The Clearest Figure of the New-Man Regenerated out of the Earthly Oldn7427 ¶1
A Looking Glass, wherein everyone may try, examine, and discern what Spiritsn7427 ¶2
Child himself is.n7427 ¶3
Written by JACOB BEHM , Teutonicusn7427 ¶4
Beginning at the XXXVII Chapter of Genesis, and the 64 of this Mysterium Magnum, and at the 6 Verse, and ending at the L and last Chapter of Genesis, and the 78 and last Chapter of the Mysterium Magnum.n7427 ¶5
LONDON, printed by Matthew Simmons. 1654.n7427 ¶6
Of Esau 's Genealogyn7427 ¶7
6. THE thirty- seventh chapter,l concerning Joseph, is indeed the most pleasant and excellent figure of the new man regenerate out of the old Adam. Which [new regenerate man] is become a prince over the kingdom of nature, and also a lord over all his Adamical members, being the brethren of the little child Jesus in him; as Joseph became a prince in the whole land of Egypt, and a lord over all his brothers, and whole kindred and family (Gen. xlii. 6). And it shows us very emphatically and pregnantly in its figure in the history, how a man must become such a Joseph; also how it then goes with him, and how the world deals with him, before he be made a prince over the Adamical kingdom of his nature, and that the new man may obtain the government and power over his earthly members: How the devil in the wrath of God does assault the precious lily-twig in the power of God, out of which the chaste Joseph springs, grows, and is brought forth; and first casts him down into the pit of darkness in flesh and blood, and there hides him, that so he might be destitute of all help, comfort and assistance, and be even forced to perish.n7427 ¶8
7. As Joseph's brethren did to Joseph, even so the earthly members of the old Adam do likewise to this lily-twig of the new birth in the chastity of Christ's spirit; whereat the devil is also busy, and continually stirs up the evil beasts, full of carnal, greedy, and burning lust in flesh and blood, so that they strive to domineer and have the upperhand.n7427 ¶9
8. Externally, or from without, the devil also brings Potiphar's wife, viz. unchaste lewd people to him, who would fain defile the chaste countenance of the inward ground, and egg on the earthly flesh to feed upon the whoredom of the world, and all lascivious lewdness, wantonness and vanity, and draw the same unto it with the imagination; and bring the new Joseph to commit adultery withn7427 ¶10
Potiphar's wife. But he must so violently and resolvedly break through, and force his way from thence, that he must be fain to leave his garment, that is, his substance,2 and fly from thence nakedly, and resignedly in spirit and power, that his chaste virginity may abide steadfast before God.n7427 ¶11
1 Gen. xxxvii.n7427 ¶12
2 All whatsoever he has, or is.n7427 ¶13
9. And if Joseph does thus wrestle, and suffers not flesh and blood nor the base world to hinder or over-master him; then it will become his utter enemy, and betray him to death, because he will not commit lewdness and whoredom with her. And then Joseph, viz. the wrestling man,l is cast into prison, viz. into reproach and contempt for the sake of his chastity and fear of God; and he must hide himself under Christ's cross, under his yoke, in his suffering and death, and live as a prisoner in misery; the world rejecting him as one not at all worthy to tread upon the earth; accounting him as a prisoner, that is imprisoned and despised for whoredom's sake; desiring to have no converse nor intercourse with him, seeing that the chief masters and great ones (viz. Potiphar's wife) do revile him, and accuse him of unchastity.n7427 ¶14
10. Which wife does also signify the false [Babylonish] hypocritical whore, with all her dissemblers and flatterers in the fine adorned house of Christendom; who, when they cannot catch and hold Joseph with their whoredom, but that he does strongly get away from them, then they exclaim out against him falsely, and keep his garment for a sign, accusing him of unchastity, viz. of idolatry [and heresy] ,2 and call him a dreamer, a phantastical fellow,3 and a schismatic: as happened to Joseph.n7427 ¶15
11. And when the master hears it, then he believes this Potiphar's wife, viz. the painted, and fine, accomplished hypocrite, in the house of hypocrisy. And so Joseph comes to be suspected of the master, and is rejected of him, and cast into the prison of affliction, and there he must live in misery and scorn, as a guilty person: and yet not guilty.n7427 ¶16
12. But this contempt, banishment and affliction is good for him; for thereby he is drawn from the pride and whoredom of the world and all its falsehoods, which might assault his flesh and blood, and hinder the new birth. And thus the precious pearl-plant grows under Christ's cross, in the disrespect and tribulation of the world, and becomes great and strong.n7427 ¶17
1 The real, earnest, conflicting Christian.n7427 ¶18
2 One, of dangerous principles or opinions.n7427 ¶19
3 A whimsical fellow.n7427 ¶20
13. But in the meantime God does send honest people to such an7427 ¶21
Joseph, who take pity and care of him, and maintain him, and acknowledge his innocency, and show themselves friendly and kind towards him, and consider his chastity and fear of God, and do also respect him, and provide for him, till the inward prince in God's power be fit for the government. And then God brings him out of prison, and gives him the sceptre of government, to be a prince in his wonders, and to rule and govern in divine knowledge over God's wonderful works: as Joseph over the land of Egypt. In which type and figure 1 this pen is likewise born, and indeed no otherwise; which yet is hidden unto reason.n7427 ¶22
14. This is now the sum of the exposition of the history of Joseph : But seeing it is so very rich and full, we will make a fundamental explanation upon the text, for a direction and manuduction to the loving Reader, who also intends to become a Joseph. If he shall be in earnest, and learn to observe and know himself in this figure, he will see what spirit's child has made these writings; for he will find this pen [engraving or writing] 2 in his heart.n7427 ¶23
15. The text says, Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, namely, in the land of Canaan. These are the generations of Jacob: Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he had begotten him in his old age:n7427 ¶24
and he made him a coat of many colours. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak friendly to him (Gen. xxxvii. 1-4).n7427 ¶25
16. Jacob had cast his fleshly natural love upon Rachel, seeing she was fair; and seeing that the line of Christ in the Covenant did lie in Jacob, Rachel was shut up. So that his seed was not manifested in her in the natural manner of the flesh, until Jacob and Rachel were grown old, and neither of them loved each other so any more according to fleshly love, but only desired a fruit of their seed; wherefore also Jacob and Rachel prayed unto God, that he would open her, and make her fruitful. And when this was brought to pass, out of this seed of Jacob sprang forth a line, which did set forth and represent a figure of the pure natural and right Adamical humanity. Which birth, in the figure, typifies how Christ would again beget the Adamical humanity in 3 its primitive chastity, purity, and fear of God.n7427 ¶26
1 In such a condition.n7427 ¶27
2 That pen of iron or point of a diamond it is that engraves in the heartn7427 ¶28
3 Unto.n7427 ¶29
17. For in Leah, viz. in the simplicity and lowliness, the line of Christ arose and sprang forth, and in Rachel the line of the first Adamical man in his innocency, viz. a figure of the same; which figure did represent how a Christian should stand at once both in Christ's image and in Adam's image; and what a Christian in this world should be inwardly and outwardly, and how he must become a Christian. Therefore says the text, Jacob loved Joseph more than all his children. The cause was this: Joseph was sprung forth out of Jacob's own natural line, of his peculiar natural love to Rachel, wherein the line in Christ's love in the Covenant had also imprinted and manifested itself; and it was a punctual representation in the figure of a new regeneration, how a true Christian should stand, after that Christ should be revealed in the flesh of the human nature.n7427 ¶30
18. And therefore Joseph was so inclined in his mind that he could not conceal any falsehood, but when he heard any evil of his brethren he told the same to his father. This his brethren could not brook, and therefore they called him a betrayer, and envied him: for the spirit which reproves wickedness and falsehood was revealed in him. For Christ should reprove the world for sin (John xvi. 8). But seeing he now did represent a Christian, he told it his father, out of whom HE should come who should reprove the world. And we see very clearly how flesh and blood [viz. Joseph's natural brethren] in the type of Christendom became an utter enemy to the type [viz. to the true Christian Joseph] , and they could not speak a friendly peaceable word unto him; for it does sorely vex and of fend the Serpent in flesh and blood, when Christ comes and will bruise its head.n7427 ¶31
19. Moreover, we see very evidently how the spirit of God did manifest itself in Joseph, and signified to him the figure of his constellation; so that he could understand dreams and visions, after the same manner as the prophets in the spirit of Christ saw visions, and could expound them: so also Joseph.n7427 ¶32
20. As it was shown unto him in a vision how he would be a prince over his father, and all his brethren; which does directly point out the inward man in the spirit of Christ, who becomes prince over his Father's Adamical house. In the type and figure whereof Joseph stood outwardly, and therefore the external figure was set forth and personated in him by the hatred of his brethren towards him; signifying how the multitude of the world would be hateful, scornful, and opposite enemies to the new child in Christ's spirit; and also how it would be done by those who were Christians, and did boast of Christ, and were also such in the inward ground; and how the Adamical man would not know and acknowledge Christ in a true outward and manifest manner, but ignorantly despise and contemn him in his brethren and members.n7427 ¶33
21. To signify that in this world Christ has taken on himself the reproach, in the righteousness of God; and that he would not only in his own human person suffer scorn, and bear Adam's reproach (seeing Adam departed from the image of God), but that he would also suffer himself to be reproached in all his members and children; so that he would also bear Adam's reproach in them, and make them like to his image (Rom. viii. 29).n7427 ¶34
22. Therefore must Jacob's children, who also were in Christ's line according to their natural Adamical man, reproach, revile and hate the image of a true Christian man in Joseph. To show how one Christian would exercise, provoke [and persecute] another in zeal, and despise his fellow-Christian for a natural opinion's sake; as it now is and ever has been practised in Christendom [namely], that the one party has despised, contemned and hated the other, because of natural laws [rights or privileges] and the opinions of a supposed service of God.n7427 ¶35
23. As Joseph was hated of his brethren because he had visions,l so nowadays is the divine wisdom (which reveals itself in God's children) vilified and hated of the natural Adam. Which scorn and enmity does wholly proceed and arise from the Pharisaical laws and canons, from the concubine of Christ, the stone-churches, and their ministers, which do disgrace and vilify the concubine of Christ themselves, as it appears very evidently; and thereby they contemn and despise the children of Christ.n7427 ¶36
24. For by the concubine of Christ, the churches, the Babylonish tower of the high schools and universities is built; and from thence come the confused languages,2 so that Christ is not understood in his children. When they, in the simplicity of Christ, declare and expound the visions of Joseph [the Mysteries of Christ's kingdom], then these strange languages despise it, for they have gotten upon the tower other languages, from the compaction of the sensual tongues, where every sense of the literal spirits has brought itself into a form of a several peculiar tongue or speech.n7427 ¶37
1 Or, for the knowledge of his visions.n7427 ¶38
2 The confusion of several opinions and conceits in men's minds.n7427 ¶39
25. And the height of the tower gives the difference or distinction of speech to this sensual tongue, so that they do not understand one another in their understanding [or ground of their meaning]. Which height signifies the pride of self-love, from which the five vowels do hide themselves, so that they understand not the power of God (Matt. xxii. 29) in God's children, in the simplicity of Joseph, but call him a dreamer) an expounder of signs, a schismatic, a phantastical fellow, an enthusiast and a fool.n7427 ¶40
26. Thus, in the room and place of our Adamical guilt and crime,n7427 ¶41
Christ is despised in his children; and thus Christ fulfills the righteousness of God (Matt. iii. 15) in his children; and hereby the old man is also mortified. And it is well for the Christian Joseph that it goes thus with him, for otherwise he would not be thrown into the world's pit, and be sold to the Midianites, that he might come to Pharaoh, and there become a prince.n7427 ¶42
27. Therefore a Christian must not be grieved and perplexed at the hatred of his brethren (in that they hate Joseph), but rather think with himself: O! that you also were cast into Joseph's pit, that you might thereby be brought away from the house of sin, and come likewise into Joseph's prison, that so you might have cause to fly from the world; and that this prince (that gives Joseph to understand the divine visions in his word of power) might be also manifest and born under the banner of Christ's cross; that in you also the divine chastity of Joseph (the pure Christian virginity) might be manifested, that you likewise might obtain such a godly, chaste heart. This ought to be the wish and will of a Christian, and not that he may become great by means of the tower of Babel in the strange languages; of whose difference and several variety the height [of the tower], viz. pride, is the author and cause; so that men will not understand one another in love, meekness, humility, and in the simplicity of Christ, in whom notwithstanding we live and have our being (Acts xvii. 28).n7427 ¶43
28. Therefore, O you poor, confused and distracted Christendom, you are bidden and entreated, by the affliction of Joseph, to see from whence your affliction and misery comes: from no whither else, save only from the hatred of your brethren, which also are in Christ's line, as Joseph's brethren. Observe it aright, your wound and hurt, your misery and affliction, does come only from the tower of Babel, from the titles, dignities and preferments of your brethren, who, in their pride of the confused tongues, are entered into self-love. Observe it, I beseech you: all strife, division and contention in the world arises from thence.n7427 ¶44
29. But you say, This tower [does advance me to honour and esteem, and] makes me high [and rich]; so that I, by means of the strange languages [of my literal endowments and scholastic learning], can ride over Joseph, and am able to bind him, so that he must lie in the pit; and thus I am lord in Christ's kingdom upon the earth.n7427 ¶45
30. Hearken, and mark it. We have heard a watchman say, The Midianites come and take Joseph with them, and bring him unto Pharaoh. And there your unfaithfulness and unrighteousness shall be discovered. How will you then stand before the face of Joseph ? The time is nigh at hand.n7427 ¶46
31. Or do you think that the aflliction of Joseph shall not be avenged? Behold! in your miserable famine and distress, when you shall hunger and thirst, even then you must make your address and supplication to him. The high tower will give you neither comfort nor deliverance: the time is come about that Joseph's affliction is to be avenged, and Reuben's whoredom with Jacob's concubine is come before Israel.n7427 ¶47
32. why do you make such long delay, and flatter yourself; playing the hypocrite, and say: Not yet, a good while? Behold! it is come before the eyes of Israel, that you have committed whoredom a long time with the concubine, and defiled the line of Christ. Israel will no longer endure it; you shall with Reuben be cast out of the high office of sacrificing and governing: This is the voice which the watchmen have pronounced.n7427 ¶48
33. When Joseph had had the two dreams: the one, of his sheaf standing upright, before which the sheaves of his brethren bowed; the other of the sun, moon, and eleven stars, which had done obeisance to Joseph: envy forthwith arose amongst them, and they supposed he would be their lord (Gen. xxxvii. 5-10); and seeing that they were the elder they desired to rule over him.n7427 ¶49
34. Whereby we see how the outward man has only sought and aimed at the kingdom of this world; which was even the bane and undoing of Adam, in that he forsook the inward and sought after the outward.n7427 ¶50
35. Joseph's parti-coloured coat which his father made (Gen. xxxvii. 3) signifies how the inward power of God would again be revealed through the outward man, whereby the human nature would be variously coloured (that is, mixed with God), as the inward spiritual kingdom with the outward.n7427 ¶51
The spiritual figure stands thus:n7427 ¶52
36. Joseph, with his coat of many colours, was as yet a lad, both tender and young, and had not yet the wit, craft and subtlety of the world, but spoke the truth in simplicity; for his soul was not yet defiled from without with the craft of lying; and the spirit of God began to drive him forward: 1 for his coat of many colours was a figure of the inward.n7427 ¶53
37. This figure prefigures and represents to us the image of a true young scholar and beginner in Christianity, how he must be when the spirit of God shall drive and act in him; namely, he must turn his heart to God his Father, and learn to love him heartily. As Joseph loved to be with his father, and told him the evil that was committed among his children, so must a beginner in Christianity daily bring before God all his own miseries, and the miseries and sins of all that belong to him; yea, of all Christendom. As Daniel confessed the sins of the people of Israel before God; and Joseph the evils of his brethren before his father; so also a true Christian does daily confess the misery and sin of his people and nation, in hearty compassion, that God would be merciful to them and preserve them from great evils and sins.n7427 ¶54
38. And when this is brought to pass his heart becomes very simple, honest and upright, for he desires no craft, but would fain have all things proceed righteously and justly; and he cannot abide any unrighteousness or subtle dealings; for he always confesses the people's unrighteousness before God. And thus his mind becomes altogether simple, and seeks no kind of craft or subtlety; but puts his hope and confidence in God, and lives in the simplicity and lowliness of heart before God and the world. And he is as the tender young lad Joseph; for he hopes for good continually from God his Father.n7427 ¶55
39. Now when a man is come so far, then Joseph [viz. the chaste virgin child of Sophia] is even born; then God his Father clothes his soul with the parti-coloured coat, viz. with the divine power; and forthwith the spirit of God in him begins to play with the soul: as he did with Joseph. For the spirit of God sees through the soul, and with the soul (as Joseph, in the type, saw things which were to come, represented to him in the vision of dreams, whereby the spirit did also play with the soul), even so the spirit of God does forthwith take delightful communion with the soul of a new Joseph, viz. with the inward spiritual world. So that the soul understands divine mysteries, and sees into the eternal life, and knows the hidden world, which yet is to be revealed in man: as this pen has found by experience, from whence it has received its spirit of knowledge.n7427 ¶56
1 Work, act, or move in him.n7427 ¶57
40. Now when this man begins to speak of divine things and visions, of the hidden world's divine mysteries, and speaks forth the wonders of God, and that his brethren (viz. the children of the outward world in whom the hidden spiritual world is not yet manifest) do hear it, they count it a mere fable and a melancholy chimera and whimsey, and esteem him foolish, in that he speaks of those things which they cannot understand and comprehend; they make a mere fancy and fiction of it. Also they account it some astral instigation or false enthusiasm, or the like; especially if he reveals and reproves their evil works and ways, as Joseph did; then they turn his open enemies, and grudge him his very life, as happened to Joseph.n7427 ¶58
41. Now when it is thus, reason beholds itself at a stand as if it were confounded, and knows not the ways of God, viz. that it must be thus with the children of God. It thinks, you seek God, and he brings you into distress and misery: thus this man does now wander up and down; as Joseph wandered in the wilderness when his father sent him to his brethren to see how it was with them.n7427 ¶59
42. So it goes likewise with God's new children, when God's spirit sends them to be zealous about the affliction of Joseph; and the world does every way hate and persecute them for it. Then they think, in the reason of this world, do you not go in the ways of God? wherefore then does it go so with you, that you are but the fool of the world? And then the mind begins to be troubled, and knows not how it is with it; for he hears that he is everywhere accused for a frantic wicked person, and hated; for the young mind in flesh and blood understands not the divine process; viz. how reason must become a fool, and how Christ does very willingly take upon himself in man, the reproach and scorn of the devil, and of the world; and how God's righteousness, and Adam's propagated guilt, must be always fulfilled with suffering, [and] how a Christian must stand in Christ's figure.n7427 ¶60
43. And now when it comes to be thus, then reason goes truly a-wandering in great sorrow and desertion with Joseph in the wilderness; and is every way in distress: and yet he must perform his father's commandment and will. But God forsakes not his Joseph; but sendeth him a man to comfort him, and show him the way to his brethren; as happened to Joseph, when he was a-wandering in the wilderness.n7427 ¶61
44. That is, he sends to him also a truly zealous Christian, who knows his ways, and comforts him, exhorting him to persevere constantly in the ways of God. Whereby this new Joseph does again receive courage and strength, and comes into the right way, and goes readily and boldly to his brethren, and sees what they do, and what they intend.n7427 ¶62
45. That is, he sets the command and will of God before themn7427 ¶63
(as Joseph did the command of his father). And when they see that he will reprove them with God's word, then they cry out, Lo! there is a dreamer (Gen. xxxvii. 19), and a frantic fellow; he will come and make us believe strange things; he inveighs against our good customs, wherein we have honour and good days. What, shall this fellow reprove us? He is not come from the high schools [and universities]; and yet will take upon him to teach and reprove us; let us consult how we may take him out of the way, and slay him. What, shall we endure this poor silly fellow to teach and reprove us? What is he? He is but a layman; and shall he control us ? Moreover, he is not called; and it is none of his vocation; he puts himself forth only that he might be taken notice of ; and get himself some name and fame among the people. But we will so silence him that he shall be the fool of all the world; we will lay his honour in prison, and make him be scorned, hated and persecuted, for an example to others that shall offer to assault or trouble us; that so he may learn to tarry at home, and attend his worldly vocation, and leave it to us to judge of divine matters, who are appointed and authorised by the magistrate, and have studied in the universities, and there have learned such things.n7427 ¶64
46. Thus they take the poor Joseph, which comes to them by his father's command, and bind him with reproach and shame, and exclaim against him falsely; and rob him of his coat of many colours in the sight of all his brethren, which coat God his Father has made him; as Jacob's sons did to Joseph, and continually consult how to kill him, and take him wholly out of the way, as Joseph's brethren did (Gen. xxxvii. 18-20).n7427 ¶65
47. But as Reuben the eldest brother did hinder it, and would not suffer them to kill Joseph, and yet, that he might not be wholly against their council, he said, Behold, here is a pit in the wilderness, into that we will cast him. And send his coat of many colours to his father, that he may think some evil beast has devoured him (Gen. xxxvii. 22). So God raises in their council, Reuben the eldest brother, who has power to hinder the counsels and decrees of the false Pharisees; viz. some honest, pious man in authority, who resists the murdering council of the Pharisees.n7427 ¶66
48. And although he does not wholly oppose their counsels, yet he resists and stops the actual execution of their wills, and says,n7427 ¶67
Kill him not; cast him only into the pit, and strip him of his coat of many colours, that he may have no more dreams. And this he does that he may deliver him from the murdering sword.n7427 ¶68
49. But they take him (as Joseph's brethren did Joseph) and strip him of his coat of many colours, and cast him into the pit in the wilderness, and take his coat of many colours and dip it in goat's blood, and send it so to his father (Gen. xxxvii. 23,24, 31,32). That is to say, they deprive and bereave him of his honour and good name by their slanderings, and take his words and doctrine, and make false constructions and conclusions thereof and bedaub them in goat's blood, that is, with false understanding and sense; and send forth such reproaching pamphlets and libels among the people, and before his father, viz. before the whole Church and Commonwealth, and cry out, Lo! this defiled coat is this man's. And thus they murder the spirit of his father, in the coat; that is, in his name they scandalise, slander and reproach him falsely, and say of him that he does vilify the blood of Christ with his coat of many colours. And thus they deceive his father, viz. the whole congregation, with the false goat's blood, wherein they have dipped his coat; so that the people think, A wild beast has torn Joseph in pieces (Gen. xxxvii. 33); that is, they think the devil has possessed this man, and that he is a false [wicked]n7427 ¶69
50. Thus the father, viz. the people and the magistrates are, by this defiled coat, deceived by [the sleight of ] Joseph's brethren; that is, by those who themselves are to teach the way of God, so that they think that the devil has devoured this man, and has possessed his heart. And thus the poor Joseph is thrown down into the desolate pit in the wilderness, and lies in misery, as in a pit wherein there is no water (Zech. ix. 11), and wherein he can neither be drowned, nor receive any refreshment; but sits as wholly forsaken of all the world; and waits now what God will do with him, since he thus rejects him by men.n7427 ¶70
51. Here now he has no help or succour from any man; his best friends also account him mad and foolish; his name is as an owl among the birds; for thus he must pass through the judgement of God, and be even the scorn of all men. If he shall attain to the contemplation of the Divine Mysteries, then he must first be judged, and come under the censure and judgement of the world; that they may judge his inbred sins, and sacrifice them before God, that he, in the figure of Christ, 1 may force through the judgement of God, and come to the divine vision within himself.n7427 ¶71
52. Thus a right true Christian [before he attains the science of the Divine Mysteries] must be wholly severed from the pleasure and honour of the world, and become altogether foolish, and a child to his own reason in himself; and also outwardly be accounted a fool, as the world likewise esteems him a foolish silly fellow, when he forsakes temporal honour and goods for the hope of the eternal good which he sees not.n7427 ¶72
53. And when it goes thus with poor Joseph, that he must lie in the miserable pit, his brethren are not yet content that they have cast him into the pit, but they draw him out from thence, and sell him to the Midianites, that he may be carried from them into a strange and foreign country (Gen. xxxvii. 28). That is, they take his name and doctrine, and send them into foreign countries, whereby Joseph's coat of many colours does by divine appointment and providence come to be known.n7427 ¶73
54. But they intend treacherously and falsely towards him, and so sell Joseph to reproach, derision and servitude, to serve the world, and to be their footstool and scorn; as happened to Joseph from his brethren, and has also happened to this pen.n7427 ¶74
55. Thus Joseph is brought into Egypt, and sold for a slave (Gen. xxxvii. 36). But God is with him, and gives him understanding and wisdom, that he is made his master's steward, so that his master does 2 nothing without him, but entrusts him with all things (Gen. xxxix. 1-4). So also when the spirit of Joseph (though in a spiteful manner) is sold into strange countries, where his person is not known; yet the wise do take especial notice of the spirit [of his sense and meaning] and know him, and see that God has given him his wisdom and spirit, and receive his writings and doctrine, and order their whole life according to it. And thus Joseph comes to sit in the chief office of Pharaoh's steward, and governs his whole house.n7427 ¶75
1 Or, as a follower of Christ. 2 Or, undertakes.n7427 ¶76
56. But for all this Joseph is not yet passed through the judgement, for even in this government he first meets with the greatest danger of his life: for there the steward's wife burns in lust towards him (Gen. xxxix. 7). That is, the false sects, who would fain woo and wed themselves into his spirit, and therewith adorn their doctrine and doings, for temporal honour, art and science. And if this Joseph's spirit will not mix itself with their human fiction and fables, then they exclaim against him, and say all manner of evil of him, and accuse him of unchastity, viz. of false doctrine; and appeal him before the steward, that is, the magistrate.n7427 ¶77
57. And then Joseph must he cast into prison, and lie there captive (Gen. xxxix. 20), and be tried to purpose, till God shall bring him out again from thence, and set him before Pharaoh. And then his wisdom and fear of God is revealed, that it is plainly discerned and known that his understanding is given him of God; and so his understanding is made ruler over the land of Egypt, so that he rules not only strange nations, but his own brethren must at length also come unto him in their famine, when the right understanding of the divine manifestation [and mystery] is scarce and rare with them; and he nourishes them also by his wisdom. Thus God has sent him aforehand to be their father, that they afterwards must be fain to come and seek and enjoy their brother Joseph's wisdom among other 1 nations.n7427 ¶78
58. For so also did Israel persecute the prophets (Matt. v. 12), till they [Israel] were brought into darkness and idolatry in the lust of their flesh; and all those things came upon them of which the prophets told them; and then, when they sat in hunger and misery, and their land was full of abomination, they sought out the writings of the prophets; and even then they acknowledged that what they [the prophets] had spoken was true, and that they had done them [the prophets] wrong, and adorned their graves, and said, Had we lived in our forefathers' time, we would not have killed them (Matt, xxiii. 29, 30). But the Most High does so order his judgement that it begins at the house of Israel; and he extinguishes his anger and indignation in the children of grace: for the blood of the saints, in the power of Christ, has at all times resisted the anger, so that Israel has not been consumedn7427 ¶79
1 Or, strange.n7427 ¶80
59. Joseph was sold for twenty pieces of silver (Gen. xxxvii. 28), and Christ for thirty (Matt. xxvi. 15); to signify that the humanity of Christ is higher and more perfect than the humanity of others which are his children, seeing he was not conceived of the seed of man, but sprang forth in the natural tincture in the light's property. But the Adamical soul is from the fire's property, from whence the light receives its original and manifestation; so that the light's property in Christ assumed the fire's property, viz. the Adamical soul; and the inward hidden [divine and heavenly being] which was sealed up and quite faded as to the light's life, in Adam, did again open and put forth itself afresh.n7427 ¶81
60. Therefore, seeing a Christian is under Christ, and in Christ becomes again manifest in God, the figure of Christ is represented here in this figure in the number of 30, and that of a Christian in the number of 20: for a Christian is sold into the hands of men to suffer; but Christ must not only suffer in the hands of men, but give himself up also to the wrath of God, whereupon he sweat blood.n7427 ¶82
61. And this whole history of Joseph does excellently decipher to us how a Christian stands in his figure before God and the world: for the whole acts 1 of Joseph do point out how Adam comes to be a Christian; how he must in the process of Christ be put into Christ's figure, and become an image of Christ; and how God does in Christ's process exalt him again in the kingdom of Christ, and sets him at the right hand of God: as Joseph was set at the right hand of King Pharaoh after that he had continued in the process of Christ, and was brought through it.n7427 ¶83
1 Or, history.n7427 ¶84
The Sixty-Fifth Chaptern7427 ¶85
Of Judah and Tamar: being a Mystical Figure of Adam and Christ, in which the New Birth is excellently prefigured [Gen. xxxviii.]n7427 ¶86
1. WHEN we consider the history of Joseph according to outward reason, then reason demands, wherefore Joseph's history is not set down together in the Bible without any interruption, whereas one act followed so upon another. Why does Moses put this typical figure of Judah and Tamar between? But ifwe look upon, examine and consider this history of Judah and Tamar, and likewise the figure of Joseph, with a right understanding, we find and see that the Holy Ghost has of set purpose so ordered and disposed them in their right and true order.n7427 ¶87
2. For Joseph represents a true Christian, showing how he must behave himself before God, and the world, and how he is put in the process and figure of Christ. But this history of Judah and Tamar is a figure of a Christian's growth out of Adam's image, according to the humanity in the kingdom of nature; showing how he must spring forth out of the first Adamical image, and how this same Adamical image is evil and must die, which the anger of God kills; and yet that the first right must stand; that a Christian, according to the human nature and property, is only the Adamical image, and no new or strange thing; and how Christ manifests himself in this Adamical evil image, and kills the evil; and yet during the time of this life outwardly it hangs to a Christian: this the spirit here powerfully prefigures.n7427 ¶88
3. Here we see a powerful figure in Judah, in whom stood the line of Christ in the order of the genealogy, out of which Christ was to be manifested: This Judah went away from his brethren, and applied himself to a man of Odollam [Adullam], called Hirah. And there Judah saw a Canaanitish man 's daughter, called Shuah; and he took her and went in unto her, so she conceived and bare a son, and he called his name Er. And she conceived again and bare a son, whose name she called Onan. And she conceived once more and bare another son, whose name she called Shelah; and she was at Chezib when she bare him. And Judah gave his son Er a wife, whose name was Tamar: but Er was evil in the sight of the Lord, and therefore the Lord slew him. Then said Judah to Onan, Lie you with your brother's wife, and take her in marriage, that you may raise up seed to your brother. But Onan, knowing that the seed should not be his own, when he should lie with his brother's wife, he let it fall to the ground and destroyed it, lest he should give seed to his brother. And it was displeasing in the sight of the Lord, which he did, and the Lord slew him also (Gen. xxxviii. I- 10).n7427 ¶89
4. Judah stands here in the figure of Adam, in that condition as when the Covenant of grace concerning the seed of the woman was again inspired or inspoken into Adam: just so he stands in that same figure. Showing that the Covenant of grace stood in the evil Adam, as Adam then was; for as in Judah the time of Christ, viz. the Covenant of grace, was in motion, as a boundary reaching to Mary: so also it was in Adam, and so along to and in Judah.n7427 ¶90
5. And Tamar stands in the figure of Eve, into whom God had inspired or inspoken his Promise, the Word of Regeneration, that the seed of the woman, in the power of the Word, should break the Serpent's head. So she stands as an earthly Eve, in whom inwardly the Covenant of grace stood; and outwardly there was the corrupt Eve, which in this figure stands outwardly as a whore, out of whom yet the line of Christ sprang in Pharez her son: as Abel out of Eve, though Eve were indeed become earthly. And we see here the type very plainly, how the spirit plays and takes delight in this figure with the old and new Adam, as also with the old and new Eve.n7427 ¶91
6. For Adam was, in his lust, gone forth from his Father's house, as ]udah to the Canaanites, and had taken to him in his lustful desire the Canaanitish woman, the four elements, of whom he begat three sons. The first called [Er or] Ger, viz. self [will or] desire, wherein the kingdom of the nature of man stood in self-desire or own will. And this son was the first world before the deluge or flood; to this the father gave him his name, to signify that he lived in the father's nature.n7427 ¶92
7. The second son she called Onan, whom the mother called so, which pointed at the second world after the flood, for the nature of the Father, in man, said to God, O nein [O no], my Lord, drown me no more. And the mother, viz. the woman of this world, in spiritu mundi [in the spirit of the world], in the expressed or out-spoken word and life, gave her son this name. For God had inspired his grace again into her, that this her second son, viz. the other world, should not be drowned with water: therefore this name stands thus in the high figure, and is called Onan, for the spirit hides it in the High Tongue, and calls him Onan, or O nein [O no].n7427 ¶93
8. The third son she called Shelah, and she was at Chezib when she bare him. Chezib signifies in the High Tongue 1 an exhaling in and recomprehension. That is, this Shelah signifies the time of the manifestation of the Law, wherein the divine will in the Word has manifested itself through the expressed Word, and comprised it in a law or commandment.n7427 ¶94
1 Either theHebrew is here meant, or, rather, the Language of Nature.n7427 ¶95
9. These three sons signify the three times, from Adam to Christ: Er is the time before the flood, in selfwill, lust and desire; Onan is the second time after the flood. This son, viz. the world after the flood, has known God's judgement and punishment, which began to weep and lament before God, saying, O nein [Ono], Lord, punish us no more thus.n7427 ¶96
10. The third time, is the time of the Law, viz. a manifesting and laying open of sin, and is justly called Shelah: for this son says, I have found my soul again in the Lord. But it was not he yet which Tamar (that is, the hidden Eve, in whom the Covenant of grace lay) could marry: he could not raise up the seed of the woman. For Christ was as yet hidden in the law, therefore Tamar must wait till Shelah be grown up; that is, the Law must wait till the fullness of time. Yet nevertheless Tamar (that is, the new Eve, which lay hid under the veil of sin) must conceive through the spirit in the Covenant, and bear the line of Christ, hidden to the outward Tamar or Eve: as this figure of Judah and Tamar shows it.n7427 ¶97
11. Judah gave his first son a wife, called Tamar; but he was evil in the sight of the Lord, therefore the Lord slew him. That is, in the inward understanding, as much as to say, God gave to the first world, viz. to the first son Er, this Tamar, viz. the promised incorporated Covenant in the seed of the woman. But they looked only upon the outward Eve, and committed whoredom with her; so Tamar remained unfruitful by this son, and bare only the outward Eve in her whoredom. And thus Er, viz. the fleshly desire, was evil in the sight of the Lord, therefore the Lord slew him with the deluge.n7427 ¶98
12. When this son was slain, the spirit of God said to the second son after the deluge: Take you your brother's wife, and raise up in Tamar a seed out of the line of the Covenant. That is, enter you into the first Covenant of the woman's seed; and bring your will into the obedience of God, and work in the promised grace. But the second son, viz. the second world, would not marry with the divine will either, nor work in the grace, but spilt their seed upon the earth. That is, they set their desires upon earthly things, and would raise up no seed in the inward Eve in the Covenant of grace; but introduced their seed into earthly vessels, and bare children of fleshly voluptuousness: as is to be seen in the children of Nimrod, and presently after in Sodom and Gomorrah.n7427 ¶99
13. But God having signified his Covenant of grace to them by Noah, that he would no more slay them with water, when they said, o nein [O no], Lord, slay us thus no more, and they had promised to walk before him, and bring forth fruit to him; but they brought their seed into vanity, and spilt it before the Lord, and would not marry Tamar, viz. the inward Covenant of grace, but committed adultery with the earthly Eve, and spilt the seed of their soul before the inward Eve in the Covenant: then the Lord slew this Onan also, viz. Sodom and Gomorrah, and the heathen, when Israel drove them out of their land, and slew them. For those heathen would not marry the woman in the Covenant, but they married their own reason, and made them idols, and spilt the seed of their faith before them upon the earth, and therefore the Lord slew them also, as he did Onan.n7427 ¶100
14. And the spirit speaks further in the figure under an outward act done, and says, Then spoke Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, saying, Remain a widow in your father's house, till my son Shelah be grown up: for he thought, Perhaps he may die also, as his brethren. So Tamar went home and remained in her father's house (Gen. xxxviii. 11). In the first world before the flood, as also in the second world after the flood, the world lived free, without the divine law: for they were married with the Covenant of grace, and should have lived under the Covenant of grace, viz. under the promise of the woman's seed. This woman's seed married herself with them, as Judah's son with Tamar; but they only committed adultery with the earthly Eve, and so the true woman in the Covenant remained unfruitful in them.n7427 ¶101
15. But when God gave the Law, then he promised this woman, in the Covenant of grace under the Law, the true Shelah. But she, viz. the woman's seed in the Covenant, should remain a widow, under the Law, till Shelah grew up; that is, till the Law had attained its time and limit: in that, should the woman in the Covenant remain in her father's house, hidden under the Law, as a widow in her state and condition: for the Law should govern under it. But she, viz. the holy woman of grace, should be still and quiet, that the wrath of God (for the sake of this high grace which he gave to men, when they regarded it not, nor did not receive it and live therein) should not slay Israel also, as Judah thought the Lord would slay Shelah also.n7427 ¶102
16. And we rightly see in this figure, that this woman in the Covenant was not given to Shelah, viz. to the Law, though the Law waited long for it. Yet Shelah might not marry this woman in the Covenant of grace; but Judah, that is, God's word and power, must again lie with this woman's seed in the Covenant, and raise it up, that this woman conceived and bare the woman's seed. Which was fulfilled in Mary, as we see by the figure of Judah and Tamar,how Judah (when Tamar sat before the door, and waited for his promise that he would give her Shelah) did get her with child himself: for the Law could not get the right Tamar in the Covenant with child, but the word in the Covenant must move itselfand get Tamar with child.n7427 ¶103
17. For we see here the most powerful figure of the whole Old Testament: where Judah stands in the figure in the line of the Covenant, as his father Jacob declares concerning him; and Tamar his daughter in law, of whom the children of the Covenant should raise up seed in the time of Judah, stands in the figure of the inward and outward Eve. Inwardly she signifies the mother of the Covenant of grace, in which stood the incorporated Word of grace; and outwardly she stood in the figure of corrupted Eve, in whom the Covenant lay inwardly.n7427 ¶104
18. And now the line, that was sprung up out of this Covenant, should sow divine seed, and bring forth fruit in God's kingdom: and that they could not do, for their own self-power and might was lost. Therefore the first eternal speaking Word, that had inspired or inspoken the woman's seed into Eve, must again move itself, in this incorporated Covenant of grace in the woman's seed, and itself get this woman with child, that she may bring forth Christ: as Judah gat his daughter in law with child in this type.n7427 ¶105
