hiddennesse in the Covenant Noah cursed * * * Or it him and said he shauld be a Servant of his brethren 11. For he said blessed be the God of Sem and let Canaan be his Servant God enlarge Japhet and let him dwell in the tents of Sem The God of Sem was he who had espoused or incorporated himselfe with the Covenant in the Seed of the woman the figure and type of this in the Spirit was Sem and Japhet was the figure of the poore Soul captivated in the monster God should let this Japheticall or Soules property dwell in the tents of Sem and enlarge it in Sems figure 12. But Hams figure according to the monstrous spirit should not have any dominion or Reign in the life of the new-birth but be only as a servant or as an instrument without selfe-will or any peculiar life of Selfeness must serve and administer to the use of the Spirituall Kingdome in manner as the night is hidden in the day and yet 't is really there and yet so as if it were not and it is the Handmaid to the dayes operation and power 13. Thus in like manner the Spirit did expresse how the three properties of the humanity viz. the womans Seed and the creaturall Souls Seed and the Earthly Seed in Hams figure should stand in their place order and rule in the Regeneration in the Spirituall Kingdome and thereby it did declare and point at the Kingdomes of the world intimating that this same figure would all along put forth it selfe in the Kingdome and Dominion of the * * * Or mankinde humanity upon the Earth and thus keep its figure externally so long as mankinde should live in the dominion of the four Elements as it hath thus fallen out 14. For Sems figure passed in the Covenant upon Abraham and Israel among whom the word of the Covenant was manifested and spoken forth and Japhets figure went along in nature viz. through the wisdome of nature in the Kingdome of nature whence the Gentiles arose who looked upon the light of nature and Sems linage looked upon the light in the Covenant thus Japhet that is the poor captive Soul which is of the Eternall nature dwelt in Sems tent viz. under the Covenant for the light of nature dwelleth in the light of Grace and is a tenant or inhabitant of the light of Grace viz. of Gods light it is even as a forme or framed Substance of the unformed un-comprehended Light of God 15. And Hams line passed upon the Animall beastiall man proceeded from the Limus of the Earth in which was the curse whence the Sodomiticall and almost wholly brutish people did arise who esteemed neither the light of nature nor the light of Grace in the Covenant 16. This signifieth and pointeth out the outward part of the Soul from the spirit of this world which in the regeneration in the Spirituall world shall be a formed and very fixed will which may not or desires not to rule in the manner and condition of a Selfish peculiar Spirit but shall be as a Servant and Minister of the creâ—turall Soule and Gods Spirit in the holy lights Image it shall not be manifest in any Selfe-full arrogative understanding of Selfehood but remaine hidden as the night is hidden in the day and yet it is really there 17. For the Animal Soul shall not inherit the Kingdome of light although it shall and will be therein yet it hath no dominion or predominant vertue of its Selfenesse as an Instrument is a dead sencelesse thing in reference to the master and yet it is the masters Toole wherewith he maketh what he pleaseth the same in like manner we are to understand concerning the Animal Soul in the Regeneration 18. But in the Time of the four Elements it will have the upper hand and Sway for it hath brought it selfe into a proper selfehood and Imaginative life of Selfish propriety and therefore God hath accursed it and condemned it to Death so that it must dye to Selfe-hood 19. For when Adam did awaken the earthly properties out of the Limus of the Earth in his desire so that they went forth out of their just accord and mutuall Harmony each of them into its own selfe-will and lust to behold and looke upon its Selfe as a peculiar selfe-Life the beastiall Soul was hereby brought to its predominant power and force and this same is Hams property which God hath ordained to be Servant under the Angelicall Kingdome and Cursed its jeering Scorning Power in that it did mock at the heavenly Matrix and set forth its own figure and forme 20. The Spirit saith in Moses that Sem and Japhet took a Garment upon their shoulders and went backwards to their Father and covered him Gen IX Vers. 23. so that their faces were turned backwards and they saw not his shame O thou wonderfull God! How very Mystically and Secretly dost thou carry thy works who would know and understand thy wayes if thy spirit did not lead us and open the understanding 21. Both these brothers tooke a garment upon their shoulders and covered the father wherefore did not one doe it alone or wherefore did Noah drink himselfe drunke and lay so naked with his shame This reason looketh upon as if there were nothing more in it but onely an Hystory of such an Act but being that Ham was thereby cursed and made to be a Servant of his bretheren and not onely he but also all his posterity out of him we see thereby very clearly what the Spirit doth hereby signifie viz that it is a Type Character and figure of that which should afterward come to passe 22. The Earthly spirit which the Devill had made monstrous was a Scorner and jeerer of the heavenly birth it indeed saw the shame which it must bear upon it as a Monster but He went away as a Beast and mocked the new regeneration of the heavenly Matrix but Japhet viz. the poor Soul and Sem that is the disappeared Heavens Image which was moved stirred or quickned againe in the Covenant they tooke a Garment upon their shoulders this Garment was the new humanity which should open it selfe out of the Covenant out of the Angelicall world 23. And they went backwards and covered the Fathers shame this intimateth and betokeneth that the free-will of Selfe must and shall wholly turne it selfe away from the beastiall Monster of Selfefulnesse and ownhood wherein the shame standeth open and enter againe into the Resigned filiation or child-ship and goe no more forwards but retire again backwards and must take the Garment of the new humanity viz. Christs innocency merit and Satisfaction upon it and therewith cover the shame which our father Adam hath with the monster passed upon us by inheritance This was the Type which was here set forth 24. And that Sem did not carry the Garment alone and cover the father doth figure out unto us that the Soul viz. Japhet that
* Extra substantiam without the Substance is the being Above for without the Substance or matter there is all Above No below that which is under the Substance is also above 10. Now the Cry of the Sodomites was come before the * * * Or Highness Above viz. before and into the first Principle where the * * * Or Highness Above doth conceive or comprehend it selfe out of the Nothing in the first Eternall beginning viz. to a nature and formation of the Powers or Word and Gods formed word or voyce out of the Fathers and Sons property out of Love and Anger which had betrothed it selfe by promise to be a Christ to man and formed it selfe into a divine Ens heard the Cry in the property of the Anger wherewith he is a Judge of the wicked Ens or ungodliness 11. Therefore said the Father I will come down that I may see whether it be so or no that is he came down that is * * * Or from on High out of the Above with that formed Hearing of these three men in the Ens which God had formed to be Judge of the world which was to become the Christ. 12. For this Ens was to be creaturall in the Person therefore it was formative in an Angelicall manner in the conceived word of the promise and therewith it came from above that is out of the Above viz. out of God out of the unchangeable God and heard first in Abraham into the Ens of the Covenant into the Aym or limit of his Covenant with his Love and with the Anger viz. with the Hearing of the fire he heard into the iniquity and vanity of man and saw with the Anger what they did that is his wrath saw essentially into the vanity of man in manner as an incentive fire should arise in any piece of wood or fuell and would devour the wood so likewise God looked with his Anger-Eye in the formed Ens through the same judiciall word in Christs Ens wherein he will judge the world into the wicked infection and will of the children of Ham at Sodom and Gomorrah 13. For when God had set before him in Abraham the new birth of his holy children out of his Love-Ens he also set before him the Judgement in his Anger Ens how he would through this Christ prove the wicked in the fire 14. And the judgement upon Sodom is a figure of the Last Judgement As the three men which came before Abraham were a figure of our new Angelicall humanity where God dwelleth in man so was also his Anger in the wicked and we see here that God will Judge the Devills and all wicked men by the Children of the Saints as he now did represent the figure of the Judiciall Office in an humanity of three and destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah from the world 15. Also God said to Abraham How can I hide from Abraham the thing which I do It was hidden unto the Earthly Abraham but unto the heavenly out of Gods Ens God would not hide it and here he set forth the figure of his Love and his Anger viz. the humanity of Christ in the great humility and Love and his truth and Righteousnesse in the Two Angells 16. For thus saith the Text in Moses Chap. XVIII from the 22. to the 25 verse And Abraham stood yet before the Lord viz. before these three men which he here calleth onely one and came near to him and said Wilt thou also destroy the Righteous with the wicked peradventure there are fifty Righteous