the spirit ariseth which formeth it a creature out of the Ens and the spirit signeth it selfe in the Body what it is and so stands its figure CHAP. XXV How God drove Adam out of Paradise and laid the Cherub before the Garden WHen God had cursed the Serpent and the Earth then the Beast-Man was no longer profitable in Paradise for he could not any more enjoy the fruits of Paradise therefore he laid upon him the labour and toil of the world and drove him out of the Garden of Eden and placed the Cherub with the fire sword of judgement before it that if the new born virgin-child of the seed of the woman would again returne and enter into Paradise this Angel with the fire-sword should cut away the Serpents-beast from it and not any more suffer l l l Understand the beast it to come into Paradise 2. The Angel with the fire-sword is the right destroying Angel who carrieth death and life in his Sword he hath therein Gods Love and Anger and when man Dyeth in this world then he cometh before the Gates of Paradise before this Angel and even there the poor Soul must passe through this Garden judgement 3. Now if it be captivated in the Anger of God then it cannot passe through this judgement but if it be a virgin child born of the Seed of the woman then it may passe quite through this Sword and then the Angel cutteth off the Beast begotten of the Serpents Ens and even then the Soul is an Angell of God and serveth him in his Temple in Paradise and expecteth the Day of judgement viz. the Resurrection of the outward body when this Angell with the fiery Sword shall Sever the Earth from the Curse then the right humane body returnes again for it must also passe through this Sword and the Sword will cut off its Beast that he may be onely a Man and no more a Beast 4. The Speech of Moses concerning this Mystery is wholly hidden to the Earthly Man for Moses speaketh of an Angel and Sword and albeit the Outward figure was even just so for so was Adam driven out yet it hath far another A. B. C. internally the naturall man without Gods light understands nothing thereof 5. This Sword is in man when man converteth and entreth into sorrow for his committed Sins and casteth away the vanity and steppeth into the Infants Shirt then the morning Star ariseth in the spirit of Christ in the virgin-like m m m Or shut up Ens. occluse Ens in the true womans seed 6. And in this Anxious Sorrowfull Gate of true Repentance the Angel standeth with the fire-flaming sword and the virgin-Bud forceth quite through this fire-sword into Paradise viz. into the light into the life of Christ and groweth forth through this sword 7. And now the virgin-child standeth with its faire Rose in the New Plant in Paradise and the poore Soul which begetteth this child standeth the whole time of this life under the reach and Swinge of this fire-sword and is fast bound with a band to the grosse beast in the outward world where the virgin-child is sufficiently thrust at and wounded with this fire-sword for the fire-soul which in the fire-Sword of Gods Anger is bound to the Serpents Monster doth daily amuse it selfe upon the Serpent-Monster and Sinneth and even then this fire-sword doth cut away the Sins and devoures them into Gods Anger where they are examined and judged 8. Therefore the poore virgin-child which is borne out of the Soul must stand under Christs crosse in Christs death and the pierceing Sword of Tribulation and grief passeth quite through it it must suffer it selfe to be drawn quite through this flaming Sword and the fire burneth away the Abomination which the soul continually brings into it selfe from the Serpents n n n Or false Image Monster and even then it is in a Sore strait when that is cut off from the fire-soul which it faine would have from its Monster 9. Then must the virgin-child Supplicate the fire-soule and tender it the Love that it should onely forsake the Monster of the Serpent heere then ariseth strife and opposition for the part of the fire-soul hath introduced the Serpents Monster into it and desireth also to have its joy therein and loveth the Evill Beast 10. Then Sophia viz. the Second Principle viz. the Part of the light world doth speak against it and hence cometh up the Strife betwixt the Seed of the woman and the Seed of the Serpent and then man goeth up and down in Sorrow and Sadnesse trouble and perplexty sometimes the virgin-child prevailes and sometimes the Serpent-childe 11. And then the Devill stirs up and incenseth all Monsters against the virgin-child to strike it to mock it scorne it revile and laugh it to shame and make it ridiculous that it may by no meanes be known least the Devills Kingdome should become manifest 12. Thus the virgin-childe must be exercised by this in the Spirit of Christ and suffer it selfe to be whipped persecuted and injuriously reproved and often called one possessed by the Devill be cursed and continually accounted an off-scouring of the world untill the outward Beast hath finished its Course in its Constellation and then the Cherub cutteth off the grosse beast and lets it fall even unto the judgment of God and then the part of the fire-soule must forthwith force through the judgement of this Sword 13. Now if the fire-soul hath o o o Impressed taken in much vanity into it self viz. much of the Serpents craft and lust then the part of the fire-soule must stand p p p Or in under this Sword untill the fire of Gods Anger consumes this introduced vanity which to many a one is q q q Refining fire Purgatory enough which this present too too wise world will not beleeve and will be onely an Adopted child from without and so have an externall washing away of Sins in Grace but it hath another A. B. C. here God will not let the Serpens Ens neither in body nor Soule come into Paradise 14. The fire-soule must subsist in the fire of God and be so pure as the clear refined Gold for it is the husband of the Noble virgin Sophia which is from the womans Seed it is the fires Tincture and Sophia the lights Tincture if the Tincture of the fire be wholly and throughly pure then it s Sophia will be given to it and so Adam receiveth again into his armes his most pretious and endeared Bride which was taken from him in his sleep and is not any r r r Or from thence forward longer man or woman but a branch on Christs Pearl-tree which standeth in the Paradise of God 15. To the description whereof we need an Angels Tongue and yet we are understood well enough by our School-fellowes we have not written this for Swine for none but those onely who have been by and
God would provide himselfe a Lamb for the right burnt-offering and hereby he secretly points at the heavenly humanity which God would introduce into Christs humanity viz. into our humanity which should be the Patient Lamb that God would provide for himselfe which Abraham had already apprehended in faith and hints at 18. And that the Spirit of Moses saith They went both of them together understand unto the offering betokens our Adamicall humanity and Christs heavenly supernaturall humanity of divine essentiality that both these should go together to the offering of God as Christ offered on the Cross his heavenly humanity in our humanity to the Father and with the heavenly reconciled ours captivated in the Anger of God and preserved it in the fire of Gods Anger as the Gold is preserved of the Tincture in the fire 19. And when they came to the place of which God had told him Gen 22.9 10. Abraham built there an Altar and layd the wood in order upon it and bound Isaac his Son and layd him on the Altar upon the wood and Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay his Son This is now the right Earnestness viz. the figure how God would binde his Son by Adams children viz. by Abrahams children the Jewes that is he would binde our Sin and lay it upon the wood that is hang it on the Cross viz. on the figure of the holy Trinity which was become in man an woodden earthly Cross whereas before the life's cross viz. the figure of the Deity was spirituall and holy in Adam but in the earthly lust it had made it selfe earthly and as t' were woodden thus also the death viz. the dying of the holy Cross in man must be again offered up to God upon a woodden earthly Cross and be again changed out of the earthly death into the holy spirituall figure 20. Christ should not be slain but hung up on the Cross pierced through in his hands and feet for the Anger of God was awakened in the conversation and workes of our hands and feete and therefore also Isaac in the figure of Christ must not be slain and also burnt for he was not the right one but the figure onely in our humanity for he could not accomplish this offring in its powers and it denotes that we are indeed bound with Christ and laid upon the wood and also must dye for Christs sake but with our death we cannot attain this offering as Isaac also could not effect that but the Ens of faith in Abraham and Isaac out of which Christ arose the same did effect it and can yet now in these dayes effect it in the Christians in Christ in his humanity in us 21. And as Isaac was represented in Christs figure as if he were to be the Sacrifice even so Every true Christian must with Isaac enter into Christs figure he must willingly resigne himselfe into Christs death and binde his Sin with the will in the Spirit of Christ and offer it upon the Altar of Christ and with a full and free will dye wholly to Sin then cometh the voice of God as it came to Abraham and to Hagar in the wilderness of Beer-sheba and saith Do not any thing to nature viz. thy Son now I know thou beleevest God 22. But it must come so far with the penitent Sinner as here it did with Abraham and Isaac where Isaac was layd ready bound upon the wood and Abraham took the knife to slay him There must be a very reall sincere earnestness in this matter the sinfull man must binde the Sin with all his thoughts and minde and give himselfe wholly into the process that he will now dye unto Sin and offer it up in faith and confidence to God in Christs death he must take the knife with Abraham into the hand that is he must wholly take and fasten into his minde to Do the work of earnest Repentance in dying to Sin It must come to the reall and effectuall practice and not onely come before the Altar and say I am a Sinner God hath offered Christ for mee and yet keep the sinfull will but he must binde sin in Christs death and lay himselfe wholly with all power and strength on the burnt-offerings Altar upon the wood 23. The evill earthly will must be bound and resigned up with Earnestness and cast upon Gods Altar in Christs death and be also offered up in Christs dying and not onely comfort the sinfull man and flatter it with Christs death saying God takes away sin from us in Christs satisfaction and merit wee need onely comfort our selves therewith and apply it from without to our selves no no but wee also our selves must dye to sin in Christs death and put on Christs offering in his death and as an obedient Isaac wee must cast our selves on Gods mercy in the spirit and will of Christ and arise in Christ in and with him that God may justifie us from the Altar of sin-offering with Isaac in Christ which is the true offering in the figure of Isaac 24. Not as Babel teacheth There must be an entire and sincere earnestness and not onely a comforting and applying promises of consolation but we must with Abraham obey God and then we put on Christs suffering and death and Christs death avails onely in us and here 't is truly said Yee are saved by grace in Christs merit The will of Selfe attains it not but that which entereth into Christs death and dyeth it must come to the death and mortification of the own selfe-will the Soules will must be an utter destroying enemy to Sin in the flesh viz. to the lust of the flesh there must be an opposite enmity between them else Christs death is * * * Note To whom Christs death is not profitable Gen. 22.11 not at all profitable to any 25. And Moses saith The Angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven and said Abraham Abraham that is when man resigneth up his will wholly and willingly desireth to obey the voice of the Lord having given himselfe into Christs suffering death and reproach that he now will in the cross and suffering hold still and stedfast to God under Christs Red * * * Ensigne Banner then God calleth man with a * * * Twofold double voice as here he did Abraham where God said unto him Abraham Abraham that is he calleth to him in his own Voice in his word and also in the voice of the humane Essence that is he openeth to him the divine hearing in himselfe so that he heareth God from without in his word of his Servants and also from within in his own life's word viz. in the SensVAll Voice which was divided in Babel by the children of Nimrod and formed into the spirits of letters where the mentall Tongue was then compacted Here it ariseth again in the uncompacted SensVAll Tongue so that man heareth what the Lord speaketh in him of
