Genesis 31

Some masters are so harsh and implacable, that they are enough to spoil a good servant. (6.) Be very exact and punctual in the compacts and agreements you make with your servants: Do not prevaricate; keep not back any of their wages, nor deal deceitfully with them, as Laban did…

2. A heart without guile dares not allow itself in the least sin: he avoids secret sins. He dares not hide any sin as Rachel did her father's images under her (Genesis 31:34). He knows God sees him, which is more than if men and angels did behold him.

This abstaining may be: 1. From restraining grace, not renewing grace: as God withheld Laban from hurting Jacob (Genesis 31:24). The Lord may restrain men from sin by the terror of a natural conscience.

Indeed Christ says to his disciples: Go and prepare a place to sacrifice the Passover (Mark 14:12), but the words to offer or to sacrifice often signify no more than to kill. As when Jacob and Laban made a covenant, it is said Jacob sacrificed beasts and called his brethren to e…

And as God said here to Satan, Afflict the body of Job, but save his life; so God says still to bloody wretches, who are as the limbs of Satan, The bodies of such and such are in your hands, the estates of such and such are in your hands, but save their lives. The life of a man…

When the oath serues to confirme and stablish peace and societie betweene partie and partie, countrey and countrey, kingdome & kingdome. Thus did Abraham and Abimelech sweare each to other, Gen. 21. 23. and Jacob and Laban, Gen. 31. 53. and by virtue hereof doe subiects bind the…

Generally, her sad condition is expressed in these words, The Sun has looked upon me. The Sun in these countries had great heat, as we may see in Jonah 4:8, where the beating of the Sun upon him did sorely vex him; Jacob also says, it burned him in the daytime (Genesis 31:40). T…

We are not to understand, that they were wholly drawn off to idolatry, to forsake the true God. For God is said to be the God of Nahor: Genesis 31:53. "The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us."

And he undertakes to give in to the Father, without loss or miscarriage, what he had so received of the Father, John 17:2, 12, John 6:37-39. As Jacob did with the cattle he received of Laban, Genesis 31:39-40. Fourth, they being given to him, and he undertaking for them to do an…

More directly, and with better success did Jacob redress the superstition, or rather idolatry of his wife Rachel, as may be gathered by comparing (Genesis 31:19, 34; Genesis 35:2, 4). A brother at large must not suffer sin to lie on his brother: much less may husband or wife the…

And I grant the forenamed general and implicit consent, to be a true consent, so as there need not an express particular consent for every thing, and therefore I have added these clauses (simply without, or directly against consent.) (Genesis 3:16) That is done simply without co…

1. Though the wife ought to go with her husband, and dwell where he thinks fit, yet ought not he (unless by virtue of some urgent calling he be forced thereto) remove her from place to place, and carry her from that place where she is well settled without her good liking. Jacob…

My Mother, says Solomon to Bathsheba (1 Kings 2:20). I find also the title of Sir or Lord, used: a title of honor (1 Samuel 24:12; 2 Kings 5:13; Judges 18:19; 2 Kings 6:21; 1 Corinthians 4:15; 1 Timothy 5:1; Genesis 22:7; Genesis 27:18; Matthew 21:30; Genesis 31:35). 2. By using…

Great was Joseph's faithfulness in this kind, which made his master put all that he had into his hand (Genesis 39:4). So great was Jacob's faithfulness, that in twenty years his master's ewes and she-goats, being under his hand, cast not their young, nor were the rams devoured (…

1. In look, when a master cannot cast a good eye on his servant. Jacob was much discountenanced by the countenance of his master (Genesis 31:2, 5). Many masters by their continual frowning brows, and fiery eyes, do much terrify their servants.

This is a full and complete rule; but this is our miserable folly, to mistake so far, as to embrace evil in the notion of good; and not only contrary to the nature of the thing, but contrary to our own experience, still to be pursuing in that which is still flying further off fr…

If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may England say, when men rose up against us, they had swallowed us up quick. 2. If the Lord of Hosts be on our side, he can bridle his Enemies, and lay such a restraint upon their Spirits, that they shall not do the mischief…

The feet of God's children are directed by God himself, if they come to us it is a blessing of God; if not, it is for a correction. He made Jacob and Laban meet peaceably (Genesis 31), and in the next chapter Jacob and Esau. The use is, direction to us in these times, when there…

The Lord therefore breaks their teeth, pares their nails, and cuts short their tether [illegible] — they cannot do as they would. As Laban said to Jacob (Genesis 31:29), It is in the power of my hand to do you harm, but the God of your Father spoke to me saying, speak to Jacob n…

Self-deceit and the deceit of the heart appears in two things. In hiding the disease; the heart hides sin as Rachel hid her father's idols (Genesis 31:34). Hazael did not think he was as sick as he was; he could not imagine that so much wickedness lay lurking in him (2 Kings 8:1…

Now a mutual agreement between JEHOVAH and the Son for one and the same undertaking is a compact and Covenant, to have us saved. 4. Argument is, from the agreed upon giving and taking between the Father and the Son, where there is a free giving of some to the Son to be ransomed,…

Is confession a necessary Ingredient in Repentance? then here is a Bill of Indictment against four sorts of persons. 1. It reproves those that hide their sins: as Rachel hid her Fathers Images under her, (Genesis 31:34). Many had rather have their sins covered, than cured: They…