within the Citty wilt thou also destroy them and not spare the place for the fifty Righteous that are therein that be far from thee to do so to slay the Righteous with the wicked and that the Righteous should be as the wicked that be far from thee that thou who art the Judge of the whole Earth shouldst so judge 17. This is now the very excellent and pregnant figure how Abraham in the Ens of faith in Christs Person and Spirit cometh before God viz. before the Tri-une God before the Severe Righteousness of God and will reconcile and atone the Father and prayeth for his children which dwell among the Company of the wicked that his Father would be pleased to spare that place where yet righteous people dwell from Rebuke and draweth his Mercy into his Righteousness and saith Thou wilt not so judge who art the Judge of the whole world 18. This figure is nothing else but God in his Righteousness and God in Christ with his Mercy Here the two types stand both together what should it else mean that a man would withhold God from doing what he please 19. The Man Christ doth withhold Gods righteousness and severe judgement from falling on the crew of wicked men else they had been devoured at the first disobedience in Paradise this is he which cometh before God and into God viz. into Gods Anger for he is of God and therefore he can come before God draw neer to or intercede with God 20. That is the formed word viz. the creature standeth before the judgement and sits in judgement and suffers not the Anger to judge so long as there are righteous people as is here to be seen If there had been but ten righteous persons God had spared them indeed there were but Three persons onely which were righteous before God viz. Loth with his two daughters his wife was also not fit or capable of this mercy therefore although she went out of Sodom yet she remained still and was turned to a pillar of Salt as shall afterward be cleared and expounded 21. Abraham that is the Spirit of Christ entreateth so far with God that God would spare all these places for ten persons sake but they were all revolted and gon astray save his brothers Son who was a stranger among this people whom God first brought out before he enkindled the wrath 22. The Spirit here speaketh very covertly and hiddenly in Moses and Esdras who wrote again these Acts in the Spirit of God Note Esdras wrote the Book of these Acts viz. Genesis c. after that they were lost among the children of Israel and we here see very fully and pregnantly how exactly and punctually the Spirit here aymeth at the figure in Abraham and pointeth out what thereby is to be understood 23. For at the Appearance unto Abraham he speaketh of three men and here he speaketh of two Angels which went towards Sodom and destroyed the Cities to signifie that the person of Christ is the Third which went not along for here onely two went viz. Gods Truth and Gods Righteousness viz. the judgement and the truth the judgement remained * * * Vpon Gen. XI X. vers 1. c. in Sodom and the Truth brought Lott out 24. And when both these Angels at Even when their time was out and their day passed came to Sodom Lot sat at the Gate and when he
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
the Letters V Vowells yet they have lost the Five Vowells which are the power of all words which is much to be lamented that men understand nothing at all more of the Holy Ghosts Language what the Spirit of God hath spoken in Moses and the Prophets and how he hath in his speech declared and poynted at that which is future Eternall Men cleave meerly to an historicall †††Act or thing done Action and see not what is signified by this or that Action 50. For Gods Spirit hath not done such wonders for the History sake of a plaine simple Shepheard as it standeth in the outward forme of it and hath so exactly expressed those things in writing as if he were so much concerned in a History that he hath preserved it among all people and suffered it to be proclaimed for his word no sure but for this cause that under such plain simple historicall relations is signified and wherewith Gods Spirit in the figure alludeth at that which is future Eternall Therefore should men looke upon the Scripture of the Old Testament with cleerer eyes for the whole New Testament is couched under it in the figure of the plaine simple * * * Apostel Geschichâ— The Acts of the Apostles Acts or Actions 51. †††Gen. 32.29.30 When God had blessed Jacob then Jacob called the place Penuel that is Gods inspection into the soule where God is manifest in the soule then sayth the Soule I have seene God face to face in Mee and my soule is preserved in this inspection and when he passed over Penuel the Sun arose to him that is when Gods Sun viz. his power is manifest in the soule then the Essence of the Soul carrieth the power in it selfe and then the divine Sun ariseth in the Soules Essence and then the Father hath there begotten his Sonne in the soule which is the Sun of righteousnesse as also the Divine Love and Joy and then selfe-Nature halteâ—h for the Sinew of its Naturall will is displaced so that the selfe-will is lame in its ability as heere Jacob. And the Text of Moses sayth Hereupon the Children of Israel eate not of the sinew upon the Ham of the Thigh to this Day because the sinew of the Ham of Jacobs Thigh was touched 52. This sheweth cleerly that Jacob and his children understood this Mysterie and have instituted a memoriall in this Sinew for what doth that which was done to Jacob concerne a Beast The Sinew of a Beast is not therefore displaced or venomed onely the children of the Saints looked upon the Ground of the Divine Mysterie 53. Concerning which the present Jewes are very blinde and hang onely on the Law if they did so eagerly seek after Jacobs Sun as they cleave fast to the Law then would that Sinew in them also be displaced and they would not so hunt after Covetousnesse and Gaine but * * * Mat. 23 25. Luk. 11.39 they wash the outside of their Cups and dishes and inwardly remaine foule 54. Even as Christendome cleaveth to the history viz. to the purple Mantle of Christ and hunt away Christ in power from them and will not with Jacob have the Sinew of the wilde beastiall properties of the voluptuous will of flesh displaced lamed but walke nimbly with the beast under the Mantle of Christ. 55. This displaced Sinew signifieth that Adam in his innocency before his Eve was not such a Grosse Beast as afterwards therefore when the Spirit of Christ in the Covenant was manifested in Jacob then it touched the Beastiall Ham of his Thigh to signifie that in Christ it should be broken and cease so that a spirituall Man should arise from Death and not such a grosse Beastiall Man CHAP. LXI The Excellent and Wonderfull Figure Shewing how Jacob and Esaw mett and how all heart-burning and Evill-will was changed into great Joy Kindnesse and Compassion What is to be understood thereby Genesis 33. BLinde Reason should better open its Eyes at this Text Gen. XXXIII then hitherto it hath done and better consider the figure of Jacob and Esaw and learne rightly to understand the Decree concerning Jacob and Esaw where the Scripture sayth * * * Mal. 1.2.3 Rom. 9.13 Jacob have I loved and Esaw have I hated when the children lay yet in the Mothers womb and had done neither good nor Evill that the purpose of God might stand 2. Heere men should rightly looke upon the Purpose of God what the Spirit of God meaneth thereby for Esaw stood in the Type or Image of the corrupted Adam Jacob in the Type of Christ which came to help poore Adam therefore must these two Brothers come of one Seede to signifie that God would become Man and that Gods Seed viz. his word and Adams seed in its owne Nature should be manifested in one Person and become Man and that Gods seed should overcome the corrupted Adams seed with great divine Love and quench the Fathers Anger with Love and the Love should wholly give it selfe into the Anger of the soule that Gods Grace Compassion and Mercy in the Love may passe through the Anger and also change the Anger into Compassion as heere Jacob with his present and great submission and humility yeelded himself to his brother Esaw and changed his Anger whch he bare towards Jacob in respect of the Naturall right of the first-borne and of the Blessing into such great Compassion that Esaw fell about his neck and wept in great Compassion and his anger in him was turned into Love even as Christ with his great love and humility in our assumed humanity in our fiery burning * * * Anger soule Angry-soule changed his Fathers Anger into such great Mercy and Compassion that the divine righteousnesse in the Anger ceased and departed from our soules 3. For as Jacob appeased his brother Esaw with the Present and humility when he gave up himselfe into the Anger of Esaw so also Christ appeased the Anger of God when he gave up his heavenly Bloud with the great Tincture of Love into the Anger of God to be devoured then was the Anger viz. the Nature of the dark world which was manifested in Adam turned againe into the divine Light of Love viz. into a Love-fire Gen. 33.1 2 3. 4. Moses sayth Jacob lift up his Eyes and saw his brother Esaw coming with * * * 400 men four hundred Men and hee divided his children to Lea and to Rachel and to both the Handmayds and set the handmayds with their children formost and Lea with her children next and Rachel with Joseph last and he passed over before them and bowed himselfe to the ground seaven times till he came to his brother The inward precious figure standeth thus When Christ in our assumed humanity entered into his suffering then the Anger of God in the †††4 Elements four Elements of the Body came to meete him and
