the Temptation did deny his wife and said that she was not his wife that so he might but preserve himselfe by the suttlety of Reason and we see here also how that that very thing by which he thought in Reason to keep himselfe from mischiefe must reprove and teach him as we see how Abimilech reproved him in that he had denied his wife with whom he had almost sinned if the Lord had not warned him and the exposition is this 4. If we see a man whom the Spirit of God driveth and by whom he oftentimes speaketh we must not so take it up and thinke that he is something more then other men as Abraham was no more then others in his own Reason the selfe-reason in them is as wavering dubious and imperfect as in other men and That what they know and teach of God is not their own propriety as we see here in Abraham how he out of fear did not spare his Sarah but denied her out of a timerous conjecture though Abimilech had taken her away from him to be his Concubine that so he might but live and it might be well with him for her sake 5. Thus God proveth his children that they might see that they in their own ability are no more then all other sinfull men and that men should not so set by them and hold them for a God thus oftentimes God permits them to go astray and erre and yet then he rebukes them also by those whom they ought to teach as we see here in Abimilech how he must reprove Abraham and make him ashamed that he would not spare his wife for a small fears sake but would deny her 6. And although it doth fall out that sometimes we see such a man whom God driveth to erre yet we ought not therefore presently wholly to reject him and set him at nought and think that he is wholly without God as the world doth but think that God doth thus set his children under the Cross to prove them that they should learn to know themselves and then the Sun ariseth again upon them as here it did upon Abraham when God had suffered him to go unto Gerar that is into his naturall rationall life wherein he committed a great offence before Abimilech A twofold Sun did afterwards arise and shine on him viz. one was that Abimilech did acknowledge him and learned to fear the Lord and gave the Land for a possession unto Abraham he gave him also Gifts for rebuke as the Reproof of the Saints is that men should fear at Gods reproof Thus the Sun of King Abimilechs favour arose upon him And then the other Sun which shoan on him was that Sarah conceived and a branch sprang forth unto him out of the line of the Covenant from the divine Suns Power and Isaac was born unto him 7. And that we may understand the very truth we see how allwaies the Crosse stands by the children of God and Adam and Christ are continually sett by each other as here Abimilech and Abraham and Ismael and Isaac and also the man of right reason and the corrupt nature against reason which uncessantly sifts and trys reason as we may see it here in Hagar and Sarah which also were set one against another that one did exercise the other as Hagar in the property of corrupt nature viz in Adams life and Sarah in Christs Person so that Hagar did exercise and prove the naturall Sarah that shee pressed forth out of the Reason or carnall * * * Or naturall carnall wisdome wisdome of the flesh into God 8. And we have here in Sarah and her Maid Hagar with her Son Ismael and with Isaac Sarahs Son how Sarah cast out the Bond-woman with her Son which seemed grievous to Abraham and yet was right in the sight of God such an excellent mirrour as we finde not the like again in the Bible shewing how Christ and the naturall man dwell * * * Sojourn together by one another and how the naturall man with Ismael and his mother must be wholly cast out from the right of Inheritance and selfe-will that the naturall own will is no heir of God 9. And when the resigned will hath wholly cast * * * Vnderstand the selfe-assuming will of nature which seekes to be master in man him out then the poor nature of man sitteth in its rejected will in fear and trembling and utterly despairs of life as here Hagar with her Son Ismael when shee was cast out from Abraham she wandered in the wildernesse of Beer-sheba that is in the brokenness of her heart and looked upon her selfe as one wholly forsaken and as one quite spent and faint despaired of her own and her Sons life for shee had lost the Inheritance and the favour of her Mistress also and all her goods and there was neither water nor bread for to preserve life and they were as given up to death for shee went and sat a stones cast from the child because she would not see him dye and when she had even wholly given on her selfe to dye then the Angel came again unto her and called her and comforted her and shewed her also a fountaine and told her that she should not be so afraid of death her Son must yet become a great Nation The inward figure of this is thus 10. When Isaac that is Christ is born in the Convert then the spirituall new-born will rejecteth its own evill nature it contemneth it and condemneth it to death casteth it out also from it selfe with its Son the mocker viz the false interpreter and perverter of the truth as if it would even burst the same in the Minde so very an hatefull enemy the new-born spirituall will becomes to the naturall will in its Evill qualities viz. to Ismael the Son of the naturall will who is onely a mocker scoffer pharisaicall censurer lyar backbiter and unrighteous 11. And when the new-born will hath thus cast out the evill nature with its wicked children from it selfe then the poor forsaken nature stands in great distress trembling and desertion for the internall holy Soul doth forsake it and then it even gives up it selfe wholly to death and wandreth in it selfe in the wilderness and looketh upon it selfe as a foolish and simple one who is every ones by-word and laughing stocke 12. And then when the nature doth willingly give it selfe thereunto that it also will now dye wholly to its selfeness and dispaires wholly on it selfe as a poor forsaken woman that is deprived of all the worldly glory riches beauty and the pleasure of the outward life also being wholly cast out from its former desire and almost quite forlorn so that the own desire begins to faint and quail within it selfe then comes the Angel of God to the nature and comforts it and bids it not to despair and gives it also water to drink that is some faithfull upright man or some inward ray and beam of
his Son to whom he had given the whole * * * That is all mankinde humanity for a peculiar possession and say thus being I have given thee the Power in the humane property which is mine to be thy own Swear now unto me by God that is deeply binde thy selfe therewith into an essentiall Oath or One Eternall Covenant that thou wilt not shew any unkindness to my nature in the humane property nor to the children viz. to the Branches which spring forth anew out of their property nor to their Nephewes or grand-children that is to those children who spring out from the wild property where oftentimes a wicked husband or a wicked wife are joyned together the one being ungodly and the other honest but according to the kindness which I have don unto thee even unto thy Image in that I have restored unto thee again this heavenly matrix which in Adam was captivated in my wrath and disappeared from thy Image in my Anger thou shalt do likewise to mee and unto the Land that is unto the outward man wherein Gods children bear the heavenly Image that is unto the Land wherein thou sojournest 13. For Christ is a stranger in our earthly humanity and our earthly humanity doth oftentimes make our children or grand-children strangers to God there the Father of nature in the Souls property said unto Christ he was a Stranger in Our Land as Christ also said that his kingdome was not of this world that is of the earthly man but Christ should shew kindness in this Strange Land understand the strange humanity and not reject the children which should be born therein as the Father had don to his Image of the heavenly humanity which disappeared in Adam this Christ should Swear unto God as he also sweareth in the Prophet Ezekiell * * * Ezek. 33.11 As true as I live I will not or have no delight in the death of the wicked or sinner but rather that he should turn and live for Abraham in Christ viz. in the figure said I will Swear that is I will do it 14. And Abraham reproved Abimilech because of the well of water which the Servants of Abimilech had taken away by force that is Christ reproved the Soul that the Soules servants viz. the essence of nature had taken away the well-spring of the Essence from the heavenly corporality viz. Christs body in Adam whereupon the heavenly Image dyed or disappeared for Christs holy fountain of water sprung up in the Soules fiery Essence but the Soules Essence had taken this fountain of divine Sweetness into its own Selfe-full power and changed the same in it selfe to another property 15. And Abimilech answered that is the Soul I wot not who hath don this that is I did not know that the Devill had deceived me that the false lust was arisen in the very Essence of my nature and who hath don this hurt also thou didst not tell it unto me that is thou didst not declare unto me that thy Image was in me that this holy divine fountain was thine which my Servants viz. my Essences have * * * Turned it to a selfish own-hood taken it to selfehood moreover I heard not of it but to day that is thou hast not revealed to me that this fountain is thy Seat save to day onely that is to day where thou dost again manifest thy selfe in me in Adam with a Covenant of Grace where now I heard thy voice in mee 16. And Abraham took sheep and Oxen and gave them to Abimilech and they both made a Covenant with each other that is then Christ took his sheep that is children and his Oxen are the Gentiles the sheep are the children in whom the Covenant was manifested viz. the Jewes and gave them to the Father and made between Christs Spirit and humanity and between the Jewes and Gentiles an eternall Covenant that it should be one humanity and not two 17. And Abraham set seven lambes apart by themselves These seven lambes are the seven properties of the naturall humanity of Christ which he did manifest in our humanity and in that the Spirit saith by themselves signifieth that Christ in his humanity of the seven properties is a distinct Person so that wee men viz. Jewes and Gentiles who come to his Grace ought not to say we are Christ but we are his house in which he dwells the Power of the holy fountain of water is his we are onely branches on his tree he is with the seven lambes of the divine property * * * Or by himselfe apart in us they belong not to mans selfehood 18. Onely in the Right Resignation Christ and man is wholly One when mans will wills nothing any more without Christ but gives up it selfe wholly in Christ then it is dead to Selfe and Christ onely liveth in it also it doth signifie that his creaturall Person with the seven properties of the humanity shall dwell among us as a distinct Person as eternall high Priest 19. And Abimilech said what mean these Seven Lambes which thou hast set by themselves that is God the Father made an allusion through the Essence of the Soul in this figure with Christs figure in Abraham and said what mean thy seven properties of our divine nature by themselves Wherefore being thou shouldst regenerate mankinde dwell in them wilt thou also sett forth thy seven properties of our divine nature in a distinct humane person and Christ answered in the figure of Abraham Thou shalt take Seven Lambes from my hand that they may be an Eternall Testimony unto mee that I have digged this well that is to say Christ speaketh to his Father in mans Person thou shalt take the figure or the Image of my seven properties of the humane creature for an Everlasting Testimony that I in my Suffering and death have again digged the well-spring of Eternall Life in the humane property that mans new-digged fountain of life is mine 20. And the Spirit in Moses speaketh wholly under a vail therefore or from hence the place was called Beer-sheba this is the very pretious place where God the Father and his Son in the humanity sware both of them together the place was called Beer-sheba viz. a bruising of death by the will of him that liveth and seeth in the disappeared humanity where in Christs humanity which he assumed from us men death was bruised and broken in pieces and the well-spring of Love did flow forth again out of the living God in our bruised humanity of the heavenly part into the Soules creaturall-fountain now the spirit of Moses speakes here very pregnantly that the place was called Beer-sheba where the Testimony of this Oath viz. a fountain of Grace was eastablished 21. And the place of God at Beer-sheba is shewn to us poor men where God the Father hath made an Everlasting Covenant with us in Christ Jesus viz. in the penitent Contrite Soul when the poor
