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A28529 Mysterium magnum, or An exposition of the first book of Moses called Genesis. Concerning the manifestation or revelation of the divine word through the three principles of the divine essence; also of the originall of the world and the creation. Wherein the kingdome of nature, & the kingdome of grace are expounded. For the better understanding of the Old and New Testament, and what Adam and Christ are. Also, how man should consider and may know himselfe in the light of nature, where he is, and where his temporall and eternall life, consist; also, where his eternall blessednesse, and damnation, consist. And is an exposition of the essence of all essences for the further consideration of the lovers, in the divine gift. Comprised in three parts: written anno 1623. By Jacob Behm. To which is added, The life of the author. And his Foure tables of divine revelation.; Mysterium magnum. English. Böhme, Jakob, 1575-1624.; Böhme, Jakob, 1575-1624.; Ellistone, John, d. 1652.; Sparrow, John, 1615-1665?; H. B. (Henry Blunden) 1656 (1656) Wing B3411A; ESTC R212985 753,539 662

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Inheritance which we have received from Adam and Eve and that is the cause that the Body must Dye and wholly putrifie and entet againe into its first Ens for the Serpents Ens must be wholly done away it cannot inherit the Kingdome of God 56. The first Ens in the limus of the Earth which was coagulated in in the Verbum Fiat must be wholly renewed in the Spirit of Christ if it will possesse the Kingdome of God but if it remaineth captivated in the Serpents Ens it shall never be any more manifest understand the holy Ens which disappeared in Adam and was captivated in the Serpents Ens whereby Death came into the flesh 57. Therefore a man must consider what he speaketh thinketh and doth least he conceive his Thoughts in the Serpents Ens and frame a will in the Minde in the Ens of the Serpent for else the Devill doth set himselfe therein and hatcheth a Basilisk viz. an hellish forme in the word 58. For all wrath which is conceived in man for Revenge doth primarily arise in its Centre out of the nature and property of the darke world viz. in Gods anger and formes it selfe further in the Serpents Ens to Substance let it be what zeale it will if it brings it selfe into a wrath to its owne Revenge it is formed in the Ens of the Serpent and is devillish 59. And though the same were a Prophet and an Apostle and yet would bring himselfe in the wrath to his owne Revenge then this Substance is formed from the Anger of God in the Serpents Ens and goeth into the wrath of God and the Anger of God is therein zealous which oftentimes doth so stir up and forme it selfe in the holy children of God that * * * The Saints they must against their purposed will bring down the Turba upon the house of the wicked also upon his Body and Soule as may be seene by Moses upon Chorah Dathan and Abiram whom the Earth swallovved up so also by Elias in the Fire concerning the two Captaines over fiftie whom the fire devoured also by Elisha and many other Prophets 60. And there are many remarkable examples to be found concerning this in in the holy Histories how oftentimes the children of God have been forced to carry the Sword of the Turba in them a great example whereof we see in Sampson and also in Joshua with his warres and likevvise in Abraham how the zeale of God did enkindle it selfe in them that they in their spirit of zeale have oftentimes awakened the Turba magna in the Anger of God and raised great Rebukes judgments and plagues upon whole Countries as Moses in Egpit did with the plagues upon the Egyptians 61. But we must heere distinguish if the zeale of God should awaken it selfe in an holy man without his purposed will and give him the Sword of Gods anger such a one differs much from those who in their owne Thoughts contrive and plot in the wrath and introduce the Conceived or purposed will into the Serpents Ens and make it to Substance for that is Sin yea though the g g g The greatest Saint most holy man should doe it 26. Therefore Christ so emphatically and punctually teacheth us in the new birth Love Humility and Meeknesse and would that a Christian should not at all Revenge Note also not be Angry for he saith that whosoever is angry with his brother is guilty of the judgement for the Anger is a conception in the Serpents Ens which must be cut off by the judgment of God from the Good Being and whosoever shall say unto his brother Racha shall be in danger of