QUEST. I. Why Isaack biddeth Iacob goe into Mesopotamia.

Vers. 2. ARise, get thee to Padan. Aram. 1. Isaack herein followeth the counsell of Rebeckah, to send Iacob into Mesopotamia; being perswaded it came from God, as Abraham was bidden before to heare the voice of Sarah, Iun. 2. Though Abraham would not suffer Isaack to goe into that Countrey, yet Iacob is commanded by his father: both because by this means he should escape the danger threatned by his brother, and for that there was no such feare, lest Iacob should not returne, seeing there was of that kindred already planted in Canaan, and therefore his wives that he should marry would be the more wil∣ling to come with him: but Isaacks case differed in both these points. 3. Isaack reneweth the same blessing in effect which he had given before to Iacob for his further strengthening, lest Iacob might have thought that the blessing which he had obtained by craft was of the lesse force.

QUEST. II. Why Rebeckah is said to be the mother of Iacob and Esau.

Vers. 5. IAcob and Esaus mother. 1. Neither as Rasi, is it hard to ghesse wherefore Esau is added. 2. Not (as Ramban) because she is called Iacobs mother before, is she now said to be the mother of both, to avoid suspition of partiality. 3. Nor yet because as the Hebrewes imagine, Iacob and Esau were twins, and lay wrapped in the same skinne, contrary to the ordinary course. 4. Or to assure Iacob of deliverance from danger, seeing he went to his uncles house, to whom they were both alike deare. 5. But Esau is added to make way for the story following, where mention is made of Esau, according to the manner of the Hebrew speech, Iun. 6. As also by the preferring of Iacob before Esau, it appeareth, that Isaacks judge∣ment was altered, and that now he gave the preeminence to Iacob.

QUEST. III. Why Mahalath is said to be the sister of Nebaioth.

Vers. 9. SIster of Nebaioth. 1. Nebaioth is added, not for that he was her brother also by the mother, and the rest were not. 2. Nor yet onely because he was the eldest sonne, and most renowned amongst his brethren. 3. But he is named as the chiefe of Ismaels house, who was now dead, and the go∣vernment committed to his eldest sonne Nebaioth: for Iacob was now 77. yeares old when he went into Mesopotamia, in the 63. yeare of whose age Ismael died, who was fourteene yeares elder than Isaack, and lived 137. yeares: and Isaack was 60. yeares elder than Iacob: so that Ismaels 137. yeare, doth fall into Iacobs 63. yeare: see more of this, Quest. 20. in chap. 25.

QUEST. IV. Why Esau marrieth Ismaels daughter.

Vers. 9. HE tooke unto his wives Mahalah, &c. 1. Which was not as Rupertus thinketh, Quo magis eos offenderet, to offend his parents the more: for then he would have married againe from the Page  259 Canaanites. 2. Neither yet chiefly did he it for multiplication of his seed, that he might therein be equall to his brother, Marlorat. 3. But Esaus chiefest intent was to please his father in this marriage, because Ismael was his fathers brother. But Esau tooke not a right course herein, seeing he both multiplied wives, and graffed himselfe into the flocke of him that was of the bond-woman, and belonged not to the covenant, Mercerus.

QUEST. V. Whether Bethel where Iacob sl•pt and pitched a stone, were the same City with Ierusalem.

Vers. 11. HE came unto a certaine place. The Hebrewes thinke that this place where Iacob rested was the Mount Moriah, where Abraham offered Isaack, where afterward also the Temple was built: of the same opinion are Lyranus, Cajetanus, and before them Augustine, quaest. 83. in Gen. But this conceit hath no ground at all, and many reasons make against it. 1. This place was neare to Bethel, but Bethel was farre from Jerusalem; as may appeare by Ieroboams act, who set up two golden Calves, one in Dan, another in Bethel, to the intent that the people should not goe up to Jerusalem to sacrifice, 1 King. 12.29. 2. Jerusalem was the possession of the child•en of Benjamin, Bethel belonged to Ioseph, Iud. 1.21, 22. therefore they were not the same City. If any object that there were two Cities called by the name of Bethel, as the Rabbines thinke, and that one of them is numbred among the Cities that fell to Benjamin, Iosu. 18.22. yet in the same place, vers. 28. Ierusalem is reckoned for another City of Benja∣mins part: Jerusalem then and Bethel are still two Cities. 3. Borchardus which himselfe spent many years in viewing the land of Canaan, sheweth that Bethel could not be Jerusalem, because this stone which Ia∣cob erected, and Deborahs monument were then to be seene, not at Jerusalem, but beside the towne cal∣led Bethel, Perer.