†††Matth. 27.5 Judas must first in his falshood and Treachery in the old Adam with sorrow for his committed sinne hang himselfe and as to his owne ability despaire and dye and then will Benjamin viz. the new Creature in Christ first be borne and * * * Acts 1.26 Mathias viz. the first Created Adam be Elected an Apostle 25. For Mathias was indeed borne before the Passion of Christ and was with Christ but he was then first an Apostle when Christ in him was dead from sinne and Judas had hanged himselfe thus also the Adamicall Man which shall be an Apostle or Christian is indeed borne aforehand before Christ suffereth in him but Christ must first arise from the Dead in him and Judas viz. the Serpents will must hang himselfe and dye to his owne evill will in the Death of Christ and then first is the ‖ ‖ ‖ Adams Man a Christ. Adamicall Man a Christian It is not the Historicall Man by an imputed Grace wherein Judas still liveth under the Purple Mantle of Christ that is a Christian as Babell playeth finely under the vayle concerning the virginity of her Daughter Dinah that the faire dainty Damsell may play the whore and finely sleepe with her Pandor Judas and lye with her Lovers in the Bed of Fornication 26. Great things are prefigured in this Text for the Text sayth †††Gen 35.17 18. When shee was in sore Labour in the Birth of Benjamin the Midwife sayd to her Feare not for thou shalt have this sonne also But her soule being ready to depart that shee must die shee called him Benoni that is shee looked upon the inward ground upon the New Birth what he would be in Christ and regarded not the Name of the outward Creature 27. For Benoni is altogether a Spirituall Name after an Angelicall kinde and manner for shee sayd in Spirit when the Midwife comforted her concerning it that shee should have this sonne also I have him no more in the world the outward passeth away and it pointeth at the Angelicall New Name * * * Gen. 35.18 but his Father called him Benjamin as with the Name of this world that he should represent how a Christian must be borne under the Crosse of Christ in smart paine at which also his Mother looked as if shee should say through smart paine and sorrow wee come to Life as this sonne of my smart and sorrow 28. Then sayth the Spirit †††Gen. 35.19 20. Thus Rachel dyed and was buried in the way towards Ephrath which is now called Bethlehem And Jacob set up a Pillar upon her Grave and that is the Pillar of Rachels Grave unto this Day This is a secret mysticall Figure that Rachel dyed and is buried at the Citie Bethlehem and it signifieth that shee shall there rise againe through the Birth of Christ for Christ should there be borne 29. And it is signified that when wee shall flie to Bethlehem to the Birth of Christ then shall Benjamin viz. the New spirituall Man be borne of Rachell viz. of the Mother of the Old Adamicall Man in the Spirit of Christ and then presently will the Mother yeeld up her birth-right to the Spirit of Christ and die to her right of Nature and then will the Spirituall Eternall Birth begin and Eve passe away for there Jacob setteth up the Grave-stone or Pillar and the Spirit sayth it is her Grave-stone unto this Day to signifie that it poynteth at the future and that this Grave-stone should continue and Christ be borne there where Rachel died 30. In this Historie of the Acts of Jacob wee see cleerly that the Spirit hath in this description a figure under which it signifieth For Rachel was big with Benjamin when Jacob departed from Laban when * * * Gen. 31·34 35. shee sat upon the Idol-Gods when her Father sought for them and shee sayd it is with mee after the manner of Women so that I cannot rise up before thee But now the Text relateth how Jacob first pitched his Tents before Sichem and dwelt there and afterwards went first to Bethel and then Rachel brought forth so that it appeareth that the Spirit speaketh wholly in the figure for the Acts doe all follow very Orderly one after another in the figure of Christ as it hath come to passe with Christ which ought well to be Observed 31. The Spirit of Moses sayth further * * * Gen. 35.20 21 22. And Israel went forth and spread his Tents on the otherside of the Tower of Edar And it came to passe when Israell dwelt in that Land that Reuben went and slept with Bilha his Fathers Concubine and it came before Israel What manner of figure is this which is very deeply hidden but the Circumstances make it as cleare as the Sun 32. Israel went on the other side of the Great Babylonicall Towre and dwelt there with the Children of that People which may well be a pretty way from Ephrath Bethlehem but the Spirit hath heere its figure under which it signifieth that is when Jacob had taken away the strange Gods from his people and also their Ear-rings and buried them and built the Altar of the Lord Converting to God and were sitting in Rest and Ease then the naturall fleshly Man turned againe to the Lust of the children of Babel even as the Text sayth 33. Jacob went and dwelt there and then Reuben lay with his fathers Concubine viz. with Bilha Rachels handmayd the Mother of Dan and Naphthali and committed * * * Blutschande Incest which was worse then that of Sichem with Dinah but the Spirit hath thus with this action presented a figure pointing at the future how it would come to passe how Israel would turne away from the Divine Ordinance from the Altar of their God and mixe their fathers Worship and service of God with Naturall whoredome viz. with heathenish Sacrificing to Idolls as is to be seene by Jeroboam and the Spirit signifieth thereby that the first Adamicall Man would have onely fleshly desires and Lusts. 34. For Reuben was the first sonne of Jacob by Lea viz. by her of whom also sprang the Line of Christ to signifie that every one that would be called Jewes or Christians and are Generated out of those stocks would forsake God and lye with their fathers Concubines viz. commit fornication with the Idolatry humane Inventions and bablings of the Pharisees and Scribes and with their Lawes and Cannons and forget the Truth of God and of his Commandements in their Hearts and †††Einbilden make to themselves Images of these imprint those whoredomes in their Hearts Lusts. 35. For Reuben was indeed Jacobs first sonne as Adam also was the first Man but the Line of Christ was not manifested in Reuben as also not in Adam but it was manifested in Abel and in Judah and as Adam in Spiritu Mundi in the spirit of the
monster and an Evill Beast in his free-will which doth not resemble the first Image of the formed Life in the word of God now against this Beast the words of Christ are directed when he saith Vnlesse ye be converted and become as children that is unlesse you do depart from and utterly disclaim the will of the Selfe-Generated Beast and enter again into the form of the first Life yee cannot else see the Kingdom of God also yee must be borne againe of the water of the Heavenly worlds essence and of the same holy Spirit proceeding from the Covenant otherwise ye cannot see and behold God 9. This Evill Beast of the Godless form Note is predestinated to condemnation but the Covenant is in the Life if the free will Resigneth it selfe up to the Covenant then Christ ariseth in his humanity out of the Covenant in the Life and even then the strange Beast dyeth in Christs death and the will formeth it selfe again into the first Image according as God created it and this is not annexed onely unto Seth but unto Adams life viz. unto the Onely life of man which was in the Word of God and passeth from one upon all as all branches in one tree do receive sapp from the Onely root of the stock 10. But the properties of nature viz. of the naturall life have brought themselves out of Adams stock into sundry boughes and branches whence the multiplicity of Nations Tongues and Speeches is arisen but the Life is onely One and the Covenant in the life sprang forth from the root of life viz. from the Word of God out of which the Life came upon all even as the Sin viz. the fall and apostacy passed upon all none excepted for the Children of Seth were concluded under Sin as well as Cains but the Covenant * * * Or the open and outward manifestation of the Covenant with its manifestation passed upon SETH for his name signifieth in the Language of nature a forth-breathing Spring out of the Life through the first Centre of the Soule wherein the word of God would open it selfe through the Life 11. And Moses saith Seth begat Enos Gen. 4.26 and then began men to preach of the Name of the Lord for the Name ENOS signifieth in the Language of Nature a Divine Lubet through the life wherein the Formed Word would behold it selfe in the Sound and Voice of the Life therefore the Spirit of God began to Teach out of the Covenant through the Life of man concerning God and his Being and Will this was the beginning of the Divine Contemplation through the formed Wisdom in the word where the word did behold it selfe through the wisdome of the formed Humane Voice 12. And as the Life did form it selfe by Cains line through the wonders of the formed wisdome in Nature with all manner of Arts and works and also Dominions Governments and Orders and introduced them all for the Setting forth of Gods wondrous Deeds and Acts viz. to a Contemplation of Evill and good light and darknesse so likewise the Spirit of God did bring forth out of the Line of the Covenant in the manifested Word the wonders of Divine Holinesse Truth Righteousnesse Love and Patience and by the Preaching of the formed word did declare what the holy and Spirituall Kingdome of God is 13. In Cain the Kingdome of nature was represented and in Abel and Seth the Supernaturall Divine Kingdome both these arose together and went all along one in another to the Remonstrance or Contemplation of the Divine Lubet in the formed wisdome and Each put it selfe forth in an especiall