private Perſon, as conſiſted of five Hundred and fifty Head of Cattel of ſeveral kinds; ſo many as could not but contribute much to the ſtocking that barren Country of Mount-Seir; Jacob ſpares no Coſt to buy his Brother's Favour, and to enjoy his purchas'd Birthright; oh that we could do ſo for Heaven!
Having ſpoke to Jacob's firſt Remedy in his Policy, 1. Of ſending Ambaſſadours to Eſau. 2. Of Marſhalling his Multitudes, for fear of his falling foul upon them. 3. Of preparing and proffering a moſt prodigious Preſent. Now come we to the Next.
Jacob's ſecond Remedy, was in a way of Piety; for Policy without Piety is too ſubtle to be Good, and Piety without Policy is too ſimple to be Safe; as before: Jacob joins both theſe therefore together, that he might have a due mixture both of the Dove and of the Serpent. There is an honeſt Policy both lawful and needful in the concerns of God's Servants, as well to be put forth in improving all probable (ſo they be but warrantable) means for eſcaping Danger, as there ought to be an hearty Piety exerciſed in Faith and Prayer. Thus Abraham (in that firſt, yea, and figurative War Recorded in Scripture, Gen. 14.) uſed a Godly Policy, and Military Stratagems, Gen. 14.15.
1. In Dividing his Company (a ſmall Squadron of 318 Men) to make ſhew of a great Army diſperſed divers ways, and to prevent the eſcape of the Enemy.
2. In taking the benefit of the night, that he might ſurprize them, before he could be ſeen by them.
3. In falling upon them (as Joſephus ſaith) when they were ſecure, ſleepy and drunken; (as David did upon the Amalekites, 1 Sam. 30.16. and Ahab upon the Syrians, 1 King. 20.16.) Theſe two (with Abraham) had Divine Direction for what they attempted, and Divine Protection for what they effected. Religion is no Impediment either to Prudence, or to Proweſs in military matters. Thus Jacob uſeth Policy, Gen. 30.38. to 42. for enriching himſelf out of Laban's Flock by a Divine Warrant, as above, and here for ſecuring himſelf againſt Eſau's force, Gen. 32.7, 8. & 16.17, 18. with Gen. 33.1, &c. yet he doth not, he dare not depend upon his own Policy, but betakes himſelf to his Piety, and to his God in fervent Prayer.
☞ Object. But ſome ſay, Surely Jacob was here ſo diſturbed with his paſſion of fear (now predominant) that he was tranſported into a tranſgreſſion, by his digreſſion from due order; for he ought to have ſought God in the firſt place, then ſeek to means.
The firſt Anſwer; There is no doubt but that God ſhould be implored before all things. Yet this is no praepoſterous acting, firſt to order ſome ſuch matters as lay at hand (when the danger is ſudden and ſurprizing) for the beſt advantage, and then to intreat the Lord for his bleſſing upon thoſe endeavours. Sometimes a diſpoſing of things will not admit of delay, in ſuch a caſe as the breaking out of Fire, or the breaking in of Water, then to run into the Cloſet firſt, and there to ſpend time in prayer to God, is not Piety, but Folly; for means may then be uſed with Ejaculations, and ſolemn Invocations, when there is neither Time nor Place for Set and Appointed Prayer.
The ſecond Anſwer; In ſudden dangers (ſuch as the fore-mentioned) imminent over us, there is a duty (of doing what we can for proviſion of good, and prevention of evil) incumbent upon us: In ſuch caſes it is not enough for us to cry out, Lord, ſave us, we periſh, Matth. 8.25. but we muſt Row hard, plying our Oars, John 6.19. do our utmoſt endeavours to quench the Fire, to ſtop the Water, &c. Uſe means as well as pour out prayers. The good Emperors Motto was [Ora, labora] take pains as well as ſay prayers. And it was a ſmart check which the Heathen Philoſopher gave the Car-man (who when his Cart was over-turned, gaz'd upon it with his hands in his pockets, and cryed, O Minerva! help me) ſaying, Admotâ manu invocanda eſt Minerva; Man, work with thy hands, as well as call upon thy Goddeſs. Thus alſo God (himſelf) ſaid to Moſes, Why cryeſt thou to me? Speak to the Children of Iſrael that they go forward, Exod. 14.15. Mark where the fault and the ſtop lay, Moſes craved Gods help, but he did not forward the courſe that made way for Gods help; there is ſomething more to be done by us than only to cry to God; therefore
The third Anſwer is; Jacob (for our Inſtruction) takes the right method, he uſes means and prays, he prays and uſes means: He knowing his preſent peril, and fearing a ſudden ſurprize, ſecures his Family in as good order as he could, otherwiſe he had tempted God, who, when he affords Means, will not work Miracles; when this was done, which the matter did require, to ſhew, he did not depend upon his own devices and prudential Deſigns, he immediately applies himſelf to his God, imploring his Benediction (according to his Promiſe) upon his poor endeavours, well knowing, that without the Divine Bleſſing, no Humane Helps and Means can be available. All which do plainly ſhew, that Jacob placed his Confidence in God, while he uſed ſuch Politick Projects for his own and Families preſervation. Beſides, 'tis very remárkable, how theſe three Remedies aforeſaid are placed in the Hiſtory. The firſt, Of ſending Embaſſadors to Eſau, was before Jacob was ſo greatly afraid, Gen. 32.3, 7. The ſecond Remedy of ranking his Flocks and Family, was immediately after his ſurprizing Aſtoniſhment, v. 7, 8, 11. putting them into ſuch a poſture upon preſent peril, as, if Eſau did fall foully upon the firſt company, the ſecond might the better ſeek to eſcape by flight. No more he doth. But his third Remedy, of ſending a Noble Preſent to his Brother, was after he had been with God in prayer, v. 9. to v. 13.80 that his Policy did not juſtle out his Piety, nor took the right hand of precedency from it, ſave only in that indiſpenſible duty of ſetting his company in two Ranks to ſave ſome, where he could not hope to ſave all. The reſt and moſt of his Prudentials or Politicks followed after his Piety and Prayer, v. 13. to 22. and Gen. 33.1, 2. wherein obſerve how (1.) He divides his Vaſt Preſent into three Bands, and ſent them away before him, ſetting a great ſpace between them, v. 16. that thereby they coming up one after another, to be preſented to Eſau, orderly and in due interſpace, Eſau's Anger might be abated by degrees, and ſo Jacob (by this Proxy and Preſent) might gradually gain ground upon his Brothers Favour and Acceptance: He did not expoſe himſelf in the head of this Preſent to that eminent danger, but put the Cattel into the hands of his Servants (whereof there was far leſs fear) and therewith a Complement into their mouths, how they ſhould court the Lord Eſau. And ('tis very obſervable) all theſe three Bands of Preſents ſpake one and the ſame thing by them, who were the Mouth as well as Leaders of them. I would to God it were ſo among the Leaders of the Church, that they would walk by the ſame Rule, and mind the ſame thing, Phil. 3.16. no other Rule or Thing than the Word of God, ſuch an heavenly Harmony would moſtly advance the Churches Edification, and overcome prophane Eſaus to be reconciled to godly Jacobs. Thus Jacobs Humane Prudence (in all parts and points) was ſucceſsfully ſubſervient to Gods Divine Providence, he ſending his Preſents thus ranked (at a due diſtance each from other) made them more conſpicuous, and gave Eſau a fairer opportunity for a better and more grateful viewing of the greatneſs thereof; beſides, Eſau's queſtioning their ſeveral Leaders, and their unanimous rendring the concurring Anſwer thereunto, together with Jacob's humble ſubmiſſion to him. All this was done prudently and politickly, that thereby Eſau might be mollified and melted by degrees, and his Anger abated.
Munera (crede mihi) placant homineſque Deoſque,
Placatur Donis Jupiter ipſe datis.
Jacob's Preſents thus marſhall'd and manag'd, was a moſt probable project (with Gods bleſſing) to pacifie an enraged Enemy, and to procure peace with him, as indeed it did, Gen. 33.8, 9. & 1.
Having diſcours'd upon Jacobs firſt Remedy, againſt his grievous Malady, to wit, his Policy and Prudence, now come we to his Piety and Prayer: The firſt was in relation to Man; The ſecond Remedy was in relation to God: Wherein we have an account of Jacob's double wreſtling with God, as he had a double wreſtling with Man; 1. With Laban. 2. With Eſau (as before;) and Jacob wreſtled with God. 1. In a Spiritual; 2. In a Corporal manner. And both thoſe two wreſtlings with God interpoſed, and were accompliſhed before Jacob had his happy Iſſue of his ſecond wreſtling with Man, to wit, with his Brother Eſau, and after he had out-wreſtled his Uncle Laban. The firſt wreſtling Jacob made with God, was Spiritual, and is conſpicuouſly expreſſed in his moſt pathetical Prayer recorded in Gen. 32.9, 10, 11, 12. which is eminently marſhall'd and manag'd in an excellent order for his effectual prevailing with God. Some ſay that there be three Ingredients required for a right compoſition and making up of a pious Prayer.