QUEST. VI. Why Iacob slept all night in the field.

Vers. 11. HE came to a certaine place.* 1. The Hebrewes fable that Iacob went from Beersabee to Char∣ran in one day, as they affirme the like of Abrahams servant: and because in this verse the word macho• is thrice named, some of them understand the three Temples that should be built, some the three principall feasts: but these things have no ground. 2. Some say that the Sunne did set miraculously before his time: Iosephus thinketh that Iacob durst not goe to the City because of the envie of the Inha∣bitants: but the reason why he lay in the field all night, is because it was late before he came thither: Ibi dormivit, ubi nox cum comprehendit; There he slept, as Chrysostome saith, where the night overtooke him, Hom. 54. in Gen.

QUEST. VII. Why Iacob went so meanly furnished for his journey.

HE tooke of the stones and laid under his head. Abraham sent his servant with camels and other com∣pany to attend him, with jewels of gold, but Isaack sendeth forth Iacob alone, with a staffe; where∣of the reasons may be these: 1. I will omit the allegories of Augustine, who by Iacob going with a staffe to take a wife, understandeth Christ by his Crosse redeeming the Church, Serm. 79. de tempor. of Ruper∣tus, who by Iacobs poverty setteth forth the small preparation of the Apostles, sent forth to preach the Gospell with a scrip and a staffe: or of Gregory, who saith, that in itinere dormire, to sleepe in the way with Iacob, is to sequester the minde from the cogitation of earthly things: and caput in lapide ponere, est Christo menta inharere; to lay the head upon a stone, is with the minde to cleave to Christ, Lib. 4. Moral. 2. But these indeed are the causes. Theodoret saith, Vt manifestius divina providentia declararetur, that Gods providence might more fully appeare toward Iacob: who himselfe thanketh God, that whereas he went but with his staffe, he returned with bands, Gen. 32.10. 2. Another reason is this, Iacob went secretly and not accompanied, Vt melius fr•tris conatus declinaret, that he might the better avoid the practices of his brother, Thom. Anglic. 3. Beside it may be an example of labour, patience, and frugality to the servants of God; ex Perer.

QUEST. VIII. The divers expositions of Iacobs ladder.

Ver. 12. THen he dreamed, and behold there stood a ladder upon the earth, &c. 1. Some by this ladder un∣derstand the genealogie of Christ: Saint Luke setting forth the same by descending from Adam downward, Saint Matthew by ascending from Ioseph upward. 2. Augustine by God standing up∣on the ladder, understandeth Christ hanging upon the Crosse: by the Angels ascending, the Preachers handling mysticall doctrines; by the Angels descending, Preachers applying themselves to morall do∣ctrine, Serm. 79. de tempore. 3. Some by this ladder interpret the Church, which is the gate of heaven, without the which there is no salvation. 4. Some by this ladder insinuate a Christian profession, in the which are divers degrees and vertues to rise by: by the Angels ascending, such are understood as are gi∣ven to contemplation: by the Angels descending, such as follow an active and practicall life. 5. Philo sometime by this ladder describeth the soule of man: the head he maketh the understanding, the feet the affections: the ascending & descending is the discourse of the reason: sometime he expoundeth it to be the uncertaine state of the world, wherein as in a ladder, some ascend and are advanced, some descend and are dishonoured, ex Perer. 6. But the proper and literall meaning of the ladder is, to set forth Gods provi∣dence, both in generall, whereby he governeth all things in heaven and in earth, Psal. 113.6. The degrees of the ladder are the divers meanes which God useth: the Angels ascending and descending, are the mi∣nistring spirits, which God sendeth forth for the execution of his will: even the Heathen Poet Homer by the like similitude of a golden chaine, which Iupiter sent downe from heaven to earth, describeth the Page  260 divine providence. And in particular, the speciall care which the Lord had of Iacob to protect him in his journey, is by this ladder exemplified. The ladder is the way that Iacob was to goe, the Angels ascen∣ding and descending, doe conduct him backward and forward: God standeth upon the top of the ladder, ruling all by his providence, Iun. For whereas foure things troubled Iacob, his departure from his parents, his leaving of his Countrey, his solitary journey, his poverty: the Lord doth give him spirituall comforts against them all: I will be thy keeper; I will give thee this land; he saw Angels ascending and descen∣ding to be his companions: and thou shalt spread abroad to the East and West, &c. Perer. 7. This ladder also in a mysticall signification betokeneth Christ, as he himselfe expoundeth, Ioh. 1.51. and specially in these points: 1. The two natures of Christ are expressed, who above is God of his father, beneath is man out of Iacobs loynes. 2. Christs office is described, who is the onely way and the ladder whereby wee ascend to heaven, Calvin. 3. The Angels ascending and descending, are the blessed spirits, which first mi∣nistred to the person of Christ, Ioh. 1.51. And secondly, doe minister for the good of his body, namely, the elect, Heb. 1.14.