manner into its visible Ken as a wonder 14. For from Adam even unto Lamech in the line of the wonders there are Seven Generations and in the other line viz. in the line of the Covenant from Adam unto Enoch are also Seven Generations Enoch is the Eighth viz. a beginning of the propheticall Spirit for in the first Seven Generations the form of the Spirituall Kingdome proceeding from the Life's Tree was set forth 15. Adam was the stock for his life taketh its originall out of the word but being the Life of nature in him did predominate over the life in the formed Word and would have the Supream dominion and obscured the life proceeding from the word the word it selfe freely gave it selfe with a Covenant to be a Life therein and set forth its figure in Abel how the naturall life should and must be broken and the word of the Divine power should again spring forth afresh out of the first Life 16. Thus Abel was the Figure of the Second Adam Christ and therefore he must be slain for the Covenants sake for Christ should kill the exalted haughty naturall will and being forth a new one and therefore Abel also should not beget any naturall child else it had been strange to nature for they should all proceed forth out of one stock and the word would spring forth anew through the Onely Tree in the Covenant that so the Children of Grace might be brought forth out of the Tree of nature as the dew out of the * * * Or Morning day-break 17. For thus also the figure of the new birth was represented out of the Stem namely the line went forth out of Adam he was the first Abel the second Seth the third Enos the fourth where men began to teach of the Spirituall Kingdome * * * Or Cainan KENAN the fift which signifieth in the language of nature a forth-going * * * Re-apprehend re-conceived Lubet or desire of the divine Contemplation in which the word Taught did form it selfe viz. in Prayer and in the wills desire and also in their Offrings 18. MAHALALEEL was the sixt and signifieth in the language of nature an Angelicall form of an Angelicall Kingdome where the spirit did typifie and pourtray the Kingdome of Christ in this Name 19. JARED was the Seventh by this Name is understood in the language of nature a Priest or Prince of the Spirituall Kingdome for as Irad should be the Regent or Ruler in the Kingdome of nature so Jared should be the Regent in the Spirituall Kingdome for out of Jared came the office of Moses and out of Irad proceeded the Kingdome of worldly principalities and framed Governments and Dominions 20. But the language of nature sheweth very clearly that Jared is onely a type of a spirituall Kingdome for the Name carrieth forth the Cherub along with it through the word for the spirituall Kingdome upon the earth was all along captivated in the wrath of God untill Christ who destroyed the Anger 21. The Office of this Jared is twofold viz. externally it is the figure of the Spirituall Kingdome bound with the wrath of God and internally it is the true holy Kingdome which the Penitent man receiveth or taketh possession of Outwardly it is Moses and inwardly Christ. 22. From this outward Kingdome the great
outward world and how it should afterwards be among them and what Hunters would arise over them and compareth the humane Dominion to an Hunter who hunteth for Beasts to catch and slay them and thus it would be also among them that these Hunters would Hunt after Men to take them and bring them under Slavery and Servitude and chase and course them too and fro by their Bloud-Hounds bite tear slay and devoure them by war and murtherous acts and tame and bring under all with force fury and violence and excellently well manage the Government of the Hunter in their own selfe assumed Power 34. For Man was fallen under the possession of Gods wrath in nature the same forced forth it selfe now with its desire and formed it selfe into a Government according to the outward Constellations and the foure Elements as they doe build up and break down even so did this Hunter doe with his Beasts in his Sport 35. Here the world may take an exact Looking-glasse to behold it selfe in it is the true Originall Ground of the worldly Dominion and * * * Lordship Rule and although the same ground of Government hath an internall spirituall Originall yet it is in the outward forme onely before God as a beastiall Huntsman-ship among the Beast-men who must be bound and tamed 36. For the inward spirituall Government standeth in great humility in an Angelicall forme whereunto God also created man if he had but remained in Paradise then he should have had no need of the Hunter but being he would be a Beast God ordained him also an Hunter who might keep under the wilde unruly beastiall men and the Hunter and beast are both alike before God in this worlds beastiall property but being it may not be any otherwise God holdeth it for his naturall Order for he hath given every thing its Government Station and Order 37. But it is to be lamented that this Hunter doth hunt slay and devoure the Tame humane beasts which doe not belong to his Game but what shall we say or wherewith shall the children of God excuse themselves or quit themselves of this Hunter before God seeing every man beares externally the Hunters Hinde on him over which the hunter of nature hath power the inward spirituall man must leave his outward Beast unto the Hunter for his outward Beast is also evill 38. The spirit of Moses setteth under Hams linage twenty nine Names which came from Ham 29. Names which intimate the twenty nine properties proceeding from the third Principle viz. from the spirit of the outward world hinting how the formed word should be manifested through the outward nature both in Tongues and Properties whence the Governments and Orders of Countries and Nations have had their rise albeit each property hath again its externe Birth like as one branch or sprout of a tree doth produce and bring forth other Twigs yet the spirit in Moses doth point at the chiefe head root and the properties under these Names shewing what kinde of people should arise from thence and what their alterations and their finall conclusions should be all this lyeth hidden under their Names 39. Thus Ham hath twenty nine Names of his children 29. and he is the thirtieth twentie nine is the set Numbers of his children and childrens children under which the number of the end lyeth in Hams Government and Dominion Thirty is his whole Number whereof the Prophet speaketh 30. that this Ham would sell the righteous One for thirty pieces of Silver and give the same for a Potters field as a Pot is accounted of in reference to its maker even so is the fleshly man Ham in regard of God he taketh his thirtieth number which he ought to bring into Gods Kingdome and giveth it for an earthly vessell which doth resemble a field and in that doth sell the righteous one who lieth hid under the thirtieth number in the word of Power thus the righteous one under the thirtieth Number doth by the death or mortification of Hams flesh Sever himselfe from the twenty nine Numbers of these properties which have gotten the upper hand in Ham for in the thirtieth year the Righteous one viz. Christ did separate himselfe unto his Office and in the thirtieth Number lyeth this same Mystery this is understood by our fellow-schollars and onely hinted at in this place 26. Names 40. Sem hath in his line of Propagation twenty six Names and he is the twenty seventh 27 th Name And the spirit in Moses speaketh very hiddenly Gen. 10. Vers. 24. saying that he was the Father of all children of Eber and Eber begat two Sons the Name of one was Peleg for at his dayes the world was divided 25. and the other was named * * * Or Jaketan Joktan all whatsoever the spirit in Moses speaketh of the outward Acts of the Patriarks he hath under them a single inward eye upon the line of Christ for he saith that Sem was the father of all the children of Eber although Eber be first in the Third degree after Sem yet the spirit looketh so punctually upon the word in the Covenant wheresoever it doth open it selfe in a Line 41. For EBER signifieth in the forming of the word as much as a Sound or manifestation of the word out of the Centre and saith further that he begat Peleg and called him so by reason of the division of the earth the spirit doth not onely look upon the outward division of Lands and Countries but much rather upon the Line in which stood the * * * Or Mark. limit of the Covenant for in Eber the limit of the Covenant did open it selfe in the word as in the Sound or manifestation and went all along in the Seed upon Peleg and the line of Adam and Christ did there sever it selfe in the two bretheren as afterwards it did among the children of Abraham and Isaac with Isaac and Ismael and with Jacob and Esau thus likewise it was here with Peleg and Joktan externally the world was divided and internally the Kingdome of Christ and the Kingdome of the world Not that we are to understand that Joktan did not remaine in the Covenant onely the spirit doth here looke upon the motion of the Seed in which line the limit or marke of the Covenant was to be moved wherein the word would againe move it selfe in the disappeared humanity of the heavenly Ens and manifest it selfe in the Humanity 42. The Names of Sems children and grand-children are meere intimations and significations of the properties out of the wonderfull line of the propheticall spirit of Enoch where these same properties were brought forth out of the Stock into Boughes but here into Branches 43. The spirit in Moses a a a Gen. 10. from 26. vers to the 30. setteth * * * 14. Names fourteen names under Jocktans line which are the wonderfull Number of this bough in the trees