19. The text of Moses says clearly, thus: When many days were overpassed, Shuah's daughter, Judah' s wife, died; and after Judah's time of mourning was out, he went up to shear his sheep at Timnath, with his shepherd, Hirah of Odollam [Adullam]. Then it was told Tamar, Behold, your father in law goes up to Timnath to shear his sheep. Then she put off her widow's apparel that she wore, and cast a mantle over her for a veil, and sat without, far from the door, in the way to Timnath: for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she was not given unto him to wife (Gen. xxxviii. 12-14).n7427 ¶106
20. In Judah lay the root of the Covenant, which pressed on to the limit, where it should be manifested in Christ: and so stood Judah here in this figure in the place or stead of the divine Word: which Word, God inspired or inspoke into Adam for an understanding life (John i). Therefore the text says here: Judah 's wife, the daughter of Shuah, died. This woman died to Adam: for it was the mother of the heavenly birth, in the heavenly world's substance, for which Adam mourned. And when God had ordered him for this world, then his mourning ceased; for he thought he was now at home, and went forth out of Paradise, to eat earthly fruit, like the beasts or living creatures: therefore says the spirit here: He sheared his sheep; which might well be done so by Judah. But the spirit has here the most secret figure, under which Adam is comprised: for the spirit says, Judah took his Shepherd Hirah of Odollam [Adullam] along with him.n7427 ¶107
21. In the figure, this Hirah is the [Cherub] Cherubim, which sticks in the earthly desire and bestial clothing of man; whichn7427 ¶108
Adam took with him, when he went out of Paradise, to shear the sheep of this world; for the same, viz. the earthly desire was his shepherd: for that now keeps the beasts and sheep, and did shear them also, so that Adam had clothes and things necessary.n7427 ¶109
22. And the spirit calls the place Timnath, where Judah had his sheep. In the High Tongue this understanding lies very clear in the sense; for Timnath is nothing else but the expressed word in its powerful re-expression; and it signifies the spirit of this world in the elements, wherein the outward mortal life consists; wherein Adam had his sheep, and now also therein has them in his children.n7427 ¶110
23. For in this place Shelah is born, viz. the law of nature, which offers righteousness to man; for which law, Tamar, viz. the Covenant of grace, waited a long time during Shelah's youth, to see whether the law could be married with the Covenant of grace. But it could not be, that God's righteousness could be fully performed by the law, and that Tamar, viz. the Grace in the covenant, and the law, might enter into marriage.n7427 ¶111
24. Now the spirit here signifies clearly, that when God's word had manifested itself in the world by the law; that Tamar, that is, the Covenant of grace, laid aside her widow's apparel, and had set herself in the way of the word in the law, where, under the law, the spirit of the prophets out of the line of Judah went onward concerning the kingdom of Christ. This spirit would have the Covenant of grace for a spouse, for it was the right [spirit] from which the prophets under the law pointed at Christ.n7427 ¶112
25. But Tamar, that is, the Covenant of grace, veiled her beautiful countenance from the earthly Adam, and was ashamed of the deformity of the earthly man, in that the children of the law, as also the prophets, were outwardly so earthly: even as Tamar veiled her countenance from Judah. But when the time was come that the Covenant should be manifested, then the spirit of the Covenant sets itself before Shelah, viz. before the law, for the grace should receive Adam into itself again: as Tamar received seed from Judah her father in law, and suffered herself to be gotten with child.n7427 ¶113
26. But the holy countenance of the Covenant of grace in its power remained yet hidden to Adam in the law, as also to the prophets, till Christ: as Tamar veiled her countenance from Judah her father in law, that he knew her not, so also the Covenant of grace stood in the law, but with a veiled countenance. And the spirit speaks further in Moses, and says :n7427 ¶114
27. Now when Judah saw her he supposed she was a whore, for she had covered her countenance; that is, when the children in the law heard the prophetical spirit speak of Christ, they supposed it was in their law, and of the law: but it had veiled its countenance, like Tamar. And Judah went towards her on the way, and said, Prithee let me lie with you: for he knew not that she was his daughter in law. That is, Adam's nature in the law said, to the prophetical spirit of grace, Pray let me come in unto you; lie with me, I will give you seed of my nature. And it knew not that God was in this spirit, and desired to mix with him after a creaturely manner; neither knew it that this prophetical spirit was the incorporated spirit in the Covenant, in man himself: so very blind was the Adamical nature concerning then7427 ¶115
28. The Adamical nature thought it was a whore, that sets itself forth so in the prophetical spirit before it: therefore have the Jews so often slain the prophets; for they supposed they heard a false whore's spirit speak. But here the figure of Judah shows that the first Adamical nature should mix with the Covenant of grace, that the heavenly ens would receive the Adamical human ens again into itself; and man himself would not understand what God would do with him.n7427 ¶116
29. The Adamical nature would indeed in its lust long after the heavenly ens, but would not know it. Although it should see the same, yet it would think, That is like unto me, I will commit whoredom therewith: so strange a thing is paradise become to Adam.n7427 ¶117
30. And when Tamar, with her face covered, presented herself before Judah in the way, and that he said to her, Lie with me; then said Tamar to Judah, What will you give me to lie with me ? He said, I will send you a kid from the flock. She answered, and said, Then give me a pledge till you send it. And he said, What will you have me give you for a pledge? She answered, and said, your ring, and your bracelet, and your staff which you have in your hand.n7427 ¶118
And he gave them to her, and lay with her, and she was with child by him. And she arose and went away, and laid off her mantle, and put her widow's apparel on again (Gen. xxxviii. 14-19).n7427 ¶119
31. Here the spirit alludes very finely in the figure, how Adam's nature lies with the presented new Eve in the Covenant, and yet knows her not; also how the Covenant lies with Adam's first right nature, and how they meet together in strange apparel, when Adam's nature says, Lie with me, and would have this Eve in the Covenant only for a little pleasure's sake, as the Adamical nature does in its selfhood, that it might only, in its false seeming holiness, lie with the new Eve. And its heart is far from the true wedlock marriage, and only draws near her in a hypocritical whoredom, as is done in the office of the Pharisees: Then says this Eve to the Adamical nature, What wilt you give me? Then this Adamical nature promised her a kid, that is, a bestial [desire and] will, full of the burning lust of flattery and hypocrisy.n7427 ¶120
32. But this Eve, viz. Tamar, says, Give me for a pledge thereof your ring,l staff and bracelet. The ring is the soul, which came from the Word of God: the bracelet is the spiritus mundi [the spirit of the world], viz. the outward spirit; and the staff is the body. These will the new Eve, viz. the line of Christ in the Covenant, have for a pledge: these ornaments 2 must Adam give for a pledge to the Covenant of grace, viz. of the woman's inward seed in the incorporated grace of the heavenly world's substance.n7427 ¶121
1 Seal, ring, or signet. 2 Habiliments, or precious jewels.n7427 ¶122
33. When this dear Eve in the seed of Mary should lie with Adam, and receive Adam's seed into her holy birth; as Judah, in whom lay the line of the Covenant, must give Tamar, who stood in the image and type of the new Eve, viz. of the heavenly world's substance; these ornaments and jewels, viz. his ring, bracelet and staff: Both which stood in the figure, showing how Christ should be manifested out of Adam's nature in Mary, wherein lay and was manifested the right Tamar or new Eve.n7427 ¶123
34. And when Tamar had gotten the ring, bracelet and staff for a pledge, she took them and laid them up, and asked not after the kid, but kept these jewels and went from thence with them, and changed herself again into her former widow's estate, and hid herself from Judah, that he knew not who she was, nor whence she came.n7427 ¶124
35. This now is the most excellent figure, showing how the spirit in the Covenant mingles and unites itself again with the heavenly world's substance, viz. with the new wedlock or Eve, viz. with Adam's faded substance, which is from the heavenly world's substance, which substance faded or vanished in the fall; viz. how God becomes man, and man becomes God, and how this image or type (conceived in the new divine seed) even then again hides itself from the earthly Adam,l that Eve must put on and wear her widow's apparel again, that the noble seed might not be known in this world. As is to be seen by the children of Christ, who are conceived of Christ according to the inward ground, how they must, after the wedding of the Lamb, viz. this divine wedlock or coition, which is indeed done in the soul with great joy; enter again into the state of mourning, and be forsaken in this world, as a poor widow.n7427 ¶125
1 One copy says Eve.n7427 ¶126
36. And as Tamar inquired not after the kid, but would have an eminent pledge; so the spirit of Christ in the Covenant inquires not after the outward solemnity and pageantry, wherein men will offer gifts to it: It will have the body, soul and spirit for a pledge.n7427 ¶127
37. In this figure it represents the Jewish offerings as a whoredom in the sight of God. For as Judah committed whoredom with Tamar, and intended only the whoredom, and would give a kid for it, so also stood the priests of the Law, and in seeming holiness and hypocrisy play the harlots with God, with the blood and flesh of beasts. Which indeed was a figure of the inward, and God was pleased to bear with it; but he would not accept their offerings, neither did he mix himself with the offering, but with the faith in the body, soul and spirit of man: whereof we have here an excellent example.n7427 ¶128
38. Judah had begotten three sons of the Canaanitish woman. But the line of the Covenant which lay in him would not pass on in the Canaanitish woman and her children, but opened itself in this whoredom of Judah with Tamar, in Pharez; whom Tamar conceived of Judah by this coition or lying together. With which figure God represents the misery of man, and presents his Covenant of grace with the opening of this precious line of the Covenant, which pressed on to the limit, Christ; in this whoredom of Judah and Tamar, viz. in the earthly Adam, and in the earthly Eve; but, in the inward ground of its essence. To signify that even the children of God, in their corrupt nature, do but commit whoredom in the presence of God, and that their state of wedlock is but whoredom and a defiled bestial thing in the presence of God; and has nothing at all therein chaste or pure in the sight of God. Therefore the line of the Covenant manifested itself in this whoredom of Judah and Tamar, to signify that Christ should come out of this line of the Covenant, and enter into the middle of this whoredom [as a Mediator], and break the head of the false whorish desire and earthly Serpent, and purify our fleshly impure bestial conception with its heavenly virgin seed, and in himself change it into the Paradisical image again.n7427 ¶129
39. Also God does therefore manifest the line of his Covenant in this whoredom of Judah and Tamar, that his wrath in our human impurity might not burn up and devour body and soul, but that the Covenant of grace might withstand the anger in our impurity, lest God should devour Israel in their abominations and impurity in his wrath.n7427 ¶130
40. Now seeing the line of the Covenant as to its manifestation and propagation lay in Judah, and that Israel also was impure according to the Adamical nature, therefore God did represent his Covenant of grace at the first propagation from the stock of Israel in such a figure; that the faith of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob, in the first branch from them, viz. in Judah and his children, might withstand his wrath, and that continually the faith of Abraham, viz. the spirit of Christ in Abraham's faith, might be a mediator between God and the impurityn7427 ¶131
41. We see also such a figure in the royal prophet David with Bathsheba, upon whom also the line of the Covenant pressed on in Solomon, and though clearly David caused her husband Uriah to be slain, and used deceit that he might get Bathsheba to wife, which in the human nature was an abomination and great sin before the face of God; yet the spirit has its figure in David thus, seeing God had renewed his Covenant of grace with him concerning Christ. Therefore God set the line of his Covenant in David's unrighteousness in the woman that he had gotten to himself with unrighteousness in whoredom by murdering her husband. To signify that all human matters and doings are vain and evil in the sight of God, and that he will come himself with his grace to help our sins and impurity, and introduce his grace into our sin and slay it with the grace. Therefore God represents this image and type in David, for an atonement, pointing at the coming of Christ, who, when he rendered himself into this figure, took on him the sins of all men, and cleansed again the whoredom of Judah and Tamar, as also of David and Bathsheba, and of Adam and Eve; and laid himself in the marriage bed with them, as he did with Judah and Tamar, and with David and Bathsheba, in whom the line of the Covenant was manifested in their evil purposes and doings.n7427 ¶132
42. For here the old proverb was fulfilled: Where God erects a church, there also the devil builds a chapel. God had built a church of his covenant in Judah and David; close by also the devil in God's anger builds his chapel in man's lust: but the church of God always resisted the devil's chapel.n7427 ¶133
43. For here in this figure the seed of the woman presents itself, showing how it would break the head of the Serpent in man's impurity. And so the type of God's anger, and the type of grace, were represented in one figure, viz. Adam's fleshly whoredom with his Eve, and all her daughters; and then the woman's holy seed of the heavenly world's substance, which, with the Word of grace, mediated, interceded, and set itself in the middle.n7427 ¶134
44. A much more excellent figure we see in the most wise king Solomon, who stood just in the figure of Judah; as Judah was the son of Jacob, who received and embraced the promise, and Jacob stood wholly in the figure of Christ; so David also received and embraced the renewing of the Covenant of the first promise; and David begat this Solomon also of an unrighteous marriage; though he took her to wife, yet the unrighteousness and murder stood behind the door.n7427 ¶135
[ Lay under the green leaf]n7427 ¶136
45. This Solomon was endued with high divine wisdom, and the line of the Covenant pressed and passed through him. But at length he became such an insatiable luxurious person,l that the Scripture says of him, he had three hundred concubines, and seven hundred wives, and mixed himself with the daughters of heathenish kings, and took them to wife, and allowed his heathenish women to set up their idols' images for idolatry in the high places at Jerusalem (1 Kings xi.n7427 ¶137
lUxorious luster after women, lecherous person.n7427 ¶138
46. In this eminent figure the spirit signifies that man is fallen away from God, and [is] merely idolatrous; that Adam and all his children, in their own nature, are such a bestial adulterous and idolatrous generation: and, in this, King Solomon represents the line of the Covenant subjoined with these heathenish idolatrous adulterous concubines, who in their own nature were but an abomination in the presence of God, to signify that Christ, out of this line of the Covenant, should set himself in the midst amongst the heathen, and tear idolatry out of their hearts, and convert them all to Christ.n7427 ¶139
47. Also to signify that God did bear with the wise heathen under the patience of the figure of Christ, and that he did represent by the Jews only a prefiguration or type of the temple of Christ; and that the Jews in their nature were but idolatrous adulterers, as well as the heathen, only that in their law they had the type and prefiguration of Christ in their sacrifices and offerings, at which the Covenant had respect, showing how God would redeem and purify both Jews and heathen from Adam's abominations and idolatry, and that the one people in his sight were as the other, and no whit better, but every one of them was the evil Adam. Therefore the spirit represents them perspicuously in the figure of Solomon in the line of the Covenant, that he may have mercy and compassion upon all (Rom. xi. 32), for Christ's sake who should fulfil and accomplish this line.n7427 ¶140
48. And hereby is signified to the teachers in Babel, part of whom account Solomon damned in regard of those heathenish idols, that they themselves lie under the veil, as the Jews did under the type of Christ, and do really understand the Scripture as little as the Jews, and stand in contentious idolatrous whoredom in the presence of God, as Solomon with his concubines did, and the Jews.n7427 ¶141
49. For Solomon had the Law: but at length with his heart he committed whoredom with the heathenish women's idols: And so does Babel, who calls herself a pure child, pretending the name of Christ, and strives zealously and vehemently about it in opinions; and all the opinions about which she contends are Solomon's heathenish women and idols, and no polemic or contentious opinion is any whit better.n7427 ¶142
50. For Christ sticks in no contentious opinion, but in the line of his grace he is entered into the midst amongst us; and if we receive him, then he takes us also in it to himself. And there needs no strife or opinion about it, but this one thing he requires of us: that we continue in him, and then he will continue in us; and that we love ourselves in him, as he loves us in himself; that all of us may be cleansed from the wrath of God in his love, and that his grace and love may wash all of us that come to him from our sins and idolatrous abominations, and make of Judah, Tamar, David, Solomon, and all the children of the Jews, heathen, and Christians, a pure virgin, prepared for himself by his love in his blood, which he has bestowed upon us in his grace, that we may acknowledge and put on him in that love, and be one spirit and body with him: and then Adam is helped and restored again.n7427 ¶143
51. The spirit of Moses in the text says further, thus: After three months it was told Judah, saying, Tamar your daughter in law has played the harlot; moreover, behold she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her hither, that she may be burned. And when they brought her forth she sent to her father in law, and said, From the man, whose these are, I am with child, and said, do you know whose this ring, these bracelets and this staff is?n7427 ¶144
Judah acknowledged it, and said, She is more righteous than I; for I gave her not my son Shelah. Yet he lay with her no more (Gen. xxxviii. 24-26).n7427 ¶145
This is a powerful figure, showing that whoredom is an abomination in God's sight, and how God sets man's sins before his eyes; and here it signifies this to us: that the Adamical whoredom and abomination are manifest before this Covenant of grace, and that Man in such abominations is guilty of hell fire, as Judah judged his daughter in law Tamar to be condemned to the fire, and knew not that he himself was the whoremonger, who stood in the like condemnation.n7427 ¶146
52. And here in this figure the spirit presents men's false judgment, that they even do the same thing which they condemn; as heren7427 ¶147
Judah condemned the whoredom of Tamar to the fire, and saw not his fall, that he himself was guilty; to signify that Christ also had set himself in the judgement of the world in this line of the Covenant, as a righteous judge, who would separate right from wrong, and condemn the whoredom and idolatry of the world. But on the other side, we see in this figure how Tamar presented the pledge, viz. the ring, bracelet and staff before the judgement, and before the severe sentence of Judah, and therewith did overthrow Judah's determinate sentence, and still his wrath, that he must take compassion on her and justify her.n7427 ¶148
53. Thus also stood this figure before God in the inward ground in Judah and Tamar, with Adam and Eve. For Adam had brought himself into fleshly earthly lust, and committed whoredom with his feminine property through his imagination in a bestial manner, and had forsaken the heavenly magic way of the divine wedlock: therefore also the heavenly woman died as to him, and in the stead thereof the earthly bestial one awaked, with whom he now uses the bestial manner in whoredom. This God presents in him, viz. in Adam himself; in his judgement, and would condemn Adam to death, as indeed God's righteousness then condemned him.n7427 ¶149
54. But the re-incorporated Eve in the Covenant of grace, which has incorporated itself in Eve, viz. in the faded seed of the woman from the heavenly world's substance, presented itself before the severe judgement of God, and said to God's righteousness, Behold, I am with child from the man whose these are. That is, Behold, I have taken Adam's soul, spirit and body, for a pledge, when I joined myself with him, and am betrothed to him, and have received the Father's nature in the awakened anger into my love, and am now with child of the human nature, and shall bring forth a God-Man.n7427 ¶150
55. And when the Father's property in the soul's nature in the anger knew that the Father had sown himselfagain into the grace, viz. into the new Eve in the Covenant, then said the anger of the Father in the soul (when this grace went to meet it), to this new Eve, you are more righteous than I, for I have caused Adam's impurity, that he is become earthly, and has committed whoredom before me. And I have not given Shelah for a husband to the new Eve; that is, I have not given the Word of the new regeneration by and in the Law. Therefore has Tamar, that is, the new Eve, under the time of the Law, lain and copulated with Judah and his children for and about the soulish or animal and human nature; and left Shelah, viz. the Law, standing in the figure; and the grace of the new Eve in the Covenant has always [joined and] mixed itself with God's children, as is to be seen in the saints, especially in the prophets, who outwardly lived under the Law and exercised themselves therein, and yet always [joined and] mixed themselves with the new Eve in the grace, and yet lived not to the Law, but to grace.n7427 ¶151
56. And this is the powerful figure in this place, showing how then7427 ¶152
Covenant of Promise in Judah, and the awakening of the Covenant in the woman's seed, stand always set one opposite to the other, and lie and copulate one with the other in the love, pointing at the future manifestation in the flesh in Christ.n7427 ¶153
57. For this figure of Judah and Tamar, in the inward ground, is nothing else but this: that outwardly the adulterous evil Adam, with his fleshly Eve, is represented in the figure, viz. outwardly the man of sin with a sinful figure, and inwardly the betrothing of the new Eve in regeneration.n7427 ¶154
58. And the spirit speaks further in Moses, and says: And when Tamar was about to bring forth, behold, twins were found in her womb. And as she was upon the birth one of them put forth a hand: then the midwife took a red thread and tied about it, and said, This is the first that comes forth. But when he pulled back his hand his brother came forth, and she said, Wherefore have you for your will made this breach? and his name was called Pharez. Afterwards his brother came forth, who had the red thread about his hand, and his name was called Zarah (Gen. xxxviii. 27-30).n7427 ¶155
59. O you wonderful great God, who is so high and deep: how simply, and to the capacity of a child, do you modelise your wisdom to us! What is all art and wit of human greatness before you, who do so very much condescend, bow down, and humble yourself; and present your deepest wisdom and highest profundity in a childish simplicity, which may justly shame all human state and self- wit, when they see so great Mysteries of God stand in such childishness!n7427 ¶156
60. O world, how foolish are thou ! that you elevatest yourself in a blind life, and still cleavest to the husk, and seest not what you art, and understand not the divine simplicity. And then, how will thou apprehend the divine depth? O leave off your wit, and cleave to simplicity, that you mayest yet obtain a child's understanding, and be not accounted in the sight of God more unwise than the beasts, which remain in their clothing and condition as God has created them. O you world! why sleepest you in the devil's arms, who suckles and dandles you in himself and brings you to his will and life by his might? O do but see it!n7427 ¶157
61. This potent figure in these twins, one of which put forth the hand, which the midwife bound a red thread about, and thought it would be the first, but it drew the hand back again, and his brother came forth, prefigures this to us: How Christ in this line of the Covenant assumed the human nature, and so the human nature according to Adam's right and self will, in this world, first puts forth and manifests itself about which Adamical nature in the humanity of Christ must this red thread, with the shedding of his blood, be bound.n7427 ¶158
62. When this is done, then must the human nature with its right draw back again; that is, Adam's will that was gone forth must again return into the mother's womb, viz. be turned into the Word; and then comes the inward new Adam forth, after which follows the Adamical nature with the red thread. Then says the mother to the new Adam in Christ, why have you for your will made this breach? For your will, says the mother, not for your will's sake, but for the sake of that which drives your will forth; and Adam's will goes back. Thus has the will in the Covenant of grace powerfully broken through the strong bar and enclosure of the first Principle, viz. of the kingdom of God's anger; for the good will in Adam was shut up in death and in hell, and in Christ he rent that powerful rent, and brake through death and hell back again into the kingdom of the eternal nature, and turned itself forth again into the natural life, so that the kingdom of God was again manifested in the human life.n7427 ¶159
63. This the spirit represents by Tamar in the line of the Covenant, and models Christ's breach through death and hell, how that should be; and by this premodelling was the whorish will of Tamar and Judah healed, and their children of whoredom in the line of Christ were espoused into the Covenant of grace.n7427 ¶160
64. In Esau and Jacob stood the figure, how according to nature Adam had the right of the kingdom, and how he squandered it, and is therefore in his natural will thrust out from the kingdom of God, and how Christ came to help him. Here now stands the figure, showing how Christ has gotten the kingdom, and turned Adam back again, and in Adam turned himself forth, so that now Adam is called Christ, and presents himself very excellently in the figure of Joseph: and this stands fitly and rightly between, in the interval of Joseph's history.n7427 ¶161
65. For Joseph is the figure of a Christian; and this of Judah and Tamar is a figure showing how a Christian springs out of Adam's nature, and how Adam's nature is turned in again, and Christ turned forth; and how this image of a Christian man in this world is covered outwardly with the earthly Adam, so that men cannot know it; also how thus Christ in Adam took his guilt upon him, and how Adam must be marked with this red thread, which mark is rightly the pledge that Judah gave to Tamar. And I would have the Reader of this admonished in love, not to reject our exposition of this text, but to consider it and look narrowly and perspicuously into it: and then he will well perceive who was the Expositor, if he be worthy of it.n7427 ¶162
The Sixty-Sixth Chaptern7427 ¶163
The Most Excellent History of Joseph: How he was sold to Potiphar, what befell Joseph;n7427 ¶164
and of Joseph's Chastity, and fear of God [Gen. xxxix]n7427 ¶165
1. Joseph was brought down into Egypt, and Potiphar, an Egyptian Pharaoh's officer, captain of his guard, hought him of the Ishmaelites, who brought him thither. And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and was in his master's, the Egyptian's, house. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. So that he found grace and favour in the sight of his master, and was his servant which he set over his house. And all that he had he put under his hand; and from the time that he set him over his house, and over all his goods, the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was every way upon all that he had in the house and in the field. Therefore he left all that he had under the hand of Joseph, and he meddled with nothing while he had him, but what he did eat and drink. And Joseph was a goodly person and fair of feature (Gen. xxxix. 1-6).n7427 ¶166
2. The history prefigures to us a true Christian man, what he is, and how he is, in this world, and what his office is; that is, when Christ is manifested in him he is no more his own, to do what he will; also in this world he has nothing for his own of which he can in truth say, This is mine, or I, I am he that has it, I possess it, it is mine own, I may do therewith what my flesh and my own wills, I may use it for my honour and pleasure, that I may thereby be aloft 2 in the world: No, a true Christian has none of that in his power.n7427 ¶167
3. He indeed rules of right over that which he has and possesses with truth and righteousness, but yet as a servant of his Lord Christ, for a Christian is a Christian in Christ, and is bought to a Christian life, and to the obedience of faith, by the blood of Christ, with Christ's thirty pieces of silver: whereof his Lord Christ has committed to him Joseph's twenty pieces of silver, and set him as a steward over it, that he may trade therewith and employ it, till he make it come to thirty pieces of silver, which he should wear in him and about him as a mark or badge of his Lord Christ, as a treasure of his Christianity.n7427 ¶168
2 Or, high.n7427 ¶169
4. But seeing his Lord Christ was sold and betrayed to death for thirty pieces of silver, and Joseph was sold by his brethren to be a bondslave 1 for twenty pieces of silver; in both these numbers stands the figure of a Christian, viz. Christ, when he is manifested in a man, shows man the thirty pieces of silver for which he was sold to suffering and death, and this his suffering and death he puts upon him, in which is founded the figure of the thirty pieces of silver, viz. that he was sold and betrayed: and therein man becomes such a Christian as is founded, implanted, ingraven,2 upon and into Christ's sufferings and death; and therein a man becomes a Christian in Christ's sufferings and death, and stands in the figure of Christ, and looses the right of his natural self will, as also the kingdom of this world.n7427 ¶170
1 Over whom the master has power of life, and all he has.n7427 ¶171
2 Etching of plates with aqua fortis.n7427 ¶172
5. For in Christ's death, as to his inward spiritual man, he dies from this world, and, according to that inward man, is no more in this world, but in Christ in God, viz. in the kingdom of God, as it is written: The kingdom of God is inwardly within you (Luke xvii. 21): Also, Examine yourselves, whether Christ has gotten a form in youn7427 ¶173
Also, Ye are the temple of the Holy Ghost who dwells in you (1 Cor. iii.n7427 ¶174
Also, Ye are the servants of Christ (Col. iv. 12), and should eat the flesh of then7427 ¶175
Son of Man (John vi. 53), and so he abides in you and you in him (John xv. 7): and without him you have no life (John vi. 53). As a herb and grass, and all earthly things, without the power and virtue of the sun, have no life, growth or vegetation and operation in them, so man, without the Divine Sun, which through Christ has manifested itself in his Christians, has no life or happiness or salvation without Christ inn7427 ¶176
6. And as Christ was sold for thirty pieces of silver to suffering and death, which thirty pieces of silver signify the thirty years of Christ before his baptism (Luke iii. 23), ere he entered into his office and divine government according to the humanity, when he gave up his human will to God, and the creaturely self will ceased in him: so also must a Christian, when he is in truth in his own natural will, sold for twenty pieces of the thirty pieces of silver, to be a servant of God in Christ, to be a minister or officer, and obedient to his Lord who lives in him; then his bypast years of the Adamical natural time of this world are sold, in and with Christ, for twenty pieces of silver; and so the Adamical time of his natural will, in this being sold, ceases in Christ's suffering and death; and he is by his Lord (who is arisen from Death in him, and rules and reigns over Death), set to be an officer over Christ's goods, to dispose of them through the spirit of Christ, viz. in the power and virtue of his Lord who is in him, in this world, according to the kingdom of Christ. 1n7427 ¶177
1 As to the dominion of Christ.n7427 ¶178
7. As Joseph was taken away from his father's house, and was first cast into the pit, wherein he should have perished, and was afterwards sold by his brethren for twenty pieces of silver to serve as a bondslave; so also a Christian is first taken away from his father's house, viz. From the Adamical nature, and is cast into the pit, viz. into Christ's suffering and death, and then loses the Adamical inheritance of the kingdom of this world, and is with his will and mind brought away from it. Then he must yield up his father's house, viz. all his selfhood, together with his natural life, to his brethren in his father's house, that is, to the power of God in the government of this world; and suffer himself to be cast into the pit of the death of his natural will, and therein give up himself to the death of Christ, and willingly die to the will of this world, viz. to his own Adamical house, and willingly suffer all whatsoever his brethren of this world do to him.n7427 ¶179
8. And then if he thus lie in the pit or grave of Christ, and has given himself up to the death of Christ, that he willingly would forsake all for Christ's sake, and die the death of his own will, then Christ his Lord puts on him his resurrection from the dead, and makes him living with his power, and draws him with Joseph out of the pit and grave of death, and brings him into his service: as Joseph into the service of Pharaoh's captain of the guard. And then all goes prosperously in and with him, for the divine power rules him; and now he attains divine understanding and wisdom, and knows how to manage his master's goods. That, in the Christian figure, is as much as to say:n7427 ¶180
9. When a man is thus a Christian in such a process and way, then he has given up all whatsoever he has of temporal goods, or is able to do, as also his own will, to God, who brings him first into Christ's image, and makes him conformable to Christ, and takes nothing away from him of that which he had before of natural right, viz. the disposal of temporary goods; but he takes away the authority and power of his own nature, viz. his evil self will which Adam had brought away from God and introduced into a creaturely selfness of his own willing and working in earthly things, whereby Adam bereaved God his Lord of the government in him, and made the essence and things of this world his own; as if he had made it, and would not be God's servant therein, and be his fellow-branches' guardian and nourisher, and give them his virtue, will, essence and substance, but says, [It is] Mine; that is, it is mine own, I will keep it only for myself and it shall remain with me. And would not work therewith in the life of his brethren, and give them also of his life and power; and bereave them also (through that appropriation of it to be mine) of the power in the kingdom of nature, viz. of the growth [and fruits] of the earth which God gave in common, and would only fill his own body, and thereby be accounted great, and a lord of his miserable despised fellow-branches, whom he wickedly bereaves of the sap wherewith they should strengthen their life, and brings it into a propriety [calling it mine] . This authority God takes away from a Christian, and makes him a guardian and nourisher of his brethren again, viz. a steward of his Lord: He lets him possess the temporary goods which he had, so far as he possessed them in a natural right with righteousness and truth, and makes him a Joseph therein.n7427 ¶181
10. This Joseph now says not, This is mine, that village, city, country, principality, kingdom, empire; also that house, land, field, money; those goods, those cattle, that woman, that child, is mine. But he says with his whole heart and conscience from a new good Christian will, It is all my God's and his children's. He has set me as a ruler, disposer, and steward of it, that I should manage it to that purpose which he will have me. I should sustain myself and his children, the needy, with it; and I should be their curator or guardian, and give them also my power, virtue and understanding of the divine gift; and instruct, tutor or take care of them for their good. And as God governs me with his spirit, so also should I that am his officer in this world, with my understanding and office, govern my fellowmembers in such power and virtue, and take care of them. For all that I rule over is not mine, but God's and theirs; but I should do to them as God does to me.n7427 ¶182
11. To such a one God givesJoseph's understanding and wisdom, and governs the house of this world by him; be he in what state and condition soever, therein he sits in the office of God, and is only a servant or minister of the office, and a guardian over divine creatures, for the right Christian government of his will is in heaven, his conversation is alike in heaven and on earth; as the Scripture says, Our conversation is in heaven (Phil. iii. 20). For according to the inward ground of his soul and spirit he is in Christ in God, viz. in the eternal speaking Word, from which Adam's will had turned itself away, and turned itself out into this world, which will Christ has turned in again into the eternal Word. And so now he governs with that reinturned will through and in the outward substance and matters of this world, viz. in the formed outspoken or expressed Word, as a servant, minister and instrument of the eternal speaking Word in its secret mystery of wisdom, viz. in the visible creaturely word.n7427 ¶183
12. Therefore to you, O you governor in the office of the Joseph of this world, in every state, condition and degree, this is told you, and set before your eyes: that though you call yourself a Joseph, you do not yet govern as a Joseph; that is, not as a Christian, but as a child of the stars and elements; you govern no otherwise than the brethren of Joseph, who will not that God should choose Joseph for a governor. They will be governors themselves, and will rather kill Joseph than wait to try what God would do with Joseph's dream or vision; they would not suffer that Joseph should tell their injury to his father; but would do what they thought fit. For they said among themselves, We are the elder, and should govern; what will the least and youngest persuade us to? We possess the government in a just way by the right of nature; the power and authority is ours, we will dispatch Joseph out of the way, and cast him into the pit, and then we shall do what we will.n7427 ¶184
13. Thus do you also, you governest Christendom in all states and degrees. The stars, and the evil averted Adam in his own will, governs through you in God's office in the kingdom of this world; you have only cast the mantle of Christ over it, that men should not know you, that you are the evil Adam, and governest with the starry wit and ingenuity, and through the subtlety and policy of the devil, in mere self-willed ways of your own, to advance your own ostentation, pomp, might, authority and stately proud glory.n7427 ¶185
14. O hearken! are you a Christian? then are you dead with Christ to the wicked false will of Adam, and of the devil's pride. But if your will and life be heathenish, why do you then boast yourself to be a Christian' why do you make wars for lands, countries, cities and villages, if you be not with Joseph called and instituted of God to be a governor? Why do you in Christ's kingdom enslave the country, if you are a prince and minister in God's office, and serven7427 ¶186
15. Are you your own lord upon earth, and do what your own will lists? Then you do not what God will, also you govern not from heaven, but from the world, and with the world's might. But whence have you that in Christ's kingdom, and from what power and authority, that you, in God's office, draw to yourself the sweat of the poor and miserable, and takest away his strength and virtue, and lettest him starve in want? Also, that you squeeze or crush him down with your burden, that you may but possess much riches, and heap up much for yourself; with which you make yourself potent, and lift up your mind into pride. Whence have you that in Christ's kingdom, that you will be better than the members of your own body? Whereas in Christ we are one, viz. one tree with many twigs and branches, and Christ alone is our sap and virtue, and takes care for us all in common: for the officer as well as the branch; no otherwise than the twig upon which the fruit grows.n7427 ¶187
16. You potentate in God's office! Do you not know that in your office you are a branch in the tree of Christ, and that fruit should grow upon your twigs? Now if you withdraw your sap from the twigs, and with your rubbing break them off, what fruit can they bear to you? They must need wither in you, and bring forth no fruit: of which you are guilty, that the branch, you being in God's office, stands without fruit. What do you profit your Lord who has planted you? shall you not be hewn down, and cast into the fire (Matt. iii. 10; Luke iii. 9) of God's anger, as a dry piece of wood? Are you not the Great Tree in the field of the world, standing in your twigs without fruit? What fruit do you bear? Nothing but leaves, which fall off by the wind, and rot and go to the earth again without fruit. And now what profit to life is a tree without fruit?n7427 ¶188
No other but for the fire, or for the building of a habitation.n7427 ¶189
17. Thus also you are only in your office a building and habitation, wherein God's children are to dwell; but they grow not out of your stock, you are only an officer of or belonging unto a constellation and asterism, and serve the kingdom of separation in evil and good: as that pulls down and builds up, so do you also. What one officer builds up, another tears down to the ground. But he that serves in Christ's spirit in this office, he works with Joseph: the blessing is everywhere in his office, so that his twigs bring forth much fruit in Christ's kingdom.n7427 ¶190
18. You nobles and potentates under the name of Christ; whence comes it to you in Christ's kingdom that you are such, under a Christian name? Your office is God's; if you govern therein as a Joseph, as a minister of Christ, then it is right and pleasing to God. But whence comes it in the kingdom of Christ that there is nobility and slavery? Is not that heathenish? Wherein stands the ground thereof?n7427 ¶191
It proceeds from nothing else but from the pride of the devil, and self will.n7427 ¶192
19. Who planted you in the beginning? Your princes and kings, whom you have served: to what end are they? That pride might be arrayed in brave apparel, and that men might not say of the high offices of God, They are clothed with common apparel; but that they might be distinguished from the lowly and simple: and that was even Lucifer's fall.n7427 ¶193
20. But Christ on earth had not whereon to lay his head (Matt. viii. 20), neither house, nor anything else. So also a Christian has nothing for his own, but what he has, he has it for his office sake, and serves his Lord therein; but he that serves otherwise, he serves the Adamical self and not Christ; and is no Christian, but a mere titulary Christian. But he is a child of nature, of the kingdom of this world, in whose inward ground hell stands, and serves the kingdom of darkness: outwardly he serves indeed the type of God according to love and anger, where all things together stand in strife, till the day of separation, and the restoration of that which was before such doings.n7427 ¶194
21. For in this world all goes on in free will, that which has no law has also no judgement; but that which has a law, that has its judgement in itself: therefore seeing man, especially a Christian, has a law, viz. that he is no more his own, in that he is given up to another, viz. to Christ, and yet will not be subject to him, then is the judgment in the law, and condemns the own will and self.n7427 ¶195
22. We do not disallow of the offices, which are God's, as also the officers are God's servants: we distinguish only what a minister of Christ is, and what a minister of nature in human selfhood is. If any one be in a noble office in the kingdom of Christ, then is his office noble; but he is a minister or servant under this noble office, and is justly honoured in respect of the office; we detract not from his honour, which his office deserves; but all selfhood in the kingdom of Christ is the evil Adamical nature, which is departed from God; for in Christ there is no nobility, but we are all only children and ministers or servants.n7427 ¶196
