and brings it selfe forth with its Spirit out of the Substance into a contemplation and visible ken in which understanding man hath found out the Arts of Metalls 43. For the Sister of Tubal-Cain was Naema Here lieth the pretious pearl deare masters NAEMA is heavenly in her property cloathed with the externall vesture so that you doe not know her for the earthly man is not worthy of it for her Essence is virgineall a virgin of purity it pointeth in one part at the inward new man viz. the Sister of the Sulphurean man and on the other part it signifieth the Grosse Metall of the Earth and also the pretious Metall viz. Gold and Silver 44. For Tuball-Cain is the brother of Naema they lye in one wombe but Tubal-Cain is of this world and Naema is a virgin hidden under her brother and herein the twofold Earth is understood viz. in a twofold property one heavenly and the other grosse Earthly viz. an Essence out of the darke worlds property and an Essence out of the lightfull worlds property and thus also it is to be understood in Man for by the property of Gods Anger viz. by the dying of the earthly man Naema becomes manifest 45. Wherefore doth Moses add the Name Naema and yet speaketh nothing either of any that she brought forth or that she married Answer because that in the Regeneration the naturall Generation ceaseth the new virginity in the Spirit of Christ doth not produce any creature more but they must all proceed out of the first Centre and stock so that they may be all One Tree and by the fire the Metall viz. the virgin which is Tubal-Cains Sister is made manifest 46. The Name TVBAL-CAIN hath an excellent understanding in it for it sheweth hovv the Sulphureous Mercuriall vvheele doth open it selfe in the birth and generation of Metals and also in the Originall of life for God Subjected all things to man and gave him all things for his delight and play therefore Tubal Cain must open and discover himselfe in the humane Tree that so they might understand it Hereby we have signified enough to those that are our School-fellowes 47. And Lamech said to his wife 's Ada and Zilla Verse 23.24 Heare my voyce yee wifes of Lamech and marke what I say I have slaine a man to my wound and a young man to my hurt If Cain shall be avenged seven-fold truly Lamech seventy and seven fold This is a wonderfull strange and marvellous saying who would understand what the Spirit signifieth heere without its own peculiar exposition I do seriously admonish the Mocker to leave our work heere uncensured for he understandeth not our Spirit and Sence 48. Lamech saith that he slew a man to his wound and a young man to his hurt This man is Abel according to the outward humanity of the Kingdome of this world and the young man is the Image of Christ proceeding from the virgin-like line out of the Seed of the woman in him the Man he slew to his Rebuke viz. to an un-curable wound and the pretious young man in the Man to an hurt which would gall and trouble him as an Evill hurt bruise or Bile in the conscience of Sin for the wrath of God wrought in this Bile and the wound being a great and wofull hurt might not be healed for the Curse of the Lord went forth out of this Bile into the wound in which the Earth was cursed so that the humane Dominion became a valley of misery 49. For Lamech saw the sore wound and returned and thereupon tooke two wives that is a twofold will into his Minde for his Government vvhereby he vvould rule upon the Earth viz. one went forth from Ada into the Grazing and keeping of cattle and the hard labour of the hands for a temporall livelihood wherein he found the Curse and wound and the other went forth out of the branch of Zilla into the Earth after the Metalls to make usefull Tooles and Instruments for the Tillage and husbandry of the Ground and for other necesaries and so he found in the metalls the rusty Bile and sore in their metalline nature for the pretious tincture or the faire blossome of the Earth was hidden in the Curse viz. Environed and beset with an Evill Bile and sore 50. Now Lamech knew the vvofull Hurt and said hearken ye wives of Lamech and marke what I say he would faine expresse the Hurt and dammage he saw back againe into the Tree of man and considered the revenge of God which had laid hold of mans life and said Cain shall be avenged seven-fold and Lamech seven and seventy fold for God said also to Cain when he stood and cryed * * * Ver. 14.15 thou drivest me out this day from * * * Or from the Land and Countrey the face of the Earth and it will come to passe that whosover findeth me will slay me but the Lord said to him whosoever slayeth Cain vengeance shall be taken on him seven fold and he set a marke on Cain that none should kill him 51. These are most vvonderfull and hidden sayings Cain shall be avenged Sevenfold and Lamech seventy and seven fold wherefore shall Lamech be avenged Seventy and Seven-fold and Cain Seven-fold who hath done any thing to Lamech Heere the Spirit pointeth out of the Centre of the humane life upon the time vvhich was to come intimateing how it would afterward goe with man in this Wound when as men should multiply and Encrease and make unto themselves Kings and Princes Dominions and Governments that the vvrath of God would also forcibly exercise it selfe in mans will and even open and display it selfe in the humane Life and Dominion 52. Now if a man would understand vvhat Lamech saith concerning the Revenge then he must looke upon the Centre for the life of all creatures consists in Seven Degrees or properties as it is above clearely mentioned now Adam was the Stock for Adam and Eve are one Tree from the parting and division of which Evill and Good did arise and Cain was the first twigg vvhich sprung forth from this tree vvherein the Seven properties of life did put themselves forth out of the right divine order and harmony in the life and destroyed the Image of God which was long of the Devill who egged him on also in the divided properties to the brother-slaughter so that he slew Abel now God said Cain shall be avenged Seven-fold if any one slay him and he set a marke on Cain that none should kill him 53. The Devill had folded up himselfe in the vvrath of God and cunningly insinuated himselfe into the Seven properties of Life being they were departed from their mutuall Harmonious Accord and he vvould be Lord in the place of the Spirit of God in the life of man and would vvholly murther and slay the life as to the Kingdome of God therefore God set a marke vvith the Promise of the Covenant therein so
