70. When Christ through his suffering and death appeased his Father's anger in the kingdom of nature, thus said the appeased anger: Now will we arise, and take our journey together (understand, in the life of man). But the love said, Man is too tender, feeble and impotent, and can scarce go in God's ways, I will remain with them even to the end of the world (Matt, xxviii. 20). And lead them slowly,l as they are able to go, lest they fall into temptation and error, and be blind as to grace. Go you before, my lord, I will lead them on softly under my yoke of the cross, that they die not; for if they should now presently be led in the Father's severe righteousness, they would not be able to go: though they are indeed redeemed, yet they live still in flesh and blood, I will come after with them to you into Seir; that is, into God's righteousness.
1 Gently and moderately.
71. And Esau said, Let me now leave with you some of the folk that are with me. He answered, What needs it? let me out find grace in the sight of my lord (Gen. xxxiii. 15). That is, God the Father said, Let me leave some of my severe righteousness, commandments and laws with you. But Christ said, What needs it? let me, with these redeemed children, only find grace with you, for they cannot fulfil the Law.
- 72. Thus Esau went his way again that day towards Seir (Gen.
- xxxiii. 16). That is, thus God's righteousness pressed into its own principle.
And Jacob went to Succoth, and built him an house, from whence the place is called Succoth (Gen. xxxiii. 17). This, in the figure, is as much as to say, Christ led his Christendom, viz. his children, not to Seir, that is, into the proof or trial of God's righteousness (though indeed grace was manifested in them), but he erected a house, viz. the Christian Church upon earth, and made his children tents ,1 that is, Christian ordinances, wherein they might dwell. And hence it is called Christendom, as Jacob's city is called Succoth. So also the place or city of Christendom is called Suchet (seek), so shall you find (Matt. vii. 7; Luke xi. 9) Christ, who is always in these tents with his children, to the end of the world (Matt, xxviii. 20).
73. And the text in Moses says further: Afterwards Jacob went to Shalem, the city of Shechem, which lies in the land of Canaan, when he came from Mesopotamia;2 and set up his station before the city. And bought a piece of ground of the children of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for an hundred pieces of money, and there he set his tent up, and erected an altar, and called on the name of the strong God of Israel (Gen. xxxiii. 18-20). In this text the spirit alludes rightly to the future Christendom; for after his resurrection Christ led his children to Shalem, that is, into salvation, or the anointing or unction of the Holy Ghost, as Jacob led his children to Shalem; but it was to the city of Shechem, that is, among the heathen.
74. And set his station before the city. That is, Christ should have his habitation by the heathen, and set his temple and doctrine near the idols' temples of the heathen, and purchase the city of his holy Christian Church from the heathen; that is, with his blood purchase it from God's righteousness, even as it is come to pass; and there erect his altar among the heathen, and preach the name of the God of Israel, that is, Christ.
1 Tabernacles, booths. 2 Padan-aram.
70. When Christ through his suffering and death appeased his Father's anger in the kingdom of nature, thus said the appeased anger: Now will we arise, and take our journey together (understand, in the life of man). But the love said, Man is too tender, feeble and impotent, and can scarce go in God's ways, I will remain with them even to the end of the world (Matt, xxviii. 20). And lead them slowly,l as they are able to go, lest they fall into temptation and error, and be blind as to grace. Go you before, my lord, I will lead them on softly under my yoke of the cross, that they die not; for if they should now presently be led in the Father's severe righteousness, they would not be able to go: though they are indeed redeemed, yet they live still in flesh and blood, I will come after with them to you into Seir; that is, into God's righteousness.
1 Gently and moderately.
71. And Esau said, Let me now leave with you some of the folk that are with me. He answered, What needs it? let me out find grace in the sight of my lord (Gen. xxxiii. 15). That is, God the Father said, Let me leave some of my severe righteousness, commandments and laws with you. But Christ said, What needs it? let me, with these redeemed children, only find grace with you, for they cannot fulfil the Law.
- 72. Thus Esau went his way again that day towards Seir (Gen.
- xxxiii. 16). That is, thus God's righteousness pressed into its own principle.
And Jacob went to Succoth, and built him an house, from whence the place is called Succoth (Gen. xxxiii. 17). This, in the figure, is as much as to say, Christ led his Christendom, viz. his children, not to Seir, that is, into the proof or trial of God's righteousness (though indeed grace was manifested in them), but he erected a house, viz. the Christian Church upon earth, and made his children tents ,1 that is, Christian ordinances, wherein they might dwell. And hence it is called Christendom, as Jacob's city is called Succoth. So also the place or city of Christendom is called Suchet (seek), so shall you find (Matt. vii. 7; Luke xi. 9) Christ, who is always in these tents with his children, to the end of the world (Matt, xxviii. 20).
73. And the text in Moses says further: Afterwards Jacob went to Shalem, the city of Shechem, which lies in the land of Canaan, when he came from Mesopotamia;2 and set up his station before the city. And bought a piece of ground of the children of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for an hundred pieces of money, and there he set his tent up, and erected an altar, and called on the name of the strong God of Israel (Gen. xxxiii. 18-20). In this text the spirit alludes rightly to the future Christendom; for after his resurrection Christ led his children to Shalem, that is, into salvation, or the anointing or unction of the Holy Ghost, as Jacob led his children to Shalem; but it was to the city of Shechem, that is, among the heathen.
74. And set his station before the city. That is, Christ should have his habitation by the heathen, and set his temple and doctrine near the idols' temples of the heathen, and purchase the city of his holy Christian Church from the heathen; that is, with his blood purchase it from God's righteousness, even as it is come to pass; and there erect his altar among the heathen, and preach the name of the God of Israel, that is, Christ.
1 Tabernacles, booths. 2 Padan-aram.
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