QUEST. IX. How in Iacob all the world should be blessed.

Vers. 14. THou shalt spread abroad to the West, to the East. 1. This is first understood of the possession of the large Countrey of Canaan, which was extended toward the foure parts of heaven: and secondarily it is referred to the spirituall posterity of Iacob, that should bee dispersed thorowout the world, Mercer. 2. Whereas it is said, In thee, and in thy seed; he sheweth how in Iacob all Nations should be blessed, because of him should come the promised seed, Calvin.

QUEST. X. What things were promised to Iacob.

Vers. 15. I Will never forsake thee, &c. 1. Because these promises made to Iacob in Christ, were not onely temporall, but spirituall; not onely concerning this life, but the next, 1 Tim. 4.8. Iun. 2. Where∣soever thou goest, which is not to bee taken largely, but with this restraint, so long as hee walked in the wayes of God, the Lord promiseth to be his guide, Muscul. 3. Till I have fulfilled all I have promised thee: not onely these things which the Lord now spake, as Mercer. but which Isaack promised and pronounced unto Iacob, vers. 3, 4. Iun. yea and all those promises made to Abraham and his seed, were made likewise to Iacob, Rasi.

QUEST. XI. How the Lord is said to be in one place more than another.

Vers. 16. THe Lord is in this place, and I was not aware, &c. 1. God in respect of his power and locall presence is every where alike: but in respect of some speciall declaration of his presence, he is more in one place than another, as in some apparition and vision: as the Lord bid Moses put off his shooes because the ground was holy where the Lord then appeared, Exod. 3. so in the Tabernacle where the Lord gave answers in the Poole of Bethesda, where the Angell stirred the waters, the Lord was pre∣sent after a speciall manner: as he is also in the assemblies and congregations of his servants: and as here in this heavenly apparition to Iacob, Perer. 2. The Hebrewes imagine that Iacob for the space of foureteene yeares, while he was in Ebers house, never almost lay downe, but watched, giving himselfe to meditati∣on, and therefore reproveth himselfe now for sleeping: but that this is a fable, I have shewed before in Gen. 25. quest. 20. 3. And I was not aware.* So the Lord to the faithfull performeth more than they could conceive and expect, Calv. And the servants of God perceive not at the first that which in processe of time is revealed unto them, as it is said of Samuel, that at the first he knew not the Lord, neither was the word of God revealed to him, 1 Sam. 3.4. that is, in such familiar manner as afterward the Lord shewed himselfe in,*Gregor. lib. 2▪ in 1 Sam. 4. Bernard excellently sheweth the difference of Gods presence: Est in omni loco, &c. sed aliter atque aliter: apud homines males est puniens & dissimulans, apud electos operans & servans, apud superos pascens & cubans, apud inferos damnans & arguens, &c. God is every where, but after a divers manner: he is among the wicked punishing, yet forbearing, among the elect working and saving, in hea∣ven refreshing and dwelling, in hell condemning and reproving, Serm. 6. de Dedication. Eccles. &c.

QUEST. XIII. Why Iacob called the place fearefull.

