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
and Authority and so one playeth the hypocrite with another the inferiour that is without power and authority playeth the hypocrite with the potent that he may advance him also and bring him to honour plenty to deliciousnesse and fat dayes whereby the Spirit of Zeale declines and falls to the Ground and the truth is turned into a lie and the Spirit of Zeale of the mouth is stopped with Power and Man is honoured in God's stead 33. This History relating how * * * Gen. 34.25 Simeon and Levi went into the City to Hemor and his children and People and slew all the males in this City may well be understood to be a figure whereby the Spirit signifieth that he declareth in the figure concerning the future time and is so written as a figure 34. Also the History is cleare that †††Gen. 34.24 25 26. Hemor and his son Sichem and all the males of the whole City were circumcised and became * * * Or Israelites Jewes and then presently were slaine by these two brethren Simeon and Levi which indeed is a hard figure to be understood seeing Reason questioneth whether it were so done or no that two men should slay a whole City But seeing it is a figure and was done even by Simeon and Levi viz. by the Stock and Root of the Levitical Priesthood and signifieth the future Christendome This therefore is to be understood under it 35. These two Brethren required first and proposed that if they would be circumcised and receive their Law they would give them their Sister and afterwards as it came to passe they slew them all both the innocent and the guilty This is that which Christ said to the Pharisees †††Mat. 23.15 Woe unto you Pharisees yee compass Sea and Land to make a Proselyte And when he is one you make him twofold more a childe of Hell then your selves 36. This also may be said of the Christian Levites they perswade People to be Baptised and called Christians and when that is done they stick their murthering sword into their hearts that they learne to slay other People with words which are not called after their name and are not of their Opinion They curse and damne them and they give occasion that one Brother persecutes another slanders condemnes hates and becomes his malicious enemie and yet understands not wherefore Heere it is rightly said these Levites have promised mee their sister to wife so that I am become a Christian and now they slay me with false Doctrine and not onely mee but all my generation who heare them and receive their blasphemy for Divine Truth and believe them that it is right that one man should thus judge and condemn another which yet Christ hath earnestly forbidden and thereby now that man judgeth himself since he doth that himself which he judgeth in another 37. Thus is the murthering sword stuck into many innocents hearts so that they are guiltlesly slain by the Levites But seeing Simeon and Levi are placed together and Jacob also when he was at his end Prophesied concerning them and putteth them together calling them murthering swords it hath this signification that they will not only slay them with the sword of the mouth but they would also set themselves up in worldly power and authority and for the truths sake kill their bodies and would doe it even to them which are under the Circumcision or under the Gospel whom first they had perswaded to be Circumcised or to be Baptized 38. As it is also come to passe among the Christians when men have first perswaded them unto Baptisme afterwards when they have for a while seen their abhominations that they live worse then the Heathen and will not in all things give their consent approbation then they begin persecution with fire and sword and slay them with their innocent children both in soule and body which is powerfully prefigured in this type of Simeon and Levi else that were a grievous grosse murther of the children of the Saints for them to perswade People to their Faith and give them their promise and then afterwards under such hypocrisie to slay all both innocent and guilty when they had so deeply humbled themselves before them 39. Therefore men should carefully and accurately looke upon the old Testament especially the first booke of Moses for the vail of Moses hangeth before it there is alwayes somewhat more signified under the Text Although wee will have the Text left also standing as a History and doubt not at all thereof which is knowne to God who hath thus suffred it be described 40. For the Text saith * * * Gen. 34.25.29 They fell upon the City and slew all the males and tooke all their children and wives captive and plundred and spoild all that was in their houses Which though it doth indeed seeme that these two men were not able to do it yet even Jacob himself witnesseth that there were no more then these two when †††Gen. 34.30 He said to Simeon and Levi Yee have raised mischief unto mee that I stink before the Inhabitants of this Land which stands very right in the figure that the murthering sword of the Levites hath raised such disturbance in the world that Christendome for their base murthering practises stinketh before the strange Nations so that they say if they were God's People they would not be such Tyrants and outragious scorners and they hate them for that very cause and slay and kill them as a turbulent evill people that contend onely about Religion and kill one another for it Therefore there can be no certainty among them and their Divine service and worship of God must needs be false say they For which cause the potent Countries of the East are departed from them and have subjected themselves to a Doctrine of Reason as is to be seene by the Turkes which ought farther to be considered of CHAP. LXIII How God called Jacob to depart from Sichem and what hapned upon it and how afterwards Rachell bare Benjamin and dyed in the Birth also how Isaak dyed and what is to be understood thereby Vpon the 35 th Chapter of Genesis WHen Simeon and Levi had committed that Murther God said to Jacob Gen. XXXV 1 2 3 4 5 6. Get thee up and go to Bethel and dwell there and make there an Altar to God who appeared unto thee when thou diddest flee from thy brother Esau. Then said Jacob unto his Household and to all that were with him Put away from you the strange Gods which are among you and cleanse your selves and change your Garments and let us arise and go to Bethel that I may there make an Altar to God who hath heard mee in the time of my trouble and hath been with mee in the way which I have gone Then they gave unto him all the strange Gods which were in their hands and their ear-rings
introduced earthly will may dye in it 40. For the fire-soule viz. the first Principle hangeth upon the Band of the outward world and continually and eagerly introduceth Something of vanity into it whereby the virgin-childe of the Angelicall worlds Essence viz. of Christs essentiality is defiled obscured and darkned therefore it must be so refined purified and purged again and many a cold piercing rautish wind of tribulation Anguish and great perplexity bloweth upon this child it must be continually as an off-scouring of the world for its Kingdome is not of this world as Christ said my Kingdome is not of this world 41. But the effect is this when the fair morning Star doth dawn and arise in the virgin-child then the outward life is even illuminated Or while it â—ives here in this time and it giveth it selfe up unto the obedience of the Internall life as an instrument and Servant of the internall 42. And then the holy Spirit of God shineth forth through the virgin-child and preacheth Christ crucified and reproveth the world for its Sins and wicked malicious doings and shewes them their false hypocriticall erroneous way that they will needs be the children of God in the outward Kingdome in their selfe-contrived and devised wayes and will seeke an externall forgivenesse of Sin in their owne conceited and received wayes and yet will still remaine in the vanity and in the pleasure of their flesh and desire onely to make devout shewes before God and give good words in a soothing glozing glosse of fine hypocrisie as if they served God in their contrived Conjectures and Opinions but still they will continue in selfehood in the outward shew and Ostentation 43. These the holy Ghost doth rebuke and reprove by the Virgins child in Christs Spirit and calls them hypocrites and wolves in sheeps cloathing and crafty Foxes borne of the Serpents Ens in whom there is the very property of Toads Dogs and wilde Beasts and shewes them that they draw neer to God with their lips but their Heart is full of murther gall and Serpent-desire and hath no true upright Love-desire in it also it shewes them that they are but meer flatterers and dissemblers in their Office who onely seeke pleasure and Temporall Honour and Respect thereby that so they might be able to domineer and Lord it over mens bodies and Soules Goods and Estates and thus they serve God onely from without with hypocriticall mouthes but their heart hangeth to the whoredome of Babylon full of devillish murther and poyson against him that doth but touch their Conscience 44. Such children in the Serpents craft who are best able as cunning Crafts masters in Sophistry to turne this Suttlety most takingly and artificially the children of the world doe set up unto themselves for Teachers and will learne the way of God from them 45. These Teachers doe assume unto themselves and presume upon the writings of the Saints and proclaime with open mouth that they teach Gods word the holy Spirit is poured forth by their teaching and preaching and though their conscience doth even convince them that they are not capable of the Office of the Ministry and that they are in no wise the Temples of the holy Spirit who should teach in and by them yet they care not for that it brings them money and Honour Christ is gone up to heaven and hath placed and Ordained them to be Stewards and Vicars in his office they must compose and contrive their Doctrine out of the writings of the Saints and out of their Reason upon the Letter of the Scripture their heaping together and composing of the words in the forme of their Suttle Reason must be the voice of the holy Spirit they say the holy Spirit is thereby poured forth into the Hearts of men 46. And though they themselves be onely Cain and in their q q q Or composing of the texts or bare letter of Scripture litterall and Bookish rapsody in their Sermons doe cast forth a great deal of light lewd Cainicall scorne and brother-slaughter and oftentimes mix lies and truth together yet the holy Spirit must have taught and the Congregation must thanke God for such holy sound orthodox Evangelicall Doctrine as they call it and after their killing of their brother there they must also help with boldnesse courage and zeale to murther and slay Abel and the little childe Jesus in his members with words and deeds 47. Such Teachers the world sets up to learn the Kingdome of God from and whosoever can but lustily cavill censure and condemne others in their Gifts and propose it with fine Distinctions and suttle Arguments and cloath them with the mantle of Reason and hide the Wolfe which thereby murthereth and devoureth Christs flock under the purple mantle of Christ to him they give diligent attention for the fleshly Serpents Heart doth therewith sooth up and flatter it selfe in its evill property It hath even such an Artificiall nature and Constitution 48. Such Seed these Teachers chosen of men doe sow who onely desire the Calling for temporall Honour and pleasure but are not called of God and are also without divine knowledge and understand not what true divinity is they enter not by the doore of Christ but they come into place by the Election and favour of men through the means of their own willing walking and running these can no way be acknowledged for the shepheards of Christ for they are not borne of Christ and chosen to this Function and divine calling 49. They are onely the great Master-builders of Babylon where the Languages are confounded and men thereby set at ods and variance and they set up war and contention upon the Earth for they wrangle and jangle about the meer Husk viz. about the written word and Letter and they have not the living word of God dwelling in them from which they ought to teach the Spirit of Christ it selfe must be the teacher in the word with the living voice or Expression the Spirit r r r The humane Spirit of man must know and feelingly finde Christ in it otherwise none teacheth the words of Christ onely dumb sencelesse words without power and Spirit 50. Now the Spirit of Christ in his children doth reprove these and shewes them the true way viz. how we must dye wholly in Christs death to the selfehood and the false selfe-full desire of temporall pleasure and honour and be borne again of Christs Spirit with another new will and desire out of Christs s s s Or body Love in peculiar Reall knowledge and preach and teach Christ from our own peculiar and singular knowledge of him in our selves 51. This Babel in Cain cannot endure that one should teach that Christ himselfe must be the teacher in the humane Spirit they plead their Cause from the forewritten Apostolicall word and say if they teach the same then the Spirit of God is poured forth yes forsooth very right I say so