the Counsell for the desire of * * * Or Revenge Racha ariseth in the Centre of the darke fiery wheele of the Eternall nature therefore in the fire-soule there is a forme of the fire word in manner of a wheele like a madnesse and the soules fiery-forme stands in the Racha as a mad furious wheele which confounds the Essence in the Body and destroyes or shatters in peeces the understanding for every Racha desireth to destroy Gods Image thus the soule hangeth on the wheele of the Eternall nature viz. on the Centre of the horrible Anxious birth as is before mentioned concerning the Centre of the birth of nature 63. Moreover Christ saith Whosoever saith to his brother thou foole shall be in danger of hellfire this is thus wrought when the Conceived will hath formed it selfe in the furious wrath of Gods anger and introduced it into the Serpents Ens then it standeth in the furious wheele as mad and if it doth now purposely goe on and so forme the word and casts or speaks it forth against its brother and enkindles in him also an hatefull enmity in the Serpents Ens the same burneth in his Expressed Word in the fire of Gods anger and he is guilty of it for he hath enkindled it in his Racha 64. Therefore said Christ if thou wilt offer thy Gift goe first and be reconciled to thy offended brother or neighbour for otherwise he bringeth his wrath into thy offering and withholdeth thee in thy desire towards God that thou canst not reach the holy Ens which else washeth away the Turba in thy Enkindled vanity 65. For the Word foole is in it selfe in the Essence nothing else but an enkindled wrathfull fiery wheele an outragious madness and he that so calleth his neighbour without a cause he hath brought forth a word in the fire-wheele in Gods wrath and is guilty of it for the forth-produced word is arisen out of the Ens of the Soule and Body 66. Every word vvhen it is formed doth first awaken its owne Ens whence it taketh its originall then it leads it selfe forth through the Counsell of the five Senses against its brother now whosoever useth such a wrathfull devouring fire-word against his brother he soweth into the Anger of God and is in danger to reape the fruit which he hath so sown when it springeth up and groweth 67. Therefore take heed and beware O Man what thou thinkest speakest or desirest to doe looke vvell alwayes in what zeale thou standest whether it be divine or onely of thy own poysonfull nature thou Father thou mother thou brother and Sister which proceed and come from one bloud from one Ens and mutually Assimulate each with other as a tree in its branches thinke and consider what kinde of Sound or tune thou introducest into the vitall Ens of thy fellow-twiggs and branches whether it be Gods Love-word or his Word of Anger if yee doe not destroy the introduced Evill againe with Love and introduce againe the Love Ens into the Anger to overcome and reconcile it then the Substance must come * * * Or before into the judgement of God and be separated in the fire of God as the Devill is Severed from the good Ens and so shalt thou oh wicked man with thy vvicked formed Word
brother and yet the Spirit sayth of him he is a ravening Wolfe who in the morning would devour the prey In this Testament of Benjamin is couched the most hidden secret figure of the whole Scripture and yet in its Type in the unfolding in the Effect and work it is the most manifest and open figure which is cleere in the fullfilling so that Men may see it with bodily Eyes and yet in their Reason are quite blinde concerning it 49. This figure is fullfilled and yet is in action and shall be yet also further fullfilled it is very secret and yet as manifest as a Sunshiny Day and yet is not understood but it is knowne to the Magi and Wisemen who indeed have written much concerning it but it hath not been yet rightly explicated while the time of the Evening when Benjamins spoyle shall be divided was far off but now it is neere therefore wee shall offer somewhat concerning it and hint the sence and meaning for those of our society to consider of and yet remaine as it were dumb to the unwise seeing they sit in the dark and open their Jawes onely after the spoyle 50. The two Brethren Joseph and Benjamin are the Image or Type of Christendome and of a Christian Man which in their figure are twofold viz. the Adamicall Man in his Nature is signified by Benjamin and the New Man out of the Covenant in the Spirit of Christ is signified by Joseph and the figure representeth how Christ hath assumed the Adamicall Man and that this Man is halfe Adamicall and halfe