23. Our Adamical nobility is lost in Adam; but whoever in this world in the kingdom of Christ is noble, he is noble in respect of his office (as a king and prince is noble in respect of his office in which he serves); but if he serves not Christ therein but only the nobility of his office and his selfhood, and says, The power and the kingdom is mine, he bereaves God of his power, and makes it appropriate to himself and becomes a Lucifer under the office of God.n7427 ¶197
24. Even as Lucifer, who also was a prince of a throne, and a king in God's office, but when he appropriated the office to self; then he was thrust out (Isa. xiv. 19), and another got the office which he had in the kingdom of God: but he remained indeed a prince in his own office, but not in God's love, but in his wrath, wherein he must now also serve him: as also is to be understood concerning the offices in this world.n7427 ¶198
25. For a wicked prince and nobleman remains indeed in the office, but he serves not God's love but his anger; as is done at present, where the princes serve the anger of God with murdering and wasting countries and people, as in vengeance, and in the power of selfhood, wherein God's anger also becomes creaturely: but they do not that to Christ in Christ's office, but to the anger of God, who thereby punishes the false and wicked titulary Christendom with his office of anger.n7427 ¶199
26. For in Christ's office there is only love and righteousness, as also humility and fear of God in self: But the office has the power to separate the evil from the good as a minister! of God, yet with righteousness, and not with self will. He who says, you shall not kill, says also to the officer, that without the authority of his office he should kill none, neither should he do injury to any [though by virtue of his office] .n7427 ¶200
27. For the office requires a just judgement, and then the office kills the wickedness, 2 and severs it from the good, and the officer is free from the commandment of death; but if he has any evil intent in his will, there the judgement passes upon the officer himself.n7427 ¶201
28. In Potiphar, Pharaoh's officer, we have a powerful figure; who set Joseph over his whole house, and gave him full power to rule in his government; showing how God has set his officers in his house ofthis world, that they should do and direct, judge and manage things in a creaturely manner, as God does in them after a spiritual manner.n7427 ¶202
1 Diaconissa ministresse. 2 Wicked thing or substance.n7427 ¶203
29. For Potiphar took upon him no disposal of anything, but let Joseph manage the government: Thus also are all officers instituted in the kingdom of this world, that they should outwardly manage God's government; as Christ gives a similitude or parable of stewards whom a lord appointed over all his goods, and went into a far country, and after a long time returned again to require an account of his stewards, where he distributed to the officers, and gave one of them five talents, and the other four talents, to the third three talents, to the fourth two, to the fifth one talent, wherewith everyone should trade and get gain. And then when he that had but one talent had gained nothing, he commanded him to be bound hand and foot, and to be cast out into darkness; and commanded also to destroy those murderers, and to burn their cities, who after their lord was gone away, and had committed his goods to them, and they presently in his house began to fight, and beat their fellow-servants, and to be drunken, and play, and kill his messengers which he sent to them (Matt. xxv. 14-31; Luke xix. 12-28). All which are similitudes and parables concerning his officers in the house of this world, showing how he will punish the evil householders with hell fire, and burn their cities, viz. their kingdom which they have built in their own voluptuousness to their own glory and honour, and shut them out from his face for ever. But the others, who were faithful in his ministry and service, he gave full power over his house, and gave them also the government (Luke xix. 17) and talent of him that had buried it in the earth (Luke xix. 24), and would not execute his office that was appointed him.n7427 ¶204
30. Thus all potentates and magistrates in offices ought well to consider this, that they ought to work in God's office, and have a care of his house, and not think only to look after nobility and high estate, and think how to fill their belly, and satisfy their pleasures with gourmandising and guzzling, gluttony and drunkenness, and to wrest the sweat of the miserable with unrighteousness, and lay it out upon their pride and bravery, and constrain and press upon the miserable and inferior with power. All these, one with another, are the evil and wicked officers, and the murderers, which the Lord commands to be destroyed, and their cities to be burned with the fire of God's anger.n7427 ¶205
31. But at present the world is full of such officers, to whom the Lord clearly for a long time sent many messengers, but they have vilified and contemned them. Therefore now is the time of the Lord's coming; for they have even now also killed his son (Matt. xxi. 39), viz. the plain truth of his word, and turned it into mere selflust [and wantonness]; therefore these householders must give an account of their offices (Luke xvi. 2).n7427 ¶206
32. Moses speaks further concerning Joseph, and says, And it came to pass after this was done, that his Master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, and said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said to her, Behold, my master takes no notice what is with me in the house; and whatsoever he has, he has committed it under my hand and charge; and there is nothing so great in the house which he has withholden from me, but you, because you are his wife: how should I then do so great an evil, and sin against God. And she pressed such words upon Joseph daily, but he obeyed her not, to lie with her, or to be near about her (Gen. xxxix. 7-10). This is now the mighty type,l showing how it goes with the children of God, when they have attained the divine government in the new regeneration, in that they must now converse in this house of flesh and Adamical prison with their holy blessed governments. Also how the soul has taken in marriage this unchaste whorish woman in the spirit of this world in the bestial desire in flesh and blood; which whorish woman now sets upon the chaste Joseph, and continually would urge and draw him to her amorous lust, that the new virgin child might lie with the bestial whore again, as Adam did, from which lustful bed the earthly Eve proceeded, with whom afterwards he copulated in his lust, as all beasts do.n7427 ¶207
33. This lecherous Eve sticks yet to the children of God in flesh and blood, and it is the animal soul, viz. the mortal spirit, full of evil lust and impurity, whereinto the devil has yet stuck his Serpent's sting; for which cause the body must die, and rot; also this bestial spirit must be destroyed,2 and go quite into its mother again, out of which it proceeded in the beginning.n7427 ¶208
1 Or, image. 2 Or, corrupt.n7427 ¶209
34. In this whore the devil assaults the noble virgin child daily, viz. the chaste Joseph in Christ's spirit, encompassed with heavenly spiritual corporeity, viz. with Christ's flesh and blood. This virgin child is the woman in the Apocalypse, that stands upon the moon (Rev. xii. I), viz. upon this earthly whore, and has twelve stars in the crown upon her head, which woman the dragon in the earthly whore would continually devour, when she brings forth the holy child, viz. the noble Joseph, viz. the chaste and divine purity, which causes woe to the dragon in flesh and blood, that it must resign its kingdom, and in that respect pours forth the great deluge 1 of earthliness upon her, to slay the child together with its mother.n7427 ¶210
35. But the earth comes to help this woman (Rev. xii. 16), that is, the earthly desire in flesh and blood opens its throat wide and swallows this dragon's flood into itself, seeing it is its like, that it may not hurt the virgin child; as Potiphar's wife's unchaste dragon's whorish floods and streams did not hurt Joseph, in that he fled from her and did not yield his will to her.n7427 ¶211
36. And this is first the most powerful proba or trial of the children of God; that as soon as they attain the new birth, then the devil comes and stirs up the fleshly whore in flesh and blood, and all false and wicked desires and imaginations, and then injects and frames in this whore the honour and glory of the world; also riches and the pleasure of this life; also he models and represents the great misery and desolation, wherein the poor soul, in this world, must stand in shame and scorn; also the great unworthiness of the soul; also he represents covetousness, to think all temporal good things and necessaries will fail, and so it should come into great misery.n7427 ¶212
37. To the potent and rich the devil models and represents, in this their fleshly serpentine whore, their nobility and highness, their great honour, might and power; also voluptuous eating and drinking [of dainty fare], and how they may acquire it with power and subtle policy; also he represents unchastity and wantonness; and to think, that if they should walk in humility and lowliness they should lose the respect and reputation of the world: for who would fear and honour them, if they did not put themselves forward with ostentation?n7427 ¶213
38. All these are the words of Potiphar's whore in flesh and blood, which the devil stirs up in the Serpent's insinuated poison, with his imagination, wherewith he plagues the poor imprisoned soul in flesh and blood, and provokes it to such and the like unchastity and sins. And this whore in the flesh says continually to the soul, Lie with me, copulate with me, you will be blessed, happy, and saved well enough, use your lust with me. And this she does daily, that she might bring Joseph into lust, viz. the new child, that the soul might bite at that bait, and defile the new child, and its fair crown.n7427 ¶214
1 Flood or water- stream.n7427 ¶215
39. For this whore is ashamed before this new child: she resembles a dirty swine compared :with the sun. When she hears mention made of the wantonness of the world, she rejoices at it; but when men speak of such chastity and purity she is ashamed of it, and then bespatters or sullies the speech of the holy child with the abovesaid abominations, and despises it: for she knows that if Joseph holds the government she must die.n7427 ¶216
40. But honest, virtuous and chaste Joseph, viz. the inward new man, says to this whore, Behold, my Lord and Master has trusted me with all his eternal goods, and the whole kingdom of Christ, how shall I then do so evilly before him? I will not lie with you, you are your Lord's wife, viz. the wife of the spirit of this world, I will not lie with you, nor be near you.n7427 ¶217
41. And Moses says further, It came to pass on a day, that loseph went into the house to do his employment; and there was none of the people in the house. And she caught him by his garment, and said, Lie with me: but he left the garment in her hand, and fled, and ran forth out of the house. But when she perceived that he left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, she called the people of the house, and said, Behold, he has brought in an Hebrew man to us to defame us; he came in unto me and would have lain with me, but I cried with a loud voice: and when he heard that I cried out, and called, he left his garment with me, and fled, and ran forth (Gen. xxxix. 11-15). This now is the figure, showing how the devil, through this whorish woman, strongly sets upon the soul, especially when the devil observes that the soul is alone, that the spirit of God stirs not in it. Then he falls a- storming of it, and lays hold of it in its life's essence, and will force it in such whoredom, that the precious virgin child might be defiled, and that she might with the Serpent's power copulate with the soul.n7427 ¶218
42. This also is a powerful figure of the whorish and unchaste world, showing how the fair daughters of Eve, in the instigation of the devil, run after the tender youths and allure them with flattering hypocritical behaviour, with wicked burning lust, which trim and adorn themselves, as if an angel sat under their dress; and have drawn to themselves many an honest virtuous child, that never desired it, and bound them with the devil's chains, and have bereaved them of their honour and chastity.n7427 ¶219
43. And if there were an honest and chaste Joseph, who would not go into these hogstys and jakes of the devil, they cry out against such a one, and accuse him of unchastity, as willing to betray him and rob him of his honour, and yet are even the lustful panders, which strow sugar, and give gall to eat; which strange people strow sugar so long as he has money in his purse, till they bereave him of his livelihood, honour and goods, that he have no more to give them; and then they scorn him and leave him without a garment, as Potiphar's wife did Joseph, as he was going out of the house; so the devil has the soul, and the whore the garment for a pledge; in which whore nothing else governs but the Serpent with its brood of young ones, and he that joins himself unto them is poisoned by the Serpent. For the Serpent sheds its spawn into body and soul, and poisons him so exceedingly that his heart cleaves to the whore, and runs after her, as if he were fast tied to her.n7427 ¶220
44. At present the world is full of these vermin, among high and low, and therefore also at present the Serpent itself is pregnant and will shed forth its spawn, which the zeal of God will consume. For Joseph with his governing office lies as yet in prison, and Potiphar's wife governs in her burning lust which she bare to Joseph. But since she could not betray Joseph, she set herself in Joseph's government, and governs the house of this world, and accordingly has generated many bastards, which now govern in her stead; and therefore the judgement comes upon her whoredom, and breaks her to pieces; that men will say, She is fallen, she is fallen, Babel, the mother of the great whoredom, and is become a habitation of all devils and unclean spirits (Rev. xviii. 2), she is for ever sealed up in the abyss.n7427 ¶221
45. On the contrary, we here see in this image and type also the great chastity and purity of Joseph, who, when he was drawn and held with power, yet fled from this whore, and had rather leave his garment and good name at stake that he might but keep a good conscience.n7427 ¶222
The holy figure stands thus:n7427 ¶223
46. When this chaste new virgin child in the spirit of Christ sees this whore in flesh and blood draw near it, that her desire lays hold on this chastity, then it flees out of the house; that is, this virgin child hides itself in its own Principle, and may not come near the soul, seeing the soul is defiled by this whore's poison, so that it is brought into lust. Thus strongly the divine purity shields itself from the devil's vanity.n7427 ¶224
47. For in this new child there stands the fair carbuncle stone of the highest love of God in the name JESUS, which suffers itself to be sullied no more, for it once passed through death and hell in man. It will be pure, and possess the throne of God, whereupon the Scripture speaks strongly, that, Whosoever has once tasted the sweetness of the world to come, and departs from it again, that this soul has no forgiveness more for ever (Heb. vi. 4-6); that is no other than where the noble virgin child is born anew again out of the soul in its substance that faded in Adam, and the soul departs quite from it again, and separates itself from it with its will, so that it fades again once more;n7427 ¶225
there is no remedy for it more eternally. For in the birth of this virgin child the foretaste of the eternal joy is given to the soul, and that is done in the wedding of the Lamb, known to our schoolfellows.n7427 ¶226
48. Therefore this noble virgin with her fair stone [or star] hides itself frequently from the soul, but she breaks not off from the marriage, except the soul breaks itself off from her; and there is great weeping and lamentation towards the soul, if it defile itself again, as in the little book of Repentance is set forth, and cannot easily befall Joseph; for the soul is hugged, embraced and kept in Christ's arms, as it is John x. 28, My sheep are in my hand.n7427 ¶227
49. Thus we understand in this figure, how very chaste, modest and pure hearts are given to the children of God in their inward ground, and how they must be strongly proved and tried, before the government of Divine Vision will be given them, to be able to see the Mysterium Magnum [the Great Mystery] .n7427 ¶228
50. And Moses says further, And Potiphar's wife laid up his garment by her until his master came home, and told him those very words (Gen. xxxix. 16, 17). We see in this figure the perfidious treacherous dealings of the world, how wickedly they recompense and reward their Christian faithful servants and ministers. Joseph carried himself faithfully in the sight of their whole house, and all succeeded happily that went through his hand: but when he would not lie with this whore, to pollute himself with her, then she persecutes him in his body and life, and studies how to steal away his honour from him by falsehood and wickedness; when she cannot take it away with subtlety and devilish plots.n7427 ¶229
51. This now is a figure, showing what grievous enemies a true Christian has, and that he is everywhere encompassed with enemies; and though perhaps he stands in temporal felicity, and have the favour and good will of many men, yet he ought not to be secure. For the devil continually hunts after him to find how to make him fall; for what the devil cannot do by himself to God's children in flesh and blood, that he attempts by his instruments, falsely to betray the children of God, and that, even for their fear of God, their honesty and virtue.n7427 ¶230
52. For if the new heavenly Eve be born in God's children, then the devil in the earthly Eve will not endure it: for a whore and a modest virgin will very ill stand together.n7427 ¶231
53. And thus the children of God have no greater danger than when they are exalted to worldly honour. For the devil is a spirit of pride, and sets himself with his lust in worldly highness and magnificence, in high offices ;1 for he will always still be a prince of this world (John xiv. 30), as Christ also calls him; and he is so indeed according to the property of vanity, falsehood and wickedness, and always sets his [throne and] stool readily there, where great offices and honour are, where might, power and authority is administered and put in execution: there he involves himself,2 so that he might be sure to sit [for one] in the government of the world.n7427 ¶232
54. Therefore he will not readily endure that a Joseph should sit near him, but those that are rich, noble, lofty and stately, honouring themselves, which hunt only after worldly honour, pleasure and voluptuousness; who fill their bellies daily, and. are bold, stout, furious, and full with plenty, and hunt only after subtlety and policy, seeking how they may wrest from the miserable his sweat, and convert it into pride; who trim and set themselves forward in every place, taking pleasure in themselves in such dresses and ornaments, giving one another great compliments and courtship, and ascribe great titles of honour to them. Where the house is stuck full of such trimmed dressed whores under a modest and chaste show and appearance, there is the devil a frolick guest: for it goes according to his own heart's desire and will. 3n7427 ¶233
1 Or, high places (Eph. vi. 12).n7427 ¶234
2 Insinuates or wraps up himself.n7427 ¶235
3 Property and condition.n7427 ¶236
55. But if God send a Joseph thither, who would fain live and do according to the will of God, then it happens to him as to Joseph; and to Daniel, whom they wickedly and with falsehood brought to the lion's den; and Joseph they brought into prison: but in the end the devil's kingdom is put to shame, as in Joseph and Daniel.n7427 ¶237
56. Therefore if any will be a Joseph, and also sit in worldly offices and honour, he must do it with great earnest sincerity and humility of his heart, and continually pray, and resist the devil, that he may not be able with his stool of pride to dwell with him; if not, let him stay without it, or else he will fall to the ground in such offices. If Joseph be not armed with Christ, who has overcome the devil, let him let the high offices alone; for the devil will not endure him in it, while he is against him: He must either be a right Joseph and Daniel, or must have the mind of the world, if he will govern the world.n7427 ¶238
57. For this world has a twofold office, viz. God's office, and Satan's office; the one in God's love, the other in God's wrath, viz. according to the property of light, and according to the property of darkness, which, in the nature of this world, rule near and in one another, and are two kingdoms: as the one is Christ's kingdom, the other is Satan's.n7427 ¶239
58. Therefore, if you are not armed and wholly resigned to God, that you can upon occasion, with Joseph, leave your garment, also your honour and welfare, for the sake of God, and for righteousness, and overcome the devil with divine power and strength, press into no office, except you are rightly, duly and orderly called thereunto: and then also you stand either in the throne of Joseph or in the throne of the world.n7427 ¶240
59. You must in an office either serve God or the devil, for you canst not serve two masters alike; for self and resignation are two [distinct]. He that serves God is resigned up into him, and in all things has respect to truth and righteousness, and will promote that. But he that serves self has respect to favour, and the highness and magnificence of the world, that he may have it all at his disposing: This officer is in the ministry and service of the evil Adam, in whom the devil has his throne, and helps him to pronounce the sentence of justice.n7427 ¶241
60. O you worldly judge! rely not you upon the tower ofn7427 ¶242
Babel, upon worldly determinations, ordinances and conclusions, upon human institutions, statutes, laws and decrees: the top thereof reaches not into heaven; that is only the height of the confusion of strife and a misunderstanding. 1 God sees you in your very heart, he proves and tries your will [and desire] ; the law pleads not for you before God, though you orderest yourself according to that, when your heart knows it ought to be quite otherwise; and then think no otherwise with yourself but that you pronounce the sentence of justice for the devil, and serve him under a hypocritical mantle or cloak. The justice and right is God's, and it is God himself; but wrong2 is the devil's, and it is the devil himself: that master which you serve is he that will reward you and pay you your wages, he himself will be your wages: and this you are to expect in your office.n7427 ¶243
1 Or, mistake. 2 Or, unrighteousness.n7427 ¶244
61. And Moses says further, Then his master took him and put him into prison, where the king 's prisoners lay: and he lay there in prison. But the Lord was with him, and vouchsafed protection towards him, and caused him to find favour in the eyes of the officer of the prison, that he committed all the prisoners in the prison under his hand, that whatsoever was done there must be done by him. For the officer of the prison took not any thing upon him; for the Lord was with Joseph, and what he did the Lord made it successful (Gen. xxxix. 20-23).n7427 ¶245
In this figure we see the final and last proof and trial of God's children, how they must leave their honour and welfare, and also put their life in hazard, and resign themselves wholly to God, to do whatsoever he will with them; for they must forsake all for God's sake, and leave the world, and be as a prisoner who expects death, and relies no more upon any man; and knows not how to get any comfort from any creature, but relies barely and merely upon God and his grace: and then is a man passed through all proofs and trials, and now stands waiting the commands of his Lord, what he will have him to be.n7427 ¶246
62. For he says very inwardly to God, Lord, will you have me in prison and in misery, that I shall sit in darkness, then I will willingly dwell there; if you bringest me into hell, I will go along; for you are my heaven. If I have but you, I inquire not after heaven and earth, and if body and soul should fail, 1 yet you are my comfort; let me be where I will, yet I am in you and you in me, I have fully enough when I have you, use me for what you will.n7427 ¶247
1 Or, be famished.n7427 ¶248
63. In this last proof and trial man becomes the image of God again, for all things become one and the same, and are alike to him. He is all one with prosperity and adversity, with poverty and riches, with joy and sorrow, with light and darkness, with life and death. He is as nothing to himself, for in his will he is dead to all things. And he stands in a figure, representing how God is in and through all, and yet is as a nothing to all things, for they comprehend not him, and yet all is manifested by him; and he himself is all, and yet has nothing, for any thing is to him in the apprehension of it even as nothing, for it comprehends him not. He is as it were dead to all things, and yet himself is the life of all things. He is ONE, and yet NOTHING and ALL. Thus also a man becomes according to his resigned will, when he yields himself wholly to God, and then his will falls again into the unsearchable will of God, out of which he came in the beginning, and then stands in the form as an image of the unsearchable will of God, wherein God dwells and wills.n7427 ¶249
64. For if the creature wills no more than what God wills through it, then it is dead to itself, and stands again in the first image, viz. in that wherein God formed it in a life; for what is the life of the creature? nothing else but a spark of the will of God, which creature now stands still to the will of God, whose life and will is God's, who drives and governs it.n7427 ¶250
65. But that which wills and runs (Rom. ix. 16) of itself that rends itself from the entire will of God, and brings itself into selfhood, wherein yet there is no rest, for it must live and run on in self-will, and is a mere unquietness. For unquietness is the life of selfwill; for when the will wills itself no more, then nothing can torment it more, its willing is its own life; and whatsoever wills in and with God,l that is one life with God.n7427 ¶251
66. It is better to know nothing, than to will according to self; for that which knows nothing, the will of that passes away with the creaturely life, and its strife has an end, and has no more source [or torment]: as we may understand in irrational creatures. 2n7427 ¶252
67. For it is the source [and torment] of all the damned that they are wishing and woulding,3 viz. they would that which is self, and in their woulding they generate ideas, species, and formations,4 viz. contrary wills and desires, the will being at strife; so that one [only] thing is manifested in multiplicity, wherein it is at enmity with itself; but when it is one with the Eternal One, then can no enmity be therein, and there is also no possibility of enmity therein.n7427 ¶253
68. Therefore it is man's last proof or trial when he stands still to God in all things; then in him light proceeds out of darkness, life out of death, and joy out of sorrow; for God is in and with him in all things, and blesses him. As was done to Joseph in the prison: his prison became joy to him, for he became also a governor over the prison in the prison; he was as a prisoner, and yet as a master of the prisoners; he governed the prison, and the prisoners, and was a patron, fosterer and guardian to the distressed; his master took nothing upon himself and was well pleased with what Joseph did, for all was very pleasing and right in his sight.n7427 ¶254
1 Wills or desires that which God wills or desires.n7427 ¶255
2 Or, sensitive creatures.n7427 ¶256
3 Have a longing desire, and yet cannot attain the least satisfaction.n7427 ¶257
4 Representations in their thoughts.n7427 ¶258
69. Thus understand us here according to its precious worth: When man is entirely resigned to God, then is God his will, and God takes nothing upon himself about what man does; nothing is against him, for God's will does it in himself; and all sin ceases; and though God's will of anger stirs in him, and brings fire from heaven from the Lord (as was done by Elias), yet all is right in the sight of God, for the party does it not, but God through him: he is the instrument through which God speaks and acts.n7427 ¶259
70. Now as God, in so much as he is God, can will nothing but that which is good; or else he were not God, if he himself would any thing that were evil: so also there can be nothing in such a man's will but blessing only, and the will of God. As was said of Joseph, God was with him in all his doings, and blessed all things through his hand. Thus to the honest and virtuous, a light arises in the darknessn7427 ¶260
(Ps. cxii. 4), and the night is turned into day to him; and adversity is turned into prosperity, and the curse, wickedness and malice of the world is turned into Paradise. And it is with him as St Paul says, All things must serve to the best to them that love God (Rom. viii. 28).n7427 ¶261
71. For Joseph's prison brought him before king Pharaoh, and set him upon the throne over that land and people; and made him lord over his father and brethren, and to be a guardian 1 and officer of the king, and to be God's regent and governor, through whom God ruled great countries and kingdoms: as the like may be seen also in Daniel.n7427 ¶262
72. Therefore a Christian should learn to bear the temptation,2 when God casts him into Joseph's pit and prison, and rely upon God in all his doings, and entirely resign himself into God; and then God would be more potent in him than the world and hell is; for all those would at length, after he has stood out all the trials, be put to scorn in him.n7427 ¶263
1 Steward. 2 Affliction.n7427 ¶264
The Sixty- Seventh Chaptern7427 ¶265
How Joseph in Prison Expounded King Pharaoh's Chief Butler's and Baker's Dream to each of them; and what is to be understood thereby [Genesis xl.]n7427 ¶266
1. IN this chapter the spirit represents a figure, showing how the spirit of God sees through man's spirit, and brings man's spirit into his seeing or vision, so that it can understand hidden secret things. For, to expound dreams is nothing else but to see and understand the figure, how the spiritus mundi [the spirit of the world] in the constellation of man frames itself into a figure with those things which, in the human life, are clearly in working, or indeed are framed in a figure in the constellation by a great conjunction, the working not being yet begun, and yet is modellised naturally, where the spirit of man by divine power knows in the prefiguration what working and effect it has. Also it may be understood by the diligent consideration of astronomy 2 according 3 to astrology (wherein the natural effect and working is prefigured), what naturally is wrought and represented by this power.n7427 ¶267
2. But [the interpretation of these dreams was given] while Joseph was a child, and did not outwardly busy himself in this art; therefore it is to be understood that the spirit of God, with his seeing or vision, brought him into the image or idea of the dream, and that the spirit of God explained the dream through the spirit of Joseph; as was done also by Daniel. For, to expound dreams is nothing else but to understand a magic image or representation of the astrum, aspect or constellation in the human property.n7427 ¶268
3. For every man bears the image of his constellation, viz. a magic asterism,4 in himself and when the time comes that such magic image of the superior constellation is kindled, then it enters upon its working; and then the astral spirit beholds itself in the elements, and sees what figure it has.n7427 ¶269
2 By an astronomical figure of the outward heavens, in a scheme, thus, and a judgement of the effects by astrology: predicting, before the stars be in that posture in the heavens, or before the effect be wrought by the stars.n7427 ¶270
3 Or, in.n7427 ¶271
4 As Orion, the Pleiades, Amos v. 8. Mazzaroth, the 12 signs. Or, Arcturus, Job xxxviii. 31, 32. Ursa Minor or Ursa Major, or any other constellation that consists of many stars together. Or a figure of the whole heavens erected upon a point of time.n7427 ¶272
4. But the elements are void of understanding,! and afford only a bestial body 2 in their figure, therefore the astral spirit can discern nothing else but the form of some such earthly creature: except the soulish spirit 3 be concomitant in the working of the astral spirit, then is it premodelled in a human form, and in a true, natural way and manner of figure. For the soul alone has true, human eyes, but the astral spirit has only a bestial appearance, and sees after the manner of a beast.n7427 ¶273
5. Yet seeing there is a great difference between a false and wicked soul (which daily imagines in a bestial manner of figure, and wills and desires bestial things) and a pious divine soul, wherein the spirit of God is manifest; so also are the magical imaginations and representations in the astral spirit different. For a beast dreams according to phansie [fancy] ,4 and so does a bestial or animal man: though indeed the image or idea 5 of the constellation does certainly co-modellise itself, whether in evil or in good, according as the astral spirit eagerly longs or lusts in itself when it so views what stands naturally as a working in it. But seeing it is a beast, therefore it introduces in its image with its desire, commonly, the model of 6 a phantastic image; and turns it from joy to sorrow, from sorrow to joy; but the soul is faint and sick in such a spectacle or glass and prefiguration, whence oftentimes there arises great unquietness to the body.n7427 ¶274
6. But where a true vision is seen in man, that is done by the soul's modellising, when it co-images or co-models itself in the figure through its imagination; then the image or representation stands in the right human understanding, though indeed the astral spirit continually images or frames itself in earthly forms, so that very seldom an entire perfect vision appears as the work or effect in itself shall be; also man's own imagination itself does often alter it: what a man thinks or imagines in the day, viz. that magic form, makes it so, that the figure is according to his imagination.n7427 ¶275
1 Inanimate. 2 Animal body. 3 Or, spirit of the soul.n7427 ¶276
4 Or, from phansie.n7427 ¶277
5 Or, figure, the schema coeli (of heaven). 6 Or, in.n7427 ¶278
7. Yet the right visions are when man's will rests in God, and then is God's will manifest in man's will, and then the soul sees with God's eyes from its most inward ground, where it stands in the Word of God. And then the speaking Word goes with the soul's [word] into the magic image of the constellation, and then the astral spirit cannot image or fashion itself in the phansie, but must stand in the image in the figure as the constellation is; and then the soul sees what the Most High has prefigured, and what shall come to pass. And then the Word of God, viz. the ground of the soul, expresses the figure in the soul, so that the soul understands it; as here Joseph and also Daniel expressed and expounded. As soon, now, as the figure of the vision was told before Joseph, the spirit of God was together in the voice of the relator, and in Joseph expounded the vision: for so also are the magic visions of all the prophets.n7427 ¶279
8. For after God has once appeared to a prophet in an audible voice, and called them to be prophets (as to Samuel) (I Sam. iii. 4, 6, 8, 10), then afterwards he appeared to them in magic visions, and answered them upon their questions.n7427 ¶280
9. The right prophetic ground of the magical seeing and understanding is thus: Every prophet is a limit, wherein a time is included or an age comprehended; and he is the mouth of that kingdom or dominion; that is, when that kingdom has awakened and generated the turba in it, then is he the mouth of the inward ground, which declares and expresses the vanity in the turba, and also the grace of God which has taken compassion on the human misery, and opposed the wrath of the turba, and [he] reproves that kingdom for their vanity and idolatry, and comforts them with the introverted grace again.n7427 ¶281
10. For his spirit stands in the figure, in the eternal speaking Word of God (from which the life was expressed or spoken forth, and became a creature), introverted again as an instrument of the spirit of God, whereby the spirit of God speaks and intimates. For the prophetic spirit could not, in its own might and power, declare future hidden things, if the spirit of God did not see through it, and that the Word of God did also go together through his Word into the magic figure which the prophet sees.n7427 ¶282
11. For the prophet knows not anything beforehand in his own power and authority, which he declares, but when the word models itself together in the figure, then the prophetic spirit sees through God's seeing, how the word of God goes also together upon the figure. And then the Word expresses, declares and expounds the figure through the prophetic spirit: as here was done by Joseph. When the king's officers told their dreams, then the Word set the figure in Joseph's understanding how it should come to pass, so that Joseph knew what their visions meant.n7427 ¶283
12. But he knew it not beforehand; but in the telling of the dream, the word of understanding modelled itself in Joseph's understanding, that he knew it. For Joseph's spirit stood in a magic figure, introverted again into the Word, after the manner as the new birth in the spirit of Christ stands introverted again. So also the other prophets, through whose mouth God's Word expounded and expressed from the inward ground, through their mouth, the wonders of God in nature, viz. in the formed creaturely word.n7427 ¶284
13. By this figure of Joseph, in that he obtained divine knowledge and skill, and could expound hidden things, we see how the introverted spirit of man resigned up into God, when he forsakes all that is his own, does attain the divine eye to see and understand; so that he gets much more again than he forsook, and that he is much richer than when he enjoyed his own. For in his own will he had and possessed only a particular; but in the resignation he gets into the total, viz. [into the universal] into all; for ALL is from the Word ofn7427 ¶285
14. Therefore if he comes into that he comes into the ground wherein all lies in the eternity, and from being poor becomes rich. As Joseph's figure declares, that a poor prisoner became a prince, and that only by the divine Word that had manifested itself in him, when the Word, in his submissive dereliction and forsaking all, expressed or spoke forth itself again, and so spoke or pronounced Joseph into a regal government and dominion, through whom the Word of God would rule in Egypt, and give the understanding for such a kingly government.n7427 ¶286
15. We see further in this figure of Joseph, How at length all must serve for the best to God's children (Rom. viii. 28): all the wrong they must suffer that will turn to mere joy in the issue. For in trouble and affliction they learn to know what they are, how very weak and miserable they are in their own selves, and how near death and misery attend them; and how all the trust, confidence and expectation they have of men, in that they will rely upon man and trust to the favour of man, is a very fickle uncertain thing; also how man should turn his hope towards God, when he expects to be delivered out of trouble by the favour of man: yet [even] so at length the favour and counsel of man must stand him in stead.n7427 ¶287
16. But if a man will expect the favour and counsel of man, he must set his hope upon God, and look whether God will give him comfort by human means, and release him from misery; and [he must] not set his hope upon the favour of man, but look upon God, to see what he will work by means. And though it seem as if God had forgotten, as here with Joseph, who must remain two years in prison, then he must consider with himself that God will have him here; but if he will through means have him in another place, then he will afford means for it, and send it in due time, as is to be seen here.n7427 ¶288
17. The mishap of the king's officers, in that they were put into prison to Joseph, was a means whereby God would bring Joseph before the king. But it was not done suddenly: because Joseph hoped the king's butler would speak a good word for him to the king, and tell his innocency. But the butler forgot him, and left Joseph lying in the dungeon: that Joseph might wholly despair of human means, and flee to God; and when he does that, and despairs of all human means, and barely relies on God, then must even that means, in which Joseph had hoped and yet also had long despaired of any help from it, break forth again and stand him in stead.n7427 ¶289
18. By this a child of God should learn, that all which he prays to God for, that it should stand him in stead by man, that he should not set his hope upon man, but upon God; then at length everything is done which he has prayed to God for, that should stand him in stead by human means: when the mind despairs of human means, and dives down into God again, then God's help breaks forth through human means. Thus the mind is instructed to learn to trust in God.n7427 ¶290
The Sixty-Eighth Chaptern7427 ¶291
Of the Dreams of King Pharaoh: How Joseph is fetched out of Prison, and presented before the King, and comes to Great Honour [Gen. xli.]n7427 ¶292
1. MOSES says, After two years Pharaoh had a dream, that he stood by the water, and saw seven fair fat kine arise out of the water, and went to feed in the meadow. After this he saw other seven kine arise out of the water, which were ill-favoured, lean and meagre, and drew near the kine that were by the water side; and the lean, meagre and illfavoured devoured the seven fair fat kine. Then Pharaoh awoke. And he slept again, and dreamed once more, and saw seven ears grow out of one stalk, full and thick. But afterwards he saw seven thin blasted ears spring up, and the seven thin and black ears devoured the seven full and thick ears. Then Pharaoh awoke, and observed that it was a dream. And when it was morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent forth to call all the magicians 2 of Egypt, and all the wise men, and related to them his dream: but there was none that could interpret them to Pharaoh (Gen. xli. 1-8).n7427 ¶293
2. These dreams of Pharaoh were represented to him from God, therefore no magus and naturalist 3 could interpret them. For the natural magus has power only in nature, only in that which nature frames in its working; he cannot apprehend that, nor advise in that, which the word of God models and frames. But a prophet has power to interpet that; for he is a divine magus; as here Joseph.n7427 ¶294
3. With the Egyptians the magic are and skill was common. But when it was misused to witchcraft, it was extirpated; although it remained among the heathen till the kingdom of Christ, till the divine magia sprang up. Then the natural magia was suppressed among the Christians, which in the beginning was well that it was suppressed, for the heathenish faith 4 was thereby allayed and quenched; and the magic images of nature, which they honoured for gods, were rooted out of men's hearts.n7427 ¶295
2 Truth- sellers, soothsayers. 3 Skilful in nature. 4 Or, religion.n7427 ¶296
4. But when the Christian faith was common, then came other magi up, viz. the sects in Christendom, which they set up for gods, instead of the images of heathen idols, and drove on greater delusions than the heathen with their magic idols.n7427 ¶297
5. For the heathen looked upon the ground of the possibility and working of nature. But these set themselves above the ground of nature, merely in a historical faith, and say that men ought to believe that which they contrive.n7427 ¶298
6. As at this very day titulary Christendom is full of such magi as have no natural understanding, either of God or of nature more among them, but only an empty babbling of a supernatural magic ground, wherein they have set up themselves for idol-gods, and understand neither the divine nor natural magia, so that the world is made stock blind by them. Whence the contention and strife in faith [and religion] is arisen, that men talk much of faith, one drawing this way, another that way, and make a multitude of opinions, which are altogether worse than the heathenish images, which indeed had their ground and foundation in nature. But these images have no ground, either in nature or in the supernatural divine faith, but are dumb idols, and their ministers are Baal's ministers.n7427 ¶299
7. And as it was highly necessary and good that the natural magia was discontinued amongst the Christians, where the faith of Christ was manifest: so now at present it is much more necessary that the natural magia were again manifest; that indeed titulary Christendom's idols which it makes to itself might, through nature, be made manifest and known, that man might know in nature the outspoken or expressed formed Word of God, as also the new regeneration, and also the fall and perdition. That thereby the contrived supernatural idols might be suppressed, that men might at length in nature learn to understand the Scriptures, seeing men will not confide in the spirit of God in the divine magia of true faith, but lay their foundation upon the tower of Babel, in the contention and contrived idolopinions, viz. in the edicts and traditions of men.n7427 ¶300
8. 1 do not say that men should seek and preach the heathenish magia again, and take up heathen idols again, but that it is needful to learn to search the ground of nature, viz. the formed Word of God in love and anger, with its re-expression; that men might not be so blind concerning the essence of all essences.n7427 ¶301