The firſt is a Divine Promiſe, as the ground-work and foundation of a right Humane Prayer. When, and where-ever Faith finds a Promiſe, 'tis its very inſtinct and nature to turn that Promiſe into a Prayer, and then God will turn it into a Performance.
The ſecond Ingredient is, Deep Humiliation before the Lord, that we may not ſeem to found our Faith and Confidence upon our own Merits, but upon Gods meer Mercy.
The third Ingredient is, Hearty Interceſſion, and an earneſt Expoſtulation with God, which the Apoſtle calls foreign, an Interparling with the Lord, 1 Tim. 2.1. where all theſe three parts be put together.
1. 'Tis partly Gratulatory, giving God thanks for his gracious Promiſes and paſt Performances:
2. Partly Supplicatory, making lowly Addreſſes to God. And,
3. Partly Precatory, particularizing ſome ſpecial Requeſt or Petition before him: All theſe three parts of Prayer Jacob here moſt exactly obſerveth: But others affirm, there be more than theſe three parts requiſite to a right Prayer, which I ſhall not here diſcuſs, and not ſo much the Order as the Affection of Praying Jacob here, ought to be obſerved, becauſe this is the Prayer of a perplexed Mind, wherein Jacob's Faith wreſtled with his fears of a ſudden ſurprizing External Evil. However 'tis very manifeſt and plainly Remarkable, that his Prayer is made up here of three parts.
1. His Exordium, or Introduction.
2. His particular Petition.
3. His Arguments wherewith he backs his Petition.
Firſt, His Introductory Exordium or Entrance into his Prayer is very obſervable, Gen. 32. ver. 9. [O God of my Grand father Abraham, O God of my Father Iſaac, and O Jehovah, that ſaidſt, &c.] wherein obſerve, how this Holy Patriarch.
1. Negatively, Doth not apply himſelf, either,
1. To thoſe Teraphims or Idol-Images that his Uncle Laban had Idolatrouſly Worſhipped, and that his Beloved Rachel had ſtoln from her Father, and now had them hid in her Tent, Gen. 31.34. So Jacob (had he been Idolatrous-minded) might have (by his Wives Information and Inſtigation) a fair opportunity to conſult with them, as (Calvin ſuppoſeth) Rachel did, (having a tack and tincture of her Fathers Superſtition) and Jacob from a Blind Love to her connived at in her. Theſe were Idols by which the Devil gave deluſive anſwers to Idolaters, asking advice in difficulties and dangers, Zech. 10.2. Ezek. 21.21. Hoſea 3.4. Habb. 2.18. Iſa. 41.29. Jer. 10.8, 15. The Devil is foreign, a Lover of Idols (as Syneſius calls him) and he would have Men to be ſo too, who have naturally an Itch towards it; nothing is more Natural and Con-natural to us than Popery in Image-Worſhip: Nothing is more retained in us, when once Entertained by us; this Diabolical Itch once got, is hardly ever clawed off and cured: Rachel had theſe Mawmets a long time after this, Gen. 35.2, 4. And Micah's Mother, after all that Airing of Iſrael Forty years in the Wilderneſs, ſtill ſmells ſtrong of Egypt in having her Molten and Graven Gods, Judg. 17.3, 5, and 18.14, 17, 18, 20. call'd Teraphim, which is in the Hebrew plural, for thoſe Idolaters loved them ſo well, as to have more than one of that ſort in their Houſes, from which they expected Help and Health, whence Avenarius deriveth the Greek word [Therapeuo] which ſignifies Healing as well as Worſhipping: Therefore John ſhuts up his firſt Epiſtle with this Epiphonema, a moſt neceſſary caution, [Little Children, keep your ſelves from Idols,] 1 John. 5.21. at leaſt, Negatively, with the ſeven thouſand in Iſrael that bowed not the Knee to Baal. If you dare not poſitively profeſs a publick Diſlike and Deteſtation thereof holding them in Deriſion not in Devotion) as Daniel and his Aſſociates did.
Nor (2.) Did Jacob betake himſelf to Angel worſhip, no more than he did to Image worſhip, having as fair an opportunity for this latter as well as for the former, for here, if ever, Jacob had a fit ſeaſon and occaſion to apply himſelf unto the mediation of Angels, ſeeing they had lately preſented themſelves to him as military troops in a viſible Apparition, Gen. 32.1. they met him ſenſibly and viſibly (not in his Dream as before on the Ladder, but when awake) as Servants do meet their Maſters, and as the Life-guard their Prince, and he acknowledgeth Gods kindneſs therein, v. 2. that ſo much favour and honour was done him, as not to charge one particular Angel, but a whole Hoſt of Angels with the protection of him, (who was but one man) which made a Lane for him at Mahanaim (ſignifying a double Camp) to his great comfort; it was now (if ever) ſeaſonable for Jacob to implore the Angels preſence and aſſiſtance, for his over-matching Eſau with his four hundred Cut-Throats, but he had learnt better things than (theſe two popiſh points) either Image worſhip or Angel adoration, he knew them unlawful practices, And,
Therefore in the Second place Poſitively, He makes his immediate application to the great Jehovah, the only true God, as he was made known in the Church (to wit, in his Fathers and Grand-fathers Families) to be above all other Idols, never making the leaſt mention of any mediatory Angels at all, but giving the whole glory of all to the Lord alone, who is only able and willing to hear and Help his Servants that call upon him in their neceſſities.
The Second part of Jacob's Spiritual Wreſtling with God is, That particular Petition which he promotes with much ardency of Affection [Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my Brother, &c. for I fear him, &c. v. 11.] This Petition he placeth in the midſt of his prayer, ſo that it ſtandeth ſtrongly guarded both before and behind with ſeveral cogent and inforcing arguments both in its Front and in its Rear, for the ſhoring up his Faith in his praying or wreſtling work, as may more appear in the third part; [Deliver me] ſaith Jacob, he was one that was fled and delivered from a Lion, even from Laban, and a furious Bear met him, Amos 5.19. ſo by running from his Death, he ſeem'd to run to it, and by ſeeking to ſhun the ſhelves ſhould …ow moſt likely be ſplit upon this Rock: Laban as a Lion had ſome ſhamefac'dneſs in him, ſaith a Rabby, but Eſau, as a Bear, had none at all: Jacob therefore Prays, ſends Meſſengers, ſends Preſents, and ſubmits, &c. And all to pacifie this chafing Bear (robb'd of his two Whelps, to wit, the Birth-right and the Bleſſing. He that meets with ſuch a Beaſt, will not ſtrive with him for the Wall, but be glad to ſcape by him with any lawful condeſcentions: [For I fear] Jacob's fear was not a ſudden and involuntary violent fear, ſuch as wiſe Men are naturally ſubject unto, upon the noiſe of ſome dreadful crack of Thunder, or upon the news of ſome unexpected ſtrange and horrible Caſualties, out of which they again recover themſelves, whereas Fools (as the Stoick Epictetus obſerveth) do abide in the ſame fear ſtill, ſometimes to a Diſtraction; but Jacob's fear was a judicious and ſetled fear, as may appear by his careful and threefold Preparation;
1. For War.
2. For Prayer.
3. For Preſents.
In all which he did well, placing his Prudence and Prayer in a way of Subſerviency and Subordination to Gods Providence, which is the proper place.
The Third part of his Prayer, is, The Arguments he puſheth on his Petition with, and they are in number ſeven, (placing his particular Petition not in the Head, but in the Middle of them.)
The firſt is taken from the Divine Covenant, v. 9. where he is Gods Remembrancer, reminding him of that Covenant which God had ſtruck with Abraham and his Seed, ſo pleads and puts in for his own part thereof, as his Seed: Saying, (as it were) Lord, thou haſt been graciouſly preſent with my Grandfather, and with my Father, Oh! be not abſent from me (both their and thy Son.) As thou haſt deliver'd them out of all evil, ſo deliver me. Remember thy Covenant, if not my Congregation, Pſal. 74.19, 20.
Jacob herein doth (as it were) Appropriate God, calling him the Tutelar God of his Fathers Family, their Domeſtick Deity or Daemon, that he might the more pathetically profeſs him to be his peculiar God too.
The ſecond Argument is drawn from a Divine Command (as the firſt was from a Divine Covenant) ſaying, [Thou ſaidſt unto me return,] ver. 9. wherein he argues thus, Lord thou knoweſt, I did not depart from my Service in Syria upon my own Head, neither by any raſhneſs of my own Sentiments, nor by the fond advice of any of my Relations, either of my Wives, or of my Children: I am no Rogue, nor Runagate, 1 Sam. 25.10. that hath broke away from my Maſter, as ſome evil Servants do before their time be out, I have not been (ſaith he) like a Damm'd, or ſtopt River that breaks its Banks, or as ſome unruly Cattel that break both their Bands and their Bounds: No, I ſtaid out my full time of my hard Service, and ſtirr'd not a foot, until I had thy Call, Gen. 31.3. Seeing therefore, it was not my precipitancy, but thy precept that hath brought me into this great peril of my Brother Eſau, 'tis but an equal and Righteous Challenge I make to claim relief from thee.