that so he might have great respect in the City Babel and therefore they build themselves strong holds and make great bulwarks and walls to defend and keep the Image and flatter themselves in hypocricy and understand and meane by the contrived and painted Image the God Maozim viz. the fat-belly God and pleasure of the beast viz. of this whores Image they set the Image upon the Towre for the shew of their holinesse and therewith they are very devout in glistering appearances before God as with a peculiar Selfe-born God but they immure the Beast within their Stone-houses that it may be secure and there fat it selfe 64. What is now this beast with the whore it is halfe-devill which hath its Kingdome upon the Earth and it is half beast this evill Beast hath devoured man viz. the Image of God 65. And for this cause God became man that he might destroy slay and nullifie the works of the Devill and we must put on this divine humanity and destroy the Devills Kingdome in us and mortifie all Images otherwise we cannot see God the living word must mortifie the literall Image 66. The living word is therefore become man that the literall Image might dye and the first man which was formed out of the living word in Gods Image might be regenerated anew in Christs Spirit viz. in the living word and if now he be borne then all the Image-teachers are more prejudicall then beneficiall to him for they introduce their Images onely into the Temple of Christ and destroy the Image of God 67. And let this here be declared concerning the children of Nimrod and the Towre of Babel as the Spirit hath so given us to know and we doe admonish the Reader in Love to prove and examine himselfe he shall finde where he is this is not written to reproach any but thus the Spirit speaketh with open mouth and sheweth what all things are from whence they come and into what End they shall goe 68. But the reason why so much is written of the Beast and the Whore of Babel is because it is at its End and shall soone be broken in pieces therefore it must be revealed that men may see and know it for Babel falleth not unlesse that all whatsoever hath made the Images doth likewise fall all Images Opinions and Sects of Religion together with the Beast and whore must fall else there is no Cure or remedy 69. Men have for a long time been a patching and pieceing of it and have verily thought to have made a virgin of the whore but her whoredome hath thereby been onely adorned trimmed up and made the greater if this whore shall fall then all Sects which are onely the Images of the whore must fall down and come to naught together with Beast upon whom she rideth every man must break down and destroy the Images and Idols in himselfe and where they will not doe it there the zeale of the Lord doth it 70. How very finely doth the whore at present perck up its head and being it heareth that the spirit doth intimate great and glorious things of Zion viz. of the Adorned holy bride of Christ then it thinks that it is the faire childe which God will bring into a golden Temple wherein there shall be a brave Golden Time and meere joy pleasure and delight and it looketh about to see from whence this faire Temple of God should come into which it should enter and become a virgin it hearkneth continually from whence these holy People should come who as it supposeth should make a Golden world 71. But it thinks not to leave off from its covetous voluptuous whoredome and be converted no! it groweth worse and worse and more unchaste and abominable full of blasphemies so that there is scarce any good at all in it and it standeth before God as an arraigned condemned whore 72. Hearken thou Adorned and crowned Babilon full of evill and wickednesse in the sight of God and his Angels we have heard a watchman say Away the city together with the Towre of the whore and the beast is fallen and judged of the most High thou shalt not see the city of God for ever unlesse that thy children doe put off and cast away the defiled Garment full of shame and fall down wholly naked and bare without any Image at the feet of the most High and turne unto him such as these may indeed see it but as for others who hope for golden mountaines and seek for Temporall honour money and pleasure of the flesh not any of them AMEN 73. Reason will here in the above mentioned Text where it is mentioned that a true Christian must dye to all Images Opinions and Selfe-knowledge and be wholly annihilated in himselfe begin to speculate cavill and say that we doe forbid man the naturall knowledge and externall Rationall wisdome whereby men doe Governe the life and all things of this world and if this were so all understanding would be abolished 74. Unto him we declare that nothing is hereby taken away or abolished in man neither understanding skill or Art for all these arise out of the divine wisdome we doe not nullifie the expressed Word of the formed wisdome but onely the Beast which will rule in divine contemplation viz. the beast-like will of Selfe and selvish ownhood and propriety which is departed from God which honoureth it selfe as a false selfly God and cannot beleeve or trust in God This is even the Antichrist which hath * * * 2 Thess. 2.4 set himselfe up in Gods place and we withall doe teach that man must wholly dye to the Antichristian Image that he may be born again in Christ with a new life and will which new will hath might and ability in the formed word of nature to see and behold with divine eyes all the wonders of God both in nature and creature in the formed wisdome 75. For if the Antichrist dyeth in the Soul then Christ ariseth from death for he resteth in the five vowells in his grave viz. in the mentall-tongue which dyed in Adam and lieth captive in Antichrist when this same ariseth from death in the mentall tongue and is made alive then he openeth all the treasures of the heavenly wisdome in the Sensuall tongue so that man doth far more clearly understand the spirits of the letters viz. the formed word of nature in all the three Principles then he did before in the Antichristian whores child 76. For the new birth is indeed effected and broughâ— to passe in the mentall tongue viz. in the disappeared Image of the heavenly humanity but it Tingeth and casteth away the false antichristian Image of the naturall humanity viz. of the spirits of the dumb sencelesse letters and doth make them all sencelesse and dead in their selfe-hood and gives them their own life so that they doe behold themselves in the new humanity and make all their assumptions and formations in the new humanity 77. These
out of the first Principle and here the Second Principle viz. the Love-fire came to help it therefore it must enter againe into its owne Root from whence it came to be a creature and be Tinctured in the power of the Love-fire in the divine light and be changed into an excellent pure divine Gold of which this Offring was a Type 23. And that the fowls fell upon the carkasses which Abraham drove away signifieth the hungry essence of the wrathfull property of the Anger of God in man which hungered after the humanity and would devoure the same into it selfe but the word in Abrahams faith drove away the Devourer from thence it should not be devoured but be offered that so one Essence might enter into another and overpower the other 24. The Offring of Christ viz. the humanity of Christ did indeed give it selfe wholly as an offering or Sacrifice into the Fathers Anger into his fires Essence but the Love-Spirit of God hindred the wrathfull Essence of the fire so that the fire could not devoure the humanity of Christ it took onely the Selfe-will of the humanity and brought it againe into the first universall Entire will out of which mans will was given him which had corrupted him and brought him to selfe-hood Here it was again introduced into the fathers will viz. into the first roote for so also Christ said when he in this condition or Tryall on the Mount of Olives Sweat bloud Father Thy will Luke 22.42 not my will be done 25. The divided word of mans property which had turned it selfe away from the universall perfection viz. from the ONE into a self-hood must enter againe into the ALL and be tryed purged and purified through the fire of God and live and move in the One viz. in the fathers onely will 26. The figure of the Servitude in Egypt signifieth that Christ in his members should be onely a pilgrime and stranger in this world and that the outward man which is of this worlds Essence should be subject to the dominion and power of this worlds essence and be plagued and alwayes accounted onely as a Carpenters Axe whereby men doe build the house 27. For a Christian man is even as Gods Hatchet wherewith God builds his house for an Habitation both as to the holy children and also to the Wicked they must build both inwardly from Gods spirit they build Gods Temple and outwardly with their hands they must be in Servitude for the outward Kingdome wherein they dwell is not theirs but the Heathens which have their Heaven therein and work therein in Gods Anger 28. As it was very fully and mystically told to Abraham that he should be subject to servitude in his children untill the iniquity of the Amorites was full so that herein we see very clearly how Gods children must serve the Amorites viz. the Gentiles untill they also obtaine their inheritance in the wrath of God and wholly accomplish their workes also in the Anger of God for a Building of the darke world for God said they should serve the Egyptians and have onely plagues for their reward untill they had accomplished and filled up their measure thus the wicked must wholly finish their workes and the children of God must be * * * Note embroyled also in servitude with them 29. Therefore deare children of God! albeit you oftentimes must serve wicked Lords and people and be accounted as Bond-slaves as it