9. For the Fathers of the first faith were not so blind concerning the kingdom and dominion of nature, but did know in and by nature that there was a hidden God, who had made himself visible by the Word of his exhalation and information of the created world, and have known God's Word by the creation; which is now at present much the more necessary, that the opinion-idols might come to light and be known, that man might at length see what faith is, that it is not an opinion and conceit, but a divine substance or essence (Heb. xi. I), which substance or essence in the visible man is hidden to outward eyes, as the invisible God is hidden in the visible substance of this world.n7427 ¶302
10. But that the magi naturales [the natural magicians], could not expound Pharaoh's dreams, this was the cause: Pharaoh's dreams sprang from the centre of nature, which the heathenish magicians understood not; for their magic ground in their understanding was only in the working and figure 1 of the constellation or asterism, and in the elements. They understood not the ground of the eternal nature, out of which the nature of this world had its original, and wherein it stands: but the dreams of Pharaoh had their original out of the eternal nature, and were represented in a visible image in the outward nature of time, and in the outward figure of man. 2n7427 ¶303
11. For the seven fat kine in the pasture signify, in the inward ground, the seven properties of the eternal nature in the holy, good substance or essence, viz. in the kingdom of heaven, where the divine power is substantial. And the seven lean, ill-favoured, meagre kine signify, in the inward ground, the seven properties of the eternal nature in the wrath of God, viz. in the kingdom of hunger and thirst, where nature is without the divine substance of the good power of God: and the seven thick, fat and full ears, and also the seven dry, blasted ears signify the same also.n7427 ¶304
12. But that this dream appeared twofold to Pharaoh, it signifies in this figure, First, the ground of the eternal nature in its seven properties, what God would show thereby. Secondly, as to the second appearance, it signifies the human ground, which in its substance has its creaturely original out of the seven properties. Moreover, it denotes the twofold man, according to the outward body and the outward spirit, and then according to the inward soulish [or animal] spirit and according to the inward holy substance of the divine substantial power; and stands in the figure 3 of a holy divine man, who is fair, and full of divine power and virtue, who walks and feeds in the true heavenly pasture of the substance of the substantial wisdom of God.n7427 ¶305
1 Or, scheme,n7427 ¶306
2 Or, representation to the outward man.n7427 ¶307
3 Condition, quality or property.n7427 ¶308
13. And it denotes secondly a wicked and ungodly man, who is withered, meagre, lean and ill-favoured as to that divine substance, and yet is even the same nature's property as the divine is: But he is withered and corrupted as to its good substance; the wrath of the eternal nature in the seven properties has consumed its substance, so that it is now as a hungry fire-spirit.n7427 ¶309
14. Thus the great God represents before Pharaoh what at this time stood in the figure of the Egyptians, for he would visit them: First, he shows them his great grace, in giving them Joseph, a prophet and wise prince to govern them: also he shows them in this vision, that in his grace in the kingdom of the inward and the outward nature in the seven properties, there is mere blessing and good things. If they would walk therein, they would be as the seven fat kine and ears:n7427 ¶310
15. But if not, then his wrath would come upon them, and consume their good things in body and soul, and make them lean, dry and withered. As was done to the devils, when of angels they became devils; then their good things, viz. the substantial divine wisdom in them, faded, and their seven properties of the eternal nature became so ill-favoured, lean and dry, as the seven withered kine, and the seven blasted ears, wherein was no more power and virtue.n7427 ¶311
16. And so the seven withered kine, and the seven dry ears, devoured the good fat kine and ears, and were yet more lean and illfavoured than before, that a man could not discern that they had devoured them. Thereby the great God also signifies that the wicked man, with his seven properties of Nature enkindled in the anger of God, devours the good and fair image of God in him, by introducing himself into self-desire; in which self and wicked desire nature becomes painful, and falls into unquietness and disturbance of its peace; and yet afterwards is still ill-favoured, abominable, loathsome and dry: as a covetous, churlish, hungry dog, though he devour much his covetous nature in his envy consumes him; even his flesh, so that he has not that which he will not afford to other dogs.n7427 ¶312
17. Thus the great God represents by this, before the Egyptians, seven good fat years, and seven dry barren years which devoured the other seven, so that a man could not know the good any more: under which yet very powerful things are prefigured, as shall be mentioned hereafter.n7427 ¶313
18. But that Pharaoh was troubled at this vision, and yet understood it not, neither could his wise men interpret it, this signifies that God himself would interpret it by his power and virtue in Joseph, and that the time of this visitation was at hand: therefore was Pharaoh so moved in himself that he would fain know it.n7427 ¶314
19. But that the wise men in the light of nature could not interpret it, signifies that the works of God are hidden to the natural man, without grace, and that he knows or understands nothing of the ways of God, unless God reveal or manifest them thereby in and through him: for this was a motion of the eternal nature through the outward nature, therefore the natural wise men could not understand it.n7427 ¶315
20. And when none could interpret it to the king, the king's butler thought on Joseph, that Joseph had interpreted his dreams for him, and [he] told this to Pharaoh. And here in this vision of Pharaoh, God called Joseph, and that which he had desired two years ago through man's help was fulfilled and granted unto him.n7427 ¶316
21. Then Pharaoh sent and commanded Joseph to he called, and they brought him speedily out of the dungeon: and he was shaved and put on other garments, and came in to Pharaoh. Then said Pharaoh to him, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: but I have heard of you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it. And Joseph answered Pharaoh and said, That is not ofme:l yet God will prophesy good to Pharaoh, and Pharaoh related his dream to him (Gen. xli. 14-16).n7427 ¶317
22. This figure, that Joseph put on other garments and was shaved, when he was to enter in before Pharaoh, signifies this to us: that God at present had put off the garment of his misery, and had now put on him the garment of wisdom, and would have him now in another place than he was in before; and set him before Pharaoh with the garment of wisdom, and would give him for a guardian to Pharaoh. For the spirit of Moses sets down the figure excellently, accurately and properly, as if he had a great desire to play and delight himself therein.n7427 ¶318
1 In my power.n7427 ¶319
23. And we see further, that Joseph said to the king, that it stood not in his natural power and might to know such hidden things, but that God alone gave him to know it; so that he needed neither art nor magic images about it; but God would interpret good to Pharaoh through him.n7427 ¶320
24. Therefore should a magus give up his will to God, and fix his magic faith (wherewith he will search the figure of nature in its forms and conditions) 1 in God, that he may apprehend the word of God, and introduce it into the figure of nature, and then he is a right true divine magus, and may master the inward ground with divine power and virtue, and bring nature into a figure. 2 He that practises otherwise herein, he is a false and wicked magus, as the devil and his witches are.n7427 ¶321
25. And it is no way to be thought, as if a Christian ought not to dare to meddle with the ground of nature, but that he must be a clod and dumb image in the knowledge and skill of the secret mysteries of nature; as Babel says, Man ought not to dare to search and know it, it were sin; which all of them, one and other, understand as much of the ground of sin as the pot does of the potter.n7427 ¶322
26. When they should tell how sin is sin, and how man does cause God to be angry and in wrath, then they have no other way to turn themselves to evade it, but images or conceits of opinions, which shut up the conscience in such images [and conceits], so that the conscience is afraid of their images; and the ground of sin, according to the seven properties of nature (how their fat kine are made lean and dry) they know not.n7427 ¶323
27. O you makers of images, how does the anger of God, in the inward ground of your own nature, threaten you with the seven barren kine and ears! Joseph is out of prison, and declares the counsel of God to Pharaoh.n7427 ¶324
28. The time is even at hand wherein the figure of Pharaoh shall be brought to effect: your images of false and wicked magic shall be manifested to the whole world, by Joseph's exposition of the vision. Break off from the images, and pray to God, that he would give you the understanding of Pharaoh's visions; and then you may be partakers of the seven good kine and ears within you.n7427 ¶325
29. If not, then must all your images of false and wicked magic be turned into such barren kine and ears, as they are indeed for the most part already in the inward ground, and outwardly at present are devouring, and always devour, the good times and years; for they have almost quite devoured and swallowed up into the abyss all love, faith, truth, righteousness, humility and fear of God; and at present also they devour all outward food and sustenance. They have devoured the silver, and there is nothing left but meagre and base copper: and yet they are so hungry and greedy that they lie gnawing at the copper, as a dog at a hard bone, and would fain have more to devour, and yet there is no more for them.n7427 ¶326
1 Or, qualities. 2 Type or representation.n7427 ¶327
30. Therefore they are so hungry, that they themselves worry and devour one another for hunger, and bring their land and country into death and famine. But hereby they are made bondslaves to the anger of God in the seven properties of nature, as the whole land of Egypt was made King Pharaoh's own in the dear time of Joseph.n7427 ¶328
31. This anger of God will hereafter give you seed, that you must sow images and idols, and devour them again yourselves, as you have clearly done for a long time, and must be its bondslave servants, as Egypt was to Pharaoh.n7427 ¶329
32. Let this be told you, O Egypt of Christendom, by Joseph's interpretation in the spirit of wonder of the sixth number of the seals: It concerns you, awake and behold, the great famine of body and soul is at hand, or else you must be famished.n7427 ¶330
33. You stand at present in no other figure 1 in the sight of God, but that of the seven ill-favoured, hungry, withered, lean kine and ears: the blessing of God in body and soul is departed from you, that now you huntest after good things and temporal sustenance, and yet are not satisfied with it. And the more that you do hunger and suck upon bones, you will be still the more hungry, till you have devoured all your good kine in conscience, both in body and soul, as also land and people. And your form and feature is so ill-favoured, that the princes of the inward and the outward heaven cannot endure to behold you, but help to judge you to the damnation of death, says the spirit of wonders in Joseph's interpretation.n7427 ¶331
34. Behold yourself now aright, are you not thus ill-favoured and hungry? Consider all your faculties:2 you are raving blind with great hunger, for you have swallowed that up into the abyss which should bless you and make you happy, and have set up the hypocrisy of your idol ministers instead thereof: Righteousness, truth, love, faith, humility, chastity and the fear of God were your blessing by which you would become fat again, but you have swallowed up all these properties, and set your idols in their stead, and covered them with Christ's purple mantle; and now the evil hungry form, feature and properties of a devourer are awakened in you.n7427 ¶332
1 Or, resemblance. 2 Powers, virtues and abilities.n7427 ¶333
35. The first devouring property covered with Christ's mantle is pride, viz. a desire of self-might, under the lowly humble mantle of Christ resolving to be potent and splendid, as Lucifer under his black hood, who yet always supposes he is the most potent, when yet in the presence of God he is but a lord in phantasy.n7427 ¶334
36. The second property of your hunger covered with Christ's mantle is covetousness, viz. the devourer, who devours himself and gets from others their sweat, and flesh from their bones, and devours it: and yet has nothing, but always lies like poison, sucking out itself. This has devoured all truth, righteousness, patience, love, hope, faith, and the fear of God, and yet is but a mere hunger: at present it has eaten all silver from the copper, and yet looks as if it had devoured nothing, for nothing is to be seen in it. But that it is more hungry than before it has devoured all good times into itself, and still always devours all provisions, which God of his grace bestows, and yet is every day more hungry with devouring: and though he could devour heaven, he would devour hell also, and yet remains a mere hunger still.n7427 ¶335
37. The third property of this hunger covered with Christ's mantle is envy, viz. the son of covetousness, and pride is his grandfather. This stings and pricks and rages in the hunger, as poison in the flesh; it stings in words and works, and poisons all; it lies and cheats, and is never quiet. The more greedy covetousness is to devour the greater is this its son, envy; it will possess all alone to itself and yet has no place of rest, either in heaven, this world, or hell: It can remain neither in heaven, nor in hell, it stands only in the hunger of covetousness, and is the life of covetousness.n7427 ¶336
38. The fourth property of hunger covered under Christ's mantle is anger, which is the son of envy, and covetousness is its grandfather: what envy cannot sting to death, that will anger strike and fell to death. It is so evil and wicked that it breaks and shatters the bones to pieces. It always thirsts after murder, only that its father and grandfather, viz. covetousness, envy and pride, may have room enough. It destroys body and soul in their kind of fatness, and wastes country and city, and is further so wicked that it would destroy heaven and hell, and yet has nowhere any rest.n7427 ¶337
39. These are the four elements of hunger, which devour and swallow up the seven fat kine and ears of Pharaoh, and yet are as they were before. At present Joseph has seen and manifested them in Pharaoh's dream, so that they are become manifest in the world, and are set before the eyes of the watchmen who sit in council for judgment, what is to be done more with these dry ill-favoured kine, for God has given them the seven fat kine of the manifestation of his grace; but they devour all, and yet are so very hungry that hell dwells in their four elements, and the kingdom of the devil stands in their figure. 1n7427 ¶338
40. O Egypt of Christendom! you hope for good, and yet desire only to work wickedness. No good shall come to you; except you die from this hunger, you will burst yourself asunder in it. Whence shall good be interpreted to you by Joseph, when you thus hunger the more? Nature generates in you such a thing as your hunger and desire is. You ought to hope for nothing, except you convert and put on Joseph's new garment. And then the Lord will give you his spirit, so that you will see and understand your images, and put them away, and stand with Joseph before the face of God, as Joseph before the face of Pharaoh, and will be able to see and interpret the wonders of God.n7427 ¶339
41. And then the Lord will set you with Joseph over the kingdom of his mysteries, that you will rightly understand the magic ground of faith, and will search no more in the images of the outward natural magic, as you have done for a long time. But you will see the inward ground, and with Joseph rule over Egypt, that is, over the mysteries, and will therein praise the Lord, and draw in his fountain, and drink water of life.n7427 ¶340
42. For the word, which you shall now learn and understand, is near you, namely in your mouth and heart (Rom. x. 8; Deut. xxx. 14); you are God's formed word, you must learn to read your own book, which is yourself, and then you will be free from all images, and will see the place of which it is said, The Lord is here (Gen. xxviii. 16). And then you will attain the life of power and virtue again, and become fat, and put away the mantle of Christ, and say, Here is the man that will walk in the footsteps of Christ, and will follow and imitate him, and be like and conformable to him (Phil. iii. 10) in his life and image.n7427 ¶341
43. This whole history of the dreams of Pharaoh is an image, whereby the spirit under an outward action portrays and typifies the human ground, how good, God created him, and set him in his fatness, and how he is thus destroyed by Satan's envy and poison, and changed into so ill-favoured an image.n7427 ¶342
1 consists in that which their posture, condition or quality does represent and express.n7427 ¶343
44. But in Joseph the spirit represents a figure, showing how a man must again spring up through the new birth out of this poison; and how he should be set before God again, and how God gives him his spirit, and makes him ruler in his house; how he shall gather in heavenly fruits in faith and a good conscience, against the time of temptation, when the dearth or famine, viz. God's anger, sifts then7427 ¶344
45. In which sifting then, that fruit which is for food, which stands by the soul in repentance, and in which its little pearl-plant with its branches grows, it takes along, and bears good fruit.n7427 ¶345
46. Those fruits are then Joseph's interpretation, as he declared God's counsel, and taught it to Pharaoh. So the new birth brings forth such good fruit and doctrine, which makes known the way of God to mankind, and stands before him with wisdom, as Joseph before Pharaoh. And this we see in Joseph's counsel, after he had interpreted his dream. He said to Pharaoh, Let the king look out for a wise and prudent man, who may build granaries for Pharaoh, where provision may be laid up, that men may have necessary sustenance in the famine (Gen. xli. 33-36).n7427 ¶346
Which the spirit secretly represents in the figure of man,l that a man should look out for wise men, fearing God (Exod. xviii. 21), which should help to gather in the divine treasury and provision, with wisdom and understanding, with doctrine, life and prayer; that thereby the divine treasure and provision might be gathered in.n7427 ¶347
47. And then when the time of trial, sifting and hunger comes, that God's anger might be thereby kept back and prevented, and not so suddenly make both body and soul, land and people, lean, and devour them, but that there may be something for provision. Concerning which God says he will do well to them that fear God, unto a thousand generations (Exod. xx. 6); and this provision shall continue to a thousand generations.n7427 ¶348
1 Or, condition of such a man: the Man Christ, or a Christian man.n7427 ¶349
48. And Moses says further, This saying of Joseph pleased Pharaoh, and all his servants, well. And Pharaoh said to his servants, How can we find such a man, in whom the spirit of God is; and said to Joseph, Seeing God has made all this known to you, there is none so understanding and wise as you: you shall be over my house, and all my people shall he obedient to your word, only in the regal throne will I be higher than you. And further, Pharaoh said to Joseph, Behold, I have set you over the whole land of Egypt, and took his ring off his own hand, and gave it to Joseph into his hand, and clothed him with white silk garments, and hung a golden chain upon his neck; and caused him to go in his second chariot, and caused it to he proclaimed before him, This is the father of the land; and set him over the whole land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without your will shall no man stir his hand or his foot in the whole land of Egypt. And he called him his secret council, and gave him a wife named Asenath, the daughter of Poti-pherah, priest of ON (Gen. xli. 37-45).n7427 ¶350
49. This now is the most excellent figure in the whole Bible, that there is nowhere the like to it of any man. And he stands in the figure of an approved tried Christian, who has out- stood all trials: whom the spirit of Christ has lead with himself quite through his sufferings, death, hell, prison, and misery; as the only God, viz. the Great King, set him before him, and tried his wisdom, which he had received in the process [or imitation] of Christ, when he received him with joy, and gives this testimony of him: There is none so wise as you, who would so hiddenly introduce his life in patience, through death and hell, to God, as you.n7427 ¶351
50. And as God gives him full power over his kingdom, and in his love makes him his helper and assistant, as a council of a king helps and assists a king to govern his kingdom; so also God sets him in his kingdom, and rules by him, and gives him his seal-ring, viz. the humanity and Deity, in the love of Jesus Christ, to his soul; and causes him to ride in the second chariot after him, that is, where God's spirit goes, there always goes such a man after it; and the devil, death and hell dare not touch him any more, for thus he gets power over the devil, death and hell, and also over his mortal flesh and blood, as Joseph over the land of Egypt.n7427 ¶352
51. And as Joseph quickly withdrew and built the king granaries to lay up provisions; so also such a man, who according to his inward ground sits in the kingdom of God, builds for God his Lord many such human houses, viz. men's souls, in which he lays up in store the divine overplus which God gives him in Christ Jesus, viz. the divine knowledge and wisdom, with good instruction, doctrine and life, so that his doctrine spreads abroad and multiplies as sands in the sea; so innumerable spreading branches his pearl-plant puts forth, that many hundred thousand souls eat thereof, as of Joseph's provision in the famine.n7427 ¶353
52. And then Poti-pherah's daughter, that is, the daughter of the priest of On, viz. the true Christianity, is given him for a spouse, which he is to cherish and love, and begets of her these two sons (Gen. xli. 50), as always travelling in this way, and then they walk with washed hearts. As Joseph before the time of the famine in Egypt begat of his wife, Manas seh and Ephraim; and so it was represented to him with these names, how God had in the house of his misery caused him to grow great and gave him much.n7427 ¶354
53- And then also a child of God sets open his chests of treasure when the famine comes, that the anger of God sifts the world, as Joseph did his granaries, and imparted to his fellow twigs therewith out of his chests of treasure, that they perish not in that famine.n7427 ¶355
The Sixty-Ninth Chaptern7427 ¶356
How this Famine went through all Lands, and how Jacob sent his sons into the Land of Egypt for Corn, and how they came before Joseph and how he showed himself to them. What is thereby to be understood [Gen. xlii.]n7427 ¶357
1. THIS forty-second chapter of Genesis, concerning Joseph and his brethren, is a figure, showing how such a converted Christian, which has already entered with Christ into his process, and has now overcome, in the end also forgives and rewards his enemies with bounty, who have brought him into Christ's process with their persecution and wicked devices and counsel. And how also their sins are set before them, and how they are brought into anxiety and necessity, and how in the end, of mere grace they are released from pain and punishment; and how God is so gracious to them upon their conversion, that he not only releases the punishment, but blesses them with his gifts and benefits: as here Joseph did to his brethren.n7427 ¶358
2. But then next is also represented in this figure, how earnestly and severely God shows himself against sin: as here Joseph against his brethren. And yet God is not earnest to punish the repenting sinner according to the sharpest severity, but he sets himself strictly against the soul in its conscience; that sin may awake and be acknowledged, and that repentance may be the greater, that man in such terror may be humbled for sin, and quite depart from sin, and be angry with it, and utterly hate it; when he knows that sin has so terrible a judgement in it.n7427 ¶359
The history says thus:n7427 ¶360
3. But when Jacob saw that there was plenty of corn in Egypt, he said to his sons, why do you look so long about you? behold, I hear there is plenty of corn in Egypt: go down thither, and buy us corn, that we may live, and not die.n7427 ¶361
Then the ten brethren of Joseph went down, that they might buy corn in Egypt. But Jacob would not suffer Joseph's brother Benjamin to go; for he said, Some mishap may befall him. (Gen. xlii. 1-4).n7427 ¶362
4. Now this is a figure, first, showing that when man finds himself in the divine anger in this famine, that as to righteousness he is in want, as Jacob and his children in the famine; then the Father says in the conscience to the soul, why do you linger so long looking about you? Go down into repentance, where there is plenty of righteousness in the death of Christ, where Christ gives righteousness for and instead of your sins, if you heartily turnest to him: And thus the Father bestows his will, and introduces it into the sinner's repentance and conversation.n7427 ¶363
5. But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, that is, the humanity of Christ, he gives not to it presently therewith: he first bestows upon it its sinful brethren, that is, he gives it first his terrors into its conscience, and hides his comfort in his grace, viz. the true Benjamin, Joseph's brother, from the properties of sins,l and sends the properties of sins, viz. those wherein sins have been wrought and committed after grace, to buy this corn of Joseph, viz. of Christ.n7427 ¶364
6. The sinner must himself enter upon it, and with earnestness enter into the suffering and death of Christ, and die from his sins in the presence of grace, in the prison of God's anger, and cast himself upon Joseph's, viz. Christ's, mercy and grace, and not stay without and say, With Christ there is plenty of grace, and so tickle and comfort himself with grace. No, that quickens not the poor soul. You must go down into Egypt to your injured brother, whom you have cast into the pit, by your sins within you, and must in great humility come into his presence. Though you will not suddenly know it, till he in his mercy shall give you to know it; and then you must in Christ's power, might and glory, which he gat in his resurrection, buy corn for the poor soul, that it may live, and not die; as Jacob said to his children.n7427 ¶365
1 Sinful affections.n7427 ¶366
7. And Moses says further,n7427 ¶367
Thus the children of Israel and others with them came to buy corn: for the famine was also in Canaan. But Joseph was the ruler of the land, and sold corn to all the people in the land.n7427 ¶368
Now when his brethren came to him, they fell down with their faces to the earth before him. And he saw them and knew them, and carried himself strangely towards them, and spoke roughly with them, and said to them, Whence do you come? They said out of the land of Canaan to buy food.But though he knew them, they knew not him yet (Gen. xlii.n7427 ¶369
8. This now is the first state and condition of the poor soul when it turns to Christ, to fetch food from him. Then he looks upon the soul in its will, totally in its essence, to see whether the free will had set itself towards him. And now if the soul be converted, then he knows it; but first he terrifies the conscience, and sets himself roughly, and seems strange towards the soul, as he did towards the Canaanitish woman (Matt. xv. 26), and hides his grace from the soul, till it shed forth its repentance, and bows its face in the presence of Christ, and acknowledge its transgressions, and totally bow down itself to the pit of judgement, and yield itself into God's anger and punishment, and to the dying of itself.n7427 ¶370
9. And then Christ looks into it, and lays fast hold upon it with the strict hand of God's anger; but his love and grace hides itself therein, and that is it which stirs up the sins of the poor soul, and disturbs them, so that it is terrified and afraid in the presence of God. When the soul stands and cries to God, then says Christ in the conscience, Who are you? behold yourself now, whether you are worthy of me: as Joseph did here, when he said, Who are you? and set himself roughly and strangely towards them.n7427 ¶371
10. And Joseph thought on the dreams which he had dreamed concerning them, and said to them, You are spies, and are come to see where the land is openn7427 ¶372
(Gen. xlii. 9). That is, Christ thinks on his mercy, and on his bitter passion and death, and says to the soul, you are a spy, and comes to me only to see where the gate of my grace is open: but that shall not help you, you must do otherwise, you must first enter into the gate of my suffering and death, or else you are but a spy, and will see the gate of my grace stand open that you may cover yourself with it as with a mantle; you must be in earnest, or else you will be but treacherous to me, and take my grace into your mouth.n7427 ¶373
11. And Joseph's brethren answered him and said, No, my lord, your servants are come to buy food. We are all one man's sons; we are honest and true men, we your servants were never spies (Gen. xlii. 10-11). That is thus much in the figure: before the properties of the soul in their vanity rightly know themselves, when the anger of God is presented before their eyes, viz. passes into their essence, then the soul thinks it is wrong that is done to it; for it thinks if it comfort itself with the merits of Jesus Christ, and believes on Christ, that he is the son of God, and has satisfied for the soul, then it ought not to be blamed for a divine spy and unrighteous hypocrite; it is righteous through the justification of Christ, seeing it believes the same, that it is applied to it for its benefit.n7427 ¶374
12. But as Joseph said to his brethren, No, but you are come to see where the land is open, thus also the spirit of Christ blames the essences of the soul; for it proves them that they are not yet broken, and have still self desires in them, and will instantly lay hold on grace, viz. the open gate, which avails not the soul; it must first enter into Christ's suffering and death, and put them on first through earnest repentance and conversion of its will, and then it may enter through the open gate, through Christ's wounds and death, into his resurrec-n7427 ¶375
13. Further, Joseph's brethren say, We your servants are twelve brethren, sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and the youngest is still with our father, but one is not in being. Joseph said to them, That is it which I told you; you are spies. In this will I prove you: By the life of Pharaoh you shall not go from hence except your youngest brother come hither. Send one of you hence, that may fetch your brother, but you shall be prisoners: so will I prove your saying, whether your ways be in truth or not; for if not then are you spies, by the life of Pharaoh. And they put them together in wardfor the space of three daysn7427 ¶376
(Gen. xlii. 13-17).n7427 ¶377
The inward precious figure stands thus:n7427 ¶378
14. When the soul does thus draw near to Christ, and will instantly put on his resurrection, then says the spirit of Christ in the soul's essence, This is that which I told you, your essences are spies, by the life of God: in this will I prove them whether they come to me in a faithful and right path: whether they bring with them to me their youngest brother, viz. the true Joseph's brother; that is, the incorporated line of the Covenant of grace, in their (in Adam) faded heavenly substantiality, viz. the incorporated ground of grace which was effected in Paradise; so that the soul's essences, with their most inward ground, turn in to me and in me, else they come but as hypocrites and spies of the gate of grace.n7427 ¶379
15. This is rightly called fetching the youngest brother: for that same incorporated grace in the Promise, effected in Paradise, is the soul's youngest brother, which it hides and covers with sin; and in the beginning of its repentance it leaves him at home by 1 the life ofn7427 ¶380
1 Or, with.n7427 ¶381
16. Therefore says the text of Moses very secretly: He will prove them by the Life of Pharaoh: which is as much as to say in the figure, by the life of God, with whom this youngest son stayed behind. Him must the repenting man bring along with him to the port of grace, or else he must lie three days shut up in prison, till he bring him, as Joseph's brethren did. That is, else must the three Principles in man lie so long in prison in the anger of God, and cannot buy divine food unless they have this their youngest brother with them; that is, the gate, wherein Christ in man, in that same image of the heavenly world's substance which faded in Adam, arises from death, wherein he may have his dwelling place.n7427 ¶382
17. Thus a man is proved by the life of God when he turns to God, to try whether he turn wholly and altogether to him, and bring this incorporated ground of grace with him, wherein Christ will and shall manifest himself. If not, then says Joseph, that is, Christ, to the soul's essences, You are but spies to the life of God, and search only for the justification of man from the sufferings and merits of Christ. That is, you learn only the history, and take the precious Covenant of God in your mouths, and flatter yourselves with Christ's satisfaction, and remain still only as spies of grace. But that shall nothing avail you or help you. Though likely you may spy out the kingdom of Christ, my anger and righteousness in my zeal and jealousy shall yet hold you in prison with all the three Principles, as long as you bring not the most inward ground of your substance along with you (this is called, setting all the twelve sons of Jacob before Joseph, that is, before Jesus), and fall at his feet with body and soul, inwardly and outwardly, with all your faculties and powers, and yield them up into his grace.n7427 ¶383
18. For it is not said that they can take the grace, but that they should sink down into grace, that Grace may give itself 'to them; for man's ability to take it is lost: self-will is rent off from God, it must wholly sink down into God, and leave off willing, that God may receive it again into his grace.n7427 ¶384
19. O Babel! how [home] does this hit you? You are by or before the life of God, with your hypocrisy, but a spy of the grace of God: you do but seek for the gate of grace, and how you might with your own will, without your inward Benjamin, enter into the kingdom of Christ. Yes, you will be outwardly an adopted child of Grace, whose sins are forgiven through the merits of Christ, and yet continue to be Babel and a fable, and will not be a Christian in Christ. You will need pass into heaven, but that will not avail you:Joseph, that is, Christ, holds you imprisoned in the anger of God, both in body and soul, unless you give him Benjamin, viz. the inward ground. And then heaven goes into you, and Christ stands up in you, out of the grave, so that yourself are risen from death: and then your spying and prying has an end.n7427 ¶385
20. O you high schools [and universities], and all you that will be accounted the ministers of God, and to teach the way of God, and contend and dispute about it; what are you? Look upon yourselves in this figure: you appear to be no other than spies, you always search, and yet you lie still in prison. God will have it so no more; for he himself tries the thoughts of man, and is himself present in all things; his is the understanding, his is the knowledge of the kingdom of God, without him you know nothing.n7427 ¶386
21. Your spying and knowing helps you not into the kingdom of God: you cannot enter therein, except that go forth in your life, that is, except it be manifested in your life, that you are God's children in Christ, in his sufferings, death and resurrection, in himself; not through an acquired historical seeming faith, but essentially, as a branch on the vine. You must be a twig on the tree; you must have Christ's life, flesh and blood operatively and substantially in the inward ground in you; and you must become Christ; else you are all, one and other, but spies, searchers, and historical Christians, and no better than Jews, Turks and heathen.n7427 ¶387
22. O you simple men, let it be made known to you: Go but forth from the tower of the confounded languages, then may you soon come to the right. Seek Christ at the right hand of God within you: he sits there. Unlock your wills: that is, give them up to him, and he will unlock them well enough. Your repentance must be earnest: or else you are all, one and other, but spies (Matt. xxvi. 64; Acts vii. 55,n7427 ¶388
23. Gaze about no more, it is high time. The time is truly born [or at hand] (Rev. i. 3; xxii. 10), your redemption draws near (Luke xxi. 28). The Bridegroom calls his Bride (Rev. xxi. 2): you must indeed into the prison of Joseph in his famine: if you will not [bring your inward ground of your hearts into repentance with you], Amen [so be it] .n7427 ¶389
24. And Moses says further, But on the third day he said to them, If you will live, then do thus, for I fear God: If you be honest and true men, let one of your brethren lie captive in your prison. But as for you, go your ways, and carry home what you have bought for your hunger; and bring your youngest brother to me, and so I shall believe your words, that you may not die. And they did so (Gen. xlii. 18-20).n7427 ¶390
The figure stands thus:n7427 ¶391
25. When the soul draws near to God, and will work repentance, and that its inward ground is yet wholly shut up in vanity, so that the mind is still hanging to self, yet if it will not give over repentance, and for all that cannot be free from the earthly desires, but continues in prayer, then indeed God the Father lets the soul's essences out of the prison of his anger, that the mind is well eased again, like one that is released out of prison. Then says the mind thus: I am very well eased in my prayer in this repentance.n7427 ¶392
26. For God's anger has released nature out of its prison, that it should with greater labour and industry press into God; for in its prison it cannot do so, for it is in anguish, and beholds only its committed sins which continually drive it back, that it is afraid, ashamed 1 and daunted in the presence of God. But when the anger lets it loose, then it gets power and virtue of prayer, and the work of repentance.n7427 ¶393
27. But the anger of God holds it continually with one band: as Joseph held one brother in prison, till they brought the last brother also. And thus must the poor soul remain tied with one band of the prison of death, till it shed forth the last brother, viz. the inward ground, and come before God, and say: Lord, I will forsake all for Christ's and my salvation's sake, and give up my will wholly to you; cast me into death or into life, into derision or scorn, into poverty or misery, as you wilt; I will cleave to you, I will not play the hypocrite before you, and give you but half my will any more, as I have done.n7427 ¶394
28. And then if the earnestness proceed to practice, that God perceives that it is in earnest, then will also the last brother be let loose; that is, then will also the last band of the anger of God be loosed but in the meantime, ere it thus come to pass, the soul must lie captive in one band.n7427 ¶395
29. But nevertheless God says to the other released forms 2 of life: Now go your way with that which you have at present in this repentance bought or gotten of me; and carry it home, that is, defile it not again, live of it, and partake of this, present grace bestowed, and carry it in, to the honour of God, that it may come before God with the operation of it.n7427 ¶396
1 Abashed. 2 Or, faculties.n7427 ¶397
30. Moses says further, But they said one among another, We trespassed against our brother, that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he wept to us, and we would not hear him; therefore now this trouble comes upon us. Reuben answered them, and said, Did I not tell you as much, when I said, Sin not against the lad; and you would not hear? and now is his blood required. But they knew not that Joseph understood it; for he spoke to them by an interpreter. And he turned himself from them, and wept; and when he turned himself to them again, and spoke with them, he took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes (Gen. xlii. 21-24).n7427 ¶398
31. This figure now is the earnestness of repentance, when man in his repentance stands before God, when he seeks to God [and weeps to him], when his conscience and sins awake: as here the brethren of Joseph did. Then he says in himself, This have I merited and deserved by my sins, that I have helped to deride, scorn and crucify Christ within me, and without me in my fellow-members, and have not regarded the entreaties and beseechings in my fellow- Christians, but have scorned, derided, and judged them to damnation. At present it touches me home, when I will turn to God by repentance, now his sobs and tears withhold me, in that I have driven him away for my voluptuousness, jesting, sport and wantonness, now I stand here, and the heaven in me in my conscience is become as iron.n7427 ¶399
32. Then says God in the conscience, have you not known well enough; moreover, have I not caused my word to be told unto you; you knew well that you did wrong, but your evil stubborn self-will must reign; and now you would have grace. And the devil says, It is to no purpose, grace is gone, heaven is shut up, hell is open, leave off, you will not attain it.n7427 ¶400
33. But the great mercifulness in the grace of Christ in the inward ground presses in with his pity and great compassion; although at present he still hides his countenance of love from it, that the soul does not know it, and makes the troubled soul full of misery, that in self it beseeches and weeps before God, and accounts itself guilty of all evil and wickedness; and begins in such kindled lamentation bitterly to complain of its sins, and to be sorry, and is also so full of shame in the presence of Christ that it hides its countenance before God, and knows not what to do for lamentation. For it sees in itself with its own eyes that the severe righteousness of God holds and binds it in its life: as the brethren of Joseph must see that their brother was bound for their sins before their eyes.n7427 ¶401
34. For though Christ be stirring in the soul's essence in the inward ground of the incorporated grace, and shatters it, that it sees and bewails its sins, yet he sets himself very strangely against the strangely, as if he understood not their speech, and spoke to them by an interpreter.n7427 ¶402
35. This same interpreter is even that which brings the soul into such repentance, which otherwise could not be; for it has nothing more in its own power but this: that it may turn its abyssal unfathomable supernatural will towards God, viz. that out of which it is proceeded, and there stand still, which yet is very hard for it, and yet possible. 1 Unless its will have quite broken off itself from the incorporated gate of grace, and given itself up to the poison and infection of the devil, so that the will of the abyss of the soul is entered into a figure 2 of a false or wicked thistle, and be wholly poisonous. Then it is hard, for then it asks not after repentance at all, but is careless and negligent, and obdurate, and desires at no time to convert, neither is it sorry for any evil or wickedness, but takes delight therein and rejoices at it, so long as it carries the body about it; and then it is quite lost: but where there is yet a little spark of divine desire left, there is remedy.n7427 ¶403
1 Note the ability of the soul to attain grace.n7427 ¶404
2 The condition, posture, and quality.n7427 ¶405
36. And Moses says further, And Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to put everyone's money into his sack again, also provision for their journey: and they did so to them. And they laded their burdens upon their asses, and went their way. But when one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he perceived his money that lay uppermost in the sack, and said to his brethren, My money is restored to me, see, it is in my sack: then their hearts failed them, and they were afraid, one with another, and said, Wherefore has God done this unto us? (Gen. xlii. 25-28).n7427 ¶406
37. This now is the most lovely rich figure, showing how God takes nothing away from the repentant sinner, when he in his will gives up all, and resolves to cleave steadfastly to God, he takes no reward or bounty from him, or anything else; neither does he take away his temporal good things, when he does yield up all to God, and forsakes selfishness. And then God fills his sack and restores him all that money, which he gives to the poor and miserable, in his blessing again, and lays it aloft in his provision, that the man sees that God has afforded it to him again in his wonderful blessing.n7427 ¶407
38. At which a man often wonders how it comes to pass that temporal maintenance befalls him in such a wonderful manner, when he has not sought it or known anything of it, and likely stands amazed at it, questioning whether he should receive it or no, and thinks verily it is done for a temptation to him: as here Joseph's brethren thought that Joseph tempted them thus, that he might have an occasion against them.n7427 ¶408
39. And this signifies the inward bounty of Christ, that when the poor sinner pours forth his heart before God, for payment to the grace, and returns what he has to God, then God fills the sack of his heart full with the grace of Christ, and gives him still good provision, viz. understanding and wisdom, in the way of his pilgrimage, wherein he is to journey through this valley of misery, home again into his Father's country.n7427 ¶409
