41. By Cain's offering we rightly understand the verbal Christendom, the titular Christians, in the spiritual Babylonical harlotry, the type and image of whom is Cain. And as Cain in his offering sought only the outward world, might and pleasure, and would be an outwardly adopted and received child, God should permit his evil beast to be accepted and offered up;n7413 ¶1
he desired to be God's acceptable child with the selfhood in the Serpent's ens and falsehood; he was an impenitent proud man, who thought to be a lord of the world, and to domineer over Abel and his posterity. And just thus is the anti-christian Church upon the earth; it also builds churches and altars, preaches, sings and tinkles, and does likewise offer in the bequeathed Covenant and Testament of Christ, and so covers itself with the offering of Christ, and will be an outwardly accepted and adopted son, notwithstanding that its offering is not accepted in the Covenant and Testament of Christ, nor brought to substance.n7413 ¶2
42. The cause and ground of it is this: Men depend and rely only barely and nakedly upon the offering, and teach that the offerings take away sin, [and teach that] Christ's Testaments do absolve sin. But as little as the offering of Cain was acceptable before God and took away his sin, and as little as Cain's desire was introduced into the divine substance, so as to have the divine fire to enkindle in his offering and receive his faith's desire into it, even so little also does the verbal [lip-labouring] Christendom enjoy the offering of Christ in his humanity.n7413 ¶3
It must be an Abel alone that does enjoy it; the titular mouth- Christian attains only the smoke of the true offering. It must be only a right, hungry, thirsty, converted soul, which desires wholly and fully to depart from the Serpent's ens and all vanity of this world, and strives to mortify the Serpent and all vain will, in the death of Christ, and desires to arise in a new will, totally resigned in all submission inn7413 ¶4
43. This true hungry will offers rightly with Abel, and its offering is received into the holy fire of Christ, and formed [or amassed] in Christ's humanity into a substance. There must be earnestness and power, which earnestness stirs the love-fire of Christ in his Testament, so that it does enkindle itself in the desire; and then the desire becomes a true right faith, for there is no right faith without divine taking [Comprehension, amassment or formation] .n7413 ¶5
44. When man's desire introduces its hunger with earnest sighing and prayer of introversion, resignation, and departing from vanity into the offering of Christ, even then the soul's desire does, in the heavenly essentiality, in the humanity of Christ, upon the high altar of God, form itself into a substance. The hungry desire becomes in the Word of God, in Christ's Testaments, flesh, a heavenly supernatural flesh; and this flesh is the true offering of God, which God takes to his habitation, and not the bestial mortal man.n7413 ¶6
45. In this holy substance alone is the true faith of Abel, without this there is only an historical painted and feigned faith, a Cain's offering, which does not take away sin: for sin must always be brought into the judgement of God wherein it was born, and the holy love-fire of God must drown and wash it away, else there is no forgiveness.n7413 ¶7
Neither offering nor Covenant does avail anything without it; also no going to church, neither singing nor devout showing does attain it. Nothing else at all does it but only the hungry, desiring faith through the alone offering in the blood and death of Christ, where the desire does wholly die to its selfhood in the death of Christ, and arise in Christ's resurrection with a true faith and Christianity, not in a specious show of holiness, but in essence, in words and works.n7413 ¶8
46. For he is yet far from a Christian, who merely calls himself a Christian [or is only so termed], but he is one who is born in the offering of his humanity in him. Neither Covenant nor laws avail anything before God, but a new creature. No cathedral, stone church, meeting-house or hypocrisy, or whatsoever it be called, can inherit God's kingdom, but only and alone the true living offering of the new regeneration, arising from the Covenant of Promise in Paradise, through the quickening Word in the offering of Christ.n7413 ¶9
47. It only and alone is the temple of the holy Spirit, where God's word is taught and taken; without that, is Cain, with his glistering stone church, full of pride and stinking ambition, the great building of Babylon, where the language of God's word, viz. of the written word, is confounded and divided into manifold contentions and languages, where there is nothing but wrangling, jangling and snarling about the letters, and no true, real, living, effectual and powerful knowledge.n7413 ¶10
48. Now where the living knowledge of Christ is, there is the altar of God in all places, where the hungry soul may offer the true acceptable holy offering, in prayer; there it may introduce the prayer in the Word, in its hunger, into a substantial faith.n7413 ¶11
49. Not that we would hereby wholly abolish and raze down the stone churches; but we teach the Temple of Christ, which ought to be brought along [in the heart] into the stone church, or else the whole business of the stone church is only a hypocritical antichristian whoredom, a Cain's offering, both of the preacher and the hearer: so that one is not a whit better than another, unless he enter through the true door, Christ, in spirit and power in the Temple of Christ, into the stone church, or at least resolve to fix, betake and fasten himself there into such an earnest desire [that he will take and hold fast only that which is good for the amendment of his life] . Else Cain goes to church to offer, and comes out again a killer of his brother.n7413 ¶12
50. As it of ten appears, that when men in the stone churches have taken and amassed [to their minds a deal of] revilings, reproaches and censures [that have fallen from the false smoky Cain-like fury and pretended zeal of the preachers], then they forthwith come withal and murder Abel, and Christ's members: as this spirit has many hundred times found by experience; and that, only for the sake of the Temple of Christ.n7413 ¶13
51. Now if we would rightly consider of the offering of Cain, then we must look into the very essence of his will and desire, for he also would offer and be acceptable to God. But he loved only his ownhood and self-full self; his aim and endeavour was not to be or become a new creature, that God should so take away his sins in the offering from him, but he would still remain the old Cain; and so offer to God, that he might be so accepted with him: the devil came before God in the form of an angel.n7413 ¶14
52. Cain knew not [ Or did not acknowledge] his evil serpentine property,the poor soul was captivated therewith, and had set itself up in the Serpent's wit and pride, it would needs be an outwardly adopted child and heir of God, the offering must make reconciliation for him; as Babel does, which takes also the mantle of Christ upon her, and says, Christ has undertaken and suffered for all my sins upon the cross, I cannot purchase or do anything for myself, my works avail nothing before God, I need only believe that Christ has done it, and comfort myself therewith, and then I am already justified and acquitted from all my transgressions.n7413 ¶15
53. Thus she comes before God, and thanks God that he has paid the reckoning and score, in his Son, and offers with Cain and the Pharisee in the Temple, and remains in herself a brother-slayer with Cain: and this is the Babylonical fruit. Like as Cain would take the offering upon him for a cloak and covering, so also his succeeding Church takes on it the offering of Christ for a cloak and covert of its sins and false murder; and covers its murderous spirit, so that men must call it a holy devout Christian.n7413 ¶16
54. Saint Paul must serve their turn thereto, when he says, / do that I would not, now if I do it, it is not I, but sin that dwells in my but that he says, Now then, with my mind I serve God, but with the flesh the law of sin. The same, Cain will not understand, how the mind must, without intermission, rule and reign over the sinful will and desire of the flesh, and mortify the lust.n7413 ¶17
55. Saint Paul speaks of the heavenly Abel-like desire, how sin must be mortified in the flesh, and not rule over the mind, as it did in Cain, when he saw his brother was accepted before God, and that he himself was not. Then the murdering spirit arose in his mind, which should have been mortified in the offering by true repentance and conversion.n7413 ¶18
56. Thus also goes Babel under the mantle of Christ, which offers also to God, and thanks him for the offering of Christ; but itself remains in the mind of the Cainical brother-slayer, in pride, covetousness, envy and anger, in persecution, in war and contention. It fights about the offering, and about the outward covering, lest it should be stripped thereof;n7413 ¶19
and does [in the meantime] fatten itself under it, with the bestial offerings of the fatness of the earth, and still remains the Cainical beast, and does also continually murder Abel in Christ's members, and comforts itselfwith the death of Christ: the same must be a covert for the false murdering spirit.n7413 ¶20
57. The heart and mind is far from the new creature. It is only the old Cainical brother-slayer, which bemantles itself with Christ's offering, and offers with Cain; such, and nothing better, remains now of Christianity among all sects, except the children of Christ, who are here and there hidden with Abel.n7413 ¶21
58. Cain's Church was never more potent and predominant upon the earth than it is even at this time, whereas, notwithstanding, men cry out with full mouth-cry and great ostentation, Come all hither: we have found the offering of Abel in Christ. Yes, forsooth, dear Babel, you have indeed found the mantle of Christ; but behold your Cain-like heart, and you will see whether you offer with Abel from the new creature, or from the false brother-slaying spirit. Where are your fruits? where is love and righteousness? where is truth? where is patience and meekness? Where is the mind that with Paul serves God? Where are you, you fair Christian Church upon the earth? are you not become a murdering den of the devil? Now show your Christian virtues;n7413 ¶22
are you not full of contention and murder, both in the Church and without the Church? your mouth is only a prater of God's kingdom, like as Cain's mouth prated of the offering, but his heart was a murderer.n7413 ¶23
59. Thus likewise men do prate in the stone houses of the mantle and offering of Christ, and yet in the meanwhile, in this prate and babble, do murder the children of Christ, condemn and judge them, and make a whole heap and crew of reviling devouring wolves, that do all cry out, snarl and snap; and none knows where the hind is which they hunt, save only that the devil does thus act and drive on his sport by them; so that the true, real offering of Christ may remain covered and hidden, and be only as a mystery in this world.n7413 ¶24
60. For we poor children of Eve do sojourn here in this cottage in a strange lodging, wherein the devil in God's anger is host. We dwell upon the cursed earth, where the devil rides over our soul and body, and at all times tempts us: we had need be wary and watchful, and at no time secure: it costs body and soul.n7413 ¶25
The Twenty-Eighth Chaptern7413 ¶26
Of Cain's Killing of his Brother, viz. of the Proud, Haughty, Antichristian, hypocritical Church upon the Earth;n7413 ¶27
and also of the True Christendom hidden under this Antichristian Churchn7413 ¶28
1. WHEN the devil in God's anger, in the wrath of the eternal nature, had introduced his throne and seat into the human property, and awakened the centre of the wrathful nature in him, there forthwith arose up such a desire out of the awakened anger's property in the human ens or seed, in the propagation; out of which property Babel, viz. the antichristian Church, is begotten and brought forth.n7413 ¶29
2. And now as God had incorporated and promised the Serpent- Bruiser of this false property (who should bruise the head of the Serpent's ens and will or desire) unto the heavenly ens of man, which disappeared in and to Paradise, which word of promise was a mystery, and a very secret hiddenness to the earthly man;n7413 ¶30
even so also the false Cainical Church of hypocrisy and seeming holiness, whose heart and desire is only [of] the outward world, has gotten aloft this whole time, and has the outward dominion and name as if it offered to God. But the true, real Christian Church is hidden under it, as a very secret Mystery, and is not known of the Cainicaln7413 ¶31
3. Cain's Church sets forth itself very devoutly, and glisters on all sides with specious ceremonies and pompous ostentation; giving forth that it is holy, righteous, and good;n7413 ¶32
that it also offers in the Covenant of Christ; but its heart is only a glozing, soothing, bravely attired harlot, full of Cainical murder, reviling and blasphemy, full of censure and self-speculation in pride, in covetousness and high mindedness. But Abel's Church is hidden under it in great plainness, and with no respect and reputation, and is accounted but foolish in reference to the glittering show of Cain; and is continually slain by Cain in its simplicity.n7413 ¶33
4. Now says reason, What, had God any pleasure herein, that he suffered Cain to kill Abel; and why is it still to this day that the children of God are slain, despised, contemned, reproached, mocked, scorned, and cried down for false by Cain, viz. by his posterity? One cause hereof is this:n7413 ¶34
5. Prince Lucifer was a hierarch in the kingdom or place of this world (as Christ even calls him a prince of this world, viz. in the kingdom of darkness in the anger of God), and was cast for his pride's sake out of the light into the darkness.n7413 ¶35
6. But seeing God then created another prince, viz. Adam, in and for this place, with whom he bound himselfeven with his deepest love before the foundation of the world in the dear and precious name Jesus, that he would break down and destroy the throne and kingdom of proud prince Lucifer in the human property, and overcome and be predominant with love; thence forthwith arose his envy and wrath against man.n7413 ¶36
7. Secondly, the cause is this: In the fall of man the wrath of the eternal and also of the temporal and inchoative nature obtained the superior sway and dominion in the human property. For the kingdom of heaven did extinguish in Adam and Eve when as they became earthly; and in the room and stead thereof the kingdom of the devil did awake in the Serpent's wit and pride in them; for the human willl had broken itself off from God, and was entered into selfhood, and no longer understood anything of the Mystery of God's kingdom.n7413 ¶37
8. But seeing that the kingdom of God did again bud and break forth in the aim of the Covenant in Abel and the children of God, the devil's kingdom and will, in the Serpent-monster, could not brook it. Also the love-kingdom is a great enmity against the wrath of the eternal nature according to the dark property, for the human essence was become, according to the dark world's property, as to the soul a half devil, and as to the outward world's vanity a half beast, in which beast the false, subtle, crafty, wicked, lustful, proud, covetous, envious and angry Serpent's worm did sit, infected with the devil'sn7413 ¶38
9. This wrathful, vile, malicious, monstrous beast would live in its own self property; therefore the angelical virgin-child, which should destroy and possess the kingdom of this evil beast, did appear against him in Abel. This was now a great enmity, for the anger of God had captivated man, and would work and rule in him; therefore God's love broke forth out of the anger, as a light out of the fire, and would kill the anger, and change it into love, and help again poor man's image, and redeem it from the eternal anger and death.n7413 ¶39
10. But seeing the anger had got the upper hand and sway in man; and yet the virgin-child of the angelical world's essence should spring forth and grow out of the Covenant of God, out of the disappeared ens, through the anger, as a clear delightful light shines forth out of the candle, through the wrathful fire, which deprives the darkness of its power and prevalency;n7413 ¶40
therefore the outward body in [Abel, and] the children of God must suffer itself to be slain and persecuted by the wrath of God; for it was a strange figure [the outward body] on the virgin-child.n7413 ¶41
11. For Abel in his outward flesh had the awakened vanity lying in him, as well as Cain; he was also sinful as to the outward man, but internally the angelical world and image of Paradise did spring and bud forth again in the Covenant. This was now a great enmity against each other; the inward man bruised the Serpent-monster upon the head of its false desire, and the Serpent-monster stung him on the heel of his angelical will, and openly mocked the angelical image; as it is so still to this day. So soon as the virgin-child is born in the spirit of Christ, the outward earthly body, together with the virgin-child, is, by the children of Cain, persecuted, contemned, reviled, and accounted as a strange child of the world.n7413 ¶42
12. For the Serpent's monster is as a fool before God, and seeing the noble and precious virgin-child must bear such a monster on it in the outward flesh, to which the devil has yet continual access, therefore this body is strongly assaulted and struck at by the devil in the anger of God and its children; they would continually slay it, for the virgin-child works through the outward man, as a light through the fire, and manifests itself. It teaches and reproves the wicked sort; and this the devil cannot endure, for it is against his kingdom, as the offering of Abel was against Cain's.n7413 ¶43
13. For Cain offered in the proud Serpent's desire as a hypocrite, and would be an honest, demure, devout and godly child in his Serpent's desire; but Abel humbled himself before God, and set his desire into God's mercy. God's love-fire took his offering, and penetrated through the earthly offering and fire; and the like also is to be understood in the body of Abel; as the incorruptible [being] shall swallow up the corruptible, so also the heavenly took the earthly captive in itself.n7413 ¶44
14. But that Cain slew the outward body of Abel has this type [signification] and figure: that the outward body shall be slain [or mortified] in the anger of God.n7413 ¶45
The anger must devour and mortify the outward image which is grown up in the anger; and out of death springs forth the eternaln7413 ¶46
15. Abel was a figure of Christ; the children of God's anger must execute the right of God's anger upon the outward earthly and also [upon the] bestial image of the children of the holy one. Even as the Pharisees (who before God were only false serpent-children, as Christ called them) must persecute and kill the humanity of Christ; so likewise was Cain a type of these serpentine wolfish Pharisees, and also of the verbal titular Christendom.n7413 ¶47
16. As the false Serpent's child is a monster and fool before the angelical world, so likewise the children of darkness do account and esteem the children of the light for fools; for there must be a contrary, that the one might be manifest in the other. If the anger had not taken hold of the humanity, and devoured it into itself then the deepest love of God would not have been manifest in man.n7413 ¶48
17. But thus the love takes cause, by the anger, to overpower and prevail over the same with its motion and manifestation; as the same may be known in Christ. The true Son of God gave himself into our image, which was awakened in the anger, that so he might be made manifest with his love in the anger, and change the same into joy.n7413 ¶49
18. Christ gave our human image to the anger of his Father to be devoured in death, and brought his life into death, and yet manifested his love in the life which death had devoured, and brought forth the life in love through the death. As a grain of corn which is sown into the earth, the same must die in the earth, but out of that mortified grain grows a fair new body; even so the corrupt body of Adam shall and must be offered to death and the anger; and out of the death and anger the body of the divine love shall be manifest.n7413 ¶50
19. It was exactly typified and prefigured in Cain and Abel how it would be in the succeeding and future generations. Seeing Abel outwardly did bear the earthly image, and yet in the spirit he was an image of heaven, his outward body in the corruption was only a visard [Larva or strange disguised person] before the outward world; for there was another spirit hidden therein, which was not of the outward world's essence and property;n7413 ¶51
therefore because he was not wholly a right child of the earthly world, it would not suffer him (being as a strange child) in it; for the devil was prince in the wrathful essence in this world, who would not that a child of the light should spring forth through the wrathful essence [and be in his garden].n7413 ¶52
20. Thus the image or person of Cain and Abel is a true figure of the false, and then also of the holy and true, children of God; of the outward sinful corrupt and mortal man, and of the inward new regenerate holy man. When Christ with his love-kingdom arises from death out of the disappeared ens, then Adam's earthly image must die in Christ's death; and if it now be that the outward body must yet live, it is only a scorn and fool before the heaven's image, and so also before the natural life of this world.n7413 ¶53
21. For so soon as Christ is born, the sinful life is condemned to death; and stands in scorn and open shame before all the false children in the anger of God, as a whore in Bridewelln7413 ¶54
[At the house of correction or whipped through the streets], whom other whores likewise help to deride and scoff at; and yet they do but only judge and condemn themselves thereby. For if Christ be born, then the judgement passes upon the false bestial life, and that man must stand in the judgement of God as a malefactor, and be termed a fool, a heretic; and be jeered, scoffed and reviled, yea, even utterly defied and slain, that the monster may be judged before God's anger.n7413 ¶55
But those that do it are the children of the lusty, pampered, and wellfattened anger of God, whom the wrath of God uses for its instrument; for God is a spirit, therefore he accomplishes his judgement by a material image. [ By some outward substantial means or persons]n7413 ¶56
22. For so soon as Abel did, in his offering, put on or attract the love of God in the Covenant anew into his human desire, and comprehended [or amassed] the same into his essence, then forthwith the judgement passed upon the external mortal man; and God's sword of anger took him, which Cain executed, and slew the outward body of Abel. And at this time also the judgement passed upon the false image of the anger in Cain, for he stood there, and cried, My sins are greater than can be forgiven me.n7413 ¶57
23. This does now hint and point at the figure of Christ, how the anger of the Father must devour [or swallow up] the life of Christ in death, and when as the anger had devoured the life in death, then the holy life of the deepest love of God moved itself in the death and the anger, and devoured the death and anger into itself; whereat the earth trembled, and the rocks clove asunder, and the graves of the saints opened.n7413 ¶58
24. And so likewise the love-fire and the anger-firen7413 ¶59
[ Good and evil now mixed and in contest one with the other] in the place of this world (which wrathful fire was enkindled in the creation when The Apostate [Lucifer] fell) shall at the Last Day be again changed into the divine joyfulness, and be availed or swallowed up in the love. Understand, it shall be thus in the third Principle, where love and anger do strive [during] this time one with another: but he [Lucifer] remains in the darkness in the first Principle.n7413 ¶60
25. The true cause wherefore Cain murdered Abel was by reason of their offerings and worship of God, viz. religion; as this contention continues still to this day; the Cainical Church is not yet one with the Abelical.n7413 ¶61
26. Now says reason, I see it well enough, that all contention and strife arises from religion, but what is the ground and most undoubted cause and reason thereof. Behold! this is the cause: set before you the false Serpent's child, which is evil and good, and then set before you the virgin's child, born of Christ, and then you hast the fundamental cause, exactly drawn to the life, before thine eyes.n7413 ¶62
27. The Cainical Church drives a subtle trade with external ceremonies, and will appease God with some external thing or other; it will be outwardly an accepted and adopted child, it must down right be called honest, godly, holy and heavenly, it adorns and trims up itself very finely, and stands mightily upon its calling, which it has itself ordained and instituted; it makes a very specious and renowned show in the white sheep's clothing; and therein lodges the high priest of selfhood, without Christ's spirit, and rules and masters the work of the outward letters; and whosoever learns to transpose and compose the same boldly and bravely [according to their form of forged opinions] he is a high priest in their office and order; he puts Christ's garment of innocency on him for his cloak and covert.n7413 ¶63
28. The other party of the confused Cainical Church cries out, and holds forth the goodly glistering child to sale for money [Makes good merchandise of its religious ceremonies]; and has bound the kingdom of heaven to its ceremonies, and will sell it for money; so that the man may but fat himself in this world under the white garment [of its hypocrisy] .n7413 ¶64
29. The third party gives forth that they have so holy an order that it doth even sanctify and save them, and they, above all others, will be esteemed holy.n7413 ¶65
30. The fourth party [or sect] will obtain the kingdom of God by their lip-labour, with muchness of speaking, reading, singing, preaching and hearing, and it rebukes, censures and reviles all that will not approve of ; praise, and give diligent attention to its liplabour [and fine conceited long prating].n7413 ¶66
31. This party has clothed itself with the white garment, and set itselfupon the letter [or writings] of God's children, and therewith it does so lustily bestir and lay about it, as a beggar that casts stones at the dogs; and sometimes hits a churlish [evil] one, sometimes a quiet [good] one. And he that is hit at makes him hear of it, and then others fall on, pell-mell, and bite and worry him; and there is a continual biting, tearing, confounding, reviling, reproaching, cavilling and jangling about the letter, a mere external work, whereby men [blindly zealous] suppose to serve God, and obtain grace: a very Cainical offering.n7413 ¶67
