light from the new-birth of Christ in the heart which comforts it in its forsaken condition and helps to nourish and cherish it and tells it that it shall not dye but become a great Nation but not in its innate and inbred heritage viz. in the evill Selfe-will but in Beer-sheba that is in the true Contrition in the wilderness viz. in the valley of teares in the desertion that is the poor nature must work in this forsakenness and in its present banishment and exile from the sensible and full enjoyment of Paradise bring forth much fruit which fruit the Angel brings again into Abrahams Tent to be a sojourner of Christ. 13. That is we must understand when Christ is born in man he rejecteth the vanity of nature with the will which worketh and desireth vanity and maketh the naturall will to be Servant whereas before it was Lord and Master but Nature standeth in the wilderness in the vanity of death encompassed with Sin and now it must work and bring forth fruit and yet it looketh upon it selfe as wholly impotent and as one wholly cast out from the inward spirituall will of Christ and in it selfe it seems as one foolish and contemned of the world and every way beaten off from its own will and then it begins even to sinck and quail in it selfe and to leave off from its own will and all things are of small esteem with it That which before did rejoyce it that now is against it and it stands allwaies as if it should dye it hopeth and doubteth that is it hopeth amendment that it might yet once be delivered from the scornfull contempt and be set again into the honour of its selfehood but it dryeth up also it s well of water and Gods anger appears in its sight that is all its friends depart from it with whom before in its Temporall goods and prosperity it had pleasure respect and honour so that it looks upon it selfe as continually a dying 14. And when this comes to passe then it is right in the way to Beer-sheba and wandreth in the wilderness for it knowes not what it shall do it is every ones scorn whatsoever it lookes upon rebukes it for a fool in that its power is taken from it that it must now forgo the beauty riches and honour of the world and all whatsoever might advance and preferre it in Temporalls and yet it would fain have them but yet it is drawn from them by the inward man in Christs spirit and * * * Blamed or upbraided reproved in these Temporalls for unrighteous and abominable 15. And then indeed it enters right into Beer-sheba viz. into the Contrition of the heart and setts reason by the empty water-pott of Hagar and goeth a stones cast from its Son Ismael viz. from the own desire of nature and stands and compells also the thoughts of nature and will not give any thing any longer to its own children viz. to the Sences and cogitations of the minde but casteth them away as children that now must dye a stones cast that is a while from it selfe that it might not see the death of its children so wholly doth Hagar viz. the nature with its Son give up it selfe to the minde for the mortification of the selfehood of the own will sits also and mournes in it selfe in Beer-sheba viz. in the broken and contrite heart and wholly despairs of its Reason would fain dye that it might be but freed from the miserable forlorn condition 16. And then when it is thus prepared that it quite despairs of its Selfe gives up it selfe wholly into the death of selfehood then cometh the Angel of God to Hagar that is to the poor forsaken and dying nature and saith What aileth thee Hagar God hath heard the voice of the Lad where he lyeth arise take up the Lad and hold him in thy hand for I will make him a great Nation and then God openeth the eyes of Hagar viz. of nature and shee sees a well of water and then filleth her bottle with water and gives the Lad drink who growes in the desart and is a good Archer and dwels even in the wilderness of Paran and must take an Egyptian wife The inward exceeding pretious and worthy figure of this stands thus 17. When man hath put on Christ in Faith and is entered into right true Repentance and hath in his minde forsaken the whole world even all its honour goods and things temporall then the poor nature of man doth thus stand in the mortification of selfe as is above-mentioned concerning Hagar and her Son for it desireth also to dye even to the Senses and cogitations of the minde and to enter wholly into Resignation 18. And when it stands thus in the thoughts of death having given up its will and cogitations into mortification then the inward Voice of Gods Word manifests it selfe in the Minde and * * * Thoughts meditations Senses and even there the divine word heareth the voyce of the childs crying viz. the troubled disconsolate Minde in its * * * Cogitations meditations thoughts for it soundeth therein in the divine voice and saith in the divine voice to nature viz. to Hagar What aileth thee thou troubled and perplexed nature fear not God hath heard the voice of the Lad viz. of thy thoughts which thou hast offered up in the desire to God Arise that is lift up thy selfe to God in this resignation and stand up in the voice which hath gratiously heard thee and looked upon thee and take thy cogitations viz. thy Son by the hand of faith and guide and govern the powers of the Minde they shall not dye but live and go for I will make them a great Nation that is to a great divine understanding and capacity in divine Mysteries and God openeth unto nature the fountain of living water so that it receiveth into the Bottle of its essence in it selfe of Gods well-spring and therewith it gives the Lad viz. the Sences or powers of the minde drink 19. And then God is with this Lad of the Thoughts and he groweth great in the wilderness that is in the corrupt nature the right discreet and intellectuall child groweth great in the Spirit of the Lord and becomes an Archer that is an Archer of the Lord and his brethren who shootes the Birdes of prey and the wild Beasts understand he shooteth down out of his Spirit the evill beasts and birds in his brethren with the holy Spirit he teacheth them and reproveth them with divine Arrowes 20. But he must dwell in the wilderness of Paran viz. in the corrupt flesh and in the wilderness amongst ungodly People and there he must be an Archer of God and his Mother viz. nature gives him an Egyptian woman that is nature layeth a fleshly woman by the noble Minde born in Christs Spirit with which the noble new-born Minde must sit in wedlock and be plagued with this Idolatrous fleshly
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
into his Minde Temporall Goods for his own property he is no Christian but a childe of the Serpent for he suffereth his under branches to wither and keepeth away his sap and power from them and will not work forth fruits by his fellow-branches 82. We doe not hereby meane the wicked Idle Crew which will onely suck the sweet and not worke and bring forth fruit themselves in the Tree that they should be pampered to exercise pleasure and vanity but we speake of the twigs which stand in the tree and co-operate and would faine grow and beare fruit from whom the great branches of this world doe withdraw the Sap and hold it in themselves that they as leane overdript twiggs doe wither by and under their charge such are the rich Potentates and Nobles with them the Spirit of zeale doth heere speak so far as they doe keep and hold their Sap within themselves and suffer their small branches to dry up and wither and wholly withdraw the Sap from them they are branches on the tree of the Serpent which is grown up in the Curse of Gods anger and is reserved for the fire of Gods Anger saith the Spirit of Wonders CHAP. XXIII How God re-called Adam and his Eve when they were entred into Sin and vanity and awakened in the Serpents Ens and laid upon them the * * * Estate or calling or Ordinance Order of this toilsome laborious world and ordained the Serpent-bruiser for an Help or Saviour to them NOW when Adam and Eve had eaten of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evill and were become Monstrous by the Serpent Moses writeth of it thus Their eyes were opened and they knew that they were naked Gen. 3. v 7. and they sewed Figg-leaves together and made themselves Aprons Heere the Soule did even now know the monstrous Image and was ashamed of it that such a grosse beast with grosse flesh and hard bones should awaken or shew it selfe with a beastiall wormes-carkase of vanity in their tender delicate Body and they would have covered the same from the eyes of God and for shame crept behinde the trees so very ashamed were they of the foule deformity of the beast for the Beastiall Ens had swallowed up the heavenly and got the upper hand which they had not before known now they could not tell for shame what they should doe 2. The Serpents craft would not Heere cover the shame but did lay it onely more open and accused them as revolting faithlesse Rebells for Gods anger did awake in them and arraigned them now before the Severe judgement to devoure them into it selfe as into the darke world as hapned to Lucifer 3. And this is the * * * State Condition or Thing which caused the Earth to Tremble c. Place whereby the Earth trembled in the death of Christ and the Rocks clove in sunder Heere Gods Anger shut up the holy Ens of the heavenly humanity in Death which Christ vvhen he destroyed death on the Crosse did againe Open at which the wrath in the Curse of the Earth and rocks shooke and trembled 4. And heere was the Soare combate before Gods Anger in which combate Christ in the Garden when he prayed and was to overcome this Anger did sweat drops of bloud when he said father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me but if it be not possible but that I must drink it thy will be done 5. Christ on the Crosse must drinke dovvn this wrathfull anger which was awakened in Adams Essence into his holy heavenly Ens and change it with Great Love into divine joy of which the drinke of gall and vineger being a mixed Draught which the Jewes gave him was a type signifying what was done invvardly in the humanity of Christ. 6. For the outward Image of man should also be redeemed from the Anger and death and again arise out of the Earth therefore Christs outward humanity from the Kingdome of this world must also drinke of this Cup which God the Father had filled to Adam in his anger the same Christ must drink off and change the anger into Love therefore said Christ is it possible then let it passe from me but it was not possible to overcome the anger unlesse the sweet Name Jesus drinke it into it selfe and change it into joy then said Christ Father thy will be done and not the will of my humanity 7. Gods will should also have been fulfilled in Adam but he exalted his ovvne will by the Serpents craft now the Humanity of Christ upon the Crosse must give this own selfe-will unto the Anger for to devoure it but the holy name Jesus brought it into the death of selfehood that it must dye in the wrathfull death and enter again through death in his Resurrection into the true Resignation viz. into the divine Harmony 8. Adam when he had awakened the Anger in him stood in Paradise in great shame and scorne before God and all holy Angells and the Devills did mock and deride him that this Image of God which should possesse his Royall Throne vvas become a monstrous Beast and into this Scorne Christ must enter and suffer himself to be reviled mocked spit upon whipped crowned with Thornes as a false King for Adam was a King and Hierarch but become false and Rebellious 9. Heere Christ stood in his stead and was condemned to death for Adam also should have been judged by Gods Anger Heere Adam that is Christ in Adams humanity stood in his stead Adam should have been rejected as a curse even as a scorne before Heaven and Earth and and in Sum the vvhole processe of Christ from his Incarnation unto his Ascention and sending of the holy Ghost is Adams estate what Adam had merited as a malefactour Christ himselfe must take upon him in Adams person and bring againe the life out of death 10. Adam was made by the word of God but he fell from Gods Love-word into his Anger-word thus God out of meer grace did again awaken his Love-word in the deepest humility Love and mercy in Adams wrathfull Image and introduced the great Love Ens into the Ens of the awakened anger and changed the Angry Adam in Christ into an holy ONE 11. Moses describeth it very clearly but the vaile lyeth before the beastiall man that he doth not know him for he saith And they heard the voice of the Lord God Verse 8 which walked in the Garden when the day grew coole and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the Trees 12. Moses saith they heard the voice of the Lord God which walked in the Garden what is now this voice which was or stirred in the Garden for Adams eares were dead to the Divine hearing and were awakened in the wrath he could not in his own might heare any more Gods holy voice for he was dead as to the Kingdome of Heaven as to the
then Christ divided his Deity and his humanity viz. the heavenly worlds substance which he brought from God in Our humanity and the kingdome of the Naturall humanity from Adam into two severall Principles for the Deity as to the Omnipotency stood yet still therefore sayth the Humanity on the Crosse * * * Mat. 27.46 Mark 15.34 Psal. 22.1 My God why hast thou forsaken mee 5. The two wives of Jacob with their children signifie heere in Christs state and condition the twofold soule viz. that from Time and that from Eternity and the two handmaydes with their children signifi◠heere in this state and condition of his the Heavenly and the Earthly corporeity viz. Lea in her bleereydness signifieth the * * * The spirit of the world in the Dust of the Earth· Spiritus Mundi in Limo terrae wherein the Corruption in Adam was effected wherein God promised the destroyer of the Serpent and wherein Christ should be manifested and therefore in Lea the Line of Christ viz. the destroyer of the Serpent in the type and prefiguration was borne viz. Judah and Rachel signifieth the Extinguished Ens of the heavenly worlds Substance wherein the true soule dwelleth which faded in Adams Fall and became unfruitfull as Rachel till God in the Spirit of Christ made her fruitfull as was done to Rachel 6. And as Jacob set the handmayds with their children formost so was the Earthly Image in the humane Nature set formost in the suffering of Christ which should passe through the sharpnes of Death next after would Lea that is the Body out of the Limus of the Earth wherein the Destroyer of the Serpent lay in the suffering of Christ follow and after that Rachel viz. the heavenly Limus with the Prince Joseph that is with the true Adamicall Image of the Divine worlds Substance and the Name JESUS passed into the suffering of Christ before as Jacob before his wives and childrens 7. And as the Name and power JESU viz. Gods Sweetnesse and Love saw and felt the wrath of God in the humane flesh and soule then the Name JESUS bowed it selfe through all the Seaven Formes of Natures Life wherein the Anger of God was become manifest that is he then pressed Essentially through the Centre of Nature through all the Seaven Formes of Nature quite through the wrathfull fire-source 8. As Jacob bowed himselfe seaven times to the Earth before the Anger of Esaw and appeased Esaw in this humility so also heere the Love in the Name JESU appeaseth the anger of the Fathers property in the fire in soule and body for the Naturall Life from the Spirit of the world viz. the soule from time which was breathed into Adams Nostrills must yeeld up its naturall Right and dye as Jacob yeelded up his riches and also his outward Life to his brother to do what he would with him thus also Christ yeelded up our Life to the anger of God and left it willingly but the Name JESUS went before and brought our Naturall Life quite through death and tooke it to himselfe againe and triumphed with our Naturall Life over and through Death 9. And as Esau his brother in this humility and submission ran to meete him and fell about his neck and kissed him and in great compassion wept upon his neck So also in like manner when the essence of the anger of God kissed and tasted the sweet love in the Name JESU in the bloud of Christ then it was transmuted and converted into such great compassion towards mankinde as Jeremiah in the Spirit declareth where he speaketh in this figure * * * Jer. 31.20 Ephraim my deare childe my heart is troubled I must have compassion on him Where he speaks concerning this compassion 10. And when Esaw wept upon Jacobs neck †††Gen. 33.5 6 7. He lift up his eyes and behold the women with the children and said Whose are these with thee Jacob answered They are the children which God hath bestowed upon thy servant And the handmayds drew neare with their children and bowed themselves before him Lea also drew near with her children and bowed themselves before him afterwards Joseph and Rachel drew neare and bowed themselves before him The inward Figure stands thus When the anger of God held man captive in the darknesse then was he not in the anger known to God's holy Image but when the love in the suffering of Christ in the humanity brake through the anger so that the anger was changed then the onely God looked on it againe in his Image and spake to the Name JESU saying Who are these that are with thee And JESUS answered God and sayd They are the children which God hath vouchsafed and bestowed upon his servant 11. For heere Christ presents himselfe as a Servant of God with his children that are borne in him in the Faith viz with us poore children of Eve and there passed through the death of Christ and were presented before the countenance of God first the handmaids with their children that is man that had been sinfull he sets him first in Gods countenance which Jacobs handmaids doe signifie 12. Afterwards there pressed forward the line of the Covenant with the spiritual Lea viz the first created Image out of the Limus of the earth wherein the * * * The 5 wounds of Christ. five Prints of the Nailes the wounds of Christ stood they should be shewne to the onely God that therein he should receive the handmaids children who all bowed themselves before God 13. Then afterwards came Joseph with his Mother viz. the Image of the heavenly world's substance and bowed before the onely God which had been angry with him 14. Men should not understand this in divided figures types or Images but as the properties of the humanity are manifested before God through the suffering of Christ in one onely Image viz. in Christ's humanity in the kingdome of the Restauration or Redemption viz. in the kingdome of heaven The reader should understand our sence properly for we write heere in the vision of all the Three Principles how it went and still to this day goeth with the new birth Our exposition will not beare any dividing of the figure or Creature wee understand it in one creature 15. Our earnest and hearty consideration is this that we may see and understand how we poore children of Eve were brought through Christ's suffring and death and set before Gods countenance and how first the soule with the body of sin must passe through death and in the Resurrection come againe with the body before God where the body from the Limus of the earth is esteemed strange in the presence of God Therefore it is prefigured in the type in the condition of a handmaid and then presently in that body the Prints of the Nailes the suffering of Christ is sett before God Out of which death of Christ the faire Image created in Adam appeareth