in Eve and in this living virginity viz. in Adams heavenly Matrix God became Man 30. And this is the * * * Luk. 1.42 Blessing of Mary above all other women that shee is the first from Adam in whom the Heavenly Matrix became Opened in which the Dry Rod of Aaron rightly budded viz. the kingdome of God shee is the first in whom the hidden virtue was manifested for in her the Limitt of the Covenant in the spirituall Image or Type was at an End and in her it was fullfilled * * * In or by with our Humanity 31. Neverthelesse she is truly the daughter of Adam Abraham Isaac and Jacob both as to the Humanity and as to the Covenant of the Spirituall Figure and in her Conception when the Inward incorporated Image or Type of the Inspired or Inspoken Covenant of Grace which was layd hold on in the Faith did assume our humane property then was the kingdome of Christ * * * 1 Tim. 3.15 Manifested in the Flesh. 32. Wherein afterwards the faithfull put on Christ in the flesh in their Faith yet onely as to that heavenly Image Extinguished in Adam as Mary did where Christ Embraceth the poore soule in his Armes and encompasseth them with the Power of God and infuseth and floweth in with his Love into them which Love preserveth and defendeth them from the Anger of God from Sin Death the Devill and Hell 33. This is a briefe summary of the true Ground what the Spirit of God hath prefigured and Typified by the Patriarchs in that he hath lead them so wonderfully and hath thus alluded with the figure of Christ how it would come to passe afterward 34. For Jacob was now the stock out of which the Great and wide Tree of Israel should spread abroad in the dividing of its Branches as a Genealogie therefore must he goe away from his Fathers house and take wives of his fathers Genealogie viz. of Abrahams brothers sonne that the People Israel viz. the Line of the Covenant might come of One stock 35. Now when * * * Gen. 28.16 17. Jacob awaked from the Dreame of the Divine Vision where the Lord appeared to him and Established the Covenant He sayd Surely the Lord is in this Place and I knew it not and was afraid and sayd how Holy is this place heere is no other then the house of God heere is the Gate of Heaven This is a Figure shewing how it would goe with Gods children when God were manifest in them that they continue to be in feare and trembling and suppose God is a farre off and hath forsaken them 36. For where God withdrawes himselfe in Man there will alwayes sinne and the Anger of God be first manifested in that Man so that he will acknowledge and tremble at his sinne and enter into Repentance then appeareth to him Gods friendly countenance and comforteth him for if the soule goeth forth from sinne then Gods Grace entereth into it and then it sayth surely the Lord was with mee in my Anxiety and I knew it not now I see that the Lord is with the troubled Heart which is troubled in a Divine zeale or jealousie There is the place of God and the Gate of Heaven 37. Further it signifies how the highest Love of God in this Covenant in Christ would be immersed into our humanity and how the humanity of Christ would be conversant in trouble in that he tooke upon him all our trouble and misery and how the humanity of Christ would be astonished before the Anger of God and Hell * * * Luk. 22.39.44 as was in the Mount of Olives where in his Agony he sweat a bloudy sweat and Christ in his humanity said * * * Mat. 26.39 Father if it be possible let this cup passe from mee where instantly the Gates of God appeared and comforted the humanity As heere to Jacob when he must in trouble depart from his fathers house in feare and trembling at his Brother Esau who lay in waite to murther him all which is a figure concerning Christ when Gods Anger in our humanity did lie in waite to murther him that he would be in an Agony heavinesse and distresse and how he would pray to his Father and how his Father would Comfort him all which was done before * * * Or his Passion he was crucified especially in the Mount of Olives in which place this Figure of Jacob was fullfilled 38. And as * * * Gen. 28.18 Jacob tooke the stone which he had layd under his head and set it up for a Remembrance and powred Oyle thereupon so hath Christ set up his anguish or Agony for a remembrance to us poore Men and powred forth his Oyle of joy and Victory upon it in our troubled terrified hearts and of that same ‖ ‖ ‖ Agony and a troubled heart because of sin stone hath Erected his Church for a continuall remembrance of all which this Type of Jacob was a prefiguration 39. Which Jacob signifieth in plaine words where he sayth * * * Gen. 28.20 21 22. If God will be with mee and defend me in the way which I travaile and give me bread to eate and Cloaths to put on and bring mee home with peace to my Father then shall the Lord be my God and this stone which I have set up for a Pillar shall be Gods house and of all which thou givest unto mee I will give the Tenth to thee where he clearly under this figure signifieth the Leviticall and afterwards the Evangelicall Priesthood as it would be hereafter CHAP. LVII How Jacob came to Laban and kept his sheepe for him fourteene yeares for his two Daughters what the Spirituall Figure of Christs Bride conteined under it signifieth how God sets Jacob in Christs figure and so sporteth with the Type of Christ. Vpon the 29 Chapter of Genesis Gen. XXIX 1. WHen Jacob must now in sorrow goe away from his Parents and so avoyd his Brother Esau and commit himselfe to God in the blessing of him then God brought him to his beloved Bride with whom he spent a while in Joy with Patience till he returned againe with Great Riches to his Father 2. This is first a Worldly History and * * * Or President Example under which the spirituall figure of the kingdome of Christ is represented for if the poore Sinner turne to God then he attaineth first of all the Blessing viz. the Baptisme of Christ whereby the Holy Ghost Baptizeth him in the Inward Ground and * * * Secondly then it setteth him in the processe of Christ under the Banner of his Crosse and biddeth him goe forth from his Fathers Adamicall house of sinne and make towards the Path of Christs Pilgrimage 3. And there he must lay the hard stone of Reason under his Head and rest and sleepe upon this Stone of Reason that is Reason must stand still and the Minde
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
generate the other Men out of himselfe in that likenes but when that was not done God cursed the power that was given to Man so that the will of the Creatures is opposite to him seeing he would have them to misuse them and would no more be a Lord of the Creatures but mingleth his Love also with them whereupon the foure Elements captivated him and made him also a Beast as to the Body and thus now he runneth on in the will of the Curse 32. For he is Gods Image but he * * * Imageth modelleth oâ— figureth fashioneth his will into a beastiall Image and disturbeth the Order of God from what it was in the word of Creation he suppresseth the right true will of God and setteth his own will in the place he is with his will an Enemy to all Creatures and all Creatures are his Enemies 33. And therefore must the divine will in Man be now borne againe in such anguish in the Opposite will and the right divine will of the New Birth must suffer it selfe to have the Enmity of all Creatures and therefore because Man beareth in his Body a Beastiall will wherein the beastiall Opposite will together with the Curse is manifested and so now the Life in the Curse is at Enmity with the Life in the Peace and will not suffer it in it selfe 34. But if the Beastiall will in the flesh could be wholly broken and killed then the Curse would cease and so no Creature could be at Enmitie more 35. But seeing this cannot be therefore must Man stand in Strife and endure much evill to will in him from without and to will much evill out from himselfe in and towards that which is without him and so standeth in strife between evill and good and in evill and good and liveth in the Strife of the Elements and also in the strife of his own willing that God gave him 36. For he complaineth alwayes that wrong is done him and yet himselfe is a wrong will and the right will which he obtaineth in the Regeneration is not his owne naturall willing but it is the willing of the Grace of God which is manifested in his willing which willing dayly killeth his naturall willing and blameth Man by Gods instrument with the children of the Anger openly 37. Moses speaketh further and sayth * * * Gen. 44.7 8 9 10. They answered him and sayd Wherefore speaketh my Lord such words It is far from thy servants to doe such a thing Behold the Money which we found aloft in the Sack wee have brought to thee againe out of the Land of Canaan how should wee then have stolen out of thy Lords house either Silver or Gold Hee with whom it is found among us thy servants let him be put to Death and moreover wee will be the servants of my Lord Hee sayd let it be as ye have spoken He with whom it is found shall be my servant but ye shall be quitt 38. This Figure now sheweth how the Conscience desireth to Justifie it selfe when it is apprehended by the wrath of Gods Anger that either when God with his plagues in Nature also many times in the hiding of his Graces or through the evill World blameth it and representeth it unrighteous then it will alwayes Justifie it selfe that wrong is done it 39. For if it have once turned toward Grace and broken it selfe off from ungodly Courses then it thinketh no Evill at all shall happen God is bound to protect it and the world doth it wrong when it reproacheth it as wicked it ought no more to be subject to plagues and punishments and it accounteth that honesty and Righteousnes whereby it stealeth Grace from God and reckoneth it for its owne as if it were no more Guiltie of Sinnes 40. Also it excuseth it selfe towards the world when the world will impute Sinnes and Blasphemies to it as if it were guilty then it will needs dye or be put to death or the like as Josephs brethren did who knew nothing of the Theft and did not understand neither that all their unrighteousnes and their stealing of Joseph when they stole him from their Father and sold him stood in the Sacks of Josephs gifts viz. were manifest before the Eyes of Joseph so that Joseph knew and understood their Theft and therefore caused them to be held for Theeves and caused them to be pursued as Theeves and fetched them back againe and set them before the Judgement 41. But in stead of their Theevery of their committed Sinnes whereby they had forfeited their Lives Joseph caused his Silver Cup to be layd to the Gift in their Sack and caused them to be blamed for the Cup which they would not confesse The Figure standeth thus 42. When a Man as is above-mentioned becometh a true Christian so that God giveth him his Grace then he layeth his Grace hiddenly in the Sack of his Body in the Essences of Life and moreover layeth therein the Cup of the Crosse and blameth it no more in Conscience in respect of its manifold committed sinnes for he hath utterly destroyed them with the Grace of forgivenesse and filled the Sack of his sinnes with Grace for the hunger of the poore soule but it layeth now the Cup of Christ to its Charge that it is Guilty of that viz. of Christs being scorned also of his Suffering and Death that he hath brought Christ to the Crosse with his sinnes that it is verily Guilty of the Cup of Christs Crosse and not wholly righteous 43. For when God by his Grace forgiveth him the * * * Mortall deadly or killing sinnes sinnes unto Death then he causeth this Cup of Christ to be layd aloft in the Sack seeing Christ himselfe hath the Guilt of these sinnes layd upon him and hath taken them upon him therefore now this Man is guilty of the Cup of Christs Crosse in which Christ must tast and drink out the Anger of God in Man and Gods righteousnesse requires of him to enter into the suffering scorne Death of Christ that he should dye with Christ and give himselfe up to his scorne and suffer with Christ. 44. But seeing he cannot doe that and is too weake to enter into such sufferings in the Anger of God therefore hath Grace put this Cup also into him that he might drink of Christs victory and Prophesie or Divine of Christs suffering and Death and make them knowne 45. But Gods righteousnesse which now requireth Man to be in the processe of Christ viz. in Christs Sufferings and Death and yet findeth him not alwayes in his Conversation and Will therein accuseth him for a Theefe who carrieth the Cup of Christs Crosse but as a Theefe in the Sack of his Lifes Essences and chargeth him of Theft if he walke otherwise then in the Processe and Imitation of Christ. 46. For Christ hath received Man into his Sufferings and Death and turned away the righteousnesse of Gods Anger and introduced him
