24. Thus we should not at all look upon this figure in Jacob as if God had bidden Jacob to deceive his father-in-law with subtlety, and bereave him of that which was his, as if God had pleasure in the natural false subtlety of man. No, the spiritual subtlety is only represented in the figure, showing how we shall obtain, in the kingdom of Christ, the unrighteous mammon (Luke xvi. 9-11), which we have not as by a natural right, but obtain it by the divine wit. And then the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and they that use violence take it 2 by force (Matt. xi. 12), with such wit of divine science, knowledge or skill, as Jacob did in the figure of Christ's kingdom.
25. And it is shown to the Jews (who with this figure help themselves in their subtlety and earthly fraud and treachery), that this subtlety of Jacob prefigures a spiritual type, and does not at all cover their wickedness and falsehood.
26. For he that says, you shall not covet or lust after that which is your neighbour's (Exod. xx. 17), has forbidden all outward subtlety, fraud and deceit; but in the genealogies the spirit of God has thus, with the kingdom of Christ, signified and alluded in the figure at the inward ground of the new man, with an outward figure.
1 Or outspoken. 2 Tear and snatch it.
27. As with Ishmael, Abraham's first son, from whom the goods also were taken away. To signify that they belonged not to Adam in the corruption and perdition, but to Christ, as the second Adam, which he took with divine wit and subtlety from the kingdom of God's wrath in man; where he must first be subject to the wrath of God, and serve in the assumed human nature; yet so he obtained the goods, and took away all its goods: and that is it which this figure of Jacob signifies.
28. The spirit presents here a most wonderful figure, in Jacob, showing how Laban changed his wages ten times, and yet could not hurt him (Gen. xxxi. 7). To signify how it is with the children of God in this service, that under the yoke of nature they shall acquire the goods of the kingdom of nature in the divine wit in the inward new man. Thence happens such great alteration to man in his purposes, so that when he has resolved upon the course that he will take, the devil comes with his envy, and hinders him of his purpose by evil men, that it goes not forward. As Jacob, when he thought the speckled sheep and goats shall be my wages, then his master disappointed him of his wages.
29. So it is also with the children of God in their labour and travail, when they think, now they shall reap the blessing of God, now they will apply themselves to the children of God, with whom they may work and bring forth fruit, and there they will effect their good purposes,l and comprehend this work in their faith's desire, that it may follow after them (Rev. xiv. 13). Then will everywhere all his work and purposes be broken, so that it goes not according to his meaning and will: he must now trust and rely upon God alone, as Jacob did. And so no enemy can hurt him; and though it seems as if it would hurt him, and that his work should be vain, yet thus they work and bear fruit, incomprehensible to reason. And in the end that man departs with much goods out of the kingdom of this world, and returns again into his native country, as Jacob did.
30. For the Scripture says, The works of the children of God follow after their faith; they take them with them; they are the wages of their faith (Rev. xiv. 13). The faith takes Christ into itself and
Christ takes the works of faith with him; and thus a true Christian returns home again into his native country, with much goods, which he has introduced and laid up in hope with his faith's desire.
24. Thus we should not at all look upon this figure in Jacob as if God had bidden Jacob to deceive his father-in-law with subtlety, and bereave him of that which was his, as if God had pleasure in the natural false subtlety of man. No, the spiritual subtlety is only represented in the figure, showing how we shall obtain, in the kingdom of Christ, the unrighteous mammon (Luke xvi. 9-11), which we have not as by a natural right, but obtain it by the divine wit. And then the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and they that use violence take it 2 by force (Matt. xi. 12), with such wit of divine science, knowledge or skill, as Jacob did in the figure of Christ's kingdom.
25. And it is shown to the Jews (who with this figure help themselves in their subtlety and earthly fraud and treachery), that this subtlety of Jacob prefigures a spiritual type, and does not at all cover their wickedness and falsehood.
26. For he that says, you shall not covet or lust after that which is your neighbour's (Exod. xx. 17), has forbidden all outward subtlety, fraud and deceit; but in the genealogies the spirit of God has thus, with the kingdom of Christ, signified and alluded in the figure at the inward ground of the new man, with an outward figure.
1 Or outspoken. 2 Tear and snatch it.
27. As with Ishmael, Abraham's first son, from whom the goods also were taken away. To signify that they belonged not to Adam in the corruption and perdition, but to Christ, as the second Adam, which he took with divine wit and subtlety from the kingdom of God's wrath in man; where he must first be subject to the wrath of God, and serve in the assumed human nature; yet so he obtained the goods, and took away all its goods: and that is it which this figure of Jacob signifies.
28. The spirit presents here a most wonderful figure, in Jacob, showing how Laban changed his wages ten times, and yet could not hurt him (Gen. xxxi. 7). To signify how it is with the children of God in this service, that under the yoke of nature they shall acquire the goods of the kingdom of nature in the divine wit in the inward new man. Thence happens such great alteration to man in his purposes, so that when he has resolved upon the course that he will take, the devil comes with his envy, and hinders him of his purpose by evil men, that it goes not forward. As Jacob, when he thought the speckled sheep and goats shall be my wages, then his master disappointed him of his wages.
29. So it is also with the children of God in their labour and travail, when they think, now they shall reap the blessing of God, now they will apply themselves to the children of God, with whom they may work and bring forth fruit, and there they will effect their good purposes,l and comprehend this work in their faith's desire, that it may follow after them (Rev. xiv. 13). Then will everywhere all his work and purposes be broken, so that it goes not according to his meaning and will: he must now trust and rely upon God alone, as Jacob did. And so no enemy can hurt him; and though it seems as if it would hurt him, and that his work should be vain, yet thus they work and bear fruit, incomprehensible to reason. And in the end that man departs with much goods out of the kingdom of this world, and returns again into his native country, as Jacob did.
30. For the Scripture says, The works of the children of God follow after their faith; they take them with them; they are the wages of their faith (Rev. xiv. 13). The faith takes Christ into itself and
Christ takes the works of faith with him; and thus a true Christian returns home again into his native country, with much goods, which he has introduced and laid up in hope with his faith's desire.
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