Vers. 17. HOw fearefull is this place? 1. Three things were here wrought upon Iacob; while he slept he had a vision, when he awaked he had the revelation and understanding of the vision, and be∣side a reverent feare came upon him, Cajetan. 2. Which feare was not in respect of any danger, from the which the Lord promised to deliver him, Mercer. nor yet such a feare as the wicked are stricken with all, but a reverent feare, such as the godly have when they enter into Gods presence, Muscul. 3. This place was not the Mount Moriah, as some think, where afterward the Temple was built, for Bethel and Jerusalem are far distant, as is shewed before, quest. 5. neither is here Bethel a name appellative, but proper, given to that Ci∣ty which was called Luz before, vers. 19. but that fable of the Hebrewes, that the Mount Moriah removed from his place,* and went before Iacob, is ridiculous, ex Mercer. 4. He calleth it a fearefull place, and the house of God, both because God there appeared, and the heavens opened, and for that hee thought it a meet place to be consecrated to the worship of God, Iun. and it may well signifie the Church of God, where the Lord doth reveale himselfe to his servants, Rupertus.

QUEST. XIII. Of the stone which Iacob powred oyle upon.

Vers. 18. HE tooke the stone that was under his head. 1. These were neither twelve stones, according to the number of the twelve tribes, which did all grow into one, as the Hebrewes imagine:* neither were they many stones, as Iosephus: for though he gathered divers stones about his head, as Iunius collecteth out of the 11. vers. yet one was fittest for Iacob to rest his head on, and to reare for a pillar, Mercer. 2. The oyle did not fall from heaven, as the Hebrewes, nor yet is it like he had it from Luz; but it was such as he carried with him for his refreshing in his journey, and whereof there was great plen∣tie in that Countrey, Mercer.

QUEST. XIV. Whether Iacob did well in setting up a pillar, and anointing it with oyle.

SEt up as a pillar, and powred oyle. 1. The word is matseba, a pillar, of jat sab, which signifieth to stand: three sorts there were of such pillars: some for religious uses, forbidden Levit. 26.1. some for morall, to put the people in minde of some benefit, as the twelve stones pitched in Jordan: some for evill uses, as Absolons pillar, which he set up to keepe a memoriall of him. 2. The Gentiles used superstitiously to powre oyle upon stones; but Iacob taketh not this usage from them: it is more like that Satan brought the Gentiles superstitiously to counterfeit those holy rites, which holy men consecrated unto God: and againe, the Gentiles did adore and worship such stones, as Arnobius confesseth of himselfe, when he was yet an idolater, when he saw a smooth stone anointed with oyle, Tanquam inesset vis presens adulabar, affa∣har; I did speake unto it, and flatter it, as though some present vertue were in it. But Iacob ascribeth no di∣vine vertue unto this stone, Perer. 3. Whereas they are forbidden to reare up any pillar, Levit. 26.1. this fact of Iacob was long before the promulgation of that law: and besides they are forbidden to erect any such pillar to bow downe unto it: they might set up stones and pillars for commemoration of some wor∣thy fact, as Iosua pitched the stones in Jordan, but not for adoration: and so Iacob here doth set up this stone for a remembrance of this vision, as also he doth consecrate it with oyle, as peculiar for the service of God, for in the same place he afterward built an Altar to God, Gen. 35.7. but he was farre off from any su∣perstitious opinion of this stone. 4. Augustine findeth out here a greater mystery, making this stone anoin∣ted with oyle, a figure of Christ, who is so called of his anointing, Lib. 16. de Civit. Dei, cap. 38.

QUEST. XV. Whether the City of Luz were built at this time.

Vers. 19. NOtwithstanding the name of the City was called Luz. 1. There is another word (alam) which signifieth certainly, truly, which the Septuagint unskilfully joyne with Luz, and make of both one corrupt name, Vlammaus. 2. Some thinke that there was here no City at this time, but that Luz was built long after, Calvin. But the text it selfe sheweth, that at this time there was a City, and that Ia∣cob being overtaken of the night, lodged abroad in the field, Mercer. 3. Neither yet as some thinke, did Iacob lodge in the City, for the towne would have afforded him a softer pillow: and whereas Iacob saith, that God appeared unto him at Luz, Gen. 48.3. he meaneth not the towne it selfe precisely, but compre∣hendeth under that name, the field where he lodged, that belonged unto the City Luz.

QUEST. XVI. Luz and Bethel, whether one City or divers.