32. The Cainical Church is in the outward world, evil and good; it builds, and breaks down; and is only a figure of [or according to] God's love and anger. What one party builds and calls holy, that, another pulls down and reviles. With one mouth it builds, and with another it tears down. What one hypocrite praises, that, another dispraises.n7413 ¶68
And thus there is only a confused [shattered] Babylon, evil and good; a wonder of nature and time.n7413 ¶69
33. All these run on in their self-contrived and devised orders, and rely upon their received orders. And so they offer the letter of the word, and the work of their own hands, before God;n7413 ¶70
and will needs be outwardly adopted and accepted children before God. God must have respect unto their offering, and forgive them their sins by a word-speaking; as a lord out of favour and clemency freely gives a malefactor his life. Such an unmeasurable matchless heap of grace they have brought into their literal offerings, and into the works of their hands;n7413 ¶71
so that their teaching, and the hearing of them, is accounted for the most holy way wherein salvation is to be had. And whoseoever does not worship and honour this their way with exceeding diligence, and subject himself thereunto, him they reproach, persecute and kill, or else hold him for a heretic.n7413 ¶72
34. But Abel's children in Christ have far another worship and service of God. They dwell indeed among Cain's children, and do also appear in their orders and offerings; [but] they offer to God a broken and bruised heart, and a humble, contrite mind, in true sorrow for, and conversion from, their committed sins; and with their spiritual will do go out from and forsake all their creatureself-fullness and selfish interests and arrogation, and die to their selfhood in the death of Christ; and become as children, who neither know (nor will) anything, but only their mother which has brought them forth;n7413 ¶73
they cast themselves into her bosom, and they take in patience whatsoever she pleases to do with them.n7413 ¶74
35. For their internal will is quite mortified to the outward world, with all its glozing show and alluring glory; they account themselves very unworthy before the great grace of God, and their vanity, which the flesh desires, is always in their sight; and to this the inward spiritual will is a deadly opposite enemy, and yet it cannot be wholly separated from it in this lifetime. Their whole course through this world is a mere work of repentance, for their sins and impurity do appear continually in their sight.n7413 ¶75
36. There is a continual and constant combat in them, of the flesh in the earthly desire against the divine desire, and of the divine desire against the lust of the earthly flesh;n7413 ¶76
for the divine desire does amass [betake] itself into God's grace and mercy, and brings itself into a centre of a working life, and penetrates through the earthly false lustful life, and strikes the false lust [and imagination] down; and then the false imagination falls into great sadness, when as it contemplates and beholds the voluptuous, pompous, stately, brave, glistering course of this world, and finds itselfso mean and foolish that it must forsake and forego that wherein it might have its chief joy, pleasure and delight.n7413 ¶77
37. Also the devil he comes forthwith with his temptation, and brings his desire into the false imagination; and shows him the fair kingdom of the world, and rebukes his intent as a false fancy and mere conjecture;n7413 ¶78
stirs up the crew of the wicked against him, who scorn, jeer, reproach and contemn him; and then sometimes the sprackling glimpse, and divine desire, does even lose itself; for Christ, viz. the virgin's child in the spirit of Christ, is lead into the wilderness, and is tempted of the devil and of the anger of God, and also of the carnal world's spirit, and of tentimes the spirit of Christ does hide itself; as if the virgin's child were quite gone, and past hopes, also the devil makes his address thereto, and brings him into doubt as if the virgin's child were not born.n7413 ¶79
38. For the virgin's child is hidden in the desert, and then the poor captivated soul is in great sorrow and lamentation, sighs and cries to God; also it cannot love, nor away with, the bestial image, but it does stir up itself as a great assaulting storm in the body, and seeks the gates of the deep in its original;n7413 ¶80
and forces with might [or holy violence] into that Word which has formed it to be a creature, and dives itself thereinto, as an impotent, will-less child, and desires its first mother, whence the first soul was born, for its nurse; and makes itselfwholly will-less in this mother, and lies only at her breasts, and sucks her love and grace into it; the mother may do with it what she please. This is the true meaning, and the right manner, of dying to selfhood and self-full imagination and lust in oneself, and becoming, as to the will of the soul, as a child in oneself; as Christ says, Unless ye he converted, and become as children, ye can in no wise see the kingdom of God; self; and self-full reason in the lust of the flesh, can neither taste nor see it.n7413 ¶81
39. From this mortification of the self-full will, and earnest resignation into God's mercy, the virgin's child does again spring forth out of the desert, with its fair and glorious pearl-blooming tree, with very excellent and new fruit; for so it must be tried in the fire of God's anger, that the abomination of the introduced earthly will may die in it.n7413 ¶82
40. For the fire-soul, viz. the first Principle, hangs upon the band of the outward world, and continually and eagerly introduces something of vanity into it, whereby the virgin-child of the angelical world's essence, viz. of Christ's essentiality, is defiled, obscured and darkened, therefore it must be so refined, purified and purged again; and many a cold, piercing, rautish wind of tribulation, anguish and great perplexity blows upon this child. It must be continually as an off-scouring of the world, for its kingdom is not of this world; as Christ said, My kingdom is not of this world.n7413 ¶83
41. But the effect is this: when the fair Morning- Star does dawn and arise in the virgin-child, then the outward life is even illuminated in this time [or while it lives here] ; and it gives itself up unto the obedience of the internal [life], as an instrument and servant of the internal.n7413 ¶84
42. And then the holy spirit of God shines forth through the virgin-child, and preaches Christ crucified, and reproves the world for its sins and wicked malicious doings, and shows them their false hypocritical erroneous way, that they will needs be the children of God in the outward kingdom, in their self-contrived and devised ways, and will seek an external forgiveness of sin in their own conceited and received ways;n7413 ¶85
and yet will still remain in the vanity, and in the pleasure of their flesh. And desire only to make devout shows before God, and give good words in a soothing glozing gloss of fine hypocrisy, as if they served God in their contrived conjectures and opinions; but still they will continue in selfhood, in the outward show and ostentation.n7413 ¶86
43. These the Holy Ghost does rebuke and reprove by the virginchild in Christ's spirit, and calls them hypocrites, and wolves in sheeps' clothing, and crafty foxes born of the Serpent's ens, in whom there is the very property of toads, dogs and wild beasts; and shows them, that they draw near to God with their lips, but their heart is full of murder, gall and serpent-desire, and has no true upright lovealso it shows them that they are but mere flatterers and dissemblers in their office, who only seek pleasure and temporal honour and respect thereby, that so they might be able to domineer and lord it over men's bodies and souls, goods and estates, and thus they serve God only from without, with hypocritical mouths: Their heart hangs to the whoredom of Babylon, full of devilish murder and poison against him that does but touch their conscience.n7413 ¶87
44. Such children in the Serpent's craft, who are best able as cunning craft masters in sophistry to turn this subtlety most takingly and artificially, the children of the world do set up unto themselves for teachers, and will learn the way of God from them.n7413 ¶88
45. These teachers do assume unto themselves [and presume upon] the writings of the saints, and proclaim with open mouth that they teach God's word, [and that] the Holy Spirit is poured forth by their teaching and preaching;n7413 ¶89
and though their conscience does even convince them that they are not capable of the office of the ministry, and that they are in no wise the temples of the Holy Spirit who should teach in and by them, yet they care not for that: it brings them money and honour. Christ is gone up to heaven, and has placed and ordained them to be stewards and vicars in his office;n7413 ¶90
they must compose and contrive their doctrine out of the writings of the saints, and out of their reason, upon the letter of the Scripture. Their heaping together and composing of the words [in the form of their subtle reason] must be the voice of the Holy Spirit; they say the Holy Spirit is thereby poured forth into the hearts of men.n7413 ¶91
46. And though they themselves be only Cain, and in their literal and bookish rhapsody [or composing of the texts, or bare letter of Scripture] in their sermons do cast forth a great deal of light, lewd, Cainical scorn and brother-slaughter, and oftentimes mix lies and truth together;n7413 ¶92
yet the Holy Spirit must have taught, and the congregation must thank God for such holy, [sound, orthodox, evangelical] doctrine, as they call it. And after their killing of their brother there, they must also help, with boldness, courage and zeal, to murder and slay Abel, and the little child Jesus, in his members, with words and deeds.n7413 ¶93
47. Such teachers the world sets up, to learn the kingdom of God from: and whosoever can but lustily cavil, censure and condemn others in their gifts, and propose it with fine distinctions and subtle arguments, and clothe them with the mantle of reason, and hide the wolf (which thereby murders and devours Christ's flock) under the purple mantle of Christ, to him they give diligent attention; for the fleshly Serpent's heart does therewith sooth up and flatter itself in its evil property; it has even such an artificial nature and constitution.n7413 ¶94
48. Such seed these teachers, chosen of men, do sow, who only desire the calling for temporal honour and pleasure, but are not called of God, and are also without divine knowledge [and understand not what true divinity is]. They enter not by the door of Christ;n7413 ¶95
but they come into place by the election and favour of men, through the means of their own willing, walking and running: these can no way be acknowledged for the shepherds of Christ, for they are not born of Christ, and [are not] chosen to this function and divine calling.n7413 ¶96
49. They are only the great master-builders of Babylon, where the languages are confounded, and men thereby set at odds and variance, and they set up war and contention upon the earth, for they wrangle and jangle about the mere husk, viz. about the written word and letter; and they have not the living word of God dwelling in them, from which they ought to teach. The Spirit of Christ itself must be the teacher in the word, with the living voice [or expression];n7413 ¶97
the spirit of man [The human spirit] must know and feelingly find Christ in it, otherwise none teaches the words of Christ, [but] only dumb [senseless] words, without power and spirit.n7413 ¶98
50. Now the Spirit of Christ in his children does reprove these, and shows them the true way how we must die wholly in Christ's death to the selfhood and the false self-full desire of temporal pleasure and honour;n7413 ¶99
and be born again of Christ's Spirit, with another new will and desire out of Christ's love, in peculiar real knowledge, and preach and teach Christ from our [own peculiar and singular knowledge of him in our] selves.n7413 ¶100
51. This, Babel in Cain cannot endure, that one should teach: that Christ himself must be the teacher in the human spirit. They plead their cause from the forewritten Apostolical word, and say, if they teach the same then the Spirit of God is poured forth. Yes, forsooth! very right, I say so too: If the same be taught in Christ's spirit and power, then 'tis so, indeed.n7413 ¶101
52. But the Spirit of Christ in his children is not bound to any certain form, that it need not [or ought not] to speak anything which stands not in the Apostolical letter; as the spirit in the Apostles was free, and they spoke not all one and the same words, but from one spirit and ground they did all speak, everyone as the spirit gave him utterance. Even thus likewise the spirit speaks yet out of its children, it needs no form aforehand composed and gathered together out of the literal word. It indeed does put man's spirit in mind of what is comprehended and contained in the letter; for Christ said, The Holy Ghost shall take of mine, and declare it unto you.n7413 ¶102
53. Christ is alone the Word of God that teaches the way of truth through his children and members. The literal word is only a manuduction and manifestation of Christ; that we should have the same before us, as a testimony and witness of Christ, [showing] what he is, and what he has done for us, that we should conceive, let and fasten our faith therein; and yet with the desire enter into the living Word, Christ; and be ourselves born to life therein.n7413 ¶103
54. None is a shepherd of Christ but he that has Christ's Spirit, and teaches from him. No art nor university makes one a shepherd of Christ, unless he be capable of the office in Christ's Spirit. If he has not that, living and working in him, then man has only chosen him to be a carver and builder of the great Babylon; a letter-changer [a verbal j angler and wrangler], without divine understanding and knowledge; for the Scripture says, The natural man perceives nothing of the Spirit of God. How then will he teach the way of God, who himself understands nothing thereof.n7413 ¶104
55. And Christ says, He that enters not into the sheepfold by him, viz. by the door of his spirit, but climbs up some other way, as by art [cunning?] and reason, or by the favour of man, into the same: whosoever sets up himself not being called of God's Spirit, to be a shepherd of Christ, for human and temporal repute and revenue's sakes, he is a thief and murderer, and the sheep hear not his voice, for he has not Christ's voice, and comes only that he may rob and steal.n7413 ¶105
56. But they say, the written word is Christ's voice. Yea, it is indeed the cabinet thereof, viz. a form of the word: but the voice must be living which opens the same, and likewise acts it in due motion as a watch-work. The letter is as an instrument thereunto, as a trumpet; but there must be a true and right breath and air which agrees with the air or tune in the letter.n7413 ¶106
57. The word of the letter is a prepared instrument [or work] : what kind of trumpeter takes it in hand to play thereon, even such a sound it gives. Is not, I pray, the great Babel built out of this work? Every one has sounded the trumpet of the letter as his own air and tone has been in him; and so it has been approved and received by each trumpeter, and brought into a substance; and this same substance is the great Babylon, where evil and good are built into a building.n7413 ¶107
58. But if men had not introduced any exposition upon the Apostolical word, and [had not] brought or contrived the same into other forms, then the instrument had remained pure. But the unilluminated mind has set itself up to be a master therein, and bowed the same according to its own imagination and well-liking;n7413 ¶108
for the human pleasure has thereon set itself and formed and expounded the same according to the [rule of ] fat [benefices for the] belly ['s sake] and worldly pleasures. And thus the spirit is extinct; and 'tis turned to an antichristian order and custom. Men have taken and formed the word as an organ, and so they have brought it into a fashion and custom, that a man must play thereon, and others must hear the sound and tune which he makes;n7413 ¶109
and thus for the most part such organists are only used who strike the organ from without, and make a fine contrived and composed piece, which they willingly and readily hear. But the organ sounds only as the master strikes it [plays on it] .n7413 ¶110
59. But to this Christ says, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Also, Whosoever is of God, he hears God's word. Christ said, The Son of man speaks nothing out what he hears the Father speak in him. So likewise must a teacher of Christ hear the Father's Spirit in Christ speak in him; he must hear God's word in the Spirit of Christ in him; as David says, / will hear what the Lord speaks in me. He must be a temple of God, in whom God dwells, and from whom he speaks, being only an instrument thereto. For Christ said, We will come to you, and make our abode in you.n7413 ¶111
Also, / will put my Word into your mouth, says the prophet. Also, The Lord is nigh you, namely in your mouth, and heart. Here the Spirit of God speaks of the living Word; and not of a bell without a clapper.n7413 ¶112
60. This, the Spirit of Christ in his children does teach, and reproves the wooden clapper in the right bell, which has hung itself up to be a clapper in the bell of the divine word, and yet has no power to make the bell sound. This, Cain, in his offering, can by no means brook, that one should tell him his offering doth not pleasen7413 ¶113
61. He sets forth himself with very fair glozing and glistering outside shows, and has made himself such a brave glorious form; moreover, he is chosen of the high schools and worldly might thereto.n7413 ¶114
And if a mean layman, without human calling, should come thereinto (as Christ, who was accounted for a carpenter's son), and offer to reprove such a high priest in such great dignity, honour and respect, the same the world believes not that it is from God that he is sent.n7413 ¶115
62. The great bear thinks presently, This is only a sheep, which I will take into my mouth and devour him. What, shall a sheep reprove me, who am a bear? Will a disesteemed sheep nullify my reputation and esteem among men, and dare to quetch at me? I will soon rid him out of the way, and so defile him that he shall not be known that he is a sincere and single-hearted lamb of Christ, and speaks from Christ's Spirit. I will so wallow and mire him in the dirt, disgrace, and scorn, that he shall be held for a filthy beast, or a very defiled swine.n7413 ¶116
63. In the meantime I live in my delicious days of pleasure, and remain lord over soul and body. But if the sheepling shall offer to stir, and show more than a sheepling of Christ, then I will help the butcher drive it to the slaughter-house.n7413 ¶117
64. Thus it goes with the simple, single-hearted children of Christ, whom the Spirit of Christ drives, and out of whom he teaches here in this world, etc. They are only as sheep among wolves; as Christ said, / send you as sheep among wolves. The earthly man is a serpentine wolf under whom the virgin-child, viz. Christ's lamb, must dwell; and then begins and arises murdering, slaying [or robbing], and killing.n7413 ¶118
65. But it does not at all hurt the virgin-child; its external wolf is also by this means hitten off by another, for the outward wolf of all men is grown from the anger of God, and arisen with the sin in Adam; therefore it must be given for food to the anger of God, that the virgin-child of the woman's seed may become manifest.n7413 ¶119
66. For thus they do separate themselves as two enemies, and are continually opposite enemies one against another in the time of this outward life; for the judgement is given to the virgin-child against the introduced Serpent's child of sin. In the resurrection the virgin-child shall condemn the serpent-child into the fire of God; there the limus of the earth shall be proved and purged from the Serpent's ens, and again put upon the virgin-child.n7413 ¶120
67. Now says reason, What pleasure has God in this murdering ofhis children, can he not defend them from the enemy? Thus it must be: that the light may be manifest in the darkness, else the light would stand still in the darkness and bring forth no fruit. Seeing then the light receives into itself essence and perceivancy, also sensation from the darkness, viz. from the source of the fire, therefore one is set against the other, that so one might be manifest in the other: the joy against grief and grief against joy; that it may be known what eviln7413 ¶121
68. For if there were no grief then the joy were not manifest to itself; but yet all is in the free will: as every thing does introduce itself into evil or good, so it runs on its course, and the one is but the manifestation of the other; for if there were no night or darkness then we should know nothing of the light or day. Thus the great God has introduced himself into severation, to his own contemplation and sport of joy.n7413 ¶122
69. The like also is to be understood in the various diversity and severalty of men, touching evil and good. The evil must be a cause that the good be made manifest to itself; and the good must be a cause to manifest the evil in its wicked malicious subtlety and iniquity;n7413 ¶123
that all things may come into their contemplation [and visible ken], and every thing might manifest its judgement in itself unto the great separation-day of the LORD of all beings, where every thing shall give in itself into its barn, for its usefulness and profit, that, in the eternity, the great God may be known in a creatural and formal manner, according to light and darkness.n7413 ¶124
70. for all things were created by the Word, and brought into a form. Seeing then God is an angry jealous God and a consuming fire, and also a merciful loving meek God of light and giving [or free grace], in whom there cannot be any evil at all, therefore he has introduced fire and light, evil and good, one with another in then7413 ¶125
Verbum Fiat, into a free will, whereby the will may form [or work] either in the evil or [in the] good;n7413 ¶126
and yet he has created all things good, and to the light, and set them into the free will, to multiply themselves in the free will, to conceive in evil or good; and yet has associated to each thing its likeness, viz. to a male its female, that so nothing has cause to degenerate [or fall from its place and order into destruction] ;n7413 ¶127
and to man he has given commands what to do, and [what to] leave undone.n7413 ¶128
71. Thus all things stand to the judgement of the great God, and in this time they must be in contest, that one may be manifest in the other. But then in the great harvest every thing shall have its own seat in itself; when strife shall be taken up and cease, and all things must stand to the honour and admiration of the wonderful works of the great God, who alone knows whereunto every thing shall be good, and for what he will use it.n7413 ¶129
The Twenty-Ninth Chaptern7413 ¶130
Shows how the Adamical Tree has put forth and opened itself out of its Stock, and introduced itself into Boughs, Branches, Twigs, and Fruit; out of which Pullulation or Manifestation the Invention of all Arts and Governments is Arisenn7413 ¶131
The Deep Gates out of the Centre of the Eternal and also the Temporal Nature, showing how the Eternal Wisdom has introduced itself into a formal [Visible and Ideal] Contemplation.n7413 ¶132
1. THE eternal divine understanding is a free will, not arisen either from any thing or by any thing; it is its own peculiar seat, and dwells only and alone in itself; un-apprehended of any thing; for beyond and without it is nothing, and that same NOTHING is only ONE; and yet it is also as a nothing to itself. It is one only will of the abyss, and it is neither near nor far off; neither high nor low; but it is ALL, and yet as a Nothing. For there is in itself no contemplation, sensation or perceivancy whereby it might find a likeness in itself.n7413 ¶133
2. Its finding is its own forth-proceeding, so that it beholds itself in the egress, for that which is proceeded forth is its eternal lubet [imagination, desire, or magia], sensation, and perceivancy;n7413 ¶134
and it is called the divine wisdom.n7413 ¶135
Which wisdom the unsearchable abyssal will apprehends in itself to its centre of lubet, [ imagination, desire, or magia] viz. to an eternal mind of the understanding; which understanding the free will forms in itself to its own likeness, [or express image] viz. to an eternalspeaking, living [working] word, which the free will does speak or breathe forth out of the formed wisdom of the lubet.n7413 ¶136
3. And the forth-breathing [or spiration] is the spirit or mouth of the understanding in the formed will of the wisdom, which does distinguish [or variously severise] the speaking Word, so that the mind, and the understanding of the mind, becomes manifest and revealed; in which manifestation the free lubet or wisdom is, in the speaking or forthbreathing, formed of the free will, by the spirit, into diversity and variety.n7413 ¶137
4. In which formation the powers of the divine properties do arise; so that it is truly said and declared concerning God, that he is the eternal will, understanding, mind, counsel, power, and wonder; in [or with] which wonders of powers he has moved and formed himself from eternity. In which formation consists the invisible spiritual world, wherein the Spirit of God has melodised and sported with itself from everlasting, which also has neither ground, limit, bounds nor original.n7413 ¶138
5. For it is the divine vision of the formed wisdom. Its centre is the formed will, viz. the Word, forth- speaking out of all powers; and its life is the spirit which proceeds in the speaking or breathing, which distinguishes and forms the lubet of the wisdom. So that the formed wisdom plays before the life of the Deity, as little children play before their parents, who have begotten them out of their essence for their joy, and in them the parents take their delight and pastime.n7413 ¶139
6. Thus likewise are we to understand the being or essence of eternity; which being or essence the eternal free will has, in the forth-breathing Word, introduced into a desire, viz. to an external comprehensiveness, in which comprehensibility the beginning of the corporeal being is arisen, viz. the centre of the formed nature; wherein the desire has amassed, formed and introduced itself into properties, viz. into darkness and light, into pain and source, into joy and sorrow.n7413 ¶140
And yet we must not understand any sorrow to be in the pregnatress ; but the free will doth so form and conceive itself in the desire to the contemplation and manifestation of the wonders; that so the properties might be peculiarly manifested and revealed in each other.n7413 ¶141