The third Argument is drawn from a Divine Promiſe, as the ſecond was from a Divine Precept) urging, [Thou ſaidſt, I will do thee good,] ver. 9. and 12. So Jacob interprets that Promiſe, [I will be with thee] Gen, 31.3. which indeed hath in it, whatever Heart can wiſh, or need require: Promiſes muſt be prayed over, God loves to be ſued upon his own Bond, to be burden'd with and importun'd in his own words. Prayer is our putting Gods Promiſes into Suit: 'Tis neither Arrogancy nor Preſumption to Burden God (as it were) with his Promiſe-Bonds. As his Love mov'd him to make them, ſo his Truth binds him to perform them; and 'tis our Duty to improve them, as it was his Mercy to make them: So Gods Mercy always calls for Mans Duty; there is a ſweet Reciprocation between them two, we ought therefore to lay claim, and make challenge in a way of Duty, unto all that Aid and Aſſiſtance (when we find our ſelves plung'd into perils) which God hath promis'd to give us in a way of Mercy, as Jacob doth here, to whom this Promiſe of God, [I will be with thee] was ſuch precious Spice, that twice he repeats it and ruminates upon it, rolling it, as Sugar in his Mouth, and hiding it under his Tongue: God ſpake it once, he heard it twice, as David did, Pſal. 62.11. by an after-deliberate-reiterated Rumination and Meditation upon it. He ſucks and is ſatisfied with this Breaſt of Conſolation, Iſa. 66.11. He milks out, or (as the Hebrew ſignifies) he wrings out; as the hungry Child doth its Mothers Breaſt, ſucks ſo long as a drop will come, and ſucketh ſtill, till more cometh; ſo Jacob the Patriarch here both preſſeth and expreſſeth Gods Promiſe, ſqueezing out more comfort out of it than it ſeemed to contain: 'Tis very Remarkable, how the Patriarch improves this Promiſe [Veeheieh Gnimmak] & ero tecum, [I will be with thee] Gen. 31.3. wringing it and ſqueezing out of it,
1. Thoſe words [Veettibah Gnimmak' benefaciam tibi, I will do thee good, or I will deal well with thee, Gen. 32.9.] And then again,
2. Theſe words [Hetib Atib Gnimmak' benefaciendo benefaciam tibi, In doing good, I will do thee good, or I will ſurely do thee good, v. 12. The Lord is good, and doth good to Man, even while he is evil, and doth evil to God; and Jacob here argues himſelf into an aſſurance, that God would certainly do him good: Mark well, how kindly doth a Promiſe ripen, grows both greater and mellower in the Hand of Faith, which ſtretcheth and ſtraineth it (after an holy manner) to the beſt and moſt happy advantage: Could we but believingly pray over Gods Promiſes, ſuch Prayers would be nigh to God Night and Day, 1 Kings 8.59. and he could as little deny them, as deny his own Deity: The exceeding great and precious Promiſes (ſo called, 2 Pet. 1.4.) are the moſt fragrant and ſweet-ſmelling Spices (eſpecially when well pounded by the Preaching of the Word) to the Souls of Saints, that are ſick of Love; 'tis a ſweet time with them, when Chriſt brings them into his Banqueting-houſe, ſtays them with the Silver Flaggons of his Wine-cellar, the Holy Scriptures, and comforts them with the Golden Apples (that grow upon the Tree of Life) the precious Promiſes, Cant. 2.4▪5. Then is Chriſts left hand under their heads, and his right hand doth embrace them, v. 6. and then it is, when they are thus ſtayed and ſtabliſhed under his Banner of Love, when their Souls are thus ſatisfied with ſuch tranſporting Joys, that they can now be content to want what God will have them to want, and to wait Gods time (which is always the beſt time) and his leiſure for their Deliverance, being hereby adjured (themſelves) and they now adjuring others, not to Dare the awakening of their Beloved before he pleaſe, v. 7. Our dear Redeemer muſt Time all our promiſed Mercies fur us; his Promiſes are ſealed, but they are not dated: As we are prone to poſt-date Threatnings, ſo to ante-date Promiſes. Oh that we were ſo wiſe (now that we are in fear and danger of profane Eſaus) as Jacob was of his, who had a great many precious Promiſes in all, counting thoſe at Bethel with this in Syria, Gen. 28.13, 14, 15. where he had four Promiſes of Comforts to praeponderate his four Dolours of Diſcomforts (as before) his Salves were full as many as his Sores, and all moſt ſoveraign to effect the ſeveral Cures. Long theſe four Promiſes are all, and much enlarged upon, and explained by God (himſelf) the Promiſer, beſides that ſho…t Promiſe, Gen. 31.3. back'd with a bleſſed Reinforcement of the former, v. 13. Now 'tis very remarkable how this bleſſed Patriarch here in his wreſtling with God binds up all theſe long and large (as well as many) Promiſes into one ſmall bundle, and contracts them all by the ſtrength of his Faith into one word (as it were) to wit [Veetibah gnimak] I will do thee good, Gen. 32.12. This is all he reminds God of, and importunes him with; importing, Lord, thou art the True God, and the God of Truth, thy Veracity is my Encouragement and Aſſurance; therefore fulfil with thy hand what thy mouth hath ſpoken, 1 Kings 8.24. Surely thou wilt do as thou haſt ſaid, 2 Sam. 7.25. Now whatſoever God ſpake with Jacob here, there he ſpake with us, as well as with him, ſaith the Prophet Hoſea, ch. 12. v. 4. It follows hence, that the particular Promiſe of God to Jacob [Behold I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goeſt, &c. and I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have ſpoken to thee of, Gen. 28.15.] ought to be applied in General to and by all Believers, who are the Spiritual Seed of Jacob. The ſame Promiſe (given here to Jacob [I will not leave thee] and afterwards to Joſhua, Joſh. 1.5.) is alike given to all Believers in all Ages, paſt, preſent and to come, Heb. 13.5. & non deſerit, niſi deſerentem, as Auſtin's phraſe is: He doth never leave us, before we firſt forſake him, 2 Chron. 15.2. God will be with us in Mercy, while we will be with him in Duty, and give our due and daily Appearance in his Ordinance, which is as the Heavenly Exchange, whereto we muſt reſort for carrying on our Commerce and Trading with Heaven.
The Fourth Argument is drawn from an humble acknowledgement of his own indignity of the leaſt of Gods Mercies, v. 10. [Katanti] minor ſum, I am a poor little low creature, ſo I reach not to the middle of the leaſt Mercy of my Creator. Thus the Hebrew word ſignifies: mark the differing method of his pleadings with Man, and of thoſe with God; when he expoſtulates with Laban he ſtands ſtiffly upon his Innocency and pleads his own merit againſt him, Gen. 31. from v. 38. to 41. but coming to deal with God, he dare not uſe any ſuch high ſelf-juſtifying ſelf-exalting expoſtulations, but ingenuouſly confeſſeth his own Indigency and Indignity of any bitter things than theſe evils that threatned him, he ſets a very low value and eſtimation upon himſelf, abaſeing himſelf before the Lord, to the utmoſt; this is a right Godly and Goſpel frame of Spirit. Thus ſaid Abraham (his Grand-father) Lord, I am Duſt and Aſhes, Gen. 18.27. Gnapher, Ve-ephar, foreign & Cinis: Thus David, I am a Worm, and no Man, Pſal. 22.6. yea he plainly Be-Beaſts himſelf, Pſal. 73.22. thus Agur alſo crys out, I am more Brutiſh than any Man, Prov. 30.2. Thus Peter ſaid I am [foreign] a man a ſinner, or a ſinful man, Luk. 5.8. thus the Prodigal, [I am not worthy to be call'd thy Son, Luk. 15.19. and Chriſt teacheth us all to cry, [we are unprofitable Servants, Luk. 17.10.] If David did ſo humble himſelf before Saul, as to call himſelf a Flea and a Dead Dog, 1 Sam. 24.14. & 26.20. and how did Mephiboſheth abaſe himſelf before David? 2 Sam. 9.7, 8. how much more ought we to exouthenize, annihilate, and make our ſelves of no reputation (as Chriſt did himſelf for us, Phil, 2.7, 8.) when we come before the Lord, not as the proud Phariſee, who (non vulnera, ſed munera oſtendit) ſeems to ſet forth not his wants, but his worth, in his [God I thank thee, &c. Luke 18.11, 12.] the readieſt way unto the loftieſt advancement with God, is the lowlieſt abaſement and dejection of our ſelves before him; ſo it fared with Mephiboſheth, &c. we ſhould acknowledge our ſelves unworthy of the leaſt Mercies we enjoy, as Jacob did here, and yet not reſt ſatisfied with the greateſt Temporal Mercies as our Portion, and for our All. 'Twas a brave Speech of Luther, Valdè proteſtatus ſum me nolle ſic à deo ſatiari. He deeply proteſted, God ſhould not put him off with the beſt (being but poor) things of this World: Aſſuredly ſuch Souls have the humbleſt Hearts on Earth, who have the higheſt communions with God in Heaven: Thereby they have the moſt light to diſcover to themſelves their own Vacuity and nothingneſs: The Holy Angels that ſtand before the Shecinah, or Throne of God do cover their faces with two Wings, as with a double Scarf or Vail, Iſa. 6.2. &c.