yet at present so falls out yet thinke that yee also serve God therein for as yee in your hearts and mouths doe build Gods Kingdome to your Possession so you must likewise with your hands help your Masters to build their Hellish Seat for yee are Gods instruments fit enough for all kinde of Structure you must not doe it from your choice and well-likeing but from the command of God you must doe it 30. For in that the Potent doe compell the poore and force them into servitude and slavery that he doth from his God viz. from the Kingdome of Nature from the Starres and from Selfehood wherein he buildeth up the house of his wonders to the Kingdome of nature this is his Office whereunto his God useth him and it is also a great Wonder before the Eternity but it ariseth from the divided Tongue where the properties entered into selfehood each in it selfe over which the strongest domineere unto all these viz. to the Kingdome of nature the earthly man I mean the outward man must be Subject else he * * * Note resisteth the Kingdome of Nature viz. the formed Word 31. Now it doth not belong to the children of God to resist or oppose but to doe all for Gods sake whereto onely God will use them they must thinke that they in this world and in the Eternity are Gods Servants will serve him in his Order or Ordinance 32. We doe not hereby judge or condemne the worldly Magistracy and Order but we shew the ground of all Mysteries Dominion and rule ariseth out of the Kingdome of Nature and may indeed enter into Gods Kingdome if it manageth its authority and power as a Servant of God in the Kingdome of Nature and not as a selfe-willed God who will doe what he please if Rulers acknowledge and behave themselves as Gods Stewards and officers in his Kingdome of Nature and transgresse not the Order of nature and doe not advance themselves higher then the office of nature sets them and so make themselves Petty-Gods to command and impose what their will and lust leads them to then well and good but if it be otherwise they shall finde it as God said to Abraham This People whom they must serve I will judge CHAP. XL. Of the Hystory and exceeding wonderfull Typification of Gods Spirit concerning Hagar Sarahs Maid and her Son Ismael and his rejection from the Heir-ship and Inheritance of Isaack WHosoever will read the Acts of Abraham Isaack and Jacob Gen. XVI and rightly understand what the Spirit of God doth signifie and meane by the same he must not looke upon them onely as an Hystory as if nothing else were couched therein then an outward atchievement or relation of an Act or thing done the whole Kingdome of Christ together with the Kingdome of Nature is therein set forth exactly not onely the worke of mans Redemption but also what men how or what in man shall possesse and inherit Gods Kingdome not as the Jewes boast that they alone are Gods people no! It is far otherwise God looketh not upon one Sort or Generation of mankinde but upon the Stem or Root of the Tree 2. In the two bretheren viz. in Isaack and Ismael Both Kingdomes are Typifyed viz. in Ismael the Kingdome of Nature and in Isaac the Kingdome of Grace and thus also in Esau and Jacob for at present two lines went forth out of Abraham viz. Japhets and Sems Ismael was the first as Japhet among Noahs children and so likewise Cain among Adams children
wilt not deale * * * Vnkindly unfaithfully with me nor with my children nor Grand-children but according to the kindness which I have don unto thee thou shalt also do unto me and to the Land wherein thou art a Stranger And Abraham said I will swear And Abraham reproved Abimilech because of a well of water which Abimilechs Servants had violently taken away And Abimilech answered I know not who hath don this thing neither didst thou tell me neither yet heard I of it but to day And Abraham took sheep and Oxen and gave them unto Abimilech and both of them made a Covenant together and Abraham sett seven Ew-lambes of the flock by themselves and Abimilech said unto Abraham what mean these Seven Ew-lambes which thou hast sett apart by themselves And he answered Seven Lambes thou shalt take of my hand that they may be a witness unto mee that I have digged this Well Whreupon he called that Place Beer-sheba because they there sware both of them and thus they made a Covenant at Beer-sheba then Abimilech rose up and Pichol the chief Captain of his host and they returned into the Land of the Philistins And Abraham planted trees in Beer-sheba and preached there of the Name of the Lord the Eternall God and was for a long time a Stranger in the Land of the Philistines This figure seems outwardly as if Abimilech was afraid of Abraham being God had given him to understand in a vision that Abraham was a Prince of God thereupon he desired a Covenant and Oath from Abraham least he should root out him and his Posterity 3. But the Spirit of Christ under the vail of Moses hath ciphered out before him far another figure wherewith he alludes and prophecieth for under all the Acts of Abraham which the Spirit of Moses hath written down we are to understand a twofold figure viz. externally an history relating something don and under that same history the Spirit of Christ in the Covenant doth so aptly and exactly sett its figure as if he played therewith 4. For the place here mentioned is even the same whither Hagar fled with Ismael it is even the same Beer-sheba and the same fountain of water signified which the Angel shewed Hagar which Abraham that is Christ digged where afterwards Christendome * * * Or called on preached of the Name of the Lord the Eternall God in Christ by this well of water in Beer-sheba 5. And the Covenant betwixt Abimilech and Abraham is the Covenant of Christ with the humanity where Abraham that is Christ sware that he would not destroy the humanity as he also said when he came into the flesh that * * * Joh. 3.17 he was not come into this world to condemne the world but to save the world that is to bless and keep Covenant The inward holy figure stands thus 6. Abimilech and Pichol who spake with Abraham concerning the Covenant the Spirit doth here represent in the Type of God the Father and then also of nature King Abimilech points at the Father in the soules property and Pichol his field-Captain points at nature viz. Gods Officer both these approach to the Type of Christ viz. to Abraham For mankinde was given to this Christ he should be a Prince of God in and over the humanity 7. Now Nature had brought it selfe out of the Fathers property into false lust understand in the humane nature for it desired to manifest Sarah viz. the free woman understand the heavenly virgin-like matrix in the earthly beastiall property which came to passe in Adam when he brought his female property into a beastiall lust now the Spirit here in Moses doth hint at this figure and representeth under King Abimilech Adam in the Fathers property and nature 8. As Adam lusted to manifest himselfe with his female property viz. with the mother of the holy birth in the earthly beastiall mother or to prove try and tast in the Tincture of Venus the root or the ground of the third Principle So here King Abimilech in the same nature understand the masculine out of the Fathers property did lust after the mother of the Covenant which was now moved in Sarah to know the same which the holy God would not have and therefore came unto Abimilech and terrified this nature of lust and threatned punishment and destruction to it 9. Now understand in King Abimilech the Soul out of the Fathers property and by Pichol understand the outward nature viz. the third Principle which is the field-Captain or Servant of the King viz. of the Soul and by Abraham understand Christ in the humanity or in the Ens of the faith of the Covenant as the Spirit signifieth and setts forth pregnantly by way of allusion in this figure 10. God the Father bringeth the poor Soul viz. the King of the humane property unto Christ after that it had given it selfe to lust with its Servant viz. the body of nature and now the Soul speaketh to Abraham in the figure of Christ Wherefore didst thou not tell me that God was in Sarah viz. in this Image wherefore didst thou not say unto me that she was thy wife understand Christs wife which is called the Womans Seed in this mother for I had almost hainously offended towards her 11. Understand the Soul of Adam knew not Christ in its heavenly matrix in the Tincture of Venus it thought that it was the fair pleasant child therefore it went with this holy Tincture into selfe-full lust but now when God shewed the Soul this holy Tincture in the Covenant then the Soul said I did not know it viz. that this female property as it was in me was Gods wife who bringeth forth by it and spake by the field-Captain viz. by the outward nature to Abraham in Christ. Take now thy wife viz. the heavenly matrix in me for lo God is with thee in all that thou dost that is I will restore again unto thee whatsoever I have taken into my Selfe-possession viz. the matrix of the divine worlds property which is closed up in me and now awakened in thee take it it is thy wife and when Abraham understand Christ took the same * * * Gen. 20.17 Then all the women and maids of Abimilech and his Servants understand the daughters of Eve were healed in the Heavenly matrix through Christs wife viz. through Sarah in the Covenant that they again might bring forth Gods Children 12. Now the Soul in the Fathers property spake to Abraham in Christ being * * * Mat. 28.18 all power over the humanity was given unto him Swear unto mee by God that thou wilt not shew any * * * Or Vnfaithfullness un-kindness to me nor my Children nor my Nephewes but according to the kindness that I have don unto thee do thou also unto me and to the Land wherein thou art a Stranger That is as if God the Father in the Soul should speake with Christ