HE called the name of the place Bethel, &c. A question is here moved, whether Luz and Bethel were all one City, seeing that the border of Iosephs inheritance, Iosu. 16.2. is said to goe from Bethel to Luz: for the solution whereof: 1. It is not like that Luz and Bethel were two Cities at the first, which being neare together were joyned into one, and two principall parts of the same City retained the names of Luz and Bethel, sic Tostat. Lyran. 2. Neither were there two Bethels, one in the tribe of Ephraim, another of Benjamins lot, as Chimbi thinketh, and Genevens. in annot. Iosua 18.13. for Bethel was bordering onely upon Ephraim, but within the lot of Benjamin, Iosu. 16.2. Iosu. 18.21. 3. Neither was this Bethel as some thinke, belonging first to Ephraim, and then fell to Benjamins lot: for no such thing appeareth, but that originally it was allotted to Benjamin, Iosu. 18.22. 4. Nor yet need we to say with Pererius, that Bethel is taken two wayes, strictly, for the very place where God appeared to Iacob, excluding the City; and largely, as comprehending the City & all together. 5. But the truth is, that there were two Cities called by the name of Luz, one that ancient towne whose name was changed into Bethel, another afterward built by one that went into the land of the Hithites, which kept the name of Luz still, Iud. 1.26. and this is that Luz, spoken of in the place objected, Iosu. 16.2. Masius in 16. Ios. Iun. 6. This Bethel by the Prophet Osee is called Bethaven, 4.15. that is, the house of iniquity, because Ieroboam there set up his golden calfe, 1 King. 12. and not farre from Bethel was there a place called Bethaven, Iosua 7.2. which name, the other occasion concurring, was translated to Bethel, Perer.

QUEST. XVII. How Iacob voweth that the Lord shall be his God.

Vers. 20. IF God will be with me, &c. 1. Iacob was farre off from conditioning with God, that he should no otherwise be his God, than if he performed these things. 2. Neither doth Iacob here utter his infirmity, as doubtfull of the performance of these things. 3. Nor yet doth he thus say, as though he thought the promise of God conditionall, that he would not otherwise be his God unlesse he performed these things, Perer. for God expresseth no condition in his promise. 4. Nor yet need we answer, that Ia∣cob doth not vow the generall worship of God, whereunto he was bound by his profession, having re∣ceived Page  262 circumcision, but a speciall service, in consecrating that place to Gods service, and offering of tythes: or that it is lawfull for a man to tie himselfe by a new bond to performe that to God which he is other∣wise bound to doe; as the Prophet David saith, Psal. 119.126. I have sworne and will performe it, that I will keepe thy righteous judgements: both these answers are true, though not pertinent to this place, ex Perer. 5. Wherefore Iacob doth not bring this forth as a condition, If God will be with me? this particle (im) is not here a conditionall, but a word of time, as it is taken, vers. 15. untill, if, that is, when I have performed, &c. so is it taken here, when God hath beene with me, and kept me in this journey, Iun▪ Mercer. and the words following are not to be read, then the Lord shall be my God: but, when the Lord hath beene my God: so they are not parcell of the vow, which is complete in the 22. vers. but they are part of the rea∣son of this vow, Rasi, Iun.

QUEST. XVIII. To whom Iacob voweth to pay the tenth.

Vers. 22. I Will give the tenth. 1. Some thinke that he payed the tenth to Sem or Eber: but Sem died be∣fore Iacob was borne: and Eber also was dead many yeares before this, in the 19. yeare of Iacob, who is now supposed to have beene 77. yeare old. 2. Therefore this giving of tithe was nothing else but the consecrating of the tenth part of his goods to be bestowed in building of Altars, and in sacri∣fices for the service of God: and such things as are devoted to religious uses, are truly said to be given unto God, sic Cajetan. Mercer. 3. Some Hebrewes referre this to the consecrating of Levi to the Priesthood: but (as Aben Ezra) not men, but cattell and beasts used to be tithed.

1. Doct. The ministery of Angels.

Vers. 12. THe Angell of God went up and downe. By this is expressed the ministery of the Angels, that are continually imployed for the good of the elect: they ascend to report our necessities, they descend to be ministers of Gods mercies; as the Apostle saith, Are they not all ministring spirits, sent forth to minister for their sakes that shall be heires of salvation? Heb. 1.14.