heavenly and that entirely in one person which cannot be divided 51. So also in this Image or Type he prefigureth Christendome and how they would receive Christ and become Christians viz. that in them Christ and also the Evill Wolfe Adam would governe that is when they would receive the Faith they would be so ravenous raving and zealous as a Wolfe and would draw the Heathen to them with power and Compulsion and yet would devour them that is whosoever will not above all hold the same Opinion with them they would presently fall on to Condemne that other Opinion and persecute it with warres the sword as a raging Lyon or Wolfe biteth and devoureth thus in zeale they would devour round about them with Excommunication and the sword and that therefore not because they are zealous in the Spirit of Christ but from the Wolfe of the Evill Adam which would alwayes set it selfe in Spirituall and Worldly States and polities above the Spirit of Christ. 52. Thus their Zeale would be only from the devouring Wolfe Men being more zealous under the Name of Christ for temporall Goods fatt livings good dayes and worldly honour then for Love Truth and Salvation they will not be zealous in the power of Christs Love but in the power of the devouring Wolfe Also in the Zeale of their accustomed Exercises and Worship wherein yet they would but play the hypocrites before God they themselves would devoure one another as covetous greedy Wolves and so outwarldly the Wolfe would Governe But yet inwardly in the true children Christ would governe Outwardly Benjamin viz. the Naturall Adam which indeed is also a Christian but it is first after his Resurrection when he is quitt of the Wolfe and Inwardly Joseph who is hidden under the Wolfe 53. And now the Spirit of Jacob in the Covenant of God pointeth at the Time shewing how it would be viz. in the first time of Christianity they would be zealous hunger after God in the Spirit of Christ and yet must hide themselves from their Enemies as a Wolfe that Men hunt as an Enemie 54. But when they shall be great and possesse Kingdomes that is when Christs Name shall come under the power and authority of Dan so that Lawes and Ordinances shall be made out of pretence of Christian Liberty and its Orders and Exercises shall come under worldly authority and dominion then will this Christendom be a Wolfe which will no more judge and proceed in the Love of Christ but whosoever will not call all their Belly Orders good and right those they would devour with the sword of Excommunication with fire and * * * Racha vengeance and would raise warres for Christs Name and for their superstitions and compell the people with power to the acknowledgement of Christ and devoure round about them as a Wolfe and alwayes hunt after the spoyle and yet for the most part entend to get the Goods and authority of strange and forreigne people to themselves 55. Thus would Benjamin in the Morning viz. in his rising up devour the prey and towards the Evening he would againe divide this devoured spoyle that is towards the End of the world when Josephs Government will get aloft againe so that Christ shall be wholly manifest and that this Wolfe shall cease then will Benjamin viz. the holy true Christendom divide the spoyle of Christ wherewith Christ hath suppressed Death and Hell 56. This dividing or distribution of the spoyle shall come and is already come and yet is not though it is really in Truth and the whole world is blinde concerning it except the children of the Mystery The Time is and is not and yet truly is when this prey and spoyle of Christ and also the Wolfes prey shall through Josephs hand be given into Benjamins hand and be divided and distributed 57. O Babell let this be a Wonder to thee and yet no wonder neither for thou hast nothing and seest nothing at which thou canst wonder as a young plant groweth from a Seede and becometh a great Tree which bringeth forth much faire fruit so that a Man would wonder at the Graine or seede how so excellent a Tree and so much good fruit hath lyen hid in one only Graine or seede which men neither knew of nor saw before But because Men have knowledge and experience thereof that it is possible that a Tree should come out of one graine or seede Men wonder not at it yet Men see not how it comes to passe or where that great power and vertue was so also at present Men see the Graine or Seede of the Tree well enough but Reason contemneth that and beleeveth not that such a Tree lyeth therein whence such good fruit should come that thereby the Kingdome of Benjamin at the End of Time shall be called a dividing or distribution of the prey and spoyle 58. But Joseph must first be a Governour in Egypt and then Benjamin cometh to him and then Joseph giveth him five Garments of sumptuous apparell and five times more foode from his Table then the other when the famine famisheth the Land and the soule of Jacob hungereth then know that God will thereby draw Israell into Egypt viz. into Repentance and then is the time of visitation and Benjamin carrieth his spoyling sword in his mouth But Josephs countenance smiteth him so that he cometh into great Terrour and feare of