the affliction of Joseph shall not be avenged behold in thy miserable Famine and distresse when thou shalt hunger and thirst even then thou must make thy Adresse and supplication to him the high Towre will give thee neither comfort nor deliverance the Time is come about that Josephs Affliction is to be Avenged and Reubens whoredome with Jacobs Concubine is come before Israel 32. Why makest thou such long delay and flatterest thy selfe playing the Hypocrite and saist not yet a good while behold it is come before the Eyes of Israel that thou hast committed whoredome a long time with the Concubine and defiled the line of Christ Israel will no longer endure it thou shalt with Reuben be cast out of the high Office of Sacrificing and Governing This is the voyce which the watchmen have pronounced 33. ‖ ‖ ‖ Gen. 37.5 6 7 8 9 10 11. When Joseph had had the two Dreames the one of his sheaf standing upright before which the sheafes of his brethren bowed the other of the Sun Moon and Eleven Starrs which had done obeysance to Joseph Envy forthwith arose amongst them and they supposed he would be their Lord and being that they were the Eldest they desired to rule over Him 34. Whereby we see how the outward man hath onely sought and aimed at the Kingdome of this world which was even the bane and undoing of Adam in that he forsook the inward and sought after the outward 35. * * * Gen. 37.3 Josephs party-coloured Coat which his father made signifieth how the inward power of God would again be revealed through the outward man whereby the humane nature would be variously coloured that is mixed with God as the inward spirituall Kingdome with the outward The Spirituall Christian figure is thus to be understood 36. Joseph with his Coat of many colours was as yet a Ladd both tender and young and had not yet the wit craft and suttlety of the world but spake the truth in simplicity for his soul was not yet defiled from without with the craft of lying and the Spirit of God began to †††Work act or move in him drive him forward for his Coat of many colours was a figure of the inward 37. This figure prefigureth and representeth to us the Image of a true young Schollar and beginner in Christianity how he must be when the Spirit of God shall drive and act him namely he must turne his heart to God his Father and learn to love him heartily As Joseph loved to be with his father and told him the evill that was committed among his children so must a beginner in Christianity daily bring before God all his own miseries and the miseries and sins of all that belong to him yea of all Christendome As Daniel confessed the sins of the People of Israel before God and Joseph the evills of his brethren before his father so also a true Christian doth daily confesse the misery and sin of his People and Nation in hearty Compassion that God would be mercifull to them and preserve them from Great Evills and Sins 38. And when this is brought to passe his heart becometh very simple honest and upright for he desireth no craft but would fain have all things proceed righteously and justly and he cannot abide any unrighteousnesse or suttle dealings for he alwayes confesseth the peoples unrighteousnesse before God and thus his minde becometh altogether simple and seeketh no kinde of craft or suttlety but putteth his hope and confidence in God and liveth in the simplicity and lowlinesse of heart before God and the world and he is as the tender young ladd Joseph for he hopeth for good continually from God his Father 39. Now when a man is come so far then Joseph viz. the chast virgin childe of Sophia is even born then God his father cloathes his soul with the party-coloured coat viz. with the divine power and forth with the Spirit of God in him beginneth to play with the soul as he did with Joseph for the Spirit of God seeth through the soul and with the soul as Joseph in the Type saw things which were to come represented to him in the vision of dreames whereby the Spirit did also play with the soul even so the Spirit of God doth forthwith take delightfull communion with the soul of a new Joseph viz. with the inward spirituall world so that the soul understandeth divine mysteries and seeth into the Eternall life and knoweth the hidden world which yet is to be revealed in man as this Pen hath found by Experience from whence it hath received its Spirit of knowledge 40. Now when this man beginneth to speake of divine things and visions of the hidden worlds divine mysteries and speaketh forth the wonders of God that his brethren viz. the children of the outward world in whom the hidden spirituall world is not yet manifest do heare it they count it a meer fable and a melancholly Chimera and whimsey and esteem him foolish in that he speaketh of those things which they cannot understand and comprehend they make a meer Phancy and Fiction of it also they account it some Astrall instigation or false Enthusiasm or the like especially if he revealeth and reproveth their evill workes and wayes as Joseph did then they turn his open Enemies and grudge him his very life as hapned to Joseph 41. Now when it is thus Reason beholdeth it selfe at a stand as if it were confounded and knoweth not the wayes of God viz. that it must be thus with the children of God it thinketh thou seekest God and he bringeth thee into distresse and misery thus this man doth now wander up and down as Joseph wandred in the * * * Or Field Wildernesse when his father sent him to his brethren to see how it was with them 42. So it goeth likewise with Gods new children when Gods Spirit sendeth them to be zealous about the affliction of Joseph and the world doth every way hate and persecute them for it then they thinke in the Reason of this world dost thou not goe in the wayes of God wherefore then doth it goe so with thee that thou art but the fool of the world and then the Minde beginneth to be troubled and knowes not how it is with it for he heareth that he is every where accused for a frantick wicked person and hated for the young minde in flesh and bloud understandeth not the divine processe viz. how reason must become a fool and how Christ doth very willingly take upon himselfe in man the reproach and scorn of the Devill and of the world and how Gods righteousnesse and Adams propagated Guilt must be alwayes fullfilled with suffering how a Christian must stand in Christs figure 43. And now when it comes to be thus then Reason goes truely a wandering in great sorrow and desertion with Joseph in the wildernesse and is every way in distresse and yet he must performe his
to the youngest and last viz. to the incorporated Ground of Grace after the Fall and cannot finde this Cup of Salvation in any naturall property although the Body goes quite to powder in the Searching all but the youngest brother in the inspoken or inspired Word of Grace in that lyeth the Cup of Joseph and of Christ this the Spirit prefigureth powerfully in this figure 60. Moses sayth further * * * Gen. 44.14 15 16 17. And Judah went with his brethren into Josephs house for he was there still and they fell downe before him on the earth But Joseph sayd to them How have ye dared to doe this thing know ye not that such a man as I am can finde it out Judah spake and sayd what shall wee say unto my Lord How shall wee speake and wherein can wee justifie our selves God hath found out the Misdeede of thy servants behold heere wee and he with whom the Cup is found are the servants of my Lord but he sayd that be far from me to doe such a thing the Man with whom the Cup is found he shall be my servant but goe ye up in peace to your Father The inward Figure standeth thus 61. When God blamed and charged Man with Guilt by reason of sinne and presented this to him in his Anger by the Deluge or floud also by Sodom and Gomorrha before their Eyes that they had robbed in the house of Joseph that is in the Covenant of Grace and transgressed the Covenant then went Judah with his Brethren that is Moses with the Children of Juda and Israell in the Manifestation of the Law when their sinnes were manifested and that God required the Cup back againe into Josephs house that is the Law went back into Josephs house then Judah and Israell could not keepe it and so it went into the Grace and there the Covenant of Grace viz. the right Joseph presented it selfe before their Eyes and sayd while you are robbers and evill doe you suppose I cannot finde you out But they could not answer him but must yeeld themselves to his sentence 62. For Israell could neither keepe the Covenant nor the Law and therefore must now fall downe before him and yeeld themselves to his Mercy and Compassion Israell would now give up himselfe to be Gods owne servant but he would not have them Minister to him with their Law but would have that to be his servant wherein the Cup lay Hee would not have onely an outward worship and service of God in the figure of Christ with the Law but he would have Benjamin viz. the inward Ground of the heavenly worlds Substance for a servant but the Minister or servant of the Law viz. the Naturall Man should goe home againe in peace into his fathers Country and take the bestowed Grace along with him in his Life for foode this the Spirit of God sets thus in a figure under these Acts pointing at the future 63. Under this figure now the Spirit intimates by Juda who was surety for Benjamin very secretly and mystically that the poore soule could not thus with the Grace goe home againe to its fathers Country unlesse it had Benjamin that is Christ in substance in it For Juda pleaded exceeding hard that he durst not goe home unlesse he brought Benjamin along with him or else he would himselfe remaine there a servant 64. Thus the poore soule giveth it selfe up