might give it selfe and Imaginate it selfe and so in the property of the holy fire it might be able to enter with its will into the Ayme of the Covenant which stood before God in the figure untill the promise of the womans Seed was fulfilled and accomplished 26. In which Seed the dear and pretious Name of Jesus did open it selfe out of Jehovah and did again awaken the heavenly life in the disappeared Ens in the humanity and offered up this whole Image in the Person of Christ to the Anger fire of the Father and with the holy Love fire Regenerated and enkindled in the humane life did bring it quite through the Anger viz. through the fire of the Eternall nature of the Fathers Manifestation and changed the anger-fire into a love-fire and this was just thus prefigured in the Offring for the Love-fire enkindled the offring and in the offring was yet the Curse of the Earth aswell as in the humane free will and when the offring was offered it was a Sin-offering whereby the free-will of mans Soule was t t t Reconciled with God propitiated before God 27. Now if Sin shall be reconciled and appeased then it must be brought into the Anger viz. into the judgement of God into the sword of the Cherub that it may cut off the same which Cherub is the Sword of Gods anger and if then the humane will be wholly Sinfull and altogether capable of the fire of Anger then God Enkindleth the Sin-offering in which the Anger-fire lay hidden in the Curse with the holy fire that the humane will which was apprehended in the Anger-fire might be atonened in the Love-fire 28. For the Love-fire of God tinctureth the soules desire in the Offring as a tincture tingeth brasse and Iron and changeth them into Gold even thus the humane Soules free-will vvhich was inspired wholly pure and spotlesse into man was tinctured and again purified before God that so it might enter into Gods mercy for the mercy was hidden in the Love-fire viz. in the Aym of the Covenant in the Name of Jesus in God in which Covenant and Name the Anger of God was Reconciled and Atonened in the offring and laid down its Anger-burning flames and suffered the soules free-will to passe quite through it 29. But as touching the offring in it selfe with the Wood Fire Light and Smoak understand it thus Abel offered of his flock without doubt sheep or oxen as Moses did the like namely the fat of them now the offring viz. the wood and Smoak on the outward part as to the mater was earthly and so was Man as to the outward Body earthly and in the earthlinesse lay the Curse both in Man and in the Offring 30. But vvhen the Offring was Enkindled it was Spirituall for from the wood proceeded the fire which tooke the Offring and consumed it and out of the consumptivenesse vvent forth first from the fire the smoak and afterward the light this was the Figure whereinto Mans and also Gods Imagination entered as a Compaction or Conjunction 31. In the Enkindled Consuming fire vvas the desire of the Angry Father viz. a Conjunction of the eternall natures-fire with the Temporall fire the Eternall is Magicall and the temporall is the Substance and matter of the magicall viz. its u u u Or Amassement Reception and in the enkindled Light was the holy love-fire which is also magicall as subtile as a will which did also immasse it selfe in the enkindled light and in the forth-proceeding smoak which is an Elementall Sulphur and Mercury viz. a life of the quality the smell or taste went forth also which signifieth the humane power of the Body and the outward spirit of nature 32. In this power which proceeded forth from the offring out of the fire and light the Spirit of God which proceedeth forth from the Father and Son did Amass it selfe in the Amassement of the humane Faiths desire and so tooke the humane Faiths desire into it selfe and did Amasse it selfe into a Substance of the fire light and power proceeding forth from the Offring and brought it through the Gates of Gods Anger upon the holy Altar in the Aym of the Covenant upon which the Lamb of God should be offered for the sins of the whole world 33. For this Lamb of God viz. Christ should compleat perfect and make this introduced offring fully acceptable upon the Great Altar of the Angelicall world that it might be to God an Eternall Sweet Savour of his deepest Love which he represented in Man in his introduced offring in the Lamb of God Christ and Mankinde in this Representative offring 34. The humane offring was the Sojourner of the true Lamb and offering of God in Christ and now where the offring is there is also the spirit of man for mans spirit is gone forth and departed from God into Time and in the Time it hath defiled it selfe therefore it must forsake the Pollution and enter in again through this Offring to God 35. But if it will enter then it must doe it in manner and forme as it went out for it brought it selfe into false desire and lust even so likewise it must introduce it selfe againe by a Returning into a Sorrow and conversion and in the Sorrow or Repentance again into a divine desire which is called Faith 36. But that it might apprehend or lay hold on the divine desire Note it did bring the faith or the beleeving desire into an offring and so amassed or formed the beleeving desire in the offring into a Substance or Essence that the Faith also might become essentiall and this essentiallity of faith received the holy fire of God which would in the fulnesse of time open it selfe in the essentiality of faith and bring the humane Substance thereinto and also bring it forth in it selfe through Gods Anger and change it in it selfe into a Love-fire for all the words of prayer in the offring were also received into the Substance of Faith 37. For as all things were formed Amassed and introduced by the vvord of God into a Substance so likewise the words of the prayer of Abel and Israel in the offring were formed and amassed to substance viz. unto an Incorruptible Essence in which Essence Christ Gods Son in the fulnesse of time brake forth out of the Covenant and tooke upon him this same Essence together vvith the humane Essence and as a potent Champion and mighty Conquerour destroyed the Kingdome of death and the Devill 38. And to this faiths Essence in the Spirit of Christ in all his children and members was given the Judgement over the world yea over the Kingdome of the Devill and of death thereby to destroy and bring to nought their works and Possess the Royall Throne 39. This was the reall offring of Abel for the Spirit of the holy love-fire in the Aym of the Covenant had opened it selfe in him so that he understood it and therefore he offered