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
its Sword by them to destroy the heathen and the Generation of Ham Gen XIIII Verse 14. for Abraham went out with his whole house and people against the Heathen who had carried away Lot his brothers Son captive and he smote the heathen and delivered his brother This was done in the zeale of God which thus delivered his children through the might of his Anger for what conduceth to the wicked for destruction the same conduceth to the holy men for life and deliverance 15. But that those who will be called Christians who ought in and with Christ to be dead to the Anger and wrath of God in Christs death doe wage war they doe it not as Christians but as heathens No Christian warreth for if he be a Christian then he is dead in and with Christs death to the foure Elements of Gods Anger in Selfe and born a new man in Christs spirit of Love who liveth in Righteousnesse in Love and patience and liveth not to himselfe but to God in Christ. 16. For a true Christian leadeth his conversation and will in heaven in the life and Spirit of Christ as S t Paul saith our conversation is in heaven but when the Christians doe wage war they doe it from the heathenish property and not from Christs property for a Christian is not of this world his Kingdome is in heaven and he is dead in Christ to the world according to the new spirituall man in him the Heathen-man viz. the halfe-devillish man who hath his Kingdome in this world who never hath roome enough upon the Earth but liveth in the foure Elements of Gods Anger viz. in Pride Coveteousnesse Envy and Wrath the same desireth in the Christians to warre fight and slay 17. Saint Paul saith give your members to be weapons of Righteousnesse for why doe men fight for the Kingdome of this world Rom. 6.13 and yet as Christ said his Kingdome was not of this world James 4.1 so also his childrens Kingdome in him is not of this world Joh. 18.36 now then if we give up our body and Soule for weapons of Gods Anger and seek onely thereby Selfe interests liberties and priviledges of Mammon and slay one another for the Kingdome of this world I thinke we are herein Christians indeed in the mouth but the heart and Soul is an heathen and not born out of Christs Spirit 18. When Abraham had smote the heathen he desired nothing of the goods which he tooke but restored to the King of Sodom what the Heathen had taken from him and was onely zealous in the Lord he did not fight for Countrey and Kingdome but to deliver his brother Loth this was a true zeale which the Lord drove in him he did not stand up and fight for Countrey or City and albeit he obtained it he desired it not but went again unto his own place 19. And here the Spirit in Moses speaketh very wonderfully and saith that when Abraham returned from the Slaughter that the King of Sodome met him and Melchisedech King of Salem brought forth bread and wine who was a Priest of the most High God possessour of Heaven and of Earth and blessed Abraham and Abraham gave him Tithes And though we finde almost nothing elsewhere in the holy Scripture of this Priesthood yet the same was really in the figure of Christ for the Spirit saith in another place of Christ that he was an High Priest in the order of Melchisedech 20. Thus the Spirit of God doth very secretly and mystically represent the Figure of Christ by Abraham and calleth him a King of Salem and a Priest of the most High God viz. a Priest of Salvation and the holy Vnction as it intimates in the SenSAll Tongue that is Christ hath blessed Abraham and brought him forth bread and wine viz. his flesh and bloud and is the high Priest before God that makes Atonement for Abraham and his children 21. For Abraham had managed the Sword of Gods Anger against the Heathen now came Melchisedech and blessed Abraham againe least the Sword of the Turba should lay hold on him and he gave him forth bread and wine that is the heavenly Ens which he would introduce into Abrahams Seed and change it