which Babel knoweth nothing nor can know nor will know but climeth up continually in the compacted tongue on the Towre of Babel into an Heaven of humane Selfehood and hath put Christs garment outwardly upon it selfe but it hath not the twofold voice therefore also it doth not hear when God calleth Abraham 26. And Abraham Answered Here am I and he said Lay not thine hand upon the Lad neither do thou any thing unto him Gen. 22.12 for now I know that thou fearest God and hast not spared thy onely Son for my sake That is thus when man hath wholly resigned up his Selfe viz. his own will or Son and put it wholly to the mortification in Christs death then the nature of man falls into Sadness for it hath lost its right its own law and will then saith the Spirit of God by the Soul do nothing to thy nature now I know that it is given up and resigned to me and that the Soul hath now * * * Plerophory an assurance of confidence in God and is fully bold even to leave the outward life for Gods sake and give over its will to mee in Obedience as here Abraham had fully resigned up his will unto God he would now do whatsoever God commanded him 27. And as Abraham did not spare his Son and would have given him up unto death so also God did not spare his Son and gave him to death for us even so should wee also not spare even our own will but rather be willing to leave all whatsoever the own will hath taken possession of and delights in and willingly dye to all Temporalls for Gods sake let it be Principality Dominion or Kingdome Temporall Honor or Goods or whatsoever it may be that is our dearly beloved Son all this a Christian must give over and resigne up in the minde and account and esteem himselfe onely a Servant therein yea esteem his outward life not for his own but in his Minde depart from and forsake every creature and then he lyeth bound upon the wood of the Burnt offerings Altar and waiteth for the Voice of God from Heaven which calleth to him and becomes the Voice and Mouth of his life and this is truly with Abraham to beleeve God where God beleeves in man and then God saith Now I know that thou fearest God and puttest thy trust in him alone for the humane will sincketh into the most pure Being of God 28. And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked and lo a Ram was hung in a thickett by his hornes Gen. 22.13 14 and he went and took the Ram and offered him up for a burnt-offering in the stead of his Son and Abraham called the name of the place * * * Jehovah-jireth The Lord seeth as it is said to this day upon the Mount where the Lord Seeth This is the golden figure which sheweth that the killing death and dying doth not reach the true man but onely the Ram with his Hornes which sticketh in the flesh and bloud in the Thornes of Sin and it chiefly denotes that the true * * * Text. Soules-man humane Soul in Christ and his children shall not dye in this burnt-offering of God but after that it hath resigned up the will of Selfe then God openeth its eyes that it seeth the Ram behinde it viz. it spieth the will of the wilde evill flesh and learnes to know it which will sticketh with its pushing beasts-hornes in the thorny Thickett of the Devill in flesh and bloud viz. in the desire of the vanity of the world in Selfefull Lust This the Resigned Soul seeth and offereth it up for a burnt-offering in the stead of the true Nature for the right nature is delivered in this burnt offering from the Ram of the flesh the Hornes are the injections oppositions and assaults of the Devill and the thickett of Thornes is the Serpents Ens which the lust of Adam hath introduced 29. Thus wee must understand in this figure that the whole man in Christs person should not be given to the Anger of God as if the Adamicall man should be wholly consumed and devoured by it no but the wild Ram onely the Enmity the opposite will the property of Apostacy and Rebellion but the life's Essence should remain forever the same Adam which God created unto Paradise the same shall remain eternally but the division or dissonant disunion of the life's formes in that they are rent asunder and brought into the property of Selfehood whence strife and enmity is arisen in man I say this evill Ram viz. this introduced infection vain desire and adverse will must be offered up in Christ in the fire of Gods Anger This was the Beast for the burnt-offering The Lamb of God in Adam shall not be consumed in the fire but it must onely shed its bloud it must immerse and sinck it selfe wholly with the humane nature into the One viz. into the Eternall Nothing without all nature and then this place is called here the Lord Seeth that is when the Ram is offered then this place is afterwards the Temple of God where the Lord Seeth 30. And the Spirit of Moses speaketh very hiddenly hereof and saith Hence it is said still to this day upon the Mount where the Lord Seeth the Mount is the life's nature where the Lord hath seen not onely in Abraham and Isaac but he seeth in Christs spirit yet at this day upon this Mount in the children of God when the Ram is offered up then the Spirit of God seeth through nature as the Sun through-shineth a Glass or as a fire through-heats an Iron 31. Therefore a man ought not to be so foolish as to torment his whole life in his repentance and conversion and to offer it up in the fire of death without Gods command but he must onely sacrifice the Sin and Selfe-Love of vanity he must offer up onely the Ram and not do any violence or mischief to nature not strike whip and beat it or creep into a corner and suffer the Body to * * * Note starve for hunger no he must not out of his own purpose Give the Image of God to death but the Ram he must he meritts not any thing by plaguing martyring and torturing himselfe for God hath bestowed his heart to that end to redeem us from Pain and Torment 32. When the Soul with the Right nature hath tamed it selfe from the Ram of the flesh then it must Sacrifice the Ram to the death of Christ but it must remain stedfast in great humility in the Resignation in God and not any further afflict and rack it selfe either with doubts or with any other externall inflicted tortures and also give nature its necessary nourishment and not Enfeeble and distemper it selfe for it is the Temple and the Image of God but it must daily and continually mortifie the Ram in the flesh viz. the selfish lust of the evill flesh and
things consist in the Assimulate Every thing may be introduced into its Assimulate and if it comes into its Assimulate it rejoyceth in its Property be it Good or Evill and beginneth effectually to worke as is to be seen both in Good and Evill 14. As for example let a man take downe a little poyson it will presently receive with great desire the poison in the body which before rested and therein strengthen it selfe and begin to worke powerfully and corrupt and destroy the Contrary viz. the Good and that now which the Evill is able to doe in its property that likewise the Good can doe in its property when it is freed from the wrath it may also introduce its Assimulate into the reall true joy 15. The Essence of this world consisteth in Evill and good and the one cannot be without the other but this is the greatest iniquity of this world that the Evill overpowreth the Good that the Anger is stronger therein then the Love and this by reason of the Sin of the devill and men who have disturbed nature by the false desire that it mightily and effectually worketh in the wrath as a poyson in the Body 16. Otherwise if nature in its formes did stand in the Property in Equall weight and in equall Concord and Harmony then one property were not manifest above the other heat and cold would be equally poyzed in the operation and qualification and then Paradise would be still upon the Earth and though it were not without man yet it would be in man if his properties were in equall weight number and measure if they did yet stand in the Temperature then he were incorruptible and immortall 17. This is the Death and misery of man and all creatures that the Properties are divided and each aspiring in it selfe and powerfully working and acting in its own will whence sicknesse and paine ariseth and all this is hence arisen when the one Element did manifest and put forth it selfe into foure properties then each property desired the Assimulate viz. an Essence out of and according to its selfe which the Astringent Fiat did impresse and Coagulate so that Earth and Stones were produced in the properties 18. But now we are to consider of the greatest Mystery of the outward world between the Elements and the Astrum the Elementall Spirit is severized from the Astrall Spirit and yet not parted asunder they dwell in each other as body and Soule but the one is not the other the Astrall Spirit make thits bodies as well as the Elementall and that in all Creatures in Animalls and Vegetables 19. All things of this world have a twofold body viz. an Elementall from the fire aire water and Earth and a Spirituall body from the Astrum and likewise a twofold Spirit viz. one Astrall the other Elementall 20. Man onely among all the Earthly Creatures hath a threefold body and Spirit for he hath also the internall Spirituall world in him which is likewise twofold viz. light and darknesse and also corporally and Spiritually this Spirit is the Soule but this body is from the water of the holy Element which dyed in Adam that is disappeared as to his life when the divine Power departed from him and would not dwell in the awaked vanity 21. Which holy body must be regenerated if his Spirit will see God otherwise he cannot see him except he be againe borne anew of the water of the holy Element in the Spirit of God who hath manifested himselfe in Christ with this same water-Source that his disappeared body may be made alive in the holy water and Spirit