playeth under the outward figure with the inward which shall remain for ever I will therefore sett down this figure of Abrahams Temptation in respect of his Son Isaac likewise in the spirituall figure and shew what is thereby to be understood for although the learned have expounded it that God tempted Abraham to see if he would continue stedfast in the faith upon him yet it hath far another meaning and interpretation * * * Note for God knows well aforehand what man will do also man cannot without his Grace stand in the Temptation as may be seen here in Abraham when he denyed his wife before King Abimilech as he came in to Gerar. 3. Abraham is here represented in Adams stead and his Son Isaac is represented in Christs humanity and the voice which came to Abraham is God the Fathers these three stand here in the figure of the process of the work of mans redemption shewing how Abraham that is Adam should offer up his * * * Text. Image person in Isaac that is in Christ to the voice of God in the fire of God that so the humanity might be proved in the fire of God Gen. XXII vers 1. 4. Now the voice of God spake to Abraham and said Abraham and he answered here am I that is God called to Adam in Abraham viz to all men Vers. 2. and said take thy Own Son Isaac whom thou lovest and go into the Land of Moriah and offer him there for a burnt-offring upon a mountain which I will tell thee of Here the Spirit looketh with Isaac upon Christ for in Isaac lay the Covenant and the Ens of Abrahams faith out of which Christ should come now said the voice of God to Adam in Abraham take thy Son whom thou lovest and offer him for a burnt-offring upon the Mountain which I shall tell the off that is the Jewes viz. Adams children should offer Christ for a burnt-offring that is the divine Ens should give in it selfe into Adams Ens which the children of Adam should offer up one with another in the fire of God and it betokens that every man when he hath received the Ens of faith must offer up himselfe wholly unto God and dye to his own will in the fire of God and in the divine Ens of faith be born anew through the offring in the fire of God 5. For said the Spirit in Moses Thy Son whom thou lovest viz. thy own will which hath brought it selfe into Selfe-love this Selfe-will must be offered up to God that it may leave the own selfish will in the fire of God and wholly give over its ownhood and no more will and live to it selfe but to God and it rightly points out how Christ in our humane will which had broken off or turned it selfe in Adam from God should again wholly offer and give up himselfe in Adams person to God his Father and how the wrath of God should devour the will viz. the will wherein Adam had introduced himselfe into selfehood 6. In which devoration of the fire of anger the Love Ens in the word of faith of divine power viz. the true Man created in Adam must be formed and also preserved in this devouring fire as Gold or Silver in the Crucible where the Copper and all that is impure * * * Evaporates purgeth from it and onely the Gold or Silver subsists in the fire so likewise the humane assumed Own-hood together with the assumed Ens of the Serpent and Beast and all whatsoever subsists not in the divine fire must be consumed in the offring And that we might have again in Christs person an wholly pure entrance and open fountain of Grace Christ must offer up our humane will of Selfe to his Father resigne it up to him wholly and that upon the Mount Moriah that is in his death where he for * * * 2 Cor. 5.15 all and in all should dye to the Humane Selfehood * * * Note How Christs Death was effectuall to All men even as when the Stock of a tree dyeth then also all its branches in it do dye and as the tree doth renew its youthfull growth it also introduceth its new power and strength into its branches which indeed is not possible to the outward nature but in God it is very possible as may be seen in the dry Rod of Aaron which was dead to its sap and life and yet in one Night sprang forth afresh and bare fair Almonds 7. Now said God upon the mountain which I shall shew thee that is it must not be don according to Adams will also it must not be don in us according to our will as if we should prescribe to our selves where and how we would offer up our selves in Christ to the Father as Babel doth no but upon the mountain that is on the place in the property and in the death as the Lord appoints orders and sends it to us we must be onely Obedient with Abraham and give up our selves willingly thereunto when he will have us offer unto himselfe not whip beat and plague our selves but onely sinck with our will into him and wait till the Lord shewes us the place where and how he will have us offer unto him we must give up unto him our whole heart and will with body and soul and commit it to him what he will further do with us where he in the * * * Image or Likeness Type of Jesus Christ will offer us according to the body and when the Lord calleth us to the offring with his Cross or will offer us up to the Temporall death then we should say with Abraham lo here am I Lord do what thou pleasest 8. And Abraham rose up early in the morning and * * * Text gâ—â—t Sadled his Asse Gen. 22.3 and took with him two young men and Isaac his Son and clave wood for the burnt-offring and rose up and went unto the place of which God had told him This figure stands thus When the voice of God calleth us then we should with Abraham go presently for early in the morning signifieth here when the voice breaks forth as the Dawning of the day when God in us calleth us when man hath a Thought come into him saying thou shouldst return amend and truly repent then it is time he must forthwith girt his Asse viz. the Beastiall man with Power although he cryes stay yet a while it is time enough to morrow yet it should be don presently in the first look of the will to God for this is the Hinde which is hunted Early in the morning as the propheticall Spirit prophecieth for Christ must girt this Asse early with the voice of God and go to the Offring 9. And the two young men which Abraham took along with him do betoken the Soul from the first Principle and the Soul of this world viz. the outward Spirit