into flesh and bloud and here he appeased the Fathers Anger in the Covenant as in the Type 22. For this Priest with Abraham is really to be understood in a spirituall manner for although Abraham might have externally a Priest after the same manner with him under the figure of Christ yet Moses saith he was a Priest of God and said to Abraham blessed art thou Abraham unto the most High who possesseth heaven and earth who hath shut up thine Enemies into thy hands here is none other to be understood but Christ who very often appeared to Abraham in the figure and blessed him alwayes for the Spirit in Moses calleth him also a King of Salem which is nothing else but a King of Salvation 23. And Abraham gave him Tithes indeed he might have such a Priestly Order with him to whom he gave Tithes but this King and Priest was he of whom he preached to whom Abraham gave tithes viz. the Tenth Property of the humane properties of the fiery tongue of the Soule and the Priest gave his bread and wine and his blessing thereinto viz. the Love-fire the Tincture of the light together with the heavenly Substantiality that so Abraham might receive the lights Tincture into the Soules fiery Tincture and become again a compleat Image of God which was separated in Adam with the woman therefore Christ viz. the womans Tincture gave him againe the lights Ens that so the male and female property might become one Image or person this the Spirit doth here signifie in Moses under the Royall Priest of Salem 24. For Esdra when he dictated the lost Bible in the knowledge of the Spirit of God to his Scribes saw this very well Note Esdra dictated the Bible that was Lost. 2 Esdra 14. and therefore the holy Spirit doth so set it down and we see very exactly how Esdras wrote the hystories of Abraham in the vision of the Spirit for the whole hystory of Abraham is delineated under Christs Person and is an Image or Type of Christ. 25. Abraham saw in the Spirit this Priest of Salem and when Abraham offered Sacrifice then this Priest was in the offering and offered to God for he was to make reconciliation for the world with an offering therefore he was a Priest of God 26. He brought Abrahams will-offering viz. his prayer and desire in faith into the holy Ens of God and in the same Ens viz. in the divine Essentiality heavenly bread and wine was brought to Abrahams Soul that it might eat at Gods Table till this Priest became Abraham that is did manifest himselfe in Abraham with the heavenly Corporeity viz. with the Soules food in the Right bread and wine CHAP. XXXIX How God appeared to
how that he after that he had assumed and anointed our humanity should flee with our humanity out of its fathers Adamicall house again into the first Paradisicall house 2. And it further denotes that the children of Christ after they have received the Vnction and Blessing and the new birth begins to spring forth in them in the blessing shall and must forth-with flee with their thoughts and minde from their father Adams house of the depraved nature and it shews that the Devill and the world do soon hate them and they must forthwith give themselves to the pilgrims-path of Christ and live under the worlds slavish yoke in misery and oppression in disfavour and disrespect for God brings them forth with their thoughts and minde out of their fathers house viz. out of the desire in flesh and bloud so that they do nothing at all regard the pleasure of the world and flee from it as Jacob from his fathers house 3. And then we see how wonderfully God guideth his children and defends them from their Enemies that the Devill in Gods Anger cannot kill them unless it be Gods will as he defended Jacob from the fury of Esau and lead him away from him and we have here an excellent example on Jacob in that he forsook his native home also father and mother for this blessings sake and loved God more then all temporall goods and willingly left all to Esau that so he might but be the blessed of God 4. And we see that when he had left the riches of the world in his fathers house the Lord appeared to him with the Eternall goods and shewed him a Ladder Gen. 28.12 whereupon he could ascend into Gods Eternall Kingdome which ladder was no other then Christ whom he had put on in the line of the Covenant and here now the type was represented to him shewing him what Person Christ should be 5. For this * * * Gen. 28.12 Ladder as to his apprehension was upon the earth and the top of it reached into heaven and thereon the Angels of God did ascend and descend which signifyeth that Gods eternall word with the power of heaven viz. with the Angelicall divine worlds Essence should descend or immerse it selfe into our Essence departed from God and blind as to God and assume our humanity and so unite the heaven with the world in man that the humanity through this entrance of the Deity into the humanity might have a Ladder unto God 6. And it shewes that mankinde should come through Christs humanity into the Society of the Angels Matth. 