40. But by this journey and pilgrimage, wherein the Adamical man's sack is filled with heavenly good things, the kingdom of God's anger, as also the earthliness, is robbed of that which they have in man: as is to be seen in this figure.n7427 ¶410
41. For when Jacob's sons came home to their father, and told him how it happened to them, and poured out their sacks and found the money again, and would have Benjamin also into Egypt. Then said Jacob, You have robbed me of my children: Joseph is no more in being, and Simeon is not, and you would take away Benjamin: all this goes against me (Gen. xlii. 35, 36).n7427 ¶411
42. Here Jacob their father stands in the figure of the outward nature's self showing how nature complains, when it is bereaved and robbed of its right, and of that which it has begotten and brought to light; and stands very excellently in the figure; for the outward nature says, when it sees the divine gifts in itself, whereby it looses the right of its selfhood, I am bereaved of my might and strength; Joseph, viz. the inward ground of the kingdom of heaven, which I had in Paradise, that is no more; and so will also these gifts of my power and authority, viz. my children, that is, the properties of my nature, be taken away: it all goes against me: I must suffer myself to be bereaved.n7427 ¶412
43. But Reuben said to his father, If I bring not Benjamin to you again, then slay my two sons: give him into my hand, I will bring him to you again (Gen. xlii. 37). That is, God comforts nature, and says, Give me your forms, quality and condition, viz. your children, into my hand, I will but bring them into Egypt to Joseph, that is, to Jesus, and will give them to you again, you shall lose nothing: if I do not, then slay my two sons with you, that is, slay the first and second Principle:n7427 ¶413
44. Which is even done, if nature be bereaved of its forms and condition. Then must cease in the nature of man the kingdom of God in love, and also the kingdom of God in the might of the fire. So very secretly does the spirit of God delight to play in the figure of regeneration; which exposition will seem strange to reason: but we know what we write here, which is understood by those of our society.n7427 ¶414
45. And Jacob said, My son Benjamin shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if any mishap hefall him in the way that you travel, you will bring my grey hairs with sorrow of heart into the grave (Gen. xlii. 38). That is, nature is faint, when it must enter into the death of Christ, and is afraid of dying, and will by no means come to it; it excuses itself concerning its heavenly Joseph which it had, viz. the heavenly image, which while it cannot comprehend it, it says, It is dead; now when these my forms and qualities of life in this way shall get mishap again, then must I perish with sorrow of heart, and my life has an end.n7427 ¶415
The Seventieth Chaptern7427 ¶416
How Jacob's sons went into Egypt again because of the Famine, to Joseph to buy Corn, and take Benjamin with them. How Joseph caused them to be brought into his House, and to Eat at his Table. What is thereby to be understood [Gen. xliii.]n7427 ¶417
1. Now this whole chapter prefigures to us the most excellent image, representing how first the outward nature, in this process, when it shall give up its will thereinto, that its life's essences shall go into Egypt, that is, into the death of Christ, is very fearful, timorous, abashed and daunted, and yet in the end is willing and ready that all its forms and conditions of life might enter into the dying of self, viz. into the true Egypt, upon divine confidence, that it brings the will of God with it thereinto.n7427 ¶418
2. And then [secondly], how the forms and conditions 2 of life are afraid before Joseph, that is, before the face of God, seeing they feel in them an evil conscience: as Jacob's sons were afraid before Joseph, for they thought continually God would punish them for Joseph's sake, at which they trembled.n7427 ¶419
2 Powers or faculties.n7427 ¶420
3. And thirdly, how God, with the forms of the soulish nature, carries himself first so friendly, and first gives them heavenly bread of his own substance, and yet but in a strange form: as Joseph invited his brethren for guests, and fed them at his table, that they ate and drank plentifully, and were merry; and afterwards let them go in peace. But presently after came with a terrible trial, in that he caused his cup to be laid into Benjamin's sack, and pursued after them and fetched them back again. All which stands powerfully in the figure ofa repenting sinner, showing how it goes with him, till God in his love gives him to know him.n7427 ¶421
4. Moses' words follow thus: This famine was sore in the land. And when the corn was spent which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, Go again, and buy us a little food. Then Judah answered and said, The man obliged and charged us strictly, and said, You shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. Now if you will send our brother with us, then we will go down and buy for you to eat: but if you send him not, we will not go down: for the man has said to us, You shall not see my face, unless your brother be with you (Gen. xliii. 1-5).n7427 ¶422
5. The soul of man stands in three Principles, viz. in the eternal fire's nature, and in the eternal light's nature, viz. in the love-fire, which extinguished in Adam, for which cause at present the strife is. And thirdly it stands in spiritu mundi [in the spirit of the world], in the kingdom of this world, viz. in mortality and restoration.n7427 ¶423
6. Therefore now understand us aright, thus: When the inward soulish ground, viz. the eternal soul from the Father's property of the Word of God, turns back again, and looks about after its little pearl, viz. after the second Principle of the angelical world's property, then it will perceive that it was lost in Adam; from whence arises its misery, and [also its] return again. And as soon as it returns again, God gives his grace into it again, but unknown and not understood by it. And he 1 desires that the inward fire-soul, viz. the centre of the eternal nature, should, with the voice of grace inspoken or inspired in Paradise (which was wholly incorporated), turn to God again.n7427 ¶424
7. In which divine desire this great unquietness arises in the soul, that it thus goes into repentance. When it sees that it has lost its ability, neither may nor shall nor can it, in any other way, again attain its first pearl which it had, and come to divine salvation, unless it turn with its fire's might wholly again into the ground of the incorporated grace, and give itselfup thereto.n7427 ¶425
8. And now when the outward mortal soul (viz. the nature of the third Principle) of the kingdom of this world sees this, then it is afraid, as Jacob was of his children; and always thinks they will lose body and life, goods and honour, and their forms or faculties of life will be bereaved of their outward might and authority, which they have in this world.n7427 ¶426
9. And then also the inward fiery soul cannot stir up its inward ground, viz. the true Benjamin, and bring it along with it into Egypt, into the presence of Joseph, into earnest repentance, into the presence of Jesus: unless the outward soul, from the spirit of the world, be brought down and quite tamed and overwhelmed, that it also may in the end willingly submit to it, that the fiery inward great soul might thus move itself in all the three Principles, and stir up the most inward ground, viz. Joseph's brother, viz. the incorporated gate of grace, together with all outward essences or faculties of the outward soul, and bring them along into the work of repentance, into the presence of the right Joseph or Jesus.n7427 ¶427
10. For the fiery soul is threatened by Joseph, that is, by Jesus, that if, in its drawing near, it bring not along with it the most inward ground, viz. the brother of Joseph, or Christ, which in its manifestation becomes the temple of Christ, then shall its band of God's anger not be loosed: its brother Simeon shall remain in prison, till it also stir up and bring with it Joseph's brother, viz. the most inward ground.n7427 ¶428
11. Neither shall its sack be filled with heavenly manna for its food (Rev. ii. 17), that is, its faith's desire shall remain hungry and empty, and not be filled with divine power and virtue, unless it bring the temple of Christ, viz. the right sack, with it, whereinto the heavenly Joseph fills his food.n7427 ¶429
12. This now in the text stands in a figure: showing how the old Adamical man, viz. the old Jacob, thinks it to be very hard that he should let all the powers of his life be carried along into Egypt, that is, into repentance, into the presence of Joseph, or Jesus; especially when he sees that he must break his will, and part with all temporal things for it: as old Jacob must part with all his children for this food.n7427 ¶430
13. It went hard with him; and yet the famine and hunger did so press upon him that in the end he must yield and be willing that all his sons should go into Egypt; and his youngest son went along, and he was alone as one who had no children: So wholly must the outward nature leave whatsoever it has or is in itself; as having no more power and ability as to earthly things, and give up the selfhood of its inward soul, which stands in the drawing of God, that the inward soul may take the outward soul's will along with it into conversion. And then the old Jacob, that is, the old earthly Adamical body, remains alone in its house of sorrow, and knows not now what will become of it, when its spirit must go along into conversion. Then thinks the earthly Lucifer in it, viz. the fleshly desire, Hereby you will lose temporal honour and good things, and be the fool of the world; this will not serve your turn and lust.n7427 ¶431
14. But the great famine, viz. sin, presses the poor life in all the three Principles, that it must make ready and go into Egypt, that is, into repentance, and seek divine food, and pray for it, and desire it, from the true householder Joseph, or Jesus, and in such prayer and desire fall on his face of great humility before Joseph, or Jesus, and desire food of him.n7427 ¶432
15. But that Jacob's sons must go twice into Egypt for corn, and at the first time receive corn enough, and yet they came into danger thereby) and were kept as a pledged has inwardly this figure: when man at first turns into repentance, then first the terrible figure or aspect of his sins stands before him, for they rouse him up, and the conscience stands in the anger of God.n7427 ¶433
16. As the brethren of Joseph stood the first time before Joseph, when he held them for spies, so also man stands before God as a spy of divine grace; for he thinks he will this once enter into repentance, that his old sins may be forgiven him; but he has not yet so strongly tamed his will, that the will should think all days of its life while the body lasts to remain in such begun repentance, but it thinks only for once thus to destroy sin in the conscience, and to drown the old sins in repentance and sorrow.n7427 ¶434
17. And it comes also to that pass, that his conscience, though perhaps at first it be terrified, is in the end appeased, and divine food is given to him from the heavenly Joseph, into the sack of his desire, so that the anger of God lets him go. But the anger of God in his righteousness takes a pledge 2 from the conscience, and keeps it, to see whether man would continue to rest satisfied with this burden of food; if not, then the anger of God has [in the pledge] its first right in soul and body.n7427 ¶435
1 Were kept in pawn, or custody. 2 Or, pawn.n7427 ¶436
18. As it happens to us poor men, that we very slightly and lavishly spend the first food which the heavenly Joseph gives us in repentance, and come again with great hunger, want and misery of conscience, and must come to be poor again; and even therefore, because we did not the first time bring along with us our Benjamin, viz. the most inward ground, in that our will was not quite broken, and that we suppose we shall continue till our end in repentance and divine resignation. But if it were done in the first repentance, then could not God's righteousness in the anger take any pledge, but must leave us quite free.n7427 ¶437
19. This figure now, that Jacob's children must go down into Egypt for food twice, and at the second time Joseph was first manifested unto them, and the third time they took along with them their wives and children, and all that they had, together with their father, prefigures that when man through sin has spent and consumed the first divine food, that he must hunger again and be in want in his conscience, so that his conscience presses him and complains (as a hungry belly complains for food), then he thinks on the first repentance again, how grace happened to him before.n7427 ¶438
20. But his most inward ground, viz. the band of God's anger, complains against him and condemns him, that he did not preserve grace. It blames him for an unfaithful perjured man, who has tasted God's grace, and how it was bestowed on him of mere mercy, and that he has for the lust's sake of the flesh spoiled and lost all again. And then he stands as one that is not worthy of anything, so much as to look up to heaven, or that the earth should bear him, that he has for such base lust's sake of the flesh squandered so precious a thing again, and thinks yet with the poor publican and sinner, and with the lost son, the keeper of swine, He will turn again, and come to the salvation of God. And then first it is in right true earnest, and then goes Jacob's sons all one and other the second time into Egypt into repentance, to buy heavenly corn, and then must the old Adamical Jacob, viz. the body, stay at home in calamity.n7427 ¶439
21. In this earnest it is that Benjamin, viz. the inward ground, is first taken along. And now the first will is broken, and goes no more in and with such a purpose as at the first time. And they come now no more as spies before Joseph, but as earnest hungry men, viz. with an earnest hungry life, which from all its powers and virtues hungers after God's mercy, after the food of Jesus Christ.n7427 ¶440
22. Here now begins the earnestness, in fear and trembling. And this is the true going forth after heavenly food, wherein the conscience stands in anxiety, and reason despairs of its own ability, and thinks, Alas, God is angry with me: where shall I seek for grace? I am not worthy of it; I have trampled it underfoot, I must stand ashamed before God. Into what deep shall I go, where I may dare to lift up my face to God, and bewail my wants to him?n7427 ¶441
23. Then comes the poor conscience, in need, and with trembling, before God, and has not many confessions or words, for it accounts itself too unworthy to speak one word before God, but sets itself before his face, and bows down to the ground; and thus in itself demerses itself into the most mere and deepest mercy of God, into Christ's wounds, suffering, and death, and begins from its most inward ground to sigh, and to fly into grace, and wholly give up itself thereto: as Joseph's brethren came thus the second time before Joseph, and fell down before him.n7427 ¶442
24. And when Joseph saw them thus, that they were all there and stood so humbly before him, he had so great compassion upon them that he could not speak a word either: but turned him and wept. And this is the state and condition wherein the inward ground of the heavenly world's substance which faded in Adam (into which God again inspoke or inspired his Word of grace in Paradise, for an ensign, banner, mark and limit), became living again in this compassion, wherein Christ is assuredly born in man in this ground, and now instantly arises, through his sufferings, from death in man, and there sits at the right hand of his Father; which right hand is the fiery soul from the Father's property in the Word of the eternal nature, and presents the soul in this ground before the anger of God, and satisfies and fills it with love.n7427 ¶443
25. And here a Christian begins to be a Christian, for he is one, in Christ, and is no more a spy and verbal or mouth-Christian: but that is in the most inward ground. And here Simeon is loosed, and there is no more condemnation to those that are thus in Christ Jesus (Rom. viii. I). Although perhaps the outward body is in this world, and subjected to vanity, yet it hurts it now no more: but every failing which it now commits in the flesh must turn to serve for the best to it. For now it begins to kill the works and contrivance of the flesh, and continually to crucify the old Adam; for its whole life is now a mere repentance, and Christ in it does help it to work repentance, and brings it now to his glorious feast or banquet: as Joseph did his brethren when they came again to him, when he commanded to make ready and gave them of his table.n7427 ¶444
26. Thus now Christ feeds the converted soul with his flesh and blood, and in this feast or banquet is the true Wedding of the Lamb (Rev. xix. 7, 9). Whosoever has been a guest here, he understands our sense and mind. And no other does, they are all of them but spies; though perhaps they suppose they understand it, yet there is no right understanding of this feast or banquet in any man, unless he has been at it and tasted of it himself; for it is a very impossible thing for reason to apprehend it without Christ's spirit in himself, who is himself the food at this feast or banquet of Joseph.n7427 ¶445
27. And it is told you, Babel, in your spying by Joseph's feast or banquet, that you delude Christendom: in that by this feast you point them to the resurrection of the dead you err. A Christian must here eat the flesh of the Son of man, or he has no life in him (John vi. 53): In the resurrection God will he All in All (1 Cor. xv. 28). Here Christ sits at the right hand of God (Col. iii. I) in man, and presents him with his body, and with his innocent blood that was shed; and that, he covers the soul withal, and flows into it with the same, when God's anger will stir, being instigated by the desire of the flesh.n7427 ¶446
28. O you poor old Jacob of spying 1 Christendom! let your hungry sons, who are very lean for great hunger in the conscience, go to Joseph: keep them no longer back in your fear. What, I pray you, is your fear? you suppose, that if this ground should come to light in the world, you would lose your sons whom you love. But who are your sons? There is your own honour, in that you think to sit in the stead of Christ upon earth. Also there is your Lucifer of fleshly honour, which you take care for, and your countenance is dejected about it, if a man should require an Apostolic life from you, and seek you in the process and imitation of Christ. It pleases you better that you live in honour and voluptuousness of flesh, in spying, and honour your belly, and so bring your poor Christianity under a veil.n7427 ¶447
29. O you poor old Jacob! trouble not yourself so about temporal momentary things. See how it went with old Jacob, when he let all his sons go from him to Joseph, how Joseph caused him to be fetched to him, and did so much good to him and his children, and nourished them in the famine, and placed them in a better land. And so it will go also with you, if you will let your sons go to Joseph; but if you wilt henceforth keep them back longer, then you must starve, you and your children, and be famished in misery: says the Spirit of wonders, by Joseph's feast or banquet.n7427 ¶448
30. O Israel, mark this text very well, it concerns you, and has clearly concerned you, but that you are yet blind in your hungry misery, and wait for the sword of the turba: that shall awaken you, since you will needs have it.n7427 ¶449
31. Everyone thinks, If three parts of men were destroyed thenn7427 ¶450
I should have good days with those that remain, and then we would be honest and virtuous, and lead an upright honest life. Also men gaze about to see whence that salvation will come, which is so much written of; and say and think, salvation will enter into the lust of the flesh from without: men always gape for an earthly kingdom ofn7427 ¶451
1 Or, inspecting.n7427 ¶452
32. O Israel, if you would know these present times wherein you live in blindness, you would repent in sackcloth and ashes. You look for the signal-star,l and it has appeared: it shines, whosoever has eyes may see it; it is indeed as big as the world is, and yet men will be blind. Enough, to those that are ours.n7427 ¶453
33. And as Jacob's children spoke much with their father concerning Benjamin, and promised to bring him again, he said at last: If it must be so, let it be so; and take of the best fruit of the country in your sacks, and carry down a present to the man, a little balsam and honey, and spices and myrrh, dates, and almonds. Take also other money with you; and the money that was put above in your sacks again carry with you: it may be it was done by mistake: Moreover, take your brother, arise, go again to the man. And the Almighty God give you mercy before the man, that he may let your other brother and Benjamin go. But I must be as one quite bereft of his children (Gen. xliii. 11-14).n7427 ¶454
34. This now is the figure that is above explained. And we see a very excellent clear type and image therein, showing that Jacob commanded his sons to take with them of the most precious rich and costly fruit of the land, and carry it with them to Joseph. In which the spirit portrays in the figure how the Christian Church, when it sees itself in such trouble and spiritual famine, hunger and want, and now is on the way of repentance, should carry these good fruits with it before God, viz. hope, faith, and divine affiance, and not wild fruit, as covetousness, self-willed lust, and hypocrisy, but a purpose and resolution towards truth, righteousness, chastity, love and meekness.n7427 ¶455
35. Thus must the old man take a resolution, to go in such a purpose to Joseph, that is, to Christ; and then he yields up all his sons for the journey of this pilgrimage, and says, Now I am bereaved of all my sons, I have nothing more in the desire of fleshly voluptuousness, I have yielded them altogether into the will of God.n7427 ¶456
36. Also, we see in this figure how Jacob commanded them to take with them again the unrighteous money that they had brought back in their sacks, and restore it again: thus also must a man who will be or is a Christian put away from him all unrighteous things; all that he has gotten to himself by subtlety, craft, and wrong, that, he should repay again, or else indeed give it to the poor.n7427 ¶457
1 Such a star as leads the wise men to Christ.n7427 ¶458
37. For that which he gives to the needy and miserable that suffer want, he gives to the hungry brethren of Joseph, and the heavenly Joseph receives it in his hungry brethren and fellow members, and returns it to him again manifold: as Joseph's steward gave them again the money, which they carried home in their sacks the first time and brought it again, and said, Peace be to you, your father's God has bestowed treasure on you.n7427 ¶459
38. A man must put away all unrighteousness from him, if he will enter into the wedding of Jesus Christ. Hypocrisy and flattery in comforting oneself avails nothing; it must be earnestness: and this is that which keeps men back from the ways of God, even their walking upon the ways of hypocrisy, and flattering themselves. Whereas they should leave off and forsake unrighteousness and extortion, and restore that which is gotten by falsehood. Thus they have cast the purple mantle of Christ over the crafty wretch, and covered him with the satisfaction and merits, only that the thief may live under that cloak.n7427 ¶460
39. O you poor Christendom, how has Antichrist deluded you with this cloak and covering! O flee away from him, it is time! The covering will not avail any wicked and unrighreous person: so long as any is such a one he is the devil's servant.n7427 ¶461
40. A Christian is a new creature in the ground of his heart, his mind is bent only to well-doing: not to steal, else were Christ, [by consequence, accounted] a thief in man. Let but the mantle of Christ fall off and restore what you have stolen, and gained and extorted with unrighteousness and injury; and cast away the old quarrels, strivings and litigations 1 from your soul, and go naked and empty under the cross to which Christ hangs, and look upon his fresh bleeding wounds, and take his blood into your hungry soul; and then you will be healed, and redeemed and released from all want: else no comfort of satisfaction and merit will help you. All true comfort is but this, That a Christian comforts himself that he shall in this repentance in Christ Jesus obtain a gracious God: and that shall even be his comfort, that he may not despair.n7427 ¶462
1 Lawsuits.n7427 ¶463
41. The satisfaction wherewith the unrighteous comforts himself and says, My works avail nothing, Christ has done all, I can do nothing; and continues under such comfort in sins, that is the devil's fish hook, whereby he catches his fish with Christ's mantle.n7427 ¶464
42. Christ had his purple mantle on him when he was in his suffering; but when he hung on the cross he had it no more, much less in his resurrection: So also should a man take this mantle about him only when he goes into Christ's suffering and death in repentance. In repentance it is alone available, and no way else, that a soul should wrap itself up in it, when it is ashamed in its sins, before the face ofn7427 ¶465
43. All that is taught and believed otherwise is deceit, a fable, and Babel. All teachers that teach otherwise are but servants and slaves of the belly, the devil's fishermen, and a deceit of the world: of these let men beware. For he that will be a teacher must also be a true Christian, that so he may also thus live in Christ: else he is a thief and a murderer, that climbs up some other way into the sheepfold (John X. I), of whom Christ speaks.n7427 ¶466
44. And Moses says further, Then they took their present, and the double money with them, and Benjamin; and arose and went into Egypt, and presented themselves before Joseph. And when Joseph saw them with Benjamin, he said to his steward, Bring these men to my house, and slay and make ready; for they shall eat with me at noon. And the man did as Joseph said unto him; and brought the men into Joseph's house (Gen. xliii. 15-17).n7427 ¶467
45. This now signifies thus: That he that hides himself under the mantle must come forth, and bring his unrighteous wrong gotten goods again, and come before the face of the heavenly Joseph, and come naked and empty of his I-hood or own ability, and bring the right Benjamin that is in him along with him. Then Joseph draws near him, and sees him, and commands his steward, viz. the spirit of power, to bring these men into his house, viz. into his humanity. And then the Lamb of God shall be made ready, and these men, or the life's essences of the right soul, shall eat at Joseph's table with him at noon (then it is noon when the high light of grace shines as at noon or midday in the soul); and here Joseph's brethren are reconciled, when they eat with Joseph, that is, with Christ, of his food.n7427 ¶468
46. This now is the supper (Apocalypse iii. 20). Here a man casts away the mantle, and becomes a brother of Joseph, and needs no more flattery or comforting of himself, but becomes a Christian in Christ, who is dead with Christ to his sins, and is become living in him, and is risen again in him, and lives with him, eats with him at his table, and is no more a servant of sin, who must fear again, but who is a son in the house to whom the inheritance he longs (Gal. iv. 7), according to the Scriptures.n7427 ¶469
47. And when Joseph's steward had brought them into Joseph's house, they were still afraid, and spoke to him before the door concerning the money which they had found in their sacks. But he comforted them, and said, I found your money, and have had it: yourn7427 ¶470
God has bestowed treasure in your sacks. And he brought Simeon out to them; and brought them into Joseph's house, and gave them water to wash their feet, and gave their asses provender. But they prepared their present against Joseph should come at noon; for they had heard that they should eat bread there (Gen. xliii. 17-25).n7427 ¶471
48. This now is the figure, and representation of a troubled man, who now enters into Joseph's house, and gives again the unrighteous thing; for he had done much unrighteousness and wrong, because he had nothing to give. He gives it again with his heart before the house of Joseph in true confession and acknowledgement, and would fain give it back again with his hand, if he were but able to do it. To such a one says Joseph's steward, Fear no more, I have clearly received it in your repentance, Christ has paid and restored it for you in his blood, so that all is done away, and nothing remaining; and you are in poverty and misery, therefore keep that little which you have, to cherish your life, though indeed you have it of wrong, and should have nothing in this world for your own; yet God has given you treasure. Take water, and wash your feet; that is, cleanse the conversation of your hands and feet, and do evil no more; keep not that which is unrighteous, but only that little which you have of right, wherewith you cannot repay the wrong.n7427 ¶472
49. Not so to understand it that he should not restore again that which is of wrong, of his own which he has rightly gotten besides extortion, if he be able. We speak of the poor, which has nothing but a piece of bread left to sustain life: no excuse avails before God, the conscience must become pure, or else you are a thief. For the figure here adds that the steward gave their asses provender, which signifies the earthly body, that Christ will by his steward cause provender and food to be given to it.n7427 ¶473
50. These stewards here are honest and virtuous people in the world, which shall help to take care of it, that it may live; even though he was formerly a wicked man, if he were now honest from his heart.n7427 ¶474
51. Not as the false wicked world judges, who know a fault in a converted man, which he has had, and still always upbraid him and condemn him for an unrighteous man, which devilishness the world is full of; that if they see a man who is converted, they cast all failings and infirmities which everyone has in flesh and blood upon him, and judge him for it, and look upon what he has been, and not upon what he now is. Here says Christ, Judge not, and then you shall not be judged (Matt. vii. I).n7427 ¶475
52. Now when Joseph entered into the house, they brought him the present in their hands, and fell down before him to the earth. But he saluted them friendly, and said, Is it well with your father, the old man whom you told me of ?n7427 ¶476
Does he yet live? And they answered, It is well with your servant our father, and he yet lives. And so they bowed and fell down before him (Gen. xliii. 26-28).n7427 ¶477
53. This now is the state and condition of the soul when it comes plainly before the eyes of God, and has wrapt its present up in the sufferings and death of Christ, and bears it in its hands with the figure of the nail prints of Christ, in the presence of God. That is to say, the will to righteousness, truth, chastity, love, patience, hope, faith, meekness; these are now in the will of the soul, and these the soul gives to the heavenly Joseph, and falls down before him in humility.n7427 ¶478
54. But this Joseph salutes the soul, that is, he speaks or inspires his word of grace into it, and parleys friendly in the conscience with it concerning the old Adamical Jacob of its life, and says, does he yet live; that is, if he be still living and not quite dead there shall well be a remedy for him. At which the soul rejoices, and says,n7427 ¶479
It is well with your servant my father, and he yet lives.n7427 ¶480
55. And Joseph lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is that your youngest brother that you have told me of And said further, God be gracious to you, my son. And Joseph made haste away; for his heart burnt within him towards his brother: and sought where to weep; so he went into his chamber, and wept there. And when he had washed his face, he went forth, and carried himself boldly, and said, Set bread on the table (Gen. xliii. 29-31).n7427 ¶481
56. This now is that excellent type or image, as is above mentioned; when Benjamin, that is the most inward ground, wherein lie the grace-gates of Paradise, is manifested before the eyes of Christ, in whom the great compassion kindles itself; then God in Christ speaks in or inspires the living compassion: as here Joseph into Benjamin, when he said, God be gracious to you, my son. This weeping of the heavenly Joseph kindles this faded Paradisical image again with this weeping humility of Christ, so that from Christ's weeping into this image the eternal joy rises up: and then Christ sets bread upon the table, that this image may eat with him.n7427 ¶482
57. And Moses says further, And they served Joseph apart, and them apart; and the Egyptians that did eat with him, apart also: for the Egyptians dare not eat bread with the Hebrews; for it is an abomination to them. And they placed them before him, the first according to his priority of birth, and the youngest according to his youth: and they marvelled amongst themselves. And they carried them food 1 from his table: but Benjamin's was five times as much as the other. And they drank, and were merry in drinking plentifully with him (Gen. xliii. 32-34).n7427 ¶483
58. This figure is now the most secret ground and highest mystery of all between God and man: although it appears outwardly as if Joseph would thus hide himself before his brethren, as if he were not a Hebrew of their progeny, yet the spirit has here set down so deep a mystery that no reason can discern it.n7427 ¶484
59. For Joseph in this place stands in the figure of Christ, who has food apart, whereof they know nothing: as it is to be seen at Jacob's well, when his disciples called him to eat. Then said he, / have food which you know nothing of; which is to do the will of him that sent me (John iv. 32-34): for the heathen woman's faith was his food.n7427 ¶485
60. Christ, according to the eternal Word of the Deity, eats not of the substance of heaven, as a creature, but of the human faith and earnest prayer, and the souls of men praising God, are his food, which the eternal Word that became man eats, as a part; which appertains to no man or any other creature, neither can they eat it. And when he eats the faith and prayer, together with the praise of God, from our souls, then the human faith, together with the prayer and praising God, becomes substantial in the Word of power, and is of one and the same substance with the substance of the heavenly corporeity of Christ, all alike to the only body of Christ, God, and substance, viz. God, man, and substance, all one.n7427 ¶486
61. This substance, which is one and the same substance with the assumed humanity, from us, wherein he has shed his blood, which is alike of a divine and human substantiality, viz. supernatural flesh and blood, and then also of the human creature's flesh and blood (except the earthliness of our humanity) he gives this now to the human faith again to be eaten and drunk.n7427 ¶487
1 Or, messes.n7427 ¶488
62. For faith, in the desire of its hunger, is the mouth which sucks and receives it in. In which impression, catching and receiving, faith eats and drinks Christ's flesh and blood; which eating and drinking is apprehended and kept in the inward Paradisical image, which faded in Adam and became living again in Christ; wherein the human Paradisical substance, and Christ's flesh and blood, are entirely one substance, and continue so eternally. Which inward man is now no more called Adam, but Christ, viz. [being] a member of the body and substance of Christ, wherein is the temple of the Holy Ghost; and God's holy Word is therein, substantially.n7427 ¶489
And it is a form or image of the imageless Deity,l viz. the imaged Word of God, an express reflex image 2 of God.n7427 ¶490
1 Resemblance of the inconceivable or non-imagible Deity.n7427 ¶491
2 Answering exactly as a man's face does in a glass.n7427 ¶492
63. And this now is the signification of the figure, that they served Joseph apart, and his brethren also apart: that still there is a difference between Christ, and his eating, and man, and his eating. The difference is not as to the creaturely humanity of Christ from us, but between the un-formed eternal Word in him, wherein the total God is operatively and generatively, not shut up and separated, but expressive in full omnipotence; not creaturely, but divine:n7427 ¶493
64. But in us men (so far as man in his participation has anything of God and Christ in his own substance) the Word is formed and substantial, and this formed substantial Word eats again of the formed Word of God, viz. of Christ's flesh and blood, wherein yet also the un-formed Word, together with the whole fullness of the Deity, dwells (Col. ii. 9).n7427 ¶494
65. But the human creature has it not in his own participation or possession of self as it is in Christ Jesus, but [the creature has it] as a vessel and habitation of God. After that manner by way of similitude as fire possesses iron, and illustrates it that it come to be all of a fire,3 and yet it has not the fire in its own power or authority; for if the fire go out, the iron then remains to be dark iron. Or as the sun presses and penetrates through a herb, and puts forth itself together in the herb and becomes substantial; and yet the sun's spirit remains to be only a power and virtue in the herb, and the corpus or body of the herb does not come to be sun: thus also is it to be understood between God and man.n7427 ¶495
3 makes it all of a light fire.n7427 ¶496
66. But that Moses says, And they served the Egyptians also apart, for the Egyptians dare not eat bread with the Hebrews, has also its figure; though it might well be so outwardly in itself that they have not dared to eat with them: which we leave unquestionably in its own worth, as also all other things. We leave it standing in a history, but we would only clear and explain the meaning and understanding, wherefore the spirit of God has caused it to be deciphered so narrowly, curiously, exactly and punctually.n7427 ¶497
67. Now when we will search out this, we must take into consideration a natural Adamical man, of what kind, progeny or name soever he is, whether heathen, Turk, verbal or titulary Christian, 1 or Jew; here they are all alike, and no otherwise: all these dare not eat with a right true Christian, as, viz. with Joseph's brethren. But why? Because they have not a mouth to eat such food withal. Their mouth is yet shut up to them, and they cannot eat the food of Christ's body; they are an abomination to it, and have a loathing against it: as we see that it is an abomination to the Jews, Turks and heathen, that a Christian says, he eats Christ's flesh, and drinks his blood (John vi. 53).n7427 ¶498
68. So also it is an abomination to the titulary Christendom, one part of which believes not the substantial participation and feeding upon the body of Christ, but will have it merely spiritual. The other part will have the mouth of the Adamical mortal man full of it, and therewith comprehend and receive it. And so there is no right knowledge or understanding in either party; and they sit at table, but without knowing anything as the brethren of Joseph did, who knew not Joseph, where indeed their faith feeds, but their understanding knows not Joseph in his feast or banquet. 2n7427 ¶499
69. Now then says reason, seeing the Jews, Turks, and ignorant unknowing heathen, have no mouth to eat such food with, and that Christ says, Whosoever eats not the flesh of the Son of Man, he has no life in him (John vi. 53); therefore they must all of them be damned. O Israel, how blind are you here, and know as little as they, or as Joseph's brethren knew of Joseph.n7427 ¶500
70. The Turks, Jews, and strange nations, whose desire and prayer goes to the only God, have indeed a mouth, but not so as a Christian has: for as the desire, viz. the mouth, is, such is also the food in the mouth. They desire the spirit of God, and such is also their eating: in that manner as before Christ's humanity, in the Father and the Son, viz. in the Word.n7427 ¶501
71. But a Christian has an incarnate mouth: for the soul's 3 desire, or much more, the substantial Christ or Christus, viz. the Virgin Sophia, has a mouth from the substantial Word. But the other have one from the un-substantial Word; they desire the property of God the Father,4 viz. of the only God, and they do apprehend it also: but here grace is not manifest.n7427 ¶502
1 Or mouth-Christian. 2 Or, mess of food. 3 Or, soulish. 4 Or, to be like God the Father: our heavenly Father.n7427 ¶503
72. But seeing the Father has given man to his Son Christ (John vi. 37), as Christ says (John xvii. 6), and has manifested the grace in Christ, and invites them all in Christ, and that there is no salvation without Christ; 1 therefore he gives to them also the earnest crying prayer, which Christ receives from his Father and apprehends it in himself and eats it, and fills them with his humanity, suffering, death, and shedding of his blood, and so they are with their spirit in Christ substantially, but in themselves as hidden to them.n7427 ¶504
73. For they desire not any way the flesh of the Son of Man, and therefore they have not in their selfhood any mouth for Christ's flesh and blood, for they have no desire to it; but with their spirit they are substantially in Christ: but their inward in Adam faded Paradisical humanity (which faded in Adam), wherein the incorporated grace in Paradise lies, remains hidden in them, and without a stirring life.n7427 ¶505
74. For Christ dwells not substantially therein, as in a true Christian. But their faith's substance is hidden in Christ to the day of the restoration of that which is lost in Adam, when their Paradisical image, which is not manifested in this time, will put on their faith's substance, in God's bestowed grace, which proceeds from one upon all, out of Christ's spirit; for that incorporated grace, viz. the inspoken or inspired Word, stands also in them, and pants after Christ's substantiality.n7427 ¶506
75. But seeing their substantiality is in the Word, without this place, state and condition, in Christ, where Christ in himself fulfills their faith to God, therefore also will their substantial faith in God put on that incorporated Word in the Paradisical image, together with the same, at the revelation or manifestation of Jesus Christ; and herewith also the whole man.n7427 ¶507
76. For the Scripture says, Of grace are you saved, and that not of yourselves (Eph. ii. 8), not by your knowing, but through God's mercy and compassion [are you saved]. 2 It lies not in knowing, as if the knowing could receive Christ; but it lies in the gift, viz. in the grace, which Christ gives to the unknowing into their faith in God, as well as to the knowing into their desire: it is done to both of grace.n7427 ¶508
77. For Adam went forth from the only God into self; into ignorance, and led us all with him into that same ignorance. But grace came again from that same only God, and offers itself to all ignorant unknowing persons, heathen as well as Jews.n7427 ¶509
1 Or, out of him. 2 Note how salvation is not of ourselves, but ofn7427 ¶510
78. Among the Jews stood the image or type of grace in the figure, signifying how grace would receive man again. But now the fathers of the figure, viz. the Jews, had no more part in the grace, viz. those among whom the image or type had not manifested itself: for the prefiguration and type pointed at Christ. The Jews pressed with their faith and prayer through the prefiguration into the only grace, which was in God, which God bestowed upon Adam and his children. But the heathen, which had not the Law, and yet believed, without circumcision, in the only promised grace of God, they pressed without the type or prefiguration into the grace.n7427 ¶511
79. For the ability was given to the one people as well as to the other, no people could of themselves; but the grace took the will for the ability, and gave them ability and power alike, the Jews and the faithful heathen. But infidelity and not willing was both with the Jews and heathen their damnation, in that they withheld their wills in self and in hardening, and went awhoring after other gods. Thus the circumcision and the sacrifices were not the Jews' salvation; but grace, which they represented in such figures pointing at the humanity of Christ, when the grace would fulfil the future: the future fulfilling was their salvation.n7427 ¶512
80. Thus also at present the Christians have the figure of grace under the Gospel in the fulfilling: not that they can receive the fulfilling in self-power and ability, but the fulfilling of the grace tenders it to them; if they will give up themselves thereinto, then will the mouth be given to them in the grace.n7427 ¶513
81. But the others bend their wills towards the grace of God, which is even the same grace with the Christians, and no more; but the substantial grace in the image of the fulfilling they know not. But the grace takes their willing with the desire into it, and gives the desire in the grace a mouth: which is hidden to the creature, till the day of the revelation of Jesus Christ.n7427 ¶514
82. Therefore there is no other difference between them but the substantial stirring in the Paradisical image, the Paradisical image not having yet put on Christ in substance, as it is with the true Christians. And yet their faith in the grace of God in Christ is substantial, yet not in the human own possession of self, but in God who fulfils all things, and is and dwells through all things. Thus the substantial grace is near the faithful or believing Jews and Turks, and in them, but as to the creature not apprehended.n7427 ¶515