the Element This holy Element in the beginning or inchoation of the foure Elements did Penetrate through the Earth and sprang or budded forth in the holy Powers Property and bare fruits of which man should have eaten in a heavenly manner but when it did disappeare in man the Curse entred into the Earth and so Paradise was quasht in the foure Elements and continued retired in it selfe in the inward Element there it stands yet open unto man if any will depart from this worlds Essence and enter into it upon the Path which Christ hath made open 60. The Punctum of the whole created Earth belonged e e e Ad Centrum Solis to the Center of the Sun unto the Centre of Sol but not any more at present he is fallen who was a King the Earth is in the Curse and become a Peculiar Centre whereunto all whatsoever is engendred in the vanity in the foure Elements doth tend and fall all things fall unto the Earth for the f f f Or Creation Fiat is yet in the deep and g g g Or draweth or Concreteth createth all earthly Essence together unto the judgement of God for Separation 61. We meane not that the Earth came h h h Or onely wholly from the Place of the Sun but from the whole Sphear out of both the internall Spirituall worlds but it hath another A. B. C. in that the Earth belongeth unto the judgement of God for Separation even then it shall be manifest wherefore it is said it belongeth unto the Punctum of Sol. 62. For the worst must be a cause of the best the Eternall joy consists in this that we are delivered from Paine God hath not Eternally rejected his holy Essence but onely the iniquity which mixed it selfe therein but when the Crystalline Earth shall Appeare then will be fulfilled this Saying it Appertaines to the Punctum of Sol heere we have hinted enough to the understanding of our school-fellowes but further we must heere be Silent CHAP. XI Of the Mystery of the Creation 1. THe Reason of the outward man saith whence is it that God hath not revealed the Creation of the world unto man that Moses and the children of God have written so little thereof seeing it is the Greatest and most principall worke whereon the Maine depends 2. Yes deare Reason smell into thy owne bosome of what doth it Savour contemplate thine owne Minde after what doth it long likely after the cunning delusions of the Devill had not hee known this ground very like he had been yet an Angell had he not seen the Magicall birth in his high light then he had not desired to be a selfish Lord and maker in the Essence 3. Wherefore doth God hide his children which now receive the Spirit of knowledge with the Crosse and cast them into tribulation and mire of vanity for certaine Therefore that they might play the Tune of miserere and continue in humility and not sport in this i i i Text Time life with the light of nature else if they should espie and apprehend what the Divine Magick is then they might also desire to imitate the Devill as Lucifer did for which cause it is hid from them and neither Moses or any other dare write clearer thereof untill the beginning of the Creation beholdeth the End of the world in it selfe and then it must stand open 4. And therefore let none blame us for the time is come about that Moses putteth away his vaile from his Eyes which he hung before his face when he spake with Israel after the Lord had spoken with him Moses desired to see it in that he said Lord if I have found grace in thy sight let me see thy face but the Lord would not and said thou shalt see my back part for none can see my face 5. Now the Eye of God was in Moses and in the Saints they have seen and spoken in the Spirit of God and yet had not the through-vision of the Spirituall birth in them save at times onely when God would worke wonders as by Moses when he did the wonders in Egypt then the Divine Magick was open unto him in manner and wise as in the Creation 6. And this was even the fall of Lucifer that he would be a God of nature and live in the transmutation and this was even the Idolatry of the heathens in that they understood the Magicall birth they fell from the onely God unto the magicall birth of nature and chose unto themselves Idolls out of the Powers of nature 7. For which cause the creation hath remained so obscure and God hath covered his children in whom the true light shone with tribulation that they have not been manifest unto themselves Seeing Adam also according to the same lust did imagine to know and prove the Magick and would be as God so that God permitted him that he defiled his heavenly Image with the vanity of nature and made it wholly darke and Earthly as Lucifer also did with the Centre of nature when he of an Angel became a Devill 8. Therefore I will seriously warne the Reader that he use the Magick aright viz. in true faith and humility towards God and not meddle with Turba Magna in a Magicall manner unlesse it conduceth to the honour of God and Salvation of mankinde 9 For we can say with truth that the Verbum Fiat is yet a Creating albeit it doth not create Stones and earth yet it Coagulateth formeth and worketh still in the same Property All things are possible to nature as it was possible for it in the beginning to generate stones and Earth also the Stars and foure Elements and did produce them or worke them forth out of one onely ground so it is still unto this day by the strong Desire which is the Magicall ground All things may be effected if man use nature aright in its order to the worke 10. All Essences consist in the Seven Properties now he that knoweth the Essence he is able by the same Spirit of that Essence whence it is come to be an Essence to change it into another forme and likewise to introduce it into another Essence and so make of a Good thing an Evill and of an Evill thing a Good 11. The Transmutation of all things must be effected by i i i Assimulation or likenesse Simility viz. by its owne native Propriety for the Alienate is its Enemy like as man must be regenerated againe by the divine Essentiality in the Simility by the simility in his holinesse of the divine Essentiality which he lost 12. And as the false k k k Magus or Magician Magist woundeth man through Inchantment with the Assimulate and through the desire introduceth Evill into his Evill viz. into the Assimulate and as the upright holy faith or divine desire also entreth into the Assimulate and forfendeth man so that the false desire takes no place 13. Thus all
did annoy him as a Tincture penetrates a body and preserves it from sickness and as the warmth of the Sun defends the body from cold so likewise the highest Tincture of the fire and light viz. the holy Power of the inward spirituall Body penetrated the outward Body of flesh and bloud and took every outward Elementall properry as also the limus of the Earth into its preservation or protection 12. For as there was a Temperature in the body of the inward and outward man so likewise there was nothing without the Body that could either destroy or annoy this Temperature as Gold indures in the fire and as a Tincture penetrates all things and yeelds or gives way unto nothing so likewise man was not subject unto any thing save onely and alone to the onely God who dwelt through him and was manifest in him with rhe Power of the holy Essence and this was an Image and likenesse of God in whom the Spirit of God inhabited 13. Reason will understand us amiss and say I speak of a twofold man but I say no! I speak onely of one onely man which is a likenesse according to God viz. according to the manifested God according to the expressed Formed word of the divine Power of divine understanding 14. As all things are in God d d d Text