new assumptions and formings are effected and wrought forth in the divine will in Resignation and they are the heavenly Images and formings which are formed and shaped in the holy Ghost to the honour of God 78. For if the holy Name of God be not in its power in the forming of the words viz. in the spirits of the Letters which are the formed word and helps to forme the word in the Sensuall tongue then the false Antichrist speaketh onely from his own selfe assumption of the literall forme 79. For the Spirit of God doth form and imprint into the word of the mouth when as the Sensuall tongue takes it righteousnesse truth faith Love and patience viz. divine power and vertue but the Antichristian childe doth co-forme in the conception of the word out of the Serpents Ens lies falsehood Tales unfaithfulnesse pride coveteousnesse bitter stinging envy anger backbitings revilings and all whatsoever is against God and maketh the formed word of the letter to a Beast and wicked Bastard which is rejected from the face of God upon which the Judgement passeth 80. The like is also to be understood concerning the externall wisdome and Art if the divine wisdome worketh therein then the understanding and Art is very good and grounded in the divine wisdome but if it be otherwise it standeth in meere antichristian false Image and Phancy to the Judgement of God Note 81. Therefore Let a man prove and try himselfe what falls in and suggests it selfe into the Sensuall tongue in the formation of his words if it be truth righteousnesse faith in hope Love in patience an earnest full unfeigned desire to speak and doe the truth and that for Gods sake in hope of Eternall life then it is well with him let him continue stedfast in such exercise and work more and more effectually and powerfully therein and his pretious Pearl Tree stands in its growth and encrease 82. But if the contrary be found in him that when he will speake that then lying a proud look great words for pomp and ostentation also envious bitternesse false speaking against his neighbour falsehood Anger a revenging desire false and evill interpretings and wrong harsh censurings doe fall in and imprint themselves into the formings and Phancy of his words then he may ceratinly and really know that he hath the antichristian babilonicall whore together with the false wicked Dragon-Beast sitting in his Heart which doth introduce and insinuate and imprint such will and desire in his words for the forming and building up of the Hellish Images for these false insinuations and suggestions are all brought to Substance in the formation of the Sensuall tongue 83. Therefore know O man Note and prove thy selfe that thou art the Image of God according to the divine word and understanding if thou speakest willest and dost righteously then thou art that same Image of God wherein God dwelleth speaketh willeth and worketh but if otherwise and the contrary is found in thee then thou art the apostate rebellious Lucifer in his Generation and traine and dost willest and desirest even that which he willeth and doth 84. And though thou desirest not Hell-fire Lucifer also did not desire it but there is no other reward for the false Image being it formes it selfe out of the Abysse it must verily enter into its Fathers countrey 85. For the speech and understanding of man doth not befall him from the Stars and Elements for then other creatures could also speak and understand Man hath the same Originally from the incorporated formed word of God it is the Name of God which he must not abuse upon paine of eternall punishment This incorporated word man hath out of all the Three Principles in himselfe and hath a free own-peculiar-will to forme a Substance out of which Principle he will and thereupon also followes the Separation and reaping in of every thing into its receptacle or appointed place CHAP. XXXVII Of Abraham and his seed and of the Line of the Covenant in its Propagation and also of the Heathenish Gods IF we look upon the Hystory of the Acts of the Ancient holy Patriarcks with right eyes of understanding then we see therein meere wonders for the lines or Races of the children of God are like unto a tree which groweth into boughes and branches untill it bears fruit thus also the line of Christ grew in the Stem of the promised word in the Covenant from branch to branch even into the height of the twigs unto its right Age untill the Power of the Tree that is the word in the Covenant put forth it selfe with the glorious Soverain fair blossome 2. Out of which blossome the holy Image of God is again growne in flesh and bloud viz. in a holy Body we see its boughes and branches so fair and excellent that the soul doth most exceedingly rejoyce at this contemplation and truly desires to bud and grow forth along with these boughes and branches to the great Praise of God in our Angelicall Tree of the Hierarchies of Christ * * * Text of in the holy Paradise 3. God made a Covenant with Adam after his fall when he dyed to the heavenly Ens in him that he would quicken him againe and regenerate him anew and this Covenant was the root in the disappeared Ens which grew in this line of Adam from Seth and his children and posterity even unto Noah in one * * * In the Stock or body of the tree Stem of the tree and with Noah God renewed the Covenant 4. For the undivided Sensuall tongue wherein the spirits of the letters did rule in one harmony continued untill the floud so that all men spake in one Tongue in which Tongue the divine Spirit of the five vowells viz. the divine understanding moved 5. But being they had introduced the Image and Beast of vanity into the sensuall tongue and fell wantonly in Love with the babylonicall whore of self-hood therefore God complained against them that they would not suffer his spirit any more to rule them and said that it repented him that he had made man 6. For as the Sorrow to destruction did manifest and open it selfe even so also the sorrow of repentance to the new regeneration out of the Covenant thus the sorrow of the formed word in the onely Sensuall tongue destroyed every life and being which lived in the Aire that is in the manifested Spirit of God viz. in the third Principle and the word of the Sensuall tongue did after the floud put it selfe forth in a compaction of the spirits of the Letters 7. For God said to Noah the men are flesh and moreover vaine and wicked even from their youth thus the holy Spirit would not any more manifest himselfe in the evill contrived Sensuall tongue but left them to follow their own Phancy seeing they refused to follow him he suffered the power and force of nature to manifest its wonders out of evill and good
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
corrupt man but hath powred forth his best Treasure which he had in himselfe and is himselfe in Grace over all men like as the Sun doth shine unto the good and evill but the wicked doth corrupt and spoil the * * * His precious image Treasure in himselfe and will not receive it but taketh in the Ens of the Serpent full of vanity and is baptized with the fire of Gods Anger in the will of Selfe 44. But if he went with his own will into the death of Christ and desired from the bottom of his heart to dye unto his selfehood and own will in Gods Mercy and cast his whole trust and confidence in God and thought that he had nothing of his own in this earthly cottage but that he was onely a Servant and Steward of God and his neighbour in all that he hath and possesseth and forsook the propriety and selfish-interest thereof in his minde he should soon be baptized with the Holy Spirit and put on Christ in his will 45. But these mischievous earthly Temporall Goods Temporall honour and pleasure of the flesh captivate him in the Ens of the Serpent so that he is not capable of the Baptisme of the Holy Spirit 46. Also the Selfe-elected unfitted and unprofitable Teachers trained up in the School of the disputing Reason and chosen by the favour of Man are wholly blind herein and teach onely of the husk or outward vessell of the regeneration they will needs be outwardly adopted children forsooth by an externall imputation of Grace albeit they live onely in the will of Selfe they will preach the holy Spirit into the Beast of selfe-will which yet is no wayes capable of the Holy Spirit They understand nothing fundamentally either of the Baptisme or the Lords Supper the new-birth is strange unto them they deny the divine essentiall in-dwelling in Gods children viz. the Temple of God and so stand before the Jewes when they should declare unto them What Christ is IN VS and what Baptisme and the Lords Supper is just as pictured Christians or as Idolls 47. For the Jewes know that God hath spoken with their fathers and given them the Circumcision and the Covenant there they stick but could the Christians fundamentally demonstrate to them what the Covenant and Circumcision is essentially and effectually together with their * * * Sacrifices offrings they would forsake the Signe and enter into the Substance 48. But that it hath so fallen out that both the Jewes and also the Christians have walked in blindnesse even till this last time and so also the Turkes who by reason of the blindnesse contention and ungodlinesse of the Christians have turned themselves unto Reason and nature God hath therefore permitted it because the Christians and Jewes both in the old and new Testament received and appropriated to themselves the Covenant and the Seal of the Covenant in the outward shell onely viz. in the vessell or litterall notion and apprehension and lived onely to the outward earthly mortall man they all wayes minded and provided for the Earthly kingdome and life more then for the eternall 49. They would understand in the Husk viz. in the outward letter what God hath spoken and chose to themselves reason-wise people which were gifted in the outward formall logicall and notionall understanding of the letter who had not the spirit and power of Gods word and life in the new-birth in them but onely the spirit of Selfe pride and the earthly Belly-God contriving thereby how they might be rich in Christs poverty upon the earth These men have blinded them so that both among the Jewes and Christians men have minded and loved onely the Earthly Ens. 50. Therefore God hath permitted that the wonders of nature in the power of his anger should be opened and brought forth in them and that they should thus stick in blindness yet in controversie and contests so that the name and memory of his Covenant might not quite be extinguished and one Nation hath by reason thereof exercised and evilly entreated another in the contention and contrariety whereby oftentimes a fair green Twigg hath sprung from the right understanding which hath been strange unto them by reason of their received Opinion and they have contemned and persecuted it for the earthly man in Selfe is not worthy of the holy Covenant and Seale 51. And seeing God knew very well that they would run of themselves without being sent of him and would abuse the holy Ens in the Covenant thereupon the vail of Moses hath beset the Jewes and the Tower of Babel with the Antichrist viz. the outward Christ instead of the holy Ens in the Covenant that is Gods presence the Christians so that they have been evermore seeking in this Antichrist what God is in his Covenant will and essence 52. Thus they have been exercised in contention and persecution in that they have persecuted one another yet so as that Gods children have sprung forth in the Crosse and Christ hath been inwardly manifest to them but outwardly Babel hath yet stood both among the Jewes Christians and Turkes the Antichrist is onely the same among all for he is the Titular or letter-God wherein the Selfe-will seeketh and worshippeth God in the Husk 53. Hear therefore yee Christians Jewes Turkes and Heathen even all Nations of the earth what now yet once more for a farewell in this worlds being is freely tendred unto you in the visitation of the mercifull God in the voyce of his Trumpet by his Love-will and spirit the Sound of the Trumpet concerns you all let it enter into your eares and do but open your eares and hearts a little from selfe and then you shall heare the Sound in you it Soundeth through all even to the ends of the earth but no Selfe-will heares it 54. The onely divine way wherein man may see God in his word being and will is this that man become wholly one in himselfe and in his own will forsake all whatsoever he himselfe is or hath let it be Authority Might Power Honour Beauty Riches Money Goods Father Mother Brother Sister Wife and Child Body and Life and become wholly a nothing to himselfe He must freely resigne up all and be poorer then a Bird in the air which yet hath a Nest the true man must have none for he must travell away from this world that so he be no more to himselfe in this world He must be a nothing to the worlds selfe and interests for the substance of this world which he possesseth for a propriety is the Tower of Babel and the Antichrist wherein men will be their own God and with this selfe made God they will ascend upon the Tower to heaven and place themselves * * * Or with God for God Understand it thus 55. It is not meant that one should run from house and home from wife children and kindred and fly out of the world or so to