to God when Gods righteousnesse calleth it to goe back againe home with the Covenant then it will by no meanes goe back except it have Benjamin that is Christ Substantially with it else it cannot see God as heere Juda in this Image and Type excuseth †††Gen. 44.30 31. himselfe and sayth If he came back and brought not Benjamin with him then he should bring his Fathers grey Haires under the earth seeing his soule clave to Benjamins soule 65. That is if the Adamicall Man should goe into Paradise againe without Christs Life and Substance then would he bring his father the Lifes Nature into the Eternall Divine * * * Or hiddennesse forgetfullnesse for the Life of the humane Nature would not be Manifest according to the divine property that is it could not live in the Kingdome of Heaven 66. Indeed God calleth the soule to goe home with the Law into Paradise but that cannot be unlesse it have Christ in Life and Substance in it and then it dares goe home againe into its first Native Country of its Father CHAP. LXXII How Joseph Manifested himselfe before his Brethren And what is to be understood thereby Vpon the 45 Chapter of Genesis MOses sayth further * * * Gen. XLV 1 2 3. Then Joseph could no longer withhold himselfe before all those that stood about him and he cryed Let every one goe forth from mee and none were with him when Joseph made himselfe knowne to his Brethren and he wept aloud so that the Aegyptians and Pharaohs people heard and he sayd to his Brethren I am Joseph doth my father yet live And his Brethren could not answer him they were so terrified in his presence The inward Figure standeth thus 2. God gave Israell the Law and commanded them thereby to goe home againe into Paradise even as the figure of the Promised Land into which they were to goe but could not for a long time till Joshua led them in was as a Type and prefiguration of the true Leading in by Jesus and under the Law they had also the Paradisicall Covenant of Grace as also the Prophets who lead them to Gods Mercy and Compassion 3. But they could not by any of these come againe into their first Adamicall Paradisicall Country of their Father to rest Gods righteousness blamed them without ceasing and required the power and ability that they should give full obedience to the Law and Covenant 4. But seeing that could not be and that neither the Law nor the Covenant could bring them in back againe then the Heavenly Joseph manifested himselfe out of the Covenant for he could no longer withhold in regard of Mans misery and bringeth his great Mercy and Compassion through the Covenant into the Law which Compassion is signified by Josephs great weeping when he could no more withhold from his Brethren and he wept so that even the Aegyptians and the people of Pharaohs house heard which signifieth that this weeping viz. the Mercy and Compassion of God through Christ the Aegyptians also that is all Heathen and People should heare and receive it even as it came to passe when Christs weeping and Compassion sounded among all Nations so that they all received it into their hearts and turned themselves to this Joseph who received them all and fullfilled the Law together with the Covenant 5. But that Joseph cryed let every one goe forth from mee when he made himselfe knowne to his brethren that none should stay with him it signifieth this when Jesus Christ viz. the highest Mercy
what he might else stand in neede of or layeth it by for poore people such is the Officers gathering together it should all be gathered together for common benefit else it is a Treasure of the anger of God and must expect Gods Judgement 47. But that the present Potentates doe thus gather together for their owne honour for voluptuousnes and pride and in that regard doe the more hardly oppresse and squeeze that they may only therewith exercise their pride and keepe under the poore as Doggs and say in their hearts they are bound to doe so for mee I have bought or inherited it as a priviledge I have it of right all this one and other is done in the anger of God they all now in this property serve only Sathan viz. in the figure of Gods anger and no better 48. All selfe-owning belongeth to Hell make what thou wilt of it no seeming Rhetorick will avayle before God thou gatherest together into Hell God requireth the Ground of the Heart and will have trusty Officers 49. But the Miserable is to know that in such restraint and service if he endure it without murmuring and grudging in faithfulnes he serveth even his Lord Christ for God thereby draweth him away from this world so that he sets his hope upon that which is to come and in this servility of his hands he gathereth to him with his prayer into this house of Lamentation his heavenly Treasure whereas if he for this time of his restraint stood in the voluptuousnes of the flesh he would gather no good thing therefore †††Rom. 8.28 all things must serve to the best of them that love God 50. Thus a Man ought to understand the figure under the history and acts of Joseph for indeed the history is described with great diligence according to the inward figure according to the * * * Eingebung Inward suggestion inspiration of the Spirit of God which alwayes more respects Christs Kingdome then any Historie of a slight and simple Act. 51. For the Acts of the Bible are not set downe therefore because Men should see the Life and Deeds of the Old Holy Men or Saints as Babell supposeth No the Kingdome of Christ above all is thereby deciphered as also the Kingdome of Hell the visible figure continually pointeth at the invisible which shall be manifested in the Spirituall Man 52. Moses heere finisheth the figure of the New Regeneration under the historie of Joseph and sayth further * * * Gen. 47.27 28. Thus Israell dwelt in Egypt in the Land of Goshen and possessed it and grew and multiplyed very much and Jacob lived seaventeen yeares in Egypt so that his whole age was one hundred forty and seaven yeares 53. †††Vers. 29 30 31. And when the time was come that Israell was to dye he called his son Joseph and sayd to him If I have found Grace before thee then lay thy hand under my Thigh that thou wilt be loving and faithfull to mee and not bury mee in Egypt but I will lye with my fathers and thou shalt carry mee out of the Land of Egypt and bury mee in their burying place Hee sayd I will doe as thou hast sayd but he answered and sayd sweare to mee and he sware to him then Israell bowed himselfe sitting up at the head of the Bed 54. This now is a very Mâ—sticall figure and pointeth at the Resurrection of the Dead when the Soule shall come to the Body againe and the Body will be pure and holy For the Land of Canaan which was also full of the abominations of the Heathen signifieth the Earthly Body and Egypt where Pharaoh dwelt and Joseph was Steward signifieth the Soule which dwelleth in Gods Word viz. by or neere the Eternall King 55. And wee see it very finely pourtrayed in this figure how Adams Soule turned it selfe with Lust into the Earthly Canaan of the Earthly Body and turned away from God therefore now the Soule must goe againe into Egypt into Repentance to Joseph viz. to Christ and to King Pharaoh viz. to God and there it will be received as a childe of Grace to be a Bond servant so that it will be obedient to God and be his servant and Minister and must forsake the Earthly Canaan viz. the Evill body with its will and Contrivances as Israell must leave and forsake Canaan 56. But after he should be dead he would then have his body into the Land of Canaan that it should be buried there which signifieth that the Earthly body must be buryed in its Mother the Earth and come into its first Mother againe and it signifieth that the Soule shall come againe out of Egypt viz. out of the Bondage of the affliction of Repentance to the Body into Rest for the Heathen must be driven out of Canaan when Israell entereth thereinto so also must the Abominations in the propertie and †††Or qualitie condition of the Body be consumed and all false and wicked desires be killed ere the Soule come to the Body againe and dwell therein 57. And it is powerfully represented how the will of the Soule shall and must in this life time breake off from the Earthly Canaan viz. from the Lusts of the Body presse into God againe by earnest Repentance where then the soule must rightly be in Egypt viz. a poore Bond servant in much anxiety and affliction but in the End when the Body shall dye then it also desireth to goe along out of the house of Bondage viz. out of the torment of Repentance and will goe againe into the first Adamicall pure Image which God Created as Jacob would lye by his fathers when as he might have lyen as well in Egypt But the Spirit stood in the figure of the Resurrection shewing how the whole Man should goe againe into the first Image created by God 58. But that Jacob required an Oath from Joseph that he would bury him in Canaan with his Fathers it denoteth the Oath which God in Christ made with Man that God hath with his word of Love incorporated himselfe with Man and engaged as by an Eternall Oath to him Jacob requireth this Oath from Joseph as from the figure of Christ and desireth he should lay his hand under his Thigh and sweare 59. This is a figure signifying how Christ should lay his hand that is his power and might viz. the Eternall Word which is the hand that hath made all things into the humane Essence in Body and Soule and not onely into that but under the Thigh as under the humane power and to give himselfe to Man for his own and sweare therein that is bind himselfe to it that he will bring the whole Man when he is heere dead in the Temporall Death againe into the first Land of Inheritance wherein Adam in Innocency dwelt viz. into Paradise and bury the body and soule with his Oath in God as in the