Eternall understanding manifests it selfe 22. Secondly the Abyssall and divine understanding doth therefore introduce it selfe into an Anxious Fire-will and Life that its great Love and Joy which is called God might be manifest for if all were onely One then the One would not be manifest unto it selfe but by the Manifestation the Eternall Good is known and maketh a Kingdome of Joy else if there were no anguish then Joy were not manifest unto it selfe and there would be but one onely will which would doe continually one and the same thing but if it introduceth it selfe into Contrariety then in the Contest the Lubet of joy becomes a Desire and a love play to it selfe in that it hath to worke and Act to speake according to our humane Capacity 23. The Originall of the Eternall Spirituall and Naturall fire is effected by an Eternall Conjunction or Copulation not each Severally but both joyntly viz. the Divine fire which is a Love-flame and the Naturall fire which is a Torment and Consuming Source understand it thus as it is 24. One part viz. the will of the Father or of the Abysse introduceth it selfe into the Greatest sharpnesse of the Astringency where it is a cold fire a cold painefull Source and it is sharpned by the Astringent Compunctive Anguish and in this Anguish it comes to desire the Liberty viz. the free Lubet or meeknesse and the other part is the Free Lubet which desireth to be manifest it longeth after the will of the Father which hath generated it without Nature and useth it for its Play this here doth againe desire the will and the will hath here re-conceived it selfe to goe againe out of the Anguish into the Liberty viz. the Lubet 25. Undestand that it is the re-conceived will which desireth the Free Lubet of God but now it hath taken into it selfe the horrible Astringent hard Compunctive sharpnesse and the free Lubet is a great Meeknesse in reference to the wrathfull Nature as a Nothing and yet it is now both these dash together in one another the sharp will Eagerly and mightily desireth the Fire-Lubet and the Lubet desireth the Austere will and in that they enter into and feele each other a Great Flagrat is made like a flash of Lightning in manner as the fire or celestiall Lightning or etheriall blaze is enkindled in the Firmament 26. And in this Flagrat the Fire is Enkindled for the Astringent harsh darknesse which is cold is dismayed at the light and great Meeknesse of the Free Lubet and becomes in it selfe a Flagrat of Death where the wrathfulnesse and cold Property retireth back into it self and closeth up it selfe as a Death for in the Flagrat the Darke minde becomes essentiall it sadly betakes it selfe into it Selfe as m m m As being afraid or dismaid at the light a great Feare before the light or as an Enmity of the light and this is the true Originall of the darke world viz. of the Abysse into which the Devills are thrust which we call Hell CHAP. IV. Of the Two Principles viz. Gods Love and Anger of Darknesse and Light very necessary for the Reader to consider of 1. IN this Flagrat or Enkindling of the Fire two Kingdomes Sever themselves and yet are onely one but they divide in the Essence Source and will and are invisible to one another the one comprehends not the other in its owne Source and yet they proceed from one Originall and are dependant on one another and the one without the other were a nothing and yet both receive their Source from One Originall understand it thus 2. When the blaze or Flagrat ariseth then it is in the Punctum and and maketh in the Twinck a Tri-Angle or a Crosse and this is the true meaning of the Character First it is the Keennesse of all things and God manifested in Trinity The Triangle betokeneth the hidden God viz. The Word or Divine understanding which is threefold in its Eternall un-inchoative birth and yet only one in its Manifestation In the fire and light world this Trinity doth manifest it selfe in the Birth not as if there were any place where such a figure did stand no but the whole Birth is so where ever the Divine Fire manifesteth it selfe in any thing it maketh in its inflammation a Tri-angle which the children of men ought seriously to observe and how likewise the life doth enkindle it self in a Tri-angle which betokeneth the Holy Trinity and being the light of life was in the Word of the Deity which word was breathed into man as John saith in his first Chapter and yet did disappeare in Paradise in relation to God therefore it must be borne again on the The Exposition of the fore-going Charecters 6. Now the will Severs it selfe in the Fires Flagrat into two Kingdomes where each dwelleth in it selfe viz. The Flagrat in the darknesse is Gods Anger and the Flagrat in the re-conceivement to the free Lubet becomes the Highly Triumphant Divine Kingdome of Joy in the Free Lubet for thus the free Lubet is Elevated and brought into a wrestling Love-play and so it becomes Springing and working 7. Not that we meane that God thus receiveth a beginning but it is the Eternall beginning of God manifested viz. how the Divine understanding doth manifest it selfe with Power in distinct variety and worketh it selfe forth into a Kingdome which is an Eternall Generation we onely speake here how the unvisible unperceivable God doth introduce himselfe into Perception for his own Manifestation 8. Now we are to understand by the inflammation of the fire a twofold fire a twofold Spirit and a twofold Essence viz. a Love-fire in the free Lubet which is made Essentiall with impression or Desire and in the fire the Spirit and Essence doe severize and yet they are mutually in one another as Soul and body are one and now as the Spirit is so is the Essence and as there is an holy sweet Essence and an holy sweet Spirit in the impression of the free Lubet so likewise in the darke impression there is an Astringent harsh raw and bitter Essence and Spirit as the Essence is so is also the Minde of the Understanding and will in the Essence 9. Albeit the Eternall Essence in reference to the Temporall is Spirituall yet the true Spirit is much more Subtile then that which it maketh to a Substance in the conception for out of the Substance the true intellective Spirit primely proceedeth which before the Substance is only a Will and not manifest to it self for the will doth therefore introduce it selfe into Substance and Essence that it might be manifest to it selfe 10. Now we are to consider of the Severation in the fire when the fire is enkindled then is the fire-blaze or Flagrat Salnitrall where the powers doe mutually unfold and display themselves and come into division where the Eternall onely power of God doth manifest it selfe and in the distinction doth
moved and affected which Magicall constellations also t t t Or would be desired to be manifest and creaturall in the darke world thereupon it set its desire upon this mighty Prince and Hierarch 26. And hee viz. Lucifer turned himselfe away from the divine light into the fiery Mystery towards the darknesse whence the fire ariseth and so the Magicall Astrum of the Grand Mystery of the dark world apprehended him for his desire which the Verbum Fiat had extroduced through the fire in the light turned it selfe back againe thereinto and would be like the Creatour of all beeings and change himselfe and the Essence according to his owne pleasure 27. Thus he contemned the meeknesse in the light viz. the Second Principle which ariseth through the fire-fire-death where the wrath or the Spirituall Essentiality of the wrathfull dark Property dyeth in the fire and out of which death of Devoration the Second Principle viz. the holy Love-world of great meekness and humility is generated and went back into the first Principle viz. in magiam naturae into the Originall of the Eternall Nature and would be an Omniscient Artist he would rule and domineer in and above the whole Creation and be a Co-former in all Properties 28. Thus the light was extinct to him for he made his Angelicall Essence which stood in great meeknesse and in fiery Love-desire wholly rough Austere cold wrathfull and fiery in the darke wrathfull property and the properties of Enmity instantly arose in him for in the light they could not be manifest but when the light extinguished they were manifest and he became a Devill and was driven out of the Angelicall world out of his own heaven of the Second Principle 29. Thus we are to know that the fall befell him from his creature for had he not turned away his creaturall desire from the divine meekness and Love in Pride and stubborne will to rule in the Matrix of the Pregnatresse which tooke him as a Player he had remained an Angell had he continued under Gods Love-Spirit and will then his anger-Spirit and will had not captivated him 30. But seeing he hath freely and willingly broken himselfe off from Gods Love-will he hath now Gods Anger-will in him wherein he must be a Manifestour and worker of the darke worlds Property for it would also be creaturall Heere it hath a right captive that can artificially act in Apes-sport and now as the darke world is in its property in its desire such is also its Hierarch or Creaturall Prince 31. And heere it is very requisite for us to know aright how man came to fall Man was created in the stead and place of extruded Lucifer understand the inward Spirituall man he was created in the same heaven according to the inward humane Soul and should possesse the Hierarchy which Lucifer had lost and hence the Devills Envy against man is arisen 32. But seeing God did well know that the Devill would Tempt him and not beteem him that honour the deepest Love of God viz. the high Name Jesus out of JEHOVAH hath freely given it selfe herein to regenerate this Hierarchy which Lucifer had defiled and to purge it through the fire and to introduce his highest Love thereinto and to overcome the wrath which Lucifer had awakened with Love and change it again into divine joy viz. into an holy heaven u u u Or unto which end the last judgment is appointed in which place the Last Judgement standeth and this is that which Saint Paul saith Man was chosen or elected in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world was laid 33. And for this end God created man out of three Principles in One that being he did not live wholly in the Place of Lucifer that so he might help him for God saw very well according to the property of his wrath that Man would fall but he would bring him again through and in the Name Jesus through the corruptible Death into the Royall Kingdome whence Lucifer was fallen in whose stead the Man Christ God and man in one Person should sit as an Hierarck high Priest or the Great Prince of men in the Name and Power of Jesus out of JEHOVA 34. Therefore we are heere rightly to consider of the fall of man how he stood in Paradise and was tempted and what the Paradise was man stood in three Principles which indeed stood in man himselfe viz. in body and Soul in equall Accord and harmony but not without him for the dark world hath another desire then the light-world now the Image of God stood between three Principles all which three did set their desire upon this Image each would be manifest in Adam and have him in their Dominion for a Ruler and manifest their wonders through him 35. But hee viz. the man should have introduced his desire onely into the Sixt Property of the divine manifestation wherein he was created to an Image of God he should be wholly resigned to God he should onely live in the manifested Divine Word in obedience to God and not enter into his own will but introduce his desire into Gods will viz. into the sixt Property that so the manifested Word of God might be his will knowing and Doing even as the holy Angells doe so live and rejoyce onely in the Divine Will and melodise in the holy Ghost as he doth open and manifest himself in them according to the Divine wisdome and thus they live will and Act with a child-like minde and will 36. Paradise or the Garden in Eden did indeed stand with its properties in equall Concord as to man but the properties were in themselves an Awaked hunger each in it selfe which verily the Divine light did againe intoduce into a Temperature but the Devill opposed man in his Enkindled Envy and insinuated his venemous Imagination into the humane Property and Enkindled the humane properties in the Centre in the first Principle of the Souls Property wherein the Soul standeth in like Essence and Beeing with the Angells and Devills 37. Whence Adams Imagination and earnest hunger did arise that he would eat of the Evill and Good and live in his own will that is his will departed out of the equall Concord into the multiplicity of the properties for he would prove feele taste heare smell and see them as the Devill did perswade them also in the Serpent they should be as God and their eyes should be open in the properties which also hapned unto them in the Fall that they knew tasted saw and felt Evill and Good whence arose unto them sicknesse disease paines and Corruption or the dissolution of this carkasse 38. And being the Divine Providence did afore know that the Devill would tempt man Note and bring him into strange lust least he should long after the Centre of the dark world and become a Devill as Lucifer did God did represent unto him the Tree of life and of the knowledge of Good and
tooke in the same lust and formed him in his sleep even as the lust was and every member was formed in its place to the Conjunction of the beast-like copulation for each Desire hath obtained its mouth to manifestation Thus the Image of God formed it selfe in the Verbum Fiat into such a beast as vve are still to this day and this same was done in it selfe viz. Mans own Fiat viz. the first forme of nature which is the desire of Gods manifestation did effect it and none other maker from without him 26. We are not to conceive that there was any thing else upon Adam which made his Eve out of him or that formed them both to the outward naturall life save onely the Verbum Fiat in them their own very propriate and not any alienate or any thing strange from vvithout them as the first creation of Adam and all kindes of creatures was so brought to passe the Verbum Fiat Coagulated each Ens and the manifested word Severed it selfe in the Ens according to its property and formed the Creature according to its Astrum and kinde where also in every Ens the Matrix was separated from the limbus and formed into a Male and Female into an He and She. 27. The picturing of God as a man in making Adam and aftervvard standing over Adam as he sleepeth and making a woman out of him is more Idolatrous then reall and God hath earnestly forbidden in Moses to make the likenesse of any God for he is no Image save onely in the Creatures according to the Expressed Formed Word both according to the creatures of Eternity and of time he is no such maker but a former of the properties a creatour and not such a maker 28. The Creating is the Fiat vvhich amasseth or formeth and the Word in the power of the Amassed or conceived being gives the distinction according to the Ens As the Ens is in the generation of the Spirit so a thing is formed for the body or substance of all things is nothing else but a Signature or mansion f f f Or of according to the Spirit as the Birth is in the Ens where the Spirit formeth it selfe so is likewise the body of all kindes of Creatures both in Animalls and vegetables as we plainly see that the first Creatour who hath moved himselfe and brought himselfe into a Creaturall Manifestation hath left in all creatures a Power to their own Multiplication or Encreasing propagation and g g g Text makeing procreation and incorporated the Fiat in them as a Maker for their own propriety or most innate Instinct CHAP. XX. Of the lamentable and miserable fall and Corruption of Man NOw when Adam did awake from sleep he saw his wife Eve standing before him and tooke her unto him for he knew that she was his owne that she was his Matrix and cast the property of his desire upon her as he had done before when he loved himself so now also the Fiery Tincture of Adams soule entered into the Spirits or lights Tincture in Eve 2. But they both stood yet in Paradise in the Garden in Eden and knew neither Evill nor Good for they lived yet in joy and delight in the Kingdome of Heaven and it was Eves first longing to eat of good and evill for Adams desire had introduced and imprinted it into the Magicall Image while it was yet in Adams Essence as a childe receiveth a marke or Impresse in the wombe which the mother imprints on it 3. Thus also Adam did Impress the false desire into his Essence whence the woman was made therefore the woman so soone lusted after the vanity as to this day meer earthly Lust of the flesh is found in most of them so soone as this Sex comes but to any yeares the selvish lust and will doth predominantly appeare in pride and glistering shewes of fleshly desires and they soone long after the forbidden tree contrary to the Virgin-like modesty chastity and angelicall humility 4. The Abomination which Adam introduced into his Matrix is so exceeding strong in them that they are as 't were h h h Or very weake and poore in Naked shame before the Image of God which God himselfe created in Adam therefore they must be subject to the man in that they are the cause that the vanity was enkindled to which the Devill also was a strong i i i Sollicitour promotour 5. For when he saw Eve he then knew his insinuated desire in her which he had introduced into Adam the same did shew forth and discover it selfe in Eves lust therefore the Devill came now in a strange forme viz. in the Serpents Essence which vvas the most suttle Beast and laid himselfe on the tree of temptation towards Eve that the introduced Concupiscence in Eve which the Devill had also infected did k k k Was much taken with amuse it selfe upon the outward Serpent and so one lust tooke another whereupon Eve did strongly Imagine and long after the forbidden fruit which the Devill perswaded her to eat and then her eyes should be opened and she be as God and know Evill and Good 6. Which indeed was true this knowledge did stick in the fruit for the Essences were discordant and un-like therein but he told her not that the enmity would awaken in the Essences of her body and that heat and cold moreover sicknesse and death would force into her Herein he was silent and fairely coloured it over and drew her in by collusion as if God had withheld some great thing from them which she might finde as a treasure so craftily did he deceive Eve 7. And when she yeelded to discourse with the Serpent she was taken in the voice for the Devill infected the same with false delight untill he perswaded her she should be wise if she did eat thereof 8. For the Devill thought that if Eve should bring forth chidren in Paradise then his l l l Text his cause might prove naught Designe would miscarry they might then possesse his Angelicall Kingdome 9. Now the question is wherefore the Devill did deceive Eve by the Serpent onely and not by some other meanes could he not doe it in his owne forme why did he even speake m m m Or in through the Serpent to Eve and wherefore did the Serpent addresse it selfe to the Tree to perswade her against Gods prohibition 10. Heere the vaile lyeth before Moses his cleare eyes for he sets down the Hystory very right but how can an un-illuminated minde understand it in that he writeth of the Serpent saying that the Serpent spake with Eve and deceived her whereas indeed it cannot speak and also is onely a beast without divine understanding and in its selfe cannot know the Image of God much lesse did the Serpent understand the heavenly Powers or the Prohibition 11. But heare what Moses saith the Serpent was more subtill then any beast of the field