7. For if there were no contra- will then there would be no motion in the properties; but seeing the free will has introduced itself into love and anger, viz. into evil and good, a twofold will is arisen in these properties, viz. a wrathful [will], according to the nature of the fire and of the darkness, and a good love- will, according to the nature and quality of the light; in order that one might dwell in and manifest the other.n7413 ¶142
8. Not that this birth has received only a temporal beginning: it is [or has been] eternal, and is the manifestation of the divine vision, sensation, and perception. Only, in the creating of the creation this birth introduced itself into a compaction or external comprehensiveness, that it might have a distinct dominion to work in for its own sport and play.n7413 ¶143
9. Also we are not to conceive that in the creation the evil, proceeding from the darkness and fiery property, was separated from the good, and placed in a peculiar sundry working dominion, but the one is in the other. Yet the light shone through the darkness, and the darkness could not comprehend it. Every life in the creation proceeded forth from the fiery property, and the spirit of the rational understanding did arise from the light's property. In the creation every fiery life was brought forth, in its beginning, to [in or for] then7413 ¶144
10. Moreover, the Creator of all beings has given the creatures of the outward world, which has a temporal beginning out of the eternal Word, a universal light for visible contemplation; also, every life in the creation has received the light of nature out of the centre in itself; out of which the understanding arises, so that the creature can rule and govern itself.n7413 ¶145
11. And nothing was created evil, or to the dominion of iniquity; for though on one part it has an ens of the wrath in itself for its life, yet on the other part it has also an ens of the light and good virtue in itself; and it is set in the free will, to conceive [or work] in evil or [in] good; for there is nothing so evil but it has a good in it, whereby it may rule and be predominant over the evil.n7413 ¶146
12. But man was in equal accord in his properties: no property was manifest above the other, for he was God's image; like as there is no evil manifest in God, unless he would himself manifest the wrath of the eternal nature in a thing: even so also the divine free will was given to man.n7413 ¶147
13. And withal, the command [was given to him] that he in his free will should not lust after evil and good, viz. after the divided properties; he should continue steadfast in the equal harmony of the properties, and rule with the light over the darkness; and then the properties of the wrath had stood in mere joy, delight and melody in him, and he had been a mirror and form of the divine wisdom, which had seen and beheld itself in him, according to the kingdom of joy.n7413 ¶148
14. But seeing that he did contemplate with the free will in the dissimility, how evil and good were each of them in its own peculiar self-full property, and brought his lust and longing thereinto, desiring to taste thereofin the essence; whereupon this same property did also take him in his lust, and prevailed in his will, and also in the ens whence the will did arise to its own contemplation and dominion. And thus the first man, who was good in the beginning, became a stock or tree of the taste of the knowledge of evil and good, viz. a contending dominion, in which both wills, viz. the good and the evil, ruled in one another.n7413 ¶149
15. But seeing the fiery wrathful will so overcame the good which was from the light's essence, that the light's ens was taken captive in the wrathful ens, this image fell under the power and command of the outward dominion, which was evil and good; and also under the wrath of the inward nature, viz. of the fiery darkness;n7413 ¶150
upon which image God had compassion, and did re-inhest [inpromise] the Covenant of Grace into the captivated, disappeared and (as to the divine wisdom) blind ens of the holy world's being, and did incorporate the same as a Covenant of a new regeneration of a new holy will and life.n7413 ¶151
16. Thus now we are to consider aright of the stock of the human tree, how it has spread forth and displayed itself in the properties, and introduced itself as a tree (evil and good) into boughs and branches; and from whence his [man's] temporal government of distinct and sundry offices and callings is arisen, which he did awaken in him when he lusted after evil and good, and thereby brought himself in subjection to nature, seeing he fell under its dominion.n7413 ¶152
17. And we see very clearly that Moses has described and set down in his first book [Genesis] how the human tree has opened itself in evil and good, and introduced itself into boughs and branches for its fruit.n7413 ¶153
Also we see how the fiery wrathful property has always gone before, and first of all brought forth its fruit: we have a clear and plain understanding hereofin the names of those which the Spirit of God has put by Moses in the lines of propagation. [Genealogy]n7413 ¶154
18. For first he sets Cain, whereby is understood, in the Language of Nature, a source out of the centre of the fiery desire, a self-full will of the fiery might of the soul, viz. a sprout or twig out of the first Principle, in which branch or sprig the first Principle did, in an especial manner, prevail, and would sever itself into a selffullness, and break itself off from the love-ens. Yet not as a dark source, but as a source of self-full lust, and also [of] fiery strength and might.n7413 ¶155
19. For out of the ens of Cain (as the same was in the centre of the begetting nature in the wrestling wheel of life) arose his will; and out of the will, the desire;n7413 ¶156
and out of the desire, the substance; in which substance the false mind is understood, wherein the dominion of the outward did form and fasten itself; whereinto the devil also, in the wrath of nature, crept in with his desire, and desired the lordship and domination of this world in selfhood. As the fallen devil does always desire domination in the place of this world, in the inward eternal, and [in the] outward temporal nature.n7413 ¶157
20. But seeing the word of divine power and holiness had incorporated itself 1 with a Covenant of regeneration, into the woman's seed, viz. into the disappeared ens of the spiritual world's essence, that it would deprive the fiery wrathful will, proceeding from the centre of the dark world, of its fiery might of selfhood; thereupon after Cain there sprang forth out of the human tree a sprout out of the aim of the Covenant, viz. Abel, whose name, in the Language of Nature, signifies an out-breathed angel, which, in the first will of the essence whence the soul arises, had formed and fixed itself in the centre of light, in the love-desire, and penetrated quite through the fire's centre. Whereupon the fiery desire did desire to cut off the earthly life, which has its original out of the fiery desire as its property; for which cause Abel and all his posterity became martyrs.n7413 ¶158
21. For this is the door of Christ, who must give himself into this death of the wrath, and penetrate the human centre (of the soul's original according to the fire- world), with the love-ens, viz. with the deepest love of the Deity, and change the fiery wrathful desire of the dark world's essence into love.n7413 ¶159
22. Adam was the stock of the universal human tree. But when Eve was made out of him then the tree was divided according to two Principles, not wholly in the essence, but according to the nature and quality of the centres of fire and light; for the centre of the light, viz. the ground of the love-desire, did stand in Eve's matrix; but in her fall it disappeared as to the creature; therefore the divine Word did reinhest [ espouse, betroth or promise] itself therein to a centre of regeneration.n7413 ¶160
23. Now Cain and Abel were the two twigs which grew out of this tree from the property of both Principles, viz. of the fire, and of the light; and they were a type of the whole tree, with its fruit which it would bring forth. But seeing Abel was a type of Christ (who was to be conceived without the help of man, only and barely of the incorporated Word in the seed of the woman, who should suffer death for man), therefore Abel must pass through without branches and fruit. For the fruit which Christ should bring forth was to generate anew the human tree;n7413 ¶161
and not produce other twigs out of his loins. Therefore Abel also, being the type of him, should not generate any twig out of his loins. For the line of the Abelical seed remained in the Covenant, and pointed at Christ, who should spring forth out of the Abelical line, and again manifest the spiritual world's essence.n7413 ¶162
24. Therefore Adam must bring forth another branch by his Eve out of the vital tree; which was to be like Adam in his image; viz. Seth. Which name doth signify, in the Language of Nature, a forthrunning, or leap, where a glance or aspect of a love-will arises out of the fiery will; which, notwithstanding, is withheld and hindered by the outward world's being, essence and substance, viz. by the corrupt house of flesh.n7413 ¶163
25. Now Christ must come to help this captivated, forestalled and obscured will, which, notwithstanding, has its first ground out of God's love, and free it from the band of wrath wherewith the divine ens was captivated, for this was Christ's office: not that he should beget, but give himself into the generation of Seth, and redeem Seth and his branches from the wrath, and regenerate him anew in himself: He was not to beget children to this world, but to bring forth Seth out of this world, and bring him in himself into the spiritual world.n7413 ¶164
26. Now in Seth the line of the Covenant went forth, in which Christ would manifest himself according to the human tree. But in Cain the line of the wonders, viz. of nature and its government went forth; for Moses says, that unto Cain was born Enoch, and he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch (Gen. iv. 17). Now Cain was the first man born of woman, and Abel the second, whom he slew.n7413 ¶165
27. Now Moses says that Cain built a city, whereas, indeed, if we would go merely upon reason, there were not men who might be able to build a city, and inhabit it; for the spirit in Moses doth here make a veil before the understanding, which lies in the word city; for he says, Cain's son was called Enoch, and also the city. Now this is verily true;n7413 ¶166
but the spirit in Moses looks upon the root of Cain and Adam; how the tree, evil and good, has opened and displayed itself into its boughs and branches; for by the name of Enoch the spirit looks upon the property of the branch, viz. of Cain's son, intimating what kind of people would arise from thence, viz. a city [or commonwealth] and dominion of the outward world in selfhood; for in the Language of Nature it is to be understood in the name.n7413 ¶167
28. Enoch signifies a forth-breathing of life, and a reassuming to a selfish contemplation; a child of self; which in nature does introduce itself into a self-full dominion and will, so that it does imagine and frame in its mind a dominion or region, country or city, desiring and aspiring in its will to be a tree or prince of men. For when the human life departed from the Spirit of God into selfhood, then it would be a peculiar selfish lord, which will's son was Enoch, viz. a city or amassed substance to a self-full domination and government.n7413 ¶168
29. From which government and dominion the branches or children were born, concerning which the holy spirit complained in Noah, that they would not suffer his spirit to reprove them any more (Gen. vi. 3), for they were a tree or branch sprung forth from the tree ofself-fullness;n7413 ¶169
from which the worldly principalities and superiorities have taken their rise and original. For when the human life fell unto the stars, and the spirit of the outward world, then the same brought the human life into its [the outward world's] own dominion, from the angelical into the astral and outward elementary dominion, according to its figure. This, the city of Cain, viz. Enoch, does signify unto us, viz. the dominion upon the earth.n7413 ¶170
30. But now Enoch cannot be the ruler, but the city is he, that is, the branch or the country of the children of pride, who departed from God in their own selfish power and authority. Now the multiplicity of wills must have a judge, seeing they would not suffer the Spirit of God to rule them (I Same viii. 7). Therefore the spirit in Moses says, and Enoch begat Irad (Gen. iv. 18). This is now the governor who, out of their own essence, set himself up to be judge and lord over them, viz. a potentate and tyrant.n7413 ¶171
31. For the name is very pregnant in the Language of Nature, and signifies a forth-breathing of life, where the life doth soon form itself in the centre of the fiery property and strong might; viz. in the anger of God, which was become ruler over the life; the same took Irad, as a lord and tamer of the life, and set him over Enoch.n7413 ¶172
32. From this root the rulers of the world are arisen; for seeing that man would not have God for a ruler of his life and will, God gave them the ruler in nature from among themselves; that they might lord it over and rule one another.n7413 ¶173
33. For God has not given mankind any law or government among themselves, but made man to be lord only over all creatures, so that he should rule over all things. But God himself would rule with his spirit over man, and govern the human life. But seeing that self-hood would not, then Irad (that is, the fire's strength and might) sprang forth forcibly out of the human tree, and set itself over the city, Enoch, upon the earth.n7413 ¶174
34. But now Irad must have something wherein and wherewithal to set up himself to rule and reign, for the fire's wrath and fury would not have suffered them; and also the government must be somewhat profitable and advantageous. Therefore Moses writes now very right and exceeding wonderfully, and says, Irad begat Mahujael, which intimates very emphatically, in the Language of Nature, an assumingl of the outward and inward centre of nature, viz. of the outward and inward world;n7413 ¶175
a self-conceived, bold, courageous, vainglorious, arrogant mind, which would possess the riches of the outward world in its domination and superiority, viz. all manner of creatures and fruits. And especially it denotes a splendour of the inward assuming, viz. an earthly god, which externally sets itself in God's office. Out of this name, Babel, viz. the Beast with the Whore, was afterwards brought forth.n7413 ¶176
35. And Moses says further: Mahujael hegat Methusael. This is now the right wonderful name, wherein is signified how the life doth arrogate divine power to itself: for Methusael would intimate in then7413 ¶177
Language of Nature thus much, that is to say, Mine is the divine might: I am an angel, set therein by God, or, I am the ordinance of God. Which indeed is true, but [only] according to the first Principle, by the outward nature, viz. a natural power and ordinance.n7413 ¶178
36. Moreover, in this name there is hidden, under the angel, the praise of the children who should be subject to this might, and live under the same, as under the divine ordinance. But this angel's name in divine power does first form itself in the fleshly selfhood;n7413 ¶179
for the syllable Me-, which begins the word of the name, does first form [or conceive] itself in the outward world's birth, in the minehood; and shows that this ordinance doth not arise out of the kingdom of heaven in God's holiness, but out of the first Principle, which forms itself in the third Principle, viz. in the outward world's nature, into such an order; and therefore it shall and must be abolished, and proved through the judgement of God.n7413 ¶180
37. And Moses goes on to write, and says, Methusael hegat Lantech. Now in this name the hidden mystery of the divine ordinance by the angelical counsel is contained; and it signifies in the Language of Nature in this place as much as a sending of the angel over the dominion of the humanity, viz. over the regions of the world, over the fleshly life, which should be subject to the supreme governing prince in nature.n7413 ¶181
38. For here the wound which Adam received is sought: in that two superior princes do reign over the human life, viz. the ordained good angel, and the incorporated evil angel in the flesh. Also hereby is understood the powerful assault of the evil angel from without and from within;n7413 ¶182
for the inward spirit in the name goes forth out of the Covenant of God, and passes into the outward world. Which denotes how man would become lewd and profane, and also vilify the Covenant of God, and yet with the assuming goes again into selfhood, and forms itself in the forth-proceeding angel's name. Which denotes a hypocritical whoredom in an angel's form, which enters again into the external, and at last casts away the Covenant, together with the angel's name, quite from itself.n7413 ¶183
39. Further, Moses writes, Lantech took two wives: the one was called Adah, and the other Zillah (Gen. iv. 19). Hereby is understood in the generation of the life's tree thus much, viz. that the human life knew the wound which was arisen in its stock [stem or body] ;n7413 ¶184
and thenceforward took two wives, that is) a twofold essence and will, viz. Adah signifies how the soul goes with the will through the mind, and forms itselfwith the desire in the first stock of Adam, and would fain be honest again. But the life had also taken to itself Zillah for wife of the pregnatress, viz. fleshly joy and pleasure.n7413 ¶185
40. The wife or will, Adah, would exercise a good dominion, and rule and maintain itself upon the earth according to God's command; and she bare Jabal: Jabal betokens the simple, plain man, such as are countrymen, and the like; for Moses says, that from him proceeded such as dwell in tents and such as keep cattle (Gen. iv. 20).n7413 ¶186
41. But the other brother, says Moses, was named Jubal, who was the father of all those that handle the harp and organ (Gen. iv. 21); for the other will proceeded from the spirit of the outward world into temporal pleasure and joy; and devised all kinds of joyful sport and pastime for the recreation of its life. And this signifies Jubal, viz. an external jocund angel, with whom the inward spirit sported before itself in a likeness.n7413 ¶187
42. And Zillah, says Moses, she also bare Tubal-cain, a master in all brass and ironwork (Gen. iv. 22). That is, Zillah is the fiery desire which forms itself in the human property into a substance of Sulphur and Mercury, and brings itself forth with its spirit out of the substance into a contemplation and visible ken, in which understanding man has found out the arts of metals.n7413 ¶188
43. For the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah. Here lies the precious pearl, dear masters. Naamah is heavenly in her property, clothed with the external vesture, so that you do not know her, for the earthly man is not worthy of it; for her essence is virginal, a virgin of purity. It points in one part at the inward new man, viz. the sister of the sulphurean man; and on the other part it signifies the gross metal of the earth, and also the precious metal, viz. gold and silver.n7413 ¶189
44. For Tubal-cain is the brother of Naamah, they lie in one womb; but Tubal-cain is of this world, and Naamah is a virgin hidden under her brother; and herein the twofold earth is understood, viz. in a two-fold property; one heavenly and the other gross earthly, viz. an essence out of the dark world's property and an essence out of the light world's property. And thus also it is to be understood in man; for by the property of God's anger, viz. by the dying of the earthly man Naamah becomes manifest.n7413 ¶190
45. Wherefore doth Moses add the name Naamah, and yet speaks nothing either of any that she brought forth, or that she married? Answer: because that in the regeneration the natural generation ceases. The new virginity in the spirit of Christ doth not produce any creature more, but they must all proceed out of the first centre and stock, so that they may be all one tree; and by the fire the metal, viz. the virgin, which is Tubal-cain's sister, is made manifest.n7413 ¶191
46. The name Tubal-cain has an excellent understanding in it, for it shows how the sulphurous mercurial wheel does open itself in the birth and generation of metals, and also in the original of life, for God subjected all things to man, and gave him all things for his delight and play; therefore Tubal-cain must open and discover himselfin the human tree, that so they might understand it. Hereby we have signified enough to those that are our schoolfellows.n7413 ¶192
47. And Lantech said to his wives Adah and Zillah: Hear my voice, ye wives of Lantech, and mark what I say: I have slain a man to my wound, and a young man to my hurt. If Cain shall he avenged, sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy -and- sevenfold (Gen. iv. 23, 24). This is a wonderful, strange and marvellous saying. Who would understand what the spirit signifies here, without its own peculiar exposition? I do seriously admonish the mocker to leave our work here uncensured, for he understands not our spirit and sense.n7413 ¶193
48. Lamech says that he slew a man to his wound, and a young man to his hurt. This man is Abel, according to the outward humanity of the kingdom of this world; and the young man is the image of Christ, proceeding from the virginlike line out of the seed of the woman in him: the man he slew to his rebuke, viz. to an incurable wound, and the precious young man in the man to a hurt, which would gall and trouble him as an evil hurt, bruise or boil in the conscience of sin.n7413 ¶194
For the wrath of God wrought in this boil, and the wound being a great and woeful hurt might not be healed; for the curse of the Lord went forth out of this boil into the wound, in which the earth was cursed, so that the human dominion became a valley of misery.n7413 ¶195
49. For Lamech saw the sore wound, and returned; and thereupon took two wives, that is, a twofold will into his mind for his government, whereby he would rule upon the earth, viz. one went forth from Adah into the grazing and keeping of cattle, and the hard labour of the hands for a temporal livelihood, wherein he found the curse and wound. And the other went forth out of the branch of Zillah into the earth after the metals, to make useful tools and instruments for the tillage and husbandry of the ground, and for other necessaries; and so he found in the metals the rusty boil and sore in their metalline nature; for the precious tincture or the fair blossom of the earth was hidden in the curse, viz. environed and beset with an evil boil and sore.n7413 ¶196
50. Now Lamech knew the woeful hurt, and said, Hearken, ye wives of Lamech, and mark what I say. He would fain express the hurt and damage; he saw back again into the tree of man, and considered the revenge of God, which had laid hold of man's life, and said, Cain shall he avenged sevenfold, and Lamech seven-andseventyfold. For God said also to Cain, when he stood and cried, you drivest me out this day from the face of the earth [from the land and country]; and it will come to pass that whosoever finds me will slay me.n7413 ¶197
[But the Lord said to him], Whosoever slays Cain, vengeance shall he taken on him sevenfold. And be set a mark on Cain, that none should kill him (Gen. iv. 14, 15).n7413 ¶198
51. These are most wonderful and hidden sayings: Cain shall be revenged sevenfold and Lamech seventy-and-sevenfoldl Wherefore shall Lamech be avenged seventy-and-sevenfold, and Cain sevenfold? Who has done anything to Lamech? Here the spirit points out of the centre of the human life upon the time which was to come, intimating, how it would afterwards go with man, in this wound, when, as men should multiply and increase, and make unto themselves kings and princes, dominions and governments, that the wrath of God would also forcibly exercise itself in man's will, and even in the human life and dominion open and display itself.n7413 ¶199
52. Now, if a man would understand what Lamech says concerning the revenge, then he must look upon the centre, for the life of all creatures consists in seven degrees or properties, as it is above clearly mentioned. Now Adam was the stock, for Adam and Eve are one tree, from the parting and division of which evil and good did arise. And Cain was the first twig which sprang forth from this tree, wherein the seven properties of life did put themselves forth out of the right divine order and harmony in the life, and destroyed the image of God; which was long of the devil, who egged him on also in the divided properties to the brother- slaughter, so that he slew Abel. Nown7413 ¶200
God said, Cain shall he avenged sevenfold, if anyone slay him. And he set a mark on Cain, that none should kill him.n7413 ¶201
53. The devil had folded up himself in the wrath of God, and cunningly insinuated himself into the seven properties of life, seeing they were departed from their mutual harmonious accord; and he would be lord in the place of the spirit of God in the life of man, and would wholly murder and slay the life, as to the kingdom of God. Therefore God set a mark, with the promise of the Covenant therein, so that none could slay it.n7413 ¶202
54. For Cain did not cry out only for fear of the outward life, but he feared that his right eternal life might be slain, that his life should be wholly blotted out from the face of God; for he cried also, and said,n7413 ¶203
Lot you drive me out this day from off the earth; and I must hide myself from your face; and I must be a fugitive, and a vagabond in the earth; and it will now come to pass that whosoever finds me will slay me. He cried out for fear of being killed, and was sore afraid. And yet there was no man besides him upon the earth, save only his father, Adam, and without doubt his sister, whom he took to wife.n7413 ¶204
55. Cain feared the spirits who had moved him to slay his brother, that they would also kill him; for he says, / must be hid from your face.n7413 ¶205
Now this was not in any external manner, but in an internal, for God dwells not in the view of the outward eyes, but in the inward spiritual [vision]. Therefore God said, Whosoever kills Cain's internal life, vengeance shall he taken on him sevenfold. And he set the mark of the Covenant on his life, so that no spirit in the wrath could murder it; for he was a twig out of the tree of life.n7413 ¶206
56. Although the seven properties of nature in him were departed from their mutual accord in each other, yet he was not the sole cause of it, for he had so received his life from father and mother in the divided property. And therefore the grace passed as well upon him as upon Abel;n7413 ¶207