light from the new-birth of Christ in the heart which comforts it in its forsaken condition and helps to nourish and cherish it and tells it that it shall not dye but become a great Nation but not in its innate and inbred heritage viz. in the evill Selfe-will but in Beer-sheba that is in the true Contrition in the wilderness viz. in the valley of teares in the desertion that is the poor nature must work in this forsakenness and in its present banishment and exile from the sensible and full enjoyment of Paradise bring forth much fruit which fruit the Angel brings again into Abrahams Tent to be a sojourner of Christ. 13. That is we must understand when Christ is born in man he rejecteth the vanity of nature with the will which worketh and desireth vanity and maketh the naturall will to be Servant whereas before it was Lord and Master but Nature standeth in the wilderness in the vanity of death encompassed with Sin and now it must work and bring forth fruit and yet it looketh upon it selfe as wholly impotent and as one wholly cast out from the inward spirituall will of Christ and in it selfe it seems as one foolish and contemned of the world and every way beaten off from its own will and then it begins even to sinck and quail in it selfe and to leave off from its own will and all things are of small esteem with it That which before did rejoyce it that now is against it and it stands allwaies as if it should dye it hopeth and doubteth that is it hopeth amendment that it might yet once be delivered from the scornfull contempt and be set again into the honour of its selfehood but it dryeth up also it s well of water and Gods anger appears in its sight that is all its friends depart from it with whom before in its Temporall goods and prosperity it had pleasure respect and honour so that it looks upon it selfe as continually a dying 14. And when this comes to passe then it is right in the way to Beer-sheba and wandreth in the wilderness for it knowes not what it shall do it is every ones scorn whatsoever it lookes upon rebukes it for a fool in that its power is taken from it that it must now forgo the beauty riches and honour of the world and all whatsoever might advance and preferre it in Temporalls and yet it would fain have them but yet it is drawn from them by the inward man in Christs spirit and * * * Blamed or upbraided reproved in these Temporalls for unrighteous and abominable 15. And then indeed it enters right into Beer-sheba viz. into the Contrition of the heart and setts reason by the empty water-pott of Hagar and goeth a stones cast from its Son Ismael viz. from the own desire of nature and stands and compells also the thoughts of nature and will not give any thing any longer to its own children viz. to the Sences and cogitations of the minde but casteth them away as children that now must dye a stones cast that is a while from it selfe that it might not see the death of its children so wholly doth Hagar viz. the nature with its Son give up it selfe to the minde for the mortification of the selfehood of the own will sits also and mournes in it selfe in Beer-sheba viz. in the broken and contrite heart and wholly despairs of its Reason would fain dye that it might be but freed from the miserable forlorn condition 16. And then when it is thus prepared that it quite despairs of its Selfe gives up it selfe wholly into the death of selfehood then cometh the Angel of God to Hagar that is to the poor forsaken and dying nature and saith What aileth thee Hagar God hath heard the voice of the Lad where he lyeth arise take up the Lad and hold him in thy hand for I will make him a great Nation and then God openeth the eyes of Hagar viz. of nature and shee sees a well of water and then filleth her bottle with water and gives the Lad drink who growes in the desart and is a good Archer and dwels even in the wilderness of Paran and must take an Egyptian wife The inward exceeding pretious and worthy figure of this stands thus 17. When man hath put on Christ in Faith and is entered into right true Repentance and hath in his minde forsaken the whole world even all its honour goods and things temporall then the poor nature of man doth thus stand in the mortification of selfe as is above-mentioned concerning Hagar and her Son for it desireth also to dye even to the Senses and cogitations of the minde and to enter wholly into Resignation 18. And when it stands thus in the thoughts of death having given up its will and cogitations into mortification then the inward Voice of Gods Word manifests it selfe in the Minde and * * * Thoughts meditations Senses and even there the divine word heareth the voyce of the childs crying viz. the troubled disconsolate Minde in its * * * Cogitations meditations thoughts for it soundeth therein in the divine voice and saith in the divine voice to nature viz. to Hagar What aileth thee thou troubled and perplexed nature fear not God hath heard the voice of the Lad viz. of thy thoughts which thou hast offered up in the desire to God Arise that is lift up thy selfe to God in this resignation and stand up in the voice which hath gratiously heard thee and looked upon thee and take thy cogitations viz. thy Son by the hand of faith and guide and govern the powers of the Minde they shall not dye but live and go for I will make them a great Nation that is to a great divine understanding and capacity in divine Mysteries and God openeth unto nature the fountain of living water so that it receiveth into the Bottle of its essence in it selfe of Gods well-spring and therewith it gives the Lad viz. the Sences or powers of the minde drink 19. And then God is with this Lad of the Thoughts and he groweth great in the wilderness that is in the corrupt nature the right discreet and intellectuall child groweth great in the Spirit of the Lord and becomes an Archer that is an Archer of the Lord and his brethren who shootes the Birdes of prey and the wild Beasts understand he shooteth down out of his Spirit the evill beasts and birds in his brethren with the holy Spirit he teacheth them and reproveth them with divine Arrowes 20. But he must dwell in the wilderness of Paran viz. in the corrupt flesh and in the wilderness amongst ungodly People and there he must be an Archer of God and his Mother viz. nature gives him an Egyptian woman that is nature layeth a fleshly woman by the noble Minde born in Christs Spirit with which the noble new-born Minde must sit in wedlock and be plagued with this Idolatrous fleshly
in very Great Repentance and casteth it selfe upon Gods Mercy till this Noble Sophia become stirring fruitfull and pregnant and so it certainly generateth the true Joseph viz. a lowly humble chast temperate and Modest Soule which afterwards becometh a Prince over the Egyptian house of flesh and Bloud in which house the Heathenish Pharaoh dwelleth viz. the Beastiall Spirit over that is this Joseph set for a Ruler and Governour and is a Ruler over Reason and Governeth it with Josephs viz. with Gods Spirit 16. This is thus as to one Part the Spirituall figure of Jacob wherewith the Spirit alludeth to the future kingdome of Christ where now at present in the fulfilling it alludeth thus also in the Children of Christ and doth yet so alwayes lead them 17. But wee see especially in this Figure the way of God how Gods Minde is farre other then Mans what Man loveth in that God hideth himselfe for that pleaseth him well which in the Eye of the world is simple and despised which onely dependeth on him and feareth him 18. Jacob loveth the beautifull Rachell and desireth her but the Line of the Covenant in which Christ should be borne would not pass through Rachell but Lea also Rachell could not conceive till Lea had brought forth the Roote or Line of the kingly Priesthood and * * * Principality Princedome viz. Levi and Juda. 19. For the Priesthood came from Levi and out of Juda came the Scepter of the kingdome and the Prince Christ according to the Humanity to signifie that Christ will be borne and manifested in these Men alone and bringeth worketh his †††Note the Priesthood of the Holy Ghost Priesthood of the Holy Ghost in them who goe forth from the Love of themselves and the pleasure of the Flesh and are in the Eye of the world softly bashfull simple and despised who esteeme themselves unworthy of such honour and doe not account such divine working to be their owne and pride themselves therewith as the proud Pharisees did and still doe 20. For this Lea onely desireth to beare children for Jacob that shee might be acceptable to him seeing otherwise in respect of her * * * Or Tender Eyednesse bleareydnesse shee was disregarded thus also the true children of God desire therefore onely to walke in the Divine power with * * * Instâ—ucting teaching and a simple life in the wayes of God that they may please God and serve him 21. And againe wee see here by Jacobs seede that the Line of Christ would not manifest it selfe in his first seede with Lea that Christ might not be manifested in humane pleasure or Lasciviousnesse of fleshly Lust for * * * Gen 29.32 Lea first bare Reuben ‖ ‖ ‖ Marriage â—ed Gen. 49.4 who defiled the ‖ ‖ ‖ Marriage â—ed Gen. 49.4 Bed of his Father to signifie that this Roote sprung from humane Lust. 22. But when Lea was discouraged because shee was despised and would faine goe out of that contempt then shee bare Simeon who was of an * * * A strict severe man Text a sharpe piercing minde acute witt of whom Jacob sayd when he was to dye when he prophesied concerning all his children from what Roote each of them was ‖ ‖ ‖ Gen. 49.56 The Brethren Simeon and Levi their swords are murthering weapons my soule come not into their Councell and let not my honour be in their Churches or Assemblies to signifie that he was sprung from the Line of Zeale or Jealousie wherein Lea was Jealous and discontented that shee was thus disesteemed as shee then sayd * * * Gen. 29 33. The Lord hath heard that I was thus disesteemed and hath given mee this son also 23. But when shee cryed unto the Lord in her Zeale for Deliverance from her disesteeme then * * * Gen. 29.34 shee was pregnant and bare Levi viz. the Roote of the Leviticall Priesthood a Type of the kingdome of Christ for shee cryed to God that her husband might be againe joyned to her in Love as shee speaketh after this manner Now will my husband be joyned to mee againe to signifie that God with the Leviticall Priesthood in a Type would be joyned againe to Man and would in a Type of the kingdome of Paradise dwell among them againe as was done in the time of Moses 24. But the Spirit of God sayd by Jacob when he was about to dye Let not mine honour come in their Churches or Assemblies that is they are of Murtherous Cainicall Mindes and serve mee onely in a Figure pointing at the future kingdome of Christ But the Spirit of my Love and Grace is not with them in their Sacrifices and worship of God which Love and Grace he calleth his honour which he would manifest through the Line of Juda in Christ. 25. Which honour was that he should breake Death in pieces and destroy Hell and take away the Throne of the Devill in Man this the Holy Ghost calleth his honour and that was not in the Leviticall Priesthood nor among the Titulary Priests in their Churches But when Lea gave up her will wholly into the will of God and sayd * * * Gen. 29.35 Now will I give thanks unto the Lord who hath delivered mee from the disgrace of the Devill and of the World then shee bare Juda viz. the Line of Christ. 26. So heere now the Spirit sayth very secretly and covertly under a vaile * And shee left off from Bearing to signifie that Christ was the Last who was the End and fulfilling of the Leviticall Law under which the Spirit signifieth that Men would not finde Christ in the Priests Churches Lawes and Ordinances of Preaching Hee would not dwell in their Churches with his honour of victory nor suffer himselfe and his honour to be tyed to the houses of Stone where they exercise as hypocriticall shew and have within them onely murthering proud hearts and with the murthering swords of Levi disgrace and slay one another with words 27. But in the soules of Men when they give thanks and prayse the Lord in great Humility as Lea did when shee bare Juda the Line of Christ there will he dwell and not be at all in the Councell of these Priests and Levits the Titulary Priests who contrive onely specious glistering wayes for their Honour and voluptuousnesse and forget the true thanksgiving in Humility and honour and love themselves onely and so give that honour to their faigned or supposed Office which belongeth to God alone and to the Love of our Neighbour in great humility 28. Wee see cleerly by this Figure that God will not manifest himselfe in the fleshly love of our selves for * * * Gen. â—9 30 Jacob loved Rachell more then Lea and would have Rachel onely in the Beginning but his seede must continue shut up with her till Rachel humbled her selfe before God and that Jacob prayed for her to shew