The Fifth Argument is drawn from a Solemn and Serious Celebration of Gods former goodneſs to him, v. 10. as one mindful of foregoing Mercies, he ſaith [With my Staff I paſſed over this Jordan and now I am become two Bands] in which words [paupertatem baculinam commemorat] he forgets not his former meanneſs, though now he was grown to a very conſiderable Greatneſs, crying out (as it were,) with that noble Captain Iphicrates, [foreign] from how ſmall, to how great an eſtate am I raiſed? I came over this Jordan (which he could behold from the top of the Mount Gilead, where he laſt was Gen. 31.47.) like a poor wayfaring Foot-man, carrying all my wealth with me; yet now I am even over-loaded with theſe Burdens of Mercies which I am afraid will all be deſtroy'd by Eſau my Brother. Thus Jacob uſes a comely Antitheſis or oppoſition of his former and preſent condition, comparing his foregoing poverty with his preſent plenty, wherein he plainly proclaims the good providence of God rewards him, to whoſe bounty alone he aſcribeth this happy change, and from hence he thus argueth, Lord, thou haſt done me good hitherto, according to thy Promiſe, Gen. 28.15. this Twenty years I have had experience of thy goodneſs, thy Bleſſing I have had upon my Labours all along, whereby thou haſt beſtow'd upon me theſe great riches; thou ſaidſt, I will never forſake thee, whither ſoever thou goeſt: I have not plaid the Wanton with that good word, in going out of Gods way (underſtanding it not largely, but ſtrictly, as confining me from mine own evil to thy good ways) I am ſtill within Gods Precincts (not ſtirring a ſtep or ſtride without Gods guidance) let me ſtill be within Gods protection: thou haſt not fail'd me heretofore: oh fail me not now in my greateſt exigency: Jacob (as David did, Pſal. 77.10.) remembers the years of the Right Hand of the Moſt High: his former experience relieved his infirmity, and helped to corroborate his preſent confidence; Gratiarum actio eſt ad plus dandum invitatio, his gratitude for Mercies already granted him, was an excellent expedient for procuring more and greater afterwards; thankfulneſs for old Bleſſings, is the beſt means and motive for fetching in new ones: Oh how doth Jacob here celebrate the high praiſes of God, both for his cheſed or bounty in promiſing ſo graciouſly to him, and for his Emeth or Faithfulneſs in ſo punctually performing all he had promis'd in time paſt, theſe were the Mercy and Truth, (ſo oft join'd together, Gen. 24.27. Pſal. 25.10. 2 Sam. 15.20. and here, Gen. 32.10. and elſewhere) that Jacob ſings aloud upon, as David did in the like caſe, Pſal. 59.10, 16. both of them look'd upon Mercy as the fruit of Gods Faithfulneſs, his Mercy moves him to make the promiſe, his Truth binds him to perform it (as before) and 'tis Covenant kindneſs that is moſt ſatisfactory to the Soul, and turns our All into Cream, when we can behold all the paths of the Lord to be Mercy and Truth, all the paſſages and proceedings of God (whereby he cometh and communicateth himſelf to us both in his Providences and in his Ordinances, to be not only Mercy (though that is very ſweet) but Truth too, every Divine Diſpenſation (whether …f Croſſes or of Comforts) cometh to us in the way of a Promiſe from God, as he is bound to us by his Covenant; our very Croſſes (as well as Comforts) are Preſents ſent us from Heaven by vertue of the Promiſe: the Lord ſhall give that which is good, Pſal. 85.12. and will with hold no good thing from us, Pſal. 84.11. when Croſſes are good for us (yea better than Comforts) we ſhall have them out of the Covenant of Grace, never but when need be, 1 Pet. 1.6. when our Spirits are become too light and frothy, 'tis Gods Faithfulneſs to our Souls (as David acknowledg'd, Pſal. 119.75.) that we are brought into ſome heavineſs, no ſooner are we ripe to receive Mercy, but God is ready to beſtow it, he is waiting to be gracious in the beſt ſeaſon, Iſa. 30.18. as he waited upon Jacob here, preparing him by Croſſes for Comforts, firſt rudely (as it were) fighting him, and then richly (indeed) Bleſſing him; by all which we may clearly ſee, how good a Maſter God is to his True and Faithful Servants, and if we would have him ſuch a Lord to us, we muſt be ſuch Servants (as Jacob was) to him.
After this fifth Argument, Jacob inſerts his principal Petition [Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of Eſau, Gen. 32.11.] which was the ſum of all his Requeſts at that time, and which (when he had well bolſtered up his trembling heart, with thoſe five aforeſaid corroborating Conſiderations and Cordials) he then placeth (almoſt) in the midſt of his Prayer, and his wreſtling with God after a ſpiritual manner; and the mercy of this Deliverance (which God graciouſly granted him after this Prayer) lay warm upon his heart to his dying day, Gen. 48.16. The Angel that redeemed me from all evil (and ſo from Eſau) bleſs the Lads.
Then follows his ſixth Argument taken from the aggravating greatneſs of his danger, and his own inability to relieve himſelf [for I fear him, leſt he will come and ſmite me, and the Mothers with the Children, Gen. 32.11.] as if he had argued thus, Lord, thou knoweſt, I know not what to do, (there is neither Hope nor Help with me) but mine Eyes are toward thee, 2 Chron. 20.12. I know the bloody-mindedneſs of my Brother Eſau, and how he comes accoutred with many Arms and Armed men againſt me; what can I (a naked man) and my poor weak naked Women and Children do in our defence againſt him, and four hundred ſtout Souldiers? Alas! my Fear hath fwallowed up my Hope, I am undone, and all mine, if thou help me not. Here ſeems to be his carnal reaſoning, 'Tis ſaid, v. 24. [There wreſtled a man with him] which admits of ſeveral ſenſes, and among others this may be well admitted, [There wreſtled the old man with him] the old man, or ca…nal part in Jacob wreſtled with the new man, or ſpiritual part in him, (for every new or good man is (as it were) two men.) Here the Fleſh in his Fear got the upper-hand of the Spirit in his Faith: He could not now ſay with David, [At what time I am afraid, I will truſt in thee, Pſal. 56.3. Faith thruſts out Fear, as one Nail drives out another. All his other five Arguments were the proper reaſonings of a ſtrong Faith; but this ſixth is a Reaſon flowing from weak Fleſh, and ſtrong Fear: For Fleſh doth not depend upon God (the firſt and ſupreme cauſe) but dwells below upon ſecond cauſes, poreing upon preſent things, and repreſenting perils, which are but ſeeming to be not only real, but (as in a Magnifying-glaſs) far greater than they indeed are. Thus it plainly appears what a Conflict and wreſtling Jacob had within the hidden man of his own heart, betwixt the Fleſh and the Spirit; whereas before with his former Arguments (wherein he altogether looked up to God) he had argued his Soul into a brisk and couragious condition: But now in this ſixth Reaſon (rolling his Eye downward upon Man, and pro and con Reaſoning about his preſent peril as to Humane Helps) his low thinking mind moulds him immediately into a timorous temper, and down he goes into the Pit of Deſpairing, crying out, I fear, I fear. As it was thus with good Jacob, the Fleſh mingleth with the Spirit (making him cry out, All's gone, I am gone, my Wives are gone, and my Children are gone; my bloody Brother will not ſpare one of us.) So it may be with many of the Sons and Daughters of Jacob. Smarting experience may eaſily evince us what deſpondencies our own Carnal Reaſon reduceth us into, when we pore too much upon the ſtrength of our preſent prophane Eſaus (that wage war againſt us) and our own weakneſs and inability to withſtand them. Who would have ſaid, that Sarah ſhould give ſuck? Gen. 21.7. that the Goſpel ſhould give ſincere Milk, 1 Pet. 2.2. for twenty years after the ſelling, of our ſelves into the hands of our Enemies? Our Unbelief hath oft ſaid, Can God prepare a Table in the Wilderneſs? &c. Pſal. 78.19, 20. Yes, If he will, he can, Matth. 8.2. and hath done it to admiration, and ſtill does it. How oft hath our Fear made us cry out, A Maſſacre, a Maſſacre! Thoſe men of blood will murder Men, Women and Children, as they have done in many places in France, in Ireland, &c. And indeed our wickedneſs with a witneſs doth deſerve no better dealing than what Shalman or Shalmanezer (King of Aſſyria) did to Betharbel (which ſignifies, the Houſe of the enſnaring Idol, as Baal or Bel was to Iſrael) murdering not only the Men, but alſo the Women and Children, Hoſ. 10.14, 15. and 13.16. Yet know for your comfort, Gods care againſt this Inhumanity, and more than barbarous, yea beaſtly and bloody Butchery; therefore God gave out his command againſt killing the Dam together with her young ones, Deut. 22.6, 7. And again, Thou ſhalt not kill the Ewe and the Lamb both in one day, Levit. 22.28. How much is God concerned againſt all ſhews of Cruelty ſhewed to thoſe contemptible creatures, and ſuch addings of afflictions to the afflicted? Zech. 1.15. Doth God take care for theſe inferiour Birds and Beaſts? 1 Cor. 9.9. yea he doth ſo without doubt, Jon. 4.11. He heareth the very Ravens that cry to him (only by implication) Pſal. 147.9. How much more doth God take care of his own Church and choſen, both Men, Women and Children? And though the Lord ſometimes give thoſe men of blood (or Blood-hounds) a Commiſſion to worry his Flock in ſome places, yet this excuſeth not the Barbarities and bloody Butcheries of his Executioners; for ſo ſoon as their Maſters Skullion-work (in brightning his Veſſels of Mercy is done) then ſhall they (themſelves) be ſurely and ſuitably plagu'd and puniſhed, Pſal. 137.8, 9. Rev. 16.6. and many other places.