else he hath no sense nor sight in the holy life of God 22. This twofold outward body is now punctually to be pondered and considered of if we would understand nature and without this understanding let none call himselfe a master or Learned for in these bodies the dominion of all externall creatures and Essences is couched they oftentimes are contrary one unto another whence Sicknesse Corruption and death ariseth in the body that one severeth from the other 23. The Sydereall body is the highest excepting the divine in man the Elementall body is onely its Servant or dwelling-house as the foure Elements are onely a body or habitation of the dominion of the Stars 24. The Elementall Spirit and body is inanimate and void of understanding it hath onely Lust and desire in it vegetation is its right life for the aire hath no understanding without the Astrum the Astrum giveth the distinct understanding of the knowledge of all Essences in the Elements 25. But the inward light and power of the light giveth in man the right divine understanding but there is no right divine apprehension in the Sydereall Spirit for the Astrum hath another Principle the Sydereall body dwelleth in the Elementall as the light-world in the darknesse it is the true rationall life of all Creatures 26. The whole Astrum is nothing else but the externall expressed Word in the Sound it is the instrument whereby the holy Eternall Speaking Word Speaketh and formeth externally it is as a Great Harmony of unsearchable manifold Voices and Tunes of all manner of instruments which play and melodize before the holy God 27. For they are meere Powers which enter into and mutually embrace each other whence ariseth the Sound in the Essence and the desire viz. the Fiat receiveth this Sound and maketh it Substantiall this Substance is a Spirit of the Stars which the Elements receive into them and Coagulate it in them and hatch it as an Hen her Eggs whence the true rationall life is in the Elements and thus also the Sydereall Spirit is hatched and Coagulated in all Creatures 28. For the Male and Female doe mutually cast a Seed into one another which is onely a Sulphur of the Astrum and foure Elements afterward it is hatched in the Matrix and Coagulated to a living Spirit 29. And when the fire is enkindled in the Seed which is sowne in the Matrix the Spirit severs it selfe againe from the body as a Propriate as the light from the fire according to the right of the Eternall nature and two become manifest in one viz. a Spirituall body from the Astrum and a fleshly body from the foure Elements 30. And this Sydereall Spirit is the Soule of the great world which depends on Punctum Solis and receiveth its light and life from it as all the Stars doe take light and power from the Sun so likewise their Spirit 31. The Sun is the Centre of the Astrum and the Earth the Centre of the foure Elements they are to one another as spirit and body or as man and wife albeit the Astrum hath another wife where it hatcheth its Essence viz. the Moone which is the wife of all the Stars but especilly of the Sun I meane it in the Essence of operation 32. Not that we meane that the Astrum is wholly arisen from the Punctum of Sol in that I call
but when the branch or sprout is to be borne and receive its beginning in the Ens of the root the Ens doth then forme it selfe to such a twig as the root at that time is apprehended in its power and free will both by the Superiour and inferior constellation 32. The like is also to be understood in man as the will is in the Seed that is as the desire of the father and mother together with other Influences from the Stars and Elements yea oftentimes from the Devills assaults and insinuations are at that time Even such a Spirit is formed in the Ens of the Seed sometimes an Angel if the Parents be in Holy Desire or in the true faith of the engrafted Word Sometimes also a beast a Serpent and Image of the Devill both according to the Ens of the Soul and the outward flesh 33. The power of the manifested Word doth give in it selfe into all things into every thing according to its will according to the desire in the Ens for the desire in the Ens is that which formeth the word viz. the Sound of life as it is written such as the people is such a God they also have with the holy thou art holy and with the perverse thou art perverse this is wholly to be understood concerning the Expressed Word in the Fiat viz. in the desire of nature and therefore God hath espoused and betrothed another word out of the Centre of his Love to the Image of man that although he be arisen out of an evill property yet the free-will * * * Note hath power and information to disclaime its Selfehood and dy to its Selfe in this holy incorporated Word and then the Fiat begetteth and formeth another new creature in the Free-will out of the Ens. 34. The Possibility lyeth in all men but the making or forming of the child of God belongeth now to the holy Fiat in the new introduced Word for it lyeth not on any mans selfe willing contriving running and toyling but on Gods mercy He hath mercy upon whom he please Note viz. upon those onely who with their Free-will dye to their Selfehood in his grace and resigne up their selves to him and he hardneth whom he please viz. those onely who run with selvish Cain and would themselves take the Kingdome of God in their own evill will and will not dye to their own selfe-full-will 35. Now saith the Scripture hath not a Potter power to make of one lump of clay what he please Note a vessell to honour and a vessell to dishonour that is will the selfefull will be Angry if it be Evill that the Fiat in the Word makes it to be a vessell of the Anger or will it therefore be angry if the holy Fiat in the holy Word maketh that will which diveth it selfe into the Love and Mercy of God and dyeth to its Selfehood to be a vessell of honour hath not this Potter power to doe with his clay viz. with the Ens or Seed what he please whereunto every Seed is good and profitable thereunto he maketh him a vessell either to the use of his Anger or the use of his Love 36. The Holy is unto God a Sweet Savour to life and the wicked a sweet Savour to the death in his anger all must enter into his Glory and praise him one in the property of his Anger who must call the Evil good the other in the property of his Love who must call the Good good for so it must be that the difference of the Good and Evill of the light and darknesse of the life and death may be known for if there were no death then the life were not manifest to it selfe and if there were no darknesse the light were not manifest to it self 37. And therefore the Eternall free-will hath introduced it selfe into darknesse Paine and Source and so also through the darkness into the fire and light even into a Kingdome of joy that so the nothing might be known in the Something and that it might have a Sport in its Contra-will that the free-will of the f f f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abysse might be manifest to it selfe in the g g g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bysse for without Evill and Good there could not be any Bysse ground or foundation 38. For the Evill maketh pain and motion and the Good causeth Essence and power and yet both Essences are onely One Essence as fire and light are onely one Essence also darknesse and light are onely one being but it Severs it selfe into two mighty distinctions and yet there is no Sundry Separation for one dwelleth in the other and yet doth not comprehend the other the one doth deny the other for the one is not the other 39. God dwelleth through all and that all is not God also it doth not reach him but whatsoever quitteth it selfe free of its free-will that falleth into his possession that he must have for it is will-lesse and falleth into the Nothing and he is in the Nothing thus the Resigned will may dwell in the Nothing and there is Gods Mercy for he will have Something out of the Nothing that he may be manifest in the Something and therefore he hath mercy upon the Something which is fallen into his Nothing and maketh it in himselfe to be his Something which he himselfe ruleth driveth and acteth with his Mercifull Spirit 40. And herein lieth the pretious Pearle deare bretheren who are driven too and fro with Contention if ye did but know it you would leave off from strife and call Reason a foole no Searchings of Selfe obtaineth it but the will freely Resigned into Gods Mercy which entreth in by the way of Earnest Repentance and mortification of its own evill will that falleth into Gods Mercy and doth apprehend and obtaine the right understanding and without this there is meere selfe-running walking and willing and yet nothing can be obtained save onely in the will freely resigned into Gods Mercy 41. We have a very excellent and notable example and type of this in the first birth which opened the wombe that it was to be sanctified and offered up to the Lord and yet the true living offring proceedeth from the Second new birth as we may see in Abell Isaac and Jacob. Cain Ismael and Esau were the first-borne the inheritance belonged to them but the lot and Mercy fell upon Abell Isaac and Jacob for the first Ens of man was infected and made crasie by the Devill therefore it must be given to the fire for an Offring and food and out of the offring viz. out of the fire of Gods Anger the Love of God was made manifest in Mercy and the first Adam was the h h h Inmate or of his family Servant Sojourner of the Second in Christ for the Second redeemed the first 42. The Devills desire and the beastiall Ens of the Serpent had got the upper hand
line their Age which the Spirit setteth down denoteth the * * * Note Times how long each Dominion and government both the worldly and Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall Kingdome should stand in its forme and Structure that is to say how long each * * * Beginning growing arising prevailing Monarchy of the Secular and wordly power and domination should continue and so likewise of the Spirituall Monarchy 33. And these * * * Or Monarchs Monarchies of the wonders are forthwith represented out of the first Twiggs springing from the beginning of the humane tree that is they are set forth in each line in Seven numbers from Adam through Cain even unto Lamech and in the other line from Adam unto Jared by which Numbers and Names the Spirit pointeth in each line especially at Seven of the forth-proceeding properties of the Tree and powers of the wonders intimating how the powers of the wonders should afterwards bring themselves into Goverments and how one figure should arise out of the other and how one should destroy and break down the other and set forth out of the destruction another forme as it hath been brought to passe in the * * * Ecclesiasticall and Temporall Spirituall and worldly Goverments for alwayes the worldly Government is to be understood with the Spirituall for the outward formed Word in the dominion and Regiment of nature doth evermore set forth its forme by with and in the Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall forme or manner of Discipline therefore observe and marke here with precise Exactnesse 34. There are Seaven Times appointed to proceed from the Tree of life in the word of power the first proceedeth from the pure life of Adam for before the creature the life was in the word whence it was