except only that Abel proceeded out of the other line. But the centre of the soul was alike to them both. But the motion in the seed was unlike; for they were the two types of the world; viz. Cain the type of the selfhood in the wrath, and Abel the type of the resignation of life, where, from the resignation, another world springs forth through death out of the centre.n7413 ¶208
57. Not that Cain was born to destruction, but that evil awakened property in the dissimility, viz. the soul of the outward world, brake forth forcibly in the seed; and took the [centre of ] life into its power, and therein God set a mark, viz. his Covenant, that the murderers should not slay the soul's life.n7413 ¶209
58. But if it should so come to pass that the own peculiar will would give itself to the murderers, then the life of Cain should be avenged sevenfold, that is, through all the seven properties;n7413 ¶210
and the free will which did slay the life of God (which was in the Word) should be rebuked and punished sevenfold through all the seven forms of nature, both temporally and eternally. And this is the meaning: whosoever kills the life, [that is] what free will soever murders its life, vengeance shall be taken on it eternally in the seven properties of the dark world.n7413 ¶211
59. And in this place we are further to consider aright of the great mysteries; for the seven properties of the human tree, producing and manifesting the life of the wonders of God, had now spread forth themselves even unto Lamech. The dominion of the world was now wholly brought forth with Lamech in nature; for Lamech was the seventh man in the root of the wonders arising from the first stock. That is, Adam was the first; Abel belongs not unto the line of the wonders, but unto the regeneration; Cain was the second in the line of the wonders; Enoch the third, Irad the fourth, Mahujael the fifth, Methusael the sixth, and Lamech the seventh.n7413 ¶212
60. Now Lamech did spring forth from Cain's root out of this line of the wonders of God; and he was an honest upright man; but was environed [taken or beset] with the spirit of the wonders. And he looked back upon the wound, and also upon the sign [or seal] of grace in the Covenant, and knew for certain that even now the spirit of the wonders should be fully brought forth and manifested in the human life; whereby all arts of the world should be found out.n7413 ¶213
61. And he saw also forwards, how it would fall out in these wonders of the world; how his children would introduce his life, which they should receive from him by propagation, into a Babylon of folly, and corrupt the same. And hereby also he looked especially upon the Word whence the human life was sprung; and how the life in the spirit of the wonders of the world would introduce itself into a seven- and- seventy fold word of languages and nations, as came to pass at Babel;n7413 ¶214
and how the free will of nature would go astray from the only God, and be corrupt, and that it should be avenged seven-andseventyfold. That is, every tongue and speech should be avenged in the anger of God, and therefore, because they would corrupt Lamech's life, which they received of him by propagation; and this the wrath of God would avenge in the free will of his children, divided into several speeches.n7413 ¶215
62. For the spirit saw forwards, how the free will would give up and addict itself to selfhood, and apostatise from the only God, and how the anger of God would seize upon and confound the natural spirit of the wonders in man, viz. the soul of the outward world, from whence the great Babylon of contention about God's being and will would arise; and this, the spirit said, should be avenged sevenand. seventyfold in Lamech.n7413 ¶216
63. For this was a seven- and- seventyfold Racha [or avengement] upon the word of the understanding in the human life; that out of one only tongue, out of only one speaking Word and vital Spirit, a seventy- and- sevenfold tongue (viz. a confusion of the understanding) should be made. Before, the understanding lay in one sound [voice or harmony], but now the Racha came into it, and confounded and shattered it into seventy-and-seven parts.n7413 ¶217
64. For the human wheel of the sound or understanding was turned round, and the ten forms of fire, wherein time and eternity does consist, did open themselves in every form of nature; which was seven times ten, which makes seventy; whereto also belongs the centre, with its seven unchangeable forms of the eternal nature; which is altogether seventy-and-seven parts.n7413 ¶218
65. And herein lies the Grand Mystery [ Mysterium Magnum]. Dear brethren, if ye were not clothed with the garment of the contentious languages, then we would be bold to declare something more in this place unto you;n7413 ¶219
but ye are yet all captivated in Babel, and are contenders about the spirit [or meaning] of the letter; and yet have no understanding of the same.n7413 ¶220
Ye will also be doctors and learned masters [forsooth], but yet ye understand not your own mother- tongue: ye bite and devour one another about the husk of the word, wherein the living Word does form and amass itself and ye neither desire nor understand the livingn7413 ¶221
Word. Ye speak only out of seven and out of seventy-and-seven, and yet ye have the Word in one number, wherein the whole understanding is contained: ye have it moving upon your tongues, yet ye cannot comprehend it.n7413 ¶222
66. And the reason is, that you will speak only out of seven, and out of seventy-and-seven, viz. out of the wrath which has divided the tongues; and doth avenge the life of Lamech seventy-and-seven times in your tongues and speeches. But if ye would go unto the centre and open your eyes then you would see how the Babylonical whore leads you captive by her string, and how she has set herself over the life of man, with seventy-and-seven numbers; and has wholly hidden our sister Naamah with the numbers; that the beast of the numbers might reign and rule in the wrath of God over the life of our sister Naamah.n7413 ¶223
67. But we have heard a watchman say: Away! the beast, with the whore, which stood upon the earth in Naamah's stead, is quite fallen, and given to the press of the sevenfold Racha [Vengeance] in the seventy-and-seven, &c. The Racha arises up in Lamech, and goes through the seventy-and-seven; and this none can hinder. Amen.n7413 ¶224
68. For Naamah shall be manifested to all nations, tongues and speeches; and even then, out of the seventy-and-seven, there shall be but one word of understanding. For the life of man proceeded from ONE only Word of God, and has formed and divided itself in selfhood, in the spirit of the wonders of the world, into seventy-andseven properties of the only Word. Now comes the time that the life's beginning shall again enter with the spirit of the wonders and speeches into the end, viz. into the beginning. And therefore the child of the wonders, which has given itself forth in [or before] the sight of God, must be made manifest in the unity.n7413 ¶225
69. And seeing that the free will has given itself into the vanity of the speeches and the multiplicity of the powers, and defiled and slain the life of the only Word, the Racha proceeds forth from the murdering spirit through seventy-and-seven; until the beast, together with the harlot, be consumed and devoured with the fire of God'sn7413 ¶226
70. And then Tubal-cain finds his sister Naamah in golden attire, and Adah rejoices in her son Jabal, who is a herdsman; Forn7413 ¶227
Lamech has again found his children which he left in the Racha. And the pride of self and also the craft, deceit and subtlety of the Serpent ceases. Then every beast shall eat its own pasture. The time is near: Hallelujah!n7413 ¶228
The Thirtieth Chaptern7413 ¶229
1. THE line of the Covenant is not so to be understood as if the Covenant fell only upon this line. No, the Covenant befalls the only life, which was in the Word before the times of the humanity.n7413 ¶230
The line of Seth passes only upon the manifestation in the flesh, in which line the Word in the Covenant would externally manifest itself in the flesh. But the spirit proceeding from the centre in the Covenant falls as well upon Cain's line as upon Abel's; yet in Cain's [line] in the spirit, and in Seth's in the external mouth [or manifestation], viz. in the formed and conceived word, that is, in the office and ministry of teaching and preaching, for Seth was sprung forth according to the spirit, out of the Covenant, where the spirit moved itself in the incorporated Word in the Covenant; and Cain was comprehended under the spirit of nature.n7413 ¶231
2. For by Cain's line the arts were brought forth to light, which were a wonder of the divine wisdom, contemplation and formation, viz. of the formed Word through and in nature.n7413 ¶232
And in Seth the Word was brought into a formal life, viz. into a spiritual contemplation, wherein the Word of God did behold itself with the wisdom in a spiritual image [form or figure] ; and in Cain's line it beheld itself in a natural formed word; and both serve to set forth the wonderful deeds of God.n7413 ¶233
3. Not as Babel judges, that God, out of his purpose and determinate counsel, has thus predestinated and chosen one part of men in his anger to condemnation, and the other part to life: they that so judge are yet under the number seventy-and- seven in the multiplication of the word;n7413 ¶234
for the Promise was given to Adam before Cain was conceived. The Covenant touching grace rested in Adam and Eve; but the spirit of sanctification and regeneration by Christ, passed only upon the seed of the woman, viz. upon the seed of the kingdom of heaven which was shut up; that is, upon the light's tincture, upon the matrix of Venus, wherein Adam, when he was man and woman, should have propagated himself in peculiar desire and love; which, seeing it could not be [by reason of Adam's strong earthly imagination], was taken from Adam and made into a woman.n7413 ¶235
4. But when the woman became earthly, the heavenly part of this matrix [which was to the producement] of the heavenly birth was shut up in death. Into which matrix the Word of God did again incorporate itself with the Covenant, to open and manifest himself in this matrix with a living and heavenly seed, and to destroy the powern7413 ¶236
5. For the Word would not open itself in the formed word of nature, viz. in Cain's generation, but in the disappeared heavenly ens; and by the same revived and requickened heavenly ens, that is, by the woman's seed of the heavenly part bruise the Serpent's head, viz. the devil's introduced desire in the wrath of nature; that is, overcome the wrath [and curse of God] in the generation of Cain and Seth.n7413 ¶237
6. The Word in the Covenant did open itself in Seth and Abel, [it being] as a voice of the teacher, and Cain's generation should in its life receive this voice, and impress it into its life, so that it might produce the new regeneration. But that many of them have continued in death, and contemned this voice, is (see ch. 29, 52) long of the free will, which suffered itself to be held by the devil in the anger of God, and still to this day does suffer itselfto be held, in that the Cainical will does love nature and self too much.n7413 ¶238
7. For if the free will of the soul will apprehend the word in the Covenant, then it must die to its natural selfhood and self-full will, and be wholly resigned to the own will in the Covenant, that it may, with its desire, follow the word and spirit in the Covenant, as the same doth lead, guide and move it.n7413 ¶239
8. And this Cain is very loath and unwilling to do; he will be a selfish lord, and with the desire doth figure and shape a monster and an evil beast in his free will, which does not resemble the first image of the formed life in the word of God. Now against this beast the words of Christ are directed, when he says, Unless ye be converted, and become as children (that is, unless you do depart from and utterly disclaim the will of the self-generated beast, and enter again into the form of the first life) ye cannot else see the kingdom of God. Also, ye must be born again of the water of the heavenly world's essence, and of the same holy spirit proceeding from the Covenant, otherwise ye cannot see and behold God.n7413 ¶240
9. This evil beast of the Godless form is predestinated to condemnation; but the Covenant is in the life. If the free will resigns itself up to the Covenant, then Christ arises in his humanity, out of the Covenant, in the life; and even then the strange beast dies in Christ's death, and the will forms itself again into the first image, according as God created it. And this is not annexed only unto Seth, but unto Adam's life, viz. unto the only life of man which was in the Word of God, and passes from one upon all; as all branches in one tree do receive sap from the only root of the stock.n7413 ¶241
10. But the properties of nature, viz. of the natural life, have brought themselves out of Adam's stock into sundry boughs and branches, whence the multiplicity of nations, tongues and speeches is arisen.n7413 ¶242
But the life is only one, and the Covenant in the life sprang forth from the root of life, viz. from the Word of God, out of which the life came upon all, even as the sin, viz. the fall and apostasy passed upon all, none excepted. For the children of Seth were concluded under sin as well as Cain's; but the Covenant, with its manifestation, passed upon Seth; for his name signifies, in the Language of Nature, a forth-breathing spring out of the life through the first centre of the soul, wherein the Word of God would open itself through the life.n7413 ¶243
11. And Moses says, Seth begat Enos, and then began men to preach of the Name of the Lord (Gen. iv. 26): for the name Enos signifies, in the Language of Nature, a divine lubet through the life, wherein the formed Word would behold itself in the sound and voice of the life.n7413 ¶244
Therefore the spirit of God began to teach out of the Covenant through the life of man, concerning God and his being and will. This was the beginning of the divine contemplation through the formed wisdom in the Word, where the Word did behold itself through the wisdom of the formed human voice.n7413 ¶245
12. And as the life did form itself by Cain's line through the wonders of the formed wisdom in nature, with all manner of arts and works, and also dominions, governments and orders, and introduced them all for the setting forth of God's wondrous deeds and acts, viz. to a contemplation of evil and good, light and darkness; so likewise the spirit of God did bring forth, out of the line of the Covenant in the manifested Word, the wonders of divine holiness, truth, righteousness, love and patience; and by the preaching of the formed Word did declare what the holy and spiritual kingdom of God is.n7413 ¶246
13. In Cain the kingdom of nature was represented, and in Abel and Seth the supernatural divine kingdom. Both these arose together and went all along one in another to the remonstrance or contemplation of the divine lubet in the formed wisdom; and each put itself forth in an especial manner into its visible ken as a wonder.n7413 ¶247
14. for from Adam even unto Lamech, in the line of the wonders, there are seven generations; and in the other line, viz. in the line of the Covenant, from Adam unto Enoch are also seven generations. Enoch is the eighth, viz. a beginning of the prophetical spirit; for in the first seven generations the form of the spiritual kingdom proceeding from the life's tree was set forth.n7413 ¶248
15. Adam was the stock, for his life takes its original out of the Word. But seeing the life of nature in him did predominate over the life in the formed Word, and would have the supreme dominion, and obscured the life proceeding from the Word, the Word itself freely gave itself with a Covenant to be a life therein; and set forth its figure in Abel, how the natural life should and must be broken, and the Word of the divine power again spring forth afresh out of the firstn7413 ¶249
16. Thus Abel was the figure of the Second Adam, Christ, and therefore he must be slain for the Covenant's sake; for Christ should kill the exalted haughty natural will, and bring forth a new one. And therefore Abel also should not beget any natural child, else it had been strange to nature; for they should all proceed forth out of one stock;n7413 ¶250
and the Word would spring forth anew through the only tree in the Covenant, that so the children of grace might be brought forth out of the tree of nature, as the dew out of the day-break.n7413 ¶251
17. For thus also the figure of the new birth was represented out of the stem; namely, the line went forth out of Adam. He was the first, Abel the second, Seth the third, Enos the fourth, where men began to teach of the spiritual kingdom; Kenan [or Cainan] the fifth, which signifies in the Language of nature, a forth-going, reconceived [re-apprehended] lubet or desire of the divine contemplation, in which the taught word did form itself;n7413 ¶252
viz. in prayer, and in the will's desire and also in their offerings.n7413 ¶253
18. Mahalaleel was the sixth, and signifies in the Language of Nature an angelical form of an angelical kingdom, where the spirit did typify and portray the kingdom of Christ in this name.n7413 ¶254
19. Jared was the seventh. By this name is understood, in the Language of nature, a priest or prince of the spiritual kingdom. For as Irad should be the regent or ruler in the kingdom of nature, so Jared should be the regent in the spiritual kingdom; for out of Jared came the office of Moses; and out of Irad proceeded the kingdom of worldly principalities, and framed governments and dominions.n7413 ¶255
20. But the Language of Nature shows very clearly that Jared is only a type of a spiritual kingdom; for the name carries forth the Cherub along with it through the word; for the spiritual kingdom upon the earth was all along captivated in the wrath of God, until Christ, who destroyed the anger.n7413 ¶256
21. The office of this Jared is twofold, viz. externally it is the figure of the spiritual kingdom, bound with the wrath of God; and internally it is the true holy kingdom, which the penitent man receives or takes possession of : outwardly it is Moses; and inwardlyn7413 ¶257
22. From this outward kingdom the great mother of the Babylonical whoredom is arisen in the kingdom of Moses among the Pharisees; and in the kingdom of Christ among the verbal and titular Christians;n7413 ¶258
[literalists] who do all only boast, and gloriously set up themselves in the figure as an idol, and appear as if they were the holy spiritual kingdom. But the Cherub carries forth the sound through their word, as a consonant of the wrathful anger of God.n7413 ¶259
23. And therefore they must contend about the kingdom of God's will; for they have not the spirit of the inward spiritual heavenly kingdom;n7413 ¶260
but only the voice out of the figure, where evil and good are in contest. They have and use the letter, but as an empty, unprofitable instrument, as a figure of the spiritual form, for thus also the spirit did represent it by the name Jared, as a mixed kingdom upon the earth, whereby the inward spiritual new born children should be exercised and proved.n7413 ¶261
24. And by this form it did signify and foretell how that the greatest part in this spiritual office would be taken in the sword of the Cherub, and that their office would be cut off by the Cherub from God's holiness, and given to the spiritual eternal kingdom of then7413 ¶262
25. For as Lamech in Cain's line took two wives, viz. two wills, and confirmed his kingdom therein, and at last brought forth [or pronounced] the seventy-and-sevenfold Racha proceeding from the centre of nature (even from the seven properties) upon the murder of the free will, which would murder and slay his life in many: even so likewise Jared carries two wills in his nature's name, viz. one into God's love and mercy in the Covenant, and the other into the figure in which the anger of God arises up and carries the abominable idol (the belly-god) along with it; which is here deciphered and painted forth to the life.n7413 ¶263
26. And Moses says further, Jared begat Enoch. Here the great and wonderful gate does open; for out of Jared, viz. out of the kingdom of the wonders, the prophet must arise: for the prophet is the mouth of the kingdom. He shows what the kingdom is, and how it is taken and apprehended in the evil and good, and what the issue and end of all things will be; also he declares and points out the means, how the turba has apprehended the life; and denounces severe and earnest threatenings concerning God's anger; how the sword of the Cherub will cut off the false [man or prophet] .n7413 ¶264
27. Enoch signifies in its own speech as much as a forth-breathed breath of the divine good pleasure, [lubet] which has in the time thus beheld itself with the out-breathing in a form; which power of the forth-breathing doth again draw the formed breath into itself, and does only give forth its sound, as a voice of the divine will. And first it does point at a twig, springing from the line of the Covenant, viz. out of the internal priestly office, out of the holy divine lubet of the wisdom of God, out of Jehovah. The spirit would comprehend the deepest love in Jehovah in one name and word, which is called Jesus. But in the meantime it did thereby play, in the time of the figure, in the holy wisdom, in the line of the Covenant, as with an internal hidden holy kingdom, which he would manifest in the fullness of time.n7413 ¶265
28. Secondly, it signifies the power of the formed word, viz. the person or the body out of the limus of the earth, [viz.] of the heavenly part of the earth;n7413 ¶266
intimating that this body should be taken into the holy word, and translated from this earthliness. As the light does withdraw and swallow up the darkness, even so likewise the good part of the true humanity in Adam's first image shall be translated [extracted or drawn forth] by the word out of the earthliness, and arise out of the earth: which Enoch's translation from this world does point out and signify.n7413 ¶267
29. Thirdly, it signifies and points at the prophet, viz. the voice of the divine lubet, which did declare and set forth the kingdom of Christ, and also the kingdom of the wonders in their future transactions and junctures of time;n7413 ¶268
for the prophetical voice did manifest itself again out of the translation. And did foretell and signify out of the essence of the spirit, viz. out of the most spiritual kingdom, that is, out of the human angelical kingdom, through the soul's spirit; and then also from the whole body of the kingdom, viz. from the nature of the wonders, from the limus of the earth and of the stars, [I say, it did set forth both from the spiritual and from the corporal kingdom], how the outward kingdom of man should afterwards arise in this world's being, and what would happen and come to pass therein.n7413 ¶269
This the inward holy omniscient spirit does signify throughl the outward, viz. through the wonders of the pregnatress [or mother] of the outward beings, viz. through the spirit of the outward world, for the inward spirit did view itself through the formed wisdom of God, and did contemplate and behold itself in the formed spirit of the wonders: this the name Enoch signifies unto us.n7413 ¶270
30. Now the spirit in Moses does further demonstrate, and says, Enoch was sixty-five years old, and he begat Methuselah, and after that he begat him he continued in a divine life three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: so that the whole age of Enoch was three hundred sixty and five years. And seeing he led a divine life God took him away, and he was no more seen (Gen. v. 21-24). Here the veil hangs right before the face of Moses, by reason of the unworthiness of man; and the spirit signifies very clearly in Moses (if we had but the eyes of our understanding open), when these mysteries should be manifested [or fulfilled].n7413 ¶271
31. But seeing the Most High has freely granted us by his counsel to understand this, we will, so far as we dare, somewhat unfold these mysteries to our schoolfellows, and show the precious pearl unto the children; and yet withal suffer a bolt to lie before our description, that the false heart shall not enter into it: but we shall be sufficiently and fundamentally intelligible unto those that are ours.n7413 ¶272
32. Moses points in each degree in the lines, only upon one person, which he also sets into the line through which the spirit of wonders goes. Afterwards says Moses, and he yet lived such a time, and begat sons and daughters; of which he says nothing any further. Thereby he would intimate and signify unto us the spirit of the manifestation of the wonders of God in each line. Their age, which the spirit sets down, denotes the times how long each dominion and government, both the worldly and the spiritual [or ecclesiastical kingdom] should stand in its form and structure. That is to say, how long each prevailing monarchy of the secular and worldly power and domination should continue; and so likewise of the spiritual monarchy.n7413 ¶273
33. And these monarchies [Or monarchs] of the wonders are forthwith represented out of the first twigs, springing from the beginning of the human tree. That is, they are set forth in each line in seven numbers, from Adam through Cain even unto Lamech;n7413 ¶274
and in the other line from Adam unto Jared. By which numbers and names the spirit points in each line especially at seven of the forthproceeding properties of the tree and powers of the wonders; intimating how the powers of the wonders should afterwards bring themselves into governments, and how one figure should arise out of the other, and how one should destroy and break down the other, and set forth out of the destruction another form, as it has been brought to pass in the spiritual and worldly governments [Ecclesiastical and temporal ].n7413 ¶275
For always the worldly government is to be understood with the spiritual; for the outward formed Word in the dominion and regiment of nature does evermore set forth its form by, with, and in the spiritual [or ecclesiastical] form [or manner of discipline] . Therefore observe and mark here, with precise exactness.n7413 ¶276
34. There are seven times appointed to proceed from the tree of life in the word of power. The first proceeds from the pure life of Adam; for before the creature the life was in the Word, whence it was brought pure into the image; this continued until the fall. From this pure life there springs forth a twig in the inward [kingdom], this same was Abel; but seeing the fall hung on him externally, this same pure life was carried through death into the holy world. This signifies and points at the kingdom of Christ, who should bring us through death into the pure life.n7413 ¶277