There be two remarkable Points here to be farther (for our Inſtruction and Comfort) obſerved.
The firſt is; Though Jacob, through the infirmity of the Fleſh, and the carnal Reaſonings of his own corrupt heart, did ſtrangely affright himſelf with ſtrong apprehenſions of his Brothers bloody Deſigns againſt him, and God (out of his unſearchable Wiſdom) ſuffered him for a while to be an [foreign] a Self-torturer and Tormentor with his own ſlaviſh Fears; yet all that time and interim Jacobs good God was both thinking and acting far otherwiſe, and quite contrary for him, bowing and bending Eſau's heart to clemency towards him, that he might not act one Hoſtile Action either againſt him, or any of his, which in due time Jacob found to be the happy Iſſue whereby his groſs miſtake was moſt graciouſly corrected. Thus alſo God deals oft with his People; he lets them ſometimes meditate Terrour to themſelves, Iſa, 33.18. and to fear thoſe things that are not to be feared, on purpoſe, that he may exerciſe them: And that his own VViſdom, Power and Goodneſs might more ſplendidly ſhine forth in the Event, which, to correct our Errour and Terrour, oft falls out far better than our own fond Fears. Oh how oft doth our gracious God out-bid our own timorous Thoughts! is far better to us than both our Fears and our Deſerts, and the ſundry things we have feared, do not befal us. Will we but read over the Book of our own Experiences, we ſhall find this no leſs than a Sacred Truth.
The ſecond Remark is, We ought to do in troublous Times, what Jacob did in his great Conflict (betwixt Fleſh and Spirit in him upon his heart-confounding conſternation, and deep perturbation at his preſent peril:) He retreats again to the Divine Promiſe, looking up (above himſelf, above men and means) unto the God of Bethel, as to his Anchor of Hope.
So draws he forth his ſeventh and laſt Argument, for the triumph of his Faith above his Fear; ſaying, v. 12. [Hetib Atib gnimmak] Thou ſaidſt, Lord, in doing good, I will do thee good; or, I will ſurely do thee good, as is before note, with this pathetical clauſe he emphatically cloſeth up his moſt affectionate Prayer and wreſtling with God. Here, when he found himſelf at a ſad loſs by too much poring downward at the creature, he makes an holy and an happy Rebound, and bounceth up again to the Creator (who is truly call'd a faithful one, 1 Pet. 4.19.) He runs back to his City of Refuge, yea, runs not only to, but into that Name of the Lord, which is a ſtrong Tower, and there was he ſafe, Prov. 18.10. yet not without hard tuggings, ſtrong ſtrivings, and weariſom wreſtlings doth his Faith get the Victory from his Fear; for he had ſaid before, [Lord, thou haſt ſaid, Return, and I will do thee good.] Now he comes again, and take firmer, faſter and fuller hold of God in his wreſtling work, repeating the ſame Promiſe with ſome Enlargements, [benefaciendo benefaciam] I will aſſuredly and abundantly do thee good, doubling thee word of doing him good; This is a much ſtronger and more cogent Argument or inforcing Reaſon than the former, for here Jacob doth not ſimply raiſe up himſelf in a confidence of Gods Truth, as before; but this he doth now, that he might oblige God by his Truth effectually to ſuccour and relieve him; as if he had argued thus, [Lord, thou art a God that canſt not deny thy ſelf, 2 Tim. 2.13. that canſt not belie thy Word, Tit. 1.2. Heb. 6.17. I again do provoke thee with thy own Promiſe, and bind thee with thy own Bonds, I omit what I ſaid before, ſuppoſe thou ſhould ſuffer Eſau to cut off me and all my Company, what will become of thy Promiſe (of multiplying my Seed like the Sand of the Sea?) therefore thy own Glory and the Honour of thy Veracity is all at ſtake, and if we loſe our Lives, thou alſo wilt loſe thy Glory.] Thus this holy Man (as it were) encroacheth upon the moſt holy God; God had ſaid and done much for him; he muſt ſay and do yet more; this Fruit of his Favour he muſt needs be intreated to add unto all his former Mercies, and that not only for Jacob's ſake (now an object of pity) but for Gods own ſake, and for the vindication of his own Glory: Thus ſhould we wreſtle with God in this evil Day; intreating the Lord, not to grant the deſires of the wicked, nor to farther the wicked devices of our execrable Eſau's, not only, leſt they exalt themſelves, Pſal. 140.8. and behave themſelves ſtrangely, Deut. 32.27. but eſpecially leſt the Banks of Blaſphemy ſhould be broken down among the Egyptians, who will ſoon hear of Iſrael's ruine, and Blaſpheme thee for it, making ſome mad-merry Comedies out of our ſad doleful Tragedies, Exod. 32.12. and Numb. 14.13, 16. And leſt the tremendous Name of God be derided among the curſed Canaanites, Joſh. 7.9. As it was the chiefeſt care of Moſes, of Joſhua, and of Jacob here, leſt God ſhould ſuffer in the Glory of his Power and Truth; ſo it ought to be our moſt candid Ingenuity to ſtudy the promotion of Gods Glory, more than our own Good, and to deſire far more, that God may be glorified, than our ſelves gratified, drowning all ſelf-reſpects in the advance of his Glory, being well aſſured that the Honour of the Creator can never be any Diſhonour to the Creature, his gain cannot be Mans loſs. God offer'd Moſes private preferment, even of the higheſt nature in this loweſt World, [I will make of thee a greater Nation and mightier than they,] Numb. 14.12. But Moſes prudently refuſeth this mighty (though private and perſonal) preferment, becauſe he plainly ſaw God would be a great loſer (in his Glory) by that Bargain, had ſtiff-necked Iſrael been deſtroyed to make way for it.