reason of their predomination or potent influence that Astrum which is most predominant in the Constellation that hath its desire in the Seed and if it be sown such a property is hatched forth in the earthly part of man 35. Not that the whole man is such a very brute beast in outward shape but there is such a figure of the desire in the earthly Essence and the man must beare such a Beast in the body which stirs him up and drives him to the beastiall property not that he hath this forme according to the outward person but really in the earthly Essence according to the outward personall shape he remaines in the first formation or platforme 36. Yet this Beast doth somewhat put forth its Signature externally in every one if one doe but heed and well minde the same he may finde it Hence Christ called the Pharisees a generation of Vipers and the Seed of Serpents also others he called wolves ravening wolves foxes doggs and the like for they were such in the earthly Essence and He taught us that we must be borne anew and forsake this beastiall property and become as children or we should not possesse the Kingdome of God 37. For as the Essence is in the body even so the Spirit doth figure and forme it selfe internally and the poore soule stands in this prison bound and married to such a beast unlesse that a man be borne anew for which ground and end God ordained the Circumcision in the old Testament and in the new the Baptisme in the Spirit of Christ. 38. Heere we are highly to consider what horrour lamentation and misery Anguish feare and distress did arise and awake in man and was manifest as a false life and will in man of which we have a type in the Death of Christ when he destroyed the Death in our Humane awakened property upon the Crosse and overcame it with the great Love in his heavenly bloud which he introduced thereinto that even then the earth viz. the limus of the earth whence Adams outward Essence was extracted did tremble and shake at it now when the great Love forced into the humane earth wherein the anger of God was living and effectually working in the Curse I say when it now was to dye and to be changed into another Source it did tremble before this great Love-fire like as the Love-fire in Adam and Eve did tremble in the awakening of the anger in them whereby they were astonished and creap behinde the trees in the Garden and were afraid for the dread and horror of Gods anger was awakened in their Essence and they knew their beastiall properties CHAP. XXI Of the Impression and Originall of the Beastiall man and of the beginning and ground of his sicknesse and mortality WHen Adam and Eve were become monstrous the Holy Spirit proceeding from the part of the heavenly limbus departed for the part of the Heavenly property disappeared in the Soule in which part the divine light shoane and in which the Divine power of the holy Tincture dwelt 2. Understand the power of the light u u u Or withdrew departed from him into the Centre in manner as a shining light which flameth forth from a candle extinguisheth and the fire Source onely of the light remaineth even so likewise the Magicall fire-source onely of the soules property remained viz. the Centre of the Eternall nature viz. the Fire-world and the darknesse 3. And on the outward part of the soul the Air-Spirit with its Astrum remained wherein the light of the outward nature shoane which now the fire-soule must make use of for the Fiat was enraged in the wrath of God viz. in the fiery property of the soul and also of the body and in a fiery hunger in the awakened Flagrat of Gods anger had entred into and taken possession of the Essence in soul and body and with hard Attraction did impresse it selfe in the Essence of the x x x Or matter outward Essence substance in the y y y Or limus limbus of the body whereupon the flesh became grosse hard thick and corruptible 4. For in the Flagrat of the wrath all the properties of each Astrum according to the property of all the creatures did awake in the Essence whence the enmity antipathy and contrariety did arise in the Essence of the body and soul so that one property is against another one taste z z z Or a loathsomnesse to another against anothers for all departed out of the Temperament paine tormenting malady and sickness a a a Or arose in them hapned unto them 5. For if an opposite Essence entreth into another it makes an enmity and an hatefull overmastring and destroying each the other one property annoyes weakens and destroyes another whence the death and dissolution of the body is arisen 6. For whatsoever stands not in the Temperature cannot subsist eternally but whatsoever standeth in the Temperature that hath no destroyer for all properties doe there mutually love one another and in the Love is the growth and preservation of the life 7. And we are heere fundamentally to understand how the grosse properties in the wrath of the Fiat in the Essence of the body have obscured and wholly shut up the heavenly essentiality in the Sulphur so that the heavenly man was no longer known as Lead doth hold the Golds spirit b b b Or blended avalled in it selfe that it is not knowne or discerned 8. For the desire viz. the first forme of nature which is the Fiat hath swallowed c c c Or with in the grosseness the heavenly part both in man and Metalls like as all the soverain power of or from the holy worlds Essence which is in all hearbs and all other fruits lieth shut up in the wrath and Curse of God in the darke worlds property in the Earth and springeth forth by the strength of the Sun and the light of the outward nature in the Essence through the Curse and wrath which budding or pullutation giveth a Soverain power and healing vertue for the malignant Essence in the living bodies whence the Physitian is arisen who seeketh and learneth to know the vertue and temperature thereof that he may resist and remedie the opposite Essence in the body which notwithstanding is onely a luke-warme and faint Sparckle thereof if he be not able and skilfull first to Separate the gross ravv wildness which is from the darke worlds property from his Cure 9. For if the captivated Essence of the heavenly worlds property may be redeemed from the Curse and wrath of nature then it standeth in the Temperature and if it then so commeth into a living body it doth awaken also the shut up or imprisoned life of the heavenly worlds Ens if that likewise be in the body and expelleth the wrath whereby the Sicknesse is destroyed and the Essence entreth into the Temperature 10. That this is certainly thus we may
that into his Astrum which is an hurtfull poyson and plague unto him and yet with such in-foisted strange matter cannot make any fixt stedfast thing or being in him which may subsist in Eternity 11. All whatsoever the own peculiar Astrum viz. the life 's right Astrum doth impresse or foist in to it selfe from or of a strange Astrum is false and an adverse will whence enmity viz. the great Envy in nature doth arise that the humane Minde willeth to domineere over the strange Ens and if he cannot get it yet that strange in-foisted introduced Ens burneth in him in a spirituall manner as a poysonfull hungry fire of Envy that doth not freely beteeme that to any that it willeth to possesse it self 12. And though it comes about that it may through the Serpents Craft draw it to it selfe or possesse it yet it hath no fundamentall Seat or true root in its Right lifes-Astrum for it is not capable of it but the desire doth advance and set it up as a King and vaunt it selfe therewith as an absolute peculiar God which hath taken upon it selfe Might over others and sets it selfe upon Strange Authority and domination whence the Pride of Riches and Self-assumed Honours and Domination doth arise and yet in its ground and originall it hath taken its rise from the Devill through the Serpents Ens who also departed with the free will from his owne peculiar Ens into strange desire whereby he hath introduced and awakened in himselfe by reason of his strange in-foisted Ens the hellish torment paine and Sicknesse so that his life 's Astrum is wholly departed from its mutuall accord and harmony and entred into an Inchanting Sorcering property and so likewise it goeth with the fallen man 13. But now Man hath his Cure and the Devill hath not for when the divine providence knew that he would not stand he caused all manner of Medicine for hunger and health to grow out of the Earth to resist and withstand the strange introduced property both from the Astrum and Elements and for the Cure of the Minde God hath given his holy word that the minde should Immerse it selfe into the word and through the Power of the word continually cast away the introduced Strange Abomination 14. And if it doth not this but continueth in the strange introduced Ens which the Devill continually introduceth through the Serpents Image then the strange Ens becomes Substantiall and Surrounds the Hidden Ens of the heavenly worlds Beeing and even then that Ens which is from and of the divine property remaineth disappeared in Death and cannot attaine the Place of God and hence cometh the eternall death as is to be seen in Lucifer in whom also his divine Ens is included or shut up into the nothing viz. into the greatest Hiddennesse or privation that he in his Magicall Astrum in the creaturall property cannot reach or obtaine the place of God 15. Therefore it is very necessary for man wholly to sinke and dive himselfe into the promised incorporated Word of God and continually and fully reject and cast away the strange introduced Ens which the Devill insinuates into his Minde whereby he desireth strange things and onely take that he may obtain with good truth and reall upright honesty which befalleth him in his y y y Employment Businsse or Affaâ—res Calling for his Corporall necessity and livelyhood the same his Right lifes Astrum doth bring unto him and he is capable of it and it creates him no vexation trouble discontent and paine if he doth not let in the Serpents Covetousness pride envy and Anger thereinto 16. And it is the greatest folly that man doth eagerly and tearingly strive and hale for z z z Heterogene and hurtfull to his soule strange things and bring that into his desire which doth onely discontent and disturb him and at last cast him quite from God which doth shut up his heavenly Ens in body and Soule what profit is that unto him which he sees without him and doth exalt himselfe in an outside lustre as in a specious shadow and resemblance of a looking-glasse and yet is not capable of the same and if he doth get to be capable of it he turnes it to his temporall and Eternall vexation and disquietness 17. God hath created man naked and given him nothing in this world that he can or may call his own saying this or that is mine Indeed all is his but it is Common for God created onely One man to that one onely man he gave all whatsoever is in this world now all men are proceeded out of this onely man he is the Stemme or body the other are all his branches and doe receive power from their Stem and bring forth fruit upon one and each twig enjoyeth the Trees Ens also they doe all enjoy the foure Elements and the a a a Or Stars Astrum alike 18. What folly and madnesse is it then that the twig willeth to be an owne selvish Tree and growes up of it selfe as a strange plant as if its fellow-twig did not stand also in its Stem it is the Serpents introduced Ens which seduceth and divideth the branches on the lifes tree of man from the Onely life of man bringing each twig into a peculiar Sundry hunger desiring to be a tree by it selfe in selfefull Power and domination and therefore it desireth the b b b Or abundance muchnesse of this world for its owne propriety that it might greatly enlarge it selfe in the Serpents Ens and be a great thick strong fat well spread Tree 19. O thou selfe-exalting Vapourer of what doest thou smell and Savour even of the Serpents wantonnesse Lust concupiscence and Poyson and the Temporall and Eternall Death and this thou art in thy own selfe-Tree and not a whit better and though thou wert a King yet that which is under thy jurisdiction is onely for thy Office and not thine own 20. If thou wilt enter againe into the life-Tree and be a twig on the onely life of man then thou must utterly forsake in thy minde and desire all whatsoever is in this world and become as a little childe and looke onely upon that which thy own life's Astrum doth cast upon thee in thy estate calling and place and therein thou must worke and not say it is mine alone albeit thou art a Steward therein yet thou servest therein the root onely upon which thou standest thou bearest fruit to the root in thy Labour which thou must let stand free and therewith be diligent and carefull in preserving thy Calling and place to serve thy brother and help to encrease his Sap that he may grow up with thee and bear fruit 21. In all c c c Selvish interests mine-hood and thine-hood meum â—uum selfehood and own-hood there is a false plant one brother should be the Soveraine Cure and refreshment to another and delight or content his minde with the Insinuation
of his Love-will There were enough and enough in this world if Covetousnesse drew it not into a selvish propriety and would beare good will to his brother as to himselfe and let his pride goe which is from the Devill 22. He runneth with great pride and Belly-carking onely to the Devill in the d d d Into the Abysse bottom-lesse Pit he will be Noble and better then his brother but whence will he have it did not God give but one life to man and out of that one cometh the life of all men 23. But that he phancieth to himselfe that he is more Noble and Gentile therein then others and vaunteth therewith is an Apostacy and fall from God and his word for in the word of God was the onely life of man which the Word breathed into the created Image and this same One onely life is from Eternity and never had any beginning wherefore doth man then bring in a strange life thereinto that doth disquiet and disturb the onely life now it must come to that pass that he doth either with his will and desire enter again into the Onely childlike life and forsake all whatsoever he hath introduced or else remaine for ever in disquietness in that his infoisted Essence or life 24. Now then being I must forsake all whatsoever I have introduced into my selfe for propriety and that the same is onely my e e e Losse or dammage hurt wherefore then doe not I forsake this false desire which bringeth Death and hellish vexation and torment into me better it is to quash and destroy the desire then afterward the Substance with great Anguish and sadnesse as it is a very difficult and painefull combate when a man must come to destroy the Substance in him by an earnest Conversion into the child-like life 25. But if the Free-will doth in the beginning break and quell the desire amd lust so that the lust becomes not Substantiall then the Cure is already produced and afterward there need not be such an Earnest Purpose and Endeavour as he must have who is to depart from his Contrived Abominations and forsake and destroy that Substance or matter which he hath forged and made in his minde and yet it must come so about or else he cannot attaine the Gates of the Eternall Onely life which God gave to man and if he reacheth it not then he also f f f Or enters not into Paradise reacheth not the Gates of God 26. For the onely Eternall life must be introduced into the Nothing without or beyond every creature and g g g Substance or thing being for it hath its Eternall originall out of the Nothing viz. out of the divine understanding and it is in a disquiet Source in the Something unlesse that its Something be also bent and set with its desire into the nothing and then the Something is a joy to the life that the life of the Nothing in it selfe may dwell and work in Something 27. For God in reference to the creature is as a nothing but if the creature introduceth its desire into him viz. into the Nothing then the Creature is the Something of the Nothing and the Nothing moveth willeth and worketh in the Something of the Creature and the Creature in the Nothing and in this Working no Turba can arise for it is its own Love-play a mutuall Loving it selfe and it stands at the end of Nature with its life 28. Thus we understand what inheritance Adam hath left us viz. the Curse and the vaine desire and we consider the outward man in its life as a monster of a true humane life unlesse that the pretious noble minde be borne againe in the Spirit of Christ else the outward Centre in the Minde is a Serpent 29. And in this Serpent the Grosse Beast which is from the Astrum and foure Elements doth sit and holds possession in the house of the minde and according to its beastiall property produceth various desires one desiring this another that and causeth manifold figures in the Mindes of men one maketh in his minde a fixt h h h Project devise or matter Substance another a shattered ruinable matter that which he maketh to day that he breaks down to morrow and hath an unconstant Beast in the Minde falleth sometimes upon this sometimes upon that and often changeth his minde 30. But he that brings up a fixt Beast he holdeth it in him for his Treasure and vaunteth therewith as if it were the virgin-childe and gathereth up Earthly Treasures for his beastiall pleasure and yet before God he is onely a foole with his beast for he must leave it to the Earth and the judgement of God 31. But he in whom the Virgins child is borne he treadeth the beast in the Minde underfoot and must indeed suffer it outwardly upon him to creep and faulter as a Laden Asse that must carry the earthly Sack but he hath enmity with it as God said to Adam I will put enmity between thee and the Serpent and between the Womans Seed and the Seed of the Serpent which shall bruise the Serpents head viz. the Serpents Beast This monster of the Beast in the earthly minde the true man doth bruise the head of its desire and Might 32. Thus a godly man must have enmity in himselfe and trample under foot the monster viz. the Serpents childe and continually kill it for if this beastiall Serpents Seed i i i Or had not been were not impressed and wholly incorporated in us God would not have said I will put enmity between the womans and the Serpents Seed the enmity is within man and not without man with the Creeping Serpent this Serpents Seed in man is the Devills riding Horse his strong Hold and Fort where he is able to dwell in man 33. And therefore because the Devill was a Prince of this world and still is so in the Anger it is his will and Ayme to possesse the Image of God which God created in his stead and to rule it under his jurisdiction and bring it into his Kingdome and this the Curse of Gods anger hath brought along with it which now worketh mightily unto Destruction 34. And on the contrary the Serpent-bruiser worketh unto Eternall life and the humane Minde stands in the midst of these in the free-will to which the free-will doth k k k Inoculate or incorporate Engraft it selfe therein the minde worketh it bringeth up a beast and also an Angell or a beast and a Devill according to the outward world a Beast and according the inward spirituall world an Angel or Devil 35. Here a grain of seed is sown which standeth in three Principles and is fitt or pregnant to bear a creature in and to all three for the Divine possibility from Gods manifested word in love and anger viz. the Verbam Fiat lyeth therein as the free-will conceives it selfe so it begets or generates an Ens and in the Ens