2. Doct. How Gods providence is seene in permitting evill to be done in the world.

HEreby also is set forth Gods providence that watcheth over all things; for the Lord standeth upon the top of this ladder, whereby is signified the administration and government of the world. Against which providence, whereas it is objected that many evill things are committed in the world, to the which the Lord is no way consenting; Thomas Aquine answereth, that although some defects are against the particular nature of things, yet they are for the good of the universall; and therefore as Au∣gustine saith, Deus non sineret malumesse in operib. suis, nisi sciret benefacere etiam de mal•: God would not suffer evill to be in his works, if he did not know how to turne evill into good. But it will be said, God ought to draw men against their will unto good. Dionysius answereth, Non est providentia divinae violare natu∣ram, sed est cujusque naturae conservatrix: Gods providence doth not change or violate nature, but is the pre∣server of na•ure: leaving to things indued with reason to follow their owne will and inclination, Lib. de Divin. nominib. cap. 4 par. 4.

3. Doct. How God forsaketh not the elect finally.

Vers. 15. I Will not forsake thee, &c. Gods promises to his servants are so stable and firme in Christ, that they are sure finally not to be forsaken, as the Lord said to Iosua, I will never faile thee nor for∣sake thee, Heb. 13.4. Calvin.

4. Doct. Lawfull to vow.

Vers. 20. IF God will be with me, &c. By Iacobs vowing, both their errour is condemned that take away the use of all vowes from Christians, and their superstition that vow not as they ought; Iacob, 1. directeth his vowes to God,* the papists vow unto Saints. 2. He voweth to testifie his thankfulnesse, they vow to merit. 3. He voweth such things as were in his power, as to pay tithe; they such things as are be∣yond their reach, as single life, where the gift is not. 4. Iacob voweth such things as God commanded, they vow things of their owne inventing, as to goe in pilgrimage, to fast with bread and water, to gar∣nish Idols, and such like; concerning the which we may say with the Prophet, who required this at your hands? Isay 1.•2. Calvin.

5. Doct. Signes called by the names of the things.

Vers. 22. THis stone shall be the house of God. This stone was not Gods house, but a monument or signe of the place of Gods worship, for there Iacob to fulfill this vow, afterward at his returne built an Altar to God, Gen. 35.7. Thus by a metonymie, that which is proper to the thing, is given to the signe, in which sense the bread in the Eucharist, is called the body of Christ, Marl•r.

1. Confut. How the Angels are reporters of our prayers unto God, and yet no mediators.

Vers. 12. LOe the Angels of God ascended and descended upon it. Hence Pererius would gather, that the Angels descended from heaven to reveale unto us the counsels of God, and to execute his will, so their office is by ascending to report unto God our prayers, vowes, and necessities, in Gen. 25. numer. 23.

We grant, that the Angels doe report unto God the affaires of the world, and the acts and gests of men, and so their supplications in generall: but this they doe as messengers, not as mediators. The Prophet Zachary sheweth a distinct office of the Angelicall spirits, and Jesus Christ, there called the Angell of the Lord: they returne this answer to Christ, W•e have gone thorow the world, and behold, all the world sitteth still, and is at rest. But the Angell of the Lord, Christ the Mediator of his Church, steppeth forth and prayeth, O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou be unmercifull to Ierusalem! Zach. 1.12. So then, though the Angels be witnesses of our devotion, and beholders of our teares and plaints, they have no office of mediation, neither have we any warrant to pray unto them.

2. Confut. Against the Platonists, that make three kinds of providence.

Vers. 12. THere stood a ladder upon the earth, and the top reached to heaven. Gods providence then descen∣deth from heaven to earth: contrary to the opinion of the Platonists, noted by Gregor. Nyssen. lib. 8. de provident. cap. 3. who make three kinds of providence, the first of God, in taking care onely for things celestiall and spirituall, and the generall causes of other things in the world: the second they a•∣tributed to the second ranke of gods, who provided for all things betweene the Moone and the earth: the third they yeelded to the spirits who governed the actions of men. But the Scripture teacheth us, that all things in heaven and earth are ruled by Gods providence, in so much that a sparrow cannot fall upon the ground without the will of God, Matth. 10.29. as the Prophet David also saith, Who is like unto the Lord our God, that hath his dwelling on high, who abaseth himselfe to behold things in the heaven, and the earth? Psal. 113.5, 6.