'Tis an excellent Note of an Eminent Divine, As God was highly diſpleas'd with Balaam for going, though he bade him go; ſo aſſuredly the Lord would not have taken it ſo kindly of Moſes, if he had taken him at the offer he made him in a time of holy Heat againſt his unholy People: And 'tis worthy of our ſerious obſervation, how grievouſly Jacob was gravell'd, his Faith was enough faulty even in this his laſt and beſt Argument; wherein he bringeth forth his ſtrongeſt Reaſon (his Shed-Anchor to hold faſt his floating Ship, his wavering Soul) he fills his Mouth with it, and rouzes up himſelf to take better hold of God in his wreſtling with him; yet here was his failure, in thinking that God's Glory would be quite loſt, if he and his two Bands had been deſtroy'd by Eſau, whereas he ſhould have thought with himſelf, that though they all had been ſlain, yet God remaineth true, (Let God be true, though every Man be a lyar, Rom. 3.4) Thus (Jacob's Grandfather) Abraham had better thoughts in a caſe of as great deſpondency as to himſelf and his Wife, Gen. 17.17. not daring to be found either Doubting or Deriding the Promiſe of God concerning his Seed promiſed, when they were (in their own thoughts) after the manner of Nature writ down Childleſs, having ſpent all their youth in the Conjugal Yoke without any Children; yet now receiving God's Promiſe of an offspring even in both their old Age, He ſtagger'd not at it (as Jacob doth here) but againſt Hope believed in Hope, foreign, he never thought upon hit own Dead Body, he cared not for that at all, but gave Glory to God, acknowledging him of Almighty Power to overcome all natural Difficulties, and to perform whatever he had promiſed, though never ſo contrary to the courſe of Nature, and [foreign] he was (being carried on with full Sail, as the word ſignifies) fully perſwaded, ſo goes gallantly on in the way of believing, and laughed, from an Admiration of God's Favour, not from any diſtruſt of his Power (as his Wife Sarah after did, Gen. 18.12.) His Hope therefore is ſaid to bear him up againſt Hope, that is, his Hope-Spiritual (placed in God All-ſufficient) over-powered his Hope-Natural, which herein was at a loſs, as being unable to argue above apparent Cauſes in Nature's Courſe, but his other and better Hope did Dictate to him better things, Rom. 4.18, 19, 20, 21. that God was able out of very S…ones to raiſe up Children unto Abraham, Matth. 3.9. as well and better, as to bring forth Adam, and a whole world of Creatures out of Nothing: Such a Plerophory or full perſwaſion, was not indeed in Jacob, nor in the beſt of us. O…r higheſt and holieſt Expoſtulations with God (though of never ſo good intentions) favour ſomewhat of Creature-Frailty and weakneſs of Faith, ſome Gravel goes along with our pureſt Water, as 'twas with Jacob here, who yet gave a brisk Teſtimony of a brave Faith, in his Appealing to the Promiſe, when run off from all other Refuges in this Time of Temptation: Oh that we could caſt Anchor there alſo in the like caſe, Heb. 6.17, 18, 19. then would God deliver us from our Eſau's as he did Jacob from his.
Laſtly, This may comfort us, That God hath a look of love upon his Servants (as upon Jacob here) both in their goings out and in their comings in, he marketh all their paths, Pſal. 56.8. whether they be at home with their Father, or abroad among Strangers, they are ever under God's Eye, and overſhadowed with his wing, Pſal. 57.1. God was with him at Bethel and Syria, &c.
Now come I to Jacob's fourth Wreſtling.
Firſt, With Laban already conquered.
Secondly, With Eſau, but a Conquering, (for his Conqueſt over him comes not in compleated until his two laſt were accompliſhed).
Thirdly, With God ſpiritually in the Duty of Prayer, as before: And,
Fourthly, With Chriſt corporally, as one man wreſtles with another, putting forth their utmoſt Strength and Skill to give the Foil and the Fall each to other: So does the Son of God (the ſecond Perſon in the Holy Trinity, as is made moſt manifeſt afterwards) and this Holy Patriarch Jacob make a Tryal of Skill, and ſtrive with their ſtrength one againſt another, which of the two ſhould win the Prize.
This fourth Wreſtling (or Duel) 'twixt theſe two, holdeth forth moſt ſtupendous and aſtoniſhing Hiſtory, ſo wonderful, as it plainly tranſcendeth worldly Capacities, and ſeems altogether Incredible to Humane Reaſon. For,
1. What can be more marvellous than this, that God ſhould take upon him the form of a Man, and (repreſenting an Antagoniſt, or Adverſary) ſhould wreſtle a Fall with Man, yea, with an Holy Man; yet higher, and with ſuch an Holy Man, to whom he had promis'd his protection in all places whither he went, Gen. 28.15. his dealing well with him, Gen. 32.9. and his aſſuredly doing him good, v. 12. Oh wonderful! was this to defend Jacob? to deal well with him and ſurely to do him good? for God to Come forth as an Enemy to him, to fight him in a Duel, and ſo put him upon defending himſelf (as well as he could) to fence off the Almighty blows or Thruſts of ſuch a Divine Dueller, and to ſecure his ſtanding againſt thoſe omnipotent Heavings and Liſtings of ſuch a Divine Wreſtler, whoſe mighty Arms can give the Foil and Fall to the mightieſt Monarch upon Earth, Pſal. 76.12. yea, can heave, lift off, and remove the maſſieſt Mountain in the World out of its place, Turning it upſide down, Job 9.5, 6. and 28.9. Judg. 5.5. Pſal. 68.8. Nahum 1.5. Hab. 3.6.10. Pſal. 114. 7. overturning them by prodigious Earthquakes: How eaſily then (even with a wet finger, as we ſay) could God (by his Omnipotency) have overturned Jacob, who was nothing ſo mighty in Bulk as a Mountain, nor ſo ſtrongly founded at the Root: And,
2. What can be more incredible than this, that the Immortal God ſhould be overcome by a mortal Man, that the borrowing Power ſhould be too hard for the lending Power, that the Creature ſhould be too ſtrong for the Creatour, and that this worm Jacob (ſo call'd, Iſa. 41.14.) ſhould be able to out-wreſtle his own Maker, yea, the Grand-Maker of the great World: yet all theſe (both Admirable and Incredible) things are moſt true and ſacred Truths, truly Recorded in the Scripture of Truth, Dan. 10.21. And by Faith we underſtand, not only the great Truth of the Creation (in all its particular Circumſtances) how all things were made out of Nothing, Heb. 11.3. but alſo, that this ſtupendious Story is true (in all its parts aforeſaid:) This muſt be believed by an hiſtorical Faith, as all other Truths (revealed in the Word), are: 'Tis the Nature of Faith to believe God (what he hath written in the Canonical Scripture) upon his bare Word. And that againſt Senſe in things Inviſible, and againſt Reaſon in things Incredible: Senſe corrects Imagination or Fancy, and as Reaſon corrects the Senſes, ſo Faith corrects them both: Aufer Argumenta, ubi fides quaeritur. Verba Philoſophorum excludit ſimplex Veritas Piſcatorum, ſaith Ambroſe, where Faith is required, there Arguments of Vain Philoſophy, Col. 2.8. are to be abandoned; and the naked Truth ſimply Recorded by the Apoſtles (who were Fiſhermen) and the Prophets (who were, ſome of them Herdſmen) is highly to be preferred above, and doth plainly thruſt out of Doors all the idle Speculations both of Heatheniſh Philoſophers and Aery Schoolmen (call'd a company of Dunghil Divines) in Matters of Faith. God hath ſaid it, therefore I muſt believe it, and I believe it, is enough, though I cannot prove the Principles of the Propoſition, or the Fundamentals of Faith: And (indeed) among all the famous Hiſtories of the Old Teſtament concerning the Holy Patriarchs, there is none more Eminent than this, which like an Orient and Tranſparent Gem (among all the Heroick Exploits of Jacob) gives forth the greateſt Splendour. There is no ſuch high Remark related by Moſes either of Abraham or of Iſaac. Though God appeared eight times to Jacob's Grandfather Abraham, ſpeaking to him every time. As, (1.) Gen. 12.1. in Ur. (2.) v. 7. In Shechem. (3.) In Bethel, Gen. 13.14. (4.) After the Conqueſt of the Kings, Gen. 15.1. (5.) At the Covenant of Circumciſion, Gen. 17.1. (6.) At Mamre before Sodom's Deſtruction, Gen. 18.1. (7.) At the Ejection of Iſhmael, Gen. 21.12. (8.) At the Oblation of Iſaac, Gen. 22.3.11.16, &c.
And concerning his Father Iſaac, we read of God's appearing (at the moſt) but three times to him. As, 1. At the giving out of the Oracle to Rebekah, concerning two Nations, Gen. 25.23. (2.) At the Famine in the Land, Gen. 26.1, 2. (3.) At Beerſhebah, verſ. 23, 24. But concerning this Patriarch Jacob we read, that God appear'd to him ſeven times, (which is a Number of Perfection) and much more remarkably than either to his Father or Grandfather. As (1.) At Bethel; where he had his Viſion of the Ladder, Gen. 28.13. (2.) In Padan Aram, commanding his Return to Canaan, Gen. 31.3.11. (3.) In the way to Mahanaim, Gen. 32.1, 2. (4.) Upon the Bank of the River Jabbok, here, where God wreſtled with him. (5.) After the Deſtruction of the Shechemites, Gen. 35.1. (6.) After the Death of his Nurſe Deborah, verſ. 9. And (7.) at Beerſheba in his going down to Egypt, Gen. 46.2. As learned Pareus excellently obſerveth:
But among all thoſe admirable appearances of God to Man, there is none comparable to this, wherein God and Man wreſtled a Fall together. The Hiſtory whereof hath a greater luſtre and ſplendour upon it, than all the other aforeſaid; It doth outſhine them all, as the Sun all the leſſer Stars: Let us therefore ſay of this Viſion, as Moſes ſaid of the Viſion of his burning Buſh, Exod. 3.2, 3. We will turn aſide and behold this great wonder; yea, let us not only ſee it, but hear it alſo, and hearken to thoſe Divine Inſtructions and Comforts which are contained in it, and flow naturally from it.