in Essence Essentially and yet he himselfe is not that very Essence and yet that Essence ruleth every Essence according to its Property so likewise the inward spirituall man is an Image of the formed Word of divine Power and the outward an Image of the inward viz. an Instrument of the inward as a Master must have an Instrument wherewith to finish and performe his work so likewise the outward man from the limus of the Earth and foure Elements with its outward Constellation is onely an Instrument of the inward wherewith the inward frameth and maketh what the inward Spirit of the soul willeth 15. As we see that the Will is the Master in all purposes and undertakings and see further that the inward man hath divine will and desire but the outward a bestiall will which is so by reason of the fall the whole man is but one onely man but his property lyeth in Sundry degrees according to the inward and outward heavens viz. according to the divine manifestation through the Seven Properties of Nature Of the Creation of the Seventh Day 16. GOd created all things in six dayes out of the Seven properties and introduced the six dayes workes of the manifestation of his Creature into the Seventh wherein every life should worke as in one body for the Seventh and first day belong mutually to one another as one for the six properties of the Eternall nature are all couched in the Seventh as in a e e e Operate or work-house Structure of the other six the Seventh Property is a Mysterie or Essence of all the other and out of the Seventh day the first day hath taken its Originall and beginning Seventh Day Saturnus 17. FOr on the Seventh day viz. Saturday Saturne hath his dominion the first houre of the day in the Planetick Orb which is a figure of the Seven-fold Generation of the Eternall nature for like as the first forme of the Eternall nature is the Astringent desire viz. the Fiat which in the desire impresseth the Free Lubet which is as a thin nothing in the Eternall will of God in the divine understanding and introduceth it into a Spirituall Essence in which Desires Essence all the properties doe arise as is above mentioned 18. So likewise Saturne or the Seventh Property of the Seventh day is the Rest or mansion of the other six dayes works wherein they worke as a Spirit in the body the Seventh Property standeth still as a senceless life 19. But that now Moses saith God rested on the Seventh day from all his workes and sanctified the Seventh day for rest this hath a very peculiar Emphaticall deep meaning and yet it were but plaine and child-like if we were in Paradise and dwelt in the Sabbath understand it thus 20. Out of the Verbum Fiat viz. out of the divine Word and out of the divine desire which is the Fiat in the Word wherewith the Word formeth it self or introduceth it selfe in the Spirituall Essence to the dark fire-and light-world the six properties of the Eternall and Temporall nature proceeded and each hath introduced it selfe into a sundry degree of a sundry Property which degree may be called a Heaven or a Magicall Spirituall-Constellation 21. For each Property is a Spirated Essence viz. a Heaven for * * * Text Himmell expounded in the Language of Nature Heaven Himmell doth properly and exactly denote and signifie in the language of nature a Spiration or formation where the Fiat formeth what the Word Speaketh or breatheth forth and thus the Spiration or Speaking was introduced into six degrees or dayes-works 22. Each Spiration continued a time viz. the length of a day and night in the formation and Conception and each property of a day was mutually spoken or breathed forth out of the other even unto the Sixt in which the Formed word was manifest which in the fift form viz. in the Love-desire did receive its Aspect or illustration through the fire from the light and Amassed or formed it self in the sixt forme of nature in which formation the Image of God man was Created as an Image of the formed Word which God introduced into the Sabbath viz into the Seventh day understand into the Verbum Fiat viz. into the first divine desire to nature wherein Paradise and the Eternall Day was 23. For in the Seventh Property lieth the Eternall day whence the dayes of Time are proceeded and the Ancient have called it f f f As to the word Sun Evening or the Evening of the Sun In our English Saturday Sonabend but it is rightly called g g g The Evening of reconciliation or Saving day Suhnabend wherein Gods Love doth appease and Atone the Anger as when the six properties in the Operate doe enkindle themselves in the Impression in the wraths property they are atoned and reconciled in the Seventh property viz. In the manifested holy power of God in the Love-desire which holy power manifesteth it selfe in the fift and sixt Property and doth encircle the Operate of all the rest as an holy heaven and so are introduced into one onely Essence wherein they Rest as in the h h h Text in verbo Domini Word of the Lord which hath introduced it self with the Seven properties into Nature and Essence and thereof Moses speaketh rightly God rested on the Seventh day from all his works and hallowed the Seventh day 24. Understand it heere aright God Rested with his Formed Word which he first introduceth into darkness and fire viz. into the first Principle according to which he is called a Consuming fire in the Second Principle viz. in the formed holy
Thus it goeth with the Simple single-hearted children of Christ whom the Spirit of Christ driveth and out of whom he teacheth heere in this world c. they are onely as sheep among Wolves as Christ said I send you as sheep among Wolves the earthly man is a Serpentine Wolfe under whom the virgin-childe viz. Christs Lamb must dwell and then beginneth and ariseth murthering * * * Or robbing slaying and killing 65. But it doth not at all hurt the virgin-childe It s Externall Wolfe is also by this meanes bitten off by another for the outward Wolfe of all men is growne from the Anger of God and arisen with the Sin in Adam therefore it must be given for food to the Anger of God that the virgin-childe of the womans Seed may become manifest 66. For thus they doe Separate themselves as two Enemies and are continually opposite Enemies one against another in the time of this outward life for the Judgement is given to the virgin-childe against the introduced Serpents childe of Sin In the Resurrection the virgin-childe shall condemne the Serpent-childe into the Fire of God there the limus of the Earth shall be proved and purged from the Serpents Ens and againe put upon the virgins-childe 67. Now saith reason what pleasure hath God in this murthering of his children can he not defend them from the Enemy thus it must be that the light may be manifest in the darknesse