brought pure into the Image this continued untill the fall from this pure life there springs forth a twigg in the inward Kingdome this same was Abel but being the fall hung on him externally this same pure life was carried through Death into the holy world this signifieth and pointeth at the Kingdome of Christ who should bring us through Death into the pure Life 35. The Second time begins with Seth for Moses saith that Adam was an hundred and thirty yeares old and begat a Son in his own likenesse and called him Seth understand he was such an Image as Adam wâ—s after the fall and was set in the Spirituall Line of the Wonders and Cain also with him in a worldly naturall line of the wonders for both * * * Secular and Ecclesiasticall Kingdomes goe together Seths time continueth till the Deluge and beareth the Supremacy even to the Deluge or Noahs floud 36. The Third time begins with Enos under Seths time and carrieth forth it selfe all along as a Spirituall Ministry or Knowledge of God under Seths time as an hidden Kingdome and continued till Abraham to whom the Covenant of Christ was established in the flesh 37. The Fourth time begins with Cainan which is the Spirituall forme in prayers and Spirituall offrings wherein the word formed it selfe in the wisdome and carried it selfe forth all along under Seths and Enos his time and manifested it selfe with Moses like as Enos his time was first truely manifested with Abraham with the promise in the Covenant this time of Cainan continued in its manifestation and dominion under Moses till Christ in the flesh 38. The fift time begins with Mahalaleel and t is the Reception or formation of the Angelicall forme viz. of the new Regeneration out of the Covenant and goeth Secretly all along under the Ministry of Enos under Seth and Cainan in the word of the promise through all the Three times and did manifest it selfe with the fulfilling of the Covenant in the humanity of Christ where the true Mahalaleel and Angelicall Image which did disappeare in Adam was again manifest in the humanity of Christ. 39. The Sixt time begins with Jared which is the spirituall Priesthood under the externall where outwardly Seth Enos Cainan Mahalaleel were in their Times in their Orders or outward formes as the ministry and preaching of Enos concerning God and his beeing and will so likewise the preaching of Abraham concerning the Covenant and Circumcision Also Moses with the Book of the Law under all these the inward Priest Jared went along hiddenly Inwardly this Spirituall Priesthood is Christ in the new man and outwardly in the selfe-elected Priests it is Babel 40. This Sixt time began in the Kingdome of Christ after the Death of the Apostles when as men chose themselves Teachers out of favour and outward respects that is it did even then first open it selfe out of the * * * Or vaile hiddennesse of the shaddow and put it selfe forth in the Churches of Stone where the Church stood in stead of the holy Temple of Christ then indeed the holy Jared viz. Christs voice ruled in Christs children internally but externally the Cherub with the Sword did onely bear rule for the outward authority which these selfe-elected Priests doe manage is the Sword of the Cherub which is signified in the Name Jared * * * That is in the word JARED the Language of Nature doth emphatically expresse that the Sword of the Cherub should Domineere the whole Time of the Sixt Seale among the Priests who should have taught the Love of Jesus but by this Sword they fall AMEN which powerfully forceth it selfe forth all along in the word in the language of Nature 41. This sixt time is hidden and manifest it is known and also not known for Christ said my Kingdome is not of this world So that this time hath been faine to passe away as it were in a Mystery under Antichrist where inwardly in the children of God Christs Kingdome hath been manifest but in the Rest who have also lived under this time and have been called Christians Babel and the Antichrist hath onely been manifest both in the Priests and their Hearers for they which have been borne of God have heard the true Jared viz. Christs voice in them but the other have heard onely the Outward voice in Babel viz. disputation and Contention about Christs Kingdome 42. For all warre which the Christians manage is onely the Sword of the Cherub proceeding from Babel true Christians wage no war for they have broken the Sword of the Cherub in the death of Christ and are dead with Christ and risen againe in him and they live no longer to the externall Might and Dominion for their Kingdome is manifest in Christ and is not of this world 43. This Sixt * * * Or sixt Seal Kingdome beginneth after the death of the Apostles and continueth with its outward Government even to Mount Zion till translated Enoch doth again appear in Spirit and power for Enoch is the propheticall Root and holdeth in his * * * Or Regiment Dominion Noah Moses and the Sword of Elias at the End of this
its Sword by them to destroy the heathen and the Generation of Ham Gen XIIII Verse 14. for Abraham went out with his whole house and people against the Heathen who had carried away Lot his brothers Son captive and he smote the heathen and delivered his brother This was done in the zeale of God which thus delivered his children through the might of his Anger for what conduceth to the wicked for destruction the same conduceth to the holy men for life and deliverance 15. But that those who will be called Christians who ought in and with Christ to be dead to the Anger and wrath of God in Christs death doe wage war they doe it not as Christians but as heathens No Christian warreth for if he be a Christian then he is dead in and with Christs death to the foure Elements of Gods Anger in Selfe and born a new man in Christs spirit of Love who liveth in Righteousnesse in Love and patience and liveth not to himselfe but to God in Christ. 16. For a true Christian leadeth his conversation and will in heaven in the life and Spirit of Christ as S t Paul saith our conversation is in heaven but when the Christians doe wage war they doe it from the heathenish property and not from Christs property for a Christian is not of this world his Kingdome is in heaven and he is dead in Christ to the world according to the new spirituall man in him the Heathen-man viz. the halfe-devillish man who hath his Kingdome in this world who never hath roome enough upon the Earth but liveth in the foure Elements of Gods Anger viz. in Pride Coveteousnesse Envy and Wrath the same desireth in the Christians to warre fight and slay 17. Saint Paul saith give your members to be weapons of Righteousnesse for why doe men fight for the Kingdome of this world Rom. 6.13 and yet as Christ said his Kingdome was not of this world James 4.1 so also his childrens Kingdome in him is not of this world Joh. 18.36 now then if we give up our body and Soule for weapons of Gods Anger and seek onely thereby Selfe interests liberties and priviledges of Mammon and slay one another for the Kingdome of this world I thinke we are herein Christians indeed in the mouth but the heart and Soul is an heathen and not born out of Christs Spirit 18. When Abraham had smote the heathen he desired nothing of the goods which he tooke but restored to the King of Sodom what the Heathen had taken from him and was onely zealous in the Lord he did not fight for Countrey and Kingdome but to deliver his brother Loth this was a true zeale which the Lord drove in him he did not stand up and fight for Countrey or City and albeit he obtained it he desired it not but went again unto his own place 19. And here the Spirit in Moses speaketh very wonderfully and saith that when Abraham returned from the Slaughter that the King of Sodome met him and Melchisedech King of Salem brought forth bread and wine who was a Priest of the most High God possessour of Heaven and of Earth and blessed Abraham and Abraham gave him Tithes And though we finde almost nothing elsewhere in the holy Scripture of this Priesthood yet the same was really in the figure of Christ for the Spirit saith in another place of Christ that he was an High Priest in the order of Melchisedech 20. Thus the Spirit of God doth very secretly and mystically represent the Figure of Christ by Abraham and calleth him a King of Salem and a Priest of the most High God viz. a Priest of Salvation and the holy Vnction as it intimates in the SenSAll Tongue that is Christ hath blessed Abraham and brought him forth bread and wine viz. his flesh and bloud and is the high Priest before God that makes Atonement for Abraham and his children 21. For Abraham had managed the Sword of Gods Anger against the Heathen now came Melchisedech and blessed Abraham againe least the Sword of the Turba should lay hold on him and he gave him forth bread and wine that is the heavenly Ens which he would introduce into Abrahams Seed and change it into flesh and bloud and here he appeased the Fathers Anger in the Covenant as in the Type 22. For this Priest with Abraham is really to be understood in a spirituall manner for although Abraham might have externally a Priest after the same manner with him under the figure of Christ yet Moses saith he was a Priest of God and said to Abraham blessed art thou Abraham unto the most High who possesseth heaven and earth who hath shut up thine Enemies into thy hands here is none other to be understood but Christ who very often appeared to Abraham in the figure and blessed him alwayes for the Spirit in Moses calleth him also a King of Salem which is nothing else but a King of Salvation 23. And Abraham gave him Tithes indeed he might have such a Priestly Order with him to whom he gave Tithes but this King and Priest was he of whom he preached to whom Abraham gave tithes viz. the Tenth Property of the humane properties of the fiery tongue of the Soule and the Priest gave his bread and wine and his blessing thereinto viz. the Love-fire the Tincture of the light together with the heavenly Substantiality that so Abraham might receive the lights Tincture into the Soules fiery Tincture and become again a compleat Image of God which was separated in Adam with the woman therefore Christ viz. the womans Tincture gave him againe the lights Ens that so the male and female property might become one Image or person this the Spirit doth here signifie in Moses under the Royall Priest of Salem 24. For Esdra when he dictated the lost Bible in the knowledge of the Spirit of God to his Scribes saw this very well Note Esdra dictated the Bible that was Lost. 2 Esdra 14. and therefore the holy Spirit doth so set it down and we see very exactly how Esdras wrote the hystories of Abraham in the vision of the Spirit for the whole hystory of Abraham is delineated under Christs Person and is an Image or Type of Christ. 25. Abraham saw in the Spirit this Priest of Salem and when Abraham offered Sacrifice then this Priest was in the offering and offered to God for he was to make reconciliation for the world with an offering therefore he was a Priest of God 26. He brought Abrahams will-offering viz. his prayer and desire in faith into the holy Ens of God and in the same Ens viz. in the divine Essentiality heavenly bread and wine was brought to Abrahams Soul that it might eat at Gods Table till this Priest became Abraham that is did manifest himselfe in Abraham with the heavenly Corporeity viz. with the Soules food in the Right bread and wine CHAP. XXXIX How God appeared to