Ens and have taken possession of the will and made it substantiall this Serpents craft doth then hold and entertaine the fame in the Devills murthering Fort as a fine adorned pleasant q q q Text Kittling brat as the Serpent lying on the Tree spake very pleasingly and takingly with Eve untill it could by its friendly intercouse catch her in the desire even so likewise the false crafty conceived Serpents word which proceedeth from the false heart doth hold forth it selfe as a very lovely Eloquent perswasive Syrene and calls it selfe holy till it can discover mans desire set open for it there it layes open its very heart and entreth in to the desire of him and maketh it selfe a place to worke and re-procreate its like 18. Hence now doe come the false close backbiters tale-bearers perverters and wrong interpreters of other mens sayings secret lyars who are very faire before and behinde are a Serpent Revilers and foule mouthed slanderers who take away a mans good Name from him and in this false smooth and well-coloured and adorned Serpents property the Devill hath his Counsell Chamber his schoole where he learneth the children of Eve his Art viz. jugling delusions foppery pride Covetousness Envy Anger and all vices and abominations proceeding from the Abysse of the darke worlds property 19. Thus the Devill ruleth man in Body and Soule by the crafty Essence of the Serpent and worketh abomination with abomination iniquity with iniquity Sin with Sin and this is even the first Originall of Actuall Sin that Eve and Adam did introduce the Serpents crafty Essence which the Devill had infected into their will and desire and so made themselves forthwith Monstrous in the Serpent where upon the darke worlds Essence did awake in them that so soon as this was brought to passe the will did imagine into this monstrous property and formed it selfe into a Substantiall word 20. Even thus the word was now also manifest in man in the property of Gods Anger viz. in the darke worlds Ens and thus man doth now speake lies and truth for there is a twofold Ens in him viz. one from the darke world awakened and stirred up by the desire of the Serpent and Devill and one from the Heavenly limus which is now stirring in man wherein the free will taketh the word that is whence it doth generate a fruit out of the divine Expressed and formed word which is againe received of the likenesse either in heaven or hell that is in the darkness or light 21. For the two worlds are in each other as one the wicked formeth and maketh for God a good word in his wrath unto Death viz. unto the sting of Death and Hell and the holy man formeth and maketh to God out of his good Ens a good word unto the holy life and Operation as the Scripture speaketh very clearely the holy is to God a sweet savour unto life and the wicked a sweet savour unto death viz. to the darke world 22. Now every man is a creatour or framer of his words powers and Doings that which he maketh and frameth out of his free will the same is received as a worke of the manifested word into each properties likeness 23. For Gods word is also manifest in the darke world but onely according to its property as the Scripture saith such as the people is such a God they also have Gods word is manifest in all things in each thing according to its Ens whence the free will proceedeth the free will is the creatour or maker whereby the creature maketh formeth and worketh in the r r r Or revealed manifested Word 24. There is no hearb or thing whatsoever that can be named wherein there lieth not an Ens from the manifested Word of God an Ens both according to Gods Love and Anger according to the dark and light world for this visible world was breathed forth out of this same Word now each Ens of the forth-breathed Word hath a free will againe to breath forth out of its Ens a s s s It s owne likenesse likenesse according to it selfe 25. But this is now the Greatest Evill that the Ens in its Centre is departed out of the likenesse and harmony of the property into an Elevation viz. out of one onely Ens into many entities into many properties of which the Devill being an Hierarch of the place of this world and also the Curse of God upon the Earth is a cause which Curse man stirred up and awakened 26. For now an evill Ens which is from the Awakened property doth t t t Text or is borne carried in c. infuse it selfe into a good vessell and corrupteth the vessell whence the free will should u u u Or create draw from a good property but the evill doth mix it selfe into the good and both come forth againe in the formed Word into a Substance as an evill man doth oftentimes stir up an evill word and worke in a good man which he never before conceived or purposed in his will 27. For the Anger is become stirring or quick in the humane Ens and adhereth to the good Ens and the will of the fire-soule is free it x x x Formeth createth or draweth forth conceiveth as soone in the Ens of anger as in the Ens of Love nay in many a one the Love-Ens is wholly impotent and as 't were dead or extinct He worketh onely from the craftinesse of the Serpent fruit unto Gods Anger and though his mouth doth flatter in the Serpents craft and make a devout shew of the holy Word and sets forth it selfe as an Angell yet it is onely the Ens and forme of the crafty Serpent in the light of the earthly nature and the man deceiveth himselfe 28. Therefore Christ saith unlesse that ye be converted and become as children ye cannot see the Kingdome of God the free will must wholly goe out from the Ens of the Serpent and enter againe in the Spirit of Christ into its heavenly Ens which did disappeare in Adam and againe awaken and stir up this Ens in the hunger of its desire that it also may be againe awakened and borne unto a living Ens in the new Regenerated Word in the humanity of Christ and which did araise and powerfully quicken it selfe in the great Love-property in the mans property in the person of Christ where also the free will becomes a new innocent childe and neither willeth nor letteth in the Serpents Craft otherwise the free will cannot forme and manifest Gods holy Word in it selfe the free will must draw onely out of the good Ens if it will worke and live in the holy Word 29. Now understand aright our writing concerning the Serpents Craft and it s Adorned Art and false vertue I say understand our very profound and high meaning opened out of the Counsell of God thus The Serpents Ens and Originall was a virgin of
of these Serpentine wolvish Pharisees and also of the verball Titular Christendome 16. As the false Serpents-child is a monster and fool before the Angelicall world so likewise the children of darknesse doe account and esteeme the children of the light for fooles for there must be a contrary that the one might be manifest in the other if the Anger had not taken hold of the humanity and devoured it into it selfe then the deepest Love of God would not have been manifest in Man 17. But thus the Love taketh Cause by the Anger to overpower and prevaile over the same with its motion and manifestation as the same may be known in Christ the true Son of God gave himselfe into our Image which was awaked in the Anger that so he might be made manifest with his Love in the Anger and change the same into joy 18. Christ gave our humane Image to the Anger of his father to be devoured in death and brought his life into death and yet manifested his Love in the life which death had devoured and brought forth the life in Love through the death as a Grain of corn which is sown into the earth the same must dye in the earth but out of that mortifyed grain growes a fair new body even so the corrupt body of Adam shall and must be offered to death and the Anger and out of the Death and Anger the body of the divine Love shall be manifest 19. It was exactly Typified and prefigured in Cain and Abel how it would be in the Succeeding and future generations being Abel outwardly did beare the Earthly Image and yet in the Spirit he was an Image of heaven his outward body in the Corruption was onely a e e e Text Larva or strange disguâ—sed person visard before the outward world for there was another Spirit hidden therein which was not of the outward worlds Essence and property therefore because he was not wholly a right childe of the earthly world it would not suffer him being as a strange childe in it for the Devill was Prince in the wrathfull Essence in this world who would not that a childe of the light should spring forth through the wrathfull Essence and be in his Garden 20. Thus the Image or person of Cain and Abel is a true figure of the false and then also of the holy and true children of God of the outward Sinfull corrupt and mortall Man and of the inward now regenerate holy man when Christ with his Love-Kingdome ariseth from death out of the disappeared Ens then Adams earthly Image must dye in Christs death and if it now be that the outward body must yet live it is onely a scorne and foole before the Heavens Image and so also before the naturall f f f All naturall men life of this world 21. For so soon as Christ is borne the Sinfull life is condemned to death and standeth in scorne and open shame before all the false children in the Anger of God as an whore in g g g At the house of correction or whipt through the streets Bridewell whom other whores likewise help to deride and scoffe at and yet they doe but onely judge and condemn themselves thereby for if Christ be born then the judgement passeth upon the false beastiall life and that man must stand in the judgement of God as a malefactour and be termed a foole a Heretick and be jeered scoffed and reviled yea even utterly defyed and slaine that the Monster may be judged before Gods Anger but those that doe it are the children of the lusty pampered and well-fatned Anger of God whom the wrath of God useth for its Instrument for God is a Spirit therefore he accomplisheth his judgement by a materiall h h h By some outward substantiall meanes or Persons Image 22. For so soon as Abell did in his Offring put on or attract the Love of God in the Covenant anew into his humane desire and comprehended or amassed the same into his Essence then forthwith the judgement passed upon the externall mortall Man and Gods Sword of Anger tooke him which Cain executed and slew the outward body of Abel and at this time also the judgement passed upon the false Image of the Anger in Cain for he stood there and cryed My Sins are greater then can be forgiven me 23. This doth now hint and point at the figure of Christ how the Anger of the Father must i i i Or swallow up devoure the life of Christ in death and when as the Anger had devoured the life in death then the holy life of the deepest Love of God moved it