also that God will not work in the love of our selves in that wee love and honour one another according to fleshly lust worldly honour and Riches where Men flock together associate and love one another according to their Greatnesse State Riches Glory Beauty Bravery and Pleasure of this World 29. But the Spirit of God requireth humble faithfull and sincere love where the soule is resigned up into God and seeketh not its owne pleasure or selfe-love but looketh upon the way of God and joyneth it selfe to the humble children who love God and constantly give him thanks there God manifesteth himselfe and worketh in them that they beare fruit to the Lord. 30. Jacob first served seaven yeares for Rachell which himselfe had chosen in his owne Love yet she was not given to him for the first seaven yeares service but Lea was unknowne to him layd by him Jacob desired Rachel as wages for his service yet seeing the Covenant of the Lord lay in the Line of Christ in him therefore he first received the spirituall wages of the Grace of God 31. For Christ is the wages of Gods children as they must serve their Lord for worldly wages so God first payeth them with his Covenant of Grace and then afterwards they receive also Temporall wages As Jacob must first receive the Gift of God as God appointeth it for him though it went very ill as to Reason afterwards he also received the wages according to his will for which he must serve yet seaven yeares more 32. Which seaven yeares in the inward Ground in this Figure signifie the seaven properties of the Naturall Life which must be given up to the service of God into which God gives himselfe for wages in a co-working power where the seaven formes of Life first help the Lord to beare a spirituall Figure and Image or Type and to manifest the Line of Christ then afterwards that same spirituall forme discovereth also the Naturall forme and beareth a Prince in the Naturall Life in whom God worketh and through whom he ruleth the world as is to be seene by Jacob. 33. He served seaven yeares for Rachell but being he feared God the divine wages viz. the Line of Christ was first given him afterwards God blessed also the humane selfe-Love according to the kingdome of Nature in him so that of Rachel whom he had taken in naturall selfe-Love he begat a Prince and wise Man even Joseph by whom the Spirit of God ruled and made him a Lord and Governour 34. And this figure presents to us that first Christ should be borne in us and so then Christ in us beareth also the Naturall Man with understanding and wisdome and appointeth him to his service in the kingdome of Nature and also in the kingdome of Grace as he did Joseph CHAP. LVIII How Jacob served his * * * Stepfather Father in Law Twenty yeares and begat Twelve Sonnes and One Daughter and how God blessed him that he gat great Riches and how Laban often changed his wages and yet could not hurt him what is to be understood thereby Vpon the 30 Chapter of Genesis 1. WEE see in this History especially Gen. XXX how it goeth with the Children of God in this world how they must live in meere Crosses and adversitie as Jacob did with his wives for * * * Gen. 30.1 when Rachel saw that shee was barren shee envied Lea her sister to signifie that Man 's own Love seeketh not the honour of God but it selfe as now Rachel envied Lea because shee had a Name that God had blessed her and sayd to Jacob * * * Gen. 30.1 Give mee Children also if not I die 2. Where wee see how the wayes of God are quite hidden to Reason although Reason standeth in the figure of the divine wonders as here Rachell which here signifieth the owne Adamicall Nature which desireth of Jacob the lifes power from the blessing of God and if it get not the same it must die which indeed the Spirit of zeale in her desire doth very well signifie according to her inward Ground in the Covenant of God but her Reason understood it not but onely desired Children that shee might be delivered from disgrace but her inward Ground stood hidden and panted through the humane Nature to manifest it selfe in the humane Essence Therefore the inward Ground in the Covenant of Grace signifieth through its own Adamicall Essence that if the inward ground should not be manifested through the humane Essence it must then die Eternally Therefore sayth Reason Give me children or else I die which seemeth outwardly to be an Opposition and discouragement But the Spirit of God hath here its figure under which it hath its signification 3. And then wee see in both these Sisters who yet were Daughters of Gods Covenant in the Promise how the Poyson of the Serpent in the wrath of God in flesh and bloud so vehemently sets against the Line of Christ in the Covenant and alwayes despiseth the same and as a proud Lucifer elevates and puffeth up the Rationall humane ownhood of selfe-will and would have the Dominion 4. As heere Rachel despiseth her sister because shee was outwardly fairer and more beautifull then Lea in that Lea in the sight of the world was simple and bleareyd and Rachell had the Spirit of the world in Reason Elegantly as an Ornament and so the Adamicall Nature in Rachell ruled over the Manifested blessing of the Covenant in Lea to signifie that the Line of Christ in this world would be manifested in a meane simple and despised forme in Men of such like dispositions which Men would by the Reason pomp and beauty of the world be esteemed fooles and bleareyd who in such scorne and disregard would goe away and * * * Psal 125.5 sow in Teares but in their inward Ground in the Line of Christ would beare and at the End reape in Joy to signifie that * * * John 18.36 Christs Kingdome is not of this world that in this world it must be throwne into Gods Anger and disdaine and into death and by this throwing in satiate the Anger of God with Love and Meeknesse and with Love spring forth through the Anger and Death and bring the proud Lucifer in the humane owne will and fleshly Lust to scorne and to nought as an unstable Life which Life cannot overpower the Divine humility 5. Which humility Springeth under all scorne and also breaketh through death and the anger of God and maketh Death to be Life and taketh from Hell the victory and changeth the sting of the false Serpents Essence with sweet Love as we see here by Lea who although shee was envied by her sister as by Reason yet the Line of Christ in the Covenant springeth forth in her under all scorne and maketh her fruitfull and Rachell Barren till shee gave her Mayd to her Husband for a Wife which signifieth the Adamicall viz. the servile Line
of Seperation wherein ‖ ‖ ‖ Gala. 6.7 Every one shall reape what he hath heere sowen 32. When we rightly view and consider this History how God did begin the kingdome of Israel with a servile Shepheard and exalted him before all the Potent rich Men on Earth even to Eternity and Consider that the Twelve Stocks or Tribes of Israel were begotten under a servile yoake as servants out of which Stock Christ according to the Humanity was to be borne So we see that all Highnes of the world also all Art and witt of Nature is foolish in the sight of God wherewith yet men so boast and esteeme their worldly matters doings or pomp and their high state for Great things and yet in the sight of God are not by farre * * * Like uâ—to an honest Shepheard so acceptable as an honest Shepheard 33. A Shepheard in whom the Spirit of God worketh is more highly esteemed before God then the wisest and most potent in selfe-witt without the Divine Dominion and wee see very well how God erecteth his kingdome in simple lowly and meane Men who are not esteemed by the world but are accounted no better then Heardsmen in the Eye of the world As Christ also chose such for his Apostles who were but poore meane contemptible people by whom he manifested the kingdome of Israel in divine Power 34. Where are the Learned and worldly wise Men Again where are the Potent Lords who contemne the simple Where is their Might strength Art and Witt They must all come in dust and ashes and fall downe to the simplicity of such Shepheards and bow their hearts in servitude under Christs yoake if they will be partakers of the * * * Note the true Line Linage or Succession Line of these †††Or Pastours Shepheards yea they must be as Jacobs wives Maydes if they will come to this Marriage 35. For the Line of Christ in the beginning was manifested in Abel a Shepheard so also afterwards in Abraham Isaac and Jacob Moses and David they were all but Shepheards when the Line of Christ was manifested There is no Potentate Noble Rich Learned or High worldly wise hath attained it but meane people of no account who have put their trust in God 36. Where are now the high Priests Schooles and Vniversities who ascribe to themselves and assume the authority and power of these Mysteries and often tread underfoote the Gifts of the Holy Ghost in such Shepheards and laugh at them and count them Fooles Are they not all of them Cain Ismael and Esau of the left Line from the kingdome of this worlds Nature in the Hypocrisie of selfe Reason which in the sight of God is not so acceptable as a Shepheard 37. O ye poore blind Men in Adam cast your Eyes downe from above and lay your selves low under the simplicity of Christ in the * * * Or true succession Line of these Shepheards and looke not upon the Pomp of Art and Loftinesse or you will be miserably deceived If you will be capable of this Line you must not attaine it from Loftinesse which boasteth it selfe in Hypocrisie in this Office of a Pastour or Shepheard but in humility and meane simplicity where the soule submitteth it selfe under Christs yoake there will the poore soule blinde as to God get roote in this Marriage and be capable of this Line 38. The †††12 Children Twelve Children of Jacob are even the Lines which the Spirit of God from Adam to Noah and his children signified which sprung from the Line of the Covenant in Paradise and pressed from Adam to Abel and so on to the Children of Noah and there also twelve Lines or Stocks or Tribes were manifested heere the same Tree openeth it selfe againe out of One Stock which was Jacob and signifieth how those Lines should all be sanctified in one Stock which Stock is Christ who also chose him * * * 12 Apostles Twelve Apostles to manifest this Tree which was growne out of the Line of the Covenant 39. And as Jacob begat these Twelve sonnes †††Gen. 30.21 he begat also a Daughter Dina by name ‖ ‖ ‖ Gen. 34.1 who went out to see the Daughters of the Land and thereby lost her honour and Virginity and he begat her of Lea in whom the Line was manifested out of the Stock or Tribe of Juda to signifie that the Line of Christ at this time as yet stood hidden in the womans Tincture and yet was manifest through the Masculine viz. the fiery Tincture till Mary the Mother of Christ as we see in the Covenant of Abraham Isaac and Jacob that the Covenant pressed forward in their seede wee see it also in the Circumcision which was given onely to the Man or Male. 40. And much more doe we see in the Law on Mount Sinai which was also given in a way of Fire to signifie that Men before Christ were lead in the Fathers Property which held us captive in the Wrath till his Love viz. his Sonne through the wrath manifested himselfe in the Womans Tincture and changed the Mans and Womans Tincture into One againe therefore the Line of Christ with the Fathers sprung forth in the Womans Tincture through the Mans. 41. In the Mans Tincture it was stirring in the Covenant of Faith in Abraham and was manifest out of the Mans Tincture in the Woman But in the * * * Fulfilling fullness of Time it was manifest in Mary in the Womans Tincture viz. in the highest Love in which Love Adam loved himselfe before his Eve was for God was manifest therein 42. There wee see heere in Dina a figure of Eve for after Lea had borne Six Sonnes shee bare a Daughter which signifieth the Female Tincture which in her vaine Curiosity * * * Or trifled squandred away her honour as Eve would see and know the Daughters of the world viz. the Beastiall Creaturely Lust and in this Lust lost the Paradisicall Virginity 43. Thus the Spirit of God here in Dina sets a figure of Eve neere the Line of the Covenant seeing he should come out of the Line of the Covenant who should seeke and save the poore children of Eve 44. For Lea did beare six sonnes which signifie the six properties of the Naturall Life and the Seaventh is the Substance or Corporeâ—ty of the six in which spirituall Substance Adam dyed or was extinguished as to the kingdome of God when his will brake it selfe off from God and that same seaventh property of Nature is now even the Woman viz. the Mother wherein the other six are continually borne which rightly signifieth the Adamicall Eve when Eve was yet in an Image or Type 45. The figure whereof the Spirit of God represents in Dina with Jacob signifying how that seaventh property of Nature in Adam is become a Whore perfidious to God and sets this Figure neere the Line of