holy virginity the Eternall holy word of the power of God which had created Adam into an Image of God did promise in-hest and incorporate it selfe with a Covenant to bruise the head of the Devill and the Serpents Ens. 29. Thus understand us here very accurately like as the Father generateth the Son and as out of Adam who betokens the Fathers property the woman viz. his Love-Tincture was taken and as before while the woman was in the Man the fires Tincture penetrated into the lights Tincture and loved it selfe therein and as man and woman are one Body so likewise the fire-baptisme of the Circumcision went forth out of the mans fire-Tincture into his female Tincture in the woman God baptized the fires Tincture in the Man and out of the Mans Seed cometh both the male and the Female Sex 30. Thus the mans Covenant and Baptisme entred into the woman viz. into the female property for the Womans Tincture had in it already the holy Ens in the Covenant that Gods word in the Covenant would become man in her shut up barren Ens and quicken again therein the disappeared virginity 31. Therefore the woman must not put on the Seal of Baptisme in her own peculiar will or desire but have it from the man being shee was taken from the man that so shee might become a right woman or manness in the mans Baptisme that so the Image of God in her might obtain the fires-Baptisme and Tincture from the man 32. For S t Paul understood this very well when he said * * * 1 Tim. 2.15 The woman shall be saved by bearing of children if shee continues in the Covenant and in the Love for the woman hath her soul from the mans soul and when shee is given to the man then she is one body with him and brings forth children to the man she is his woman his instrument an half-man and the Man an half-woman 33. And that the mans property might again obtain the perfect Love viz. the female Ens and the woman the Masculine Ens the Holy Spirit baptized the mans viz. the fiâ—es Tincture with the heavenly holy virgin-like Tincture and the man baptized the womans essence in his Seed with the fiery and also divine Tincture therefore God commanded the males onely to be circumcised 34. For in the Jewes fire-Baptisme the Spirit baptized onely without water but among the Christians the Spirit baptizeth through water the Jewish women could put on the Spirit indeed in the mans fire-Tincture but now being this same * * * Burning ardent fire-word is become flesh they ought now of right also to put on Christ in the flesh and be baptized for their heavenly disappeared virginity must also put on Christ's introduced heavenly virginity so that they might be true manlike virgins in the spirit and essence of Christ. 35. Now Reason asketh further Circumcisiâ—n the 8 th Day Wherefore must the male-children be circumcised just on the Eighth day why must it not be either sooner or later did it not lye in mans choice and power to delay the same if it were weak Herein is contained the mystery and wonder dear brethren cease from the contention of the letter and learn to understand the hidden mysteries we shall deal with you in a child-like manner do but look us in the face from whence we come and whence it is that wee know and understand all this 36. God Commanded the Boyes to be circumcised upon the Eighth day and wherefore Six dayes are the Man in nature the Seventh is the day of Rest in him viz. the heavenly disappeared Ens wherein the six spirits of nature do work As God made the Creation in six dayes viz. out of the six properties of nature and brought them to Rest into the Seventh viz. into the Emanation or flowing forth of the heavenly Ens which God hath co-imprinted into the compaction of the creation which is the rest and right life of the six properties 37. Thus man hath gotten seaven dayes for his own the Seventh is his day of Rest understand the Seventh property is the heavenly nature which dyed in him whereby he came into disquietnesse therefore the Eighth day came out of meer Grace to help him and gave it self again into his Seaven working dayes viz. into the Seaven properties of his own essence and THIS DAY is Christ in the Circumcision and in the Baptisme 38. For God in this process holdeth the order with the Regeneration of man in manner and nature as he created him out of seven dayes understand in six dayes his naturall life was brought out of the six properties of the inward and outward nature into an Image and the Seventh property was the Paradise viz. the * * * Text. The Sun-Evening or â—he Evening of atonement according as the word will bear it See Chap the 16 of this book Paragraph 16 17 c. Saturday in which the six spirits of nature in their operation were reconciled and Atoned for it was the spirituall world 39. And hence arose that command unto the Jewes that they should sanctifie and rest even externally on the Saturday viz. the Sabbath to signifie the inward holy Eternall Sabbath in which the Spirit of God worketh in man and every creature in each according to its property for every created being resteth in him 40. And therefore he commanded the male children to be circumcised on the Eighth day viz. in himselfe for he himselfe is this Eighth day which circumciseth for before Christs humanity the process went in the form of nature but being now Christ hath fullfilled the nature of man and given himselfe into the Seaven dayes of mans property children may now be baptized every or any day Baptized every Day 41. We see here a very excellent figure by the beginning or first institution of the Circumcision and Covenant of the fire-baptisme against the makers of the reason-conclusions upon the letter who will needs have it that some children are damned from the wombe and even therefore because they are taken and born out of the corrupt Ens of nature For Ishmael who was by nature a mocker and captivated in the poysonfull and corrupt Adamicall Ens Even He must be the first man which Abraham circumciseth who was baptized in the Covenant 42. Yee reason-wise I pray set this looking-glass before your eyes and think what you do with your Conclusions concerning Predestination we shew it you in humility if you will not see it shall be shewn you with fire which is certainly known for Christ came for Ishmâ—els sake and for those that are like him to help and save them if they would themselves but in Isaac shall the Seed be called viz. the Eighty day which is come to help the other six dayes and introduce them again into the Seventh viz. into the day of Reâ—â— 43. Dear brethren be instructed aright the God of Love He will not the death of the poor
playeth under the outward figure with the inward which shall remain for ever I will therefore sett down this figure of Abrahams Temptation in respect of his Son Isaac likewise in the spirituall figure and shew what is thereby to be understood for although the learned have expounded it that God tempted Abraham to see if he would continue stedfast in the faith upon him yet it hath far another meaning and interpretation * * * Note for God knows well aforehand what man will do also man cannot without his Grace stand in the Temptation as may be seen here in Abraham when he denyed his wife before King Abimilech as he came in to Gerar. 3. Abraham is here represented in Adams stead and his Son Isaac is represented in Christs humanity and the voice which came to Abraham is God the Fathers these three stand here in the figure of the process of the work of mans redemption shewing how Abraham that is Adam should offer up his * * * Text. Image person in Isaac that is in Christ to the voice of God in the fire of God that so the humanity might be proved in the fire of God Gen. XXII vers 1. 4. Now the voice of God spake to Abraham and said Abraham and he answered here am I that is God called to Adam in Abraham viz to all men Vers. 2. and said take thy Own Son Isaac whom thou lovest and go into the Land of Moriah and offer him there for a burnt-offring upon a mountain which I will tell thee of Here the Spirit looketh with Isaac upon Christ for in Isaac lay the Covenant and the Ens of Abrahams faith out of which Christ should come now said the voice of God to Adam in Abraham take thy Son whom thou lovest and offer him for a burnt-offring upon the Mountain which I shall tell the off that is the Jewes viz. Adams children should offer Christ for a burnt-offring that is the divine Ens should give in it selfe into Adams Ens which the children of Adam should offer up one with another in the fire of God and it betokens that every man when he hath received the Ens of faith must offer up himselfe wholly unto God and dye to his own will in the fire of God and in the divine Ens of faith be born anew through the offring in the fire of God 5. For said the Spirit in Moses Thy Son whom thou lovest viz. thy own will which hath brought it selfe into Selfe-love this Selfe-will must be offered up to God that it may leave the own selfish will in the fire of God and wholly give over its ownhood and no more will and live to it selfe but to God and it rightly points out how Christ in our humane will which had broken off or turned it selfe in Adam from God should again wholly offer and give up himselfe in Adams person to God his Father and how the wrath of God should devour the will viz. the will wherein Adam had introduced himselfe into selfehood 6. In which devoration of the fire of anger the Love Ens in the word of faith of divine power viz. the true Man created in Adam must be formed and also preserved in this devouring fire as Gold or Silver in the Crucible where the Copper and all that is impure * * * Evaporates purgeth from it and onely the Gold or Silver subsists in the fire so likewise the humane assumed Own-hood together with the assumed Ens of the Serpent and Beast and all whatsoever subsists not in the divine fire must be consumed in the offring And that we might have again in Christs person an wholly pure entrance and open fountain of Grace Christ must offer up our humane will of Selfe to his Father resigne it up to him wholly and that upon the Mount Moriah that is in his death where he for * * * 2 Cor. 5.15 all and in all should dye to the Humane Selfehood * * * Note How Christs Death was effectuall to All men even as when the Stock of a tree dyeth then also all its branches in it do dye and as the tree doth renew its youthfull growth it also introduceth its new power and strength into its branches which indeed is not possible to the outward nature but in God it is very possible as may be seen in the dry Rod of Aaron which was dead to its sap and life and yet in one Night sprang forth afresh and bare fair Almonds 7. Now said God upon the mountain which I shall shew thee that is it must not be don according to Adams will also it must not be don in us according to our will as if we should prescribe to our selves where and how we would offer up our selves in Christ to the Father as Babel doth no but upon the mountain that is on the place in the property and in the death as the Lord appoints orders and sends it to us we must be onely Obedient with Abraham and give up our selves willingly thereunto when he will have us offer unto himselfe not whip beat and plague our selves but onely sinck with our will into him and wait till the Lord shewes us the place where and how he will have us offer unto him we must give up unto him our whole heart and will with body and soul and commit it to him what he will further do with us where he in the * * * Image or Likeness Type of Jesus Christ will offer us according to the body and when the Lord calleth us to the offring with his Cross or will offer us up to the Temporall death then we should say with Abraham lo here am I Lord do what thou pleasest 8. And Abraham rose up early in the morning and * * * Text gâ—â—t Sadled his Asse Gen. 22.3 and took with him two young men and Isaac his Son and clave wood for the burnt-offring and rose up and went unto the place of which God had told him This figure stands thus When the voice of God calleth us then we should with Abraham go presently for early in the morning signifieth here when the voice breaks forth as the Dawning of the day when God in us calleth us when man hath a Thought come into him saying thou shouldst return amend and truly repent then it is time he must forthwith girt his Asse viz. the Beastiall man with Power although he cryes stay yet a while it is time enough to morrow yet it should be don presently in the first look of the will to God for this is the Hinde which is hunted Early in the morning as the propheticall Spirit prophecieth for Christ must girt this Asse early with the voice of God and go to the Offring 9. And the two young men which Abraham took along with him do betoken the Soul from the first Principle and the Soul of this world viz. the outward Spirit