selfe in the death and the Anger and devoured the death and anger into it selfe whereat the Earth trembled and the Rocks clove asunder and the Graves of the Saints opened 24. And so likewise the Love-fire k k k Good and evill now mixed and in contest one with the other and the Anger-fire in the place of this world which wrathfull fire was enkindled in the Creation when the Apostate Lucifer fell shall at the Last Day be again changed into the Divine joyfulnesse and be Avalled or swallowed up in the Love understand it shall be thus in the third Principle where Love and anger doe strive this Time one with anorher but l l l Lucifer HE remaineth in the darknesse in the first Principle 25. The true Cause wherefore Cain murthered Abel was by reason of their Offrings and worship of God viz. Religion as this Contention continueth still to this day the Cainicall Church is not yet one with the Abelicall 26. Now saith reason I see it well enough that all contention and strife ariseth from Religion but what is the ground and most undoubted cause and reason thereof behold this is the Cause set before thee the false Serpents childe which is Evill and good and then set before thee the virgins-childe borne of Christ and then thou hast the fundamentall Cause exactly drawn to the life before thine eyes 27. The Cainicall Church drives a suttle Trade with externall Ceremonies and will appease God with some externall thing or other it will be outwardly an accepted and adopted child it must down right be called honest godly holy and heavenly it adorneth and trimmeth up it selfe very finely and standeth mightly upon its Calling which it hath it selfe Ordained and Instituted it makes a very specious and Renowned shew in the white sheepes cloathing and therein lodgeth the High Priest of selfehood without Christs Spirit and rules and masters the worke of the outward letters and whosoever learneth to transpose and compose the same boldly and bravely according to their forme of forged opinions he is an high Priest in their Office and Order he putteth Christs garment of innocency on him for his Cloake and Covert 28. The other party of the confused cainicall Church cryeth out and holdeth forth the Goodly glistering childe to m m m
Makes good merchandise of its religious ceremonies sale for Money and hath bound the Kingdome of Heaven to its Ceremonies and will sell it for Money so that the Man may but fat himselfe in this world under the white Garment of its hypocricie 29. The third party giveth forth that they have so holy an Order that it doth even Sanctifie and save them and they above all others will be esteemed holy 30. The fourth party or Sect will obtaine the Kingdome of God by their n n n Text mouth-cry lip-labour with muchnesse of Speaking Reading Singing Preaching and Hearing and it rebukes censures and reviles all that will not approve of prayse and give diligent attention to its lip-labour and fine conceited long Prating 31. This Party hath cloathed it selfe with the white Garment and set it selfe upon the letter or writings of Gods children and therewith it doth so lustily bestir and lay about it as a Beggar that casteth stones at the Dogs and sometimes hits a * * * Or Evill churlish one sometimes a * * * Or Good quiet one and he that is hit at makes him heare of it and then others fall on pell mell and bite and wurry him and there is a continuall biting tearing confounding reviling reproaching cavilling and jangling about the Letter a meere externall worke whereby men blindely zealous suppose to serve God and obtaine Grace a very Cainicall Offring 32. The Cainicall Church is in the outward world evill and good it buildeth and breaketh down and is onely a figure o o o Or according to of Gods Love and Anger what one party buildeth and calleth holy that another pulleth down and revileth with one mouth it buildeth and with another it teareth down what One hypocrite praiseth that another dispraiseth and thus there is onely a Confused shattered Babylon Evill and Good a wonder of nature and time 33. All these run on in their selfe-contrived and devised Orders and rely upon their received Orders and so they offer the Letter of the word and the worke of their own hands before God and will needs be outwardly adopted and accepted children before God God must have respect unto their Offring and forgive them their Sins by a word speaking as a Lord out of favour and clemency freely gives a malefactour his life such an unmeasurable matchless heap of Grace they have brought into their literall Offerings and into the workes of their hands so that their Teaching and the hearing of them is accounted for the most holy way wherein salvation is to be had and whosoever doth not worship and honour this their way with exceeding diligence and subject himselfe thereunto him they reproach persecute and kill or else hold him for an Heretick 34. But Abels children in Christ have far another worship and Service of God they dwell indeed among Cains children and doe also appeare in their Orders and Offrings they Offer to God a broken and bruised heart and an humble Contrite minde in true Sorrow for and Conversion from their committed Sins and with their Spirituall will doe goe out from and forsake all their creature-selfefullnesse and selfish interests and arrogation and dye to their selfehood in the Death of Christ and become as children who neither know nor will any thing but onely their mother which hath brought them forth they cast their selves into her bosome and they take in Patience whatsoever she pleaseth to doe with them 35. For their internall will is quite mortified to the outward world with all its glozing shew and alluring glory they account themselves very unworthy before the great Grace of God and their vanity which the flesh desireth is alwayes in their sight and to this the inward spirituall will is a deadly opposite Enemy and yet it cannot be wholly separated from it in this life-time their whole course through this world is a meere work of Repentance for their Sins and Impurity doe appeare continually in their Sight 36. There is a continuall and constant Combate in them of the flesh in the earthly desire against the divine desire and of the divine desire against the lust of the earthly flesh for the divine desire doth * * * Betake amasse it selfe into Gods Grace and Mercy and brings it selfe into a Centre of a working life and penetrates through the earthly false lustfull life and striketh the false lust and Imagination down and then the false Imagination falls into great Sadnesse when as it contemplates and beholds the voluptuous pompous stately brave glistering Course of this world and findes it selfe so mean and foolish that it must forsake and forgoe that wherein it might have its chief joy pleasure and delight 37. Also the Devill he cometh forthwith with his temptation and bringeth his desire into the false Imagination and shewes him the fair Kingdome of the world and rebuketh his Intent as a false Phancy and meere conjecture stirreth up the crew of the wicked against him who scorne jeere reproach and contemn him and then sometimes the Sprackling glimps and divine desire doth even lose it selfe for Christ viz. the virgins-childe in the Spirit of Christ is lead into the wildernesse and is tempted of the Devill and of the Anger of God and also of the Carnall worlds spirit and oftentimes the Spirit of Christ doth hide it selfe as if the virgins-childe were quite gone and past Hopes also the Devill makes his addresse thereto and brings him into Doubt as if the virgins childe were not borne 38. For the virgins childe is hidden in the Desart and then the poore captivated Soule is in great Sorrow and lamentation sigheth and cryeth to God also it cannot love or away with the beastiall Image but it doth stir up it selfe as a great assaulting Storme in the Body and seeketh the Gates of the deep in its Originall and forceth with might or holy violence into that word which hath formed it to be a creature and diveth it selfe thereinto as an Impotent will-lesse childe and desireth its first mother whence the first Soule was born for its Nurse and makes it selfe wholly will-lesse in this mother and lyeth onely at her Breasts and sucketh her Love and grace into it the mother may doe with it what she please this is the true meaning and the right manner of dying to selfehood and selfefull Imagination and lust in ones selfe and becoming as to the will of the Soule as a childe in ones selfe as Christ saith unlesse yee be converted and become as children yee can in no wise see the Kingdome of God selfe and selfefull Reason in the lust of the flesh can neither taste or see it 39. From this mortification of the Selfefull will and earnest Resignation into Gods mercy the virgins-childe doth again Spring forth out of the Desart with its faire and glorious Pearl-blooming Tree with very excellent and new fruit for so it must be tryed in the fire of Gods Anger that the Abomination of the
wives according as they listed and would not suffer the Spirit of God to reprove and admonish them 13. The meaning of it is this the children of God in whom the Spirit of God did manifest it selfe looked in the lust of the flesh after fleshly Women although they were of the Generation and linage of Ham without Gods Spirit yet if they were but faire and beautifull for their lust of the flesh they introduced the Seed of the holy Ens into such beastiall vessells and afterward brought forth such * * * Giants Tyrants and fleshly minded men who woud not suffer the Spirit of God to rebuke them for they were onely flesh without divine Spirit and will 14. They should not have mixed themselves with the beastiall Daughters but looke after those in whom the Spirit of God was even those who feared and loved God but they looked onely at the lust of their eyes and flesh and corrupted the holy Ens in the Covenant in which God had * * * Incorporated espoused and betrothed himselfe against these the Spirit heere complaineth that they would not be instructed and reformed but follow the lust of the flesh 15. We see this very emphatically set forth unto us in Sem Ham and Japhet that it is so that the Spirit would not that the children of God should mix themselves with the very carnall or beastiall People for after the Deluge the Spirit divideth the three brethren into three Families and would that each family should remaine apart by it selfe 16. For therefore came the Deluge upon the Earth and destroyed these mixed people and afterwards made a Separation amongst them according to the Nature of the Three Principles that each property might possesse its Quire and line in the Nature of the Wonders but yet it would not doe so that at last the Spirit divides them with the Confusion of the Languages at Babel that so they might come into a Severall division for the properties of the Tree did there divide and spread forth themselves into Seventy and seven viz. into the Wonder of the Nature of the formed Word Vers. 5 6. 