else the light would stand still in the darknesse and bring forth no fruit seeing then the light receiveth into it selfe Essence and perceivancy also Sensation from the darknesse viz. from the Source of the fire therefore one is set against the other that so one might be manifest in the other the joy against griefe and griefe against joy that it may be known what Evill or good is 68. For if there were no griefe then the Joy were not manifest to it selfe but yet all is in the Free-will as every thing doth introduce it selfe into eviâ—l or good so it runneth on its Course and the one is but the manifestation of the other for if there were no night or darknesse then we should know nothing of the Light or Day thus the great God hath introduced himselfe into Severation to his owne contemplation and Sport of joy 69. The like also is to be understood in the various diversity and Severalty of Men touching evill and good The Evill must be a Cause that the good be made manifest to it selfe and the Good must be a cause to manifest the Evill in its wicked malicious Suttlety and iniquity that all things may come into their contemplation and visible ken and every thing might manifest its judgement in it selfe unto the Great Separation Day of the LORD of all beings where every thing shall give in it selfe into its Barne for its usefulnesse and profit that in the Eternity the Great God may be known in a creaturall and formall manner according to light and darknesse 70. For all things were created by the word and brought into a forme seeing then God is an angry jealous God and a consuming fire and also a mercifull-Loving meek God of light and Giving or Free-Grace in whom there cannot be any Evill at all therefore he hath introduced fire and light Evill and good one with another in the Verbum Fiat into a free-will whereby the will may u u u Or worke forme either in the evill or good and yet he hath created all things good and to the light and set them into the free-will to multiply themselves in the free-will to conceive in Evill or good and yet hath associated to each thing its likenesse viz. to a male its female that so nothing hath cause to x x x Or fall from its place and order into Destruction degenerate and to man he hath given Commands what to doe and leave undone 71. Thus all things stand to the judgement of the Great God and in this time they must be in Contest that one may be manifest in the other but then in the Great Harvest every thing shall have its own Seat in it selfe when strife shall be taken up and cease and all things must stand to the Honour and Admiration of the wonderfull works of the great God who Alone knowes whereunto every thing shall be good and for what he will use it CHAP. XXIX Shewes how the Adamicall Tree hath put forth and opened it selfe out of its Stock and introduced it selfe into boughes branches twiggs and fruit out of which pullulation or manifestation the Invention of All Arts and * * * Or Polities Governments is Arisen The Deep Gates out of the Centre of the Eternall and also the Temporall Nature shewing how the Eternall Wisdome hath introduced it selfe into a formall visible and Ideall Contemplation Gen. IIII. ch 1. THe Eternall divine understanding is a free-will not arisen either from any thing or by any thing it is its owne Peculiar Seat and dwelleth onely and AlOne in it selfe un-apprehended of any thing for beyond and without it is nothing and that same NOTHING is onely ONE and yet it is also as a Nothing to it selfe It is One onely will of the Abysse and it is neither neer nor far off neither high nor low but it is ALL and yet as a Nothing for it is in it selfe no contemplation Sensation or perceivancy whereby it might finde a likenesse in it selfe 2. It s Finding is its own forth-proceeding so that it beholdeth it self in the y y y Or proceed-forth Egresse for that which is proceeded forth is its Eternall Lubet Sensation and perceivancy and it is called the Divine Wisdome which Wisdome the unsearchable Abyssall will apprehendeth in it selfe to its Centre of z z z Or Imagination desire or Magia Lubet viz. to an Eternall minde of the Vnderstanding which understanding the free-will formeth in it selfe to its owne a a a Or expresse Image likenesse viz. to an Eternall Speaking living working Word which the Free will doth speake or breath forth out of the formed wisdome of the Lubet 3. And the b b b Or Spiration Forth-breathing is the Spirit or Mouth of the understanding in the formed will of the wisdome which doth distinguish or variously Severize the Speaking Word so that the Minde and the understanding of the minde becomes manifest and revealed in which Manifestation the Free Lubet or wisdome is in the Speaking or forth-breathing formed of the free-will by the Spirit into diversity and variety 4. In which formation the powers of the divine properties doe arise so that it is truly said and declared concerning God that he is the Eternall will Understanding Minde Counsell Power and Wonder c c c Or with in which wonders of powers he hath moved and formed himselfe from Eternity in which formation consists the invisible spirituall world wherein the Spirit of God hath melodized and Sported with it selfe from
monster and an Evill Beast in his free-will which doth not resemble the first Image of the formed Life in the word of God now against this Beast the words of Christ are directed when he saith Vnlesse ye be converted and become as children that is unlesse you do depart from and utterly disclaim the will of the Selfe-Generated Beast and enter again into the form of the first Life yee cannot else see the Kingdom of God also yee must be borne againe of the water of the Heavenly worlds essence and of the same holy Spirit proceeding from the Covenant otherwise ye cannot see and behold God 9. This Evill Beast of the Godless form Note is predestinated to condemnation but the Covenant is in the Life if the free will Resigneth it selfe up to the Covenant then Christ ariseth in his humanity out of the Covenant in the Life and even then the strange Beast dyeth in Christs death and the will formeth it selfe again into the first Image according as God created it and this is not annexed onely unto Seth but unto Adams life viz. unto the Onely life of man which was in the Word of God and passeth from one upon all as all branches in one tree do receive sapp from the Onely root of the stock 10. But the properties of nature viz. of the naturall life have brought themselves out of Adams stock into sundry boughes and branches whence the multiplicity of Nations Tongues and Speeches is arisen but the Life is onely One and the Covenant in the life sprang forth from the root of life viz. from the Word of God out of which the Life came upon all even