35. The second time begins with Seth. For Moses says, that Adam war a hundred and thirty years old, and begat a son in his own likeness, and called him Seth. Understand, he was such an image as Adam was after the fall, and was set in the spiritual line of the wonders; and Cain also with him, in a worldly natural line of the wonders, for both kingdoms [Secular, and ecclesiastical] go together. Seth's time continues till the deluge, and bears the supremacy, even to the deluge, or Noah's flood.n7413 ¶278
36. The third time begins with Enos, under Seth's time, and carries forth itself all along as a spiritual ministry, or knowledge of God, under Seth's time,as a hidden kingdom; and continued till Abraham, to whom the Covenant of Christ was established in then7413 ¶279
37. The fourth time begins with Cainan, which is the spiritual form in prayers and spiritual offerings, wherein the Word formed itself in the wisdom, and carried itself forth all along, under Seth's and Enos's time, and manifested itself with Moses. Like as Enos's time was first truly manifested with Abraham, with the promise in the Covenant, this time of Cainan continued in its manifestation and dominion under Moses, till Christ in the flesh.n7413 ¶280
38. The fifth time begins with Mahalaleel, and 'tis the reception or formation of the angelical form, viz. of the new regeneration out of the Covenant;n7413 ¶281
and goes secretly all along under the ministry of Enos, under Seth and Cainan, in the Word of the Promise, through all the three times; and did manifest itself with the fulfilling of the Covenant in the humanity of Christ, where the true Mahalaleel and angelical image, which did disappear in Adam, was again manifest in the humanity of Christ.n7413 ¶282
39. The sixth time begins with Jared, which is the spiritual priesthood under the external, where outwardly Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel were in their times in their orders [or outward forms], as the ministry and preaching of Enos concerning God and his being and will;n7413 ¶283
so likewise the preaching of Abraham concerning the Covenant and circumcision; also Moses with the Book of the Law. Under all these the inward priest Jared went along hiddenly. Inwardly this spiritual priesthood is Christ in the new man; and outwardly in the selt-elected priests it is Babel.n7413 ¶284
40. This sixth time began in the kingdom of Christ after the death of the Apostles, when as men chose themselves teachers out of favour and outward respects.n7413 ¶285
That is, it did even then first open itself out of the hiddenness [veil] of the shadow, and put itself forth in the churches of stone, where the church stood in stead of the holy temple of Christ: then indeed the holy Jared, viz. Christ's voice, ruled in Christ's children internally;n7413 ¶286
but externally the Cherub with the sword [did alone bear rule] . For the outward authority which these self-elected priests do manage is the sword of the Cherub; which is signified in the name Jared; which powerfully forces itself forth all along in the word, in the Language of nature.n7413 ¶287
[That is, in the word Jared the Language of Nature does emphatically express, that the sword of the Cherub should domineer the whole time of the sixth Seal among the priests, who should have taught the love of Jesus: but by this sword they fall. Amen. ]n7413 ¶288
41. This sixth time is hidden and manifest; it is known, and also not known: for Christ said, My kingdom is not of this world. So that this time has been fain to pass away, as it were, in a mystery under Anti-christ, where inwardly, in the children of God, Christ's kingdom has been manifest. But in the rest (who have also lived under this time, and have been called Christians) only Babel and the Antichrist has been manifest, both in the priests, and [in] their hearers, for they which have been born of God have heard the true Jared, viz. Christ's voice in them; but the others have heard only the outward voice in Babel, viz. disputation and contention about Christ's kingdom.n7413 ¶289
42. For all war which the Christians manage, is only the sword of the Cherub proceeding from Babel. True Christians wage no war; for they have broken the sword of the Cherub in the death of Christ, and are dead with Christ, and risen again in him, and they live no longer to the external might and dominion; for their kingdom is manifest in Christ, and is not of this world.n7413 ¶290
43. This sixth kingdom [or seal] begins after the death of the Apostles, and continues with its outward government even to Mount Zion, till translated Enoch doth again appear in spirit and power. For Enoch is the prophetical root, and holds in his dominion [Or regiment] Noah, Moses, and the sword of Elias. At the end of this sixth time the outward Jared falls, and with him that same outward building, viz. the city, Babel.n7413 ¶291
44. The sign of the end is deciphered [ Or stands with such a figure]n7413 ¶292
with such a figure:n7413 ¶293
[Received by Abr. von Somervelt, as delineated in the author's manuscript]n7413 ¶294
And denotes the time when the triple cross does open and declare itself in the voice of Enoch, as a manifestation of the holy Trinity, to make known the same in the figure and similitude in all visible things. Moreover, it denotes the conquest of the sword of the Cherub in Babel, when the force and violence of the city, Babel, turns its sword with the point downwards. Thirdly, it denotes the great rod and punishment upon Babel, which rod does mightily advance its power on high. Fourthly, it denotes the wrathful enkindled fire of God's anger, which shall devour the sword and rod. This will be the end of the sixth time. The threefold cross does betoken the time when this shall come to pass [or be fulfilled]. When the kingdom of Christ shall attain such a number, then is the sixth time wholly past.n7413 ¶295
45. The seventh time begins with Enoch, [Read the 35th question of the Forty Questions of the Soul] viz. with the prophetical mouth, who declares the secret wonders of God under all the six times;n7413 ¶296
laying open what should be [and have been] done, and brings itself all along quite from under the veil of Noah, Abraham, and Moses, even into the kingdom of Christ, where this same prophetical spirit is translated in Christ's spirit, till the end of the sixth time; then he manifests himself in the number of the triple cross. When the triple cross does manifest itself then stands the right triple crown upon the cross. And even then the Enochian prophet's mouth does express and speak forth the great wonders of the triple cross; that is, he speaks no more magically [viz. in types and parables], but shows the holy Trinity in the figure, viz. the formed word of God in all visible things, and reveals all mysteries, within and without.n7413 ¶297
46. And even then is the time when Enoch, and the children under his voice, do lead a divine life, of which the first life of Enoch was a type. And then there is a blessed and golden year, till Enoch's last translation comes. And then the turba is born, which, when it shall enkindle its fire, the floor shall be purged, for it is the end of all time.n7413 ¶298
47. Enoch begat Methuselah, who was the man of the longest age, and was translated three hundred years after. This intimates and declares, that the spirit which in Enoch did bring forth a twig, viz. Methuselah, who attained the highest age, shall rule in the last and highest age [of the world], and in the meanwhile hide itself before that time, and remain as it were translated; as Enoch was translated, and was no more seen.n7413 ¶299
48. His translation was not a dying, or a putting off of nature and creature, but he went into the Mystery, between the spiritual and the outward world, viz. into Paradise; and is the prophetical root, out of the stem of Adam, in the line of the Covenant, out of which spirit the prophetical mouth afterwards spoke.n7413 ¶300
49. This spirit was translated in Christ's living voice, when it spoke in the flesh, and must be silent till the voice of Jared is finished;n7413 ¶301
then he proceeds forth again from his first root, through all voices, viz. through the voice of Noah, who denounces the deluge of anger to come upon Babel, and through the stock of Noah, and the whole forth- spreading propagation of his tree through all the lines, viz.n7413 ¶302
through the Heathenish [Ham's], Japhetical, and Sem's line, and through Abraham's, and Nimrod's children in Babel, through Moses, and the prophets; and lastly through the voice of the manifested Word in the spirit of Christ; and reveals the whole mystery of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.n7413 ¶303
50. For through his voice all the aforementioned voices of the wonderful lines, whence the kingdoms of this world have had their rise, shall be changed into one voice and knowledge, and transplanted into one kingdom, viz. into the first tree of Adam, which is no longer called Adam, but Christ in Adam. All nations, tongues and speeches hear this voice; for it is the first word, whence the life of mankind proceeded;n7413 ¶304
for all wonders do join again together in the word into one body, and that body is the formed divine Word, which at first with Adam did introduce itself into one only stem; and through him into a tree of manifold boughs, branches and fruits, to the contemplation of the divine wisdom, in the wonders of the powers, colours and virtues, according to evil and good.n7413 ¶305
51. This high tree does disclose and clearly open itself, what it has been in time, and what it shall be eternally; and in its manifestation [disclosure], Moses puts away his veil, and Christ his parables in his doctrine.n7413 ¶306
And then the prophetical mouth of this tree of wonders does express in divine power all the voices of the powers of the tree, whereby Babel takes her end: and this is a wonder. And in this same wonder all numbers and names are made manifest, and this no man can hinder.n7413 ¶307
52. for that which is lost in the spirits of the letters shall be again found, and the spirit of the letter shall be found again in the formed word of the creation;n7413 ¶308
and in the creation shall be found and known the Being of all Beings; and in the Being of all Beings the eternal understanding of the holy Trinity. Even then the contentions about the knowledge of God, his being and will, do cease. When the branches shall know that they stand in the tree they will never say that they are peculiar and singular trees; but they will rejoice in their stem, and they will see that they are altogether boughs and branches of one tree, and that they do all receive power and life from one only stem.n7413 ¶309
53. And here Moses shall keep sheep, and every sheep eats his own pasture. Therefore observe: when this approaches near to be fulfilled, then Noah denounces the deluge, and Elias brings the flaming sword upon the false Israel; and the turba in the fire of the wrath devours the wild tree, with its fruits and branches. Let this be told you, Babel.n7413 ¶310
54. For as concerning Enoch's divine time, our speech is taken from us, seeing Babel is not worthy of it, and also shall not see it. And likewise we must be silent concerning the discovery of the times of The Ancient, whose number shall stand open in the rose of the lily.n7413 ¶311
The Thirty-First Chaptern7413 ¶312
Of Enoch 's Wonderful Linen7413 ¶313
1. MOSES writes, Enoch begat Methusalah (Gen. v. 21). This name signifies, in the Language of Nature, as much as a forthproceeding [outgoing] voice, which intimates and denotes the spirit of Enoch;n7413 ¶314
which voice doth form itself into a body, viz. into nature, and goes forth in strong might through the word; and when the conceived or formed word is proceeded forth, it does then contemplate itself: for the syllable -SA- is a fiery glimpse of light; and the syllable -LAH- is the forth-proceeded word, which beholds the property, of what kind of ens it is, wherein the word has formed (or comprehended) itself: The divine sound beholds itself in the human ens and word, contemplating how the free will, proceeding from the human ens, has introduced the divine voice or breath into a form of the spirit.n7413 ¶315
2. Now says Moses, And Methusalah begat Lantech. The spirit did now put itself forth by Methusalah, even out of the ens into another twig;n7413 ¶316
and called it Lamech, viz. a contemplation and beholding of the great affliction and wound, that the human ens was corrupted. For like as Lamech in Cain's line did express the wound of corruption [and misery that was broke in upon mankind], and spoke of a seventy-and- sevenfold Racha upon the free will which did corrupt the life, even so here the divine spirit said: the human ens is Lamech ; that is, the wound is too great, it prevails. Although the strong and mighty breath of God in Methusalah proceeded forth out of the prophetical voice, yet the ens, in propagation, did form itself in the corrupted nature in Lamech; that is, in two wills, as Moses says, The first Lamech in Cain's line took two wives, viz. Adah and Zillah. Even so here likewise it would not be otherwise.n7413 ¶317
3. Now Moses says, And Lamech begat Noah (Gen. v. 28). With this name the spirit goes forth out of the wound of Lamech into the end of time, and brings the end into the beginning; for NOAH signifies in the Language of Nature, End and Beginning. Now the spirit finds in the end the holy word, which had espoused and incorporated itself in the Covenant, and says, This same shall comfort us in our labour and toil upon the earth which the Lord has cursedn7413 ¶318
4. For the comfort of man must come out of the beginning and end; for in the beginning is, and was, the Word of God, which is the beginning of all things;n7413 ¶319
and in the end is also the Word of God, which is the comfort of all things; that the creature shall be delivered from the vanity. Whereunto the spirit looked, and said, this same (where he meant the Word which would manifest itself in the humanity) shall comfort us in our labour upon the earth which the Lord has cursed; for Noah could not comfort men, for he preached to them the rebuke, punishment and perdition. But he that was in the beginning and end, he comforted mankind in their labour and toil upon the earth, which they had in the curse and anger of God.n7413 ¶320
5. In this name, Noah, the spirit in Lamech looks forwards into the end, and backwards into the beginning; and conceives itself in the beginning and end into a form, and calls the same, Noah, that is, an ark of the wonders which were in the beginning and end, and [in] the whole time;n7413 ¶321
and displays or puts forth this same spirit of the whole form through Noah into three branches, which went forth out of the tree of wonders, viz. out of the prophetical ens of Enoch in the human property. And thereof Moses says, And Noah begat Sem, Ham, and Japhet. These were the three twigs of the second monarchy, under which most excellent mysteries are given us to be understood.n7413 ¶322
6. Sem signifies an out-breathing divine lubet [or desire] out of the line of the Covenant, out of the life of man, and a comprehension of the lubet, viz. a type of that which secretly passed forth afterwards under the lubet. It points at the humanity of Christ in the flesh, the type of which was Sem, viz. a representation [or express form] in the same lubet; in which lubet also the Covenant was made with Abraham, concerning the seed of the woman, wherein the blessing should appear.n7413 ¶323
7. The other branch or twig the spirit called Ham, which signifies a strong breathing out of the centre of nature, and a gross amassment or compaction into a flesh. Which denotes the earthly, natural, fleshly man, which holds Sem captive in itself; [understand by Sem] the inward man, which shall arise from death out of the earth. 1n7413 ¶324
Understand, the man proceeded from the limus of the good part of the earth, which was in Sem formed according to the divine lubet. 2n7413 ¶325
1 Note.-Concerning the Resurrection.n7413 ¶326
2 Or taken into the divine lubet.n7413 ¶327
8. We do not hereby understand the totally spiritual man, which is only as a spirit, but that [man] which is from the limus of the good part of the earth, which lies captive in Ham, that is, in the gross bestial flesh, and is as dead without the divine lubet, which the spiritual Christus, viz. the totally spiritual man, shall put on at the end of the days in Noah [that is, out of the beginning and end]. This inward hidden man, his gross earthly brother Ham, viz. the gross earthly flesh (which is nothing worth) (John vi. 63), does devour and swallow up.n7413 ¶328
9. And from the lubet of Sem springs forth the third branch out of the centre of nature, where the divine lubet does behold itself through nature;n7413 ¶329
and this the spirit called Japhet, which is, in the Language of Nature, an appendix of Sem, a birth out of Cain's line of wonders, where the divine lubet does bring itself through nature into a form of the wonders of the divine wisdom.n7413 ¶330
With Sem it introduces itself into a contemplation of the spiritual wonders in the holiness of God, and in Japhet into a natural wonder, viz. into the septenary of the eternal and [the] temporal nature; understand, into a form of the sevenfold wheel, 1 or life's forms, in which vital sphere 2 the Spirit of God appears as a glorious glee, or gleam of the wonders.n7413 ¶331
1 Orb, or sphere. 2 Or, life's wheel.n7413 ¶332
10. Sem is a type of the light-world, and Japhet is a type of the fire-world, where the light does through- shine. Japhet a type [or image] of the Father; and Sem a type of the Son; but Ham is an and type of the outward world.n7413 ¶333
11. For the type and figure of the three Principles stood in the three brethren, and clearly points out the second monarchy, even to the end of the world; and withal shows what kind of men would thenceforward possess the world, viz. a spiritual world, and a natural world of wonders, and a bestial world of folly.n7413 ¶334
These are the three sorts of men, viz. out of the stock and fanlily ofn7413 ¶335
Sem came Israel, and out of Japhet's the Gentiles, who governed themselves in the light of nature, but Sem's [generation were disciplined] in the Covenant and word of God;n7413 ¶336
but Ham [both in Sem and Japhet] he ruled himself in the bestial brutish property, against whom the curse of God was pronounced through the spirit in his father, Noah; for Paul said, that flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God.n7413 ¶337
12. And Moses speaks now further, thus: But when men began to multiply upon the earth, and daughters were born unto them; that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair, and took unto them wives as they pleased. Then said the Lord, Men will not suffer my spirit any more to reprove them, for they are flesh; yet I will make their days an hundred and twenty years 1 (Gen. vi. 1-3).n7413 ¶338
Here Moses has again the veil before his eyes;n7413 ¶339
for he says that the children of God looked upon the beauty of the daughters of men, and took unto them wives according as they listed, and should not suffer the Spirit of God to reprope and admonishn7413 ¶340
1 I will yet give them 120 years' respite.n7413 ¶341
13. The meaning of it is this: The children of God, in whom the Spirit of God did manifest itself looked, in the lust of the flesh after fleshly women, although they were of the generation and lineage of Ham, without God's Spirit; yet if they were but fair and beautiful for their lust of the flesh, they introduced the seed of the holy ens into such bestial vessels, and afterwards brought forth such tyrants,2 and fleshly-minded men, who would not suffer the Spirit of God to rebuke them, for they were only flesh, without divine spirit and will.n7413 ¶342
2 Giants.n7413 ¶343
14. They should not have mixed themselves with the bestial daughters, but looked after those in whom the Spirit of God was, even those who feared and loved God;n7413 ¶344
but they looked only at the lust of their eyes and flesh, and corrupted the holy ens in the Covenant, in which God had espoused 3 and betrothed himself: Against these the spirit here complains, that they would not be instructed and reformed, but follow the lust of then7413 ¶345
3 Incorporated.n7413 ¶346
15. We see this very emphatically set forth unto us in Sem, Ham, and Japhet: that it is so, that the spirit would not that the children of God should mix themselves with the very carnal or bestial people; for after the deluge the spirit divides the three brethren into three families, and would that each family should remain apart by itself.n7413 ¶347
16. for therefore came the deluge upon the earth, and destroyed these mixed people, and afterwards made a separation amongst them, according to the nature of the three Principles; that each property might possess its choir and line in the nature of the wonders; but yet it would not do. So that at last the spirit divides them with the confusion of the languages at Babel, that so they might come into a several division; for the properties of the tree did there divide and spread forth themselves into seventy-and-seven, viz. into the wonder of the nature of the formed word.n7413 ¶348
17. Now says Moses, And the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that all their thoughts and imaginations in their hearts were only evil continually. Then it repented God that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his very heart. And he said, I will destroy man which I have created from off the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and creeping thing, and all the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them (Gen. vi. 5-7).n7413 ¶349
These are marvellous and wonderful sayings, that the spirit says it repented God that he had made man, and the creatures. Who would understand this without divine knowledge;n7413 ¶350
that anything should grieve the unchangeable God! Reason would be ready to say, has he not known aforehand what would be? How can his will, which is himself, grieve and repent?n7413 ¶351
18. Here we must go into the centre. In God there is no grieving or repentance; nothing can grieve or trouble him. But there is a grieving in his expressed formed Word; for it repents the formed Word in the devils that the ens of light is turned into an ens of darkness. It grieves the devil that he did not continue an angel.n7413 ¶352
Also it repents the wicked man eternally that he stood not in the divine ens in the formed Word, and has turned the power of the Word into malice and iniquity. Also there is a grieving in the formedn7413 ¶353
Word in nature, over all kinds of creatures, that the property of the wrath in the curse of the anger does rule and domineer in the formed expressed Word. It grieves the love-ens of the Word, that the devil and wrath domineers in it, and corrupts and destroys many.n7413 ¶354
19. Now when God says it repents him, it is to be understood according to the creation of the formed Word, not according to the eternal-speaking Word, which is unchangeable, but according to the good property in the creation, that it must be laden with evil against its will.n7413 ¶355
For the spirit says in Moses, And it grieved him in his heart. Yes ! it did truly grieve or trouble him in his HEART. The good ens of the earth, which went also along with it into a compaction, which is from the spiritual world's property, from the holy word, the same was in the sin [or fall of man] captivated in death, and shut up in the curse in the earth. Now the formed Word grieved at it, and troubled or affected the eternal-speaking Word, viz. God's heart.n7413 ¶356
20. For our soul cries unto God's heart, viz. unto the eternalspeaking Word, and moves, troubles or affects the same, that it should move itself in us according to its love. Now the human word works in the divine; and stirs the divine; so that the divine [word] enters into our sorrow for sin, and helps us to repent of our sins. For the spirit in Moses said, when Lamech had begotten Noah, This same shall comfort us in our labour.n7413 ¶357
21. This was now the spirit of the beginning and end of all things; it repented through nature of the iniquity of man, and [grieved] at the captivity of the vanity of the creatures; and wrought repentance into the holy eternal- speaking Word. The spirit in the formed Word of the whole creation of this world said, It grieves me, that I have brought me into such an evil property in the creatures: And wrought repentance into the living eternal- speaking Word, from whence the out-breathed formed Word has flown forth and proceeded.n7413 ¶358
22. For that this is so, let us take an example on our repentance: We cannot work any repentance, unless our inward human soul does repent that it has made, formed or brought forth the beast of vanityn7413 ¶359
But if it will repent, then its formed word must enter or make its earnest approach into the heart of God, and press the same with an incessant importunity, and move in it. And now, when this comes to pass, then presently the deluge comes upon the evil man of the vain will, which must forthwith be drowned in its sorrow in the word of death. Here, then, God repents in man; that the evil beast, full of sinful desire, is born; and in this same divine sorrow it must be drowned in God's love, and die unto the wrathful evil life and will.n7413 ¶360
23. Now understand aright God's sorrow or repentance in the creature of the creatures. The spirit in the whole creation, even in every life which moves in the fire and air, said, It grieves me, that I have figured this image of vanity on me;n7413 ¶361
and this sorrow of the formed spirit in the expressed Word grieved, that is, moved the eternal- speaking Word in it. Then said the eternal Word, / will yet give them an hundred and twenty years respite (for even so long the time in the dominion or government of Seth's spirit did continue), and then the turba in all flesh shall perish or be thrown down, for this sorrow was nothing else but that the Word in the Covenant did grieve at the misery and vanity of man, and would comfort mankind by the Covenant through Noah, which comfort did first open itself in Abraham, viz. in Enos, his manifestation.n7413 ¶362
24. For the comfort went forth in the love of the Covenant, and opened itself with its branch at its right limit or juncture of time; for God has confined all things into a certain limit, when everything shall come to pass. And from the comfort of the moving Word in the Covenant proceeded forth the judgement, that the old Adamical man, with all his desires, concupiscences and lusts, should, in the Covenant (when the same should open itself in the flesh) be drowned and mortified in the same new humanity of Christ; and out of the comfort of the Covenant a new human spirit and will should arise, which should live in righteousness and purity; of which the deluge was a type.n7413 ¶363
25. For the grief or repentance came out of the Covenant upon the formed Word in the life; and therefore, seeing the same Word repented of the vanity, thereupon the vanity of the creature must be drowned; for the will in the Covenant went forth from the vanity, and grieved the life of God, and moved the matrix of nature in the water's birth, and drowned the fiery wrath in the fire's nature.n7413 ¶364