17. Now saith Moses And the Lord saw that the wickednesse of man was great upon the Earth and that all their Thoughts and Imaginations in their Hearts were onely Evill continually then it repented God that he had made man on the Earth and it grieved him at his very heart and said I will destroy man which I have created from off the face of the Earth both man and Beast and creeping thing and all the fowles of the aire for iâ— repenteth mee that I have made them these are marvellous and wonderfull sayings that the Spirit saith it repented God that he had made man and the creatures who would understand this without divine knowledge that any thing should grieve the unchangeable God Reason would be ready to say hath he not knowne aforehand what would be how can his will which is himselfe grieve and repent 18. Here we must goe into the Centre In God there is no grieving or Repentance Nothing can grieve or trouble him but there is a grieving in his expressed formed Word for it repenteth the formed word in the Devills that the Ens of Light is turned into an Ens of Darknesse it grieveth the Devill that he did not continue an Angel also it repenteth the wicked man eternally that he stood not in the divine Ens in the formed word and hath turned the power of the word into malice and iniquity also there is a grieving in the formed word in Nature over all kindes of creatures that the property of the wrath in the Curse of the Anger doth rule and domineere in the formed expressed Word it grieveth the Love-Ens of the word that the Devill and wrath domineereth in it and corrupteth and destroyeth many 19. Now when God saith it repenteth him It is to be understood according to the creation of the formed word not according to the Eternall Speaking word which is unchangeable but according to the Good property in the creation that it must be laden with Evill against its will for the Spirit saith in Moses and it grieved him in his heart yea it did truly grieve or trouble him in his HEART the good Ens of the Earth which went also along with it into a compaction which is from the spirituall worlds property from the holy word the same was in the Sin or fall of man captivated in Death and shut up in the Curse in the Earth now the formed word grieved at it and troubled or affected the Eternall Speaking word viz. Gods Heart 20. For our Soul cryeth unto Gods heart viz. unto the Eternall Speaking Word and moveth troubleth or affecteth the same that it should move it selfe in us according to its Love Now the humane word worketh in the divine and stirreth the divine so that the divine word entreth into our Sorrow for Sin and helpeth us to repent of our Sins for the Spirit in Moses said when Lamech had begotten Noah this same shall comfort us in our Labour 21. This was now the Spirit of the beginning and End of all things it repented through nature of the iniquity of man and grieved at the captivity of the vanity of the creatures and wrought Repentance into the holy Eternall Speaking word the Spirit in the formed word of the whole creation of this world said It grieveth mee that I have brought me into such an Evill property in the creatures And wrought Repentance into the living Eternall Speaking word from whence the out-breathed formed vvord was flown forth and proceeded 22. For That this is so Note let us take an example on our repentance we cannot work any Repentance unlesse our inward humane Soule doth repent that it hath made formed or brought forth the Beast of vanity in it selfe but if it will repent then its formed Word must enter or make its earnest approach into the Heart of God and presse the same with an uncessant importunity and move in it and now when this comes to passe then presently the deluge cometh upon the evill man of the vaine will which must forthwith be drowned in its Sorrow in the word of Death Here then God repenteth in man that the Evill beast full of Sinfull desire is born and in this same divine Sorrow it must be drowned in Gods Love and die unto the wrathfull evill life and will 23. Now understand Gods Sorrow or repentance in the Creature of the Creatures aright The Spirit in the whole creation even in every life which moveth in the fire and aire said it grieveth mee that I have figured this Image of vanity on me and this Sorrow of the formed Spirit in the expressed Word grieved that is moved the Eternall Speaking word in it then said the Eternall word I will yet give them an hundred and twenty yeares respit for even so long the time in the Dominion or Government of Seths
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
Moses and the Prophets have spoken in the Spirit 30. He must not be so blind as to look upon it as the Jewes and Babel doe who make onely of this History Conclusions of reason in respect of the Election of God as if God had thus onely chosen to himselfe a sundry and peculiar Nation or sort of people to be his children the Election of God passeth upon the figure onely shewing what people should bear the figure of the inward kingdome of Christ in the outward in which people God would set forth and manifest the kingdome of Christ externally the Jewes have had onely a mirror and type hereof externally and so likewise the Christians who looked upon Christ in the flesh as a meer pure man 31. These figures have remained very speechless to the world even to this last time and that from the purpose of God being man is such a piece of meer vanity and flesh and so soon weary of the Pearls and afterwards comes to trample them under-foot Therefore God hath dealt with man in Types and Parables as Christ also did when he came upon the earth He spake all these mysteries in Parables for mans unworthiness sake 32. But now at present there is Great Cause as all the Prophets have prophecied thereof that the same should be made manifest and the Cause is this that in this Last Trumpets Sound the * * * Rev. 10.7 mystery of the kingdome of God shall be finished and the bride of Christ viz. the wise virgins shall be prepared who shall meet the Lord in his Appearance and it betokens the day of Christs Coming when he will appear with the holy Citie the New Jerusalem and bring home his Bride Therefore the mystery of the Kingdome of God must first be unfolded and explained out of its Types and become wholly manifest 33. And this will be the fall of the fleshly Sinfull man in that the man of Sin must be made manifest as Saint Paul plainly prophecieth thereof * * * 2 Thess. 2.3 that the child of perdition shal be revealed to all Nations speeches tongues and the Beast with the whore shall go into the bottomless pit that is when the Kingdome of Christ becomes wholly manifest then the Beast and the whore of flesh viz. the false Bond-woman with her scoffing Son stands in great shame and is Judged of Every one as an whore in the Cage that Every one scornes and scoffs at 34. As indeed hitherto men have reviled Christ in the outward Image of Simplicity in his children and members in which Reason hath seen and known no more then Hagar and Ismael in their miserable banishment under which notwithstanding the voice of the Angel hath been which they have scorned and mocked in the foolish plain simplicity under the vail and have set up the mocker Ismael in Christs stead which hath been onely an Antichrist Now this mocker and Antichrist shall be revealed under this Trumpetts Sound and be cast out * * * Or by of the children of God into the * * * â—â—te Abysse this Babel shall see in a short time Declareth the Spirit of the wonders of God 35. We see all an excellent figure of this in Abimilech that when God will manifest himselfe to a people how he terrifies them in the midst of their Sins and appeareth to them in Anger as to Abimilech in the vision and to Moses in the bush of fire and also to Israel upon the Mount Sinai also in the fire and also to Elias in the fire and winde where allwaies the rebuke of Gods wrath is fore-signified how God doth bruise the hearts of men that they may feare and tremble before him as here Abimilech when the Lord appeared to him by night in a vision and threatned him by reason of Sarah he was astonished and told the same in the eares of his people and the people were sore afraid and Abimilech called Abraham and made a Covenant with him 36. This is an excellent figure and pregnantly intimates how God terrifieth the Enemies and comforts poor dejected nature when it quails for fear and turnes its fear into Joy and how the miserable and afflicted if he be honest is at last drawn out of misery and affliction and how at last his Enemies who before he thought to be his Enemies must serve him and advance him so wonderfully doth God lead his children if they do but endure Temptation and continue under the Cross of Christ in humility and not look upon Selfe-revenge but put on Patience in hope and persevere stedfast in the faith at last all a mans adversaries must see and acknowledge that God is with the man and that the world hath dealt wrongfully and unrighteously with him 37. Also this is an excellent emphaticall figure how Abraham when God would punish Abimilech did pray unto God for Abimilech and made reconciliation that God did bless Abimilech and this whole Hystory stands in the figure of Christ and holds forth how Adam and Christ are together how Christ is come into the Selfe-assumed Kingly own-hood or selfeness of man and terrifieth Sin and Death and how the poor corrupt nature doth turn it selfe in the horror and acknowledgement of Sin to God as here Abimilech turned unto Abraham and how it then giveth the kingdome of nature for a possession unto Christ and the inward figure in the Spirit of Moses who was the Type and figure of Christ who yet pointeth out of the Fathers property upon the Son in the flesh viz. in the humanity can be understood no otherwise then even thus It is the true Ground CHAP. XLVII Of the Covenant of Abimilech and Abraham shewing what the same is in the spirituall figure and what the Spirit in Moses under his vail doth here point at A very pretious and excellent Gate to the Children of God in Beer-sheba 1. COurteous and friendly Reader know that if a man should write many hundred Bookes of the history of Abraham yet he could not sufficiently express the abundant richness which lyeth hid under this figure but we will afford a little Service to the children of God in their weakness and somewhat unvail this figure being otherwise it is not to be understood by the naturall man and yet the Lord doth thus lead us in Grace to the understanding thereof therefore I shall here lend and give him the hand thereto observe it well there is couched under it a peerless matchless Pearl which shall here stand open and yet also continue hidden which cannot be purchased with the goods of the whole world it is hidden unto Reason The outward figure in the Text of Moses stands thus 2. And it came to passe at that time that Abimilech Gen. XXI v. 22. to the last verse being 34. and Pichol the chief Captain of his host spake unto Abraham saying God is with thee in all that thou doest Now therefore Sweare unto me here by God that thou
of the outward life these must go with Isaac that is with Christ in the old Abraham that is Adam to the offering of God and Abraham that is the man Adam in his children must himselfe cleave the wood upon which the offering must be burnt that is when he confesseth Christ then he cleaves the hearts of the wicked who run with him to the death and the Offering of God for Adam in his humanity clave Gods Love and Anger and now also Abraham must cleave the wood for the offering for Christ should also cleave death and life asunder and offer up himselfe upon the cloven wood of death and life unto Gods Anger 10. And on the third day Abraham lift up his eyes Gen. 22.4 and saw the place a far off Heere the Spirit pointeth at the sleep of Adam wherein he slept to the Angelicall world and on the third day after his falling asleep when as now the woman was made out of him and the fall effected he saw Christ viz. the place of God in the Covenant a far off also herein is included the Resurrection of Christ on the third day where he saw his place where he would and should offer and give up man to God his Father viz. the last Judgement and the finall offering a far off also it signifieth that Abraham in the Spirit saw the offering of Christ a far off viz. above 2000 yeares then to come And that the Spirit saith Abraham lifted up his eyes on the third day and saw the place is nothing else but that Christ did again lift up on the third day our humane eyes out of the Grave from the dead unto God and also that it was yet a far off in the dayes of Abraham thus the Spirit doth allude with the outward figure at that which was and is to come Gen. 22.5 11. And Abraham said unto the two young men which he took with him Abide you here with the Asse and I and the Lad will go yonder and worship and come again to you The figure of it internally stands thus The two young men must tarry there with the Ass and not go at this time unto the offering onely Abraham and Isaac must perform that that is we poor children of Eve must abide with the first and third Principle of our life this our time with the Ass viz. with the outward Body here in this world but Christ in Isaac and Abraham in Adam must go forth to the offering that is Christ stood in Abrahams viz. Adams Person and also in his heavenly humanity who should onely go and offer up the offering of his Body to the Anger-fire of his Father and worship for us unto God his Father therefore he said he would go yonder that is when he should offer up his life he would go yonder that is to God and worship for us unto God 12. This points at his Ascention according to the humanity when he had finished the Sacrifice he went * * * Yonder or to that place thither and worshipped in our assumed humanity unto God his Father that is our assumed Soul in divine power and property doth pray and intercede for our weaknesses and ignorances unto and before God Therefore saith Abraham we will go yonder and worship that is we God and Man and when we have worshipped we will come again to you that is we poor children of Eve must in the mean while tarry with the Asâ— untill the time of its offring and Prayer be out and then he comes again unto us when we have finished the course of the outward Asinine life 13. Also it intimates very pregnantly that he when the Time of the Offering in Prayer is out will certainly come again unto us from the place whither he is gon and dwell visibly with the creaturall humanity among us as the two Angels said unto the men of Israel * * * Note Jesuses comming again Act. 1.11 Yee shal see this Jesus come again in like manner as he is ascended which time is now neer and his voice to prepare the bride hath already sounded and therefore hold not this for an uncertain fiction the Morning Star and Messenger of the Annunciation is Appeared Gen. 22.6 14. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and laid it upon Isaac his Son and he took the fire in his hand and the knife and they went both of them together The inward figure stands thus Adam had divided and rent asunder Gods Love and Anger in himselfe and brought himselfe with the creaturall life into the Anger which had amassed the earthly vanity to it selfe now the Spirit of Moses doth here point at this figure how Christ should take our introduced Sin upon himselfe and carry it to the burnt-offering 15. And Abraham took the knife and fire Abraham denoteth Adam who took the fire of Gods Anger into himselfe and the knife signifieth Death that Christ should be killed and offered up in Abrahams that is in Adams Anger-fire to the Father and it clearly denotes that Abraham that is Adam should do it to Christ for Christ should be offered up of man being the man Adam had taken on himselfe the fuell viz. the Sin for the offering therefore also man viz. the Jewes must offer it up to the Anger of God that so man might be Atoned by man understand by the humanity of Christ. 16. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father and said My Father Gen. 22.7 8. and Abraham answered here am I my Son and he said lo here is the fire and the wood but where is the Lamb for the burnt-offring And Abraham said my Son God will provide himselfe a Lamb for the burnt-offring and so they went both of them together The pretious figure is thus The Spirit here playeth in Christs person who was come in great humility into Adams humanity and presents himselfe to his father in Adams essence with his heavenly humanity and saith behold my father here I have taken on me the Sin and death in the humanity here is now the fire of thy Anger viz. the divided life's formes of mans property Selfehood and own will in this now I have the fuell wherein thy fire of Anger burneth here now I have the wood viz. the Sins of all men and also thy fire to the offering where is now the * * * Sheep Lamb viz. the Patient Lamb which shall be offered up in this fire and Abraham answered from his strong faiths Ens God will provide himselfe a Lamb for the burnt-offering and they went both of them together 17. Here Christ doth in Isaac's figure present himselfe in our assumed humanity to his Father and saith where is now the Lamb for the true Peace offering but the faith of Abraham had apprehended the patient Lamb which lay in Isaac viz. the heavenly humanity which God would open in the Ens of faith in our disappeared and also heavenly humanity and said
viz. the free gift of the Father doth dwell in the inward true man which God created in Adam yet the gross Beast viz. the earthliness and vanity shall and trust in every respect be cast away from Christ yea Every man who desireth to be a Christian must cast out the earthly will which longeth and breatheth after vanity and Selfe â—â—st 21. As Abraham in this figure did not spare his owne children but cast them out so likewise a Christian must not spare or forbeare his children viz. his own lust and vaine desire and all whatsoever doth hang or depend thereon but dayly and hourely cast them out by the understanding out of the true Temple of Christ viz. out of Gods free gift and crucifie the old Adam else if it be not thus effected the old selfe-willed Adam crucifyeth Christ in him and so Christ indeed must hang on the Cross and be putt to death 22. And this figure also Concerning Abraham's casting out his naturall children doth signifie that when Christ viz. the true Isaac came into the flesh viz. into the humanity Abrahams naturall children viz. the Jewes should under the kingdome of Christ be cast out from the naturall goods viz. from all Dominion from Countrey and Kingdome and their Rule and Dominion should cease for the Dominion belongs onely unto Christ viz. to Christendom for Christ brought an Eternall Kingdome with him the goods were all his as Abrahams goods belonged to Isaac 23. And although it hath not dominion over all as Isaac had possession and rule of that onely which his father left him for the naturall children of Abraham born of Kethura became afterwards heathen and ruled over the outward goods as children of the outward nature yet Abrahams children who were in the Covenant under Circumcision must when Christ did manifest himselfe be cast out to signifie that the earthly man also viz. Selfe in the Serpents Ens which is on the children of the Covenant must be cast away from God 24. Thus in Abraham and his Son Isaac the figure of the Kingdome of Christ was represented but when Christ came into the flesh God putt away the figure and took from the externall children of Isaac the outward goods of the Land Canaan to intimate that now the holy Land of Canaan is become manifest where Isaac's children shall take possession of the true promised inheritance in Christ and no longer have the figure onely but the Essence of the figure viz. the perfect substance and now forsake the outward goods with the figure and putt on Christ in the flesh 25. But that the Jewes viz. Isaac's and Abrahams children viz. the children in Christs figure did not all turn unto Christ when he did manifest himselfe in the flesh hath this meaning God gave them the law of nature where in the law the Government of nature was understood externally and internally Christ viz. the Covenant and the promised free gift of God in Paradise so that the law of nature was to be Christs Sojourner and the true man also was to live under the law of nature in a * * * Note Right rationality and yet bring his own nature into Christs house and thus the figure of the law must continue among some of Abrahams children viz. amongst some of the Jewes to signifie that the law is Christs Sojourner 26. Understand that the nature of man shall remain for it is not so rejected of God as if clean another new man should arise out of the old but the new man shall arise out of Adam's nature and property and out of Gods in Christs nature and property so that man is become an Adam-Christ and Christ a Christ-Adam a Man-God and a God-Man and therefore the figure continued still among the Jewes and for this cause they were not all converted to Christ that so nature might keep its figure and due right for it shall deliver up its children under the Law viz. the figure of Christ to God the Father in Christ but its figure shall be proved in the fire of God so that it shall be known who hath been the true child of the naturall Law in the figure of Christ that hath been born in the spirit in the law out of the figure of Christ and who hath not 27. It is not hee that hath the words and Title of the law that is a Jew born in the figure and in the law but he who is born of the promise in Abrahams faith he that liveth in the figure of Christ viz. in the law in profession and practice with mouth and heart the same the law of God in Christs figure hath comprehended and will bring him into the fullfilling of the figure 28. For it doth not onely depend on mans knowing that Christ hath given himselfe into the law and is become the fullfilling in the law as the Titular Christian boasteth but it depends on Gods * * * Ordinance Order on the mercy of God whosoever hath been a true Jew and hath put on Abrahams faith in the law he hath putt on the Ens of Christ which Abraham conceived or apprehended which Ens of faith the humanity of Christ hath fullfilled and it is hidden to him what it is for he worketh in the office of nature in the law of God which Christ hath taken into himselfe and fullfilled so that he serveth God in the office of nature and the Office of nature serveth Christ for it is become Christs own propriety 29. For unto him all power is given both in heaven and on earth Matth. 28. under which power the office of nature also is in the law for God in the spirit of Christ is Even the selfe same who gave the law and the office of nature to do Righteousness together with the figure of the kingdome of Christ with the Ens of faith to Abraham and Moses and he is also the very same who fullfilled the Faith and the law 30. Thus the Jew worketh in his faith in Christs office viz. in the Law wherewith Christ governeth in nature and hath putt on Christ in the Covenant and in the Ens of faith in Christs figure which Christ hath fullfied 31. For the Christian who confesseth Christ in the flesh worketh in his Faith in the flesh of Christ and hath the Law of nature viz. Gods officer to do uprightly in his faith for Christ ruleth in the Law of God which he hath fullfilled and made a Servant in his children and killeth the law of Sin through the fullfilling of his Love in his bloud and death both in them who live in the dominion of his Law and also in them who live in the dominion of his Conquest as the Christians do 32. For the faith which presseth or cometh in unto God in the law in the figure in the Covenant the same cometh unto God in the Ens of Abrahams faith out of which Christ was born and he that cometh in unto God in the fullfilling of the