3. Confut. Iacobs ladder doth not signifie the monasticall profession.

PErerius interpreteth this ladder out of a counterfeit peece of Bernard, to be the discipline of Mona∣sticall life, and namely, the way and rule of Benets order, whereby the founder of that order S. Be∣nedict went to heaven, numer. 34. Contra. 1. First then it is requisite, if this ladder signifieth Monasticall discipline, that he which first saw it, should have beene a professed Monke: but I thinke they will not say that Iacob was a Monke: the most speciall part of which profession consisteth in the vow of single life. 2. Christ himselfe standeth upon the top of this ladder, to whom the way and ladder is directed: he then that climbeth this ladder must ascend by faith in Christ; but the Monks thinke to climbe up to heaven by their merits. 3. Iacob was a figure of Christ, upon whom the Angels of God should ascend and descend, Ioh. 1.51. it is great presumption then to put Benet in Christs place, that Iacob should bee a figure of him. 4. This ladder sheweth the way that every true Israelite of Iacob should ascend by: but every true Israe∣lite and Christian is not a Monke.

4. Confut. Philo confuted concerning the ascending and descending of soules.

PHilo understandeth the ayre to be this ladder: Basis terra, coelum caput; The earth is the foot of this lad∣der, the heaven is the head or top: the Angels are the soules, Quas aer habet stellis pares, which the ayre is filled with, equall to the starres in number: some of these descend into the bodies, some ascend: Alia ad corpora recurrunt, Some returne to the bodies againe: thus Philo Platonizeth, Lib. de somniis. In this device of Philo three notable errours are discovered: 1. The ayre is not the seat or region of soules, but the spi∣rits of the just are in heaven where Jesus Christ is, and the holy Angels, Heb. 12.22, 23, 24. 2. The soules had no being before their bodies, that they should descend into them as from another place: God formeth the spirit of man within him, Zachar. 12.1. 3. Neither doe the soules once separated from the bodies, re∣turne any more to cohabit in earthly and mortall bodies; The spirit returneth to God that gave it, Ec∣cles. 12.7.

5. Confut. Against the Helvidians.

Vers. 15. I Will not forsake thee till I have performed, &c. The Helvidians, because it is said that Ioseph knew not Mary ••ll she had brought forth her first-borne sonne, Matth. 1.25. would gather thereupon, that he knew her afterward: they may as well conclude here, that after God had performed to Iacob that which he promised, that he did forsake him then, Muscul.

6. Confut. Temples have no inherent holinesse, but in regard of the use.

Vers. 17. THis is no other but Gods house, &c. This proveth not that Temples and Churches are more holy places in themselves, which is the opinion of the Romanists. 1. Their Temples being polluted with idolatry, are prophane and unholy. 2. Though before Christs comming the Lord chose his speciall place where he would have sacrifices offered, and not in any place beside, and so some places Page  264 were privileged with a legall kinde of sanctity, more than others: yet now since that Christ hath every where opened heaven to the prayers of the faithfull, that distinction remaineth not. 3. Even Bethel re∣tained not an inherent holinesse, but in respect of the religious use: for after that it was by Ieroboam de∣filed with Idolatry, it was no more Bethel, the house of God, but Bethaven, the house of iniquity.

7. Confut. Against the anointing of Altars.

Vers. 18. HE powred oyle upon the top of it, &c. Hence Rabanus groundeth that superstitious use of anoin∣ting the Altar with oyle: Altare post aspersionem aquae Chrysmate ungitur ad imitationem Pa∣t•iarcha Iacob; The Altar after the sprinkling of water is anointed with Chrysme, after the imitation of the Pa∣triarke Iacob, Lib. de institut. Clericor. cap. 45. Contra. 1. The ceremonies of the law, which were figures and shadowes of things to come, are not meet ornaments for the Gospell, such were their washings, anoin∣tings, sacrifices, and other rites: they were shadowes of things to come, but the body is Christ, Coloss. 2.17. The body then being come, what need the shadow? 2. The same ointment that Christ was anointed with, his members also receive: but that was a spirituall unction, Luk. 4.18. The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me. Of this anointing the Apostle speaketh: You have an oyntment from him that is holy, and ye have knowne all things, 1 Ioh. 2.20. 3. But if Iacobs anointing must be a patterne, why doe they also sprinkle water, which he did not? Iacob also used profane and common oyle, such as he car∣ried for his journey; but their oyle must be hallowed first and consecrated: Iacob here maketh no Altar, but setteth up a pillar for a monument: why doe not they by the same example powre oyle upon their Crosses and Pillars in the high-way?