life and brought the formed expressed Word into an Ens of Vanity this was the perversnesse and violent selfe-willednesse of the naturall life the Spirit of nature which taketh its Originall in the fire had exalted it selfe in its fiery property and introduced it selfe in to a wrathfull life and driven it selfe even to the utmost End of Meeknesse 34. For the Devill was an insinuating predominant Prince in the wraths property which had incited and stirred up the Centre of the outward nature in the fires Matrix and had not onely corrupted the Naturall life of man but also the creatures for he Moved and Acted Man in Gods Anger who used the creatures for their Service and food so that the Curse and the Vanity was also manifest in Every life and man in his Conversation stood in the Curse and vanity and so came in the vanity in the Curse even into the Abysse viz. into the End of this world therefore said the Spirit the End of all flesh in its perversnesse and violence is come before me Every life had through the vanity of man brought it selfe unto the End of the outward nature and the Throat of wrath was Open in Nature and would devour and swallow up all things in the wrath 35. For the Kingdome of Gods Anger viz. the dark world had gotten the upper hand in its property and brought the Good part of Nature even unto the End therefore the formed expressed word did Move or Repent through Every life of this vanity that it should bear the Abomination on it and said that it would destroy the womb or pregnatresse of Vanity proceeding from the fires mother with water and break its power and force 36. For before the Flood the fires-root was more strong and potent then the waters root and that from the Originall of the fiery Motion that is the Fiat stood in the fiery property and compacted the Earth and Stones so that there was then a great wrath powred forth in nature and that by reason of the Casting out or Ejection of the Hierarch Lucifer into the darknesse 37. And Here by the flood or Deluge the force and violence was taken from the wrathfull fire-root in the Centre of Nature for the Repenting or the Grieving of the formed Word was Nothing else but a Type of Christ where the Eternall living Divine word in the humane property did repent and grieve in the formed Creaturall word at our Sins and Vanity and * * * Dyed from the vanity mortified the same vanity in his Death in the creature and drowned the formed creaturall word in the humane property with the divine water of love and meeknesse in the holy heavenly Bloud 38. So also in this place the formed Word grieved at the vanity of the Creatures in that they were laden therewith and brought the life of all the Creatures into death and in its Sorrow moved the meeknesse of the water-Source in Nature so that all the fountains of the deep did open themselves as Moses saith and devoured the fire-source in the water this signifieth unto man the Baptisme of Christ where the fire-source of the Soul in Gods Anger was in the word of Christs Covenant baptized with the Regenerated water of the Spirit understand the Spirituall water which shall quench the fire of Gods Anger As it was above mentioned concerning the Seaven times that Each time of the Seaven degrees of nature hath brought it selfe unto its End and in the End there was a sorrow for the Abomination and in the Repentance and Sorrow the Turba was broken and destroyed 39. Now behold here aright by Noah with the Flood the Second Time viz. Seths time was at the End and with Adam in the fall when he lusted to Eat of the vanity the First time was at the End 40. In Adam the Word repented and gave it selfe with a Covenant into the life to help comfort and restore the life and by Noah the word repented and moved all the fountains of the deep in nature and drowned the wrath and opened the Covenant of Grace 41. And when the time of Enos was at the End in the dayes of the children of Nimrod the word grieved at the vanity of Man that they would not know God and drowned the Vnderstanding of the one Onely Tongue and divided it and gave * * * Or out of by its Repentance the certain Understanding in the Covenant with Abraham 42. And when the time of Cainan was at the End that the children of Abrahams Covenant were compelled in the Vanity of Servitude the Word grieved at the Vanity and destroyed Pharoah and afterwards all the men of the children of Israel in the Wildernesse save Joshua and Caleb and gave them out of its Sorrow and Repentance the Law of his Covenant a True Type of Christ who should drown the Abomination in his Bloud 43. Thus also when Mahalaleels Time was come to the End the Word grieved in the deepest Repentance and brought the life of God in Christ Jesus into the formed Creaturall Word in the humane Ens and drowned the Turba in the humane Ens with Gods Love and Mercy and gave them the spirit of comfort and the Gospell 44. Thus Even Now also where the Time of Jared is at the End which hath been covered with Babel Even now at this present the Word doth Repent and grieve at Our great Vanity and will destroy the Abomination with the devouring jawes of wrath with Sword hunger fire and death and Giveth out of its Sorrow grief and Repentance a Lilly out of Enochs mouth in Gods sweetnesse 45. And when Enochs line shall be at the End that the vanity doth again grow in the Turba then cometh the greatest grief and sorrow of all upon the Nature of the wonders that it is at the End and there is no more any Remedy for it Even then cometh the Last Motion * * * Or of with the Turba in the first Principle of the Eternall Nature and swalloweth up the outward Nature in the fire Even then the formed Word shall be wholly freed from vanity and giveth * * * From or out of by its last REPENTANCE the Holy Spirituall World AMEN CHAP. XXXII Of the Covenant between God and Noah 1. GOd said to Noah I will establish a Covenant with thee and thou shalt go into the Ark with thy Sons Gen. VI. 18 and thy Sons wives with thee A Great pregnant and remarkable Example we have here in Noah and his Children the Covenant was made with Noah for his spirit was a discovery or beaming forth of the formed word in him in the Beginning and End of Time and the beginning and End was the Eternall word which had espoused it selfe in the Covenant in which Covenant the Soul of Noah viz. the formed word of the Eternall Nature found Grace and obtained the Confirmation of the Covenant of Grace 2. As his Name doth properly and peculiarly signifie in the
for a propriety that he should rule therein with the inward spirituall man of Vnderstanding according to the wisedome of God and make himselfe Lawes and Order according to the spirit of wisdome 9. Over which Orders and Ordinances of men which they make unto themselves HE viz. the Lord hath set himselfe as Judge and thereupon hath appointed the Last Judgement to separate wrong from right and whatsoever proceedeth not from Truth Righteousnesse and Love and tendeth to the same against that the judgement of God is set for it is generated or hatched through the false spirits of darknesse in Turba Magna and introduced into the humane property as a false Lust and Suttlety and is a stranger or Bastard wisdome which shall not inherit the Kingdome of God 10. All Royall and Princely Highnesse and Excellency together with all Governments and Dominions doe arise from the Order of nature in the Image of God there is no compulsion no force violence or oppression but a meer free willing desirous Love-Service as one member in the body or as one branch of the Tree doth freely and readily serve each other and rejoyce in each other 11. But being that man hath introduced himselfe into the outward formed Word Evill and Good viz. into the Kingdome of nature the Kingdome of nature hath deprived him of the holy Dominion and hath placed it selfe with its power over the humane property therefore if he will have the same againe he must be borne anew of God and then he may rule with the new regenerated life in the Spirit of God over the Kingdome of nature 12. Indeed there are Orders of Princely Angells or Hierarchies in the Spirituall world but all without compulsion in one Harmonious delightfull Love-Service and will as one member in the body doth readily serve another 13. All whatsoever man in the Kingdome of nature doth draw under his power and abuseth it to Superfluity and excesse and thereby withdravveth from his fellow-members whereby they are put to want poverty and distresse and their freely given right and due is wholly withheld from them the same is imprinted or comprehended in Turba magna as an abomination of nature and put into the judgement of God to the day of Separation 14. Nature requireth onely Order and giveth distinction of places and Offices but the Turba bringeth its abomination from the darke worlds desire thereinto viz. Pride Covetousnesse Envy Anger and falsehood 15. These five vices or iniquities are the Whores Bratts in the Kingdome of nature and shall not inherit the Kingdome of God God holdeth the Kingdome of nature for his Order and hath given the same into the power of man that he as Gods instrument in this vvorld should sever the Evill from the Good and chuse himselfe a Judge to passe righteous judgement upon the iniquity and malice of the false desire and lust of man for he saith whosoever sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed viz. by the Order and institution of nature not that any should revenge himselfe upon others by his own selfish power or force of Armes but through the Order of nature through Gods Law and appointment the same is the true Avengeresse for God said I will avenge your lifes bloud and will avenge it upon every beast here he meaneth by the Order of his Law and its Officers who officiate in the right and due execution of the same 16. Not that a Prince or Lord hath Power to shed bloud without the Law of God if he doth so then the Law of God condemneth him also to Death Here there is no peculiar Selfefull Power given over mans bloud let him be King or Prince for they are onely Officers over the Order of the Divine Law and they ought not to goe further then the Command of God gives leave indeed they have the Law of nature committed to their charge as Servants of the same but they must deal therein onely according to righteousnesse and truth and not doe any thing through Selvish covetous proud and envious desire for God hath created man in his own Image now the Kingdome of nature in its Offices hath no power over this divine Image to kill the same but the office or Commission in Gods Order * * * Or hath power over passeth onely upon the outward Image of nature 17. Therefore if an Officer of nature viz. any Magistrate take away the life of a righteous man him nature appointeth unto the Judgement of God to the Day of Separation wherein God will judge all the unrighteous Acts of man what will then become of the Tyrants who turne the truth into Lies and shamefully abuse and condemne the Children of God for their divine knowledge and profession sake and stirre up warre and Contention to desolate and destroy country and people all these belong unto Turba Magna to the judgement of God for they manage the Sword of the Turba in selfefull Lust and pleasure unlesse the Spirit of God command them and then must doe it for their Office and charge sake and execute the just judgement of God upon those who have filled up the measure of their iniquity as Israel was commanded to doe among the Heathen 18. Whosoever sheddeth bloud out of his own pleasure to advance his authority without urgent absolute necessity or Gods command he is moved Acted and driven by the wrathfull fire of Gods Anger and falleth at last to be a captive in the same Kingdome 19. Every warriour or Souldier is a Rodd of Gods Anger wherewith he doth through his wrath and Indignation rebuke and devoure the iniquity and malice of man and it doth not belong at all unto the Order or ordinance of nature but unto the wrathfull desire unto Turba Magna unto the order of the eager fierce-devouring wrath whereby Gods Anger doth overturne and lay waste Countries and Kingdomes 20. Understand it is the Order of the darke worlds property which by Gods permission advanceth its mighty force in the Time of mans wickednesse and then it goes as the wrath will have it untill the same be well satiated in the bloud of man 21. For this is even the Revenge of Gods Anger of which he saith that he would take vengeance for or require the bloud of man therefore he often taketh one man and by him in Anger slayeth another that hath deserved Death 22. When the Great and potent Rulers shed innocent bloud then cometh the Anger of God with its Officers and sheddeth their peoples bloud and bringeth the Sword of the Turba upon them whence Warre ariseth but this is not from the divine Order of the Good Nature in which God Governeth with his wisdome 23. The wisdome of God desireth no war but the Anger of God according to the darke worlds nature doth eagerly desire it and effecteth the same in the vanity and iniquity of man 24. If we lived as the children of God one among another we need not have any warring and
Opinions of Gods being and Essence and therein consists the Confusion viz. the Mystery of the great Babylon concerning which the Spirit of God did prophecie and declare out of the propheticall root both out of the Line of Christ how Christ should come to restore and remedy the poore captive soule and regenerate its right true life and also out of the Turba magna how this Beast together with the whore should be cast from the face of God into the fiery furnace 30. With this whore of Selfe all the false Spirituall * * * Clergicall and Ecclesiasticall ones or priesthood have cloathed themselves who set up themselves to be Teachers of the mystery of Gods Kingdome without Gods Spirit they have externally covered themselves with the propheticall and Apostolicall word and pleaded the Testimony of the Bible but they have introduced their own sense out of the Whores Ens thereinto and have hung in their heart to the babilonicall fleshly whore and have not understood the Propheticall and Apostolicall Tongue in its Sence 31. They have spoken from the sence of their owne beastiall selfe-hood through the propheticall and Apostolicall word and have brought and used Christs words to their own selvish babilonicall Harlottry and committed whoredome and likewise have Adorned and trimmed up their Bastard under Christs purpur-mantle with Silver Gold and pretious stones and also with worldly dignities Honours favour and riches 32. After these men have run and have even adored and esteemed them as Gods falling deeply in love with their Bastard although their hearts have never agreed or stood upon the onely true ground but have been at variance with each other and this is that of which the Prophet Daniel speaketh saying * * * Daniel 11. they shall honour a God whom their fathers knew not with Gold Silver and pretious stones and unto those that help them to strengthen their strange God * * * God of forces Maozim they will divide the Land for inheritance this whole chapter doth belong hereunto 33. Now when we consider aright what this babilonicall Towre is at present in Christs Kingdome upon the Earth and what it was under Moses and among the Gentiles then we finde very clearly that among all Three it is of one property and so also among the Turks and present Jewes every Nation builds it out of its own materialls for in the Right universall Sensuall tongue if it be manifest in one we are altogether but one onely people and Nation even from Adam 34. But the very cause that we are divided and brought into Opinions is by reason of our Master-builders and founders viz. of the high schooles Priests Popes Bishops Doctors also the Rabbies and Masters of all nations who are set as work-men to the building of the Towre all these have judged from their owne Language and naturall understanding viz. from their conceived and formed sensuall tongue from the outward letter and have indeed neither known God or the Light of nature but have been blinde and dumb as to both both the Jewes and Gentiles and also the Selfe-made Teachers of the Christians 35. Whosoever have run devoid of Gods spirit without divine understanding either among Jewes and Gentiles Christians and Turkes they have built onely this Towre in their own essence and the same is even a Towre of the great wonders of God of divine Contemplation both according to light and darknesse life and death joy and sorrow 36. Not that we are to understand that this Towre is not at all profitable before God it is even the great Mystery of Gods manifestation according to Love and Anger as God hath created out of the great mystery all manner kindes and sorts of Beasts Birds Wormes Trees and Hearbs evill and Good and that all to the manifestation of the Great wonders thus likewise the humane Tree hath brought forth such wonders out of its Sensuall tongue out of the multiplicity of the properties and introduced them into a Substance for its Growth and glory viz to the great Harvest of God where each property of Love and Anger Light and darknesse shall reap in it s own fruit and every thing shall possesse its heaven in it Selfe in its own formed and conceived Ens out of the onely word of God which hath given forth it selfe to every life even unto every life and Being according to its own proper quality and vertue according to and out of its Principle as an universall word to the glorious manifestation of Eternity 37. Now when we further consider of this Beast with the Whore what it is in it selfe within and without then we finde that it is the formed compacted word of the spirits of the Letters for men are all of one onely property as to their life all are begotten out of one flesh and Soul and have all but one onely kinde of life as a Tree in many boughes and branches where the boughes and twiggs doe not perfectly and wholly seeme alike or the same in forme but all have one onely Sapp and vertue so likewise the creature of mankinde among Jewes Christians Turks and Heathens 38. And the onely difference is this the spirits of the Letters in the formed word do sever us in the understanding else we live all alike in the four Elements and eat of the fruits of one Mother and remaine in her when we dye to this outward life 39. The compacted Sensuall tongue which is divided in the spirits of the Letters doth confound us and make us to erre so that we doe suppose we are strange one to another and yet we are all but one onely Tree which the Devill hath poysoned with his desire in Adam so that the equall Temperature or Accord was brought into distemper and discord whereupon the spirits of the Letters were variously made manifest so that we speak from many speeches that is we have introduced the powerfull word of God into the multiplicity of the divided properties and have made in each tongues property a Selfehood or a Self-ish desire to arrogation self-apprehension and assumption 40. Hence arise the contrarieties differences and * * * Text Images Opinions in that we have introduced the unformed word into the forme of our owne selfe-made Image now we contend and strive about these Images and conceits and every one supposeth his own to be best and when we bring all these Images and severall Semblances again into one Language and Speech and mortifie them then the Onely Quickning Word of God which giveth power and life to all things is again manifest and strife ceaseth and God is all in all 41. Therefore we say as we have found it in the Grace of the One that all mens Imaginations opinions and Knowings of God his being and will without the divine light or * * * The undoubted Unction of the holy Ghost illumination of the Spirit are this same whores Beast which is flown forth and arisen from the