and V for the S is the character of the holy fire and the V is the character of the efflux issuing forth or Emanation out of the fire 43. Thus the Name Jacob was in the fullness of time in the Ens of Mary changed into the Name Jesus which understanding hath been as dumb and dead both to the Jewes and Christians being no Nation doth any more understand its own language and contend onely about the Compaction of the formed nature of the outward name and understanding the Mentall Tongue none will learn to understand how the same hath formed imprinted and * * * Modelized Ideafied it selfe in the words and Names in the sensuall tongue and yet the whole understanding lyeth therein without opinions if we were not so very blind and shut up in ignorance suffering selfe in pride to rule and govern us we should soon attain to the deepest understanding but the Antichrist beareth the supremacy therefore Esau onely ruleth in the understanding Gen. 25.27 28. 44. And Moses saith further And when the children were grown up Esau was a cunning Hunter and a man of the field and Jacob was a * * * Honest. plain man and dwelt in Tents and Isaac loved Esau and loved to eat of his venison but Rebecca loved Jacob. O thou wonderfull God how very simply and plainly are the greatest Mysteries typifyed and deciphered who can be able to understand without thy Spirit from whence it was that the pretious man Isaac in the Type of Christ loved the naturall man in Adams corrupt Image Esau more then Jacob in the Type of Christ in his figure if thou hadst not in thy knowledge vouchsafed mee to understand the same I must be here even stark blind but it is thy Counsell O Lord that we know thee and thy time is born that thou revealest the Secrets 45. Moses saith that Esau was an hunter and a man of the field and the Father loved to eat of his venison and loved him above Jacob here stands an externall figure as if Isaac loved Esau for his Activeness cunning skill or worldly exercise and loved him more then Jacob so wholly hath the Lord the heart of the wise and of his children in his hand that his children must not in their will doe what they please and oftentimes well understand but what God wills 46. Also we herein see how oftentimes God withdrawes the Mysteries from the most holy that they must be even children in them and although they beare the divine play in their Hands and t is their work and exercise yet they must have a child-like Heart in the understanding thereof as it may be seen here in Isaac 47. He loved Esau more then Jacob why so the Ens of Christ lay in him which ruled him for Christ should love his Enemies viz. the corrupt Esau and his naturall children him he loved more then his divine nature for he brought his divine nature into the death of the corrupt Adam and loved * * * Not his sin in the nature but his poor undon nature by sin which he by death freed from sin and death Adams corrupted nature more then his holy Ens which he for mans corrupt natures sake gave into the fire of Gods Anger that so he might redeem it in his Love of this Isaac was here a figure in the Image of Christ who loved his Hunter in his Evill nature more then Jacob he did not love his iniquity but his child-like nature to which he would do much good as Christ loved us in our Adamicall nature and did us good he did not Love us according to the will of Sin in us as Isaac also did not therein Love his Son Esau but according to the Fathers nature and property according to the child-like filial nature The inward figure stands thus 48. When Isaac intreated the Lord that his Rebecca might conceive his naturall desire with the * * * Earnest longing lubet of the divine Ens of faith entered into Rebecca whereby Rebecca was opened and so the naturall Love of Isaac which was environed with faith was propagated in his seed and opened it selfe in Esau Isaac's love did not open it selfe in Esau as to his corrupt nature I say not according to the kingdome of the nature of this world but according to the Covenant according to the Second Principle viz. according to Gods kingdome which the externall nature in him had not as yet apprehended as the divine Ens in Abraham did open and manifest it selfe according to the Second Principle and not in the mortall corrupt Adamicall nature of the outward world the like also is here to be understood in the figure in Esau. 49. Not that Esau did receive the Ens of Christ in the Covenant as Jacob but his Fathers Love-desire in which the hidden Covenant stood unmoveable now there was thus a Conjunction with his Fathers naturall Love for Every property loveth its own likeness especially if the likeness be proceeded forth from the Essence or thing Loving as Esau was conceived in Rebecca of his Father through his Love-desire 50. And it even denotes that the divine Ens in Gods Love in Isaac loved the miserable humane nature to redeem it therefore God manifested his Love in Abrahams faith and introduced the same into an Ens so that this same Love which God gave to redeem mankinde should Love the humane nature in its shut up abandoned condition as in very truth the true reall Adamicall nature ordained by God was shut up in Esau and on the contrary the kingdome of the wrath had the outward dominion Now to redeem this the spirit in the Covenant through Isaac's nature Loved his Son Esau viz. the filial nature and not onely because that he was an Hunter of the creatures 51. Yet here also by this Hunter we are even to understand the same as is set down before concerning * * * Gen. 10.9 Nimrod who was a mighty Hunter before the Lord for this whole description of the first book of Moses is Gods Spirits figure type or representation where he * * * Or Sets forth as in a Map playeth with the kingdome of nature and then also with Christs kingdome and he hath so pourtrayed delineated and typifyed the Acts of the holy Patriarchs under his figure that we may clearly see in all the histories the glance or allusion of Gods Spirit how he hath delineated and set forth to the life the kingdome of Christ and the kingdome of nature and also the Devills kingdome in the wrath of the Eternall nature and neither the Jewes or Christians hitherto have had a right understanding of the same which among the Patriarchs was rightly understood in its true meaning 52. But afterwards when their children and posterity gave no heed unto the same but disregarded the true understanding and loved their Evill nature more then the spirit in the Covenant then the understanding was
also that God will not work in the love of our selves in that wee love and honour one another according to fleshly lust worldly honour and Riches where Men flock together associate and love one another according to their Greatnesse State Riches Glory Beauty Bravery and Pleasure of this World 29. But the Spirit of God requireth humble faithfull and sincere love where the soule is resigned up into God and seeketh not its owne pleasure or selfe-love but looketh upon the way of God and joyneth it selfe to the humble children who love God and constantly give him thanks there God manifesteth himselfe and worketh in them that they beare fruit to the Lord. 30. Jacob first served seaven yeares for Rachell which himselfe had chosen in his owne Love yet she was not given to him for the first seaven yeares service but Lea was unknowne to him layd by him Jacob desired Rachel as wages for his service yet seeing the Covenant of the Lord lay in the Line of Christ in him therefore he first received the spirituall wages of the Grace of God 31. For Christ is the wages of Gods children as they must serve their Lord for worldly wages so God first payeth them with his Covenant of Grace and then afterwards they receive also Temporall wages As Jacob must first receive the Gift of God as God appointeth it for him though it went very ill as to Reason afterwards he also received the wages according to his will for which he must serve yet seaven yeares more 32. Which seaven yeares in the inward Ground in this Figure signifie the seaven properties of the Naturall Life which must be given up to the service of God into which God gives himselfe for wages in a co-working power where the seaven formes of Life first help the Lord to beare a spirituall Figure and Image or Type and to manifest the Line of Christ then afterwards that same spirituall forme discovereth also the Naturall forme and beareth a Prince in the Naturall Life in whom God worketh and through whom he ruleth the world as is to be seene by Jacob. 33. He served seaven yeares for Rachell but being he feared God the divine wages viz. the Line of Christ was first given him afterwards God blessed also the humane selfe-Love according to the kingdome of Nature in him so that of Rachel whom he had taken in naturall selfe-Love he begat a Prince and wise Man even Joseph by whom the Spirit of God ruled and made him a Lord and Governour 34. And this figure presents to us that first Christ should be borne in us and so then Christ in us beareth also the Naturall Man with understanding and wisdome and appointeth him to his service in the kingdome of Nature and also in the kingdome of Grace as he did Joseph CHAP. LVIII How Jacob served his * * * Stepfather Father in Law Twenty yeares and begat Twelve Sonnes and One Daughter and how God blessed him that he gat great Riches and how Laban often changed his wages and yet could not hurt him what is to be understood thereby Vpon the 30 Chapter of Genesis 1. WEE see in this History especially Gen. XXX how it goeth with the Children of God in this world how they must live in meere Crosses and adversitie as Jacob did with his wives for * * * Gen. 30.1 when Rachel saw that shee was barren shee envied Lea her sister to signifie that Man 's own Love seeketh not the honour of God but it selfe as now Rachel envied Lea because shee had a Name that God had blessed her and sayd to Jacob * * * Gen. 30.1 Give mee Children also if not I die 2. Where wee see how the wayes of God are quite hidden to Reason although Reason standeth in the figure of the divine wonders as here Rachell which here signifieth the owne Adamicall Nature which desireth of Jacob the lifes power from the blessing of God and if it get not the same it must die which indeed the Spirit of zeale in her desire doth very well signifie according to her inward Ground in the Covenant of God but her Reason understood it not but onely desired Children that shee might be delivered from disgrace but her inward Ground stood hidden and panted through the humane Nature to manifest it selfe in the humane Essence Therefore the inward Ground in the Covenant of Grace signifieth through its own Adamicall Essence that if the inward ground should not be manifested through the humane Essence it must then die Eternally Therefore sayth Reason Give me children or else I die which seemeth outwardly to be an Opposition and discouragement But the Spirit of God hath here its figure under which it hath its signification 3. And then wee see in both these Sisters who yet were Daughters of Gods Covenant in the Promise how the Poyson of the Serpent in the wrath of God in flesh and bloud so vehemently sets against the Line of Christ in the Covenant and alwayes despiseth the same and as a proud Lucifer elevates and puffeth up the Rationall humane ownhood of selfe-will and would have the Dominion 4. As heere Rachel despiseth her sister because shee was outwardly fairer and more beautifull then Lea in that Lea in the sight of the world was simple and bleareyd and Rachell had the Spirit of the world in Reason Elegantly as an Ornament and so the Adamicall Nature in Rachell ruled over the Manifested blessing of the Covenant in Lea to signifie that the Line of Christ in this world would be manifested in a meane simple and despised forme in Men of such like dispositions which Men would by the Reason pomp and beauty of the world be esteemed fooles and bleareyd who in such scorne and disregard would goe away and * * * Psal 125.5 sow in Teares but in their inward Ground in the Line of Christ would beare and at the End reape in Joy to signifie that * * * John 18.36 Christs Kingdome is not of this world that in this world it must be throwne into Gods Anger and disdaine and into death and by this throwing in satiate the Anger of God with Love and Meeknesse and with Love spring forth through the Anger and Death and bring the proud Lucifer in the humane owne will and fleshly Lust to scorne and to nought as an unstable Life which Life cannot overpower the Divine humility 5. Which humility Springeth under all scorne and also breaketh through death and the anger of God and maketh Death to be Life and taketh from Hell the victory and changeth the sting of the false Serpents Essence with sweet Love as we see here by Lea who although shee was envied by her sister as by Reason yet the Line of Christ in the Covenant springeth forth in her under all scorne and maketh her fruitfull and Rachell Barren till shee gave her Mayd to her Husband for a Wife which signifieth the Adamicall viz. the servile Line