13. v. 22. And this is clearly signifyed here in that the Angels of God do ascend and descend on this ladder also that the heaven in man should be againe opened through this entrance of the divine essence into the humanity and that the children of God should have the Angels for companions in this world which God shewed to Jacob in that the Angels came up and down to him on this ladder 7. Which shall be a very great comfort to the children of God who turn themselves from their fathers house viz. from this worlds vanity to this Jacobs Ladder for they shall certainly know that Gods Angels do come unto them upon this ladder to which they have turned themselves and are willingly about them to serve them 8. For this ladder signifyeth properly the pilgrims path of Christ through this world into Gods kingdome in that the kingdome of the corrupt Adamicall nature doth alwayes yet cleave unto the children of God and hinders them in flesh and bloud in the spirit of this world and therefore they must according to the inward man in Christs spirit continually ascend up in much crosses and tribulation on this ladder and follow Christ under his Cross and Red-Banner 9. On the contrary the world liveth in the pleasure of their father Adams house in scorn jeering and mocking in envy spite and malice whatsoever they can do to cross and vex these Jacobs children that they joy and take delight in and laugh and fleer at them as we have an example of it in Esau how that he tooke in contempt disdain and spite to his father and mother Ismaelitish wives who were of the Line of mockery or reviling which were meer bitterness of spirit and grief of heart both to Isaac and Rebecca 10. Where we clearly see that the Devill hath his power in the kingdome of this world in the corrupt humane property and doth continually resist Gods children and vexeth and plagueth them and fights with them for his kingdome which he hath lost and doth not willingly beteem it them 11. And we see very finely how the Lord standeth above upon this Ladder of the Pilgrimage of Christ as with Jacob and without ceasing calleth the Children of Christ and comforteth them that they should cheerfully ascend upon it He will not leave them but come to them and blesse them so that their * * * Gen. 28 14. Seede and fruit shall grow encrease and be as the Dust upon the Earth that is that they in their Toyle Labour and Anxiety shall spring up and flourish in the Inward divine Kingdome 12. For so much as the Children of Christ goe out from this world and forsake it in their Minde so much they spring up in the Inward kingdome of Christ where then God standeth above upon this Ladder and continually inspireth or inspeaketh his Blessing power into them so that they grow as * * * Joh. 15.5 Branches on his Vine ‖ ‖ ‖ Psal 80.15 which he hath planted againe in our Humanity in this Jacobs Blessing in Christ. 13. And wee hereby cleerely see that this whole type from Abraham to Jacob containes meere figures of the Kingdome and Person of Christ and his Children for here God reneweth the Promised Covenant of Abraham concerning the seede of the Woman with Jacob also that * * * Gen. 28.14 out of his seede as out of the Line of the Covenant Hee should come who should Blesse all Nations for which cause also Jacob was led from his Fathers House God having set before him outwardly the kingdome of Christ in the figure for whose sake he caused his wrath to cease from the children of unbeleefe and did not destroy them but afforded them time to Repent and so appeased his wrath in this Type which pointed at the fulfilling which was to come 14. Wee have here also a firme Ground and assurance that Christ hath truly taken upon him our Adamicall Soule and Humanity in the Body of Mary and hath destroyed Death Hell and the Anger of God in our Humanity which he assumed and hath set up this Ladder of Jacob for God said to Jacob * * * Gen. 28.14 Through thee and thy seede shall all the Generations of the Earth be Blessed through Thee Jacob through thine owne seede which is God and Man viz. the Heavenly divine Ens and substance and
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