not two we understand not herein the grosse beastiall man full of the Serpents Ens which shall not inherit the Kingdome of God John 6. but the true man which God created in his Image 10. Let Master Sophister or wiseling of Babel looke us right in the face and see what spirits child we are we understand not the Beast but the man Christ which dyed in Adam which was againe Regenerated out of Abrahams Seed and deprived death of its might and destroyed Hell in man and slew the Death in us and arose againe from death and liveth for ever the same we meane by a Right Christian and not Calves and Oxen Dogs Adders Serpents Toads and the like who would with their Beasts of vanity be outwardly Adopted and Regenerate children of God no such Beast cometh into heaven onely and alone and none else but a Christ viz. a childe of Christ which is born of Christs flesh and bloud * * * Rev. 22 1â— without are Dogs 11. Therefore Let it be told thee O Babel thou ridest upon the Dragon of thy own contrived halfe devillish and halfe beastiall tongue in thy own words and will and hast not Abrahams faith viz. in the received and formed word which became man but thou howlest with the Dogs and wilt with thy snarling jeering contentious dogs-will in a strange childe be Abrahams heir 12. But God said to Abraham thy servants childe shall not be thy heir but he that is begotten out of thy loynes who is borne of the Faith of Righteousnesse he shall be Gods heir and not the Son of the bond-Woman viz. the Strange introduced grosse beastiall Serpents Ens. 13. And God said to Abraham I am the Lord that hath brought thee out of VR of the Chaldees to give thee this Land to inherit it Genesis XV. v. 7 8. c. to the 17. but Abraham said Lord God whereby shall I know that I shall possesse the same and he said unto him take me an Heifer of three years old and a Shee-Goat of three years old and a Ram of three yeares old and a Turtle-Dove and a young Pigeon and he tooke all these and divided them in the midst and laid each Piece one against another but the Birds he divided not and when the fowls fell upon the Carkases Abraham drove them away and when the Sun was gon down a deep sleep fell upon Abraham and lo an horror of great darknesse fell upon him and he said to Abraham by this thou shalt surely know that thy Seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs and they shall be compelled to serve and be afflicted 400. yeares but I will judge the Nation whom they must serâ—â—â— and afterwards I will bring them out with great Substance and thou shalt goe to thy fathers in Peace and be buried in a good old Age but they shall come hither againe after foure Generations for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full now when the Sun was gone down and it was darke lo a Smoaking furnace and a fire-flame passed between the pieces Here the right figure of Christs Offering for the humanity is represented and also his suffering and death his persecution and also his victory is deciphered herein and likewise the Man of Sin and vanity intimating how he must fill up his measure and whereunto each is appointed 14. God gave Abraham the Signe how it should goe with his Seed in that Abraham said Lord God! whereby shall I know that I shall possesse the same then God set the figure of the Seed before him for he had comprehended it in his Faith which was made his righteousnesse and shewed it him in a figure for the Offring signifies the Offring of Christ the three sorts of Beasts viz. the Heifer Shee-Goat and Ram each three yeares old betoken the part of the outward humanity of the time viz. out of the limus of the Earth 15. But that they must be three yeares old betokens the whole outward threefold man of the Sulphur Mercury and Salt viz. the three properties of the three Principles which lye in the Earth in one Essence or Substance 16. And that Abraham divided these three beasts and laid one right over against the other Signifieth the twofold limus of the Earth viz. the Grosse property out of the darke worlds property and then Secondly the limus out of the heavenly worlds property which lieth in one Compaction in the Earth whence man was created as to the body 17. But that Abraham divided them signifies that the grossenesse which Adams desire introduced must by death be Separated from the purenesse of the humanity and one must lye right opposite to the other and be divided from one another each into its property as light and darknesse are divided and yet are neer one another 18. The Turtle-Dove betokens the poore Soule captivated in this beastiall property and the young Pigeon signifies the inward disappeared humanity of the poore Soule which shall become young againe in the offring viz. a new birth 19. But that the two Doves were not divided but offered whole Signifieth that nothing shall be taken from the Soule and from the inward man of the heavenly limus they shall remaine whole and entire in their Substance and be offered whole to the Angry fire of God in Christ and be brought quite through the fire of Anger through death viz. through the great darknesse and horrour of death and hell as this was the figure thereof 20. When Abraham had set forth his Offring he fell into a deep sleep and horror and great Darknesse did encompasse him the sleep Signifieth the death of Christ and the horrour the wrath of God viz. the Abysse of Hell and the darknesse the Darke world into this the word which had given in it selfe into Abrahams faith to be a Seed of the children of God should enter with the Offring in the whole humanity both with soule and body and â—esigne it selfe up wholly to the Anger of the father to be devoured 21. And the Enkindling of the fire which passed between the Pieces was now the holy fire of God which came forth out of the holy burning viz. out of the Love-flaming word which gave in it selfe to Abrahams faith in the humanity of Christ in Soul and body when he stood in the fathers Anger in the death and darknesse in Hell and cast the humanity in Soule and body unto the Anger and changed the Anger into Love-fire for the wrath of the father according to the Eternall nature of the darke world which was enkindled in the humanity must in the humanity receive such an holy Ens wherein the Anger might in its fire be changed into a light or Love-fire 22. This holy Ens in the word of faith must enter into the great horrour of Gods Anger for the Soule stood therein essentially in its property it is out of the fathers fire-property out of his Strength and omnipotence viz.
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
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
was astonished at this Warrier viz. the Anger of God as may be seene on the Mount of Olives as Jacob was astonished at the Anger of Esaw 4. And as Jacob divided the Heards into two Parts because of the wrath of Esaw that if Esaw should smite one Company the other might Escape so also was the humanity of Christ divided into two Substances viz. into a Heavenly whereof he speaketh John 3. saying * * * Joh. 13.13 He was come from Heaven and was then in Heaven and also into an Earthly from our flesh and bloud that if the Anger of God did smite the one Part viz. our Humanity with Death yet the Heavenly Part should escape the wrath and penetrate through Death and therein make our humanity living for the Messengers which Jacob sent to Esaw are nothing else but the Prayers of Christ which he sent through the Anger of God into his Love viz. into the Mercy that our humanity might finde Grace and favour with God 5. For as Jacob sent to Esaw saying he had been long abroad with Laban even till this time and had with him Men-servants and women-servants and Camells with other Cattle that he might with all this finde Grace and favour with his Lord Esaw so also Christ sayth to his Father in our Humanity viz. in Adam which he hath assumed he hath been long abroad absent from the kingdome of God and hath †††Borne Generated or begotten brought forth in the kingdome of this world in Gods works of wonder many Images out of the divine wisdome through the formation of Nature that he might with these formations of wonders finde Grace and favour with God seeing these wonders were brought forth through the Nature of his manifested wrath that so they might come to the Eternall divine vision and Contemplation 6. But the Anger went to meete him in the * * * 4 Elements four Elements and would devour the Earthlines and Evill of them for Esawes four hundred Men signifie nothing else but the wrath of Nature in the four Elements of the Body and they went to meete the Humanity of Christ when Christ was bringing the Created Image of Adam in Our Humanity into God viz. into Paradise then would the wrath of God first kill the Adamicall Image that it might no more live in the kingdome of Anger seeing it was to live in God 7. * * * Gen. 32.9 10 11. And as Jacob humbled himselfe before God and sayd O God of my Father Abraham and God of my father Isaack Lord thou who hast sayd unto mee returne againe into thy Country and to thy kindred and I will deale well with thee I am unworthy of the least of all thy Mercy and all thy faithfullnesse and truth which thou hast afforded unto thy servant for I had no more but this Staffe with which I went over this Jordan and now I am become two Bands Deliver mee from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esaw for I am afraid of him least he cone and smite mee with the Mother and the Children so also Christ humbleth himselfe in our assumed humanity before God and though God in the Prophet David in our assumed humanity †††Psal. 110.1 hath bidden him sit at his Right hand untill he hath layd all his Enemies under his footstoole yet he humbleth himselfe even as Jacob did before the Anger of Esaw so also did Christ before the Anger of his Father 8. And as Jacob sayd When I went over this Jordan I had only this staffe but now am become two Bands so also when Christ viz. the Eternall Word of Divine Love came to us in our humanity then it was only the staffe of divine Grace but in our humanity in the servile house of Adam he was enriched with two Bands viz a twofold humanity the Heavenly extinguished in Adam and the Earthly from the Limus of the Earth therfore he sayth in this twofold humanity as Jacob sayd to God O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaack O Lord thou hast sayd unto mee returne againe into thy Country and to thy first kindred I am lesse then the least of all these mercies which thou hast bestowed on thy servant to signifie that it was onely in Divine Mercy that these two Bands viz. the twofold humanity returned home againe into its first Country of Paradise to the Angelicall kindred 9. And when Jacob had humbled himselfe before God and his brother Esaw * * * Gen 32.13 14 15 16 17 18. He stayed there all night and tooke of that which came to his hand for a present to his brother Esaw two hundred Shee-Goates and twenty Hee-Goates two hundred Ewes and twenty Rams and thirty Milch Camells with their foales forty Cowes and ten Bulls twenty Shee-Asses with ten foales and put them under the hand of his servants every heard by it selfe sayd to them goe on before mee and leave roome for one heard after another and he commanded the formost and sayd when my brother Esaw meeteth thee and asketh thee to whom dost thou belong whither goest thou and whose these are that thou drivest thou shalt then say they are thy servant Jacobs who sendeth them for a present to his Lord Esaw and he followeth behinde after us 10. This Type is now the great Earnestnes whereby the Spirit of God in the figure poynteth at the future for this Present of Jacob to his angry Brother Esaw poynteth at the Place and condition of Christ when he should appease the Anger of his Father then he must first send these Beasts in our implanted Humanity for an attonement which should be presented to the Anger of God 11. But these Beasts which Christ sent to the Anger of God before his passion and Death were our implanted Beasts viz. Pride Covetousnesse Envy wickednesse Lying whereby one Man slandereth disparageth disgraceth shamefully censureth with words discourageth suppresseth and exclaimeth against as wicked and ungodly and summarily all abominations of the Devill and the wicked World 12. These Evill Beasts are in Adam in sinne all awakened and become living These very Formes or Conditions of Life wherein Adam generated his Evill Beasts wherein the Temperature of Nature was rent asunder Christ tooke all upon him in our humanity as they are well intimated in the figure of Jacob by five hundred and Eighty 580. and sent them to the Anger of God for an Attonement when he was redeeming the Humanity from these Beasts 13. And these Beasts were as to Christ his being despised scorned spit upon whatsoever the Jewish Priests did to him were all our Beasts which Christ in his Body gave up to the Anger of God as if himselfe were the Transgressour and yet had generated none of these Beasts in his will But Adam had generated them and Christ tooke them on him as a Lamb and presented them to the Anger of God on his body
the Letters V Vowells yet they have lost the Five Vowells which are the power of all words which is much to be lamented that men understand nothing at all more of the Holy Ghosts Language what the Spirit of God hath spoken in Moses and the Prophets and how he hath in his speech declared and poynted at that which is future Eternall Men cleave meerly to an historicall †††Act or thing done Action and see not what is signified by this or that Action 50. For Gods Spirit hath not done such wonders for the History sake of a plaine simple Shepheard as it standeth in the outward forme of it and hath so exactly expressed those things in writing as if he were so much concerned in a History that he hath preserved it among all people and suffered it to be proclaimed for his word no sure but for this cause that under such plain simple historicall relations is signified and wherewith Gods Spirit in the figure alludeth at that which is future Eternall Therefore should men looke upon the Scripture of the Old Testament with cleerer eyes for the whole New Testament is couched under it in the figure of the plaine simple * * * Apostel Geschichâ— The Acts of the Apostles Acts or Actions 51. †††Gen. 32.29.30 When God had blessed Jacob then Jacob called the place Penuel that is Gods inspection into the soule where God is manifest in the soule then sayth the Soule I have seene God face to face in Mee and my soule is preserved in this inspection and when he passed over Penuel the Sun arose to him that is when Gods Sun viz. his power is manifest in the soule then the Essence of the Soul carrieth the power in it selfe and then the divine Sun ariseth in the Soules Essence and then the Father hath there begotten his Sonne in the soule which is the Sun of righteousnesse as also the Divine Love and Joy and then selfe-Nature halteâ—h for the Sinew of its Naturall will is displaced so that the selfe-will is lame in its ability as heere Jacob. And the Text of Moses sayth Hereupon the Children of Israel eate not of the sinew upon the Ham of the Thigh to this Day because the sinew of the Ham of Jacobs Thigh was touched 52. This sheweth cleerly that Jacob and his children understood this Mysterie and have instituted a memoriall in this Sinew for what doth that which was done to Jacob concerne a Beast The Sinew of a Beast is not therefore displaced or venomed onely the children of the Saints looked upon the Ground of the Divine Mysterie 53. Concerning which the present Jewes are very blinde and hang onely on the Law if they did so eagerly seek after Jacobs Sun as they cleave fast to the Law then would that Sinew in them also be displaced and they would not so hunt after Covetousnesse and Gaine but * * * Mat. 23 25. Luk. 11.39 they wash the outside of their Cups and dishes and inwardly remaine foule 54. Even as Christendome cleaveth to the history viz. to the purple Mantle of Christ and hunt away Christ in power from them and will not with Jacob have the Sinew of the wilde beastiall properties of the voluptuous will of flesh displaced lamed but walke nimbly with the beast under the Mantle of Christ. 55. This displaced Sinew signifieth that Adam in his innocency before his Eve was not such a Grosse Beast as afterwards therefore when the Spirit of Christ in the Covenant was manifested in Jacob then it touched the Beastiall Ham of his Thigh to signifie that in Christ it should be broken and cease so that a spirituall Man should arise from Death and not such a grosse Beastiall Man CHAP. LXI The Excellent and Wonderfull Figure Shewing how Jacob and Esaw mett and how all heart-burning and Evill-will was changed into great Joy Kindnesse and Compassion What is to be understood thereby Genesis 33. BLinde Reason should better open its Eyes at this Text Gen. XXXIII then hitherto it hath done and better consider the figure of Jacob and Esaw and learne rightly to understand the Decree concerning Jacob and Esaw where the Scripture sayth * * * Mal. 1.2.3 Rom. 9.13 Jacob have I loved and Esaw have I hated when the children lay yet in the Mothers womb and had done neither good nor Evill that the purpose of God might stand 2. Heere men should rightly looke upon the Purpose of God what the Spirit of God meaneth thereby for Esaw stood in the Type or Image of the corrupted Adam Jacob in the Type of Christ which came to help poore Adam therefore must these two Brothers come of one Seede to signifie that God would become Man and that Gods Seed viz. his word and Adams seed in its owne Nature should be manifested in one Person and become Man and that Gods seed should overcome the corrupted Adams seed with great divine Love and quench the Fathers Anger with Love and the Love should wholly give it selfe into the Anger of the soule that Gods Grace Compassion and Mercy in the Love may passe through the Anger and also change the Anger into Compassion as heere Jacob with his present and great submission and humility yeelded himself to his brother Esaw and changed his Anger whch he bare towards Jacob in respect of the Naturall right of the first-borne and of the Blessing into such great Compassion that Esaw fell about his neck and wept in great Compassion and his anger in him was turned into Love even as Christ with his great love and humility in our assumed humanity in our fiery burning * * * Anger soule Angry-soule changed his Fathers Anger into such great Mercy and Compassion that the divine righteousnesse in the Anger ceased and departed from our soules 3. For as Jacob appeased his brother Esaw with the Present and humility when he gave up himselfe into the Anger of Esaw so also Christ appeased the Anger of God when he gave up his heavenly Bloud with the great Tincture of Love into the Anger of God to be devoured then was the Anger viz. the Nature of the dark world which was manifested in Adam turned againe into the divine Light of Love viz. into a Love-fire Gen. 33.1 2 3. 4. Moses sayth Jacob lift up his Eyes and saw his brother Esaw coming with * * * 400 men four hundred Men and hee divided his children to Lea and to Rachel and to both the Handmayds and set the handmayds with their children formost and Lea with her children next and Rachel with Joseph last and he passed over before them and bowed himselfe to the ground seaven times till he came to his brother The inward precious figure standeth thus When Christ in our assumed humanity entered into his suffering then the Anger of God in the †††4 Elements four Elements of the Body came to meete him and