26. But the spirit in Noah does especially complain here against man, for their Sodomitical, bestial concupiscence and filthy lusts of the flesh, viz. against unchastity, and unclean lascivious wantonness; and also against the high oppressors and tyrants, who put forth and advanced themselves in their own lust, and would rule and domineer, and no longer suffer the Spirit of God to rule in them, and reprove them that they had intruded themselves, to compel and tyrannise over one another without command. All this was an abomination before God; and it grieved the spirit in the formed Word that it had brought forth such evil beasts, and would no longer endure them.n7413 ¶365
27. Even this same prophetical spirit, whose root did open and display itself in Enoch, which also by Enoch did propagate and put forth its line with its branches; which also by Noah did grieve at the wickedness and iniquity of mankind, and drowned them with the deluge, even this is he which now also does grieve at the great sins and vanity of men: for his mouth is at present opened;n7413 ¶366
he has been translated in the Spirit of Christ. Now this Word which became man does repent at the vanity and wickedness of men; that its children of the new Covenant will not give willing obedience to the Spirit of Christ. 1n7413 ¶367
Therefore this prophetical mouth does now disclose and put forth itself for it is the time of its manifestation, and proclaims the great deluge of God's anger, and the flaming sword of Elias, who also was translated into the Mystery; for he must draw forth his sword in the turba.n7413 ¶368
1 Suffer the Spirit of Christ to draw them.n7413 ¶369
28. Let this be told you, Babel: he complains mightily against your bestial unchastity and tyranny; against your own usurped power, force and violence wherewith you art proud and wanton, and hast thereby set up yourself in God's government. He will drown you with your tyranny and bestial wantonness in the fire of anger. Seeing you wilt not repent you of your vanity, therefore he repents through you, with the turba; and will drown your turba, that so his repenting may be made manifest in his children, and also his refreshing comfort and consolation might be manifested out of his repentance.n7413 ¶370
29. for without God's repenting there is in us no true sorrow or repentance for the vanity; for the natural spirit desires not to repent, yea, if it could be more wrathful, malicious, evil and vain, it would please, love and delight itself therein; for it is nature's spirit, strength and might. But the Word of God, which in the creation did impress and give itself into the human ens for a sovereign powerful [and holy] life, the same [incorporated engrafted Word of life], if it be stirred moved, doth repent and grieve that it has such an evil beast in nature on it; that says, It repents me that I have created the evil beastn7413 ¶371
30. But this sorrow is not a sorrow to annihilation, as if he would have no more to do with the creature, but it is a sorrow which sads and moves God's heart, viz. the holy divine Word, and sets the natural spirit a time for to repent, that so it might enter into divine sorrow; but ifit does not, then he will drown the natural spirit in its evil will and ways, as came to pass in the deluge.n7413 ¶372
31. God said, The earth is corrupt, and full of perverseness; and the end of all flesh is come before me, I will destroy them. Here again is a great mystery, in that God said, the earth was corrupt before him; that all flesh had corrupted its way; and that the earth was filled with perverseness through them [and lo: he would destroyn7413 ¶373
The earth was afore with Cain accursed according to the vanity's property; but now he says also in this place, all flesh has corrupted its way, the end of all flesh is come before me. This is not so mean and slight a thing as one would look on it to be; for the spirit complains against all flesh, that all things were become vain in his sight, and full of perveseness.n7413 ¶374
32. Now says reason, a beast does not sin, it does according to its nature's property; how can any perverseness be attributed to it?n7413 ¶375
So far does reason go, and further it knows not; also it understands nothing of the divine Mystery.n7413 ¶376
It understands nothing of the formed Word that has formed itself through the nature of time. It says only, God has created and made: and considers not that all things are created in the Word, that the Word has introduced and compacted itself into an ens. Also it will know nothing of the eternal spiritual nature of divine manifestation; it understands nothing of the ground or original of the outward visible world, with its creatures;n7413 ¶377
when it says, God has made all things out of nothing, then it means that he has so spoken it forth, and yet it is wholly blind and senseless in it. It looks only upon the outward colour, and knows not from whence it takes its original; thus it is only learned in the external colour, and prats of the painted work of the outside and shell; and concerning the ens whence the colour arises, it is dumb and senseless.n7413 ¶378
33. The spirit complains against all flesh upon the face of the earth, even whatsoever has breath and sense. 1 The outward nature had corrupted itself in every kind of life, and brought the formed, expressed Word into an ens of vanity; this was the perverseness and violent self-willedness of the natural life. The spirit of nature, which takes its original in the fire, had exalted itself in its fiery property, and introduced itself into a wrathful life, and driven itself even to the utmost end of meekness.n7413 ¶379
1 Text, lives in the air and fire.n7413 ¶380
34. For the devil was an insinuating predominant prince in the wrath's property, which had incited and stirred up the centre of the outward nature in the fire's matrix, and had not only corrupted the natural life of man, but also the creatures; for he moved and acted man in God's anger, who used the creatures for their service and food, so that the curse and the vanity was also manifest in every life, that man in his conversation stood in the curse and vanity, and so came, in the vanity in the curse, even into the abyss, viz. into the end of this world. Therefore said the spirit, the end of all flesh, in its perverseness and violence, is come before me. Every life had, through the vanity of man, brought itself unto the end of the outward nature; and the throat of wrath was open in nature, and would devour and swallow up all things in the wrath.n7413 ¶381
35. For the kingdom of God's anger, viz. the dark world, had gotten the upper hand in its property, and brought the good part of nature even unto the end. Therefore the formed, expressed Word did move, or repent through every life of this vanity, that it should bear the abomination on it; and said, that it would destroy with water the womb or pregnatress of vanity proceeding from the fire's mother, and break its power and force.n7413 ¶382
36. For before the flood the fire's root was more strong and potent than the water's root, and that, from the original of the fiery motion; that is, the Fiat stood in the fiery property, and compacted the earth and stones. So that there was then a great wrath poured forth in nature, and that, by reason of the casting out or ejection of the hierarch Lucifer into the darkness.n7413 ¶383
37. And here, by the flood or deluge, the force and violence was taken from the wrathful fire root in the centre of nature, for the repenting or grieving of the formed Word was nothing else but a type of Christ, where the eternal living divine Word in the human property did repent and grieve in the formed creatural word, at our sins and vanity, and mortified the same vanity in his death in the creature; 1 and drowned the formed creatural word in the human property with the divine water of love and meekness in the holy heavenly blood.n7413 ¶384
1 Died from the vanity.n7413 ¶385
38. So also in this place, the formed Word grieved at the vanity of the creatures, in that they were laden therewith, and brought the life of all the creatures into death; and in its sorrow moved the meekness of the water-source in nature, so that all the fountains of the deep did open themselves, as Moses says, and devoured the firesource in the water. This signifies unto man the Baptism of Christ, where the fire-source of the soul in God's anger was, in the Word of Christ's Covenant, baptised with the regenerated water of the spirit (understand the spiritual water), which shall quench the fire of God'sn7413 ¶386
As it was above mentioned concerning the seven times, that each time of the seven degrees of nature has brought itself unto its end; and in the end there was a sorrow for the abomination; and in the repentance and sorrow the turba was broken and destroyed.n7413 ¶387
39. Now behold here aright: by Noah, with the flood, the second time, viz. Seth's time, was at the end; and with Adam, in the fall, when he lusted to eat of the vanity, the first time was at the end.n7413 ¶388
40. In Adam the Word repented, and gave itself with a Covenant into the life, to help comfort and restore the life. And by Noah the Word repented, and moved all the fountains of the deep in nature, and drowned the wrath, and opened the Covenant of grace.n7413 ¶389
41. And when the time of Enos was at the end, in the days of the children of Nimrod, the Word grieved at the vanity of man, that they would not know God, and drowned the understanding of the one only tongue, and divided it, and gave by 2 its repentance the certain understanding in the Covenant with Abraham.n7413 ¶390
2 Or, out ofn7413 ¶391
42. And when the time of Cainan was at the end, that the children of Abraham's Covenant were compelled in the vanity of servitude, the Word grieved at the vanity, and destroyed Pharaoh; and afterwards all the men of the children of Israel in the wilderness, save Joshua and Caleb, and gave them, out of its sorrow and repentance, the Law of his Covenant: a true type of Christ, who should drown the abomination in his blood.n7413 ¶392
43. Thus also when Mahalaleel's time was come to the end, the Word grieved in the deepest repentance, and brought the life of God in Christ Jesus into the formed creatural Word in the human ens, and drowned the turba in the human ens, with God's love and mercy, and gave them the spirit of comfort, and the Gospel.n7413 ¶393
44. Thus even now also, where the time of Jared is at the end, which has been covered with Babel, even now, at this present, the Word doth repent and grieve at our great vanity, and will destroy the abomination with the devouring jaws of wrath: with sword, hunger, fire, and death; and gives, out of its sorrow, grief and repentance, a lily out of Enoch's mouth, in God's sweetness.n7413 ¶394
45. And when Enoch's line shall be at the end, that the vanity does again grow in the turba, then comes the greatest grief and sorrow of all, upon the nature of the wonders; that it is at the end, and there is no more any remedy for it. Even then comes the last motion with 1 the turba in the first Principle of the eternal nature, and swallows up the outward nature in the fire. Even then the formed Word shall be wholly freed from vanity, and gives, by 2 its last repentance, the holy spiritual world. Amen.n7413 ¶395
1 Or, of . 2 From, or out of .n7413 ¶396
The Thirty-Second Chaptern7413 ¶397
Of the Covenant between God and Noahn7413 ¶398
1. GOD said to Noah, / will establish a covenant with you, and you shall go into the ark with your and your son's wives with youn7413 ¶399
A great, pregnant and remarkable example we have here in Noah and his children. The Covenant was made with Noah; for his spirit was a discovery or beaming forth of the formed Word in him, in the beginning and end of time; and the beginning and end was the eternal Word, which had espoused itself in the Covenant. In which Covenant the soul of Noah, viz. the formed Word of the eternal nature, found grace, and obtained the confirmation of the Covenant of grace.n7413 ¶400
2. As his name does properly and peculiarly signify, in the Language of Nature, a beholding of the beginning and end. In this same beginning and end, viz. in the eternal- speaking Word of the Father, which would manifest and open itself again in the human life, grace was opened and presented to Noah, so that God did establish and confirm the Covenant with him.n7413 ¶401
3. And here we have a very excellent, and an emphatical example, which is exceedingly worth the mentioning, in the three sons of Noah, which in their properties were sprung forth from the stock of Adam in a threefold line. For we see that three nations [several sorts of people] did arise from them, and that God did include them all three, with their wives, in the Covenant of grace, and commanded them also to go into the ark, into the second monarchy, and did not exclude the fleshly Ham.n7413 ¶402
4. This is first highly to be considered: that a gate of grace stands open to all men, and that God has not set any election or predestination in nature; but the election or choice doth arise out of the free will, when it turns itself from the good into the evil.n7413 ¶403
5. Secondly, it is a type of the three Principles, viz. Sem is a type of the spiritual light- world in the Covenant; and Japhet of the fireworld, which should be a sojourner of the light- world, and a mirror of the great joy in the light-world; and Ham is a figure of the limus of the earth, to which the curse and the anger of God does hang. All these three, God took into the Covenant with Noah, and brought them into the ark.n7413 ¶404
6. For every man has these three worlds upon him, and in him; and the Covenant in the Word was therefore given, that the whole man should be redeemed.n7413 ¶405
7. For Japhet signifies the fire-soul; and Sem the image of God out of the light- world, viz. the spirit out of the holy Word; and Ham betokens the limus of the earth, with the outward dominion or region of the air, and of the magical ethereal constellations, together with the body, which shall be freed by the Covenant from the curse, and arise again out of the earth. The three brothers were a type of these three Principles.n7413 ¶406
8. Not that one did wholly arise out of one Principle alone, No! Sem and Japhet had likewise Ham's property in them, as did plainly manifest itself afterwards in the Jews, who became so wicked and vile a people. Only, we speak here of the superior dominion or predominant property, of which Principle the creature has had in the outward life in its figure.n7413 ¶407
9. Ham has the outward earthly elemental kingdom in the figure, which stood in the curse. Therefore his image [or person] was also cursed of his father, in the spirit;n7413 ¶408
for the earthly image shall not inherit the kingdom of God; but he also had a soul from Adam, which stood in the Covenant; but the free will does very seldom work any good thing in such a lodging, and very easily attains the curse upon the soul. As we see that the curse did afterwards come upon this generation; that Israel must destroy [them] by their entrance into the Land of Promise; albeit they did not wholly destroy [them] all, yet the curse was come upon them.n7413 ¶409
10. There is a very great mystery in the ark of Noah, which the Lord commanded him to build after that manner, and showed him how high, how long, and how broad it should be, and directed also that it should have three several stories; also concerning the creatures which he commanded him to bring thereinto;n7413 ¶410
which is such a mystery, that the wicked malicious man is not worthy to know it.n7413 ¶411
And we also shall not mention it in the ground [or depth of its meaning]. For it has its time, wherein it shall be opened, viz. in the lily-time, when Babel has its end. But yet to set down somewhat for a furtherance and direction to our fellow-branches, to whom in its due time it shall break forth and grow out of our ens of this lily (which also shall be a rose in the lily-time), we will set it down in a hidden exposition.n7413 ¶412
11. The mystery of the holy Trinity: also the three Principles: also the three sons of Noah: also the three men that appeared to Abraham in the plain of Mamre: also the vision of the great temple in Ezekiel: and the whole Revelation of John belongs unto this figure: also the temple of Jerusalem.n7413 ¶413
12. Set before you the figure of the ark, with its three stories, with its height, length, and breadth, and place it in the three Principles. And in the three Principles open the mysteries of the hierarchy 1 of Christ in the three distinctions of heavens, which yet are only one; but in three properties, as fire, light, and air are three, and yet but one. Place in these distinctions [or several differences] the three sons of Noah ;n7413 ¶414
and go out of their properties into their monarchy in the world, which continues to the end of days. Also set before you the formed Word according to all the three Principles; and so you will find the ground of all. Especially set before you, Moses, Elias, and Christ, in their appearance and transfiguration upon the mount: the ark of Noah is the first type of all these figures; and the hierarchy of Christ is the fulfilling of them at the end of days. Enough to ours.n7413 ¶415
13. And the Lord said, Come you and your whole house into the ark, for you have I seen righteous before me at this time 2 (Gen. vii. I). The Scripture says elsewhere, Before you none living is righteous, if you will impute sin.n7413 ¶416
But here God says, / have seen you righteous before me at this time. The creature was not the righteous one, without evil; but HE, who at this time did in Noah open and manifest himselfout of the Covenant, who grieved at the evil of this time, and introduced his sorrow into God's love and mercy, and so brought the righteousness of the mercy into the sorrow, and manifested the grieving mournful spirit in the ens of the Covenant in the creature. Thus Noah was righteous before God at this time, when the Covenant did move itself in him.n7413 ¶417
14. This time is [or signifies] the motion of the Covenant, which made Noah righteous. For this was the time when Noah received life in the womb. The spirit looked with his first glimpse of life out of the divine ens of the formed Word into the beginning whence the life was come, and into the end which was the kingdom of Christ. In this aspect [or divine glimpse] the life of Noah receives the righteousness in the mark of the Covenant at this time, for that was the time in him wherein he was found righteous.n7413 ¶418
15. God brought eight persons into the ark, and of the clean beasts seven and seven, 3 the male and its female. The seven persons point at the seven properties of the natural life, that God will have children out of all the properties into his eternal ark. The eighth person was Noah, and in Noah was the Righteous One, that was the Covenant, out of which the kingdom of Christ should come; therein stood the ark of Noah. But the ark has three stories, which are the three Principles in one only divine manifestation, for each property of the three has its own peculiar heaven and certain choir in itself.n7413 ¶419
1 Or, hierarchies. 2 Or, generation. 3 Or, seven pair.n7413 ¶420
16. The seven pair of clean beasts are even the very same mystery, for the centre has seven properties; and yet they are but one in the divine power. But according to the eternal nature there are seven of them as to the divine manifestation.n7413 ¶421
Which signifies unto us, that the creatures were brought forth into life out of this sevenfold ens, where each degree has again seven in it, to its manifestation, whence the infiniteness, viz. the form of God's wisdom, does appear and shine forth, and that in the formed wisdom, whose image and figure shall not vanish or perish. Although their life, and the creature, which has a temporal beginning, does pass away; but the form shall remain in the divine wisdom, viz. in the ens of the formed Word in the figure, to the praise of God's wondrous deeds. Indeed, not to a restoration of their creature, but for a visible mirror or looking-glass in the formed wisdom of God.n7413 ¶422
17. But of the unclean beasts God commanded Noah to take only one pair of each kind with him into the ark. Understand it thus: The unclean beasts have, on one part, their original out of the limus of the earth, according to the grossness, viz. according to the dark world's property. Although their spirit takes its rise out of nature, yet we are to consider the difference in nature in respect of that which came forth, in the Verbum Fiat, out of the source of the dark world's property, into a compaction;n7413 ¶423
whence such an ens does adhere unto many an unclean creature. And it signifies unto us, in the right understanding, that the dark world, viz. the unclean world, shall appear before the wisdom of God only in one manifest form, viz. in the darkness. But the properties shall be manifest only in the creatures themselves, each in its own peculiar self and nature.n7413 ¶424
18. For the formed wisdom as to the darkness is the heaven of them all, which is manifest only according to the darkness, wherein the property lies hidden, according to which God calls himself an angry zealous God.n7413 ¶425
Out of this dark heaven every creature receives its power and virtue according to its property. According as its hunger is, so it sucks with its desire from thence: and it signifies unto us, that the unclean beasts, each kind of them in their form, shall appear only in one form in the wisdom of the darkness, viz. in the figure, as they were created in the beginning, and not in seven properties according to the centre of nature in all properties according to light and darkness, as the rest shall;n7413 ¶426
for they are in the figure of the first Principle, which in the pure heaven shall be manifest only in one property, viz. according to the burning [property] wherein the light is moved, 1 and the wisdom formed.n7413 ¶427
1 Movable and formable.n7413 ¶428
19. But here I will warn the Reader to understand our sense and meaning aright, and not to put me calves, cows and beasts, in their spirit and body, into heaven. I speak only of the eternal formed wisdom, whence evil and good has been brought to manifestation.n7413 ¶429
20. Moreover, God said to Noah, For yet seven days, will I cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance which I have made will I destroy from off the face of then7413 ¶430
Wherefore did God say, after seven days the flood shall come? why not presently, either sooner or later; why does he set even seven days? In this the seven properties of nature are contained mystically, in which the Verbum Fiat had introduced itself into an ens, viz. into the formed Word; that is, into the creation of the world; in which creation the formed Word repented at the vanity of all creatures, and moved itself through the generatress of nature in the formed Word, to destroy the turba.n7413 ¶431
21. Now the first motion and information of the Word in the creation, with the six days' works and the day of rest, being seven days, was brought into a form of time, and it yet stood so, in its form. Now then, when the Word (which said it would drown every life with water) did open, disclose and manifest itself through the seven properties of nature to the water's birth, it came to pass in the form wherein the Word had given in itself with the creation, viz. in the same sevenfold operation, which should open itself in its own peculiar order, and not enkindle or elevate anyone property above the other;n7413 ¶432
but if all seven would open and manifest themselves according to the water's birth, then the only fountain or head- spring of all the deeps in the centre of nature should break open. And seeing they came in seven days into their outward, formed, working dominion, the speaking Word did also proceed in the opening thereofin seven days unto the limit for its manifestation of that which it desired; as namely, to drown the turba.n7413 ¶433
22. And let none look upon this as a fiction, or laugh at it, for whosoever does so, does not yet understand our spirit and meaning at all. Nor has [he] any knowledge at all of the formed Word, but has only an external understanding of nature, like [a brute beast or] a bird that flies in the air, and knows not what the essence is.n7413 ¶434
23. Now says reason, Wherefore did it rain just forty days and forty nights; could not God have drowned the world in one hour?n7413 ¶435
Answer: In the space of forty days the turba was borne in the human property, viz. Adam before his Eve stood in the image of God forty days and nights, which yet in the image of God were only as one day.n7413 ¶436
There he wrought forty days in his desire, viz. in the Fiat, and brought forth the turba in himself; in his lust after the grossness of the earth: the good part of the lirous of the earth, which was drawn, in the Verbum Fiat, into a mass, did hunger after the evil, gross part, which was of the dark world's property.n7413 ¶437
24. And even in forty days the grossness did arise in his imagination in the good ens, viz. a self-full will to the perception or intromission of the gross earthliness, in which evil and good was made manifest. And when this same will's spirit was arisen in the desire, it entered into its own self-full dominion, and in its fiery and earthly might strongly suppressed the holy spiritual ens in the word of power. Even then Adam fell asleep, viz. into an impotency and disability of the angelical spiritual world, and the woman was taken out of him; and both were in this turba formed 1 unto the outward naturaln7413 ¶438
1 Text, figured.n7413 ¶439
25. This turba is that wherein God did also set the curse, which with Noah was first at the end, which God said, The end of all flesh is come up before me. And out of this forty-days-produced turba, the fountains of the deep did arise in the water source, and drowned the turba in the flesh of these sexes.n7413 ¶440
26. For from the sin of Aclam came the deluge over the world; and this forty-days-produced turba was the sin in the flesh. Otherwise, if the water-fountain had not opened itself the fire-fountain had proceeded forth out of the turba in the wrath of God. Therefore God said, It repented him, that he had made the creatures; and his sorrow went into the turba, and drowned it.n7413 ¶441
27. And let the Reader be put in mind, that so of ten as he finds the number forty in the holy Scripture, that it altogether, in the beginning, points at the forty-days-produced turba. For instance, the forty days of Moses upon Mount Sinai: the forty years in the wilderness: also the forty hours of Christ in the grave.n7413 ¶442
Also the forty days after his resurrection, before his ascension, do all belong unto this; and all the numbers forty in the secret and mystical prophetical sayings of the prophets: for out of this turba the prophet is arisen, with his prophecy.n7413 ¶443