as the Sin viz. the fall and apostacy passed upon all none excepted for the Children of Seth were concluded under Sin as well as Cains but the Covenant * * * Or the open and outward manifestation of the Covenant with its manifestation passed upon SETH for his name signifieth in the Language of nature a forth-breathing Spring out of the Life through the first Centre of the Soule wherein the word of God would open it selfe through the Life 11. And Moses saith Seth begat Enos Gen. 4.26 and then began men to preach of the Name of the Lord for the Name ENOS signifieth in the Language of Nature a Divine Lubet through the life wherein the Formed Word would behold it selfe in the Sound and Voice of the Life therefore the Spirit of God began to Teach out of the Covenant through the Life of man concerning God and his Being and Will this was the beginning of the Divine Contemplation through the formed Wisdom in the word where the word did behold it selfe through the wisdome of the formed Humane Voice 12. And as the Life did form it selfe by Cains line through the wonders of the formed wisdome in Nature with all manner of Arts and works and also Dominions Governments and Orders and introduced them all for the Setting forth of Gods wondrous Deeds and Acts viz. to a Contemplation of Evill and good light and darknesse so likewise the Spirit of God did bring forth out of the Line of the Covenant in the manifested Word the wonders of Divine Holinesse Truth Righteousnesse Love and Patience and by the Preaching of the formed word did declare what the holy and Spirituall Kingdome of God is 13. In Cain the Kingdome of nature was represented and in Abel and Seth the Supernaturall Divine Kingdome both these arose together and went all along one in another to the Remonstrance or Contemplation of the Divine Lubet in the formed wisdome and Each put it selfe forth in an especiall manner into its visible Ken as a wonder 14. For from Adam even unto Lamech in the line of the wonders there are Seven Generations and in the other line viz. in the line of the Covenant from Adam unto Enoch are also Seven Generations Enoch is the Eighth viz. a beginning of the propheticall Spirit for in the first Seven Generations the form of the Spirituall Kingdome proceeding from the Life's Tree was set forth 15. Adam was the stock for his life taketh its originall out of the word but being the Life of nature in him did predominate over the life in the formed Word and would have the Supream dominion and obscured the life proceeding from the word the word it selfe freely gave it selfe with a Covenant to be a Life therein and set forth its figure in Abel how the naturall life should and must be broken and the word of the Divine power should again spring forth afresh out of the first Life 16. Thus Abel was the Figure of the Second Adam Christ and therefore he must be slain for the Covenants sake for Christ should kill the exalted haughty naturall will and being forth a new one and therefore Abel also should not beget any naturall child else it had been strange to nature for they should all proceed forth out of one stock and the word would spring forth anew through the Onely Tree in the Covenant that so the Children of Grace might be brought forth out of the Tree of nature as the dew out of the * * * Or Morning day-break 17. For thus also the figure of the new birth was represented out of the Stem namely the line went forth out of Adam he was the first Abel the second Seth the third Enos the fourth where men began to teach of the Spirituall Kingdome * * * Or Cainan KENAN the fift which signifieth in the language of nature a forth-going * * * Re-apprehend re-conceived Lubet or desire of the divine Contemplation in which the word Taught did form it selfe viz. in Prayer and in the wills desire and also in their Offrings 18. MAHALALEEL was the sixt and signifieth in the language of nature an Angelicall form of an Angelicall Kingdome where the spirit did typifie and pourtray the Kingdome of Christ in this Name 19. JARED was the Seventh by this Name is understood in the language of nature a Priest or Prince of the Spirituall Kingdome for as Irad should be the Regent or Ruler in the Kingdome of nature so Jared should be the Regent in the Spirituall Kingdome for out of Jared came the office of Moses and out of Irad proceeded the Kingdome of worldly principalities and framed Governments and Dominions 20. But the language of nature sheweth very clearly that Jared is onely a type of a spirituall Kingdome for the Name carrieth forth the Cherub along with it through the word for the spirituall Kingdome upon the earth was all along captivated in the wrath of God untill Christ who destroyed the Anger 21. The Office of this Jared is twofold viz. externally it is the figure of the Spirituall Kingdome bound with the wrath of God and internally it is the true holy Kingdome which the Penitent man receiveth or taketh possession of Outwardly it is Moses and inwardly Christ. 22. From this outward Kingdome the great
Spirit did continue and then the Turba in all flesh shall perish or be thrown down for this Sorrow was nothing else but that the Word in the Covenant did grieve at the misery and vanity of man and would comfort mankinde by the Covenant through Noah which comfort did first open it selfe in Abraham viz. in Enos his manifestation 24. For the comfort went forth in the Love of the Covenant and opened it selfe with its branch at its right Limit or juncture of time for God hath confined all things into a certain limit when every thing shall come to passe and from the comfort of the Moving Word in the Covenant proceeded forth the judgement that the old Adamicall man with all his desires concupiscences and lusts should in the Covenant when the same should open it selfe in the flesh be drowned and mortified in the same New humanity of Christ and out of the comfort of the Covenant a new humane Spirit and will should arise which should live in righteousnesse and purity of which the Deluge was a type 25. For the griefe or Repentance came out of the Covenant upon the formed word in the life and therefore seeing the same word Repented of the vanity thereupon the vanity of the creature must be drowned for the will in the Covenant went forth from the vanity and grieved the life of God and moved the matrix of Nature in the waters birth and drowned the fiery wrath in the fires Nature 26. But the Spirit in Noah doth especially complaine here against man for their Sodomiticall beastiall Concupiscence and filthy lusts of the flesh viz. Against unchastity and unclean lascivious wantonnesse and also against the High Oppressours and Tyrants who put forth and advanced themselves in their own lust and would rule and domineere and no longer