with the eternal one and becometh one substance therewith for it goeth into its nothing Must not the false will or desire for a worldly Law 's sake for feare of punishment forbeare or stand still from unrighteous works Wherefore then not also for the sake of the commandement of God Can it be obedient to a worldly Lord and Master and for that end stand still for which he would have him wherefore not also to God especially when the ability is as soone given as a Man doth but incline his will to stand still 59. But the cause why the total false wicked will doth not stand still and incline it self to Grace is this that it is clearely a Thistle borne wherein Grace lyeth too deeply hidden and the wrath of God is too strong in nature Grace draweth it and sheweth to it it s own falshood and wickednesse but it contemneth Grace and worketh as a Thistle doth in the power of the Sun Such a one is to God †††2 Cor. 2.15 16. a good savour of death to the damnation in hell that Grace may be severed from the false and wicked will 60. But the conclusions of reason which pronounceth that God in himself so farr as he is called God hath determined that one part of men and indeed the greatest number shall and must be damn'd and that of his own purposed will he hardeneth them is false and hath no ground either in the Scripture or in the light of nature If a man but rightly consider the Scripture and doth not blindly looke upon it 61. For in God so farr as he is called God there is no purpose nor beginning to will he is himself the will of the profundity viz. one alone and himself willeth nothing but good and therefore is himself also that same good will or willing of good For the good that he willeth is the birth of his power viz. his Sonne 62. God willeth in himself nothing but to manifest his owne good that himself is and that could not be done if the only good power did not introduce it self with the exhalation into the desire to nature and in a severation viz. into the science for if the good did remaine alone there would be no knowledge or skill 63. But now the good viz. God in himself maketh not evil or separation but the science viz. the Fiat or the desire to severation bringeth it self into nature and creature and from the science springeth evill and good and not from God or in God in his Trinity 64. For there is no decree but there is a consultation therein and then there must also be a cause of that consultation therein and then againe there must be a cause of that also and so there must be somthing before God or after God wherefore he so consults and determines 65. But he is himself the profundity and the one and is one only will that is himself and that is only goâ—d for one only thing cannot be opposite to it self for it is but one and hath no quarrel with any thing 66. Therefore it is the folly of Reason that they speake of compulsion and inevitable necessity and understand not the * * * The Great Mystery Mysterium Magnum Or that they say God of his purpose willeth the evil desire or will which he hath hardned that it should not attaine the Grace 67. I shew to this blind Reason a Thistle to consider of which the Sun for a whole day toucheth and giveth it light and power yet it remaines a Thistle so also the wicked will The Divine Sun shineth to it the day of its whole life but its ground is an Ens of a Thistle 68. Otherwise it God did of purpose harden it the righteousness could have no judgement therein for that which doeth what it must doe liveth according to the will of its Lord but if †††Psal. 5.4 God willeth not that which is wicked as in Psal 5. then the evil cometh out of the roote And in the roote of knowledge out of natures ground to the creature and by accident And for that cause hath God manifested his will and given his Law and Gospel that is hath manifested his threatenings and his grace that a day of separation might be kept with righteousness and that no creature might have Excuse 69. And the History saith further * * * Gen. 33.12 13 14. After Esaw had received the Present of Jacob he spake unto his brother Jacob saying Let us take our journey and goe forward I will goe with thee but Jacob said to him My Lord thou knowest that I have with mee tender children and moreover cattel that are great with yong and sucking Caâ—ves if they be over-driven for one day the whole flock would dye Let my Lord pass over before his servant and I will follow on softly as the cattel and the children are able to goe until I come to my Lord into Seir. This Text appeareth to be only an outward History but the Spirit hath also its inward figure under it for Jacob stands in that figure of Christ. And the figure is thus 70. When Christ through his suffering and death appeased his Fathers anger in the kingdome of nature thus said the appeased anger Now will we arise and take our journey together understand in the life of man but the Love said man is too tender feeble and impotent and can scarce goe in Gods wayes * * * Mat. 28.20 I will remain with them even to the end of the world Mat. 28. And lead them †††Gently and moderately slowly as they are able to goe least they fall into temptation and error and be blinde as to Grace Goe thou before my Lord I will lead them on softly under my yoke of the Crosse that they die not for if they should now presently be led in the Fathers severe righteousness they would not be able to goe though they are indeed redeemed yet they live still in flesh and bloud I will come after with them to thee into Seir that is into Gods righteousness 71. †††Gen. 33.15 And Esaw said Let me now leave with thee some of the folke that are with mee He answered what needeth it let mee but finde Grace in the sight of my Lord that is God the Father said let me leave some of my severe righteousness commandements and Lawes with thee but Christ said What needeth it Let me with these redeemed children onely finde Grace with thee for they cannot fulfill the Law 72. * * * Gen. 33.16 Thus Esaw went his way again that day towards Seir that is thus God's righteousness pressed into it's own principle †††17. And Jacob went to Succoth and built him an house from whence the place is called Succoth This in the figure is as much as to say Christ led his Christendome viz. his children not to Seir that is into
* * All whatsoever he hath or is Substance and fly from thence nakedly and resignedly in spirit and power that his chast virginity may abide stedfast before God 9. And if Joseph doth thus wrestle and suffers not flesh and bloud 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 lewdnesse and whoredome with her and then Joseph viz. the †††The reall earnest conflicting Christian. wrestling man is cast into prison viz. into reproach and contempt for the sake of his chastity and feare of God and he must hide himselfe under Christs Crosse 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 whoredomes sake desiring to have no converse nor intercourse with him being that the chiefe Masters and Great Ones viz. Potiphars wife doe revile him and accuse him of unchastity 10. Which wife doth also signifie the false Babylonish hypocriticall whore with all her dissemblers and flatterers in the fine Adorned house of Christendom who when they cannot catch Joseph with their whoredom and hold him but that he doth strongly gett away from them then they exclaim out against him falsely and keep his Garment for a Signe accusing him of unchastity viz. of Idolatry and * * * One of dangerous Principles or opinions heresie and call him a dreamer a ‖ ‖ ‖ A whimsicall fellow phantasticall fellow and a scismatick as hapned to Joseph 11. And when the Master heareth it then he beleeveth this Potiphars wife viz. the painted and fine accomplisht hypocrite in the house of hypocrisie and so Joseph cometh 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 12. But this contempt banishment and affliction is good for him for thereby he is drawn from the pride and whoredome of the world and all its falsehoods which might assault his flesh and bloud and hinder the new birth and thus the pretious Pearle-plant growes under Christs Crosse in the disrespect and tribulation of the world and becomes great and strong 13. But in the meane time God doth send honest people to such a Joseph who take pitty and care of him and maintain him and acknowledge his innocency and shew themselves friendly and kinde towards him and consider his chastity and feare of God and do also respect him and provide for him till the inward Prince in Gods power be fit for the Government and then God bringeth him out of prison and giveth him the Scepter of Government to be a Prince in his Wonders and to rule and govern in Divine Knowledge over Gods wonderfull Workes as Joseph over the Land of Egypt In which * * * In such a condition type and figure this Pen is likewise born and indeed no otherwise which yet is hidden unto reason 14. This is now the Summe of the Exposition of the History of Joseph but seing it is so very rich and full we will make a fundamentall explanation upon the Text for a direction and manuduction to the loving reader who also intendeth to become a Joseph if he shall be in Earnest and learn to observe and know himselfe in this figure he will see what Spirits child hath made these writings for he will finde this †††That Pen of Iron or point of a Diamond is that engraveth in the heart Jer. 17.1 Gen. 37.1 2 3 4. Pen Engraving or writing in his Heart 15. The Text saith 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 yeares old was feeding the flock with his brethren and the Ladd was with the Sons of Bilhah and with the Sons of Zilpah his fathers wives and Joseph brought unto his Father their evill report Now Israel loved Joseph more then all his Children because he had begotten him in his old age and he made him a Coat of many Colours And when his brethren saw that their Father Loved him more then all his brethren they hated him and could not speak friendly to him The inward Figure is this 16. Jacob had cast his fleshly naturall Love upon Rachel being shee was fair and seing that the line of Christ in the Covenant did lye in Jacob Rachel was shutt up so that his seed was not manifested in her in the naturall manner of the flesh untill Jacob Rachel were grown old and neither of them loved each other so any more according to fleshly love but onely desired a fruit of their seed wherefore also Jacob and Rachel prayed unto God that he would open her and make her fruitfull and when this was brought to passe out of this seed of Jacob sprang forth a Line which did set forth and represent a figure of the pure naturall and right Adamicall humanity which birth in the figure typifieth how Christ would again beget the Adamicall humanity * * * Vnto in its primitive chastity purity and fear of God 17. For in Lea viz in the simplicity and lowlinesse the line of Christ arose and sprang forth and in Rachel the line of the first Adamicall man in his Innocency viz. a figure of the same which figure did represent how a Christian should stand at once both in Christs Image and in Adams Image and what a Christian in this world should be inwardly and outwardly and how he must become a Christian therefore saith the Text †††Gen. 37.4 Jacob Loved Joseph more then all his children the cause was this Joseph was sprung forth out of Jacobs owne naturall line of his peculiar naturall Love to Rachel wherein the line in Christs Love in the Covenant had also imprinted and manifested it selfe and it was a punctuall 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 humane nature 18. And therefore Joseph was so inclined in his Minde that he could not conceal any falsehood but when he heard any evill 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 reproveth wickednesse and falsehood was revealed in him for * * * Joh. 16.8 Christ should reprove the world for Sin but being he now did represent a Christian he told it his father out of whom HEE should come who should reprove the world and we see very clearly how flesh and bloud viz. Josephs naturall brethren in the Type of Christendome became an utter enemy to the type viz. to the true Christian Joseph
it were sinne which all of them one and other understand as much of the Ground of sinne as the Pott doth of the Potter 26. When they should tell how sinne is sinne and how Man doth cause God to be Angry and in wrath then they have no other way to turne themselves to evade it but Images or conceits of Opinions which shutt up the Conscience in such Images and Conceits so that the Conscience is affraid of their Images and the Ground of sinne according to the seaven Properties of Nature how their fatt Kine are made leane and drie they know not 27. O ye Makers of Images how doth the Anger of God in the inward Ground of your owne Nature threaten you with the seaven barren Kine and Eares Joseph is out of Prison and declareth the Councell of God to Pharaoh 28. The time is even at hand wherein the figure of Pharaoh shall be brought to Effect your Images of false and wicked Magick shall be manifested to the whole world by Josephs Exposition of the Vision break off from the Images and pray to God that he would give you the understanding of Pharaohs visions and then you may be partakers of the seaven good Kine and Eares within you 29. If not then must all your Images of false and wicked Magick be turned into such Barren Kine and Eares as they are indeed for the most part already in the inward ground and outwardly at present are devouring and alwayes devoure the Good times and yeares for they have almost quite devoured and swallowed up into the Abysse all Love Faith Truth Righteousnesse Humility and feare of God and at present also they devoure all outward food and sustenance they have devoured the Silver and there is nothing left but meager and base Copper and yet they are so hungry and greedy that they lye gnawing at the Copper as a Dog at a hard Bone and would faine have more to devour and yet there is no more for them 30. Therefore they are so hungry that they themselves worry and devour one another for hunger and bring their Land and Country into dearth and famine But heereby they are made Bondslaves to the Anger of God in the seaven properties of Nature as the whole Land of Aegypt was made King Pharaohs owne in the Deare time of Joseph 31. This Anger of God will heereafter give you seede that you must sow Images and Idolls and devour them againe your selves as you have cleerly done for a long time and must be its boneslave servants as Aegypt was to Pharaoh 32. Let this be told thee O Aegypt of Christendome by Josephs interpretation in the Spirit of Wonder of the sixt Number of the Seales it concernes thee awake and behold the great famine of body and soule is at hand or else thou must be famished 33. Thou standest at present in no other * * * Or Resemblance figure in the sight of God but that of the seaven ill-favoured hungry withered leane Kine and Eares the Blessing of God in Body and Soule is departed from thee that now thou huntest after Good things and temporall sustenance and yet art not satisfied with it and the more that thou dost hunger and suck upon bones thou wilt be still the more hungry till thou hast devoured all thy good Kine in Conscience both in Body and Soule as also Land and People and thy forme and feature is so ill-favoured that the Princes of the inward and the outward Heaven cannot endure to behold thee but helpe to judge thee to the damnation of Death sayth the Spirit of Wonders in Josephs interpretation 34. Behold thy selfe now aright art thou not thus ill-favoured and hungry consider all thy †††Powers vertues and abilities faculties thou art raving blinde with great hunger for thou hast swallowed that up into the Abysse which should blesse thee and make thee happy and set up the Hypocrisie of thy Idoll Ministers in stead thereof Righteousness Truth Love Faith Humility Chastity the feare of God were thy Blessing by which thou wouldest become fatt againe but thou hast swallowed up all these properties and sett thine Idolls in their stead and covered them with Christs purple Mantle and now the Evill hungry forme feature and properties of a Devourer are awakened in thee 35. The first devouring Property Covered with Christs Mantle is Pride viz. a Desire of Selfe-Might under the lowly humble Mantle of Christ resolving to be potent and splendid as Lucifer under his black Hood who yet alwayes supposeth he is the most potent when yet in the presence of God he is but a Lord in Phantasie 36. The second property of thy hunger Covered with Christs Mantle is Covetousnesse viz. the Devourer who devoureth himselfe and getteth from others their sweate and flesh from their bones and devoureth it and yet hath nothing but alwayes lyeth like Poyson sucking out it selfe this hath devoured all Truth Righteousnesse Patience Love Hope Faith and the feare of God and yet is but a meere hunger at present it hath eaten all Silver from the Copper and yet looketh as if it had devoured nothing for nothing is to be seene in it but that it is hungryer then before it hath devoured all good times into it selfe and still alwayes devoureth all provisions which God of his Grace bestoweth and yet is every day hungryer with devouring and though he could devoure Heaven he would devoure Hell also and yet remaineth a meere hunger still 37. The Third property of this Hunger Covered with Christs Mantle is Envy viz. the sonne of Covetousnesse and Pride is his Grand-father this stingeth and pricketh and rageth in the hunger as poyson in the flesh it stingeth in words and works and poysoneth all it lyeth and cheateth and is never quiet the more greedy Covetousness is to devoure the greater is this its sonne Envy it will possesse all alone to it selfe and yet hath no place of rest either in Heaven this world or Hell It can remaine neither in Heaven nor in Hell it standeth onely in the hunger of Covetousnesse and is the life of Covetousnesse 38. The Fourth property of Hunger Covered under Christs Mantle is Anger which is the sonne of Envy and Covetousness is its Grand-father what Envy cannot sting to death that will Anger strike and fell to death It is so evill and wicked that it breaks and shatters the Bones to pieces It alwayes thirsteth after Murther onely that its Father and Grand-father viz. Covetousnesse Envy and Pride may have roome enough it destroyeth body and soule in their kinde of fattnes and wasteth Country and Citie and is further so wicked that it would destroy Heaven and Hell and yet hath no where any rest 39. These are the foure Elements of Hunger which devoure and swallow up the seaven fatt Kine and Eares of Pharaoh and yet are as they were before and at present Joseph hath seene and manifested them in Pharaohs Dreame so that they are become
