That which we finde written by David , long after Iacobs time , did Iacob finde and feele , long before Davids dayes , to wit , [ that , Psal. 58 , 11. Verily there is reward for the righteous , and that , vndoubtedly there is a God that judgeth the world ] never man might speake this more experimentally , and happily , then hee , who found the Lord most gracious to reward his vprightnes , and most righteous to reveng his jnjuries . We read but of few , that haue mett with harder measure at the hands of men , and scarce of any who haue reaped more favour from the hands of God , then this blessed Patriarch did . Touching whome , many things are spoken , & he take's vp much roome in this holy history ; some part wherof is spent in the discovery of such passages , as fell out betweene him and Laban , since they came first together . And in their procedings , one the one part , we haue recorded , what conscionable carriage there was in Iacob , whose rare , and matchlesse fidelity , was made apparant , and did shew it self , in all the service he did him , it being performed ( during so many yeares ) with extraordinary honesty , and endeavour . On the other , there is discovered , the monstrous vnkindnes , grosse jnjustice , and many other the vnsavory fruits of a currish nature , and covetous hart , in Laban , whose eye was ever evill , vpon all Iacobs good , insomuch that he did daily vexe himself , with perpetuall repining at his wealth , welfare , and , prosperity .

The just Lord seeing this in Laban , looketh downe from heaven , with gracious regard vpon Iacob , and resolveth to recompence his righteousnes vnto him seing he had done soe much , and endured so much , from such a churlish kinsman , and vnworthy master as Laban had shewed himself to be . He shall reape the fruit of his paines and piety . Gods hand shal be liberall , though Laban be close-sisted : Iacob shall wel know , that he hath a master in heaven , who will make him a full mend's for all his integrity to his master on earth . And to the end he may as fully enjoy it , as God is mynded freely to bestow it , he is warned of God to goe for his contrey , and leaue Laban , with whome he could never comfortably posesse the sweetnes of any of those many good things , the Lord did soe kindely cast vpon him .

Iacob taking knowledge of his heavenly calling , and commission to be gone , doth instanly resolue on his departure dispatcheth his busines , setteth things in order , & disposeth himself , & all his , to remoue with all possible expedition , according to the commandement of God warranting him ( forh with ) soe to doe .

Being thus , soe suddanily gone , as Laban tooke noe notice of it till one tolde him of it , three dayes after : [ such being the diligence , and conscience of a good servant , that the hart of his master may haue confidence in him , and not neede to care for , or looke after him , or his busines , for divers dayes together ] assoone as he did know it , he hasteth , and poasteth after him , with all speede , to overtake him , if he can , and at mount Gilead he doth . And there ( his hart being big swollen , and ready too burst with choller and discontentment ) he meane's to haue a saying to him ; Iacob shall know a peice of his minde ere they part , if once hee can come to the speech of him .

But before Laban may speake with Iacob , God must speake with Laban & ( jntending to overule his wrathfull minde , and outragious mouth ) the Lord doth so schoole him , that hee cannot giue him an vnkinde word , but is become as coole , and as calme , as a man may be , he speake's most familiarly to him , make 's a most freindly league with him , & take's his leaue most lovingly of him , and soe they part exceeding peaceably one from the other .

This being done , and Laban being gone , Iacob journieth homeward , and because the Lord did forsee , he should ●●counter many extreamityes , e're he came to his waies end , he sent his host , ( euen an host of Angells ) to him , that by them hee might bee hartened , against all those hart-breakings , which he might meete withall , as he went forward in his journey . And it was but neede , he should haue some cordialls , considering what calamities ●ee was to wade through as hee went . For no sooner hath Gods host left him , but , he heare's of another host coming of purpose to surprize him , and that from his Brother , which makes the mischeife so much the more eminent and bitter . One woe is past , but another cometh ; ( and a farre worse then the former ) hee hath done with Laban , and is well quit of him , but he is now to begin with Esaw . And indeede , this second distresse did every way exceede the first , for , wheras ( before ) he had to doe but with a covetous , and vnkinde master ; now , he is to deale with a cruell and bloody-minded brother ; nothing was in question with Laban but matter of commodity , the worst that could come , was but a litle losse of some goods , and cattell , that Laban thought too much for him : but the least of this , is for his life and state too , himself and all that he hath , are like to miscarry in this combate , his brother having vowed his death , that he would kill him wheresoever he met him . Iacob foreseeing this exigent , because of his vnavoydable necessity to passe by his brother Esawes territoryes , in his travell , ( whose olde grudge against himself , he could not but remember , ) hee doth his best to obtayne a pacification , sendeth ambassadours to him to treat of a truce , and to parley with him about conditions of peace , if vpon any tearmes he will accept it . But Esaw will none of that , he is bitterly enraged , the messegers returne , and signify how resolute hee is for revenge , hee will heare of no league , but hath levied an army of foure hundreth men against him , comming himself in person with them , intending to make havock of his brother , and all that he had .

Iacob is not a litle troubled at this tydings , but much appaled and perplexed , and now hee bestirrs himself & deviseth what to doe in this time of his extraordinary terror , and danger . The meanes he makes vse of are two .

He begins first with the former , & fall's to deviding of his family , and his flocks , that all might not be seized at once , but that if the one part were surprized , the other might shift for themselues , and not become a pray to Esawes incompassionate hart , and cruell hand . Having soe done , now in the second place , he is a suiter to god for his safety , a duty that should be first done [ but we se how ( sometimes ) frailty works before faith even in the most faithfull ; nature gets the vpper hand of grace , & disorder's our actions , making them so grossly praeposterous , that policie , takes precedence of piety , & the god of heaven is put behinde ] .

This prayer of his , for protection , and ayde against this present perill , begin's at the words of our text , and is continued from this nynth verse , to the end of the twelfth .

And thus wee are come by an orderly and direct course to the wodrs of our text , withstand in cleare cohaerence with the rest of this holy history , thus . Iacob being to go for his contrey , by order from God , and as hee goeth , seing hee cannot avoyde it , but hee must passe by his brother Esaw , hee vseth double endeavour to appease his anger , and prevent the perill , that hee and his , might sustaine by it . One of these courses is the dividing of his people and cattell ; the other is the prayer he make's to his god , to saue him harmlesse in this distresse , and deliver him from this his brother who was so barbarously bent against him .

In which prayer ( that we may proceede from the dependance of these words to their , division ) we haue these particulers apparantly considerable before vs .

The first particuler , to wit , the Praeface , is all wherwith wee haue to doe at this time , and in it wee may further obserue .