when shee mixeth again with the heathenish wise men and with the lust of the flesh then that place begetteth a Dinah viz. a whoredome with Christ that is a seeming Christian yet the heart is but a whore and then this whore goeth abroad gadding to finde the habitations of that People That is 8. Shee seeketh again the heathenish ground and mixeth her self with the heathens and is with child by the heathenish Philosophy and bringeth forth a bastard half Christian and half heathenish viz. a new sect or Doctrine which doth not fully agree in forme with the first customes of that people among whom it did spring forth And yet in her heart is no whit better then they 9. And then this People raise themselves up against that strange opinion and cry out in Anger these have deflowred our sister Dinah and have made her a whore and are inraged against the new found opinion as the sons of Jacob against Sichem and with fighting and the sword with storming and cursing run on against the deflowrer of their sister Dinah and murther him and not only him but all the males that are with him as Jacob's sons did the Hemorites And then the innocent must thus suffer with the guilty to signifie that they all of them both the one and th' other live in such Religious whoredome For the whore for whose sake they take vengeance is their sister and borne of their stock as Dinah their sister was and they came of one Mother 10. We see heere eminently the type of contentions Christendom how Christendome would be head-strong and furious in opinions and that in great blindness and not know wherefore and would not see themselves that they thus rage in their owne whoredome and strive not about the power of true Christianity as about the true Christian life but about their contrived opinions as about their sister Dinah which goes abroad gadding from them and gazeth upon the strange opinions and cry out upon the opinion for a whore and yet see not how they should help their sisters heart wherein sticketh the lust of whoredome As Jacob's sons did not see how to help the evill that their sister might save her credit And though Hemor and Sichem sent to them to give her a Dowry and would marry their sister and love her and be circumcised and become one People with them and would performe all love faithfulness and friendship towards them yet all this did not help 11. And although they told them that if they would be circumcised and be one people with them they would give them their sister yet they were furious in killing and slaying to signifie that this is a figure of future Christendome which would arise out of this Stock As we see that it so comes to pass before our eyes that men strive about the gadding separated opinions and kill and murther one another for them and yet this is but for the opinion sake of false whoredome which the titulary Christendome hath taken up wherein they trim themselves in hypocrisie and whoredome and looke not how their sister might be helped who is gone astray in a strange opinion but they take their swords and would slay the new opinion and snatch their sister who is with childe with another opinion forcibly againe with her bastard out of Hemor's house and slay Hemor and Sichem and all their males 12. And though they would unite themselves with them as with the true Christian ground viz. with the chiefe Articles of Christian Doctrine yet it availes not they will against all faith and promise slay and kill and keepe their opinions which they have contriv'd in their ease and pampered jollity with their fat bellies and heathenish festivalls as it is seene at this day in the contentions and opinions 13. Men of self-love have introduced their Christianity into a fleshly kingdome and finely trimm'd it with Lawes Ceremonies and Opinions and have covered it with Christ's purple Mantle and yet live in meere spirituall whoredome under it with an hypocritical shew But their hearts constantly beget this lustfull Dinah which runs abroad from the simplicity and humility of Christ and playes the whore with the Idols of fleshly lust viz. with Pride and Covetousness meerly with their own Honour and Reputation and a voluptuous life quite contrary to the true Christian ground 14. But seing the Spirit of Christ dwelleth yet alwayes in his Christendome he often stirreth up men which doe thus acknowledge and see the sleepe and whoredome of the titulary Christendom in their Sodomitical life and turn away from them and search in the Scriptures and also in the light of nature whether this their fleshly ground can subsist in the presence of God and when they see that it is false then they fall upon some other ground and reprove the whoredome of the titulary Christendom 15. And when the hypocrites in their voluptuous glory heare and see these things that thereby they are blemished and defiled and that their God Maosim is made manifest then they cry O there 's a Heretick he deflowreth our sister Dinah viz. our Opinion and maketh the Church a whore and though some should offer to give a good account of his ground and opinion and reconcile and marry himself with the true Christian ground and marry with their sister Dinah viz. to espouse the first true virgin Christian ground and to be of one and the same heart and will with them in the Christian ground all this availes not they snatch their sister viz. the name of a Christian from them and had rather keepe the deflowred Damsel with her bastard by them whose shame the truth hath discovered that they may see how to help their sisters shame that shee may attaine the wedlock with Christ. 16. They suppose when they can with power rescue and keepe their opinions and though indeed the whoredome in their opinion is laid naked that it is weakened and blemished yet they will have their Dinah to be taken for a virgin and though her shame of whoredome be open to the day-light yet they will defend the same with the sword and with slaughter As we see before our eyes and the present strife intimates no lesse but that it is manifest that Dinah is become a whore viz. titulary Christendome that playeth the whore in the presence of God and hath lost her virgin chastity and the purity of her conscience and so at present the brethren of this Dinah fight for her and will preserve her honour and reputation with the sword and with killing And will murther all those who doe deflowre and defame their Dinah 17. This Dinah is at present nothing else but the stone Churches and great Colledges of their Ministers wherein men use the name of Christ but seeke thereby onely their own honour voluptuousness and * * * Faâ—â— dayes good dayes how a man may be honoured in the world 18. For the true Apostolick Temple is the Temple of
Jesus Christ viz. the new man who liveth in Righteousness and purity before God who walketh in humility and in the simplicity of Christ And his Ministers are such as doe declare the peace in the love of Jesus Christ who labour that the deflowred Dinah might be married with Sichem and that Hemor and Sichem with their males might also become Christians who leave the sword in its sheath and teach with the meeke and gentle Spirit of Jesus Christ And shew instead of the murthering sword the Spirit of cleansing how this defloured Dinah might get Christian honour again and be married to her Bridegroom 19. Behold O Christendom the Spirit hath set this before thee in the figure of the Twelve Patriarchs and signifieth that thou wouldest doe thus Not that thou shouldest doe it Though this Strife must come that the true children of Christ might be exercised and made manifest otherwise if no Strife did arise among the Christians all wicked men could appeare as Christians but the Strife maketh it manifest that the false ground of verbal Christians is brought to light and they are distinguished from the true children of Christ which will be also a witness against them at the Last day of Judgement 20. Mans true Christianity standeth in the inward ground of the Soule in the ground of man not in the ostentation and fashions of this world but in the power of well-doing in the spirit and Conscience 21. The strife wherewith a true Christian striveth is onely the Spirit of Righteousness which casteth away from it the falshood and wickedness in flesh and bloud and suffereth and indureth all things willingly for Christs sake who dwelleth in it that it may not live to it selfe and please it selfe and have satisfaction in it selfe and Triumph with the earthly Lucifer but that he please God his Creatour in Christ Jesus 22. He hath nothing in this world to strive for for nothing is his owne for in Christ he is not of this world but as the Scripture saith * * * Phil. 3.20 Our conversation is in heaven all things for which and wherewith he striveth is about the earthly voluptuous fleshly Lucifer in the mortal flesh and bloud for Christ saith †††Joh. 18.36 His Kingdome is not of this world so also a Christians Kingdome so farr as he is a Christian is not of this world But in Christ in God 23. Therefore now all the strife of Christians is onely about their Dinah viz. about their fleshly whoredome A Christian ought not to strive otherwise then in Spirit and power against the wayes of unrighteousness and falshood 24. Outward warre that Christians make is Heathenish and is done for the beastial mortal man's sake for immortality cannot be attain'd or kept with the sword and forces but with Prayer with entring into the feare of God But the earthly Lucifer striveth about the Belly and about worldly honour and pleasure wherein Christ is not but it is the defloured Dinah where men make warrs about the houses of stone and temporal goods and thereby declare that the spiritual virginity in the Spirit of Christ is made a whore who playes the harlot for the kingdome of this world 25. Hearken all yee who call your selves Apostles of Christ hath Christ sent you to fight and to make warr that you should strive about temporary goods and outward power and glory Is that your authority John 20. When he gave you the sword of the Spirit did he command you that Hath he not sent you to make knowne the peace which he hath brought us What will he say to you when he shall see that your Apostolick heart hath put on Armour and that you have instigated your worldly Kings and Princes to the sword and warrs and have allowed them that as of Christian liberty Will he finde you thus in his Ministery doe you that as the Disciples of Christ 26. Are you not the Apostles of the Anger of God Whither will you goe with your Reproach do you not see that as to Christ who hath taught you peace you are become forsworne or perjured Harlots Where is your Christian virginity have you not with Dinah squandred it away in worldly pleasure What will Christ say to you when he shall come againe †††Mat. 8.20 Luk. 9.58 Who on earth had not whereon to lay his head when he shall see your pomp state and glory in such Palaces and Colledges which you have built in his Name for which upon earth you have made warrs 27. When have you striven about the Temple of Jesus Christ Have you not alwayes striven about your Colledges or Palaces and about your owne Lawes wherein you have lived in Opinions and disputed about those Opinions What need hath Christ thereof Christ bestowes himself upon his children substantially in a living manner to dwell in them and will give them his flesh for food and his bloud for drink What needeth he opinions that men should strive about him who and what he is 28. When I consider a true Christian then I understand that Christ is and dwelleth in him what meanes then your outward worship of God Wherefore doe you not serve him in your hearts and consciences He is present within you and not in the solemnity and ostentation of outward things yee have the sword of the Holy Ghost by right with that you should strive Use you the Power of the true Apostolick Churches and not the sword of Mans hand 29. The Excommunication is your sword but yet it must be used in the power of the Holy Ghost in Divine zeale against the wicked and ungodly and not for that purpose to maintaine humane Inventions and fictions that a man must call your spiritual whoredome in opinions a chast virgin as for a long time the Babylonish Church hath used it to such a Power 30. All outward Ceremonies without the inward ground that is without Christ's Spirit and co-operation is whoredom in the sight of God that a Man will approach to God without Christ the Mediatour for none can serve Christ but a Christian where the Spirit of Christ it selfe co-operateth in the Service but how will he serve Christ that holdeth in one hand the Cup of Christ and in the other hand the sword of selfe-Revenge Christ must in a Christian overthrow sin by his Spirit and not the Fathers fiery sword in the Law of severe Righteousnesse 31. O ye children of Simeon and Levi the Spirit at Jacobs End hath signified concerning you that your swords were murtherous that Christ is not in your Councills as Jacob sayth My soule that is the Covenant and Grace of Christ be thou not in their Churches and Congregations nor in their Councill Read the 49 th of Genesis where the Councill of the Pharisees and Scribes who institute themselves Pastours without the Divine Calling is thereby signified 32. All spirituall whoredome proceeds from hence that Christs Ministers possesse worldly Power