28. But in that I say, that if the water-fountain had not been opened, the fire-fountain would have broken forth: is also true. For the children in the turba would have also burnt Noah in the ark with fire, if the most high had not hindered and prevented them with the water: for the fire's turba was moved in them. This was the world's end, or the end of all flesh: for at the end all shall be purified and purged in the fire's turba; for it will enkindle itself:n7413 ¶444
29. There is a very great mystery in that which the spirit says in Moses: Noah was five hundred years old when he begat Sent, Ham and Japhet, which otherwise is against the ordinary course of nature, to beget children in such a natural age. Also there is a very great mystery in that God said that he would give the world an hundred and twenty years respite; and yet the deluge came in the sixhundredth year of Noah, viz. in the hundredth year after the warning or notice thereof: And it signifies the abbreviation of time in its natural course, and also the end of the world, how that there shall be an abbreviation or shortening of time in the circle of the conclusion of all beings, of which we will mention something in a Treatise by itself; if the same be permitted us. 1n7413 ¶445
1 Query: this Treatise by itself.n7413 ¶446
30. When Noah entered into the ark, Moses said, The Lord shut him in (Gen. vii. 16). The intimate signification of the spirit here is: He shut up the second time or age of the world, which was at the end, seeing the fire would fain have moved itself: Therefore the Lord shut it up with water, and herewith also [he opened] the gate of his entrance to go forth in the third time, and begin the second monarchy in the outward world: for the first time was in Paradise; the second, under Seth's manifestation: in the third, Enos's manifestation should be opened and set forth.n7413 ¶447
31. And Moses says further, And the waters stood upon the earth one hundred and fifty days. Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged. And the fountains of the deep and the windows also of heaven were stopped (Gen. viii. 1-3).n7413 ¶448
Moses says, God remembered Noah. Now reason thinks, had he then forgotten him? whereas he is present to all things, and is himself through all, and in all things. The spirit in Moses does here hang a veil before the Mystery, that the natural man does not understand it.n7413 ¶449
32. God's remembrance here is the beginning of the third time, even the beginning of the second monarchy in the four elements with the creatures. For in the Covenant made with Noah the second monarchy was comprehended, which went forth out of the centre of the generatress through the divine wisdom in nature.n7413 ¶450
33. And Moses speaks further: When the waters were abated the ark set itself down upon the mount Ararat (Gen. viii. 4). This name [Ararat] does plainly hint unto us, in the Language of Nature, a mountain, or a compacting and an amassing of an essence out of the centre of nature, even out of the wrathfulness, seeing the anger of God had then reposed itself there.n7413 ¶451
The ark stood upon the allayed anger. But the last syllable in this word Ara-RAT, does signify that the wrath of the eternal nature proceeding from the centre has betook or formed itself into an active dominion; and would thence-forward ride through nature, as a warrior, and mightily exercise its power and violence in the human property, whereby they would undertake wars, and advance themselves in pride, pomp and power, and butcher and slay one another, eagerly contending about this mountain of the wrath's might [or severe human authority] .n7413 ¶452
34. This mountain, Ararat, denotes the houses of the great ones or domineering potentates upon the earth, viz. the great castles, forts and bulwarks, the mighty mountains of the power, violence and strength of the rich;n7413 ¶453
and also the high nobility, sprung up from the mystery of the great world; upon which kingdom the ark of Noah has set down itself: But the Covenant with Noah, viz. the kingdom of Christ, has set itself to be an eternal Lord over this mountain of the warlike might and force of arms sprung up from the anger of God; which dominion and reigning power of Christ shall abolish and take away the kingdom of this mountain, and quite suppress it. And it denotes unto us truly, fundamentally and exactly, that this power and authority upon the earth would take upon it, in its own power, the ark of Noah, viz. the divine Covenant, and carry it; yea, put it on as a garment, and proudly perch up itself therein, as if it had the kingdom of Christ in its own power.n7413 ¶454
35. [And also it shows and denotes unto us] how that this mountain of the wrathful anger of God in the human property [or in man's nature] would beautify, trim up and adorn itself with the ark of Noah;n7413 ¶455
and would proclaim it to be the holy ark of Christ; and yet it would be founded only upon the wrathful anger, and be only an antichristian kingdom. Which indeed would carry the ark, viz. the name of divine holiness in the mouth but its heart would be only this mountain, a vessel and confused heap of God's wrath;n7413 ¶456
and yet it would make devout shows of holiness, and glory in having the ark upon itself but the aim and intent of the heart would be set upon the strongholds, the preferment, power and riches of then7413 ¶457
36. Furthermore, it denotes that the potent and mighty of the world would build the ark, viz. the service and worship of God, upon their heart and reason, with great stone houses, and churches, and that these houses thus built up of stone should be their God, whom they would serve in the ark;n7413 ¶458
and they would wage war for the houses of stone of their own contriving and framing, and for their devices and opinions therein maintained, and contend about the figure of the true ark. And not consider that the ark stands upon their mountain, that God has set it above them, and that they ought to walk under God's dominion, in humility, and suffer the ark to stand upon them; and not usurp unto themselves the power of the Holy Ghost, or take it away, and bind him unto their feigned power and hypocritical forms, and command him to be silent, as they do, in that they cry with full mouth: lo! here is an assembly of divines: here is the true Church of Christ: this you must believe and do: this is the law and ordinance of the Church. No, the ark stands above them, they are under, as the mount Ararat was underneath the ark. Christ is the ark, and not the contrived heaps of stone [or any form of man's devised worship or opinion]. All assemblies, congregations, or synods are under the ark Christ, and not above [it], for the ark of Noah placed itself above the mountain: to signify that the mountain must bear the ark. We must bear the ark of Christ upon us, and have the temple of this ark within us.n7413 ¶459
37. Furthermore, it denotes how the figure of this ark, viz. the spiritual kingdom upon the earth, 1 would place itself upon the mountain of power, domination, and lordliness, and would rule with the mountain in the ark; and take upon itself to meddle with the worldly dominions and authority; and bring the mountain, viz. the power of the secular arm, above the ark: whereas the ark ought to stand upon the mountain, and Noah, with the Covenant, to remain in the ark, till the Lord bid him come forth, that is, till Christ deliver the ark to his Father.n7413 ¶460
1 Ecclesiastical, clergical priesthood.n7413 ¶461
38. And Moses says further, At the end of forty days, when the ark had set itself down, Noah sent forth a raven, to see whether the water was abated, hut the raven flew to and fro till the waters were dried upfront off the face of the earth (Gen. viii. 6, 7).n7413 ¶462
The raven denotes the earthly man, and shows how that he would first put forth himself upon the mountain Ararat, that is, advance himself in his selfhood and earthly lust, and build up his kingdom in the second monarchy.n7413 ¶463
39. And though he came forth out of the ark, yet he would fly to, and again in, the kingdom of his selfhood, and not return into the ark, from whence he departed in Adam, and would be only a covetous muck- worm, and a greedy devourer of fleshly temporal pleasure in his own will;n7413 ¶464
and remain as the raven, and not return to the ark, desiring to enter into it, but mind only to possess the kingdom of this world in glory and state. Also it betokens that the generation of this raven would have the chief place, pre-eminence and government, in the second monarchy (like the devil in the wrath of God), as histories witness that it so came to pass.n7413 ¶465
40. Afterwards he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated upon the earth; but when the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, she returned again unto him unto the ark; and he put forth his hand and took her to him into the ark (Gen. viii. 8, 9). This set forth and denotes the figure of God's children; who soon after come also under the government of the raven's property, and are brought into the government of this world;n7413 ¶466
for they are also with Adam gone forth out of the ark, to behold and prove this evil corrupt world, and live therein. But when their spirit can find no rest in the earthly dominion, then they come again before the ark of Noah, which is set open in Christ, and Noah receives them again in Christ, into the first ark, whence Adam departed.n7413 ¶467
41. Moreover, the raven betokens the sharp Law of Moses, in the fiery might under God's anger, which binds and slays man, and brings him not into the ark. But the dove betokens the gospel of Christ, which brings us again into the ark, and saves the life. For the mount Ararat does, as an exact type and figure, point out unto us the kingdom of Moses; and the Ark, wherein the life was kept and preserved, signifies the humanity of Christ.n7413 ¶468
42. And he stayed yet another seven days; and again he sent forth a dove out of the ark; and it came to him about evening, and lo ! she had plucked off an olive leaf, and brought it in her mouth. And he stayed yet other seven days;n7413 ¶469
and let a dove fly forth out of the ark, which returned not to him any more (Gen. viii. 10, 11). The spirit in Moses shows by these three doves, and the raven, which Noah sent forth out of the ark, a great mystery, which albeit he does not clearly unfold, yet for certain is couched therein. The raven does also denote the Law of Moses in nature, which will remain in its selfhood, and will not return in true resignation and self-denial, under the obedience of God, but will enter in to God by its own strength, power, and ways.n7413 ¶470
43. The first dove signifies the prophetical spirit, which arose under Moses, viz. under the outward Law and offerings, and pointed through the offering into the ark of Noah, and Christ. This prophetical spirit went all along through the office of Moses; it indeed flew under Moses, but it tended again into the ark with its prophecy, as the first dove which Noah sent forth flew indeed into the world, but came again into the ark of Christ.n7413 ¶471
44. The second dove with the olive branch, which also came again to Noah into the Ark, denotes the Word in the Covenant of Noah, which came forth out of the holy ark of God into this world, viz. into our humanity, and plucked off an olive leaf in the world, and brought it to Noah, that is, it plucked off a branch from our humanity, and took it into the holy Word, viz. the mouth of God, as the dove the olive leaf and brought the branch to holy Noah, that is, to God the Father. But that it was an olive leaf denotes the unction of the holy spirit, that the same should anoint the humanity, and bring it again with this dove into the holy ark.n7413 ¶472
45. The third dove which Noah let fly, which came not again to the ark, betokens the kingdom of Antichrist upon the earth, which indeed is flown forth with its doctrine out of the ark, but its spirit remains only upon the earth, feeding upon the fat grass [upon the riches, honour, and beauty of this world], and so it stays only in selfhood [and returns not to the ark] ;n7413 ¶473
it indeed makes devout shows of holiness to God, and gives good words, but the man, with his senses and reason, will not forsake the world, and return again to the ark. They build themselves stately palaces without the ark, for the pleasure of the flesh, and are very zealous and devout in hypocrisy without the ark; they will be accounted children by an external imputation of grace and adoption; but they will not enter into the ark, but they say, Christ is in the ark, he has purchased and paid all, we need only to comfort ourselves therewith, he will bring us in well enough.n7413 ¶474
46. The other party says they have Christ in their works of hypocrisy, they take the ark along with them when they fly out in their fleshly pleasure. All these remain without the ark in this world, and return not to the ark. This the third dove denotes: for the Antichristian kingdom walks demurely in the shape of a dove, and as a sheep, but it is only a figure [and darksome shadow] of Christ's kingdom, which consists in the spirit in power, and is really in the ark.n7413 ¶475
The Thirty-Third Chaptern7413 ¶476
Of the beginning of the Second monarchy, and of the Covenant of God with Noah, and all Creaturesn7413 ¶477
1. AND Moses says, Then God spoke with Noah, and commanded him to go forth, with every living thing, each with its kind. But Noah built an altar unto the Lord, and took every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings upon the altar. And the Lord smelted a sweet savour, and said in his heart, I will not henceforth curse the earth any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; and I will not any more smite every living thing, as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease (Gen. viii. 16 et seq.).n7413 ¶478
Moses says that God smelled a sweet savour, and said in his heart, he would not again curse the earth, or smite every living creature any more for man's sake. This is a figure or mystical type, as is before mentioned in the offering of Abel.n7413 ¶479
2. For his heart is the Word in the Covenant, which took the prayer and will-spirit of Noah through the holy fire in the offering, and brought it in the Word to substance; and withal smelled, in the divine power, the humanity of Christ, who was to resign himself in the Covenant into the Word of power;n7413 ¶480
that is, it desired to have the humanity in his power and virtue, as a pleasant savour; and from this smell [or sweet savour of holy rest in the paradisical property] the spirit of God declared that he would not again destroy man and the creatures any more; so long as the earth should endure, these creatures should also continue.n7413 ¶481
3. For Noah offered all manner of clean beasts and fowl; and the spirit says that God smelled herein a sweet savour [of rest] . Now [Moses does not mean] that God took pleasure in the smell or savour of the offering, for all beasts are in his power, and are continually before him;n7413 ¶482
but Moses spoke it in reference to the hidden offering in the Covenant, which the inward world in the creatures did smell, which hereafter would deliver them from the abomination of vanity by its own peculiar offering, 1 and set their figure into the holy wisdom, viz. into the spiritual world.n7413 ¶483
1 That is, the inward central fire, which shall purge the floor, and crystallise the earth into transparent gold.n7413 ¶484
4. When Noah offered, then the Lord (that is, God manifested in the offering by the unmanifest holy name JEHOVAH, through JESUS) did smell the holy disappeared humanity in Adam; that is, he did taste in the lubet or good pleasure of his wisdom how the same should be again manifest in the holy name Jesus. And then he blessed Noah and his children, and said, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. And the fear and dread of you be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air; even upon all that creeps upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hands they are all delivered. Every living thing shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. But the flesh with the life thereof, I that is, with the blood thereof, you shall not eat. For I will require the blood of your lives, of every beast will I require the same; and at the hand of every man will I require the life of man, seeing that he is his brother; and whosoever sheds man 's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for God created man in his own image. And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply, and be industrious upon the earth, that you may increase abundantly (Gen. ix. 1-7).n7413 ¶485
5. When God blessed Noah and his children through the offering proceeding from the Covenant, and bade them be fruitful, he gave them again the whole world, with all its hosts, in possession; all whatsoever that lives and moves should be subservient to them, and be their own.n7413 ¶486
And he gave it them all in common, he made there no difference between Noah and his children, no lord 2 nor servant, but he made them all alike, none noble or ignoble. But like as many branches and twigs grow out of one tree, and yet all together are but one only tree, so also he established the human tree upon the earth, and gave them all beasts, fishes and fowls in common, with no distinction, restriction or prohibition, save only that they should not eat their life in the blood, lest they should become monstrous in their life with the bestial life. 3n7413 ¶487
1 Or which yet lives in the blood. 2 Master. 3 Or with the eating the life of the beasts.n7413 ¶488
6. God commanded them to rule over all the beasts and creatures, but in this place he gave them no peculiar domination or ruling power over one another. For all domination, lordly rule and authority, whereby one man rules over another, does arise out of Ararat, that is, from or through the order of nature, according to its properties, according to the constellations, and outward dominion of the princes under the constellations or astrum.n7413 ¶489
7. The true image of God has no other dominion in its members than the body has in its members, or the tree in its branches. But the bestial image from the stars and four elements makes itself a dominion and government, according to its mother, whence it takes its rise, and wherein it lives.n7413 ¶490
8. Also all laws and external ordinances which God has appointed man, do all belong unto the order of nature, viz. unto the expressed formed Word. The same, God has given man for a property, that he should rule therein with the inward spiritual man of understanding, according to the wisdom of God, and make himselfn7413 ¶491
[laws and] order (according to the spirit of wisdom).n7413 ¶492
9. Over which orders and ordinances of men, which they make unto themselves, he [viz. the Lord] has set himself as judge, and thereupon has appointed the Lastjudgement, to separate wrong from right. And whatsoever proceeds not from truth, righteousness and love, against that the judgement of God is set; for it is generated or hatched through the false spirits of darkness in turba magna, and introduced into the human property as a false lust and subtlety; and is a stranger or bastard wisdom, which shall not inherit the kingdomn7413 ¶493
10. All royal and princely highness and excellency, together with all governments and dominions, do arise froin the order of nature. In the image of God there is no compulsion [nor force, violence or oppression], but a mere free- willing, desirous love-service, as one member in the body, or as one branch of the tree, does freely and readily serve each other, and rejoice in each other.n7413 ¶494
11. But seeing that man has introduced himself into the outward formed Word, evil and good, viz. into the kingdom of nature; the kingdom of nature has deprived him of the holy dominion; and has placed itselfwith its power over the human property. Therefore, if he will have the same again, he must be born anew of God, and then he may rule with the new regenerated life in the spirit of God, over the kingdom of nature.n7413 ¶495
12. Indeed there are orders of princely angels or hierarchies in the spiritual world; but all without compulsion, in one harmonious delightful love-service and will; as one member in the body doth readily serve another.n7413 ¶496
13. All whatsoever that man in the kingdom of nature doth draw under his power, and abuses it to superfluity and excess, and thereby withdraws from his fellow-members, whereby they are put to want, poverty and distress, and their freely-given right and due is wholly withheld from them; the same is imprinted [or comprehended] in turba magna, as an abomination of nature, and put into the judgement of God, to the day of separation.n7413 ¶497
14. Nature requires only order, and gives distinction of places and offices; but the turba brings its abomination from the dark world's desire thereinto, viz. pride, covetousness, envy, anger and falsehood.n7413 ¶498
15. These five vices or iniquities in the kingdom of nature are the whore's brats, and shall not inherit the kingdom of God. God holds the kingdom of nature for his order, and has given the same into the power of man, that he [as God's instrument in this world] should sever the evil from the good, and choose himself a judge to pass righteous judgement upon the iniquity and malice of the false desire and lust [of man] .n7413 ¶499
For he says, Whosoever sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood he shed, viz. by the order and institution of nature. Not that any should revenge himself upon others by his own selfish power [or force of arms], but through the order of nature, through God's law [and appointment]; the same is the true avengeress; for God said, / will avenge your lift's blood, and will avenge it upon every beast.n7413 ¶500
Here he means, by the order of his law, and its officers who officiate in the right and due execution of the same.n7413 ¶501
16. Not that a prince or lord has power to shed blood without the law of God; if he does so, then the law of God condemns him also to death. Here there is no peculiar self-full power given over man's blood; let him be king or prince;n7413 ¶502
for they are only officers over the order of the divine law, and they ought not to go further than the command of God gives leave. Indeed they have the law of nature committed to their charge, as servants of the same; but they must deal therein only according to righteousness and truth, and not do anything through selfish [covetous, proud and envious] desire, for God has created man in his own image. Now the kingdom of nature in its offices has no power over this divine image to kill the same, but the office or commission in God's order passes only upon 1 the outward image of nature.n7413 ¶503
1 Or has power over.n7413 ¶504
17. Therefore if an officer of nature [viz. any magistrate] takes away the life of a righteous man, him, nature appoints unto the judgement of God to the day of separation [wherein God will judge all the unrighteous acts of man].n7413 ¶505
What then will become of the tyrants who turn the truth into lies, and shamefully abuse and condemn the children of God for their divine knowledge and profession's sake, and stir up war and contention, to desolate and destroy country and people?n7413 ¶506
All these belong unto turba magna, to the judgement of God;n7413 ¶507
for they manage the sword of the turba in self-full lust and pleasure;n7413 ¶508
unless the Spirit of God command them, and then they must do it for their office and charge's sake [and execute the just judgement of God upon those who have filled up the measure of their iniquity], asn7413 ¶509
Israel was commanded to do among the heathen.n7413 ¶510
18. Whosoever sheds blood out of his own pleasure, to advance his authority, without urgent, absolute necessity, or God's command, he is moved, acted and driven by the wrathful fire of God's anger, and falls at last to be a captive in the same kingdom.n7413 ¶511
19. Every warrior [or soldier] is a rod of God's anger, wherewith he does, through his wrath and indignation, rebuke and devour the iniquity and malice of man. And it does not belong at all unto the order [or ordinance] of nature, but unto the wrathful desire in turba magna, unto the order of the eager, fierce-devouring wrath, whereby God's anger does overturn and lay waste countries and kingdoms.n7413 ¶512
20. Understand, it is the order of the dark world's property, which, by God's permission, advances its mighty force in the time of man's wickedness. And then it goes as the wrath will have it, until the same be well 'satiated in the blood of man.n7413 ¶513
21. For this is even the revenge of God's anger, of which he says, that he would take vengeance for [or require] the blood of man; therefore he of ten takes one man, and by him in anger slays another that has deserved death.n7413 ¶514
22. When the great and potent rulers shed innocent blood, then comes the anger of God, with its officers, and sheds their peoples' blood, and brings the sword of the turba upon them, whence war arises. But this is not from the divine order of the good nature, in which God governs with his wisdom.n7413 ¶515
23. The wisdom of God desires no war, but the anger of God, according to the dark world's nature, doth eagerly desire it, and effects the same in the vanity and iniquity of man.n7413 ¶516
24. If we lived as the children of God one among another, we need not have any warring and fighting. But that we wage war, we do thereby testify and declare that we are only children of this world, and fight for a strange inheritance, which yet we must forego, and thereby we serve the God of anger, as obedient servants. For no warrior or soldier shall inherit the kingdom of God, while he is such a one; but [he that is] a child, new-born of the spirit of God, which forsakes this world.n7413 ¶517
25. And God said further to Noah, and to his sons with him: saying, Lo I, even I, establish my Covenant with you, and with your seed after you, and with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, and of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth that is with you, even of all that came forth out of the ark; that henceforth all flesh shall not any more be cut off by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more come a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the Covenant which I have made between me and you and every living creature that is with you, from henceforth for ever: I have set my bow in the clouds, the same shall he for a token of a Covenant between me and the earth; and it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, the bow shall be seen in the cloud. And then I will remember the Covenant, which is between me and you (Gen. ix. 8-16).n7413 ¶518
This Covenant with man is a type of the Three Principles of the divine being, viz. of the Being of all beings.n7413 ¶519