God would provide himselfe a Lamb for the right burnt-offering and hereby he secretly points at the heavenly humanity which God would introduce into Christs humanity viz. into our humanity which should be the Patient Lamb that God would provide for himselfe which Abraham had already apprehended in faith and hints at 18. And that the Spirit of Moses saith They went both of them together understand unto the offering betokens our Adamicall humanity and Christs heavenly supernaturall humanity of divine essentiality that both these should go together to the offering of God as Christ offered on the Cross his heavenly humanity in our humanity to the Father and with the heavenly reconciled ours captivated in the Anger of God and preserved it in the fire of Gods Anger as the Gold is preserved of the Tincture in the fire 19. And when they came to the place of which God had told him Gen 22.9 10. Abraham built there an Altar and layd the wood in order upon it and bound Isaac his Son and layd him on the Altar upon the wood and Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay his Son This is now the right Earnestness viz. the figure how God would binde his Son by Adams children viz. by Abrahams children the Jewes that is he would binde our Sin and lay it upon the wood that is hang it on the Cross viz. on the figure of the holy Trinity which was become in man an woodden earthly Cross whereas before the life's cross viz. the figure of the Deity was spirituall and holy in Adam but in the earthly lust it had made it selfe earthly and as t' were woodden thus also the death viz. the dying of the holy Cross in man must be again offered up to God upon a woodden earthly Cross and be again changed out of the earthly death into the holy spirituall figure 20. Christ should not be slain but hung up on the Cross pierced through in his hands and feet for the Anger of God was awakened in the conversation and workes of our hands and feete and therefore also Isaac in the figure of Christ must not be slain and also burnt for he was not the right one but the figure onely in our humanity for he could not accomplish this offring in its powers and it denotes that we are indeed bound with Christ and laid upon the wood and also must dye for Christs sake but with our death we cannot attain this offering as Isaac also could not effect that but the Ens of faith in Abraham and Isaac out of which Christ arose the same did effect it and can yet now in these dayes effect it in the Christians in Christ in his humanity in us 21. And as Isaac was represented in Christs figure as if he were to be the Sacrifice even so Every true Christian must with Isaac enter into Christs figure he must willingly resigne himselfe into Christs death and binde his Sin with the will in the Spirit of Christ and offer it upon the Altar of Christ and with a full and free will dye wholly to Sin then cometh the voice of God as it came to Abraham and to Hagar in the wilderness of Beer-sheba and saith Do not any thing to nature viz. thy Son now I know thou beleevest God 22. But it must come so far with the penitent Sinner as here it did with Abraham and Isaac where Isaac was layd ready bound upon the wood and Abraham took the knife to slay him There must be a very reall sincere earnestness in this matter the sinfull man must binde the Sin with all his thoughts and minde and give himselfe wholly into the process that he will now dye unto Sin and offer it up in faith and confidence to God in Christs death he must take the knife with Abraham into the hand that is he must wholly take and fasten into his minde to Do the work of earnest Repentance in dying to Sin It must come to the reall and effectuall practice and not onely come before the Altar and say I am a Sinner God hath offered Christ for mee and yet keep the sinfull will but he must binde sin in Christs death and lay himselfe wholly with all power and strength on the burnt-offerings Altar upon the wood 23. The evill earthly will must be bound and resigned up with Earnestness and cast upon Gods Altar in Christs death and be also offered up in Christs dying and not onely comfort the sinfull man and flatter it with Christs death saying God takes away sin from us in Christs satisfaction and merit wee need onely comfort our selves therewith and apply it from without to our selves no no but wee also our selves must dye to sin in Christs death and put on Christs offering in his death and as an obedient Isaac wee must cast our selves on Gods mercy in the spirit and will of Christ and arise in Christ in and with him that God may justifie us from the Altar of sin-offering with Isaac in Christ which is the true offering in the figure of Isaac 24. Not as Babel teacheth There must be an entire and sincere earnestness and not onely a comforting and applying promises of consolation but we must with Abraham obey God and then we put on Christs suffering and death and Christs death avails onely in us and here 't is truly said Yee are saved by grace in Christs merit The will of Selfe attains it not but that which entereth into Christs death and dyeth it must come to the death and mortification of the own selfe-will the Soules will must be an utter destroying enemy to Sin in the flesh viz. to the lust of the flesh there must be an opposite enmity between them else Christs death is * * * Note To whom Christs death is not profitable Gen. 22.11 not at all profitable to any 25. And Moses saith The Angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven and said Abraham Abraham that is when man resigneth up his will wholly and willingly desireth to obey the voice of the Lord having given himselfe into Christs suffering death and reproach that he now will in the cross and suffering hold still and stedfast to God under Christs Red * * * Ensigne Banner then God calleth man with a * * * Twofold double voice as here he did Abraham where God said unto him Abraham Abraham that is he calleth to him in his own Voice in his word and also in the voice of the humane Essence that is he openeth to him the divine hearing in himselfe so that he heareth God from without in his word of his Servants and also from within in his own life's word viz. in the SensVAll Voice which was divided in Babel by the children of Nimrod and formed into the spirits of letters where the mentall Tongue was then compacted Here it ariseth again in the uncompacted SensVAll Tongue so that man heareth what the Lord speaketh in him of
and bless thee for unto thee and unto thy seed I will give all these Countries and I will perform the Oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father that is 12. Remain but stedfast in my will and then I will give thee after this life-time the kingdome of nature according to its inward good ground for possession and propriety and I will perform and ratifie my Oath viz. Jesus Christ whom I promised thee in thy fall and whom I introduced into Abrahams faith unto thee for ever and I will in the kingdome of nature wherein thou must in this Time stand work labour toil and be in need and distress even * * * Gen. 26.4 multiply thy seed as the Stars in heaven and give thy seed all the wrought powers and workes to an eternall propriety and through thy seed all the Nations of the earth shall be blessed that is 13. Through thy Ens of faith which in Christ viz. in the Aym and limitt of the Covenant shall be manifested in the kingdome of thy nature and creaturall property and become man in thee all nations viz. the whole Adamicall tree shall be blessed and therefore * * * Gen. 26.5 because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge commandments wayes and lawes that is Abraham hath received my working word into his Soules desire and obeyed my voice in its operation which divine operation is the Command law and form out of which operation also God shewed Abraham by the Circumcision the figure of the kingdome of Christ that the same should cut off the Sin and vanity which figure God called his charge law in the Covenant and his Statute 14. The spirit of Moses doth now proceed further in the relation of this figure and signifyeth under the outward history of King Abimilech how that Abimilechs servants Gen· 26.18 19 20 21. and Isaacs servants contended about the wells of water and that Abrahams and Isaacs servants digged the wells of water which wells were continually stopped up by the envy and enmity of the Philistims by which figure the spirit secretly signifieth how the children of the Saints viz. the Patriarchs Abraham and Isaac have alwayes digged in their Ens of faith for the wellspring of life in the Covenant and have also obtained the knowledge of the Messiah 15. But these wells were continually covered and obscured by the Devill in Gods Anger and by their earthly Reason untill they apprehended and laid hâ—ld of the promise of the Messiah in faith and then thâ—y said we have digged a well Gen. 26.32 33. and have found of the water of life the same Isaac called * * * Or Saba Sheba and therein hinteth at the Sabbath Christ as he also forthwith saith that thereupon the place was called Beer-sheba viz. a contrition and breaking of the Anger and envy of the Devill in Mans property to signifie that the SABBATH Christ viz. the spirituall well-spring is truly called BEER-SHEBA viz. a contrition of death where the Sabbath introduceth it selfe into death and brings forth the fountain of life through death 16. At which fountain the children of Gods Covenant did pitch their tent and waited upon the promise untill the same fountain was opened in the humanity and flowed forth out of Christs bloud and death of which the poor Soul drank and thereby was brought into the Eternall Sabbath where it was redeemed and freed from the strife of the Philistims viz. from the contention of the Anger of God and of the Devill as the History in this Text doth clearly signifie thus much in the High Tongue which the spirit of Moses