8. Confut. Bethel become Bethaven, and Rome Babel.

Vers. 19. HE called the name of that place Bethel. Yet afterward when it was prophaned by idolatry, it was called by the Prophets Bethaven, the house of iniquity: we need not therefore mar∣vell if that Rome, sometime the Church of God, bee now become Babel, the fountaine of corrupt do∣ctrine, the place and seat of Antichrist: they cannot shew such warrant for the consecration of Rome, as the Scripture speaketh for Bethel, which of the house of God was made an habitation of filthy Idols; and so is Rome, Muscul.

1. Observ. We must not amend one errour by another.

Vers. 9. THen went Esau to Ishmael, &c. Esau in stead of correcting his former errour, in taking him wives from the daughters of Canaan, committeth another, in matching into the stocke of Is∣mael, that was also a stranger from the covenant: he thought he should please his father, though he did not thorowly reforme himselfe, if he came a little nearer: such is the reformation of hypocrites, they thinke they have done well if they can dawbe over their sinnes, and set some colour upon them by a pre∣tended reformation: as Herod did, Who seemed to reverence Iohn, and when he heard him, hee did many things, and hea•d him gladly, Mark. 6.30. Mercer. Calvin.

2. Observ. Patience and labour to be endured for vertue.

Vers. 11. HE tooke of the stones of the place, and laid under his head. Iacob is set forth unto us as a sin∣gular example of labour and patience: who both lay hard, and fared coursly by the way. Philo noteth hereupon, Non decet virtutis sectatorem vita delicata, &c. A delicate life becommeeh not a follower of vertue. This example serveth to reprove those who place their whole felicity in this life, in dainty fare, lying in soft beds, and other such delicacies: which was the happinesse of that rich glutton, Luk. 16. Beside, this example doth teach us, that if we have the like hard entertainment in the world, wee should comfort our selves by the example of Iacob, Calvin. So Saint Paul saith, I have learned, in what∣soever state I am, therewith to be content: I can be abased, and I can abound, Phil. 3.12.

3. Observ. We must alwayes be going forward in our Christian course.

Vers. 12. THe Angels went up and downe. None of them were seene to stand still upon the ladder, but were in continuall motion, either ascending or descending: which teacheth us, that in our Christian profession we should be alway going forward: Qui non proficiunt, necessario deficiunt; They that goe not forward, goe backward: the Angels either ascend or descend, Perer. The Wise man saith, Hee that is slothfull in his worke, is even the brother of a great waster, Prov. 18.9. He that buildeth not up in Chri∣stian profession, pulleth downe.

4. Observ. Reverent behaviour to be used in the Church of God.

Vers. 17. HE was afraid and said, how fearfull is this place? &c. Iacob perceiving that God was present, and that the place where he was was Gods house, because the Lord had there shewed him∣selfe, he doth stirre up himselfe to a reverent feare, as being in the sight and presence of God: which his example doth teach us how we ought to behave our selves reverently and humbly in the Lords house: Bernard well saith, Terribilis plane lo•us, dignus omni reverentia, quem fideles inhabitant, quem angeli sancti frequentant, quem sua praesentia Dominus dignatur: A fearefull place indeed, and worthy of all reverence, where the faithfull inhabit, the Angels frequent, God himselfe vouchsafeth to be present: as the first Adam (saith he) was placed in Paradise to keep it: Ita secundus Adam versatur in Ecclesia sanctorum, ut operetur, & Page  265 custodiat; so the second Adam is conversant in the congregation of the Saints, to be working there, and watch∣ing over them: Bernar. serm. 6. de dedication. The Prophet David saith, I will come into thine house in the multitude of thy mercies, and in thy feare will I worship toward thy holy temple: Psal. 5.7.

5. Observ. To be content with our estate.

Vers. 20. IF he will give me bread to eat, cloathes to put on, &c. Iacob requireth not any superfluous or un∣necessary thing, but onely needfull and sufficient provision: like as the Prophet prayeth, Give me not poverty, nor riches, but feed me with food convenient, Pro. 30.8. We learne hereby to be con∣tented with a little, and not to covet aboundance: there is a saying, Cuiparum non est satis, nihil est satis: he that a little sufficeth not, nothing will suffice: the Apostle saith, Godlinesse is great riches, if a man be content with that he hath, 1 Tim. 6.6.