26. For the rainbow is the sign and token of this Covenant, that God does here mind, and very intimately look upon, that man was created out of three Principles into an image, and that he should live in all three; and beheld now the unability and great peril of mankind; and set the sign of this Covenant before him, as a representation that his wrath should not any more be stirred so to destroy every life.n7413 ¶520
27. For the rainbow has the colour of all the three Principles, viz. the colour of the first Principle is red, and darkish-brown; which betokens the dark and fire-world, that is, the first Principle, the kingdom of God's anger. The colour of the second Principle is white, and yellow;n7413 ¶521
this is the majestical colour, signifying, as a type of the holy world, God's love. The third Principle's colour is green, and blue; blue from the chaos, and green from the water or saltpetre; where, in the flagrat or crack of the fire, the Sulphur and Mercury do sever themselves, and produce distinct, various and several colours, which betoken unto us the inward spiritual worlds, 1 which are hidden in the four elements.n7413 ¶522
28. This bow is a figure of the Last judgement, showing how the inward spiritual world will again manifest itself and swallow up or avail into itself this outward world of four elements.n7413 ¶523
29. And this is even the sign or token of the Covenant of grace, which sign in the Covenant betokens the Judge of the world, viz. Christ, who, at the end of days, will appear in all the three Principles, viz. according to the fire-sign as a severe Judge over the turba, and all whatsoever that shall be found therein; he will manifest the fiery judgement, and enkindle the turba, so that the first Principle shall appear in its fiery property, for all things of this world's being must be tried or purified in the fire of the first Principle, viz. in the centre of the eternal nature. And even then the turba of all beings shall be swallowed up in the fire.n7413 ¶524
30. And according to the light's sign he shall appear as a pleasant visage to all the saints, even in the midst of the fire; and defend his, in his love and meekness, from the flames of the fire.n7413 ¶525
31. And according to the kingdom of the outward nature of this world, he shall appear in his assumed humanity; and the whole outward mystery of the four elements, according to Sulphur, Mercury and Salt, even according to all the properties of the wonders of the expressed and formed Word, even all shall be made manifest before him according to light and darkness [viz. according to their good and evil] .n7413 ¶526
32. Of this the rainbow is a type and figure, for it is a reflex [antitype] or contra-glance of the sun; showing what kind of property [or virtue] there is in the deep. The sun casts its shining lustre into the four elements towards the chaos, and then the chaos, whence the four elements do proceed, does manifest itself according to the Principles, with its colours;n7413 ¶527
and it denotes and points out the hidden or mystical ground of the four elements, viz. the hidden world, and also the hiddenness of the humanity. For in this hidden-ness [or secret mystery] of the creation, God did set forth his Covenant, that he would not destroy its image any more with water;n7413 ¶528
that the fountains of the deep should not be any more opened in the chaos, as came to pass in the Flood, and in the creation of the world.n7413 ¶529
33. The rainbow is an opening of the chaos in nature; and it may very well, if the sun be in a good aspect in the elements, produce and bring forth a wonderful birth, both in the vegetables and animals. Also there may thereby be a creaturalliving being produced in the deep, even according to the property of the sun's powerful influence; according as it finds in the elements a property from the astrum or constellations, either to evil or good; as oftentimes to worms, flies, grasshoppers, and the like; and also to a good life, according as Saturn and Mercury are enkindled in their desire.n7413 ¶530
34. For when the chaos does open itself; then the harsh-astringent Saturnine property does attract, as a hunger or desire, unto itself and takes the property of the chaos (wherein the hidden powers are contained) into its desire, and coagulates the same; and forthwith Mercury becomes quick in Sulphur, for the sun enkindles the fiery Mars in its property, whereupon Mercury is stirred up or becomes active. This, Saturn frames [amasses] into a body, viz. into an ens.n7413 ¶531
Now the saltpetre cannot agree or unite itself with Mars, and therefore there is a severation or motion; and seeing that they cannot get rid of 1 Saturn, viz. the fiat of the outward world; it becomes a flying life [or creature], according to the property of that same constellation.n7413 ¶532
35. Saturn [has such a power or property in it as that it] may, if the sun be in a good aspect, take in the distilling dew out of the rainbow into itself; (understand, into the Saturnine property), which afterwards falls .upon the water, which some fish do eat down, and coagulate in them, whence precious pearls may arise.n7413 ¶533
36. For the Paradisical property doth open itself all along in the chaos, if it be not hindered by evil malignant aspects; which Master Wiseling 2 will scarce believe. He can speak of the ground of nature exactly, and has it at his fingers' ends, and yet is blind in the Mystery, and understands not either the inward or outward [part of nature]. For such I have not written anything, for I need not such animals 3 to the understanding of my writings, but good, clear, quick- sighted, illuminated eyes; unto all others they are dumb and absurd, let them be as wise and learned as they will.n7413 ¶534
37. The chaos is the root of nature, and yields of itself nothing else but a good property; but if the constellation be evil, the evil malignant desire takes the good property into itself; and changes it into evil; as a good man among evil company does change his good also into an evil.n7413 ¶535
38. And the rainbow is especially represented [or freely given] unto man for a token of the divine grace; so that he might behold and view himself as in an open and perspicuous glass, what he is. For in the rainbow the sign of good and evil is manifest as a type of the centre of nature, out of which evil and good take their rise; over which the Son of Man was set by God, to be Judge.n7413 ¶536
39. For the type or form of the ark of Noah is also in the rainbow; if we were not blind it would plainly appear so unto us; also the Trinity of the Deity is therein portrayed: for the red colour betokens the Father, the yellow and white the Son, and the blue then7413 ¶537
1 Or escape. 2 The false philosopher or sophister. 3 Text, calves.n7413 ¶538
40. And God has set forth himself in a figure, according to his manifestation in the sign of the Covenant, that we should flee unto his grace, and receive his Covenant, and be always mindful of his revelation to come, where he will again manifest the spiritual world; as he has set it forth unto us by way of similitude in the rainbow; [to the end] that we should see what is in secret [and how his Covenant is] eternally established [with us in secret], and stands ever beforen7413 ¶539
The Thirty-Fourth Chaptern7413 ¶540
How Noah cursed his Son Ham, and of the Mystical Prophecy Concerning his Three Sons and their Posterityn7413 ¶541
1. And Noah began to be an husbandman, and planted a vineyard: And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and lay uncovered in his tent. And Ham, Canaan's father, saw the nakedness of his father, and told it his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backwards, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, so that they saw not their father's nakedness. Now when Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him, he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of all servants he shall be amongst his brethren. And he said further, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant. And God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem; and let Canaan he his servant (Gen. ix. 20-27).n7413 ¶542
This is an exact real type of the human property, according to the three Principles or worlds: for the spirit in Noah speaks from the centre; and the three sons of Noah did now stand before the spirit in a figure; typifying what kind of people should arise from them.n7413 ¶543
2. By this figure the spirit of Noah prophesied or declared, from the very stock or root of the formed Word of the human property, what the second monarchy should be. Noah was drunk, and lay naked with his shame, at which his son Ham mocked, and also declared it to his brethren, that they also should do the like. Here the spirit intimates and points out whence the curse arose upon Ham, viz. from the shame of his father.n7413 ¶544
3. For this was even the abomination before God's holiness; out of which root Ham and his generation, viz. the man of vanity, does arise, for in the image of God the shame is an abomination.n7413 ¶545
4. Therefore God commanded Abraham to be circumcised on this member, to show that this member was not given to Adam in the beginning, and that it should be again cut off from the image of God, and not inherit the kingdom of God; upon which cause and reason also the soul's spirit is ashamed to uncover it.n7413 ¶546
5. But seeing that Adam did not stand in the image of God, when his Eve was made out of him, it was hung upon him for to propagate in a bestial nature and kind; thereupon also this bestial tree, viz. the fleshly spirit of vanity, came to be propagated all along from this property, and adheres to man. The figure of this was Ham, and therefore he mocked his own property in his father.n7413 ¶547
6. The spirit of this property mocked its ens which it had from the centre of nature; it beheld itself in his father's shame, from whence it had its rise, as in a looking-glass of its selfhood. And thus this spirit [of fleshly Ham] forthwith brake forth as a life of vanity, and manifested what itself was, viz. a scorn [disdain or mock-god] ofn7413 ¶548
7. Which the spirit of God's image in the formed Word of the good ens in Noah did well know, and did awaken in him the firecentre of the soul in the wrath, and cursed this spirit of vanity, that it should not co-inherit in the kingdom of heaven. The scoff-spirit shall not possess the kingdom of God, but be cut off from the image of God, that is, from the outward image of the formed creature.n7413 ¶549
8. For the same property from whence the shame arises, is good in itself; but in Adam's imagination after the bestial property it became monstrous, bestial and strange in the image of God; and therefore this strange form and shape shall not remain for ever.n7413 ¶550
9. From this strange false shape the scorner or scoff-spirit did arise. The devil insinuated into the figure of Ham's strange spirit, and mocked at the heavenly generatress, that it was now even become a monster in the image of God; and therefore the spirit of Noah cursed the false scoff-spirit [in Ham and all his generation].n7413 ¶551
10. Not that we are to understand that Ham was accursed in his soul and soul's spirit, but according to the figure [he and all his were accursed] in the property of the reviling mocking spirit, which brake forth and manifested itself out of the monster;n7413 ¶552
but he (that is, the earthly image of the limus of the earth) should be hidden with its own self-will in the image of God, and be only as a servant or instrument of the divine image proceeding from the holy ens; the earthly spirit should not rule, but the heavenly, viz. the soul with its spirit;n7413 ¶553
the monster, that is, this vile reviling spirit, must not be manifest. But seeing the free will did awaken and stir up the monstrous spirit, which was only a scorner of the Mystery and hiddenness in the Covenant, Noah cursed him, 1 and said, He should be a servant of his brethren.n7413 ¶554
1 Or it.n7413 ¶555
11. For he said, blessed be the God of Shem, and let Canaan be his servant: God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem. The God of Shem was he who had espoused or incorporated himself with the Covenant in the seed of the woman; the figure and type of this (in the spirit) was Shem; and Japheth was the figure of the poor soul captivated in the monster; God should let this Japhethical (or soul's) property, dwell in the tents of Shem, and enlarge it in Shem'sn7413 ¶556
12. But Ham's figure (according to the monstrous spirit) should not have any dominion or reign in the life of the new birth, but be only as a servant or as an instrument, without self-will or any peculiar life of selfness, [and] must serve and administer to the use of the spiritual kingdom; in manner as the night is hidden in the day, and yet 'tis really there, and yet so as if it were not; and it is the handmaid to the day's operation and power.n7413 ¶557
13. Thus in like manner the spirit did express how the three properties of the humanity, viz. the woman's seed, and the creatural soul's seed, and the earthly seed in Ham's figure, should stand in their place order and rule in the regeneration in the spiritual kingdom; and thereby it did declare and point at the kingdoms of the world, intimating that this same figure would all along put forth itself in the kingdom and dominion of the humanity 1 upon the earth, and thus keep its figure externally, so long as mankind should live in the dominion of the four elements; as it has thus fallen out.n7413 ¶558
1 Or mankind.n7413 ¶559
14. For Shem's figure passed in the Covenant upon Abraham and Israel, among whom the Word of the Covenant was manifested and spoken forth; and Japheth's figure went along in nature, viz. through the wisdom of nature in the kingdom of nature; whence the Gentiles arose, who looked upon the light of nature, and Shem's lineage looked upon the light in the Covenant. Thus Japheth, that is, the poor captive soul which is of the eternal nature, dwelt in Shem's tent, viz. under the Covenant; for the light of nature dwells in the light of grace, and is a tenant or inhabitant of the light of grace, viz. of God's light, it is even as a form of framed substance of the unformed uncomprehended light of God.n7413 ¶560
15. And Ham's line passed upon the animal bestial man, proceeded from the limus of the earth, in which was the curse; whence the Sodomitical and almost wholly brutish people did arise; who esteemed neither the light of nature, nor the light of grace in the Covenant.n7413 ¶561
16. This signifies and points out the outward part of the soul from the spirit of this world; which, in the regeneration in the spiritual world, shall be a formed and very fixed will; which may not or desires not to rule in the manner and condition of a selfish peculiar spirit; but shall be as a servant and minister of the creatural soul and God's spirit in the holy light's image; it shall not be manifest in any self-full arrogative understanding of selfhood, but remain hidden, as the night is hidden in the day; and yet it is really there.n7413 ¶562
17. For the animal soul shall not inherit the kingdom of light; although it shall and will be therein; yet it has no dominion [or predominant virtue of its selfness]. As an instrument is a dead senseless thing in reference to the master, and yet it is the master's tool wherewith he makes what he pleases; the same in like manner we are to understand concerning the animal soul in the regeneration.n7413 ¶563
18. But in the time of the four elements it will have the upper hand and sway, for it has brought itself into a proper selfhood and imaginative life of selfish propriety; and therefore God has accursed it, and condemned it to death, so that it must die to selfhood.n7413 ¶564
19. For when Adam in his desire did awaken the earthly properties out of the limus of the earth, so that they went forth out of their just accord and mutual harmony, each of them into its own self-will and lust, to behold and look upon its selfas a peculiar selfthe bestial soul was hereby brought to its predominant power and force. And this same is Ham's property, which God has ordained to be servant under the angelical kingdom, and cursed its jeering scorning power, in that it did mock at the heavenly matrix, and set forth its own figure and form.n7413 ¶565
20. The spirit says in Moses, Shem and Japheth took a garment upon their shoulders, and went backward to their father and covered him; so that their faces were turned backward, and they saw not his shame (Gen. ix. 23).n7413 ¶566
O you wonderful God! how very mystically and secretly dost you carry your works: who would know and understand your ways, if your spirit did not lead us, and open the understanding!n7413 ¶567
21. Both these brothers took a garment upon their shoulders and covered the father. Wherefore did not one do it alone? or wherefore did Noah drink himself drunk, and lay so naked with his shame? This, reason looks upon, as if there were nothing more in it [but only a history of such an act] . But seeing that Ham was thereby cursed, and made to be a servant of his brethren, and not only he, but also all his posterity out of him, we see thereby very clearly what the spirit doth hereby signify, viz. that it is a type, character and figure of that which should afterwards come to pass.n7413 ¶568
22. The earthly spirit, which the devil had made monstrous, was a scorner and jeerer of the heavenly birth; it indeed saw the shame which it must bear upon it as a monster; but he went away as a beast, and mocked the new regeneration of the heavenly matrix. But Japheth, viz. the poor soul, and Shem, that is, the disappeared heaven's image, which was moved, stirred or quickened again in the Covenant, they took a garment upon their shoulders. This garment was the new humanity, which should open itself out of the Covenant, out of the angelical world.n7413 ¶569
23. And they went backward, and covered the father's shame. This intimates and betokens that the free will of self must and shall wholly turn itself away from the bestial monster of self-fullness and ownhood, wherein the shame stands open, and enter again into the resigned filiation or child-ship; and go no more forwards, but retire again backwards; and must take the garment of the new humanity, viz. Christ's innocency, merit and satisfaction upon it, and therewith cover the shame which our father Adam has, with the monster, passed upon us by inheritance: This was the type which was here set forth.n7413 ¶570
24. And that Shem did not carry the garment alone, and cover the father, doth figure out unto us, that the soul, viz. Japheth, (that is, the inward kingdom) of the inward eternal nature, must help; for the soul is of the Father's property, and this, Japheth doth typify. And the soul's spirit, viz. the fair image of God in the light, which did vanish or disappear in Adam, and stood typically 1 in the Covenant, of which Shem was the figure, doth point out unto us the Son's property, who should open the Covenant. Thus also we are to understand that the Father in his will, who freely gave us the Son, took on one part the garment of our sins' covering, and this was typified by Japheth;n7413 ¶571
and the Son, on the other part, who covered our shame with the Father's will, of this Shem was a figure.n7413 ¶572
25. For if Christ shall lay the covering garment upon our shame, then the soul must help, that is, it must give up and resign its will wholly thereinto; and go backwards with its will towards the bosom of the Father; and not any longer parley with itself in its own will and knowledge, how it goes or will go; and so it must take the garment, in true repentance, upon its shoulders; and leave the other part upon the shoulders of Shem, viz. unto the true image of Christ, 2 which is the precious noble Sophia.n7413 ¶573
1 Or in the image. 2 Or God.n7413 ¶574
26. Both these take the heavenly garment, and go backwards to the Father; and though they cannot see how they go, yet they go in faith, trusting on God's mercy, and turn away their eyes from the shame, vanity and false will. For in this place going backwards and covering the shame signifies nothing else but to convert the selfhood naturally going forwards in its own will and way, and go back again into the ONE, out of which the free will departed and came into the monster, or shame.n7413 ¶575
27. Noah's drunkenness signifies, that when Adam entered with his lust and desire into this world's property, he became drunk in the bestial property; and therein he uncovered his shame, that is, he disclosed and made bare therein the bestial lust. Now, when this was done, he stood before God in great shame; and then the bestial spirit in this monster of false lust and poisonful concupiscence brake forth, and reviled the precious heavenly image, and made itself master.n7413 ¶576
28. And thus Christ must, in our soul, and in our disappeared and again revived noble Sophia, cover the shame of our father Adam and his children; for he would therefore not be born of the seed of man; but out of the heavenly, disappeared ens, and brought his living ens of the holy world thereinto; that so he might cover with his heavenly ens our monstrous shame 1 of the soul's property, which Adam's lust had uncovered.n7413 ¶577
1 Text, seed.n7413 ¶578
29. The corrupt nature which had opened itself now in Paradise, went along in all men; and though the image of God was again regenerate in the spirit of the saints, as in a figurative form until the fulfilling of Christ in the flesh, yet the monstrous image was propagated all along in all in the earthly property.n7413 ¶579
30. But seeing the first earthly world of the human property was drowned in the flood, and there the first monarchies ceased, the same figure did forthwith represent itself again in Noah and his three sons. So that now the spirit does here signify from the very stock and root of the human property, how it should afterwards be, viz. the tree of man would in its properties introduce itself into boughs and branches; that is, spread forth itself into distinct nations and governments; and that they would not all know the only God according to the light of his grace; and how that God would represent unto them the light of grace in the generation of Shem.n7413 ¶580
31. For Noah says, Blessed be the God of Shem, and let Japheth dwell in Shem's tents. By the God of Shem he means the holy Word in the Covenant, intimating how the same would manifest itself. And then the Japhites or Gentiles, which lived in the light of nature, should come to the light of grace manifested from the generation of Shem ;n7413 ¶581
and enter into Shem's tents, and dwell therein. This did point at the Gentiles, who before knew only of the light of nature, but when the Word did manifest itself in the person of Christ, with the gracious light of the Gospel, they came into the light of grace.n7413 ¶582
32. And even here Ham, viz. the fleshly lust-spirit, must be in its own property and selfhood a servant among the children of light, for the children of God do compel him to servitude and keep him under, and take away his reviling scorning will. For the spirit of Ham, which Noah cursed, does intimate how this Ham's spirit would be great upon the earth, and go on only in its own proud monstrous and bestial knowledge, and scoff at the children of the light, account them fools, because they hope upon something else, which they do not outwardly see.n7413 ¶583
33. Thus the spirit in Noah points out unto us three sorts of men; first it signifies the children of faith, who nakedly and merely look upon the hidden light of God's grace, and have the same shining in their hearts.n7413 ¶584
34. The other would look upon the light of nature and reason, and would endeavour to fathom and search out the hidden light by the strength of reason, and that they would therefore contend, dispute, wrangle and jangle, and bring forth many wonderful strange monsters and conceits out of the light of nature, and set them up for gods, or God's light, as it has so come to pass among the Christians and Gentiles.n7413 ¶585
35. The third sort would be of Ham's nature and generation; and know neither the light of nature nor grace; but walk as the beast, and be only titular verbal praters and literal children, and, moreover, mockers, scoffers, and fleering apes, who would also be called the children of God. But their knowledge would be only of the external stone church; a mere custom, and verbal round of a service of God, 1 where the mouth would use indeed the name of God; but the heart would only bring forth a bestial spirit to earthly pride, lust and pleasure.n7413 ¶586
1 Or Divine Service as they call it.n7413 ¶587
36. Thus the spirit of Shem, Ham and Japheth would dwell together in one congregation. Shem's generation in faith hidden among the Japhites, as a poor, disesteemed, contemned, abject people.n7413 ¶588
But the tribe of Japheth would set forth themselves with great plausible words, with great and huge ostentation of God's service; but yet it would be but as an hypocrisy and seeming holiness, proceeding from the light of nature. But Ham's lineage would be full of gluttony and drunkenness, scoffing, and reviling, and they would mock at both, viz. the children of the Cain-like seeming holiness, and also at the children of the true light; and would live as the wild brute beast; and yet in their swinish life would be children of grace by an outward appropriation or adoption.n7413 ¶589
37. This Ham has now the dominion in Christendom; he has flattered with Japheth, so that he has set him up by the light of nature an external specious divine worship, as a titular God. This titular God has covered Ham, in his bestial Sodomitical spirit, with a very fair and glorious covering, under the purple mantle of Christ; and laid under his head great sacks full 1 of the light of grace; and these the bestial mouth-spirit of Ham must take along with it; and when it must indeed die, then it has whole sacks full of the light of grace.n7413 ¶590
1 Or satchels full.n7413 ¶591
38. But the light of grace remains only in the sacks, and Ham's spirit remains in itself an evil beast; and cannot truly open the sacks and take out the light of grace. This Ham's spirit is accursed, and shall not inherit God's kingdom; unless it be really born again out of the light of grace; otherwise the sacks and coverings avail him not at all.n7413 ¶592
39. For a beast goes into the sanctuary [or to holy service of God] , and remains a beast when he comes thence. Your seeming holiness and devotion, your comforting, flattering and soothing up yourself, avails nothing, unless you return again into your first mother, from whence man is originally proceeded, and become as a little, new born child, and let Ham and Japheth go, with all their arts and pratings.n7413 ¶593
40. For Japheth obtains it not in his specious glistering kingdom; unless he enter into Shem's tent, viz. into the light of grace, so that the same may be born in him. Outward adopted children avail not in God's account; but innate children, born anew of the heavenly ens in Christ spirit; and whosoever has not the same is already judged (John iii. 18).n7413 ¶594