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
divine appointment and providence come to be knowne 54. But they intend treacherously and falsely towards him and so sell Joseph to Reproach Derision and Servitude to serve the world and to be their footstool and scorn as happened to Joseph from his brethren and hath also happened to this Pen. 55. Thus †††Gen. 37.36 Joseph is brought into Aegypt and sold for a Slave * * * Gen 38.1 2 3 4. but God is with him and giveth him understanding and wisdome that he is made his Masters Steward so that his Master ‖ ‖ ‖ Or undertakes doth nothing without him but entrusteth him with all things So also when the Spirit of Joseph though in a spitefull manner is sold into strange Countries where his Person is not knowne yet the wise doe take especall notice of the Spirit of his sence and meaning and know him and see that God hath given him his wisdome and Spirit and receive his Writings and Doctrine and Order their whole life according to it and thus Joseph cometh to sit in the chiefe office of Pharaoh's Steward and Governeth his whole house 56. But for all this Joseph is not yet passed through the Judgement for even in this Government he first meeteth with the greatest danger of his life for there * * * Gen. 38.7 the Stewards wife burneth in lust towards him that is the false Sects who would fain wooe and wed themselves into his Spirit and therewith Adorne their Doctrine and Doings for Temporall Honour Art and Science and if this Joseph's Spirit will not mix it selfe with their humane fiction and fables then they exclaim against him and say all manner of evill of him and accuse him of unchastity viz. of false Doctrine and appeal him before the Steward that is the Magistrate 57. And then †††Gen 38.20 Joseph must be cast into prison and lie there captive and be tryed to purpose till God shall bring him out again from thence and set him before Pharaoh and then his wisdome and fear of God is revealed that it is plainly discerned and known that his understanding is given him of God and so his understanding is made Ruler over the Land of Aegypt so that he ruleth not onely strange Nations but his own brethren must at length also come unto him in their famine when the right understanding of the divine manifestation and mystery is scarce and rare with them and he nourisheth them also by his wisdome thus God hath sent him aforehand to be their father that they afterwards must be fain to come and seek and enjoy their brother Joseph's wisdome among * * * Or Strange other Nations 58. For so also did †††Matth. 5.12 Israel persecute the Prophets till they were brought into darknesse and Idolatry in the Lust of their flesh and all those things came upon them of which the Prophets told them and then when they sat in hunger and misery their Land was full of Abomination they sought out the writings of the Prophets and even then they acknowledged that what they had spoken was true and that they had don them wrong and * * * Matth. 23.29 30. Adorned their Graves and said Had we lived in our fore-fathers time we would not have killed them but the Most High doth so order his Judgement that it beginneth at the House of Israel and he extinguisheth his Anger and Indignation in the children of Grace for the Bloud of the Saints in the power of Christ hath at all times resisted the Anger so that †††Mal. 3.6 Israel hath not been consumed 59. * * * Gen. 37.28 20 pieces of silver Joseph was sold for Twenty pieces of Silver and †††Mat. 26 15 30 pieces of silver Christ for Thirty to signifie that the humanity of Christ is higher and perfecter then the humanity of others which are his children being he was not conceived of the Seed of man but sprung forth in the Naturall Tincture in the lights property but the Adamicall Soul is from the fires property from whence the light receiveth its Originall and manifestation so that the lights property in Christ assumed the fires viz. the Adamicall Soul and the inward hidden divine and heavenly being which was sealed up and quite faded as to the Light 's life in Adam did again open and putt forth it selfe afresh 60. Therefore seing a Christian is under Christ and in Christ becometh again manifest in God the figure of Christ is represented here in this figure in the Number of 30. and that of a Christian in the Number of 20 for a Christian is sold into the hands of men to suffer but Christ must not onely suffer in the hands of men but give himselfe up also to the wrath of God whereupon he sweat bloud 61. And this whole history of Joseph doth excellently decipher to us how a Christian standeth in his figure before God and the world for the * * * Or History whole Acts of Joseph doe paint out how Adam cometh to be a Christian how he must in the processe of Christ be putt into Christs figure and become an Image of Christ and how God doth in Christs processe exalt him againe in the Kingdome of Christ and setteth him at the right hand of God as Joseph was sett at the right hand of King Pharoah after that he had continued in the processe of Christ and was brought through it CHAP. LXV Of Juda and Thamar being a Mysticall Figure of Adam and Christ in which the New Birth is excellently prefigured Vpon the 38 Chapter of Genesis WHen we consider the History of Joseph according to outward Reason then Reason demandeth Ge. XXXVIII Wherefore Josephs history is not sett down together in the Bible without any interruption whereas One Act followed so upon another Why doth Moses putt this typicall figure of Judah and Thamar between But if we look upon examine and consider this History of Juda and Thamar and likewise the figure of Joseph with a Right understanding we finde and see that the Holy Ghost hath of sett purpose so ordered and disposed them in their Right and true Order 2. For Joseph representeth a true Christian shewing how he must behave himselfe before God and the world and how he is putt in the processe and figure of Christ but this History of Juda and Thamar is a figure of a Christians growth out of Adams Image according to the humanity in the Kingdome of Nature shewing how he must spring forth out o◠the first Adamicall Image and how this same Adamicall Image is evill and must dye which the Anger of God killeth and yet that the first right must stand that a Christian according to the humane Nature and property is only the Adamicall Image and no new or strange thing and how Christ manifesteth himselfe in this Adamicall evill Image and killeth the evill
Devills vanity 47. For in this New childe there standeth the faire Carbuncle-Stone of the highest Love of God in the Name JESUS which suffers it selfe to be sullyed no more for it once passed through Death Hell in Man it will be pure and possesse the Throne of God whereupon the Scripture speaketh strongly that * * * Heb. 6.4 5. Whosoever hath once tasted the sweetnesse of the world to come and departeth from it againe that this soule hath no forgivenesse more for Ever that is no other then where the Noble Virgin childe is borne a new againe out of the soule in its substance that faded in Adam and the soule departeth quite from it againe and severeth it selfe from it with its will so that it fadeth againe once more there is no remedy for it more Eternally For in the Birth of this virgin childe the foretast of the Eternall Joy is given to the soule and that is done in the Wedding of the Lamb knowne to * * * Those of our society our School-fellowes 48. Therefore this Noble Virgin with her faire †††Or Starre Stone hideth it selfe frequently from the soule but shee breaketh not off from the Marriage except the soule breaketh it selfe off from her and there is great weeping and lamentation towards the soule if it defile it selfe againe as in the little booke of Repentance is set forth and cannot easily befall Joseph for the soule is hugged Embraced and kept in Christs Armes as it is John 10. * * * Joh. 10.28 My sheepe are in my hand 49. This wee understand in this figure how very chast modest and pure hearts are given to the children of God in their inward Ground and how they must be strongly proved and tryed before the Government of Divine Vision will be given them to be able to see the Mysterium Magnum the Great Mysterie 50. And Moses sayth further †††Gen. 39.16 17. And Potiphars wife layd up his Garment by her untill his Master came home and told him those very words Wee see in this figure the perfidious treacherous dealings of the world how wickedly they recompence and reward their Christian faithfull Servants and Ministers Joseph carried himselfe faithfully in the sight of their whole house and all succeeded happily that went through his hand but when he would not lye with this whore to pollute himselfe with her then shee persecuteth him in his Body and Life and studyeth how to steale away his honour from him by falshood and wickednesse when shee cannot take it away with subtilty and devillish plotts 51. This now is a figure shewing how grievous Enemies a true Christian hath and that he is every where encompassed with Enemies and though perhaps he standeth in temporall felicity and have the favour and good will of many Men yet he ought not to be secure for the Devill continually hunteth after him to finde how to make him fall for what the Devill cannot doe by himselfe to Gods children in flesh and bloud that he attempts by his instruments falsly to betray the children of God and that even for their feare of God their honesty and vertue 52. For if the New heavenly Eve be borne in Gods Children then the Devill in the Earthly Eve will not endure it for a whore and a modest Virgin will very ill stand together 53. And thus the children of God have no greater danger then when they are exalted to worldly honour for the Devill is a Spirit of Pride and sets himselfe with his Lust in worldly highnesse and magnificence in * * * Or High Places Eph. 6.12 High Offices for he will alwayes still be a †††Joh. 14.30 Prince of this world as Christ also calleth him and he is so indeed according to the property of vanity falshood and wickednesse and alwayes sets his Throne and stoole readily there where Great Offices and Honour are where Might Power and Authority is administred and put in Execution there he ‖ ‖ ‖ Insinuates or wraps up himselfe involves himselfe so that he might be sure to sit for one in the Government of the world 54. Therefore he will not readily endure that a Joseph should sit neere him but those that are Rich Noble lofty and stately honouring themselves which hunt onely after worldly honour pleasure and voluptuousnesse who fill their Bellyes dayly and are bold stout furious and full with plenty and hunt onely after suttlety and Policy seeking how they may wrest from the miserable his sweate and convert it into pride who trimme and set themselves forward in every place taking pleasure in themselves in such Dresses and Ornaments giving one another great Complements and Courtship and ascribe great titles of honour to them where the house is stuck full of such trimmed dressed whores under a modest and chast shew appearance there is the Devill a frolick Guest for it goeth according to his * * * Property and condition owne hearts desire and will 55. But if God send a Joseph thither who would faine live and doe according to the will of God then it happeneth to him as to Joseph and to Daniell whom they wickedly and with falshood brought to the Lyons Den and Joseph they brought into Prison but in the End the Devills Kingdome is put to shame as in Joseph and Daniell 56. Therefore if any will be a Joseph and also sit in worldly Offices and honour he must doe it with great earnest sincerity and humility of his heart and resist the Devill that he may not be able with his stoole of Pride to dwell with him if not let him stay without it or else he will fall to the ground in such Offices If Joseph be not armed with Christ who hath overcome the Devill let him let the high Offices alone for the Devill will not endure him in it while he is against him He must either be a right Joseph and Daniell or must have the Minde of the world if he will governe the world 57. For this world hath a Twofold Office viz. Gods and Sathans Office the one in Gods Love the other in Gods Wrath viz. according to the property of Light and of Darknesse which in the Nature of this world rule neere and in one another and are two Kingdomes as the one is Christs Kingdome the other is Sathans 58. Therefore if thou art not armed and wholly resigned to God that thou canst upon occasion with Joseph leave thy Garment also thy honour and wellfare for the sake of God and for righteousnesse and overcome the Devill with Divine power and strength if not presse into no Office except thou beest rightly duely and orderly called thereunto and then also thou standeth either in the Throne of Joseph or of the world 59. Thou must in an Office either serve God or the Devill for thou canst not serve two Masters alike for selfe and Resignation are two distinct he