This Monomachia Jacobi cum Deo ipſo, or Jacob's fighting a Duel (hand to hand) and wreſtling a Fall with God himſelf, is a moſt ſtupendous and aſtoniſhing Story (as before) and cannot be overmuch, no nor enough admired: Our Lord ſaith, what went ye out (by ſuch Multitudes) into the Wilderneſs to ſee? ſomething of nothing, ſome worthleſs, pithleſs, poiſeleſs thing, a reed ſhaken with the wind, Matth. 11.7. But behold, Here's a far greater wonder than John the Baptiſt (though a burning and a ſhining light, Job. 5.35.) could poſſibly be; He (indeed) was but as an inconſiderable Reed, eaſily broken at laſt by the bloody hands of Herod and Herodias, as well as eaſily blown to and fro by the popular breath (or wind) of the mobile Multitude (who cry'd him up one day, and cry'd him down another) though he was (in himſelf) no ſuch light and vain perſon, bending like a Reed this way and that way, but was a firm witneſs of Chriſt, and a faithful conſtant Servant of God, both in his Life and Doctrine, to the laſt moment: But here you are call'd upon to come forth and Behold one of the greateſt wonders in the Wilderneſs of this World, ſuch a Tryal of Skill, wherein God ſhaketh Man, and Man ſhaketh God in wreſtling work.
This Famous Hiſtory holdeth forth theſe following (moſt remarkable) Parts and Particulars: (1.) The Combat or Conflict it ſelf. (2.) The two Combatants or Conflicters each with other. (3.) Jacob's Valour. (4) His Victory. (5.) His luxation or lameneſs caught with his Conqueſt. (6.) His Conſtancy in continuing the Combat, notwithſtanding his lamed Leg. (7.) His having the Honour of Knighthood put upon him in the Impoſition of a new Name. (8.) His Bleſſing he obtain'd by his Valour and Victory.
Firſt, Of the (Firſt) The Combat it ſelf; 1. In the General, 'tis one of the moſt famous Combats Recorded in Scripture: we read (indeed) in that Divine Record, of ſundry Eminent Conflicts carried on after the manner of a Duel, As,
Firſt, Of that Combat betwixt little David and great Goliah, 1 Sam. 17.40. &c. but in that the Match was only made betwixt Man and Man, there was only one Mortal againſt another, though the one was a great Gyant, and the other was but (in compariſon of his Antagoniſt) a little Dwarf.
Secondly, We read alſo in Divine Writ, of a ſore Conteſt betwixt Michael and Lucifer, about the Body of Moſes, Jude verſ. 9. the former was an Arch-Angel (ſo called) and the latter the Arch-Devil: This Diſpute was daringly carried on indeed, yet was it only betwixt two Creatures (as ſome ſenſe it) the Good Angel, and the Evil one: But this Conflict here, is not betwixt Man and Man, as the firſt was, nor betwixt one Creature and another, as the ſecond was; but it was a Combat carried on betwixt God and Man; a mortal Man was aſſaulted by the Immortal God in this, ſo it far exceeded the former inſtance: and as it was manag'd betwixt a mere Creature and the great Creator, ſo it much ſurpaſſeth the latter inſtance alſo: Indeed we read of a Third Duel, Matth. 4.1. to 10. wherein the Son of God and the Prince of Hell were hand to hand ingaged each againſt the other; where the ſtrong man and the ſtronger man (ſo called, Luk. 11.21, 22.) enter'd the liſts together, and encountred each other in three deſperate and deadly Paſſes; It muſt be acknowledg'd, That theſe two Combatants were the ſublimeſt Champions that ever acted as Oppoſites, and then was the moſt famous Battel fought that ever was acted on the Stage of the World. For in that Conteſt, we may behold the very Abſtract of Power and Policy, the very quinteſſence of ſtrength and ſubtilty grappling together on both ſides: There was the Force and Fraud of Hell doing their utmoſt againſt the God of Heaven: Yet the Wiſdom of the New Serpent over-match'd, the craftineſs of the Old Serpent, and the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Rev. 5.5. over-maſtered, the Roaring Lion, that Devouring Devil, 1 Pet. 5.8.
So that it muſt be granted, That Combate betwixt Chriſt and the Devil is greater than this betwixt Jacob and Chriſt, ſo much, as the Diſcoveries of the New Teſtament exceed thoſe of the Old, and ſo much as the proweſs of Satan (againſt our Saviour) ſurpaſſeth that of Jacob here, or of any mere mortal Man: And yet, in ſome other Reſpect, This hath an Accent and Excellence beyond That; Inſomuch, as here the creature (through Divine Condeſcenſion) prevail'd againſt the Creator; but there the Devil (notwithſtanding he was ſtronger than Jacob, could not conquer Chriſt, but went away vanquiſhed: Chriſt will not ſo ſubmit to a wicked Spirit, as he doth to a Godly man, who concerning the work of his hands may command him, Iſa. 45.11.
Here is a Raree-Show indeed, Go along with me (I beſeech you) both to ſee and hear this great wonder in ſome ſenſe, the greateſt wonder that ever was in the World, that God (himſelf, as will appear after) ſhould come down from his Throne in Heaven, to wreſtle a Fall with a man (a poor Worm) Iſa. 41.14. Pſal. 22.6. upon his Footſtool on Earth: But more particularly in the Second place, what kind of Combat this was, whether Corporal only, or Spiritual only, or both together, is our next Enquiry.
1. There be ſome who ſay, that it was only Spiritual, by way of Viſion, ſo Hierom and Gloſſ. Interlinearis, or in way of a Dream, imaginary only; So Thomas, Rupertus, and Rabbi-Levi, who thinketh that Jacob's Thigh might be hurt by ſome other means (as by the wearineſs of his tedious Travel, or by his catching cold while he lay that cold Night upon the cold Ground) rather than by any real wreſtling; and he further addeth, that Jacob dreamed of that ſame hurt upon his Hip: How improbable this is, may be eaſily urged; Aſſuredly Jacob had little either liſt or leiſure for Sleeping, (much leſs for Dreaming) while he was ſo ſtruck even with a pannick fear of his bloody Brother. It was therefore,
2. A Real and Corporal Combat (not viſional or imaginary) which appears by many Reaſons: As,
Firſt, Becauſe 'tis ſaid, Jacob roſe up that Night; and ſent his Family before him, after both which he is deſcrib'd, to be immediately engaged (even that ſame Night he roſe up in) to wreſtling work, Gen. 32.22.24. which muſt be when he was waking; for 'tis not likely he would lye down to Sleep (under his ſad Circumſtances of Affrightment as before) while his Family by his order were marching forward.
The Second Reaſon is, Jacob's Valour and Victory are (both) highly applauded even by God himſelf; whereas, had both theſe been Imaginary only, and tranſacted in a Dream ſuch Fancies are but a Laughter to Men, both to themſelves (who are the Dreamers thereof) and to others alſo unto whom they are related.
The Third Reaſon is, The Luxation of his Loin, or Lameneſs of his Leg was undoubtedly Real and Corporal; who will complain of an imaginary Hurt (founded only in the Fancy, not ſenſibly found in the Body) as Jacob did of his? It could not be (ſure) a bare Fancy that was the only Cauſe of Jacob's Claudication, 'Tis certainly a literal Truth, really to be underſtood, where 'tis ſaid, that as he paſſed over Penuel, he halted upon his Thigh, Gen. 32.31.
The Fourth Reaſon is, As there is a Reality in Jacob's Valour, Victory, and Lameneſs; ſo there is no leſs in the Change of his Name from Jacob to Iſrael: 'twas not done in a Dream or Viſion, or in Imagination only: Accordingly muſt his wreſtling be not Viſional, but Corporal.
Yet there is a Third Senſe (which ſeems not improbable) to wit, that Jacob's wreſtling was both Corporal and Spiritual; for he did certainly contend with Chriſt by the force of his Faith, as well as by the ſtrength of hit Body. The Prophet Hoſea gives a plain Teſtimony, that Jacob won the Bleſſing here, by weeping as well as by wreſtling; He wept and made ſupplication (with his Soul) as well as wreſtled with his Body, Hoſ. 12.3, 4. As he uſed his Corporal Arms (to wit, his Right and Left, tugging and toiling hard with both) ſo likewiſe he improved his Spiritual Armour, to wit, his Prayers and his Tears.
Verbum, preces & Lachrymae
Miſerae Arma ſunt Eccleſiae.
His wreſtling was with Weeping, and his prevailing was by Praying for the Bleſſing.
The ſecond Part or Particular in this Famous Hiſtory is, The two Combatants; Here the Enquiry is, who are They? Anſwer, 'Tis plain the one of them is Jacob; but there is much Diſpute, and many Opinions, who ſhould be the other of them: to diſcuſs this a little.
