Ver. 1. Then Jacob went on his journey.] Heb., Lifted up his feet: indefessi cursoris instar; as it were a generous and manly horse, refreshed with his wait by the way, he went lightly on his long journey. “The joy of the Lord was” Jacob’s “strength”: (Nehemiah 8:10) it became as oil; wherewith his soul being suppled, he was made more lithe, nimble, and fit for action. He that is once soaked in this oil, and bathed, with Jacob, in this bath at Bethel, will cheerfully do or suffer aught for God’s sake. Tua praesentia, Domine, Laurentio ipsam craticulam dulcem fecit, saith one. Gaudebat Crispina cum tenebatur, cum audiebatur, cum damnabatur, cum ducebatur, saith Austin. So did many of the Marian martyrs, as were easy to instance. Bernard gives the reasons: The cross is oiled, saith he; and, by the grace of the Spirit helping our infirmities, it is made, not only light, but sweet; and not only not troublous and terrible, but desirable and delectable. From the delectable orchard of the Leonine prison: so that Italian martyr Algerius dated his letter. Another Dutch martyr, feeling the flame to come to his beard, Ah, said he, what a small pain is this, to be compared to the glory to come! Let us pluck up our feet, pass from strength to strength, and take long and lusty strides toward heaven. It is but a little afore us; and a ready heart rids the way apace. Aug. in Psalm cxxxvii. Crux enim inuncta est,& c. Crucem multi abominantur, crucem videntes, sed non videntes unctionem.— Bern. Act. and Mon., fol. 857. Ibid., fol. 813.
Ver. 2. Three flocks of sheep lying by it.] Semblably Christ, the chief Shepherd, “feeds” and “leads his flock to the lively fountains of waters”; (Revelation 7:16,17 Psalms 23:2) commanding his under shepherds, the ministers, to roll away the stone, by opening the promises, that his sheep may drink “water with joy out of those wells of salvation”. (Isaiah 12:3)
Ver. 3. And they put the stone again upon the well’s mouth.] To keep the waters clean and filth free. The Turks had procured some traitor in Scodra, where Scanderbeg ruled, to poison the town well. The Pope hath endeavoured the like, by pouring out his deadly poison “upon the rivers and fountains of water” (the Scriptures) “that they might become blood”. (Revelation 16:4) Witness that heathenish decree of the Council of Trent; equalising, if not preferring, the Apocrypha to the canonical Scripture; the vulgar translation to the original; traditions to Holy Writ; and affirming that the Holy Ghost himseff is not to be heard, though he bring never so plain Scripture for himself; nisi accedat meretricis purpuratae effrons interpretatio, saith a learned doctor, unless the Pope may interpret it. Horrible blasphemy! Had not God’s servants need to see to the cleansing of this well, and the keeping it free from the tramplings and defilements of this foul beast? The Council of Constance comes in with a Non-obstante against Christ’s institution, withholding the cup from the sacrament. Before that the gospel was corrected, amended, and expounded, say the Canonists, there were many things permitted (as priests’ marriage); which now, since the time is come that all things are made perfect, are clearly abolished and taken away. When the Hussites denied to admit any doctrine that could not be proved by the Holy Scriptures, the Council of Basil answered them, by Cardinal Cusanus, that the Scriptures were not of the essence of the Church, but of the well being of it only; that the Word of God was so much the better taught the people, by how much it had less of the Scriptures in it; that the Scripture was to be interpreted according to the current rite of the Church; qua mutante sententiam, mutetur et Dei iudicium. Can any hear this, and his ears not tingle? This was then the Pope’s express: for in Popish councils, the bishops and others have no more to do, but simply, inclinato capite, to say Placet to that which in the Pope’s name is propounded to them: as nothing was resolved by the Trent fathers, but all in Rome: whence grew that blasphemous proverb, which I abhor to relate. This council was that sea, upon which the second angel poured out his vial, (Revelation 16:3) and it became as the blood of a dead man; and every living soul died in that sea. Cavete. Turk. Hist. D. Prid., Lect. de Testibus. Licit Christus, post coenam, instituerit, et suis discipulis administraverit,& c.— Caranza, Sum. Concil., sess. 13; Bee Hive of Rome, p. 12. Tanto dignius verbum Dei tradi, quanto remotius ab omni Scriptura: eam explicandam iuxta currentem Ecclesiae ritum, &c.— Revius, De Vit. Pontif., p. 235. Hist. of Coun. of Trent, 497.
Ver. 4. And Jacob said.] These petty passages are recorded, when the acts of mighty monarchs are unmentioned; to show God’s dear respect to his poor servants. The lion and eagle were not offered in sacrifice as the lamb and dove were. Mr Fox being asked, whether he knew such an honest poor man, answered, I remember him well: I tell you, I forget lords and ladies, to remember such. So doth God.