83. They have Christ in them, but they apprehend him not, unless their will enter into the substantial grace of Christ, and then Christ manifests himself in their creature, as well as in Christians. But the grace in Christ is laid by the faithful believing Jews and other people, for it moves through them, and their will to God is in it, and walks therein.n7427 ¶516
84. A titulary Christian without the divine will is further from it than a believing Jew, Turk, and heathen, or whosoever he be that puts his trust in God, and gives up his will to God. Such a one is nearer, and will condemn the titulary Christian, in that he boasts of knowing, and comforts himself with the grace, but continues in his evil will and desire without grace, and will set the wicked man up in the grace of God.n7427 ¶517
85. You say thus, The strange nations are not baptised into Christ, therefore they are not children to the grace of the Covenant. Answer. If circumcision were alone salvation, then were baptism so also, for the one is as the other, but God requires that a Jew should be circumcised inwardly in heart. Circumcision was but the type or image, showing how Christ would cut off sin, which type Christ has fulfilled. Thus also the spirit of Christ baptises with this Covenant in the Paradisical image, in the incorporated grace, and kindles an ember. 1n7427 ¶518
86. But it requires an ens of faith, which is capable of the baptism,2 which comes from the parents, and through the earnest prayer of those who are conversant about the work; else the Covenant is despised, and there is no circumcision of the heart and spirit. For the power and authority wherewith the Holy Ghost baptises consists not in man, but in God. Whosoever despises his Covenant, and manages it not with earnest and with circumcised hearts, those he baptises into his anger: as Saint Paul says concerning the Supper of Christ, that the wicked receive it to judgement.n7427 ¶519
87. A wicked priest has not power and authority to baptise with the Holy Ghost, he has only the water, and is himself incapable of the office; but the ens of the child, and the believing parents, and those who require and promote the work, their earnestness and prayer reach forth the Covenant with their faith's desire to the baptised infant.n7427 ¶520
1 Bathes, steeps or soaks into the grace, and quickens a sprout.n7427 ¶521
2 Or, steeping.n7427 ¶522
88. But the wicked priest is no more profitable in it than the fontstone that holds the water; thus he brings only the water and the ceremonies, which a Turk can do, without faith or believing.n7427 ¶523
89. But a stranger that has not the baptism, and knows nothing thereof becomes in his faith circumcised in heart, and the Holy Ghost soaks into his faith's desire, and baptises him unto the revelation of Jesus Christ, when his faith shall also put on the substantial Covenant in the grace.n7427 ¶524
90. O Babel, how blind are you! How have your clergy or men ordained and in orders set themselves in Christ's stead! But they all serve not Christ, but themselves to their fleshly honour. O Babel, convert, the door is open, else you will be spewed out. The time is born. Else you will be set before the light and proved, and then you wilt stand in shame before all people.n7427 ¶525
91. Further, the spirit of God has yet a powerful figure in this text, in that Joseph caused his brethren to be set before him according to the order of their birth, and caused his brother Benjamin to be served with five times more than the others. This prefigures to us, first, the difference in the kingdom of Christ, showing how they shall be unlike in the regeneration, as St. Paul says concerning it, They shall excel one another in glory, 1 as the sun, moon, and stars do (I Cor.n7427 ¶526
92. For there it will avail nothing to have been a king, prince, lord, noble or learned, but he that has had the greatest power and virtue in him, who shall have attained grace, in the name of Jesus, the most clearly in his wrestling of repentance, he will be greatest there. For these orders and degrees signify to us, that they will be unlike in the divine exaltation, viz. in the power and virtue, as the angels excel one another in power, virtue, beauty and brightness.n7427 ¶527
93. But that Benjamin had five times more food served to him, points in the figure at the inward man, for Benjamin stands in the figure thereof; seeing he is Joseph's brother; and Joseph here stands in the figure of Christ: therefore it belongs to the inward man to eat of his brother Christ's food from his five wounds. This is that which this precious figure signifies here, as may be seen.n7427 ¶528
1 Clarity.n7427 ¶529
94. But that the spirit says, They drank, and were all filled with drinking, signifies that in the kingdom of Christ there is a universal common participation and joy; and in that there is no difference, because in such difference they shall all rejoice in one God. For their drinking fully signifies here the eternal joy, where, in this joy, we shall be as it were drunk. And then will the inward man drink and eat of the sweet grace which is manifested in Christ's five wounds; and hereby give it into the fiery soul, which in its fiery essence will, in this sweetness, awaken the triumph of divine joyfulness, and herewith will the noble bride 1 refresh its bridegroom, viz. the soul.n7427 ¶530
1 Sophia: the Divine Wisdom.n7427 ¶531
The Seventy-First Chaptern7427 ¶532
How Joseph caused his Brethren's Sacks to be filled, and the Money to be laid uppermost in their Sacks, as also his Cup in Benjamin's Sack, and Caused them to be pursued and charged with Theft: What is thereby to be understood [Gen. xliv]n7427 ¶533
1. MOSES says, And Joseph commanded his steward, and said, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and lay everyone his money uppermost in his sack. And lay my silver cup uppermost in the sack of the youngest, with the money for the corn. And the steward did as Joseph had said unto him. On the morrow, when it was light, he let the men go, with their asses. And when they were not come far out from the city, Joseph said to his steward, Up, and pursue after the men;n7427 ¶534
and when you have overtaken them, say thus unto them, why have you requited evil for good? Is it not that out of which my lord drinks, and wherewith he prophesies;2 you have done ill. And when he overtook them, he spoke such words to them (Gen. xliv. 1-6).n7427 ¶535
2. Now a Christian stands in this figure, signifying that when he is come to this in right earnestness into the image in the trial on the path of Christ's pilgrimage in this world, how God exercises and purges him, for this is the way and process on the path of Christ's pilgrimage, and how God carries himself; and the world also, towards the creaturely reason of man. For we see in this image how God, when the repentant man is in the true earnestness, fills his sack, viz. the mind and conscience in the life's properties, with his grace, and lays the cup of salvation (Psal. cxvi. 13), viz. the true and right silver cup, viz. the cup of Christ (John xviii. 11), out of which he drank in his suffering, uppermost in the sack of the filled grace, out of which a Christian must drink also, and follow Christ in his contempt.n7427 ¶536
2 Or, divines.n7427 ¶537
3. For Joseph's cup, out of which he drank, with which he prophesies or divines, is in this figure no other but the cup of the disciples, and whereby he divined or prophesied concerning his eternal kingdom, and that whosoever would drink of this cup should with him divine and prophesy to 1 the eternal life.n7427 ¶538
4. But this figure shows the great earnestness, signifying how this cup should be bestowed upon God's children, and what that Wine is which they must drink of out of it; for first Joseph sends his steward after them, and bids him tell them they had stolen his cup, and was churlish towards them, when as yet they were not guilty: so also when a Christian has his sack filled with this food, then will Christ's cup be laid in for him. These now the wrath of God sifts in the human nature, as to their souls and as to the mortal body, and says to the conscience, you have not rightly gotten his cup by the right of nature; you have stolen it out of God's house from his grace and power. The kingdom of heaven suffers violence (Matt. xi. 12) herein, and you have done violence, and gotten this cup to you into your sack; you have not grace by the right of nature, thou will needs walk back with this cup in peace on these paths.n7427 ¶539
5. But no, it will not avail you; if you will take Christ's grace along in you, then you must take on you also his suffering, dying, scorn, persecution and misery, and suffer yourself to be continually reproached in the world for a false wicked man, and to suffer yourself to be accounted a wicked person 2 by the Pharisaical hypocrisy, as one that has stolen their cup and taken it away by violence; in that he will no more kneel down before the great Babylonish whore, who has presented a cup full of hypocrisy and blasphemy, and quaff of their cup; and then reproach they him for a wicked person, who has stolen their cup and authority from them, and run after him and would murder him, and damn him to temporal and eternal death, and reproach him without ceasing for a treacherous person, who has stolen their cup.n7427 ¶540
6. That is, when a true Christian obtains the cup of Christ, and drinks out of it, then comes the anger of God in the fleshly evil nature, as also the devil and the evil world, and set upon him on every side, because he has this cup in his habitation, and prophesies or divines against them, that they have the cup of whoredom and abomination in them, and because he reveals it, and will not quaff with them in their cup of hypocrisy and blasphemy.n7427 ¶541
1 Upon, into or concerning. 2 Or, knave.n7427 ¶542
7. And then must a Christian lay down his sack of God's grace at their feet, and suffer himself to be bound and captivated in their scorning and contemning; and then they oftentimes bereave him of body and life, honour and welfare, and set him with his cup before their judgement. And there a Christian must drink out of their cup the derision, cross, suffering and death of Christ, and imitate and follow Christ in this cup, and so not go home again in peace, with his filled sack of the grace of Christ, through this world into his eternal country of his Father.l He must be conformable to Christ's image (Phil. iii. 10; Rom. viii. 29), and follow him in his way which he has walked in this world. This is powerfully prefigured in this figure.n7427 ¶543
8. For Joseph's brethren stood now in the figure of a converted Christian, whom God has clothed with Christ, and also laid in the cup of the cross, together with grace, and, moreover, uppermost in the sack; to signify that when the grace of Christ, which is bestowed on a Christian, shall work and bring forth fruit, that it is not done in standing still in peace and quietness, but in the strife about this cup, for it lies uppermost in the sack of grace, and the strife about the cup must always be the forerunner of it.n7427 ¶544
9. For Christ says, The Son of Man is not come to establish peace on the earth, but strife and persecution, that one be against another and persecute him (Matt. x. 34; Luke xii. 51). Also, He has kindled a fire, and desires it should burn (Luke xii. 49). And this is it: that a true Christian must always be spoken against, even those of his own family in flesh and blood must be his enemies (Micah vii. 6), that the sown and planted tree of pearl may stir and bring forth fruit.n7427 ¶545
10. As an earthly tree must stand in heat, cold and wind, and have great strokes and opposition, whereby the sap is drawn out of the earth into the tree, so that it blossoms and bears fruit: thus also the poor soul, in such smitings and opposition, in scorn and misery, must draw power and virtue into itself out of the bestowed and entrusted grace, viz. out of [the soil] and field of the Word of God, with earnest prayer and working, and thereby bear the fruit of faith, viz. good doctrine, instruction and conversation.n7427 ¶546
11. For thereby the soul feeds the spirit of Christ, and Christ feeds the soul again out of the sack of the substantial grace, viz. with his flesh of the substantial wisdom of God; and thus they give themselves one to another, to a perpetual working.n7427 ¶547
1 Or, native country.n7427 ¶548
12. And we see hereby, how even the wicked must serve God in the working of his grace, for he is its stormy wind; and his cursing and blasphemy against God's children are the heat and cold, wherewith God stirs his little plant of pearl in his children, so that it hungers after heavenly sap, and draws it into itselfand grows. And this is that which Christ said, He came to set up strife on the earth: for Christ's kingdom is a strife against hell and the devil; Christ strives without ceasing in his children and members, with Satan, about then7427 ¶549
13. For in the earthly man lies yet the ground of the Serpent, viz. a habitation of Satan, wherein Satan withstands the kingdom of Christ: So also on the contrary the kingdom of Christ in grace withstands the kingdom of Satan, with the cup of Christ; and this strife continues always while the earthly body continues.n7427 ¶550
14. For thus God's anger works in the love, that the love (viz. the eternal One and eternal Good) might be distinguishable, perceptible, and discernible; for in strife and opposite will the profundity or abyss, viz. the eternal One, which is without nature and creature, is manifest.n7427 ¶551
15. And therefore God has introduced himself with his holy Word of powers into nature and creature, as also into pain and torment, into light and darkness, that the eternal power of his Word in the Wisdom, together with the expressed Word, might be distinguishable and perceptible, that knowledge might be.n7427 ¶552
16. For without this the knowledge of the eternal One would not be manifest, neither would there be any joy; and though it were in being, yet it would not be manifest to itself. Thus it manifests itself through the introduction into nature, through the separability or distinguibility of the speaking; whereby the speaking brings itself into properties, and the properties into opposition or contrariety of will, and so through the opposition, the eternal Good, which brings itself along in the Word of the speaking, into distinguibility, becomes distinguishable, creaturely and conceivable. 1n7427 ¶553
17. Else if the evil in the contrary will were not profitable, God, viz. the eternal only Good, would not endure it, but annihilate it. 2 But thus it serves to the manifestation of the glory of God, and the kingdom of rejoicing; and it is an instrument of God, whereby he makes his Good conceivable,3 that the good may be known: for if there were no evil, then the good would not be known.n7427 ¶554
1 Imagible, imaginable, or comprehensible.n7427 ¶555
2 Or, make it to be nothing.n7427 ¶556
3 Imagible, representable, or discernible.n7427 ¶557
18. If there were no anger-fire there could be also no light-fire, and the eternal love would be hidden, for there would be nothing that could be loved. Thus the love of God has an occasion of love, for it loves the dereliction of that which is forsaken, viz. the weakness; that it 1 also might be great.n7427 ¶558
19. For God's love comes only to help the weak, lowly, humble, destitute, forlorn and forsaken, and not those that go on in the might and strength of the fire; not the might of self, but the impotency, and that which is forsaken. Whatsoever is lowly, disregarded, humble and destitute, in that, love works and dwells therein.n7427 ¶559
20. For love in its own property is nothing else but the divine humility out of the profundity or ground of the [eternal] One. Love neither seeks nor desires any thing but the One, for itself is the One, viz. the eternal Nothing, and yet is through All, and in All; but the appropriation of self-will is a nothing to it.n7427 ¶560
21. Therefore all is foolish and esteemed evil and base, in the sight of God's Love, whatsoever wills in its own self-ability: though it may well be profitable, as whereby the willing of nothing manifests itself yet it is, in the sight of the willing of nothing, only a phantasy, viz. a sport of its own driving on, and tormenting itself.n7427 ¶561
22. For that which wills nothing, but only that out of which it is proceeded, that has no torment in itself; for that, to itself, is nothing, but is, only to that out of which it is proceeded. It stands submissive to its Maker that made it, he may cause it to be something or nothing: and thus it is one and the same thing with the eternal One; for it torments not itself, it loves not itself, it feels not itself in its own will: for it has no will of its own, but is given up to the total or universal.n7427 ¶562
23. As we see that the four elements stand in such a will; they are four, and yet but one. For the four stand in one ground, and the ground is neither hot nor cold, neither moist nor dry: it is that one element, an unperceptible life. But thus it would not be manifested to itself; therefore God has stirred it up, and exhaled and unfolded it out of himself that there might be opposition to itself, and might perpetually stand in strife, that the One might be manifested in multiplicity.n7427 ¶563
1 The love itself.n7427 ¶564
24. But herein neither of them destroys the other that it should cease to be, and be nothing; but that which is overpowered stands still to that which has overpowered it, the heat to the cold, or the cold to the heat; and there is no self possession or willing, but one element wills the other, that the other may be manifest; and when it is manifest, then it gives itself to the strongest in the stirring, and so there is a strife, and yet the greatest love between them: for in regard of the love struggling it is that the strife and willing or stirring arises.n7427 ¶565
25. Therefore man, in respect of his own willing, is an enemy to himself: if he did give his will to God, and did yield to him, then God would will through him, and with him, and his willing were God's willing. But seeing he loves his own willing, and not that which has given him the willing, it is a twofold injury.n7427 ¶566
26. One, in respect of the own willing, that he will not hold still to the original and ground of his willing, and be one and the same thing with it: as the four elements do all give up their willing into the ground out of which they proceed and move and will according to the same.n7427 ¶567
27. A second is, that he breaks off his love from the love of the abyss, and loves himself and forsakes the love that has given him his love; and himself wills, goes, runs, cares, and looks after many things, and breaks himself off from the Unity: therefore he runs on in his own will in the forms or qualities of nature and the four elements; as also in the multiplicity of the essences of the constellations 1 in mere unquietness.n7427 ¶568
28. And the unquietness brings into anxiety, and the anxiety stands in the desire of his will, and the desire includes and overshadows itself, so that it is dark in itself, and cannot see itself. Therefore the self-will runs on in mere dark anxiety, and vexes itself in the desire, and seeks the love in the desire, and yet finds nothing therein but the image 2 of the four elements which the desire itself makes. Thus the will serves its images, and loves the image in itself: and that is the greatest folly which nature has brought forth, and yet it is the instrument whereby the highest wisdom is made manifest.n7427 ¶569
1 form, quality or condition.n7427 ¶570
2 Or, postures of the stars.n7427 ¶571
29. O ye men, who count yourselves wise, and receive honour one from another in respect of your self-love and your own will, how mad are you in the sight of heaven! Your own honour which you yourselves seek is a stink in the presence of the only love of God. But he that seeks another and honours and loves him, he is one thing with the total: for when he seeks and loves his brother, then he introduces his love into the members of his body, and is loved, sought, and found of him who made the first man out of his Word, and is but one man with all men, viz. with the first Adam, but one in all his members; as also with the second Adam, Christ, [he is] but one.n7427 ¶572
30. For God gave man but one will, that he should will only what God would. God would have the world and the creatures to be, and that would he by and out of his Word. This should man also will through that same Word: as that Word would have it, so should man also will to have it be. God created all things in its own similitude or image, by the Word, and out of the Word, that one should love another; so should man also love his likeness and similitude.n7427 ¶573
31. For all men are but the one man, Adam. God created only him, and the other creatingl he left to man, that he should leave his will to God, and with God generate the other men out of himself in that likeness. But when that was not done God cursed the power that was given to man, so that the will of the creatures is opposite to him, seeing he would have them to misuse them, and would no more be a lord of the creatures, but mingles his love also with them: whereupon the four elements captivated him, and made him also a beast as to the body. And thus now he runs on in the will of the curse.n7427 ¶574
32. For he is God's image. But he fashions 2 his will into a bestial image, and disturbs the order of God, from what it was in the word of Creation: He suppresses the right true will of God, and sets his own will in the place. He is with his will an enemy to all creatures, and all creatures are his enemies.n7427 ¶575
33. And therefore must the divine will in man be now born again in such anguish in the opposite will, and the right divine will of the new birth must suffer itself to have the enmity of all creatures; and therefore, because man bears in his body a bestial will, wherein the bestial opposite will, together with the curse, is manifested, so now the life in the curse is at enmity with the life in the peace, and will not suffer it in itself.n7427 ¶576
34. But if the bestial will in the flesh could be wholly broken and killed, then the curse would cease, and so no creature could be at enmity more.n7427 ¶577
1 Or, procreating which was further to be done.n7427 ¶578
2 Images, models, or figures.n7427 ¶579
35. But seeing this cannot be, therefore must man stand in strife, and endure much evil to will in him from without, and to will much evil out from himself in and towards that which is without him; and so stands in strife between evil and good, and in evil and good; and lives in the strife of the elements, and also in the strife of his own willing that God gave him.n7427 ¶580
36. For he complains always, that wrong is done him, and yet [he] himself is a wrong will, and the right will, which he obtains in the regeneration, is not his own natural willing, but it is the willing of the grace of God, which is manifested in his willing; which willing daily kills his natural willing, and blames man by God's instrument with the children of the anger openly.n7427 ¶581
37. Moses speaks further, and says, They answered him, and said, Wherefore speaks my lord such words? It is far from your servants to do such a thing: Behold, the money, which we found aloft in the sack, we have brought to you again out of the land of Canaan: how should we then have stolen out of your lord's house either silver or gold? He with whom it is found among us your servants, let him be put to death; and moreover, we will be the servants of my lord. He said, Let it be as you have spoken: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; but you shall be quit (Gen. xliv. 7-10).n7427 ¶582
38. This figure now shows how the conscience desires to justify itself; when it is apprehended by the wrath of God's anger, that either, when God with his plagues in nature, also many times in the hiding of his graces, or through the evil world, blames it, and represents it unrighteous, then it will always justify itself, that wrong is done it.n7427 ¶583
39. For if it have once turned toward grace, and broken itself off from ungodly courses, then it thinks no evil at all shall happen: God is bound to protect it, and the world does it wrong, when it reproaches it as wicked; it ought no more to be subject to plagues and punishments, and it accounts that honesty and righteousness, whereby it steals grace from God, and reckons it for its own, as if it were no more guilty of sins.n7427 ¶584
40. Also it excuses itself towards the world, when the world will impute sins and blasphemies to it, as if it were guilty. Then it will needs die, or be put to death, or the like, as Joseph's brethren did who knew nothing of the theft, and did not understand either, that all their unrighteousness, and their stealing of Joseph, when they stole him from their father and sold him, stood in the sacks of Joseph's gifts, viz. were manifest before the eyes of Joseph, so that Joseph knew and understood their theft, and therefore caused them to be held for thieves, and caused them to be pursued as thieves, and fetched them back again, and set them before the judgement.n7427 ¶585
41. But instead of their thievery of their committed sins, whereby they had forfeited their lives, Joseph caused his silver cup to be laid to the gift in their sack, and caused them to be blamed for the cup: which they would not confess.n7427 ¶586
42. When a man, as is above mentioned, becomes a true Christian, so that God gives him his grace, then he lays his grace hiddenly in the sack of his body, in the essences of life. And, moreover, lays therein the cup of the cross, and blames it no more in conscience in respect of its manifold committed sins; for he has utterly destroyed them with the grace of forgiveness, and filled the sack of his sins with grace for the hunger of the poor soul. But it lays now the cup of Christ to its charge, that it is guilty of that, viz. of Christ's being scorned, also of his suffering and death, that he has brought Christ to the cross with his sins, that it is verily guilty of the cup of Christ's cross, and not wholly righteous.n7427 ¶587
43. For when God by his grace forgives him the sins unto death, 1 then he causes this cup of Christ to be laid aloft in the sack; seeing Christ himself has the guilt of these sins laid upon him, and has taken them upon him; therefore now this man is guilty of the cup of Christ's cross (in which Christ must taste and drink out the anger of God in man): God's righteousness requires of him to enter into the suffering, scorn, and death of Christ, that he should die with Christ, and give himself up to his scorn, and suffer with Christ.n7427 ¶588
44. But seeing he cannot do that, and is too weak to enter into such sufferings in the anger of God, therefore has grace put this cup also into him, that he might drink of Christ's victory, and prophesy or divine of Christ's suffering and death, and make them known.n7427 ¶589
45. But God's righteousness, which now requires man to be in the process of Christ, viz. in Christ's sufferings and death, and yet finds him not always, in his conversation and will, therein, accuses him for a thief; who carries the cup of Christ's cross but as a thief in the sack of his life's essences, and charges him of theft, if he walk otherwise than in the process [and imitation] of Christ.n7427 ¶590
1 Mortal, deadly, or killing sins.n7427 ¶591
46. For Christ has received man into his sufferings and death, and turned away the righteousness of God's anger, and introduced him, with his guilt of eternal death, into his innocent death, and is dead from the sins and wickedness in himself; and in this dying of Christ God's righteousness, in the anger, requires a Christian man to be.n7427 ¶592
47. But if he walk out of this path, and not in it, then says righteousness, You are a thief, and has wrongfully got this cup of Christ in your sack, I will set you before my judgment and sentence, as Joseph did to his brothers, when he caused them to be fetched back to the sentence of his judgment.n7427 ¶593
48. Therefore has a Christian, who walks under the banner of Christ's cross, no excuse, when God by his steward, viz. by the children of this world, causes him to be laid hold on in the righteousness of his anger, and charges him for a thief and an unrighteous person, also for a stranger, innovator or novelist,l enthusiast, fool, and the like; when men load him with all his faults, and the infirmities of natural sinful flesh, and without ceasing blame him as wicked and unrighteous, and condemn him to the damnation of the temporal and eternal death; and though he is not, in the sight of the world, nor as to the world, guilty, yet he is liable to bear the scorn, suffering and death of Christ after him, as a Christian, and is liable to take upon him the whole process in the footsteps of Christ, and to follow Christ therein, and to suffer all, in Christ, and wholly to put on Christ in his derision, contempt, suffering and death, and to bear his cross and scorn after him; that he may enter into Christ's kingdom, as a member of the body of Christ that has suffered with him, and has daily died to the anger of God in the death of Christ, from his actual sins.n7427 ¶594
49. For all sins, blasphemies and untruths, which are imputed to him wrongfully from the world, which he is not outwardly guilty of in the fact, that, he suffers in the process of Christ, as a Christian; and therein drinks out of the cup of Christ's cross, who has innocently suffered for his sins.n7427 ¶595
50. For if he be not guilty of them in his life, yet he is guilty of them in the inherited sin, and has inherited them also in the seed out of which he is proceeded: they lie in his ground;2 he cannot excuse himself before God in the process of Christ, he is guilty of all Adamical sins.n7427 ¶596
1 Novice. 2 Ground of his nature and heart.n7427 ¶597
51. But this is his comfort: that God manifests them by the children of his anger in this world, and so, as a curse, by the children of anger, fastens them to the cross of Christ; and in this manifestation drowns them in him in the blood and death of Christ, in that he still cleaves to God, as Christ to his Father, and suffered himself to be accused of sins which he had not committed, but had only inherited them; and so they were taken from him, and given to the anger of God in his judgment that he might condemn them.n7427 ¶598
52. For thus also Joseph, in this figure, appeased his just anger towards his brethren: they were all guilty towards him, but he charged them not with their guilt, but charged them only with his cup, for he had clearly forgiven them all their trespasses. But concerning the cup alone he would not hold them guiltless, and yet of right they were not guilty of it: but he had laid it in, as his bounty, and made them guilty of it.n7427 ¶599
53. Thus also has God given us his grace of mere love, after that we were clearly guilty of eternal judgment, and has laid Christ and grace in the sack of our life, with his suffering and death, with his cup of the cross: concerning which he does not hold us guiltless: we are all guilty thereof, and have not this cup by a natural right, but it is laid into us without our knowledge. Therefore we cannot release ourselves of it, except we cast Christ wholly from us, and give ourselves again to the anger of God; and then death, hell, and the anger of God make us guilty, and hold us captive in them: but at present man may lay hold on which he will.n7427 ¶600
54. But that Joseph caused the cup to be thrust into his brother Benjamin's sack, it has this figure: that Christ dwells in the inward man, viz. in his Paradisical brother, and has this cup of the cross in his hand, out of which the guilty soul and the body must drink. He thrusts it into his brother's sack, for that inward ground is his brother: but the other brethren must drink of it, this brother of Christ holds it in him, for he is Christ's member and habitation.n7427 ¶601
55. Therefore says Joseph's steward, By whomsoever the cup is found, he shall be my servant, but you shall be quit; viz. the inward ground, the true Joseph's, viz. Christ's, brother, he is Christ's servant, who serves his Lord and brother, and must hold the cup in his sack. The other forms 1 of life of nature are free, and cannot hold the cup for Christ.n7427 ¶602
1 Conditions or qualities.n7427 ¶603
56. For they are not the right sack to put it in, but the ground of the heavenly world's substance is the sack to which the holy cup of Christ does belong, which pours the ground of nature out of it. Therefore must Joseph's brother be made guilty of the cup, because he stood in the figure of the inward man wherein Christ would manifest himself with his cup of the cross: and so the other brethren, viz. the poor soul together with the body, be quit and released from the guilt.n7427 ¶604
57. Therefore says Joseph's steward, He is my servant who has the cup, he shall serve me, but you shall be quit. That is, Christ is, in this inward Benjamin, Joseph's brother, and serves God with overcoming of death and the anger of God in man. And so all the other brethren, viz. the natural life, shall be quit from guilt and pain: and it stands excellently in the figure.n7427 ¶605
58. Moses says further, And they hastened, and laid everyone his sack off on to the earth; and everyone took his sack off and searched, and began at the eldest, and so to the youngest: and there they found the cup in Benjamin's sack. And then they rent their clothes, and loaded everyone his ass, and went again into the city (Gen. xliv. 11-13).n7427 ¶606
59. When Adam was fallen into sin, then the law and command fetched him back again, and charged him with the sin and theft, that he had eaten of the wrong fruit with a wicked mouth: therefore must he return again into the city, viz. into the earth, out of which the body was proceeded, and there lay down his sack into the earth. And there God's righteousness searches into all the natural properties, viz. truth and righteousness, which avails before God, viz. the image of heaven; and began from the first form of nature, and so on to the youngest and last, viz. to the incorporated ground of grace after the fall, and cannot find his cup of salvation in any natural property, although the body goes quite to powder in the searching, all but the youngest brother in the inspoken or inspired word of grace; in that lies the cup of Joseph and of Christ: this the Spirit prefigures powerfully in this figure.n7427 ¶607
60. Moses says further, And Judah went with his brethren into Joseph's house; for he was there still; and they fell down before him on the earth. But Joseph said to them, How have you dared to do this thing? know you not that such a man as I am can find it out? Judah spoke and said, What shall we say unto my lord? How shall we speak? and wherein can we justify ourselves? God has found out the misdeed of your servants: behold here, we, and he with whom the cup is found, are the servants of my lord. But he said, That be far from me to do such a thing: the man with whom the cup is found, he shall be my servant, but go you up in peace to your father (Gen. xliv. 14-17).n7427 ¶608
61. When God blamed and charged man with guilt by reason of sin, and presented this to him in his anger by the deluge or flood, also by Sodom and Gomorrah before their eyes, that they had robbed in the house of Joseph, that is, in the Covenant of grace, and transgressed the Covenant, then went Judah with his brethren, that is, Moses, with the children of Judah and Israel in the manifestation of the law, when their sins were manifested, and that God required the cup back again into Joseph's house, that is, the law went back into Joseph's house: Then Judah and Israel could not keep it, and so it went into the grace, and there the Covenant of grace, viz. the right Joseph, presented itself before their eyes, and said, while you are robbers and evil, do you suppose I cannot find you out? But they could not answer him, but must yield themselves to his sentence.n7427 ¶609
62. For Israel could neither keep the Covenant nor the Law, and therefore must now fall down before him, and yield themselves to his mercy and compassion. Israel would now give up himself to be God's own servant, but he would not have them minister to him with their Law, but would have that to be his servant wherein the cup lay. He would not have only an outward worship and service of God, in the figure of Christ, with the Law, but he would have Benjamin, viz. the inward ground of the heavenly world's substance, for a servant; but the minister or servant of the Law, viz. the natural man, should go home again in peace into his father's country, and take the bestowed grace along with him in his life for food: this the spirit of God sets thus in a figure under these acts, pointing at the future.n7427 ¶610
63. Under this figure now the spirit intimates, by Judah, who was surety for Benjamin, very secretly and mystically, that the poor soul could not thus with the grace go home again to its father's country, unless it had Benjamin, that is, Christ, in substance in it. For Judah pleaded exceeding hard that he durst not go home, unless he brought Benjamin along with him, or else he would himself remain there a servant.n7427 ¶611
64. Thus the poor soul gives itself up to God, when God's righteousness calls it to go back again home with the Covenant. Then it will by no means go back, except it have Benjamin, that is, Christ substantially with it, else it cannot see God: as here Judah in this image and type excuses himself and says, If he came back and brought not Benjamin with him, then he should bring his father's grey hairs under the earth, seeing his soul clave to Benjamin's soul (Gen. xliv. 30, 31).n7427 ¶612
65. That is, if the Adamical man should go into Paradise again, without Christ's life and substance, then would he bring his father, the life's nature, into the eternal divine forgetfulness: 1 for the life of the human nature would not be manifest according to the divine property; that is, it could not live in the kingdom of heaven.n7427 ¶613
66. Indeed God calls the soul to go home with the Law into Paradise; but that cannot be, unless it have Christ in life and substance in it, and then it dares go home again into its first native country of its Father.n7427 ¶614
1 Or, hiddenness.n7427 ¶615
The Seventy- Second Chaptern7427 ¶616
How Joseph Manifested himself before his Brethren. And what is to be understood thereby [Gen. xlv.]n7427 ¶617
1. MOSES says further, Then Joseph could no longer withhold himself before all those that stood about him; and he cried, Let everyone go forth from me. And none were with him, when Joseph made himself known to his brethren. And he wept aloud: so that the Egyptians and Pharaoh's people heard. And he said to his brethren, I am Joseph, does my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him, they were so terrified in his presence (Gen. xlv. 1-3).n7427 ¶618
2. God gave Israel the Law, and commanded them thereby to go home again into Paradise, even as the figure of the promised land (into which they were to go, but could not for a long time, till Joshua led them in) was as a type and prefiguration of the true leading in by Jesus; and under the Law they had also the Paradisical Covenant of grace, as also the prophets, who lead them to God's mercy and compassion.n7427 ¶619
3. But they could not by any of these come again into their first Adamical Paradisical country of their Father, to rest. God's righteousness blamed them without ceasing, and required the power and ability, that they should give full obedience to the Law and then7427 ¶620
4. But seeing that could not be, and that neither the Law nor the Covenant could bring them in, back again, then the heavenlyn7427 ¶621
Joseph manifested himself out of the Covenant, for he could no longer withhold, in regard of man's misery, and brings his great mercy and compassion through the Covenant into the Law. Which compassion is signified by Joseph's great weeping, when he could no more withhold from his brethren, and he wept so that even the Egyptians and the people of Pharaoh's house heard; which signifies that this weeping, viz. the mercy and compassion of God through Christ, the Egyptians also, that is, all heathen and people, should hear and receive it; even as it came to pass, when Christ's weeping and compassion sounded among all nations, so that they all received it into their hearts, and turned themselves to this Joseph, who received them all, and fulfilled the Law, together with the Covenant.n7427 ¶622
5. But that Joseph cried, Let every one go forth from me! when he made himself known to his brethren, that none should stay with him, it signifies this: When Jesus Christ, viz. the highest mercy and compassion of God, manifested itself out of the Covenant, then must the Law, with all ceremonies, together with the Covenant, cease and be gone, also all man's ability and power, as also all willing, going and running, must go forth and depart.n7427 ¶623
6. For, that presented itself out of the Covenant and the Law, which, fulfilled both the Covenant and the Law, and set itself in the stead of the Covenant and the Law, in the middle, as a Mediator between and in God and man, as a God-Man, and Man-God, who alone should bring Adam into Paradise, and destroy sin. None should be with him, he alone would and should manifest himself for a Light (John viii. 12) and for a new Life to the humanity.n7427 ¶624
7. And it is the figure which shows how the repentant man must come to God: for he must cast away all things from himself; all his works and doings cannot reach the top and point of this, he must wholly enter into resignation and dereliction, and turn himself away from the comfort and help of every creature, that he may stand naked and alone before the most clear and merest mercy and compassion of God in Jesus Christ.n7427 ¶625
8. No hypocrisy or human comfort, wherewith men please and tickle the heart, will avail in this presence of Joseph, but a total forsaking of every creature, wherein everything is left to the naked soul, and that must in itself sink down in the presence of the heavenly Joseph, in its will and whole desires, and totally leave itself to him, and will nothing without his will, and set no other means or medium aloft in esteem, for all will avail nothing.n7427 ¶626
9. The whole creaturely life must be resigned and forsake its will and desires, that the creaturely will may be received and purified again by the un-creaturely will, that God's will and man's will may be one will. And then God is all in all in him, according to the inward and the outward world, in each world according to its property, viz. according to the eternal speaking Word in the soul; and according to the animal soul, in spiritu mundi [in the spirit of the world], in all, as an instrument of God.n7427 ¶627
10. Now when this is done, then says the heavenly Joseph in his mercy and compassion, / am Jesus in you, and opens the inward eye in the soul, that it knows him in a moment; and he speaks friendly into the soul, and says, Does my Father yet live? that is, is the Father's nature yet in the soul, is there yet a breath of the divine life in it?n7427 ¶628
11. Before this manifestation now the soul's own will is terrified, so that it has in its own power no word more to speak, nor can it, in self; speak; for in this terror the self of the will goes to the ground, for with this aspect arises the will of God up, and slays the soul's own will: as Joseph's brethren were so very much terrified before his face, that they could not speak a word more, all their ability failed them as if they had been dumb. And thus also will the wicked and ungodly at the last judgement be dumb before the face of God, and terrified to eternal death, that his life will be a mere anguish and terror of an evil conscience, which will be an eternal gnawing.n7427 ¶629
12. But Joseph said to his brethren, Draw near to me. And they drew near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. And now be not careful, nor think that I am angry for it, that you have sold me hither: for to preserve your life has God sent me hither beforen7427 ¶630
The holy figure stands thus:n7427 ¶631
13. When Christ with his revelation or manifestation thus terrifies the soul, that the soul's own will is terrified into the death of its willing and ability, then he speaks in or inspires his Word of grace into it, and gives it power [and virtue], and says, in the soulish essence, Draw near to me, and raise up your countenance from the terror of death; go in my power to me and into my will, I am no more angry with you, that I have been sold into your death. God has sent me hither before you, that I might nourish you in your hunger of misery, viz. in the hunger of God's anger, till you are freed from your earthly body, in which lies the great hunger and divine famine in the anger of God.n7427 ¶632
14. For to preserve your life has God sent me into your humanity and soul, for there will yet be five years of dearth (Gen. xlv. 6) in your flesh; that is, the divine hunger will yet remain in your five senses of the earthly reason; therefore has God sent me before hither, ere this world cease to be, to you, and into you, that he might deliver you in your earthly five senses with a powerful deliverance, that my power [and virtue] of the famine in the five earthly senses may deliver and feed the poor soul; God has set me as a lord and prince, and made me a father of your nature, that I should rule, as Joseph over the land of Egypt. I am become lord over all your house, and all that you have and art, that I should nourish you in your famine with the divine food of my flesh and blood: be no more afraid, I am with you in the necessity of the earthly life, I will deliver you and bring you to glory and honour.n7427 ¶633
15. And Joseph said further, Make haste now, and go up to my father and to your father, and tell him, Thus says Joseph your son, God has set me as lord over all Egypt: come away to me, delay not. you shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and be near by me, and your children, and your children 's children, your small and great cattle, and all that you have. I will there provide for you; for there are still five years of dearth and famine; that you may not perish, with your house, and all that which you have (Gen. xlv. 9-11).n7427 ¶634
16. Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that I speak to you with my own mouth. Make known to my father all my glory in Egypt, and all that you have seen; make haste and come with my father down hither. And he fell about his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin also wept upon his neck. And he kissed all his brethren, and wept over them: and afterwards his brethren parleyed with him (Gen. xlv. 12-15).n7427 ¶635
17. This now is a figure, representing that when the soul has seen the countenance of the heavenly Joseph, that he has comforted and refreshed it again. Then says the divine Word in it, Make haste now and bring also your father, that is, your nature and your whole life, with all your conversation and doings in your state and condition, to me, and you shall dwell near by me with your outward life, and I will nourish you and provide for you, and all that over which you are set. Come away with all your thoughts and works into Egypt, that is, into lowliness and humility, to me; that very land will I give into you, to dwell in; that is, in lowliness and humility shall your dwelling be; and there, in your temporal state and condition, you may with temporal nourishment, in temporal good things, dwell by me. Your eyes shall there see my goodness and bounty, that I will do well to you in the famine of your earthliness.n7427 ¶636
18. For the land of Goshen signifies a fatness of the blessing of God in this earthliness; and therein your eyes see, and also the eyes of my brother Benjamin, viz. of the inward new man, that I speak to you with my own mouth, that is, essentially, within you. For if a man comes to the new birth, then Christ speaks essentially, that is, actually or operatively in him; and the eyes of the soul, together with the most inward ground wherein Christ, viz. the Word, is, essentially, see and find the same.n7427 ¶637
19. But the outward five senses cannot in this earthliness wholly comprehend it, but they dwell near by it. The inward eyes see through the outward senses, as the sun shines through transparent glass, and the glass remains glass still; so also the outward nature of this time of the five following dear years of the earthly essence continue in their right, till the soul forsakes the body. And then, at the Last judgement Day, also the right Adamical body of the five senses shall come again to the soul; but the grossness or dross of the earthly body has no more place: for all temporal things separate themselves in Mysterium Magnum [into the Great Mystery], out of which they proceeded.n7427 ¶638
20. But that Joseph fell about his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and kissed them all, it signifies this in the figure: when Christ in the inward Benjamin, viz. in the image and substance of the heavenly world's substance, which faded in Adam, is manifested again, then the holy name Jesus, viz. God's great love, kisses the incorporated ground of grace, and penetrates or presses through this image, with his weeping love, viz. with God's great sweetness, viz. the temple of Christ, and hereby kisses the creaturely soul's essences, and presses also with the weeping love through it, and then it obtains its life again, and speaks with God in Christn7427 ¶639
21. For in this speech or voice alone the soul is heard of God, for in this kiss the soul has its hearing given to it again, so that it hears and teaches God's word; for the senses or thoughts of the soul stand now in the Word of life, and hear what the Lord speaks in them through Christ, out of the inward ground; and that is it that Christ said, He that is of God hears God's word; and to the Pharisees he said, Therefore you hear not, for you are not of God (John viii. 47).n7427 ¶640
22. If the present contending Babel had in it the kiss of Christ, then it would with Joseph's brethren turn to the heavenly Joseph, and in great humility and lowliness speak with Joseph, and would hear God's word in Joseph's love, and speak humbly with him, they would not contend for temporal honour and fat bellies, 1 and about dominion, and waste the land of Goshen in a heathenish 2 manner.n7427 ¶641
1 Or, benefices. 2 Or, barbarous.n7427 ¶642
23. O Babel! your shame and reproach is set in judgement before the Most High; you are that same Antichrist of whom St. Paul has spoken. You boast of God's word in teaching and hearing, and your ground is not of God, but from the tower of Babel; you will teach God's word with the letter without the living Word in you; but the sheep hear not your voice, for it proceeds not from Joseph's kiss.n7427 ¶643
24. And Moses says further, And the report came into Pharaoh's house, that Joseph's Brethren were come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and all his servants. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, Say to your brethren, do thus, Load your beasts and go up, and when you come into the land of Canaan, then take your father and your families, and come to me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, that you shall eat the marrow of the land. And command them to do thus; take you from the land of Egypt chariots for your wives, and for your children, and bring your father, and come. And regard not your household- stuff; for the good of the whole land of Egypt shall be yours (Gen. xlv. 16-20).n7427 ¶644
25. When Joseph's, viz. Christ's, voice sounds in the soul, then this report presses into God the Father's property; for the soul in its nature is from the eternal nature in the Word, out of the Father's property of fire; and so is manifest again in the Father, from whom the will had broken off itself; and he speaks or inspires himself into its life's essence; for it pleases him well that the soul is become manifested in Christ, and bids the soul with all its properties, through Joseph's, viz. Christ's, efficiency, to come into Paradise again. He gives it chariots, and all necessaries, which chariots are his spirit in the Word which brings it, and gives it the whole land of Egypt; that is, the whole Paradise or kingdom of heaven for its own: this the spirit of God powerfully prefigures under this history.n7427 ¶645
26. And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them chariots, according to the command of Pharaoh, and provision to spend by the way. And gave each of them all sumptuous apparel; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five suits of sumptuous apparel. And to his father he sent besides, ten asses laden with the choice good things of the land of Egypt, and ten she asses with corn and bread and food for his father upon the way. Thus he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said to them, Contend not upon the way (Gen. xlv. 21-24).n7427 ¶646
27. Christ takes the provision, as also the chariots, viz. the Holy Ghost from the Father, which he sends to his children, as Joseph took the chariots and present from Pharaoh, and gives them provision to spend upon the way of their pilgrimage, viz. his body and blood for meat and drink.n7427 ¶647
28. The sumptuous apparel which Joseph gave to everyone of his brethren signifies the temple of Christ, wherein the soul feasts and rests; and Joseph's five suits of sumptuous apparel, which he gave to his brother Benjamin, are the five wounds of Christ, wherein the inward man feasts in God's love; but the three hundred pieces of silver, which he gave to Benjamin, are the gifts of the Word out of this great love, wherewith this Benjamin should trade and get increase, and gain much for his Lord and Brother, the heavenly Joseph; for, with money, men trade: so also should the inward Benjamin trade with his gifts of the three hundred pieces of silver, viz. with the gifts of Christ; that is, teach and make known God's wonders, for he is Christ's servant and assistant, yea his true brother.n7427 ¶648
29. But the ten asses laden with the choice good things of the land of Egypt, which Joseph sent to his father, signify in the figure the ten commandments in the law of nature, which Joseph had laden with good things; that is, Christ has laden them with his grace, and sent them to God's righteousness in the conscience, whereof poor nature has to make expenses.n7427 ¶649
30. But the ten she asses with corn signify the ten forms of the soulish and natural fire-life, upon which Christ loads the soul's food, when they go in his process in the imitation of him. The bread and the food upon the way signify the Word of God, of which the poor old Adam must eat, that he may live.n7427 ¶650
31. These Christ gives his children and brethren on the way of their pilgrimage, when they go home again in the process of Christ, that they may have provision to spend; and thereon nature, viz. the old father, eats, and commands them that they should not contend one with another upon this way, but in love and peace go home into Paradise.n7427 ¶651
32. O Israel! where is now your peace? It seems as if you have consumed all the provision of Joseph, and must at present want, seeing you so very much contend about this food, and have raised such murdering about it. Truly you have murdered your brother Benjamin by the way, and therefore you are in strife, and will not go home. You are afraid, but the famine will drive you forth, or else you will be hungry and starved.n7427 ¶652
33. Thus they went up from Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan to their father Jacob. And made it known to him, and said, Joseph is alive, and is lord of the whole land of Egypt. But his heart thought much otherwise, for he believed them not. Then they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them: and when he saw the chariots which Joseph had sent to bring him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived. And Israel said, I have enough, that my son Joseph yet lives; I will go down and see him, ere I die (Gen. xlv.n7427 ¶653
25-28).n7427 ¶654
34. When Christ's Apostles were laden with this present, they went therewith into their father's house, viz. among the brethren in the kingdom of nature in their unbelief, and made known to them the great glory and the present of JESUS Christ, which he had given them, that they should bring it to them. But their heart believed it not, that these simple men, the Apostles of God, laden with such great good things, were sent by Joseph, till they saw the chariots of the Holy Ghost, which brought the present in great power and works of wonder, and heard the powerful word of JESUS Christ, with deeds and wonders out of their mouth. Then said Israel, Now I have enough; now I can believe; I will also go along with you to Christ, that I may see him: as old Jacob said, I have enough that my son Joseph yet lives, I will go up, that I may see him before I die.n7427 ¶655
35. Thus also these chariots go out from God's children among the unbelievers, which at first will not believe: but when they feel these chariots, and the present, in them, then they also say, I have enough,n7427 ¶656
I will go along into Egypt into repentance, that I may see and know my Saviour: for their spirit is also revived, as Jacob's spirit was.n7427 ¶657
36. Where are now these chariots in the teachers' mouths, upon which the Holy Ghost rides and touches the heart of Israel, that his spirit be revived? Indeed, says Babel, the spirit of Christ at present works not so powerfully in our words; we have now the knowledge of the kingdom of Christ: that need not be; we should only believe the word which Christ's Apostles have left behind them, and that is enough.n7427 ¶658
37. Else if we should teach so powerfully, we must then be also of so simple and poor a life as Christ's Apostles led, and forsake the world: That needs not be, Christ's kingdom must now be stately, in pomp and glory.n7427 ¶659
38.0 how will poor Christ, who on earth had not whereon to lay his head, reprove this to you, before your face: that you have taken his Covenant into a false and wicked mouth. Earnestness was never more necessary than at this present, when all the chariots are overthrown, and in great confusion.n7427 ¶660
The Seventy-Third Chaptern7427 ¶661
How Jacob and all his Children, and all that were belonging to him, and all their Cattle, went into Egypt [Gen. xlvi. ]n7427 ¶662
1. MOSES says, Israel went with all that he had, and when he came to Beer-sheha he offered sacrifice to the God of his father Isaac. And God said to him that night in a vision, Jacob, Jacob. And he answered, Here am I. And he said, I am God, the God of your father Isaac: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make you a great people: I will go down with you into Egypt; and bring you up hither again: and Joseph shall lay his hand upon your eyes (Gen. xlvi. 1-4).n7427 ¶663
2. Jacob must go into Egypt in the great famine and strait hunger, with all the company he had; and he went up when he heard of Joseph, when Joseph caused him to be fetched by his sons, when he saw the present and the chariots of Joseph, then his spirit was revived, and he went up. Thus it is also in the figure of the new birth: when the Adamical man hears the voice of the heavenly Joseph sounding in him, and sees the chariots of the Holy Ghost in him, then he goes up with all his powers, and goes into the Egypt of repentance.n7427 ¶664
3. And when he comes to Beer-sheba, that is, into the sounding noise of his heart and soul, then he sacrifices his body and soul, with all that he has, to the God of his father; that is, he gives himself up with his life, and all whatsoever he is, into the Word, which created it, in Adam, and made it, out of itself; which is the God of his father: then that divine Word speaks [or inspires] into him, that is, it speaks actually, operatively and powerfully in him. That night in a vision: which is as much as to say here, in the secret hiddenness of man, where God hides himself from reason and the creature, and out of his principle speaks or inspires comfort and power or virtue into the life; and calls him by his name, as he did Jacob. That is, he comprises his name in the word of his speaking, which is the Book of Life, wherein the names of the children of God are comprised or written (Rev. xx. 12-15).n7427 ¶665
4. And when man perceives him in the power, then he speaks again into the Word, and says, Here am I, Lord, make me what you will, I stand before you. And that same inward Word of God says in power, I am God, the God of your father; that is, it gives to man, in this speaking power, divine knowledge, so that man learns to understand that God works in him, and what God is.n7427 ¶666
5. But seeing the body is a dark valley, and moreover an unrighteous inclination, therefore the Word speaks into the poor soul thus: Be not afraid when you enter into Egypt, viz. into repentance, and go forth out of the land of Canaan, viz. from the pleasure and voluptuousness of the world, falsehood, wickedness and unrighteousness; although likely they become your enemies, and persecute you, yet fear not, I will go along with you into Egypt, that is, into your conversion and divine obedience, I will help you to work repentance, and bless you in your Egypt, viz. in your working of repentance, and make the new birth grow to a great tree, which shall bring forth much good fruit in the kingdom of God: as he said to Jacob, I will make you a great people in Egypt, and will bring you out from thence again; that is, you shall not remain as one dead or departed from this world; although indeed you go into repentance, and in your mind forsake the world, yet I will bring you out of anxiety and trouble again, and leave you in your state and condition, if it be right and honest; which is done thus:n7427 ¶667
6. When man goes into this Egypt he must leave all his land, viz. all his temporal pleasure and lust of the flesh, and give up all to God, and hold nothing more for his own; but think that it is not his own, but that he is a minister and servant in it, that he should serve God and his fellow members therein, and so regulate his heart as a pilgrim in his journey, who is nowhere at home in this world. He must with Jacob sit in Joseph's, that is, in the Holy Ghost's, chariot, and go whithersoever the same, in this famine, will bring him. Then God goes in and with him, and blesses him, so that he works and brings forth much divine fruit, and his name becomes very great in the word of God.n7427 ¶668
7. But God does not for all that cast him out of his temporal possession. He brings his spirit up again into the works and labour of his hands, viz. into his worldly state, condition and employment, that therein he may serve God's deeds of wonder, also himself; and the members of his body, viz. his neighbours. Nothing will be taken away from him but only the unrighteousness, falsehood and untruth. God makes him now his servant in his state and condition; he may well keep and take along with him his cattle and his goods for his necessity, as Jacob did; but that which is false and wicked he must put away.n7427 ¶669
8. And when he does thus, then says God: Joseph shall lay his hand upon your eyes, that you may see. That is, Christ shall with his hand of grace lay hold on your sight, blind as to God, and lay his hand of the divine sun upon your eyes; and then you will come into divine vision and knowledge in yourself so that your reason will wonder whence such light, and [such] deep knowledge, comes to you.n7427 ¶670
9. Jacob came with seventy souls 1 in all, with all his children, and children's children: of which sixty-six were proceeded out of his loins, which went with him, for Joseph had hegotten two sons in Egypt (Gen.n7427 ¶671
10. This number sixty-six 2 is a great and mystical number; as also the number seventy, which is the number of the great Babel: and the number sixty- six is the number of the beast and of the whore, from which Israel, and every child of God, must go forth.n7427 ¶672
11. This going forth of Israel is a true figure and image of the last exit and going forth of the children of Israel, viz. the right true Christian, which shall also go forth out of this Canaan, viz. out of Babel, in the end of the beast's and the whore's number: which signal star with the chariot of Joseph are clearly appeared.n7427 ¶673
12. For the great famine in the time of Jacob (wherein is the great hunger and want of heavenly food) is at hand. And not only a hunger of the soul after the bread of heaven, but also a great vehement (unheard of from the beginning of the world hitherto) impression of desire to selfhood, viz. to covetousness, extortion and pride.n7427 ¶674
13. The hunger in the wrath of God, after vanity, to devour it, is so great, that at present the powers of heaven do imprint their influence so, that all provision and blessing is consumed, and the mind of man is so hungry after vanity, that there is no rest at all upon earth for this desire.n7427 ¶675
14. Also the third Principle, viz. the spirit of the world, of the dominion in the four elements, impresses with its power, from whence all blessing is consumed, and instead thereof an insatiable hunger of covetousness is risen up; so that the beast and the whore, together with their worshippers, are so hungry after pride, covetousness, envy, anger, unchastity, whoredom and bestial voluptuousness, and so hard imprinted or impressed in such desire, that the time is already that this beast together with the whore must burst to pieces.n7427 ¶676
1 70 The number of Babel. 2 66 of the Beast and the Whore.n7427 ¶677
15. And then Jacob's spirit revives, and believes that Joseph is a prince in the land of Egypt, viz. in the conversion: and there will Joseph be manifested to his brethren. And then they must be ashamed of their falsehood and wickedness, that they have suppressed Joseph, and sold him, with lying, into misery.n7427 ¶678
16. For Joseph's face in the truth shall behold all Israel and Egypt; for Israel must go forth out of Canaan, and leave Babel in the number seventy. But the hunger in Babel says, I will first fill my sack, that I may have provision in the way: and knows not that Joseph has given Israel provision for expenses; and moreover chariots and apparel; so that they shall take only their cattle along with them, and leave their dwellings and household stuff behind.n7427 ¶679
17. The provision for expenses, which at present Israel gathers together in Babel, belongs all to the wrathful impression of God's anger: which shall devour it all when his fire burns. God has beforehand, by Joseph, clearly sent his children provision for expenses; they will have fully enough, if they do not contend upon this way: sumptuous apparel is prepared for them, that they may be at rest from this disquietness of the driver.n7427 ¶680
18. But Babel thinks, It is a long time yet; Israel must serve me,n7427 ¶681
I will plague them, sure enough. But the deluge or flood, and the fire of Sodom, falls suddenly down upon them, so that there is no escaping. He that is awake, let him watch, and take care that he does not sleep; for the bridegroom calls everywhere; afterwards the foolish virgins will trim their lamps: but it is too late, the hunger of Babel lays hold and devours them in its jaws.n7427 ¶682
19. Moses says further, And he sent Judah before him to Joseph, that he might direct him to Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up towards Goshen to meet his father Israel. And when he saw him he fell about his neck, and wept a long while upon his neck. Then said Israel to Joseph, I will now readily die, now I have seen your face, that you yet live (Gen. xlvi. 28-30).n7427 ¶683
20. Judah signifies the incorporated Covenant of God in man, viz. the divine grace in Christ. Israel sends this, that is, the whole man, before to the heavenly Joseph, and unites it with him, so that the heavenly Joseph, in the incorporated grace, leads the kingdom of nature in man, viz. the old Jacob and Adam into Goshen, viz. on the way of conversion, into the rest of Christ; that he comes to the right goal or mark, where he finds food for the hungry conscience, viz. the right way to salvation: where there is right teaching and instruction there Goshen is near at hand, where the soul sits in fatness, and feeds in the fat pasture of Christ.n7427 ¶684
21. And when the heavenly Joseph, viz. Christ, sees that the old Jacob, that is, the Adamical man, has sent his Judah to him, and afterwards comes himself then he makes ready his chariot; that is, his operation with a powerful affection to entertainment, and goes to meet the natural man, and when they draw near together, then this Joseph falls about the neck of this Jacob's Adam, that is, he lays hold on his desire and longing, and fills it with his tears, which he shed in his sufferings, and in his victory brought through death into eternal joy.n7427 ¶685
22. With these tears of joy he kindles the soul of the old Jacob's Adam, so that Jacob for great joy weeps a long while on Joseph's neck, viz. in Christ's tears of joy, and mingles his inward joy with the tears of Christ. With which tears of joy the soul of the old Jacob (Adam) is mightily comforted, quickened and strengthened in himself; in that he finds that his heavenly Joseph in him yet lives, that he is not dead in the famine of sins, or quite departed from him.n7427 ¶686
23. Then says the natural man: Now I would willingly die and give up all my right and willing; now, having seen and known my loving son Joseph, that is, seeing I find that the new man in Christ is become manifest in me, therefore now I would willingly die to my willing of vanity, in his power of love: as Jacob said to Joseph.n7427 ¶687
24. And Joseph said to his brethren, and his father's house, I will go up and tell Pharaoh, My brethren and my father's house are come to me out of the land of Canaan; and are herdsmen, 1 for they are people that are conversant about cattle; and have brought with them their small and great cattle, and all that they have. And now when Pharaoh shall call you to him, and say, What is your employment and business ? then shall you say, Your servants are people that are conversant about cattle, from our youth up unto this time, both we, and our father: that you may dwell in the land of Goshen: for those which are herdsmen and keepers of cattle are an abomination to the Egyptians (Gen. xlvi. 31-34).n7427 ¶688
1 Shepherds or pastors.n7427 ¶689
25. When the heavenly Joseph, Christ, has manifested himself to the soul and Adamical man, so that they are come together, and that they have received and embrace one another, then that same powerful Word in the spirit of Christ, which has manifested itself in man, presses and penetrates again into the eternal Father's property, viz. into the eternal speaking of the Father. Which here is as much as to say, I will tell Pharaoh, that my brethren, together with all my father's house, are come to me.n7427 ¶690
26. For Pharaoh stands here in the figure of God the Father, who is the eternal King, to whom says Christ, viz. the Word of love and grace, that his brethren, viz. the properties of the human life, from and with all its powers and virtues, are come to him. That is, the Word, Christ, which is come from the Father into our humanity through his power and virtue, speaks the word of the natural human life into the eternal Word of the Father: which is here called, "telling the king".n7427 ¶691
27. For Christ is even the Father's Steward over man, as Joseph was Pharaoh's. For man is then manifested again in God when Christ speaks, tells and inspires him into the Word of the Father: else man could not attain God. For the human life is also proceeded from God the Father's Word: for the spirit of God spoke and inspired itself from and by the Word of the Father into man (John i. 4).n7427 ¶692
28. But after it came into a creature, and became natural, it turned itself away from God's love- speaking [or inspiration of love], and manifested itself in the speaking of anger, [and] the power of [the] love-speaking was extinguished in it, viz. the second Principle, the holy generating or working of the divine power; and was not able, in its own power and strength, to enter again into the love- speaking, that it might be able to speak or generate the divine love-power: it had rent itself off from God's love, and brought itself into a natural speaking of self and vanity.n7427 ¶693
29. And this did move God's pity and compassion, and introduced his love-speaking Word again into the creaturely formed 1 word of the soul and humanity. And that now is this Joseph, whom God has sent before, that he should inspeak or introduce the human life again into the eternal- speaking Word, and make it manifest therein before the eternal King. He brings the human word in the Father's property into the Word of God, and with his love reconciles the rent and severed human word in the Father's anger- speaking; that is, in his tears of love he changes the anger in the word of the human life into the divine kingdom of joy, and manifests the human life actually, and working in God: and that here is, as Joseph said, I will tell Pharaoh that my brethren and my father's whole house are come to me out of the land of Canaan.n7427 ¶694
1 Imaged, framed, or created.n7427 ¶695
30. For Christ is become our brother: The Word of love became man and dwelt in us (John i. 14). He took Adam's nature upon him; and therefore in this figure it is called his Father's house, viz. the first Adam; and his children he calls his brethren. So very secretly and mystically the spirit of Moses speaks, in the figure of Christ: else in this place he had said enough, in saying, My Father is come to me; if he had not had another figure under it.n7427 ¶696
31. He says, Out of the land of Canaan, and, they are herdsmen: thus he would tell Pharaoh, that they might dwell in the land of Goshen. That, in the figure, is thus much: Christ shows, with his inspeaking of love into the word of his Father, that his brethren are come to him out of the vanity of the Canaanites, out of the wild bestial property; and that they from their youth up, from the time of Adam hitherto, have been only herdsmen. That is, the word of the human life ought to have dwelt in this fleshly Canaan in flesh and blood, and must and ought to have the keeping and ordering of the bestial property of the flesh.n7427 ¶697
32. For the animal soul in spiritu mundi [in the spirit of the world] in man has many hundred beasts, which it has awakened and manifested in itself; with the false and wicked lust. These beasts now must the word of the human life keep always, from Adam to this time, and must be conversant with such cattle, and manage these beasts and take care of them. Therefore now said Joseph, That they might dwell with their cattle in the land of Goshen; that is, in a peculiar place by itself; and not with Pharaoh. For herdsmen, says the spirit, were an abomination to the Egyptians; that is, the bestial property in man is an abomination to God. Therefore Christ brings only the inward paradisical ground (this time of the beast) before the face of God: but he brings the beast into Goshen; that is, into the outspoken or expressed creaturely substance of this world, into a place blessed ofn7427 ¶698
33. The bestial man cannot dwell with Pharaoh, that is, in God's majesty and holy power and virtue: Joseph, or JESUS, leaves him in the outward nature, in the kingdom of this world, and sets him in a blessing, that he should dwell near God; but a Principle is the distinction as between time and eternity.n7427 ¶699
34. And Joseph said circumspectly, he would say they had brought along with them their small and great cattle; to signify that the whole man with all his works were brought into the grace and fat blessed habitation before God, that Christ's children with all their earthly works were placed in Goshen, viz. in a state and condition of grace.n7427 ¶700
35. And he said to his brethren, When Pharaoh shall ask what is your trade and employment, then shall you say, your servants have been herdsmen from our youth up. That is thus much: when God's spirit shall search and try what you are in mind and thought, whether you be angels and ministers of God, then humble yourselves beforen7427 ¶701
God; and say not concerning yourselves before the face of God, We sit in your office, and are lords or potentates and rulers of the world, or rich, noble, excellent, learned, understanding persons, or such like. Do not esteem yourselves good in the sight of God; say not, We are your dear ministers and servants in your power; but say, We your servants are herdsmen, from Adam to this time; we keep and manage our bestial property, viz. the works of your wonders which you have made; we cannot subsist before you, O holy God; for we are unfit, unworthy and ignorant herdsmen of your wonders; let us but find grace in your sight, that we may dwell before you in this Goshen. O Lord, we know not what we shall do before you; do you direct and teach us how we shall manage these your herds, for we are your servants, and will serve before you as your herdsmen.n7427 ¶702
36. In this glass behold, yourself; you fair world, what you are in your high state, places and offices: even all of you, from the emperor to the beggar, and him that is least and lowest of all, are but herdsmen. Everyone is but a herdsman, for their authority is but an office of the bestial man, and has, under his command and management, but to rule over beasts, and no more. For no worldly office can rule over the inward divine man, he must in his office manage only a herd of beasts or cattle, and govern, take care of; and tutor them; and they tutor himn7427 ¶703
37. With these offices of herdsmen the earthly Lucifer now prides and boasts himself as if he had an angelical government: and yet in the presence of God he is but a herdsman or keeper of beasts, and no more.n7427 ¶704
38. And therefore has God typified and prefigured his Mysteries by such simple herdsmen, that man should see what man is in his office, state and condition; also that God's wrath may not lift up itself and destroy these shepherds and herdsmen; and so he has always, in his prefiguration, premodelled them only as herdsmen, that he might pour out his grace upon man's ignorance and want of understanding.n7427 ¶705
39. Herein behold yourselves, you potent, noble, rich, learned people, all of you, one and other, how the spirit of God, in the revelation of his Mysteries, represents you by the dear Patriarchs in the manner of the herdsman's office. You are all, one and other, before him no other than his herdsmen; the emperor, as well as his ministers and servants; the noble, as well as his inferior, one as well as another: one in this bestial office orders and manages another in another bestial office.n7427 ¶706
40. But the Pharisee will say, I keep the sheep of Christ. Woe be to him that commits his sheep to a wolf: if he teaches that which is good from the spirit of Christ, then it is not from his own authority and power, but the Arch Shepherd, Christ, does it through him. But he manages beasts only, and himself takes one beast of the herd to himself which must also be kept and cared for, or else the wolf will devour it.n7427 ¶707
41. Thus has God placed all offices in the office of a shepherd, so that one should manage and take care of another; and yet they are all but shepherds before him, which keep beasts and cattle: Christ alone is the Shepherd of souls, and no other.n7427 ¶708
42. None should trust the sheep of Christ, which he has in him, to any earthly shepherd, but only to the Shepherd, Christ, for in all the outward offices of shepherds there are wolves, which take and devour the sheep of Christ: He may pass well for one in the office of a shepherd, but let him have a care of the Shepherd's dogs, that they do not bite him.n7427 ¶709
43. O world, in your high state and condition! O that you did but consider what you are in your state and condition in the sight of heaven; and did not set your state and condition so aloft in God's love: for it stands only in his deeds of wonder, in evil and good.n7427 ¶710
44. When God would have a worldly state and condition prefigured in his love, then he set shepherds in it, or else mean, poor, despised and unesteemed people. See Abel, Seth, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David; also the Prophets and Apostles, and all holy men or saints, through whom God once manifested himself; and then you will see that no highness avails anything before him: that is but a glass of wonders, in evil and good; also a sport of God's love and anger, a premodelling or representation of the angelical dominions in light and darkness, in heaven and hell.n7427 ¶711
The Seventy-Fourth Chaptern7427 ¶712
How Jacob was set before Pharaoh with the five youngest Brothers of Joseph, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh; also how Joseph bought all the Land of Egypt for Pharaoh's own. What is hereby to be understood [Gen. xlvii.]n7427 ¶713
1. MOSES says, Then came Joseph and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, with their small and great cattle, and all that they have, are come to me out of the land of Canaan; and behold they are in the land of Goshen. And he took five of his youngest brethren and set them before Pharaoh. Then said Pharaoh to his brethren, What is your employment and trade? And they answered, Your servants are herdsmen, we and our father. And said further to Pharaoh, We are come to dwell by you in the land; for your servants have not pasture for their cattle, the famine does so hard press the land of Canaan: now therefore let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, Is this your father, and are these your brethren who are come to you ? The land of Egypt stands open for you; let them dwell in the best place of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen: and if you know any among them that are fit and expert, set them over my beasts and cattle (Gen. xlvii. 1-6).n7427 ¶714
2. When Christ manifests his brethren, and the old father Adam, in the power and virtue of God, that they are with all their substance come to him, and have wholly given up themselves to him, then he takes five of the youngest brethren in the properties of life, and sets them before God; that is, he takes the five senses of man, which always are and continue to be the youngest in the life's property (for they are continually generated anew), and sets these, with the power and virtue of their life, before God.n7427 ¶715
3. For these are they that shall be God's ministers and servants in the love: to these Christ in-gives his counsel, and says, When you come before the face of God, so that the spirit of God in you proceeds upon you, and proves and sifts what your office and work is in the presence of God, then humble yourselves, and say in the presence of God, your servants are but herdsmen, and are come to you in the famine of misery in our great hunger, to dwell near you in the land of God; for in our own powers and virtues in the Adamical kingdom of nature we have not pasture and food for the poor miserable life; therefore now, O Lord, suffer your servants to dwell in the land of Goshen, viz. in your courts, that we may eat of the dew of heaven, [and live to you] and serve you in our office.n7427 ¶716
4. Then says the eternal Father to Christ, viz. to his steward, Behold, is that your father Adam, and are these your brethren according to the humanity, which are come to you? The land of Egypt stands open for you; that is, the kingdom of heaven, together with the kingdom of nature, stands open to you, you are my steward in the kingdom of grace, and also in the kingdom of the nature of the human property; let them dwell in the best place in the kingdom of grace, and in the kingdom of nature; and if you see that there are men among them fit for it, set them over my cattle; that is, those among them that are fit and expert, make them officers in the kingdom of nature, that they may rule over my creatures, that is, set them in the Apostolic office, that they may feed my flock, whom you lead inwardly in them with your staff or crook; let them be outwardly shepherds, 1 and lead and govern the properties of nature, viz. my sheep or beasts.n7427 ¶717
5. All spiritual shepherds in this world do sit in the office of the Father, as also the worldly shepherds, which are instituted only byn7427 ¶718
Christ, through whom Christ himself inwardly rules and governs; and they are all of them God's officers.n7427 ¶719
6. But whosoever are instituted in an office without the Chief Shepherd,2 Christ, they all of them are but in the land of Canaan in the famine of God's anger, and are but devouring wolves, both one and other, be they spiritual or worldly officers, be they noble or ignoble, prince or protector or guardian, priest or sexton, one as well as another. All that rules in an office without God's spirit, that rules of self and to the judgement of God; he that thinks not in his office to serve God, and to manage his office as a shepherd of God, he [is a minister and servant of , and] serves Lucifer.n7427 ¶720
1 Note the true ministers, pastors and teachers in the Church of Christ, Jure Divino, who they are.n7427 ¶721
2 Or Archbishop.n7427 ¶722
7. Moses says further, Also Joseph brought his father Jacob, and presented him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh (Gen. xlvii.n7427 ¶723
That is, Christ set also the Adamical image before God, not only the five senses but the whole man: and he blesses God, that is, he thanks God and brings him fruit, to the praise of God, as a blessing. Then says God, in his acting and working, How old are you? And he answers, One hundred and thirty years is the time of my pilgrimage: few and evil have the days of my life been, and they reach not to the time of my fathers in their pilgrimage. So Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went forth from him (Gen. xlvii. 8-10).n7427 ¶724
8. Thus the Adamical man acknowledges and confesses before God his evil time in the earthly desire, and says it is but a pilgrimage, viz. a continual wandering and anxiety in continual cares and disquietness, whereby man works and effects God's wonders.n7427 ¶725
9. And Moses says further, There was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore and hard, so that the land of Egypt and Canaan were famished by reason of the famine. And Joseph gathered all the money that was found in Egypt and Canaan, for the corn that they bought: and he put all the money in the house of Pharaoh. Now when the money in Egypt and Canaan was brought, all Egypt came to Joseph, and said, Give us bread: wherefore must we die in your presence, being without money ? And Joseph said, Fetch me your beasts and cattle, and I will give you for them, seeing you are without money.n7427 ¶726
Then they brought their cattle to Joseph: and he gave them bread for their horses and sheep, for their heifers and asses: and so he nourished them with bread this year for all their beasts and cattle (Gen. xlvii. 13-17).n7427 ¶727
10. This figure is very powerful, and contains great and deep understanding: although the bestial man, full of covetousness and extortion, imagines to himself as if this made for him. Yet the true figure is quite against him; as also is the parable or similitude in the Gospel, of the unjust steward, which says, The Lord commended him that he had done so prudently (Luke xvi. 8).n7427 ¶728
11. This famine in Egypt and Canaan, when all the land was famished, prefigures the poor fallen man in body and soul, which the anger of God has dried up and caused to wither, so that it is famished. For Egypt signifies the soul's nature, and Canaan the body's nature. The great provision of corn which Joseph gathered together and sold in the famine, signifies the divine word of grace. The money of the Egyptians and Canaanites, for which they bought corn of Joseph, signifies God's creaturely word of the human life. The beasts which they there gave also for bread when there was no more money, signifies the imagelike 1 property in the life of man.n7427 ¶729
12. When man in soul and body in this famine and in this starving hunger comes into God's anger and withering, then he has no refreshment nor comfort, for his conscience withers so quite in God's anger that he must go to the heavenly Joseph and buy this foodn7427 ¶730
13. First, while the soul together with the body find yet a little power and comfort in them, though indeed the conscience gnaws, this steward gives Jesus Christ good words, and prays to him, and, for the creaturely framed or conceived 2) word, buys food of Joseph. And this now is that which is signified by the money: while these words will in the imagination give the conscience a little virtue and comfort, the nature of the soul and of the body continually buys grace for such money, and gives this Joseph good store of babbling, with an imaginary matter and some framed or figured prayer 3 out of custom; and thus lives of this food, in hope.n7427 ¶731
14. But when the anguish of the conscience withers up this hope, and that such cold prayer and historical faith will no more avail, so that the conscience cries out that you must be famished in the anger of God, no prayer more will avail before God; then comes the poor soul to this Joseph, and says, why will you suffer me to perish because I cannot bring my prayer and faith before you, by which I might attain food for my life; behold, my power is gone, I am able to do nothing,4 I have no more words wherewith to attain your grace.n7427 ¶732
15. Then says the heavenly Joseph to the soul, Bring your beasts, viz. horses, oxen and asses, hither to me, and I will give you food for them; that is, bring to me all your earthly natural desires and imaginations, 5 and your false confidence in the creatures, viz. in your own wit and subtlety, in falsehood and wickedness, and give them up all to me, that you may be quit of them; then I will give you food, that you may live, and will also feed the imaginations of your thoughts: And this is the entrance of this figure.n7427 ¶733
1 Imaged or created.n7427 ¶734
2 Imagelike, imaginary, fictitious.n7427 ¶735
3 Conceited, contrived or set form of prayer.n7427 ¶736
4 Note how man is able to do nothing.n7427 ¶737
5 Or images.n7427 ¶738
16. And Moses says further, When that year was ended, they came to him in the second year, and said to him, We will not hide from our lord, that not only the money, but also all the beasts are gone from us to our lord; and there is no more left for our lord, but our bodies and our fields. Why will you suffer us and our fields to die in your presence ? Buy us and our land for bread, that our land and we may be Pharaoh's bondslaves: give us seed, that we may live and not die, and the fields not lie waste (Gen. xlvii. 18, 19). This is now the true earnestness, when man wholly gives up all, and quite gives up himself.n7427 ¶739
17. When man stands thus in the famine of conscience, so that not only the words which he speaks in the presence of God will no more avail that he might receive comfort, but that in the end those also fail, when he has beaten down all fictitious 1 desires, and forsaken this world in the desire; then says the poor soul to the heavenly Joseph, Alas, my lord, what shall I bring before you that I may attain your grace? Behold, my prayer finds no power and virtue, and though I have forsaken the world, and have given up my bestial will, yet I still stand in great hunger before you; I have no more left, but only my body and soul. My lord, take even this of me, I give myself wholly to be your own. Give me your grace, that I may live in you: I will give myself wholly up to you with body and life, and will be your obedient servant. Give you me but seed only, that is, give you me but a will, thought, mind and desire, and sow the land of my nature; and let my life be your servant, that I may be no more without your will, but that I may be your servant and your bondslave.n7427 ¶740
18. Thus then it is enough, when he has given up body and soul, will and thoughts, and all that he has and is, wholly to this Joseph, that he is as it were a bondslave to God, that hopes and expects only what his Lord will give him, when all trust and confidence in his own self is quite yielded up. Then is reason rightly killed, and the devil has lost his stool [and throne] in man: for in resignation man has nothing for his own: and the devil can no other way come at man but in the desire of selfhood [in appropriating anything for his own self].n7427 ¶741
1 Imaged, feigned or imaginary.n7427 ¶742