The firſt Opinion is that of Joſephus, who ſaith it was only a ſpectrum or Phantaſm that wreſtled with Jacob: Contrà Had this been ſo, then Jacob's Valour could never have been capable of ſuch high Divine Commendation, nor his Victory ſo ſignal and ſingular: to overcome a thing of nothing (that ſuddenly appeareth, and as ſuddenly diſappeareth) neither requireth Valour in the Act, nor is Honour'd with Victory in the End. The word Hebr. for wreſtle is [Abak] which ſignifies to raiſe a Duſt, this would not be with a Phantaſm, or he lamed by it.
The ſecond Opinion is, that of the Hebrew Rabbies, who ſay, It was Eſau's Angel (whom they name Sammael) who contended with Jacob for the Bleſſing, and whom he (by Divine aſſiſtance proving the ſtronger) would not let go, unleſs this Angel would confirm the Bleſſing of his Father Iſaac, and likewiſe make a Promiſe, that he ſhould not be harmed by him: Contrà; But this favours of Jewiſh Fables concerning Angels; would Eſau's Angel (as being better natur'd than Eſau himſelf) part thus with Eſau's Bleſſing without Eſau's conſent, they ſhould prove his credentials and his inſtructions (as well as his ſole-guardian-ſhip) from Eſau; otherwiſe Jacob was impos'd upon (as one too credulous) with an inſignificant Promiſe: Thus, dato uno abſurdo, mille ſequuntur, grant one abſurdity, and a thouſand will follow.
The third Opinion, is, That mention'd by Procopius of ſome that ſay, it was the Devil in Eſau's likeneſs; not much differing is that of Jerom, who ſaith (upon Eph. 6.12.) it was a Cacodaemon, an Evil Angel: Contrà; But Jerome adds) another, even a good Angel, that took Jacob … part againſt the evil one, none ought to make two Angels, where the Scripture mentions but one: beſides, what Bleſſing could Jacob expect either from the Devil, or from an evil Angel: It was the ſame Angel, who wreſtled with Jacob that Bleſſed him alſo, which the Devil or an evil Angel, would not have done.
The fourth Opinion is, that of Pererius and the Papiſts, who all generally do affirm it was a good created Angel, and particularly, Jacob's Guardian Angel. This they endeavour to prove, by the Prophet Hoſea, who calls him barely an Angel, without any other Epithet added to him, Hoſ. 12.4. whereas when Chriſt is call'd an Angel, ſome other word is adjoined as the Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3.1. &c. Contrà; But the prophet Hoſea adds enough to him, whom he calls the Angel (without an Epithet) to ſhew that he was more than a Created Angel, for he ſaith in the ſame place, that Jacob had power with God, (as well as with the Angel) and that the ſame was that God, who found him at Bethel; ſo that the Angel, with whom Jacob wreſtled was the ſame, who ſpake to him at Bethel, and God Interprets this himſelf, ſaying, I am the God of Bethel, Gen. 31.13. Beſides, 'tis in the Power of God alone to give the Bleſſing to Jacob which he wreſtled for, and not in the hand of any Created Angel, (much leſs of Jacob's Guardian Angel) ſave only Declaratively (not Deſpotically) which is no more than what the Commiſſion of a Goſpel Miniſter doth comprehend.
The fifth Opinion (which is the laſt and beſt) is, that he, with whom Jacob wreſtled, was the Increated Angel, no other than the Son of God, (that is, in the likeneſs of the ſame nature, which he afterwards took upon him) until the day dawned, and would not let him go, till he had bleſt him. This plainly appeareth many ways. As,
Firſt, He is call'd by the Name of God; indeed he hath three names given him, Iſh, Malach, and Elohim.
Firſt, Iſh or Man, according to his outward appearance, [There wreſtled a man with him, Gen. 32.24.] For this was one part or piece of Chriſts ſport and play among the Sons of Men, which Solomon ſpeaks of, Prov. 8.31. The Son of God (long before his Incarnation) appeared like the Son of Man, ſporting himſelf among the Sons of Men, as he doth here in his wreſtling a Fall with Jacob.
Secondly, He is call'd Malach or Angel, according to his Office, for he is Gods Meſſenger or grand Embaſſador ſent out of the Court or Heaven to tranſact the great affair of Man's Redemption, thus the Prophet calls him an Angel, Hoſ. 12.4. becauſe of his Mediatory Office, and Jacob calls him his Redeeming Angel, the Angel that Redeemed me from all evil, Gen. 48.16.
Thirdly, He is call'd Elohim, which is the name of the great God, and oft given to this combatant with Jacob. As,
1. Thou as a Prince haſt power with God, Gen. 32.28. ſaith this Wreſtler to Jacob.
2. I have ſeen God Face to Face, v. 30. ſaith Jacob, when he call'd that place [Peniel] which ſignifies the Face of God.
3. The Name Jacob chang'd into Iſrael, implies this Wreſtler was God, for Iſrael ſignifies a Conqueror of God, or a Prevailer with him.
4. Hoſea's Character is, He had Princely Power over him, whom he calleth Elohim, Hoſ. 12.3. and Jehovah, v. 5. as well as Malach, v. 4. he plaid the Prince with God, fortiter & fideliter ſe geſſit, he bore himſelf bravely, he lays not down in a ſullen damp and deſpondency but Wreſtleth with excellent Wreſtlings (as the Prophet ſaith,) even with God himſelf.
5. This Combatant with Jacob was above all Name and Notions, therefore is he rebuk'd for asking after his Name, becauſe (as the Greek addeth, Gen. 32.29. it is wonderful as Judg. 13.17, 18. This could not be any other than the Son of God, whoſe name is Wonderful, Iſa. 9.6. So then,
6. It muſt be Chriſt, no other Angel but the Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3.1. Jacob's Redeeming Angel, Gen. 48.16. our Bleſſed Redeemer, call'd by the Septuagint, Iſa. 9.6. foreign, the Angel of the great Council, whoſe name he would not reveal till afterward nearer his Incarnation (ſo would not gratifie Jacob's curioſity in inquiring after it, and who indeed ſurpaſſeth all Name, therefore Plutarch ſaith, that the Africans call Jove (or Jehovah) by Amon, which ſignifies [Heus tu, quis es?] oh you, who are you? Thus they complemented their unknown God, Act. 17.23. he is ſo incomprehenſible by Names and Notions, that mans beſt eloquence of him is an humble ſilence.
The Third part or particular of this Famous Hiſtory, is, Jacob's Valour, which is conſpicuouſly demonſtrable in ſeveral circumſtances, As
1. 'Tis a clear diſcovery hereof, if his Antagoniſt (with whom he durſt ſo daringly encounter) be well conſidered, that he was no leſs than the Omnipotent Jehovah. Here was impar congreſſies, Troilus cum Achille, an unequal match, a lump of Clay contending with th… great Potter. This was daringly done indeed: Caligula did dare his Jove to a Duel; but what was his Jupiter (whom he challeng'd) ſave only a Dunghil-Deity, a meer Mock-Jove to the true Jehovah? but this attempt of Jacob here (in daring to enter the liſts with God himſelf,) ſurmounts Infinitely not only that of the Heathen Caligula, but alſo all the moſt eminent exploits of the moſt excellent Heroe's recorded either in Civil or Sacred Hiſtory. There are indeed ſome Scriptural ſaying, which ſeem to make this undertaking of Jacob in this conflict, rather a raſh Fool-hardineſs, than any Genuine and Judicious Valour. For,
1. The Prophet ſaith, Iſa. 45.9. Woe unto him that ſtriveth with his Maker; Let the Potſherd ſtrive with the Potſherds of the Earth, that is, let Man meddle with his Match, and not contend with one mightier than the mightieſt; Eccleſ. 6.10. with one higher than the higheſt, Eccleſ. 5.8. for Man to ſtrive with his Maker, is no better than an Earthen veſſel (as all Mankind is 2. Cor. 4.7.) daſhing it ſelf againſt the Rock, even the Rock of Ages (as God is call'd, Iſa. 26.4. Jah Jehovah Tſur gnolamim) a Rock of Eternity; what can this be but impious moroſity, and intolerable petulancy? And,
2. The Apoſtle ſaith, Dare you provoke the Lord to jealouſie? are ye ſtronger than he? 1 Cor. 10.22. Man may (in a way of Juſtice) Cope with a Man like himſelf, but let him take heed how he dares to enter the Liſts with the Great God, for he can neither oppoſe his Intentions, nor controul his Diſpenſations; and ſundry other Scriptures to the ſame ſenſe: Yet ſeeing God became Man (in Apparition) here, [There wreſtled a Man with Jacob, &c. Gen. 32.24.] As it was lowly Condeſcention in God to appear here as a Man, to render Jacob capable of conflicting with him; ſo it was lofty Valour in Jacob (and not Foolhardineſs) to Encounter this Apparition, though this Man was God (as is above-ſaid) and though the true God was (yet not by way of Circumſcription) in this ſeeming Man: Had Jacob faln in this Encounter, he had faln by Noble Hands, in a Noble Exploit, and by a right Noble Undertaking; yea, he would have better merited that Epitaph, which was writ upon raſh Phaeton's Tomb.