off sinne which Type Christ hath fullfilled Thus also the Spirit of Christ * * * Batheth Steepeth or soaketh into the Grace and quickneth a Sprout Baptizeth with this Covenant in the Paradisicall Image in the Incorporated Grace and kindleth an Ember 86. But it requireth an Ens of Faith which is capable of the †††Or Steeping Baptisme which cometh from the Parents and through the Earnest Prayer of those which are conversant about the worke else the Covenant is despised and there is no Circumcision of the Heart and Spirit for the power and authority wherewith the Holy Ghost baptizeth consisteth not in Man but in God whosoever despiseth his Covenant and manageth it not with earnest and with Circumcised hearts those he baptiseth into his Anger as Saint Paul sayth concerning the Supper of Christ that the wicked receive it to Judgement 87. A wicked Priest hath not power and authority to Baptize with the Holy Ghost he hath onely the Water and is himselfe uncapable of the Office but the Ens of the Childe and the Beleeving Parents and those who require and promote the worke their Earnestnesse and Prayer reach forth the Covenant with their Faiths desire to the Baptized Infant 88. But the wicked Priest is no more profitable in it then the Funt-stone that holdeth the Water thus he bringeth only the Water and the Ceremonies which a Turk can doe without Faith or Beleeving 89. But a stranger that hath not the Baptisme and knoweth nothing thereof becometh in his Faith Circumcised in Heart and the Holy Ghost soaketh into his Faiths desire and baptizeth him unto the Revelation of JESVS Christ when his Faith shall also put on the Substantiall Covenant in the Grace 90. O Babell how blind art thou How have thy Clergy or Men Ordained and in Orders sett themselves in Christs Stead but they all serve not Christ but themselves to their fleshly honour O Babell convert the Doore is open else thou wilt be spewed out the Time is borne else thou wilt be set before the Light and proved and then thou wilt stand in shame before all people 91. Further the Spirit of God hath yet a powerfull figure in this Text in that Joseph caused his brethren to be set before him according to the order of their Birth and caused his Brother Benjamin to be served with five times more then the other This prefigureth to us first the difference in the Kingdome of Christ shewing how they shall be unlike in the regeneration as S t Paul sayth concerning it * * * 1 Cor. 15.41 They shall Excell one another in ‖ ‖ ‖ Clarity Glory as the Sunne Moone and Starres doe 92. For there it will avayle nothing to have been a King Prince Lord Noble or Learned but he that hath had the Greatest power and vertue in him who shall have attained Grace in the Name of Jesus the Most cleerly in his wrestling of Repentance he will be greatest there for these Orders and Degrees signifie to us that they will be unlike in the Divine Exaltation viz. in the power and vertue as the Angells excell one another in power vertue beauty and brightnesse 93. But that Benjamin had five times more food served to him pointeth in the figure at the inward Man for Benjamin standeth in the Figure thereof being he is Josephs Brother and Joseph heere standeth in the figure of Christ therefore it belongeth to the Inward Man to Eate of his brother Christs foode from his five wounds this is that which this pretious figure signifieth heere as may be seene 94. But that the Spirit sayth they drank and were all filled with drinking signifieth that in the Kingdome of Christ there is an universall Common participation and Joy and in that there is no difference because in such difference they shall all rejoyce in one God for their drinking fully signifieth heere the Eternall Joy where in this Joy wee shall be as it were drunk and then will the inward Man drink and Eate of the sweete Grace which is manifested in Christs five wounds and hâ—ereby give it into the fiery soule which in its fiery Essence will in this sweetnesse awaken the Triumph of divine Joyfulnes and heerwith will the Noble * * * Sophia the divine wisdome Bride refresh its Bridegroom viz. the soule CHAP. LXXI How Joseph caused his Brethrens Sacks to be filled and the Money to be layd uppermost in their Sacks as also his Cup in Benjamins Sack and Caused them to be pursued and charged with Theft What is thereby to be understood Vpon the 44 Chapter of Genesis MOses sayth And Joseph commanded his Steward and sayd fill the Mens Sacks with foode as much as they can carry Gen. XLIV 1 2 3 4 5 6. and lay every one his Money uppermost in his Sack and lay my silver Cup uppermost in the Sack of the youngest with the Money for the Corne And the Steward did as Joseph had sayd unto him On the morrow when it was light he let the Men goe with their Asses and when they were not come far out from the Cittie Joseph sayd to his Steward up and pursue after the Men and when you have overtaken them say thus unto them Why have you requited Evill for Good is it not that out of which my Lord drinketh and wherewith he †††Or Divineth prophesieth Ye have done ill and when he overtooke them he spake such words to them 2. Now a Christian standeth in this figure signifying that when he is come to this in right Earnestnes into the Image in the Triall on the path of Christs Pilgrimage in this world how God exerciseth purgeth him for this is the way processe on the path of Christs Pilgrimage how God carrieth himselfe the world also towards the Creaturely Reason of Man for we see in this Image how God when the Repentant Man is in the true earnestnes filleth his Sack viz. the Minde and Conscience in the lifes properties with his Grace and layeth * * * Psal. 116.13 the Cup of salvation viz. the true and right silver Cup viz. the †††John 18.11 Cup of Christ out of which hee drank in his Suffering uppermost in the Sack of the filled Grace out of which a Christian must drink also and follow Christ in his contempt 3. For Josephs Cup out of which he drank with which he Prophesieth or Divineth is in this figure no other but the Cup of the Testament of Christ before his suffering of which he drank with his Disciples and whereby he divined or prophecyed concerning his Eternall Kingdome and that whosoever would drink of this Cup should with him divine and prophesie * * * Vpon into oâ— concerning to the Eternall Life 4. But this figure sheweth the Great Earnestnes signifying how this Cup should be bestowed upon Gods children and what that Wine is which they must drink of out of
back and lay with his fathers Concubine and in falshood and wickednes copulated with her as the free will of the soule in Adam copulated with Gods Concubine in him by false and wicked Lust and became a breaker of Wedlock to God as Reuben did 17. And for the sake of this hath Adam viz. the first power of the Naturall Man in all Men lost the Kingly Priesthood so that the Naturall Man in his owne power and vertue can no more offer sacrifice to God also he understandeth nothing more of Gods Word or Kingdome * * * 1 Cor. 2.14 It is foolishnes unto him and he cannot apprehend it any more for he standeth in a poysonous monstrous Image which in this Adamicall property cannot inherit the Kingdome of God and hath lost the Kingdome of God and is now but a figure or similitude of this World and of Hell a Monster instead of the Image of God and shall no more be the chiefe in the Sacrifice and Kingdome but Christ in the New birth in him hath attained the Kingdome in the sacrifice and Government 18. The Naturall Man viz. the first power and vertue must be Servant and lay off the Monstrous whorish Image and be new-borne againe the Soule through the Spirit of Christ and the Body through the putrefaction of the Earth from which at the End of the * * * Last Judgement Day Day he shall be severed and be formed againe into the Image of God II. III. The Testament of Simeon and Levi. 19. * * * Gen. 49.5 6 7. â—he brethren Simeon and Levi their swords are Murthering Weapons my soule come not into their Councill and my honour be not thou in their Churches Assemblies or Congregations for in their Anger they have slaine a Man and in their stubborne selfe-willednes they have destroyed Oxen Cursed be their Anger because it was so vehement and fierce and their Wrath because it was so raging I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them abroad in Israell 20. In this Testament the Spirit very wonderfully taketh the two brethren together and represents their figure accordingly which ought well to be observed as also the Spirit of Moses in the 34 th Chapter taketh them together where he sayth * * * Gen. 34.25 26 27.29 Simeon and Levi took their swords and went boysterously into the Citty and slew Sichem together with Hemor his father and all the Males that were in the whole Citty and tooke the Women and children captive and spoyled all which might indeed be the Action and Robbery of two stout young Men but the Spirit hath in that place as also in this its figure according as Jacob sayth Hee would tell them how it would goe with them in after times 21. In Reuben the Spirit representeth before the Adamicall corrupt Nature that the first vertue and power of Man squandred away Gods Priesthood and Kingdome viz. the Kingdome of Heaven and defiled Gods Marriage-Bed and made a Bed of whoredome thereof but now in this figure the Spirit of God representeth a powerfull figure signifying how the first power of Man would neverthelesse desire to keepe its Priesthood and Dominion and what kinde of Priests and Rulers would be in this world in the Kingdome of Selfe-Nature 22. For out of the Stock of Levi came the Priesthood under the Law and of this the Spirit heere speaketh and joyneth Simeon to him viz. the worldly Dominion and sayth of them both as of one Your swords are Murthering weapons my soule come thou not into their Councill and my honour be not thou in their Churches that is Gods Living Word which he calleth his Soule shall not be in the Dominion of this Earthly World viz. in Mans first Naturall Selfe-power his holy Word shall not be in their Councills and determinations wherein they seeke only temporall voluptuousnes and riches neither shall it be in their Churches and Priesthood because they doe but flatter with the Mouth for he sayth My honour be not thou in their Churches 23. But his Church is the true Image of God from the heavenly Worlds Substance which in their Murther by the introduced poyson of the Serpent faded in Adam and is borne againe in Christ but seeing they would only play the hypocrite before God in the Monster of the Serpent and had not the Church of God in them therefore sayth the Spirit My honour be not thou therein 24. For Gods honour together with Christ Jesus shall not come from the Naturall Adam but from God and his holy Word these should be the Holy Church of God in Man viz. the Image of the heavenly Worlds Substance which dyed in Adam and budded forth againe in Christ in this should Gods honour appeare as when Life buddeth forth through death this was Gods honour but the selfe Adamicall will which was a Murtherour and murthered the heavenly Image in him shall not have this honour this honour shall not appeare in his Murtherous Will 25. In this Image the figure standeth cleerly which is pourtrayed in the * * * Revel 17. Apocalyps of the Great Seaven headed Dragon upon which the Babylonish Whore rideth where the Dragon and Whore are prefigured as one Image and it is even the same with this of Simeon and Levi and it signifieth in the Adamicall Corrupt power in the Monstrous Image the Government of Nature in selfe will together with the Sectarian hypocriticall Priesthood 26. The seaven heads of the Beast are the * * * 7 properties seaven properties of Nature which are departed from the Temperature and have attained †††7 heads seaven heads viz. a seavenfold will whence the Life is come to be in Strife misery sicknes and Corruption and the Whore upon this Beast is the Soule which is defiled as a Whore and entereth before God with this Whores Image and playeth the hypocrite in his presence 27. But the Will of the seaven-headed Beast giveth its power and strength to the Whore viz. to the Soule so that the soule sticketh full of Murther Pride whorish Lust and selfe-honour and in this Church and Den of Murther Gods honour will not be 28. This Figure and Magick Exposition concerning Simeon and Levi prefigureth to us the spirituall and worldly Dominion first in every Man whereby he governeth himselfe both in spirituall and Naturall things and secondly the Management and authority of spirituall and worldly Offices both in the Church and worldly matters whatsoever ruleth therein in selfe Adamicall power without the New Regeneration that beareth this Image in it viz. the Murthering sword where Men Condemne and slay one another with words 29. All scurrilous slaunderous libellous bookes wherein Men reproach and kill one another with words for the sake of the Divine Gift and knowledge are the Murtherous swords of Simeon and Levi also all unrighteous Sentences of worldly Judgement are the same and Gods honour and will is not therein 30. The Spirit taketh