Kingdome so also God sets him in his Kingdome and ruleth by him and giveth him his Sealeâ—Ring viz. the humanity and Deity in the Love of Jesus Christ to his soule and causeth him to ride in the second Chariott after him that is where Gods Spirit goeth there alwayes goeth such a Man after it and the Devill Death and Hell dare not touch him any more for thus he getteth power over the Devill Death and Hell and also over his mortall flesh and Bloud as Joseph over the Land of Aegypt 51. And as Joseph quickly withdrew and built the King Granaryes to lay up provisions so also such a Man who according to his inward Ground sitteth in the Kingdome of God buildeth for God his Lord many such Humane Houses viz. Mens soules in which he layes up in store the Divine overplus which God giveth him in Christ Jesus viz. the Divine knowledge and wisdome with good Instruction Doctrine and Life so that his Doctrine spreadeth abroad and multiplieth as sands in the Sea so innumerable spreading branches his Pearle-Plant putteth forth that many hundred thousand soules Eate thereof as of Josephs provision in the Famine 52. And then Potiphars Daughter that is the Daughter of the Priest of ON viz the true Christianity is given him for a Spouse which he is to cherish and Love and * * * Gen. 41.50 begetteth of her these Two Sonnes as alwayes travailing in this way and then they walke with washed hearts as Joseph before the time of the Famine in Aegypt begate of his wife Manasseh and Ephraim and so it was represented to him with these Names how God had in the house of his misâ—ry caused him to grow great and gave him much 53. And then also a childe of God sets open his Chists of Treasure when the famine cometh that the Anger of God sifteth the world as Joseph did his Granaryes and imparted to his fellow Twiggs therewith out of his Chists of Treasure that they perish not in that Famine CHAP. LXIX How this Famine went through all Lands and how Jacob sent his sonnes into the Land of Aegypt for Corne and how they came before Joseph and how he shewed himselfe to them What is thereby to be understood Vpon the 42 of Genesis Gen. XLII THis fowrty second Chapter of Genesis concerning Joseph and his brethren is a figure shewing how such a Converted Christian which hath already entered with Christ into his processe and hath now overcome in the end also forgiveth and rewardeth his Enemies with bounty who have brought him into Christs processe with their persecution and wicked devices and Councell and how also their sinnes are set before them and how they are brought into Anxiety and Necessity and how in the End of Meere Grace they are released from paine and punishment and how God is so gracious to them upon their conversion that he not onely releaseth the punishment but blesseth them with his Gifts and Benefitts as heere Joseph did to his Brethren 2. But then next is also represented in this figure how Earnestly and severely God sheweth himselfe against sinne as heere Joseph against his brethren and yet God is not earnest to punish the repenting sinner according to the sharpest severity but he setts himselfe strictly against the soule in its Conscience that sinne may awake and be acknowledged and that Repentance may be the greater that Man in such terrour may be humbled for sinne and quite depart from sinne and be angry with it and utterly hate it when he knoweth that sinne hath so terrible a Judgement in it The Historie sayth thus 3. * * * Gen. 42.1 2 3 4. But when Jacob saw that there was plenty of Corne in Aegypt he sayd to his sonnes Why doe you looke so long about you behold I heare there is plenty of Corne in Aegypt goe downe thither and buy us Corne that wee may live and not dye Then the †††10 Brethren Ten Brethren of Joseph went downe that they might buy Corne in Aegypt But Jacob would not suffer Josephs brother Benjamin to goe for he sayd some mishap may befall him 4. Now this is a figure first shewing that when Man findeth himselfe in the Divine Anger in this Famine that as to Righteousnesse he is in want as Jacob and his children in the Famine then the Father sayth in the Conscience to the Soule why lingâ—rest thou so long looking about thee Goe downe into Repentance where there is plenty of Righteousnesse in the Death of Christ where Christ giveth righteousnes for and instead of thy sinnes if thou heartily turnest to him And thus the Father bestoweth his will and introduceth it in to the Sinners Repentance and Conversation 5. But Benjamin Josephs Brother that is the humanity of Christ he giveth not to it presently therewith Hee first bestoweth upon it its sinfull Brethren that is He giveth it first his terrours into its Conscience and hideth his Comfort in his Grace viz. the true Benjamin Josephs brother from the * * * Sinfull affections properties of sinnes and sendeth the properties of sinnes viz. those wherein sinnes have been wrought and Committed after Grace to buy this Corne of Joseph viz. of Christ. 6. The sinner must himselfe enter upon it and with Earnestnesse enter into the Suffering and Death of Christ and dye from his sinnes in the presence of Grace in the Prison of Gods Anger and cast himselfe upon Josephs viz. Christs Mercy and Grace and not stay without and say with Christ there is plenty of Grace and so tickle and comfort himselfe with Grace No that quickneth not the poore soule thou must goe downe into Aegypt to thy injured brother whom thou hast cast into the Pit by thy sinnes within thee and must in great humility come into his presence though thou wilt not suddenly know it till he in his Mercy shall give thee to know it and then thou must in Christs Power Might and Glory which he gat in his resurrection buy Corne for the poore soule that it may live and not dye as Jacob sayd to his Children 7. And Moses sayth further * * * Gen. 42.5 6 7 8. Thus the Children of Israell and others with them came to buy Corne for the Famine was also in Canaan but Joseph was the Ruler of the Land and sold Corne to all the people in the Land Now when his Brethren came to him they fell downe with their faces to the Earth before him and he saw them and knew them and carried himselfe strangely towards them and spake roughly with them and sayd to them Whence come yee They sayd out of the Land of Canaan to buy foode but though he knew them they knew not him yet 8. This now is the first state and Condition of the poore soule when it turneth to Christ to fetch foode from him then he looketh upon the soule in its will totally in its Essence to see whether the free-will had sett
with his Guilt of Eternall Death into his innocent Death and is dead from the sinnes and wickednesse in himselfe and in this dying of Christ Gods righteousnesse in the Anger requireth a Christian Man to be 47. But if he walke out of this path and not in it then sayth righteousnesse thou art a Theefe and hast wrongfully got this Cup of Christ in thy Sack I will sett thee before my Judgement and Sentence as Joseph did to his brethren when he caused them to be fetched back to the sentence of his Judgement 48. Therefore hath a Christian who walketh under the Banner of Christs Crosse no Excuse when God by his Steward viz. by the Children of this world causeth him to be layd hold on in the righteousnesse of his Anger and chargeth him for a Theefe and an unrighteous person also for a Stranger Innovator * * * Novice Novellist Enthusiast Foole and the like when Men loade him with all his faults and the infirmities of naturall sinfull flesh and without ceasing blame him as wicked and unrighteous and condemne him to the damnation of the temporall and Eternall Death and though he is not in the sight of the world nor as to the world Guilty yet he is lyable to beare the scorne suffering and death of Christ after him as a Christian is lyable to take upon him the whole processe in the footsteps of Christ and to follow Christ therein and to suffer all in Christ and wholly to put on Christ in his derision contempt suffering and death and to beare his Crosse and scorne after him that he may enter into Christs Kingdome as a Member of the body of Christ that hath suffered with him and hath dayly dyed to the Anger of God in the Death of Christ from his actuall sinnes 49. For All Sinnes Blasphemies and untruths which are imputed to him wrongfully from the world which he is not outwardly Guilty of in the fact that he suffereth in the processe of Christ as a Christian and therein drinketh out of the Cup of Christs Crosse who hath innocently suffered for his sinnes 50. For if he be not guilty of them in his Life yet he is guilty of them in the inherited sinne and hath inherited them also in the seede out of which he is proceeded they lye in his * * * Ground of his Nature and Heart Ground he cannot excuse himselfe before God in the processe of Christ he is guilty of all Adamicall sinnes 51. But this is his Comfort that God manifesteth them by the children of his Anger in this world and so as a Curse by the Children of Anger fastneth them to the Crosse of Christ and in this Manifestation drowneth them in him in the Bloud and Death of Christ in that he still cleaveth to God as Christ to his Father and suffered himselfe to be accused of sinnes which he had not committed but had onely inherited them and so they were taken from him and given to the Anger of God in his Judgement that he might condemne them 52. For thus also Joseph in this figure appeased his just Anger towards his Brethren they were all Guilty towards him but he charged them not with their Guilt but charged them onely with his Cup for he had cleerly forgiven them all their Trespasses but onely concerning the Cup he would not hold them Guiltlesse and yet of right they were not Guilty of it but he had layd it in as his bounty and made them guilty of it 53. Thus also hath God given us his Grace of meere Love after that wee were cleerly guilty of Eternall Judgement and hath layd Christ and Grace in the Sack of our Life with his Suffering Death with his Cup of the Crosse concerning which he doth not hold us Guiltlesse wee are all Guilty thereof and have not this by a Naturall right but it is layd into us without our knowledge therefore wee cannot release our selves of it except wee cast Christ wholly from us and give our selves againe to the Anger of God and then Death Hell and the Anger of God make us Guilty and hold us captive in them but at present Man may lay hold on which he will 54. But that Joseph caused the Cup to be thrust into his Brother Benjamins Sack it hath this figure that Christ dwelleth in the inward Man viz. in his Paradisicall brother and hath this Cup of the Crosse in his Hand out of which the guilty soule and the Body must drink he thrusteth it into his brothers sack for that inward ground is his Brother but the other brethren must drink of it this brother of Christ holdeth it in him for he is Christs Member and habitation 55. Therefore sayth Josephs Steward by whomsoever the Cup is found he shall be my servant but ye shall be quitt viz. the inward ground the true Josephs viz. Christs brother hee is Christs servant who serveth his Lord and brother and must hold the Cup in his Sack the other * * * Conditions or qualities formes of Life of Nature are free and cannot hold the Cup for Christ. 56. For they are not the right Sack to put it in but the Ground of the Heavenly Worlds Substance is the Sack to which the Holy Cup of Christ doth belong which powreth the Ground of Nature out of it therefore must Josephs Brother be made guilty of the Cup because he stood in the figure of the inward Man wherein Christ would manifest himselfe with his Cup of the Crosse and so the other brethren viz. the poore soule together with the body be quitt and released from the Guilt 57. Therefore sayth Josephs Steward he is my servant who hath the Cup he shall serve mee but ye shall be quitt that is Christ is in this inward Benjamin Josephs Brother and serveth God with overcoming of Death and the Anger of God in Man and so all the other brethren viz. the Naturall Life shall be quitt from Guilt and Paine and it standeth excellently in the Figure 58. Moses sayth further * * * Gen. 44.11 12 13. And they hastened and layd every one his sack off on to the Earth and every one tooke his Sack off and searched and began at the Eldest and so to the youngest and there they found the Cup in Benjamins Sack and then they rent their Cloaths and loaded every one his Asse and went againe into the Citie 59. When Adam was fallen into sinne then the Law and Command fetched him back againe charged him with the sinne and Theft that he had eaten of the wrong fruit with a wicked mouth therefore must he returne againe into the Citie viz. into the Earth out of which the body was proceeded and there lay downe his Sack into the Earth and there Gods righteousnes searcheth into all the naturall Properties viz. Truth and righteousnes which availeth before God viz. the Image of Heaven and began from the first forme of Nature and so on
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