hath thus represented in the figure and doth play with the description of this figure 17. As indeed the whole Old Testament is a figure of the New and the New a figure of the future Eternall world wherein the figure shall stand in divine Power and the Spirit of God shall in Eternity play with his deeds of wonder to which end also he hath created Man and * * * Or inspoken inspired the power of his voyce viz. the living word into him that so he might be an Image of the Eternall word with which Image the Eternall Spirit will play and work wonders that so there may be a joy and knowledge in the Eternall wisdome 18. Now when as the spirit of Moses had pointed out the figure of Adam and Christ under an history he proceeds and further Relates how it must go with the children of God in this time shewing in what desire the poor soul in flesh and bloud lieth captive and is continually vexed and tormented as here Isaac and Rebecca for the Text saith * * * Gen. 26.34 35. When Esau was forty yeares old he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite which were a grief of minde to Isaac and to Rebecca and in this place he speakes no further of these wives or their children to signifie that it is a figure whereby he alludes at something else which Reason looks upon as very strange and wonders that God should yet permit two evill women to be with holy Isaac through his Son Esau with whom he and his fair blessed Rebecca must live in trouble vexation and opposition so very secretly doth the spirit of Moses set forth his figure that Reason must even be blind in it The spirituall figure is thus 19. The * * * 40 yeares of Esau. forty years of the Age of Esau or of Isaac after he begatt Esau signifieth that Adam with his Eve when as he was man and woman and yet neither of them did stand in Paradise ‖ ‖ ‖ Adam 40 Dayes in Temptation forty dayes in the Temptation or Proba and had joy with his fair Eve viz. with his * * * Or feminine female property in himselfe 20. But Abimilech viz. the King of this world had introduced his lust into this fair * * * Or feminine female Rose-Garden viz. into the Tincture of Venus understand into the holy life of Love in Adam and stirred the Centre of the Souls nature whereupon Adam became lusting and longing to take to him in his property yet two wives viz. the beastiall wife according to the beast-like property out of the four Elements and the Astrall Sydereall or Starrie wife from the Constellation or Astrum of this world which wicked woman did awaken in Adams female property which he took up to wife for his lust as Esau did the wives of scorn and mockery with whom he caused meer grief of minde and lamentable perplexity to himselfe and his Right female property and we indeed do still suffer and endure the same and must consume our time with them in misery and lamentation 21. Further this figure denoteth the * * * Israel 40 yeares in the Wildernesse Forty years of Israel in the wilderness when they did eate Manna and
in very Great Repentance and casteth it selfe upon Gods Mercy till this Noble Sophia become stirring fruitfull and pregnant and so it certainly generateth the true Joseph viz. a lowly humble chast temperate and Modest Soule which afterwards becometh a Prince over the Egyptian house of flesh and Bloud in which house the Heathenish Pharaoh dwelleth viz. the Beastiall Spirit over that is this Joseph set for a Ruler and Governour and is a Ruler over Reason and Governeth it with Josephs viz. with Gods Spirit 16. This is thus as to one Part the Spirituall figure of Jacob wherewith the Spirit alludeth to the future kingdome of Christ where now at present in the fulfilling it alludeth thus also in the Children of Christ and doth yet so alwayes lead them 17. But wee see especially in this Figure the way of God how Gods Minde is farre other then Mans what Man loveth in that God hideth himselfe for that pleaseth him well which in the Eye of the world is simple and despised which onely dependeth on him and feareth him 18. Jacob loveth the beautifull Rachell and desireth her but the Line of the Covenant in which Christ should be borne would not pass through Rachell but Lea also Rachell could not conceive till Lea had brought forth the Roote or Line of the kingly Priesthood and * * * Principality Princedome viz. Levi and Juda. 19. For the Priesthood came from Levi and out of Juda came the Scepter of the kingdome and the Prince Christ according to the Humanity to signifie that Christ will be borne and manifested in these Men alone and bringeth worketh his †††Note the Priesthood of the Holy Ghost Priesthood of the Holy Ghost in them who goe forth from the Love of themselves and the pleasure of the Flesh and are in the Eye of the world softly bashfull simple and despised who esteeme themselves unworthy of such honour and doe not account such divine working to be their owne and pride themselves therewith as the proud Pharisees did and still doe 20. For this Lea onely desireth to beare children for Jacob that shee might be acceptable to him seeing otherwise in respect of her * * * Or Tender Eyednesse bleareydnesse shee was disregarded thus also the true children of God desire therefore onely to walke in the Divine power with * * * Instâ—ucting teaching and a simple life in the wayes of God that they may please God and serve him 21. And againe wee see here by Jacobs seede that the Line of Christ would not manifest it selfe in his first seede with Lea that Christ might not be manifested in humane pleasure or Lasciviousnesse of fleshly Lust for * * * Gen 29.32 Lea first bare Reuben ‖ ‖ ‖ Marriage â—ed Gen. 49.4 who defiled the ‖ ‖ ‖ Marriage â—ed Gen. 49.4 Bed of his Father to signifie that this Roote sprung from humane Lust. 22. But when Lea was discouraged because shee was despised and would faine goe out of that contempt then shee bare Simeon who was of an * * * A strict severe man Text a sharpe piercing minde acute witt of whom Jacob sayd when he was to dye when he prophesied concerning all his children from what Roote each of them was ‖ ‖ ‖ Gen. 49.56 The Brethren Simeon and Levi their swords are murthering weapons my soule come not into their Councell and let not my honour be in their Churches or Assemblies to signifie that he was sprung from the Line of Zeale or Jealousie wherein Lea was Jealous and discontented that shee was thus disesteemed as shee then sayd * * * Gen. 29 33. The Lord hath heard that I was thus disesteemed and hath given mee this son also 23. But when shee cryed unto the Lord in her Zeale for Deliverance from her disesteeme then * * * Gen. 29.34 shee was pregnant and bare Levi viz. the Roote of the Leviticall Priesthood a Type of the kingdome of Christ for shee cryed to God that her husband might be againe joyned to her in Love as shee speaketh after this manner Now will my husband be joyned to mee againe to signifie that God with the Leviticall Priesthood in a Type would be joyned againe to Man and would in a Type of the kingdome of Paradise dwell among them againe as was done in the time of Moses 24. But the Spirit of God sayd by Jacob when he was about to dye Let not mine honour come in their Churches or Assemblies that is they are of Murtherous Cainicall Mindes and serve mee onely in a Figure pointing at the future kingdome of Christ But the Spirit of my Love and Grace is not with them in their Sacrifices and worship of God which Love and Grace he calleth his honour which he would manifest through the Line of Juda in Christ. 25. Which honour was that he should breake Death in pieces and destroy Hell and take away the Throne of the Devill in Man this the Holy Ghost calleth his honour and that was not in the Leviticall Priesthood nor among the Titulary Priests in their Churches But when Lea gave up her will wholly into the will of God and sayd * * * Gen. 29.35 Now will I give thanks unto the Lord who hath delivered mee from the disgrace of the Devill and of the World then shee bare Juda viz. the Line of Christ. 26. So heere now the Spirit sayth very secretly and covertly under a vaile * And shee left off from Bearing to signifie that Christ was the Last who was the End and fulfilling of the Leviticall Law under which the Spirit signifieth that Men would not finde Christ in the Priests Churches Lawes and Ordinances of Preaching Hee would not dwell in their Churches with his honour of victory nor suffer himselfe and his honour to be tyed to the houses of Stone where they exercise as hypocriticall shew and have within them onely murthering proud hearts and with the murthering swords of Levi disgrace and slay one another with words 27. But in the soules of Men when they give thanks and prayse the Lord in great Humility as Lea did when shee bare Juda the Line of Christ there will he dwell and not be at all in the Councell of these Priests and Levits the Titulary Priests who contrive onely specious glistering wayes for their Honour and voluptuousnesse and forget the true thanksgiving in Humility and honour and love themselves onely and so give that honour to their faigned or supposed Office which belongeth to God alone and to the Love of our Neighbour in great humility 28. Wee see cleerly by this Figure that God will not manifest himselfe in the fleshly love of our selves for * * * Gen. â—9 30 Jacob loved Rachell more then Lea and would have Rachel onely in the Beginning but his seede must continue shut up with her till Rachel humbled her selfe before God and that Jacob prayed for her to shew
and Man 42. And he sayth further for thy hand will be upon the Neck of thy enemies by this he understandeth and meaneth not onely the Jewes outward Enemies but that the hand viz. the power of Christs Grace would essentially actually and effectually be upon the Neck of Sathan and the Serpents Poyson and will in flesh and Bloud and evermore trample upon that Serpents head in his children of Faith 43. Also thy Fathers children will bow before thee that is before this Christ of the Stock or Tribe of Judah will all the Children of God stoope bow and pray to as a God-Man and Man-God 44. Also Judah is a young Lyon that is Roaring against the Devill and a destroyer of Death and Hell as a fresh young nimble Lyon mighty in strength and power 45. Also thou art come aloft my sonne and exalted by a Great victory that is after he had the victory over Gods Anger over Death Sinne the Devill and Hell he was placed at the right hand of Gods power as a Man-God and ruleth over all his Enemies 46. Also Hee stooped and couched downe as a Lyon and as a Lyonesse who will set upon him to rouse him up that is he hath so deeply humbled himselfe with his highest Love and rendred himselfe in our assumed humanity into the scorne and contempt of the fallen Man and stooped into Gods anger and suffered the Naturall Life to breake in peices and very patiently given his Strong Lyons might thereinto 47. But that the Text sayth as a Lyon and as a Lyonesse it signifieth the young Lyon of the Divine Word in the soule and the Lyonesse signifieth the Name JESUS in the most inward Ground of the heavenly worlds substance viz. the Noble Lyonesse of Sophia that is the right seede of the Woman from the Adamicall Lights Tincture which faded in Adam and in this Lyon was made living againe in divine power and associated it selfe againe to the Lyon viz. to the Soule 48. Also who will set upon him to rouse him up that is who can set himselfe aganst