went toward * Haran. | | \ * Calle F It is not ſtrange that Jacob went alone, as it appears that he did Ads 5 from Gen. 32. 10. When his Grandfather's Servant was attended Charr, with a great Retinue, Ger. 24. becauſe Attendance was then neceſſa- ry to procurehim Reputation, and to obtain the Conſent of the Virzin and her Parents to fo long a Journey ; bur hete as it was unneceſfary, . ſo it would have been troubleſome . and prejudicial, expoſing him both ro the Envy and Snares of his Brother Eſa#,which by this privat Departure he did avoid, Beſides, God in his wiſe Providence did ſo order this,and ſome cther matters of the like na ture, for the greater Illuſtration of his care and kindneſs towards Add to this'\the great ſimplicity, . Humility, and . Innocency of thoſe times, if compared with ours, which made mas , ny things then uſual, which now would be ridiculous _. |, 11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried | there all night, becauſe the ſun was ſet : and he took of the ftones of that place, and put themfer his pillows, and lay down in that place to ſleep. ” 12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder. ſet up- on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven»and behold, * the angels of God aſcending and deſcending ON It g: . poets ; : Z This Ladder may be conſidered, either 1. Literally, and fo it repreſented to Jacob the Proviience of God, who, though he dwell in Heaven, extends his Care and wovernment ro the tarth, and particularly makes ule of the Angels as Miniſtring Spirits for the good of his People. And theſe Angels do not appear idle, or itanding {till, but always in motion, either aſcending to God ta receive his Commands, or defcending to Earth for the Execurion of them. Which was a molt ſeatonable Viſion for faceb in his ſad and forrowful Con4ition, that he might ſee that though he was forſaken and perſecured by Men, and forced to flee away ſecretly for fear of his life, yer he neither was, nor ſhould be neglected, or fortaken by God in this whole Journey. Or 2.. Myſtical'y, and fo it zepreſents Chrift, by whom Heaven and Earth are united, who is called the way to Heaven, which this La:'der was, who, as the head of Angels, is perpetually ſending them forth either ro God, or from God to miniiter ro the Heirs of Salvation, Heb. 1. 14. And this Explication, or Accommodation of this Viſion, is warranted by our Saviour himſelf, 7ohr 1.571. = . + i3 * Andbehold, the LORD ftood abore it, and «cp, ſaid, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father,and 35: x. the God of Ifaac : the land whereon thou lieſt, ro thee andgh, will I give it, and to thy ſeed, EEESN 14 4nd thy ſeed ſhall be as the duſt of the earth ; +. pe and thou ſhalt + ſpread abroad * to the welt, and to +
an make thee thee, that thou mayeſt be Þ a
* Heb. 14.
the eali, and tothe north, and to rac ſouth ; and in x2, 5g LR | 'S
thes
4
Chap. 4M d18.18.
Ac 22.18. 1 26, 4.
c hap.37. 5. and 5. 14.
; udp. 1. 23. 26. Joſ.4.15.
*r Tim.
Heb. lift 7 his feets } Heb. philaren.
hap. XXVIII:
thee, and * in thy ſced ſhall all the families 5 of the |
earth be bleſſed. þ ( 5. e. ) The Nations, as that word 1s uſed. ; 15 And behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee
in all pleces whither thou goeſt, and will bring thee a- ain intothis land : for I will not leave thee, until I
have done that which I have ſpoken to thee of 3.
; Nor ever after ; for fo the word until is frequently uſed, as 2 Sam: 6: 23: Matth: 1: 25: not ſo as to exclude the time follow- ing, but ſo as to include al! the foregoing time, wherein the thing ſpoken of might be moſt ſuſpeCted or feared ; as here the worit and moſt dangerous ſtate in which Jacob was, or was like to be, was this time of his Baniſhment from his Countrey and Kindred, againſt which he is therefore particularly armed, and comforted 1n theſe words.
16 And Jacob awaked out of his ſleep, and he ſaid, Surely the LORD is in this place &; and I knew 1t not 4,
k By his ſpecial and gracious Preſence, and the manifeſtation of his Mind and Will to me. I little expe&ed to meer with, ſuch a Revelation out of my Father's Houſe, much leſs in this deſartand doleful State and Place, when Ithought my ſelf rejeted by God, as well as abandoned by men. ;
17 And he was afraid, and ſaid, How dreadful » is this place ! this is none other, but the houſe of God »,
| and this is the gate of heaven.
m Or, venerable, both for the Majeſty of the Perſon preſent, and for the glorious manner of his diſcovery of himſelf. » The Habi- tation of God, and of his Holy Angels. "FH
18 And Jacob roſe up early in the morging,and took the ſtone thathe had pur for his piliows, ahd * ſet it up for a pillar 0, and poured oil p upon the top of it 4.
' 8 As a Monument of God's great Kindneſs and /gracious Mani- feſtation of himſelf to him ; which might bringrzhis Mercy to his remembrance in his return, Gen. 31: 13. This wasan ancient pra- Rice among the Patriarchs, Gen: 35; 14: but afterwards upon the growing abuſe of it among the Heathens, it was forbidden by God, Levit: 26: 1: Deut: 7: 5: and 12: 3. p Which he brought with him either for Food or Medicine, or for the anointing of himſelf, as need required. 9 As a token of his Conſecration thereof to this ute
' to be a memorial of God's Favour to him. Oyl was uſedin Sacri-
fices, and in the Conſecration of Perſons and Places, Exod; 30: 25,
26: and 40: 9. 19 And he called the name of * that place | Beth-el:
but the name of that city r was called Luz at the firſt. r Either of that City which was neareſt to the | Field in which
That is. Jacob lay ; or of that City which afterwards wds built in ornearto he houſe of this place, and was known by the name of Berhel.
20 And Jacob vowed a yow 5, ſaying, If God will be with me z, and will keep me in this way that I go, ang will give me * bread « to cat, and raiment to put on ;
5 (t:e:) Bound himſelf by a ſolemn Promiſe or Obligation. Compare Gen: 14: 22: Eccleſ: 5: 4. t He ſpeaks not thus as if he doubted of the truth of God's Promiſes, or would like a merce- nary Perſon make a bargain with God, but rather ſuppoſeth that God will do this for him, as he had in effe& promiſed, werſe 15: and thereupon obligeth himſelf to a grateful return to God for.this
| Mercy, If God will be with me, &c. as he hath juſt now aſſured me