cometh his †††Or finest of flower fat Bread and he will act to please Kings when Zilpa Leahs Mayd-servant had borne Gad viz. the prepared subtile crafty alwayes ready at every suttle assault against the right Justice and Judgement of Dan then sayth Moses shee ‖ ‖ ‖ Gen. 30.12 13. bare Jacob the second sonne and then sayd Lea it is well with mee for the daughters will praise mee and call mee blessed and shee called him Asher and Jacob sayd in the Testament from Asher cometh his fatt Bread and he will live to please Kings heere Jacob viz. the Spirit in the Covenant compriseth these two brethren together in a figure for Gad hath the agility and Asher taketh his fat bread from the King and Lea sayth at his Birth the Daughters will praise mee and call mee blessed 30. Heere now standeth the figure but what explanation may this have Gad Ordereth his wayes with suttlety and Asher with flattery and hypocrisie among the Kings and Potentates in Authority and power whereby he attaineth prosperous fatt dayes of plenty pleasure and voluptuousnesse and such are every one that shall sit in Offices and as Judges and Magistrates they doe all to please their Lord and King that they may be reputed honoured applauded and rewarded by him and that they may have their fatt bread from him and the Spirit by these three sonnes signifieth powerfully what kinde of people would rule the world viz. by Dan the Serpent viz. selfe-will and by Gad suttlety treachery and undermining deceipt and by Asher false and wicked flattery and sychophatising hypocrisie who alwayes sitt in the Courts of Kings and serve them for their fatt bread and onely hunt after the applause and honour of Men. 31. Therefore sayth the Spirit from Asher cometh his fat Bread from whom cometh the fat Bread answer from the nimble suttle heads who make the cause of flatterers and hypocrites seeme right The flatterers sitt neere Kings and applaud him in his selfe-hood and say doe what thou wilt it is all good and right and when the King would faine have it in the appearance of right that it also may be applauded then cometh Gad with his nimble suttle perverted far fetched argumentative prerogative right and setteth the Kings owne selfe-will in the right of Nature so that it seemeth to be right to these Asher giveth the Kings fat bread thus they all Three live in the Serpent and so it biteth the horse in the heeles and they are all three the Mayd-servants children viz. Ministers and Servants of selfe-will 32. Dan is the manager of the †††Or supreme superiour Office Gad is his Councellour at Law in matters of Right Justice and Judgement such as the * * * Advocates Procters Pleaders and Attorneys Lawyers and Jurists are and Asher is the Nobility and Councellours of State these the Spirit hath foreseene in their Testament in these things which they would hereafter practise for the Testator sayth not ye shall be such but ye will be such and sheweth excellently what the Government on Earth in the selfe-will of the humane Nature would be X. The Testament of Naphtali 33. †††Gen. 49.21 Naphtali is a swift Hinde and giveth faire words Naphtali is the second sonne of Bilha Rachells Mayd-servant which shee bare after Dan and is a right brother of Dan These brethren of Naphtali are now among Kings Judges and denote the Earthly wisdome from the ‖ ‖ ‖ Or Configuration Constellation or Starres which with Eloquent faire speeches adorn the Office of Judicature so that Dan Gad Asher are called able wise understanding and learned Lords and Masters 34. But he also proceedeth only from the Strife between Rachell and Jacob for Rachell sayd when Bilha her mayd-servant bare him * * * Gen. 30.8 God hath decided between mee and my sister and I shall prevaile over her this signifieth in the figure that these wise and learned speeches of Naphtali in this Office of Judicature would be able to bow bend and turne about all Causes so that selfe-will would remaine still a Judge in all causes so that none would be able to object any thing in the least against these fower Rulers the sonnes of the Mayd-servants but they would have the Government in Israell and rule the world and prevaile over all Men. 35. But they are all fower the sonnes of the Mayd servants And Sarah sayd to Abraham thrust out the sonne of the Mayd servant for he shall not inherit with my sonne Isaack and God was pleased with it and commanded Abraham to doe it to signifie that these Offices shall not inherit nor possesse the Kingdome of Heaven but shall have an End when Christ the sonne of the free woman shall receive the Kingdome all these States and Governments shall be thrust out and he alone in his children and Members shall governe 36. Behold your selves in this Looking-Glasse ye politick cunning very wise and understanding World in thy suttle policy eloquence of speech favour might potency and honour and see where it is thou sittest and whom thou servest behold thy fatt bread also the applause from the King whom thou servest and what thou purposest designest and doest and how thou standest in thy figure before God the Kingdome of Christ thy Eloquence avayleth nothing in the presence of God thy prudence policy suttlety and cunning avayleth nothing if thou wilt not give right Counsell and say and doe according to Truth and perswade and informe thy superiour Lord and Master rightly then thou helpest to generate this Adder and Serpent in the Testament of Dan for thy superiour and thou thy selfe art that Adder and Serpent who biteth Judgement Justice and right in the Heele and therefore thou also shalt attaine the End wages and recompence of the Serpent in Hell-fire for it XI The Testament of Joseph 37. * * * Gen. 49.22 23 24 25 26. Joseph will spring forth Hee will spring as by a fountaine the sprouts or daughters passe on to the Government and although the Archers be angry and fight against him and persecute him yet his Bow holdeth strong and his Arme and hand in strength through the hand of the Mighty in Jacob from whom have proceeded the Shepheards and Stone in Israell thou art helped by thy fathers God and from the Almighty thou art blessed with blessings from heaven above and with blessings from the deepe that lieth beneath with blessings of the Breasts and Womb the blessings of thy father have prevailed more then the blessings of my Auncestours according to the desire of the lofty in the world and shall come upon the head of Joseph and upon the Crowne of his head that was seperate from his brethren 38. In this Testament of Joseph the Spirit in the Covenant represents the figure of a right divine Governour in whom the Spirit of God ruleth who is not the sonne of the Mayd
servant but of the free-woman who serveth God and his brethren in his Office who Governeth in truth and righteousnesse who suffereth not tale-bearers Sycophants and flatterers about him who seeketh not his own profit credit and honour but Gods honour and his brethrens profit this the Spirit hath powerfully prefigured by Joseph 39. For Joseph was not an intruding Governour but one rightly called not out of policy suttlety and plausible speeches and pretences so that he can draw and turne the horse about by the tayle and yet perswade the simple people that he turnes him about by the head and the flattering hypocrite also sayth of such Governours and Rulers they are the Head and they doe this onely that they may eate their fatt bread from the Court he sate not with adorned Eloquent acute speeches in the Office of Judicature but by divine understanding if he would have flattered and have been a lascivious adulterer he could well have been a Governour with Potiphar but that ought not to be for in him stood the figure of a true Christian Man shewing how such a one would regulate his life and also his Office and how the good well-spring Christ would flow forth through him and judge and rule through him 40. For Jacob began that Testament and sayd Joseph will spring he will spring as by a fountaine that is his wisdome will spring in Gods power and flow forth from him so that he will finde wise Councill also the sprouts or daughters passe on to the Government that is his wise words Councells and determinations goe forth as a faire daughter in her virgin Chastity and vertue 41. Also though the Archers be enraged and fight against him and persecute him yet his Bow remaineth strong and his Armes and hands in strength by the hands of the mighty one in Jacob that is though the Devill with his Crue sett upon him and dispise him so that he seeketh not his own honour and profit and through wicked people shoote his arrowes upon him who bring forth lies under the specious pretence of Truth against him yet his wisdome remaineth under the Divine Arme and his will to righteousnesse standeth as a strong Bow through the co-habitation of the Mighty God 42. Also from him are proceeded Shepheards and the Stone in Israell that is from him from his wisdome are proceeded other wise righteous understanding Rulers viz. faithfull Councellours who are neere him Shepheards and Pillers in the Government for such as the Prince is such are his Councellours as the Proverb is when the Councill seeth that the Prince loveth righteousnesse and that he will not be served with hypocrisie and flattery and that only honest trusty and understanding wise people beare sway with him then they diligently labour for wisdome and righteousnes that they may please him therein and then that Land and Country hath good Shepheards 43. Also Thou art helped from thy fathers God and thou art blessed from the Almighty that is from the * * * Or Faith God of Abraham which helped Abraham thou hast gotten wisdome and understanding and that helpeth thee against thy Enemies and against their arrowes and thou art blessed from the Allmighty with blessings from heaven above and with blessings from the Deepe beneath with blessings of the Breasts and womb that is from waiting on the Lord thou shalt receive good things honour and Sustenance he will blesse thee in body and soule in goods and Estate and in all thy wayes and give thee sufficient so that thou wilt not need nor dare to use suttle cunning deceit to pervert that which is right thou wilt not dare to say of any thing it is thy owne to use as thou wilt and yet thou wilt have sufficient and plenty 44. For one that feareth God and leaveth selfehood or appropriating any thing for his owne he getteth in stead thereof all in the Kingdome of Christ the Heaven and the World is his whereas on the Contrary the wicked must supply himselfe with a peece of that which he hath stolen in suttlety and acquired to himselfe with deceit and take nothing of it away with him but the hell only and his wicked unrighteousnesse and the Curse of miserable people whom he hath tormented upon Earth they have kindled hell-fire with their Curse in him and that he taketh along with him 45. Also The blessing of thy father hath prevailed more then the blessing of my Auncestors according to the desire of the lofty in the world and it shall come upon the head of Joseph and upon the Crowne of his head that was seperated from his brethren that is Jacobs blessing hath therefore prevailed more then his Auncestors because in him the Ens of Faith was sprouted forth and come into many boughs and branches for the fruit did shew forth it selfe more then by Abraham and Isaack For Abraham generated but one Twig out of the Line of the Covenant viz. Isaack so also Isaack generated but one twig out of the Line of the Covenant viz. Jacob on whom the Spirit looked seeing Jacob generated twelve sonnes which all stood in the Roote of the Line of the Covenant and grew out of it as Twiggs but in Judah stood the Stock and therefore he sayd his blessing prevailed more as a Tree which is growne into branches from the Stock 46. But that he sayth according to the desire of the lofty in the world he signifieth under it the prosperity of the blessing to those that are blessed for as the Rich of the world desire only highnesse and good things so these in the blessing of God receive temporall and Eternall good things these shall from the blessing of Jacob come upon the head of Joseph that is upon his children so that they shall in this sprouting beare good fruit for the Head signifieth the blossomes and fruit of this Tree 47. Also Vpon the Crowne of his head that was seperated from his brethren that is the blessing shall not presse forth alone out of the Line of the Covenant so that it alone among Jacobs children stood in the blessing viz. the Stock of Judah but upon the Crowne of his head that was seperated viz. upon the ground of the Naturall roote of the Adamicall Tree in them all that they all of them together should be as a fruitfull Tree but concerning their States and worldly Offices wherein they would live wickedly in the future he representeth the figure in Dan and the fower brethren from Jacobs wives mayd-servants signifying how in the End the Serpent would manage the Government in the Adamicall Nature and how their successours would live in their Offices and what kinde of world would rise up therein as it hath come to passe among the Jewes and Christians XII The Testament of Benjamin 48. †††Gen. 49.27 Benjamin is a ravening Wolfe in the Morning he will devour the prey but in the Evening he will divide the spoyle Benjamin was Josephs neerest owne deare