manifest in the World and are set before the Eyes of the Watchmen who sit in Councell for Judgement what is to be done more with these dry ill-favoured Kine for God hath given them the seaven fatt Kine of the Manifestation of his Grace but they devoure all and yet are so very hungry that Hell dwelleth in their foure Elements and the Kingdome of the Devill * * * Consisteth in that wch their posture condition or qualitie doth represent and expresse standeth in their figure 40. O Aegypt of Christendome thou hopest for Good and yet desirest onely to worke wickednesse No Good shall come to thee except thou dyest from this Hunger thou wilt burst thy selfe asunder in this Hunger whence shall good be interpreted to thee by Joseph when thou thus hungerest the more Nature generateth in thee such a thing as thy hunger and desire is thou oughtest to hope for nothing except thou convertest and puttest on Josephs New Garment and then the Lord will give thee his Spirit so that thou wilt see and understand thy Images and put them away and stand with Joseph before the Face of God as Joseph before the Face of Pharaoh and wilt be able to see and interpret the Wonders of God 41. And then the Lord will set thee with Joseph over the Kingdome of his Mysteries that thou wilt rightly understand the Magick ground of Faith and wilt search no more in the Images of the outward Naturall Magick as thou hast done for a long time but thou wilt see the inward Ground and with Joseph rule over Aegypt that is over the Mysteries and wilt therein prayse the Lord and draw in his fountaine and drinke water of Life 42. For †††Rom. 10.8 Deut. 30.14 the Word which thou shalt now learne and understand is nigh thee namely in thy Mouth and heart thou art Gods formed Word thou must learne to reade thy owne Booke which is thy selfe and then thou wilt be free from all Images and thou seest the Place of which it is sayd * * * Gen. 28.16 The Lord is heere and then thou wilt attaine the Life of power and vertue againe and become fatt and put away the Mantle of Christ and say Heere is the Man that will walke in the footsteps of Christ and will follow and imitate him and be like and ‖ ‖ ‖ Phil. 3.10 Conformable to him in his Life and Image 43. This whole Historie of the Dreames of Pharaoh are an Image whereby the Spirit under an outward Action pourtrayeth and Typifieth the humane Ground how Good God Created him and set him in his fattnes and how he is thus destroyed by Sathans Envy and Poyson and changed into so ill-favoured an Image 44. But in Joseph the Spirit representeth a figure shewing how a Man must againe spring up through the New Birth out of this Poyson and how he should be set before God againe and how God giveth him his Spirit and maketh 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. Gods Anger sifteth the soule 45. In which sifting then that fruit which is for foode which stands by the soule in Repentance and in which its little Pearle-Plant with its branches groweth it takes along and beareth good fruit 46. Those fruits are then Josephs interpretation as he declared Gods Counsell and taught it to Pharaoh so the New Birth bringeth forth such good fruit and doctrine which makes knowne the way of God to Mankinde and standeth hefore him with wisdome as Joseph before Pharaoh And this we see in Josephs Councill after he had interpreted his Dreame he sayd to Pharaoh * * * Gen. 41.33 to the 36. Let the King looke out for a wise and prudent Man who may build Granaries for Pharaoh where provâ—sion may be layd up that Men may have Necessary sustenance in the Famine which the Spirit secretly represents in the †††Or Condition of such a Man the Man Christ or a Christian Man figure of Man that a Man should looke out for ‖ ‖ ‖ Exod. 18.21 Wise Men fearing God which should help to gather in the Divine Treasury and provision with wisdome and understanding with Doctrine life and prayer that thereby the Divine Treasure and provision might be gathered in 47. And then when the time of triall sifting and hunger cometh that Gods Anger might be thereby kept back and prevented and not so suddenly make both body and soule Land and people leane and devour them but that there may be something for Provision Concerning which God sayth he will doe well to them that feare God unto a * * * 1000 Generations Exod. 20.6 Thousand Generations and this Provion shall continue to a Thousand Generations 48. And Moses sayth further †††Gen. 41.37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45. This saying of Joseph pleased Pharaoh and all his servants well and Pharaoh sayd to his servants how can wee finde such a Man in whom the Spirit of God is and sayd to Joseph seeing God hath made all this knowne to thee there is none so understanding and wise as thou thou shalt be over my house and all my People shall be obedient to thy Word onely in the Regall Throne I will be higher then thee And further Pharaoh sayd to Joseph behold I have set thee over the whole Land of Aegypt and tooke his Ring off his owne hand and gave it to Joseph into his hand and cloathed him with white silke Garments and hung a Golden Chaine upon his Neck and caused him to goe in his second Chariot and caused it to be proclaimed before him this is the father of the Land and set him over the whole Land of Aegypt and Pharaoh sayd to Joseph I am Pharaoh and without thy will shall no Man stirre his hand or his foote in the whole Land of Aegypt and he called him his secret Councell and gave him a wife named Asnath the Daughter of Potiphar Priest of ON 49. This now is the Most excellent figure in the whole Bible that there is no where the like to it of any Man and he standeth in the figure of an approved tryed Christian who hath out-stood all tryalls whom the Spirit of Christ hath lead with himselfe quite through his sufferings Death Hell Prison and Misery as the Onely God viz. the Great King set him before him and tryed his wisdome which he had received in the processe or imitation of Christ when he received him with Joy and giveth this Testimony of him there is none so wise as thou who would so hiddenly introduce his Life in Patience through Death and Hell to God as thou 50. And as God giveth him full power over his Kingdome and in his Love maketh him his helper and assistant as a Councell of a King helpeth and assisteth a King to governe his
Josephs brethren are reconciled when they eate with Joseph that is with Christ of his Foode 46. This Now is the Supper Apocalyps †††Rev. 19.9 19. Heere a Man casts away the Mantle and becometh a Brother of Joseph and needs no more flattery or comforting of himselfe but becometh a Christian in Christ who is dead with Christ to his sinnes and is become living in him and is risen againe in him and liveth with him eateth with him at his Table and is no more a servant of sinne who must feare againe but who is * * * Gal. 4.7 a sonne in the House to whom the Inheritance belongeth according to the Scriptures Gen. 43. from 17. to the 25. 47. And when Josephs Steward had brought them into Josephs house they were still afraid and spake to him before the doore concerning the Money which they had found in their Sacks but he comforted them and sayd I found your money and have had it your God hath bestowed Treasure in your Sacks and he brought Simeon out to them and brought them into Josephs house and gave them water to wash their feete and gave their Asses Provender but they prepared their Present against Joseph should come at Noone for they had heard that they should Eate bread there 48. This now is the figure and representation of a Troubled Man who now entereth into Josephs house giveth againe the unrighteous thing for he had done much unrighteousnesse and wrong because he had nothing to give he giveth it againe with his heart before the house of Joseph in true Confession and acknowledgement and would faine give it back againe with his hand if he were but able to doe it to such a one sayth Josephs Steward feare no more I have cleerly received it in your Repentance Christ hath payd and restored it for you in his bloud so that all is done away and nothing remaining and you are in poverty and misery therefore keepe 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 owne yet God hath given you Treasure Take water and wash your feete that is clense the Conversation of your hands and feete and doe evill no more keepe not that which is unrighteous but onely that little which you have of right wherewith you cannot repay the wrong 49. Not so to understand it that he should not restore againe that which is of wrong of his own which he hath rightly gotten besides Extortion if he be able we speak of the poore which hath nothing but a peece of bread left to sustaine Life no excuse avayleth before God the Conscience must become pure or else thou art a Theefe for the figure heere addeth that the Steward gave their Asses provender which signifieth the Earthly Body that Christ will by his Steward cause provender and food to be given to it 50. These Steward 's heere are honest and vertuous people in the world which shall help to take care of it that it may live and though he were formerly a wicked Man if hee were now honest from his heart 51. Not as the false wicked world judgeth who know a fault in a Converted Man which he hath had and still alwayes upbraid him and condemne him for an unrighteous Man which Devillishnes the world is full of that if they see a Man who is Converted they cast all faylings and infirmities which every one hath in flesh and bloud upon him and judge him for it and looke upon what he hath been and not upon what he now is Heere sayth Christ * * * Matth. 7.1 Judge not and then you shall not be judged 52. †††Gen. 43.26 27 28. Now when Joseph entered into the house they brought him the Present in their hands and fell downe before him to the Earth but he saluted them friendly and sayd is it well with your father the old Man whom ye told me of doth he yet live and they answered it is well with thy servant our father and he yet liveth and so they bowed and fell downe before him 53. This now is the State and Condition of the Soule when it cometh plainly before the Eyes of God and hath wrapt its Present up in the Sufferings and Death of Christ and beareth it in its hands with the figure of the Nayle-Prints of Christ in the presence of God that is to say the will to Righteousnesse Truth Chastity Love Patience Hope Faith Meeknes these are now in the will of the soule and these the soule giveth to the heavenly Joseph and falleth downe before him in humility 54. But this Joseph Saluteth the soule that is he speaketh or inspireth his word of Grace into it and parlyeth friendly in the Conscience with it concerning the old Adamicall Jacob of its Life and sayth doth 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 soule rejoyceth and sayth it is well with thy servant my father and he yet Liveth 55. * * * Gen. 43.29 30 31. And Joseph lift up his Eyes and saw his brother Benjamin his Mothers sonne and sayd is that your youngest Brother that you have told mee of and sayd further God be gratious to thee my sonne and Joseph made hast away for his heart burnt within him towards his brother and sought where to weepe so he went into his Chamber and wept there and when he had washed his Face he went forth and carried himselfe boldly and sayd Set bread on the Table 56. This now is that Excellent Type or Image as is above-mentioned when Benjamin that is the most Inward Ground wherein lye the Grace-Gates of Paradise is manifested before the eyes of Christ in whom the great Compassion kindleth it selfe then God in Christ Speaketh in or inspireth the Living Compassion as heere Joseph into Benjamin when he sayd God be gratious to thee my sonne This weeping of the heavenly Joseph kindleth this faded Paradisicall Image againe with this weeping humility of Christ so that from Christs weeping into this Image the Eternall Joy riseth up and then Christ setteth Bread upon the Table that this Image may Eate with him 57. And Moses sayth further And they served Joseph apart Gen. 43.32 and them apart and the Egyptians that did Eate with him apart also for the Egyptians dare not eate bread with the Hebrewes 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 Marvailed amongst themselves and they carried them †††Or Messes food from his Table but Benjamines was five times as much as the other and they drank and were merry in drinking plentifully with him 58. This figure is now the secretest Ground and highest Mystery of all between God and
and Compassion of God manifested it selfe out of the Covenant then must the Law with all Ceremonies together with the Covenant cease and be gone also all Mans ability and power as also all willing going and running must goe forth and depart 6. For that presented it selfe out of the Covenant the Law which fullfilled both the Covenant and the Law and set it selfe in the stead of the Covenant and the Law in the Middle as a Mediatour between and in God and Man as a God-Man and Man-God who alone should bring Adam into Paradise and destroy sinne none should be with him he alone would and should manifest himselfe * * * John 8. for a Light John 8 and for a new Life to the Humanity 7. And it is the figure which sheweth how the Repentant Man must come to God for he must cast away all things from himselfe all his works and doings cannot reach the Top and point of this he must wholly enter into Resignation and dereliction and turne himselfe away from the Comfort and help of every Creature that he may stand naked and alone before the most cleere and meerest Mercy and Compassion of God in Jesus Christ. 8. No hypocrisie or humane Comfort wherewith Men please and tickle the heart will availe in this presence of Joseph but a totall forsaking of Every Creature wherein Every thing is left to the naked soule and that must in it selfe sink downe in the presence of the heavenly Joseph in its will and whole desires and totally leave it selfe to him and will nothing without his will and set no other meanes or Medium aloft in Esteeme for all will availe nothing 9. The whole Creaturely Life must be resigned and forsake its will and desires that the Creaturely will may be received and purified againe by the un-creaturely will that Gods will and Mans 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 Eternall Speaking Word in the soule and according to the animale soule in Spiritu Mundi in the Spirit of the world in all as an instrument of God 10. Now when this is done then sayth the heavenly Joseph in his Mercy and Compassion I am JESUS in thee and openeth the inward Eye in the soule that it knoweth him in a Moment and he speaketh friendly into the soule and sayth Doth my father yet live that is is the fathers Nature yet in the soule is there yet a Breath of the divine Life in it 11. Before this Manifestation now the soules owne will is terrified so that it hath in its own power no word more to speak nor can it in selfe speake for in this terrour the selfe of the will goeth to the Ground for with this aspect ariseth the will of God up and slayeth the soules own will as Josephs brethren were so very much terrified before his Face that they could not speake a word more all their ability fayled 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 Eternall Death that his life will be a meere anguish and terrour of an evill Conscience which will be an Eternall gnawing 12. * * * Gen 45.4 5. But Joseph sayd to his Brethren Draw neere to mee and they drew neere and hee sayd I am Joseph your Brother whom ye sold into Egypt and now be not carefull nor thinke that I am angry for it that ye have sold me hither for to preserve your life hath God sent mee hither before you The holy Figure standeth thus 13. When Christ with his revelation or Manifestation thus terrifieth the soule that the soules owne will is terrified into the death of its willing and ability then he speaketh in or inspireth his word of Grace into it and giveth it power and vertue and sayth in the Soulish Essence Draw neere to mee and raise up thy countenance from the terrour of Death goe in my power to mee and into my will I am no more angry with thee that I have been sold into thy death God hath sent mee hither before thee that I might nourish thee in thy hunger of Misery viz. in the hunger of Gods anger till thou art frâ—ed from thy earthly Body in which lyeth the great hunger and Divine Famine in the Anger of God 14. For to preserve thy Life hath God sent mee into thy humanity and soule †††Gen. 45.6 for there will yet be five yeares of dearth in thy flesh that is the Divine hunger will yet remaine in thy five senses of the Earthly Reason therefore hath God sent mee before hither ere this world cease to be to thee and into thee that he might deliver thee in thy earthly five senses with a powerfull deliverance that my power and vertue of the famine in the five earthly senses may deliver and feede the poore soule God hath set mee as a Lord and Prince and made mee a father of thy Nature that I should rule as Joseph over the Land of Egypt I am become Lord over all thy house and all that thou hast art that I should nourish thee in thy famine with the Divine foode of my flesh and Bloud be no more afraid I am with thee in the Necessity of the earthly Life I will deliver thee and bring thee to Glory and honour 15. And Joseph sayd further * * * Gen. 45.9 10 11. Make hast now and goe up to my father and to your father and tell him Thus sayth Joseph thy sonne God hath set mee as Lord over all Egypt come away to mee delay not thou shalt dwell in the Land of Goshen and be neere by mee and thy children and thy childrens children thy small and great cattle and all that thou hast I will there provide for thee for there are still five yeares of Dearth and Famine that thou mayst not perish with thy house and all that which thou hast 16. Behold your Eyes see and the Eyes of my Brother Benjamin that I speake to you with my owne Mouth make knowne to my father all my Glory in Egypt Verse 12 13 14 15. and all that ye have seene make hast and come with my father downe hither and he fell about his Brother Benjamins neck and wept and Benjamin also wept upon his neck and he kissed all his Brethren and wept over them and afterwards his Brethren parlyed with him 17. This now is a figure representing that when the soule hath seene the Countenance of the heavenly Joseph that he hath comforted and refreshed it againe then sayth the Divine word in it make hast now and bring also thy Father that is thy Nature and thy whole Life with all thy conversation and doings in thy state and condition to mee and thou shalt dwell neere by mee with