19. And Moses says further, Thus Joseph bought the whole land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every one their ground, for the famine was so sore, sharp and strong upon them: and so the land became Pharaoh 's own. And he distributed the people into the cities, from one place of Egypt to the other, except the land of the priests, which he bought not; for it was appointed for the priests by Pharaoh that they should provide for themselves out of that portion which he had given them: therefore they dared not to sell their lands (Gen. xlvii. 20-22).n7427 ¶743
20. In such a manner Christ, when man in this pinching hunger draws near to him, buys for his grace his whole nature, with all the forms, conditions and qualities 1 thereof; and brings all whatsoever is in man again into the house of the great Pharaoh, that is, of God, and makes it subject to God his Father again.n7427 ¶744
21. For in Adam all men are become untrusty and perfidious, and are entered into the selfishness of the will, but Christ has bought this human own self to be his own again, and gives this up again to God his Father; and it points directly at Christendom, which Christ has bought with his grace by the treasure of his precious blood, and made it his own, and has now distributed his offices, wherein the Christians serve him, and are his own.n7427 ¶745
22. But that the priests' fields were not sold, and that Pharaoh would not buy them, but leave them for their own, points at the inward man, who is the priestly temple of Christ. This, God buys not back again, he wills that man should have it for his own; he desires only to have the kingdom of nature for his own servant. But the incorporated ground of grace, viz. the temple of Christ, he leaves to the soul for a dowry, for it is the place and city of God, wherein God dwells in man. No man can sell it again, pawn it, or engage it by oaths, for it belongs to the eternal One, and not to the possession of the creature: but it is a bestowed ground of grace, wherein Christ manages his office: it is his habitation and dwelling house.n7427 ¶746
23. Then said Joseph unto the people, Behold, I have this day bought you and your fields for Pharaoh: behold, there you have seed, sow your fields. And of your corn you shall give the fifth to Pharaoh; four parts shall be yours: to sow your field, for your food for your house and children. And they said, now let us live, and find grace before you, we shall willingly be Pharaoh 's bondslaves. Thusn7427 ¶747
Joseph made them a law unto this day concerning the fields: to give the fifth to Pharaoh: except the priests' fields, which were not Pharaoh's own (Gen. xlvii. 23-26).n7427 ¶748
1 Affections, properties or faculties.n7427 ¶749
24. This figure is a true type and image of Christendom, which Christ has bought with his love in his blood, having proffered to give Christendom his grace and righteousness for their earthly imaginations,! that it should give them only up to him; and when that is done, then says Christ, Behold, I have this day, that is, from this time forth to eternity, bought all your earthly images, 1 as also body and soul; I have bought you for my eternal bondslaves, servants and ministers, with my grace, from the hunger of God's anger. Behold, there you have seed, that is, there you have my word, wherewith you may sow the ground of your conscience, in body and soul, that this seed may bring forth fruit, and of this fruit you shall return the fifth to Pharaoh, that is, to God: for four parts shall be your food; that is, this seed shall quicken and cherish the four elements of the body, as also the four properties of the soul's fire-life; and you shall keep this seed of the divine word fourfold, for the cherishing of your life; but the fifth you shall give to God.n7427 ¶750
25. The fifth signifies here very secretly and mystically the fifth form of the natural life, viz. the love-fire in the light, which is born out of the four properties, and manifest, wherein the uncreaturely and supernatural God is manifested. This form generates now the divine joy, and the praise of God, wherein the soul is an angel, and thanks and praises God, because he has delivered it out of the fire-source of torment, and has given himself with this love and grace into its firesource, and changed it into a love-fire and divine light.n7427 ¶751
26. This source of love, viz. the fifth property of life, wherein the soul is an angel, it gives now to God again with great praise and thanksgiving, for it gives this fifth form to Christ again, for a habitation; for that is the habitation of his word, wherein is 2 the kingdom of God in us (Luke xvii. 21), and wherein we are the temples of the Holy Ghost, who dwells in us. And this fifth form, in the praise of God, Christ requires again from his Christendom, that it should give this to him, that he may gather in the praise of God, that is, the fruit of love, for his Father, into the house of the divine power.n7427 ¶752
1 Images, or fancies. 2 Or, consists.n7427 ¶753
27. But the priests' fields, that is, the inward ground of the heavenly world's substance, he buys not with his blood, for that never received the turba of destruction, but in the fall of Adam it went out and faded, and went into the abyss, so that the soul had it no more in its own possession, for it was in the soul as it were dead, although in God nothing dies; but the soul was blind concerning it, in that manner as God, viz. the eternal One, is in and through all things, and yet nothing apprehends it but that which introduces itself into its substance, wherein he will manifest himself.n7427 ¶754
28. This faded image or substance is the priestly ground, whereinto God again inspoke or did sow his word and seed again in Paradise. That is not bought with Christ's blood, as the averted soul is, but it is filled with the heavenly ens, with Christ's flesh and blood, so that it is or becomes Christ's flesh and blood, wherein the High Priest, Christ, dwells. It is his eternal seat and possession, wherein God is manifested in man, for it is the branch on Christ's vine, which is God's proper own, and not man's.n7427 ¶755
29. It is indeed in man, but not in the possession of the fiery soul's essence; it has another Principle than the soul, and yet is in the soul, and through the soul, and from the soul, after the manner as the light is from the fire, which is through the fire, and in the fire, and has its manifestation from the fire, out of which fire and light air proceeds, and out of which air dewy water proceeds; and that same dewy water denotes the substance of this inward ground, which gives to the fire again nourishment, food, lustre and life.n7427 ¶756
30. So also it is to be considered and understood concerning the soul. When it extinguished as to the divine light, then this substance was generated no more from it, nor in it, but remained faded, extinguished, or quenched; and then the soul had no divine food more for its source of fire, for it had turned its desire forth into the third Principle, and was overcome by the earthly Lucifer, and by Satan, viz. by the property of the wrath, of the dark world's property in the place of this world.n7427 ¶757
31. This grace came to help this averted soul, which was bought through Christ's blood; for the buyer entered with his money of grace into this faded image, and took it to himself and set the soul therein for a high priest and teacher.n7427 ¶758
32. And this image now was the priests' fields, which he bought not, for it was God's, beforehand. God only set his High Priest, Christ, therein, that he should therein feed and teach the poor soul, that it should not eat of the vanity, and fully darken and again bring to nothing this image.n7427 ¶759
33. And this is also the same in the figure of Joseph, in that he bought not the priests' fields; and so is the figure concerning Moses and the Levites, that they kept their fields and ground, and yet possessed them as tenants. All which denotes the inward man of the heavenly world's substance, which is God's ground, wherein God sows his word of grace, viz. Christ's spirit. Which ground or substance belongs only to the High Priest, Christ, for a possession, and not to the creaturely life; but the creaturely life receives power and virtue from it: it has it indeed in itself; but it is not one and the same thing with nature: as the light and the painful source of the fire are not one and the same thing.n7427 ¶760
34. This figure of Joseph, in that he bought the Egyptians to be Pharaoh's proper own, and made them his own servants, signifies nothing else but that Christ should buy us from the anger of God in the famine of our destruction, through his grace, to be his obliged servants, through his blood and death, and would give us his word for seed, that we might sow his purchased goods, 1 viz. our natural life, therewith.n7427 ¶761
35. And for this cause now should we give him again the fifth part of this fruit, viz. the birth of love, the fifth property of life. For in the fifth property stands faith; and that, his children should give to him again. And this he gathers into his Father's barns, for an eternal praise, and to the divine manifestation of his wonders.n7427 ¶762
36. But that earthly men have made such bondage,2 and keep one another for bondslaves, and vex, torment and misuse one another therein, and squeeze out their sweat for their pomp and pride, this is an image of the anger of God, which represents itself 3 also according to the heavenly figure.n7427 ¶763
37. For everything must fashion itself according to the ordinance or appointment of the Word of God: whether a thing fashion itself in evil, viz. in God's anger, according to the property of hell, or in good, in heaven, in the kingdom of Christ; for with the holy, the Word is holy, and with the perverse and froward it is manifest in God's wrath (Ps. xviii. 25, 26): as the people is, such also is their God, says the Scripture.n7427 ¶764
38. Earthly men represent the image in the anger of God, in that they vex, torment, squeeze and plague them with bondage, and hold it for just and right: and it is right, in the wrath of nature in God's anger, and it is a figure of hell : and it is also a figure of the kingdom ofn7427 ¶765
Christ in the heavenly bondage. For all whatsoever the earthly man does with pain and torment, that does Christ in his kingdom with his children, in joy, love, humility, and power.n7427 ¶766
1 Or possessions. 2 Or, bond-slavery. 3 Images or models itself.n7427 ¶767
39. The earthly man takes away his brother's labour, also his will [and desires], his sweat and trade, profession and sustenance. Christ also takes away his children's evil will [and desires], also their labour, working in God, when with great pain and anguish they press thereinto. These labours Christ takes all from them, and gathers them into his chest of treasure. He searches through and through his children's body and soul, to see whether there be yet a little sparkle that can and will administer to him and work for him; that, he drives and necessitates into the divine ministration of God's court, viz. into the vineyard of Christ.n7427 ¶768
40. He often also withdraws the food of grace, and lets them afterwards hunger and lament for it; and lets them sit in misery, and afflicts them, so that they must work in great anguish, in lamentation, fear and trembling, before him in divine labour; for the old Adam's ass is unwilling and untoward to labour in that which is divine.n7427 ¶769
41. And therefore it is often compelled, so that the punishment and threatening is always behind it, where Christ's spirit in the conscience threatens it with hell and the anger of God; as also the earthly lords upon earth do with their subjects: which stand indeed in the figure of Christ, but the office is altogether unlike.n7427 ¶770
42. Christ gathers in, for his Father, by the works of his children, much heavenly fruit, which man will obtain again, and enjoy the same for ever; but a worldly lord gathers in by the labour and sweat of the poor, only money and goods into his chests, to his own honour, which labour the poor man can no more enjoy in this world: but Christ is his wages, in that he must serve the figure of God's anger here in misery.n7427 ¶771
43. But in the end, when the earthly offices shall be also gathered into their barns, into the treasure chests of their hearts for whom they have served and ministered, then there will be unlike and different reservatories. Many will have very much gathered into the kingdom of God's anger, and from that will his food be given to him again in eternity, viz. the curse of the oppressed, also the affliction, fear, pain and molestation of the poor, which they have here with their agitation wrought by the inferiors: that will be given them for food also after this time to eternity: for what any sows here (Gal. vi. 7), that they will find in barns in the eternal life.n7427 ¶772
44. All offices of this world are God's, and all officers, from the emperor to the least and meanest, are God's officers. But they serve him much unlike and differently: one serves him in love, as a minister of Christ, and the other serves him in his anger, as a minister of hell.n7427 ¶773
45. All that seek their own in these offices, and do not regard God and his ordinance, and so serve man therein, they serve the anger of God, and gather up, into hell.n7427 ¶774
46. For all the treasure of princes and potentates should be gathered in for the common profit of brethren, and for the supporting of good orders and offices, also of the miserable and impotent; even as an innkeeper 1 labours and works with those that are under him, and draws the profit to himself and yet therewith he provides for, feeds and nourishes all his servants, ministers and assistants; and the overplus he uses for common necessaries of himself his wife and children, and what he might else stand in need of; or lays it by for poor people: such is the officer's gathering together: it should all be gathered together for common benefit, else it is a treasure of the anger of God, and must expect God's judgement.n7427 ¶775
47. But that the present potentates do thus gather together for their own honour, for voluptuousness and pride, and in that regard do the more hardly oppress and squeeze, that they may only therewith exercise their pride, and keep under the poor as dogs, and say in their hearts, They are bound to do so for me, I have bought or inherited it as a privilege, I have it of right. All this, one and other, is done in the anger of God: they all now in this property serve only Satan, viz. in the figure of God's anger, and no better.n7427 ¶776
48. All self-owning belongs to hell, make what you will of it; no seeming rhetoric will avail before God; you gather together into hell: God requires the ground of the heart, and will have trusty officers.n7427 ¶777
49. But the miserable is to know, that in such restraint and service, if he endure it without murmuring and grudging, in faithfulness, he serves even his Lord Christ: for God thereby draws him away from this world, so that he sets his hope upon that which is to come, and in this servility of his hands he gathers to him with his prayer into this house of lamentation, his heavenly treasure; whereas if he for this time of his restraint stood in the voluptuousness of the flesh, he would gather no good thing: therefore all things must serve to the best of them that love God (Rom. viii. 28).n7427 ¶778
50. Thus a man ought to understand the figure under the history and acts of Joseph; for indeed the history is described with great diligence, according to the inward figure, according to the inspiration 2 of the spirit of God, which always more respects Christ's kingdom than any history of a slight and simple act.n7427 ¶779
1 Or householder. 2 Eingebung, inward suggestion.n7427 ¶780
51. For the acts of the Bible are not set down therefore because men should see the life and deeds of the old holy men or saints, as Babel supposes. No, the kingdom of Christ above all is thereby deciphered, as also the kingdom of hell: the visible figure continually points at the invisible, which shall be manifested in the spiritualn7427 ¶781
52. Moses here finishes the figure of the new regeneration, under the history of Joseph, and says further, Thus Israel dwelt in Egypt, in the land of Goshen; and possessed it, and grew and multiplied very much. And Jacob lived seventeen years in Egypt: so that his whole age was one hundred forty and seven years (Gen. xlvii. 27,28).n7427 ¶782
53. And when the time was come that Israel was to die, he called his son Joseph, and said to him, If I have found grace before you, then lay your hand under my thigh, that you will be loving and faithful to me, and not bury me in Egypt. But I will lie with my fathers, and you shall carry me out of the land of Egypt, and bury me in their burying place. He said, I will do as you have said. But he answered, and said, Swear to me. And he sware to him. Then Israel bowed himself, sitting up at the head of the bed (Gen. xlvii. 29-31).n7427 ¶783
54. This now is a very mystical figure, and points at the resurrection of the dead, when the soul shall come to the body again; and the body will be pure and holy. For the land of Canaan, which was also full of the abominations of the heathen, signifies the earthly body; and Egypt, where Pharaoh dwelt, and Joseph was steward, signifies the soul, which dwells in God's Word, viz. by or near the eternal King.n7427 ¶784
55. And we see it very finely portrayed in this figure how Adam's soul turned itself with lust into the earthly Canaan of the earthly body, and turned away from God; therefore now the soul must go again into Egypt, into repentance to Joseph, viz. to Christ, and to King Pharaoh, viz. to God; and there it will be received as a child of grace, to be a bondservant, so that it will be obedient to God, and be his servant and minister, and must forsake the earthly Canaan, viz. the evil body, with its will and contrivances, as Israel must leave and forsake Canaan.n7427 ¶785
56. But after he should be dead, he would then have his body into the land of Canaan, that it should be buried there. Which signifies that the earthly body must be buried in its mother the earth, and come into its first mother again; and it signifies that the soul shall come again out of Egypt, viz. out of the bondage of the affliction of repentance, to the body into rest: for the heathen must be driven out of Canaan, when Israel enters thereinto. So also must the abominations in the property and condition of the body be consumed, and all false and wicked desires be killed, ere the soul come to the body again, and dwell therein.n7427 ¶786
57. And it is powerfully represented how the will of the soul shall and must in this lifetime break off from the earthly Canaan, viz. from the lusts of the body, and press into God again by earnest repentance, where then the soul must rightly be in Egypt, viz. a poor bondservant, in much anxiety and affliction; but in the end, when the body shall die, then it also desires to go along out of the house of bondage, viz. out of the torment of repentance, and will go again into the first Adamical pure image which God created: as Jacob would lie by his fathers, when as he might have lain as well in Egypt. But the spirit stood in the figure of the resurrection, showing how the whole man should go again into the first image created by God.n7427 ¶787
58. But that Jacob required an oath from Joseph, that he would bury him in Canaan with his fathers; it denotes the oath which God in Christ made with man, that God has with his Word of love incorporated himself with man, and engaged as by an eternal oath to him. Jacob requires this oath from Joseph, as from the figure of Christ, and desires he should lay his hand under his thigh and swear.n7427 ¶788
59. This is a figure signifying how Christ should lay his hand, that is, his power and might, viz. the eternal Word, which is the hand that has made all things, into the human essence in body and soul; and not only into that, but under the thigh, as under the human power, and to give himself to man for his own; and swear therein, that is, bind himself to it, that he will bring the whole man, when he is here dead in the temporal death, again into the first land of inheritance wherein Adam in innocency dwelt, viz. into Paradise, and bury the body and soul, with his oath, in God, as in the divine rest.n7427 ¶789
60. This is signified by the figure of Jacob, where the text says, Israel dwelt a long time in Egypt, and multiplied there. And when Jacob was to die, he had a desire to be carried, after his death, again into the land of Canaan, to his fathers . This [I say] signifies that a Christian or child of God must go into this Egypt, viz. into repentance, and into the exit from the earthly will, and continue therein the whole time of his temporal life, and bring forth much good fruit in that land. And then Christ, viz. the heavenly Joseph, shall bring him into the right country of his father to rest again, viz. into the right promised land, wherein the milk and honey of divine power flows (Exod. iii. 8).n7427 ¶790
61. And the whole history of all the five books of Moses is even this in the figure: the exit out of Canaan, and the going into Canaan again, is only this; representing how the right Adamical man should with great hosts and armies, and much purchased goods effected in the divine operation, enter again into the eternal promised land; and how in this lifetime he must be a bondservant of God's anger in this Egypt, which would, through its ministers and servants, afflict, persecute and torment him in his office of anger, and continually keep him for a bondslave, till the right Joseph shall bring him through the temporal death, again into Paradise into rest.n7427 ¶791
The Seventy-Fifth Chaptern7427 ¶792
How Jacob, before his End, blessed the two sons of Joseph, and preferred the Youngest before the Eldest. And what thereby to ben7427 ¶793
1. MOSES says, Afterwards it was told Joseph, Behold, your father is sick: and he took with him both his sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. And then it was told Jacob, Behold your son Joseph comes to you: and Israel strengthened himself and sat up in the bed, and said to Joseph, The Almighty God appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me. And said to me, Behold, I will cause you to increase and multiply, and will make you a multitude of people; and will give this land for a possession to your seed after you for ever. And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto you in the land of Egypt before I came in hither to you, shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon. But those which you shall beget after them, shall he thine, and shall be named according to their brethren in their inheritance (Gen. xlviii. 1-6).n7427 ¶794
2. In this figure now the patriarch Jacob stands again in the limit of the Covenant, whereto God had ordained him in the mother's womb. When he had finished his course in the world with the figure of the kingdom of Christ and his Christendom, then his spirit figures itself again in the limit of the Covenant, and through the limit of the Covenant blesses his children and his children's children, and points at the future time, how it would go with them. That is, he speaks from the root, and intimates concerning the branches and twigs of this tree, which God in Paradise planted again after the defection and fall, and had made it manifest in Abraham: and so Jacob stood in the same stock, and intimates from the spirit of this tree concerning his branches and twigs, but especially in both Joseph's sons, both which he grafted back again into his root, that they should be his sons, as Reuben and Simeon.n7427 ¶795
3. And Jacob said to Joseph, The Almighty God appeared to me at Luz, in the land of Canaan, and blessed me; and said to me, Behold, I will cause you to increase and multiply, and will make you a great people, and will give this land for a possession to your seed for ever. In this figure the spirit speaks not only of the inheritance of the outward land of Canaan, but also of the inheritance of the kingdom of Christ, [which is] understood and signified under this Canaan; for he says God has given him and his children this land for an eternal possession, in which for a long time after that they had no inheritance; therefore then in this [figure] the Kingdom of Christ is understood, which shall endure for ever.n7427 ¶796
4. Thus Jacob took the two sons of Joseph and set them in his root in the inheritance of this kingdom, and, moreover, in his first power and virtue, as Reuben and Simeon his first sons. Which signifies how Joseph's, that is, Christ's, children in the faith and spirit (whose nature yet is come from the seed of corrupted Adam) shall be through faith planted again in the first root of God's Covenant. For Adam has set his twigs and children with himself in the kingdom of God's anger; but the Covenant and grace takes these Adamical twigs and puts them back again into the image of God: whose figure Jacob here represents with Joseph's sons.n7427 ¶797
5. And Israel saw the sons of Joseph and said, Who are these? Joseph answered his father, and said, They are my sons, which God has given me (Gen. xlviii. 8, 9). That is, the Covenant of grace was strange to the corrupt nature, and said, Who are these children of nature in self have they not broken themselves off from God. But Joseph, in the figure of Christ's humanity, said, They, are my children, which God has given me in the kingdom of this world. And the Covenant of grace in Jacob said, Bring them to me that I may bless them (Gen. xlviii. 9), that is, that I may anoint them with grace, that is, Christ shall bring them to God, that he may bless them again.n7427 ¶798
6. And Moses says, for the eyes of Israel were dim with age (Gen. xlviii. 10). That is, nature, in the Father's property in the soulish creature, was grown dim and old, and that, because the soul's ens had modelled itself in the time, for all that lives in the time grows old and dim. But the Covenant in Jacob grows not old. The Covenant was that which should bless the sons of Joseph with the future revelation or manifestation of the power in the name Jesus; and Joseph, who stood in the image or type of the humanity of Christ, should bring them to this blessing; for the humanity of Christ brings Adam's children to the blessing of God: as here Joseph brings his sons to the Covenant of God, in Jacob.n7427 ¶799
7. Moses says further, But he kissed them, and encouraged them, and said to Joseph, Behold, I have seen your face, which I had not thought to have done; and behold, God has let me see your seed. And Joseph took them from his [Jacob's] bosom, and bowed himself towards the earth before his countenancen7427 ¶800
(Gen. xlviii. 10-12): Which is as much as to say, in the figure, thus: When Joseph, in the image or type of the humanity of Christ, brought his sons to his father, viz. before the Covenant of God, then the Covenant took them in the arms, or into the bosom, of his desire, viz. into God's essence, and kissed them with the kiss of love, which God would manifest in Christ: and the father's righteousness in the Word of might and power says to the soul's essences, Behold, you art dim to my sight, and now I have seen your countenance again, through the love and grace of God, which I thought not to have done; for I thought to have kept the soul in the strong and severe might of God's anger, for God's eye was departed in it, with its turning away from him, and so, as to God's righteousness, it was rent off from God: But now I have seen the countenance of the soul again, through God's love in the grace of God, and God's love has let me see them [the soul's essences, powers or faculties] in the seed of the Covenant of grace.n7427 ¶801
8. And the spirit of Moses says, And Joseph took them from his father's bosom, and bowed himself to the earth before his face. That is, when the Word became man, then Christ took the soul from the Father's bosom, viz. from the Father's nature, into himself and in a creaturely manner presented himself with the assumed humanity before God the Father; and bowed, that is, humbled himself with the assumed soul, viz. God and man in one person, to the earth, that is, even into death, and entered before the face of God with our assumed soul, that is, he brought the soul's will through the introduced power of the Deity back again into the resigned humility before the eyes ofn7427 ¶802
9. And Moses says further, Then Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand towards Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand towards Israel's right hand, and brought them to him (Gen. xlviii. 13). This now is the precious figure of the great earnestness of God, showing how man is blessed again. For Ephraim was not the first-born, but Manasseh:n7427 ¶803
and Jacob laid his right hand upon the head of the youngest. But Joseph took Ephraim in his right hand, and Manasseh, in his left hand, that he might stand with the first-born before Jacob's right hand, and with the other before Jacob's left hand: but Jacob inverted the will ofn7427 ¶804
10. The Word became man (John i. 14), understand, the not-natural, uncreaturely Word of God manifested itself in God's creaturely word of man's soul, and took on him the faded light's image, and quickened or made it living in itself and put it into God's left hand, viz. into the Father's anger: which is here expressed by setting the youngest son, viz. Ephraim, before Jacob's, viz. God's, left hand, but took it in his right hand.n7427 ¶805
11. For Christ took the incorporated Covenant of grace in the faded heavenly image (which incorporated Covenant of grace in man was the youngest, viz. the new man) in his right hand, viz. into the highest love in the name Jesus, and entered with this new man from the Covenant of grace before God's left hand, viz. before God's strict righteousness in the anger, that he might atone the soul, viz. the first birth; and the soul, viz. the first born, Christ took in his left hand, that is, he took the first Principle (which beforehand had the superior jurisdiction, authority and power) and put it under, that its power, viz. the self-will, should go back and enter into humility before God's right hand.n7427 ¶806
12. For these two sons of Joseph here rightly signify the inward spiritual man, viz. the fiery soul, which is the eldest son; also the spirit of the soul, viz. the light's power, which signifies the other or second son, viz. the two Principles. These did Joseph, that is, Christ, set before God, and took the spirit, viz. the second Principle, in his right hand, viz. in his love, and set it with his love before God's left hand, viz. before his anger, for he should break the Serpent's head; and the soul he sets before God's right hand, that it should receive the blessing from God, that is, that God's love- should manifest itself out of the soul: but that might not be. For Moses says, But Israel stretched forth his right hand, and laid it upon the head of Ephraim the youngest, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head; and did so with his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the first-born (Gen. xlviii. 14).n7427 ¶807
13. That is thus much in the figure: God would no more give the dominion or government to the first birth, viz. to the fiery soul, seeing it had turned away its will from God, but laid his hand of power and omnipotency upon the second, viz. upon the image of the light, which in Christ in his love became living again. To this he gave now the power of the divine virtue, that the soul might be under Christ; for in the light's image is Christ understood, and upon it God laid the hand of his omnipotence and grace; and upon the soul, he laid his left hand, that it should be a servant and a minister of grace.n7427 ¶808
14. Thus the first birth was set behind, viz. in subjection, and the second birth foremost and uppermost in the dominion. And here is that figure concerning which Christ says, Father, the men were thine, that is, they were of your nature's property, but you hast given them to me; for the Father gave to Christ the highest blessing and power, whereby the fiery soul lost its dominion of self-will (John xvii. 6).n7427 ¶809
15. And Moses says Jacob did thus knowingly, that is, the Covenant of God knew it in Jacob that God would have it so. Jacob could not with his bodily eyes for age well know these two lads, but with the eyes of God's Covenant he saw and knew them, for God's spirit in him did this.n7427 ¶810
16. And he blessed Joseph and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac have walked, the God who has preserved me all my life long even to this day, the Angel that has released me from all evil, bless these lads; that they may be called after my name, and after the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; that they may increase and multiply on earth (Gen. xlviii. 15, 16).n7427 ¶811
17. The God of love blessed the incorporated Covenant of grace out of which should come Christ, viz. the heavenly Joseph: as here Jacob with his blessing began at Joseph, and blessed Joseph's sons through Joseph. Thus God also through the name of Jesus blesses the soul and the spirit, for God has appointed the name Jesus to be a throne of grace; and through that throne of grace he blesses Christ's children and members according to the humanity; and here in the words of the blessing makes no difference between the children, to signify that the soul and the spirit shall in Christ enjoy like graces and gifts; only the power he gave to the new regeneration out of the faded heavenly image, that the soul should through the power of the new regeneration work and flourish, spread forth and be great therewith, that is, that the soulish tree with its branches should grow out of this blessing.n7427 ¶812
18. In the words of this blessing there is this understanding or meaning: The incorporated ground of grace in the power and virtue of the Word spoke forth the power, and comprised in Jacob his body, soul and spirit, in one, and thereby spoke itself forth upon the children of Joseph: God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac have walked, that is, through the wills and desires which my fathers have inclined to God, with which they have walked before God: also, through the power of God who has sustained me my life long, even unto this day: also, the Angel who has delivered me from all evil, bless these lads. That is, he blesses them through the divine and [through the] human power, through the Angel of the great counsel in Christ Jesus, which Angel has delivered men from all evil, that they should according to these names be called children of the Covenant, and in this power increase and grow great.n7427 ¶813
19. But when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon Ephraim 's head, it pleased him not well: and he laid hold of his father's hand, that he should turn it from Ephraim' s head upon Manasseh's head. And said to him, Not so, my father: this is the firstborn; lay your right hand upon his head. But his father refused, and said, I know it well my son, I know it well: this shall also be a people, and be great: but his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall be a multitude of people ( Gen. xlviii. 17-19).n7427 ¶814
20. By the outward figure the spirit points at their offsprings, which stock or tribe should excel the other in greatness and might; but by the inward figure of man's conversion and new birth it points at the inward ground; signifying how the inward and youngest ground of the incorporated grace in Christ would be greater than the ground of the first created Adamical man.n7427 ¶815
21. But that Joseph disliked it, and would not willingly that the youngest should be preferred before the eldest, in the figure it signifies this: Joseph stood in the figure of the new regeneration, signifying how the inward ground, viz. the eternal- speaking Word in the humanity of Christ, should turn itself forth through our soul, and take away the power of self-will from the soul, and that the creaturely soul would not that it should lose its power: it would not willingly die to its own will, but would keep its first natural right.n7427 ¶816
22. As we see in Christ's humanity, viz. in the human soul, when it was to die to self and yield up its natural right, then said Christ on the Mount of Olives, Father, if it be possible, that is, the human soul in him from the Father's property in the Word, said, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; but if it be not possible, and that I must drink it, Thy will be done (Matt. xxvi. 39; Luke xxii. 42): as Joseph here in this figure was loath to come to it, and would not willingly that the last should be preferred before the first.n7427 ¶817
23. The text says it pleased him not well. The natural man is not well pleased to give up his natural right and let the kingdom of humility reign in him: he would rather be lord himself: But his own will has squandered that away, so that he is set behind, for it is not possible that he should become the child of God unless he drink the cup whereby he dies to his own natural will. Therefore says Christ, Father, Thy will be done, and not my natural Adamical human will, but letn7427 ¶818
God's will in my inward ground be done, and not my Adamical soul's will: It shall and must be resigned into God, the first natural right must go behind, and Christ forward, else there is no salvation.n7427 ¶819
24. In this type and image the spirit of God sports with the children of the saints; signifying how the new incorporated kingdom of grace would spread itself forth aloft, and how the kingdom of nature should be set behind: for if Christ arise and be born in man then must Adam be servant and minister.n7427 ¶820
25. And it declares besides that the kingdom of nature would also be great, but the kingdom of grace yet greater, of which we have a similitude in a great tree of many branches, which through nature generates many twigs and branches, and wherein nature is powerful; but the virtue and power of the sun is much more powerful. For if this does not co-operate then the tree cannot grow nor bear any fruit; and we clearly see thereby that the virtue and power of the sun must get aloft, if the tree grow and its fruit come to be ripe and profitable. So also is it in man.n7427 ¶821
26. Man is nature: and nature begets him that he may come into the forms and conditions of the creatures. But the understanding must come forth in him, which governs and takes care of nature. Nature wills indeed that its desire be fulfilled, but the understanding rules over nature.n7427 ¶822
27. But now nature is sooner and earlier than the understanding. Nature goes foremost; but when the understanding comes, then it must follow behind. Thus it is to be understood also in this figure of Jacob and Joseph, concerning the new regeneration, that when the divine understanding shall again be manifested in man, then shall nature follow behind.n7427 ¶823
28. Thus he blessed them that day, and said, He that will bless any in Israel, let him say, God set thee as Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen. xlviii.n7427 ¶824
In this text what the spirit declares in this figure is as clear as the sun. For Ephraim and Manasseh were re-inoculated back into the root of Jacob, that is, into the Covenant of grace which God had manifested in him, and were transplanted with the birth of the natural right, when the youngest was preferred before the eldest. Thus also should all blessing and wishing be, among the children of God, that God would set them back from the evil Adamical will of self; and set them into the Paradisical Covenant again, and make them grow therein and bring forth the kingdom of grace in them, and set it above the kingdom of nature of the first Adamical birth. When this is done in man then he is a child of God again in Christ, and stands in the blessing of God.n7427 ¶825
29. Courteous rabbis and masters of criticisms upon every letter, learn, I pray, to understand the figures of the Old and New Testament, and dispute not about the outward shell of words; look upon the chief ground, why the spirit of God thus speaks, and why it sets down such types and images. And consider what this signifies: that the Holy Ghost, in all the figures of Christ, always sets the youngest before the eldest. Begin at Cain and Abel, and go quite through: and then you will come to rest, and your strife have an end.n7427 ¶826
30. The time of strife is at an end: Ephraim shall rule over Manasseh. If you do not so, then will the sun dazzle and blind you with its rising, that ye must for ever be blind. Ye would verily see with the eye of the kingdom of nature, and yet ye contemn the eye of grace. But Ephraim attains the natural right of the first birth. Why will ye strive against your father Jacob as if he did not rightly bless? for ye set Manasseh before, and Ephraim following behind. It is made manifest before the eyes of the Most High, who has set Ephraim foremost again: the kingdom of nature in human self should be the servant: and that, ye would not. But the purpose of the Most High goes forward, and ye are all therefore like to go to the ground: there is no preventing of it more.n7427 ¶827
31. Now when Jacob had blessed Joseph and his sons, then he represented a very secret type or image of Christendom upon earth: for thus says Moses, And Israel said to Joseph, Behold, I die: and God will be with you, and will bring you again into the land of your fathers. I have given thee a piece of land beyond your brethren, that I took with my sword and with my bow out of the hand of the Amorites (Gen. xlviii. 21,22).n7427 ¶828
32. Although there may well be an outward figure herein, which indeed is always so, yet this is much more an inward figure of Christendom. For what could Jacob give away of that which he had not in his possession? He had not Shechem in possession, as the glosses upon this text will have it expounded, which look only at some outward thing. So he could not give it severally to Joseph, for Joseph dwelt not there, but he and all his children and children's children died in Egypt.n7427 ¶829
33. Besides, Jacob said he had taken it with his sword and with his bow out of the hand of the Amorites, which is nowhere to be shown; and yet may well be outwardly done so, seeing he says he has given it to Joseph (as to the type of Christendom), and took it with the sword, therefore it is a figure and secret speech.n7427 ¶830
34. For Jacob says, Behold, I die, and ye shall come again into this land: God will bring you thereinto. This first points at Christ, who should come out of Jacob's Covenant which God had in him. When that should die according to our humanity then would God bring Israel again into the land of God's Covenant, and the Covenant has a piece of land in this world that at all times would be a dwelling for Christendom upon earth; although that piece of land would be of ten turned with Manas seh and Ephraim from one place to another.n7427 ¶831
35. That same piece of land or Christian habitation has Christ taken with his bow and sword of the spirit, and subdued the princes of this world in his victory, that Christendom should have this at all times upon earth. Whereby then we see that Christendom should have the smallest victory upon earth, so that its kingdom is like a remaining overplus piece of land; that so the name of Christ might therein be outwardly known and acknowledged.n7427 ¶832
36. Further, it is the most excellent figure concerning Israel, which with Jacob, that is, with the rising of the kingdom of Christ, would die. That is, the Jewish polity and government would be suppressed, but God would in the last time bring them into this land, viz. into the true Covenant in Christ; for he has reserved this piece of land beforehand, that they should possess the same again; which Babel believes not. But their time is near, for the fullness of the heathen is at an end.n7427 ¶833
The Seventy-Sixth Chaptern7427 ¶834
How Jacob called all his Sons before his End, and signified and prophesied to them how their Generations would rise up, and what each of their State and Condition would be, whereby he expressed the Root of Abraham's Tree, together with its Branches and Fruit; what the State and office of each of them would be, and how they would behave themselves, and how Christ would be born of then7427 ¶835
Stock of Judah: also how long their Kingdom would continue under the Law *n7427 ¶836
* Gen. xlix.n7427 ¶837
1. MOSES says, And Jacob called his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may make known unto you what will happen to you in the future times. Come together, and hearken, ye children of Jacob, and hear your father Israel (Gen. xlix. I, 2).n7427 ¶838
In this chapter lies the whole understanding and knowledge, how it would go with the children of Israel in the future time under the Law, as also afterwards with Christendom. For in this chapter the spirit has expressed and figuratively represented the tree of Israel, with its branches, twigs and fruit, both according to the kingdom of nature, and according to the kingdom of grace; and under that signifies concerning all states, conditions, orders and officers, among both Jews and Christians;n7427 ¶839
especially the Antichristian kingdom among Jews and Christians is powerfully prefigured under it, whence it arises, and how it must fall to the ground again, and yet would continue a long time, even till the manifestation or revelation of Jesus Christ.n7427 ¶840
2. For Israel here under this exposition declares concerning the whole Adamical tree, how it was good in the beginning, and how it perished; also how it would be helped again; and how the kingdom of nature would outwardly govern in God's wrath, and yet the kingdom of grace co-operate through the wrath; whereby the natural evil man would outwardly seem as if he would serve God and minister to him, but would only be a false flattery and show of hypocrisy, so long till Christ would break forth out of God's Covenant, and destroy Satan's hypocritical kingdom.n7427 ¶841
3. And he begins at Reuben, viz. from the first power of the human life, and reaches to Benjamin, the last, under whom Christendom is powerfully prefigured, and what its properties would be; so also are the times and ages of the world powerfully portrayed under it. If the Reader will observe it, and gather the sense thereof; then he will find our exposition in the true and right ground.n7427 ¶842