1. IN this chapter for the most part is the outward history set forth, under which yet the spirit has its secret figure wherewith it plays, for the text says, And the words of the children of Laban came before Jacob, saying, Jacob has gotten all our father's goods to himself, and of our father's goods has he procured this riches. And Jacob looked upon Laban 's countenance, and saw that it was not towards him as formerly (Gen. xxxi. 1,2).
2. This is a figure represented in the spirit of Christ. When the spirit of Christ in man has gotten the kingdom of the human nature to himself, then the envy of the Serpent in the wrath of nature in flesh and blood awakes, understanding and feeling that the power of nature in man is taken away from him, and opposes the spirit of Christ in the power of nature.
3. Then proceeds the opposite will in man, so that the poor soul is everywhere faint and in an agony, perceiving that it dwells among strange goods, and that the devil is its neighbour, and has a continual access to its own nature, and opposes the soul, because it has, in Christ's spirit, taken away from him the kingdom of nature, viz. the land and country which he had for his possession. And therefore the mortal nature in the wrath of God sets its desire and endeavour against the poor soul, as a stranger, unfriendly, when it sees that it looses its voluptuous earthly inheritance (which right is intimated in the children of Laban, where reason looks to get temporal honour and pleasure), that all its natural right is taken away, as Jacob by subtlety took away Laban's goods.
4. Then thus says God to the soul, as here he did to Jacob, Return again into your father's country, to your kindred: I will be with you (Gen. xxxi. 3). That is, the poor soul should enter again into its first country of its father, viz. into the eternal Word, out of which it proceeded; and therein God blesses it, and therein it can also call its children and members, and bring them along out of the servile house of God's anger in the kingdom of nature, as Jacob called his wives and his children, and brought them out of the servitude of his father. Thus also the enlightened soul brings the power of its life in the kingdom of nature, together with its fellow-members, out of the servile house of flesh and blood, again into the first house, viz. into God's Word.
5. And as Jacob did flee from the servile house of his stepfather, and Laban pursued after and would hurt him (Gen. xxxi. 21-23), so also in like manner is done to the children of Christ, when they begin to flee out of the servile house of Satan, viz. out from fleshly pleasure and voluptuousness, and would again enter into its first land of its father, viz. into righteousness and the fear of God. Then instantly the fleshly crew of the wicked world, with rage and folly pursue after it and would slay it, and take away with evil and false tongues all its riches and goods in God's righteousness.
6. But the Lord awes them, that they cannot do it (as was done to Laban), though they stand up and reprove the children of God as unrighteous, because they turn away from their idols and abominations, and follow their hypocrisy no more, neither will they bear their evil yoke any more, and serve them in their unrighteousness, and call their falsehood, good. As the present world plays the hypocrite under this yoke, and serves their wickedness only that their god Mausim may live and be fat.
1. IN this chapter for the most part is the outward history set forth, under which yet the spirit has its secret figure wherewith it plays, for the text says, And the words of the children of Laban came before Jacob, saying, Jacob has gotten all our father's goods to himself, and of our father's goods has he procured this riches. And Jacob looked upon Laban 's countenance, and saw that it was not towards him as formerly (Gen. xxxi. 1,2).
2. This is a figure represented in the spirit of Christ. When the spirit of Christ in man has gotten the kingdom of the human nature to himself, then the envy of the Serpent in the wrath of nature in flesh and blood awakes, understanding and feeling that the power of nature in man is taken away from him, and opposes the spirit of Christ in the power of nature.
3. Then proceeds the opposite will in man, so that the poor soul is everywhere faint and in an agony, perceiving that it dwells among strange goods, and that the devil is its neighbour, and has a continual access to its own nature, and opposes the soul, because it has, in Christ's spirit, taken away from him the kingdom of nature, viz. the land and country which he had for his possession. And therefore the mortal nature in the wrath of God sets its desire and endeavour against the poor soul, as a stranger, unfriendly, when it sees that it looses its voluptuous earthly inheritance (which right is intimated in the children of Laban, where reason looks to get temporal honour and pleasure), that all its natural right is taken away, as Jacob by subtlety took away Laban's goods.
4. Then thus says God to the soul, as here he did to Jacob, Return again into your father's country, to your kindred: I will be with you (Gen. xxxi. 3). That is, the poor soul should enter again into its first country of its father, viz. into the eternal Word, out of which it proceeded; and therein God blesses it, and therein it can also call its children and members, and bring them along out of the servile house of God's anger in the kingdom of nature, as Jacob called his wives and his children, and brought them out of the servitude of his father. Thus also the enlightened soul brings the power of its life in the kingdom of nature, together with its fellow-members, out of the servile house of flesh and blood, again into the first house, viz. into God's Word.
5. And as Jacob did flee from the servile house of his stepfather, and Laban pursued after and would hurt him (Gen. xxxi. 21-23), so also in like manner is done to the children of Christ, when they begin to flee out of the servile house of Satan, viz. out from fleshly pleasure and voluptuousness, and would again enter into its first land of its father, viz. into righteousness and the fear of God. Then instantly the fleshly crew of the wicked world, with rage and folly pursue after it and would slay it, and take away with evil and false tongues all its riches and goods in God's righteousness.
6. But the Lord awes them, that they cannot do it (as was done to Laban), though they stand up and reprove the children of God as unrighteous, because they turn away from their idols and abominations, and follow their hypocrisy no more, neither will they bear their evil yoke any more, and serve them in their unrighteousness, and call their falsehood, good. As the present world plays the hypocrite under this yoke, and serves their wickedness only that their god Mausim may live and be fat.
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