them sure enough but the Deluge or Floud and the fire of Sodom falleth suddenly downe upon them so that there is no escaping he that waketh let him watch and take care that he doth not sleepe for the Bridegroome calleth every where afterward the foolish Virgins will trim their Lamps but it is too late the hunger of Babell layeth hold and devoureth them in its Jawes 19. Moses sayth further * * * Gen. 46.28 29 30. 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 Chariott and went up towards Goshen to meete his father Israell and when he saw him he fell about his neck and wept a long while upon his neck then sayd Israell to Joseph I will now readily dye now I have seene thy Face that thou yet livest This Figure standeth thus 20. Judah signifieth the incorporated Covenant of God in Man viz. the Divine Grace in Christ Israell sends this that is the whole Man before to the heavenly Joseph and uniteth it with him so that the heavenly Joseph in the incorporated Grace leadeth the Kingdome 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 cometh to the right Goale or Mark where he findeth foode for the hungry Conscience viz. the right way to Salvation where there is right Teaching and Instruction there Goshen is neere at hand where the soulesitteth in fatnes and feedeth in the fatt pasture of Christ. 21. And when the heavenly Joseph viz. Christ seeth that the Old Jacob that is the Adamicall Man hath sent his Judah to him and afterwards cometh himselfe then he makes ready his Chariott that is his Operation with a powerfull affection to entertainment and goeth to meete the Naturall Man and when they draw neere together then this Joseph falleth about the Neck of this Jacobs-Adam that is he layeth hold on his desire and Longing and filleth it with his Teares which he shed in his sufferings and in his victory brought through death into Eternall Joy 22. With these Teares of Joy he kindleth the soule of the Old Jacobs-Adam so that Jacob for great Joy weepeth a long while on Josephs neck viz. in Christs Teares of Joy and mingleth his inward Joy with the Teares of Christ with which teares of Joy the soule of the Old Jacobs-Adam is mightily comforted quickened and strengthened in himselfe in that he findeth that his heavenly Joseph in him yet liveth that he is not dead in the famine of sinnes or quite departed from him 23. Then sayth the Naturall Man Now I would willingly dye and give up all my right and willing now having seene and knowne my loving sonne Joseph that is seeing I finde that the New Man in Christ is become manifest in mee therefore now I would willingly dye to my willing of vanity in his power of Love as Jacob sayd to Joseph 24. And Joseph sayd to his Brethren and his Fathers house Gen. 46.31 32 33 34. I will goe up tell Pharaoh My brethren my fathers house are come to me out of the Land of Canaan are * * * Shepheards or Pastours heardsmen for they are people that are conversant about Cattell and have brought with them their small and great Cattle and all that they have and now when Pharaoh shall call yee to him and say What is your employment and businesse then shall ye say thy servants are people that are conversant about Cattle from our youth up unto this time both wee and our Father that you may dwell in the Land of Goshen for those which are heardsmen and keepers of Cattle are an abomination to the Egyptians The inward Figure standeth thus 25. When the Heavenly Joseph Christ hath manifested himselfe to the Soule and Adamicall Man so that they are come together and that they have received and imbraced one another then that same powerfull word in the Spirit of Christ which hath Manifested it selfe in Man presseth and penetrateth againe into the Eternall Fathers Property viz. into the Eternall Speaking of the Father which heere is as much as to say I will tell Pharaoh that my brethren together with all my fathers house are come to mee 26. For Pharaoh standeth heere in the figure of God the Father who is the Eternall King to whom sayth Christ viz. the word of Love and Grace that his brethren viz. the properties of the Humane Life from and with all its powers and vertues are come to him that is the Word Christ which is come from the Father into our Humanity through his power and vertue speaketh the Word of the Naturall humane Life into the Eternall Word of the Father which is heere called telling the King 27. For Christ is even the Fathers Steward over Man as Joseph was Pharaohs For Man is then manifested againe in God when Christ speaketh telleth and inspireth him into the word of the Father else man could not attaine God for the humane life is also proceeded from God the Fathers word for the Spirit of God spake and inspired it selfe from and by the word of the Father into Man Joh. the 1. 28. But after it came into a Creature and became Naturall John 1.4 it turned it selfe away from Gods Love-speaking or inspiration of Love and manifested it selfe in the speaking of Anger the power of 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 owne power and strength to enter againe into the Love-speaking that it might be able to speake or Generate the Divine Love-power it had rent it selfe off from Gods Love and brought it selfe into a Naturall speaking of selfe and vanity 29. And this did move Gods pitty and compassion and introduced his Love-speaking word againe into the Creaturely * * * Imaged framed or Created formed word of the Soule and humanity and that now is this Joseph whom God hath sent before that he should inspeake or introduce the humane life againe into the Eternall speaking word and make it manifest therein before the Eternall King he bringeth the humane word in the Fathers property into the Word of God and reconcileth the rent and severed humane word in the Fathers Anger-speaking with his Love that is he changeth the Anger in the word of the humane Life in his Teares of Love into the divine Kingdome of Joy and manifesteth the humane Life actually and workingly in God and that heere is as Joseph sayd I will tell Pharaoh that my brethren my fathers whole house are come to mee out of the Land of Canaan 30. For Christ is become our brother †††John 1.14 The word of Love became Man and dwelt in us and tooke Adams Nature upon him and therefore in this figure it is called his fathers house viz.
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
6. But it hath more respect to the Covenant that the children of the Covenant in their Adamicall Nature would be a neere Cohabitation in Hope and that the Outward Man would not apprehend the Kingdome of Christ but would be a neere co-habitation with it where Christ should dwell in the inward Ground viz. in the Spirituall World and Adam in this * * * World or outward Life Time of the Life and yet be a co-habitation 7. For as the Spirit hath by Judah declared Christ in the flesh so now heere he declareth that the outward Man would not be Christ but be a Co-habitation of Christ Christ would possesse the inward Ground as he also sayth My Kingdome is not of this world Therefore the outward mortall Man should not say of it selfe I am Christ for he is onely a Co-habitation of Christ as the outward world is onely a Co habitation or neere neighbourhood to the Kingdome of Christ for Christ is the inward Spirituall world hidden in the outward visible world as the Day is hidden in the night and yet they dwell one by neere and with the other VI. The Testament of Issachar 8. * * * Gen. 49 14 15. Issachar is a strong boned Asse and he lodgeth in valleys between the Borders or Hills of the Country and he saw Rest that it was Good and the Land that it was pleasant and fruitfull but he hath bowed his shoulders to beare and is become a Tribute servant In this Testament of Issachar the Spirit pointeth first at the outward figure of this Tribe or Stock shewing where they should dwell viz. in the midst of the Land in Good ease and Rest but yet be Tributary but the powerfull figure looketh upon the inward Ground viz. upon the humane Nature 9. For when †††Gen. 30.18 Lea bare Issachar shee sayd God hath rewarded mee in that I gave my Mayde to my husband and shee called him Issachar that is a divine wages or reward for shee had given Rachell her Sonnes Mandrakes that shee suffered Jacob to sleepe with her this night upon which shee conceived this sonne therefore shee called him a recompence from God 10. But the Spirit sayth in this figure he would be a boned strong Asse and lodge between the Borders which outwardly in its habitation was just so but in the inward figure he sayth The man which is obteined from God by prayer is indeed a Gift and wages but his Adamicall Nature is onely a Boned strong Asse for the burthen who beareth the Adamicall Sack but he dwelleth with his Minde between the Borders viz. between God and the Kingdome of this world his Minde presseth into the Borders of God and the Body dwelleth in the World 11. Therefore the Minde must be as a Boned servile slavish Asse which though it sitteth at ease and rest in a good habitation in the Borders of God yet it must beare the burthen of sinnes and of Death in the earthly Sack and there is no buying it off with the Mandrakes before the Death of the Earthly Man also no praying to God for it avayleth that thereby the Boned strong Asse might come to divine Liberty It must remaine an Asse till Christ in himselfe bringeth it into the Eternall Rest The Adamicall hurt and losse is so great that the Asse must leave the Sack in the Death of Christ else he will not be rid of it 12. But he addeth the cause why he must remaine a Boned strong Asse for he sayth He saw the Rest that it was good and the Land that it was pleasant that is that the Minde would alwayes desire to rest in the Lust and pleasure of the flesh and would desire to take care of the Earthly Lust and in that regard the Minde must be a servile Asse and servant of Gods Anger and so seperateth the Naturall Adamicall Man from the Seede of the Covenant viz. from the person of Christ so that the Naturall Adamicall Man in its inbred Nature is but this Asse with the Sack till Christ possesseth his Kingdome in him no Covenant or praying availeth but that Adam must in this world remaine an Asse till the Sack be gone and then he is called a new childe in Christ which new childe in this Life is the inward Ground but the boned strong Asse is the new childes instrument upon which the Sack is carried for the servility of Gods Anger continueth so long as the Sack lasteth VII The Testament of Dan. 13. * * * Gen. 49.16 17 18. Dan will be a Judge among his People as any other Generation in Israell Dan will be a Serpent in the way and an Adder on the path and will bite the horse in the Heeles that his rider shall fall back O Lord I waite for thy Salvation This is a powerfull figure of the outward power and authority of humane Officers in the Kingdome of this World and is so strongly prefigured that it is terrible to reade if a man rightly discerne the figure and yet in the presence of God it standeth in its own proper figure thus The Spirit sayth Dan will be a Judge among his people as one of the Generations or Tribes in Israell In the Figure it standeth thus 14. Dan standeth in the figure of all outward Officers from those of highest authority and power even to the * * * Ordering of a Mans own private affaires or employment◠Government of the humane Life it selfe therefore the Spirit fayth of him he shall be in his owne might and power as one Man is to another In the presence of God he is not esteemed greater in his owne Nature then a Servant or Minister for he serveth God in his Office as another servant doth his Lord and Master the Office is Gods wherein he sitteth as a Judge The Office is the Authority and power and he himselfe is before God as another Man 15. But the Spirit sayth Dan will be a Serpent on the way and an Adder on the path that is this Judge in Gods Office would draw poyson out of the power and authority viz. selfe-will and say of himselfe the authority is mine the Office is mine that is called on the way for the way which they should goe is Gods viz. true righteousnes then sayth Dan that Land and Country this Citty that Village those Goods that Money is mine it is my owne I will use it to my owne profit advantage and honour and live in this Office as I will 16. And this very selfehood is the Serpent and venomous Adder on the way for it walketh very dangerous steps upon the paths of righteousnesse it turneth righteousnesse into Selfehood to doe what it will it sayth I am a Lord the Citty Land and Country the Village or Authority and power is mine I may doe with the people what I will they are mine and so sucketh poyson out of Gods Office of a Judge and thereby afflicteth the miserable and
againe the unfolded Nature in the Strife of Time into himselfe and draw it together into the Temperature and then would this Time have an End and Strife cease This wee desired a little to delineate for the Lover of Truth let him search further in the Spirit of God which searcheth all things even the deepe things of the Deity and then he will see our Ground in the Truth CHAP. LXXVIII Of the Holy Patriarch Jacobs Buriall in the Land of Canaan What is thereby to be understood Vpon the 50 Chapter of Genesis 1. THe Buriall of Jacob Genesis L. that Joseph should carry him againe into the Land of Candan after his Death and bury him with his Fathers and that Joseph went thither with a Great Company with all the children of Israell and many Egyptians it prefigureth to us Christs powerfull exit out of this world when the Adamicall Man after its death should againe be carried from this Egypt and house of torment into its fathers first Country into Paradise into which Christ will bring it 2. But that also many Egyptians went along with Joseph thither and accompanied him signifieth that Christ when he shall bring home his Bride into Paradise will have many strangers with him who in the time of this Life knew him not as to his person or Office and yet are sprung up in him in his Love which will all goe with Christ into Paradise and dwell and co-habite with him 3. Their weeping and Mourning signifieth the Eternall Joy which they should receive in Paradise as the Magi alwayes by weeping and Mourning prefigure Joy This funerall solemnity and what is to be understood thereby is declared * * * Gen 23. and the 50 Chap. of Mysterium Magnum before concerning Abraham 4. Moses sayth further in this Chapter †††Gen 50.15 16 17 18 19 20 21. Josephs brethren feared after their father was dead and sayd Joseph surely is wrath with us and will requite all the Evill which wee have done unto him therefore they caused it to be told him thy father Commanded before his Death and sayd thus shall yee say to Joseph forgive I pray thee now the Misdeeds of thy Brethren and their sinne that they have done so evill to thee therefore forgive the Misdeeds of us the servants of the God of thy Father but Joseph wept when it was told him and his brethren went in and fell downe before him and sayd behold wee are thy servants but Joseph sayd to them feare not for I am under the presence of God you thought to doe evill by mee but God turned it unto Good so that he hath done as it is at this Day to prâ—sâ—rve much people therefore be not afraid I will provide for you and your children so hee comforted them and spake friendly to them 5. This figure is a Mighty Comfort to the brethren of Joseph but seeing Joseph standeth in the Image and Type of Christ and his brethren in the figure of a poore Converted sinner therefore wee must expound this figure thus that is when poore sinfull Man who hath committed great sinnes and hath turned to Repentance and attained Grace and committed some fauâ—t againe then he is alwayes in feare and trembling before the Grace of God and thinketh God will impute his first committed sinnes to him againe and take an occasion against him by this fault and in that regard standeth in great anguish and beginneth to confesse his first committed sinnes againe and falleth a new at the Lords feeâ—e and entereth againe into earnest siâ—cere Repentance and bewayleth his first misdeeds as David did when he sayd †††Psal. 25.7 Lord impute not to mee the sinnes of my youth 6. But by this New Repentance and earnest Lamentation when the poore Man appeareth so very earnestly and humbly before God againe the heavenly Joseph is brought into such Great pitty and Compassion as heere Joseph was that he comforteth the poore soule in its Conscience saying it should not be afrayd all its committed sinnes should not only not be imputed but they shall also turne to the Best as Joseph sayd ye thought to doe mee evill but God entended good thereby thus God in Christ not only forgiveth the by past sinnes to the humble converted Man but he also addeth to him provision for him and his children with Temporall blessing and maintenance and turneth all to the Best as Joseph did to his brethren 7. In the End ‖ ‖ ‖ Gen. 50.24 Joseph desireth an Oath that when he shall dye that they will carry his bones along with them out of Egypt to his fathers which signifieth to us the Oath of God in Paradise that Christ God and Man would come againe to his brethren and stay for Ever with them and be their High Priest and King and nourish them with his power of Love and dwell by and in them as Joseph by his brethren and provide for them as his branches and Members Eternally with his power and sapp Amen 8. This is a briefe summary Exposition of the * * * Genesis first Booke of Moses from a right true Ground and divine Gift which wee have very faithfully imparted in a Co-operating Member-like Love and Care to our Deare fellow Brethren that shall reade and understand this 9. And wee admonish the Reader of this that when he findeth somewhat in any place of our deepe sence to be obscure that he doe not contemne it according to the manner of the Evill world but diligently reade and pray to God who will surely open the doore of his heart so that he will apprehend and be able to make use of it to the profit and salvation of his soule which wee wish to the Reader and hearer in the Love of Christ from the Gift of this Talent in the Ground of the soule and commit him into the Working Meeke Love of JESUS CHRIST Dated 11 September 1623. and then finished Praise the LORD in Sion and praise him all people for his might and power goeth through and is over Heaven and Earth Ha le lu-jah A Brief Abstract of the Sublime Consideration and deep understanding of the Mysterium Magnum Shewing how the visible World is a Streame and Reflexion of the Divine Knowledge and Will and how the Life of Every Creature hath taken its Originall and how the Divine Introitus going in and Exitus Out as to the Creature is EVery sensible and perceptible Life and Beeing or Essence Substance is come ex Mysterio Magno from the Great Mystery as from the streame and reflexion of Divine knowledge in which two things are to be understood viz. the Free will of the Abysse and the Substantiall One in the Will and how these two are a reflexion of the Abysse viz. a ground of the Divine Manifestation also how they are two and yet but one out of which Time and the visible World and all Creatures did flow forth and are become