this Lyon and heavenly holy Lyonesse to rouse them up which are God over all and through all who will take away his power who is the beginner of all power strength and might Where is the Champion that can strive when there is no higher power to be had 49. Also The Scepter shall not be removed from Judah nor a Master from under his feete till the Champion or Saviour come and to him will the people cleave the understanding or meaning of this is twofold viz. outwardly concerning the Kingdome of Judah that the Jewish Scepter of its Kingdome should continue and they be a Kingdome till this Champion or Saviour viz. the Lyon with the Lyonesse viz. Christ that is this Covenant should become Man which is so come to passe that they held their Kingdome though it seemed often as it were quite overthrowne till Christ and then it quite ceased and there was another Master or Governour that ruled it for since that time they must be servile people for the Champion or Saviour hath taken to himselfe their Kingdome and is therewith entred in among the Heathen and hath called them also to himselfe 50. But the inward Ground is this that the Kingdome of Christ and his Dominion over Sinne Death the Devill and Hell will not cease nor any other Ruler or Master come from between his feet that is from the Covenant of God till this Saviour Christ should come againe to Judgement and sever his Enemies then shall he deliver up the Kingdome againe to his Father and then God shall be all in all therefore doe the Jewes in vaine hope for another Master or Ruler although indeed he will come to them also in the Time of his Revelation Manifestation or appearing which time is neere wherein the Kingdome of Christ will be manifested to all people 51. Also to him will the people cleave this is done already according to his humanity and will much more be done in his last manifestation that all people will cleave to him and acknowledge him when Babell taketh its End then will this be first perfectly fullfilled which dependance and cleaving to him at present the Images Imaginations or fictions of Opinions and Sects in Babell doe keepe back in that the strange and forreine People and Nations stumble and are scandalized at the Contentions and Disputations of Confounded * * * Or words of Jarring Contention Speeches and withhold from it 52. But when the Tower of Babell falleth on every side then shall all people cleave to him honour and serve him which dependance and cleaving to him supposed Christendom hath hindered by the Antichrist which hath a long time sate in the seate of Christ as an Earthly God when this ceaseth then will the Kingdome of Christ be wholly manifest which Men at present behold only in †††Or Opinions without certain knowledge Images this is understood by those of our society 53. Also hee will binde his Fole to the Vine and his shee-asses colt to the Noble Branch O thou poore sick old miserable Adam if thou didst understand this rightly then thou wouldest be delivered from all strife What is the fole and the shee-Asses colt The fole is the humane soule for the Young Lyon signifieth the power of the divine Word in the soule but the fole is the naturall soule which Christ should binde to the vine of the sweete tasted divine Love viz. the Eternall Speaking Word would binde this Fole the Creaturely Soules Word of the Soules Essence and Substance to it selfe and be marryed to it and the shee-Asse is the inward Paradisicall Man viz. the Divine Man from the Ens of the inward Ground from the heavenly Worlds Lights Substance viz. the Virgin Sophia 54. This shee-Asse which must beare the outward burthen of the beastiall Man upon it should Christ that is the Word binde to the Name JESUS viz. to Gods owne selfe-subsisting Substance viz. to the most Noble Branch which beareth the sweete wine of the Love of God 55. And this shee-Asse is the Temple of God wherein the Kingdome of God is againe Manifested in us it is †††Coloss. 3.11 1.27 Christ in us which is a shee-Asse in Man himselfe taketh upon him the burthen and sinne of Man and slayeth it through the Young Lyon 56. This Inward new spirituall holy Man is rightly the shee-Asses colt for it must be manifested through the soule as Light is manifested through fire thus a Man is to understand that the light is the fires Colt and is manifested through the fire from the dying of the Candle thus also it is to be understood in the Ground of the soule which is also a fire-Spirit 57. O thou poore Christendome if thou diddest understand this rightly and diddest presse into it so that thou also with this shee-Asse which faded in Adam stoodest bound to the foles Noble Branch what
numbers which signifie the seven properties of the Eternal Nature And under it standeth TINCTUR distributed in the seven spaces which signifieth the Divine Word in the (b) Moderation or mean Temperature or equality of the seven properties wherein the divine powers lie in an equall will action and being as the outflown name of God wherein is understood the great Mysteries of Divine power and operation with the characters of the letters on the left side divided into the seven Properties For the word Tinctur is that separating word from whence flow the seven properties T is the Tau or the opening of the Unitie mâ—nas the cross of the triple I a ground to the breathing I is the effluence from Tau or the egress of the Unity as the cross-Angle of life N is the effluence of the sounding Threefold spirit C is the cutting of the sound where the I as the effluence of Unitie separateth it self again from Darkness and where the (c) Or a willing receiving Annehmligkeit acceptation of the Eternal will breaketh T under the figure 5. is that holy Tau or the opening of Glory in the firy sensibility openeth with * â—ewrenden Liebe firing love as with Gods Kingdom and signifieth the great strength of the Light-Power V is the true Character of the Holy Spirit with three points the two upward signify the Fire and Light and the third downward signifieth the Unity in love as the meekness R with this the holy fire and light is comprehended in an active natural essence for it signifieth the Kingdom as the Throne and hereby is intimated how the holy Name with the outflown will introduceth it self in Mysterium Magnum as into the Eternal mystery whereout (d) Originalis is outspoken existed the visible world The great Mysteries of the Tinctur or the highest ground of Gods Trinitie T is the triple I the Father I is that begotten I JESUS N is the threefold I in Spirit C signifieth CHRIST T in the fift Space is the Father in Christ. U is the Spirit of Christ in the Word which quickneth R is the Royall Throne about which Darknes and Light strive there Satan and Christ stand against one another namely according to the assumption of Satans self-will as an Erronious Spirit and according to the Unity Christ where is understood Love and Anger in one Ground but in a two-fold Revelation Here are understood those that belong to God the other (e) Eâ—â— Shelos darier an diesem Orthe a Lock rather at this place In this Table in the 7. Spaces is the ground of Angels and Soules as that Great Mystery of the change in which lyeth all Possibility Sidewayes after the seven figures the efflux from (f) Monas one into seven is understood The first Principle is to be understood unto the Fire out of which the Light is manifested And from Fire to Essence the Second Principle And downward under every Properâ—ie is understood what kind of Effluence out of every property in the cooperation of other properties doth proceed yet not so to be understood that One propertie alone gives the efflux but all seven afford it though the first Form is predominant therein and retains the higher Regiment As under the figure I. standeth Desire or Comprehending whereby is understood that the Desire is Magnetick and incloseth and darkneth it self which is also the ground of Temporal and Eternal darkness and from that (g) Orig. Drawing in attraction cometh under it Sharpness Austereness and Hardness and is the Original of wrathfulness whence ariseth the Great Eternal Death For this Magnet draweth the Powers into it self and in it self incloseth them so that the working Standeth still and steps into Impotency as under the Number 1. appeareth Under number 2. standeth Science or Drawing which is the second Form to Nature as the motion of the Magnetick attraction from whence the sensibility of Nature existeth and is the ground of all Contraries for Hardness and Motion are Enemies Motion breaketh the hardness again and yet also begetteth Hardness by attraction Thus two Essences have their existence in the desirous out-flown-will of God as the drawing of the Magnetick power giveth Motion and Sensibilitie and the thing attracted affordeth Essence wherein is understood the cause (h) Orig. 10. of Spirit and Body as in the attracting of Sensibilitie is caused the Spirit and in the extracted the body or cause to Corporietie Now if this attraction and Essence be not able to reach the Light of Gods Unity whereby it may be mollified then in it self remaineth onely a Meer Enmitie and is the cause of the torment of Fury and ambition whence existeth self-pleasing and Pride for the will of self-pleasing is a false-will a continuall corruptor of it self and its Essence And in these two Forms Desire and In-drawing in their out-flown Properties is understood Gods Wrath and though they be the ground of the sensible life Yet if the light shineth therein then are they the ground of the Joy-Kingdom as an inward motion of Gods Unitie and a ground of the five Senses whence also the creatural life hath taken its beginning and therein standeth its (k) Consumption Uerteâ—bnus corruption so farr as it loseth the light for it is the Spring of Hellish Anguish as the cause of painfulness and is also the Root of Natural life In the third space standeth the third Form of Nature called Anguish as a spiritual Sulphur-source according to its propertie This taketh its Ground from the first and second Form as from the Magnetick Desire and from the Motion of Drawing where the out-flown Eternal will in that unquietness standeth in Anguish This Anguish is the cause of Natural Will Mind and the Senses and is the Wheel of Life as the cause of the Firing-life for when the out-flown will of Gods Unitie standeth in Anguish then it longeth again after Unity as after Rest and the Unity or Rest longeth after Motion and Revelation for in the Unity there can be no Revelation without Motion and therfore the Divine will freely floweth out of it self and the Divine (l) Luber good pleasure in the out-flown-will bringeth it self into a Desire and Motion unto a sensibility that it may perceive it self and remain two in one Essence as the sensible Divine delight and the cause of sensibility wherein God calleth himself a Loving God according to the sensibilitie of Divine Love-delight and an Angry God according to the cause of sensibility as after the Eternal Nature And thus we understand by Anguish when the divine Light is not revealed therein the Hellish fire and an Eternal despair and Terrour where the Self-will of Nature continually standeth in a dying Torment ever desiring to be released from such a condition which I therefore call the (m) Little lesser Death it is the Eternal dying Death but in the Hardness it is the great still-standing Death This Form if it hath not Light is