suffer the Spirit of God to rule in them and reprove them that they had intruded themselves to compell and tyrannize over one another without Command all this was an abomination before God and it grieved the Spirit in the formed Word that it had brought forth such Evill Beasts and would no longer endure them 27. Even this same propheticall Spirit whose root did open and display it selfe in Enoch which also by Enoch did propagate and put forth its Line with its branches which also by Noah did grieve at the wickednesse and iniquitie of mankinde and drowned them with the Deluge even this is he which now also doth grieve at the Great Sins and vanity of Men for his mouth is at present opened he hath been translated in the Spirit of Christ Now this word which became man doth Repent at the vanity and wickednesse of men that its children of the new Covenant will not * * * Suffer the Spirit of Christ to draw them give willing obedience to the Spirit of Christ therefore this propheticall Mouth doth now disclose and put forth it selfe for it is the Time of its manifestation and proclaimeth the Great Deluge of Gods Anger and the Flaming Sword of Elias who also was Translated into the Mystery for he must draw forth his Sword in the Turba 28. Let this be told thee Babel he complaineth mightily against thy beastiall unchastity and Tyranny Against thy own usurped power force and violence wherewith thou art proud and wanton and hast thereby set up thy selfe in Gods Government he will drown thee with thy Tyranny and beastiall wantonnesse in the fire of Anger Seeing thou wilt not repent thee of thy vanity therefore he repenteth through thee vvith the Turba and will drown thy Turba that so His Repenting may be made manifest in his children and also his refreshing Comfort and consolation might be manifested out of his Repentance 29. For without Gods repenting there is no true Sorrow or repentance for the vanity for the naturall spirit desireth not to Repent yea if it could be more wrathfull malicious Evill and vaine it would please Love and delight it selfe therein for it is Nature's spirits Strength and Might but the Word of God which in the creation did Impresse and give it selfe into the humane Ens for a Soverain powerfull and holy life the same incorporated engrafted Word of life if it be stirred and moved doth repent and grieve that it hath such an Evill Beast in Nature on it that saith it repenteth me that I have created the evill beast in nature 30. But this Sorrow is not a Sorrow to annihilation as if he would have no more to doe with the creature but it is a Sorrow which saddeth and moveth Gods Heart viz. the holy divine word and setteth the naturall spirit a time for to repent that so it might enter into divine Sorrow but if it doth not then he will drown the Naturall Spirit in its Evill will and wayes as came to passe in the Deluge 31. God said the Earth is corrupt and full of perversness Vers. 11. and the End of all flesh is come before me I will destroy them Here is againe a great Mystery in that God said the Earth was corrupt before him that all flesh had corrupted its way and that the Earth was filled with * * * Violence perversness through them and lo he would destroy them The Earth was afore with Cain accursed according to the vanitie's property but now he saith also in this place all flesh hath corrupted its way the end of all flesh is come before mee This is not so mean and slight a thing as one would looke on it to be for the Spirit complaineth against all flesh that all things were become vaine in his Sight and full of perversness 32. Now saith Reason a Beast doth not Sin it doth according to its Natures property how can any perversness be attributed to it so far doth reason goe and further it knowes not also it understands nothing of the divine mystery It understands nothing of the formed Word that hath formed it selfe through the Nature of time It saith onely God hath created and made and considereth not that all things are created in the word that the Word hath introduced and compacted it selfe into an Ens Also it will know nothing of the Eternall Spirituall Nature of divine Manifestation it understands nothing of the Ground or Originall of the outward visible world with its creatures when it saith God hath made all things out of Nothing then it meaneth that he hath so spoken it forth and yet it is wholly blinde and Senseless in it it looketh onely upon the outward Colour and knoweth not from whence it taketh its Originall thus it is onely learned in the externall Colour and prateth of the painted worke of the outside and shell and concerning the Ens whence the Colour ariseth it is dumb and senseless 33. The Spirit complaineth against all flesh upon the face of the Earth even * * * Text liveth in the aire and fire whatsoever hath breath and Sence the outward Nature had corrupted it selfe in Every kinde of
hiddennesse in the Covenant Noah cursed * * * Or it him and said he shauld be a Servant of his brethren 11. For he said blessed be the God of Sem and let Canaan be his Servant God enlarge Japhet and let him dwell in the tents of Sem The God of Sem was he who had espoused or incorporated himselfe with the Covenant in the Seed of the woman the figure and type of this in the Spirit was Sem and Japhet was the figure of the poore Soul captivated in the monster God should let this Japheticall or Soules property dwell in the tents of Sem and enlarge it in Sems figure 12. But Hams figure according to the monstrous spirit should not have any dominion or Reign in the life of the new-birth but be only as a servant or as an instrument without selfe-will or any peculiar life of Selfeness must serve and administer to the use of the Spirituall Kingdome in manner as the night is hidden in the day and yet 't is really there and yet so as if it were not and it is the Handmaid to the dayes operation and power 13. Thus in like manner the Spirit did expresse how the three properties of the humanity viz. the womans Seed and the creaturall Souls Seed and the Earthly Seed in Hams figure should stand in their place order and rule in the Regeneration in the Spirituall Kingdome and thereby it did declare and point at the Kingdomes of the world intimating that this same figure would all along put forth it selfe in the Kingdome and Dominion of the * * * Or mankinde humanity upon the Earth and thus keep its figure externally so long as mankinde should live in the dominion of the four Elements as it hath thus fallen out 14. For Sems figure passed in the Covenant upon Abraham and Israel among whom the word of the Covenant was manifested and spoken forth and Japhets figure went along in nature viz. through the wisdome of nature in the Kingdome of nature whence the Gentiles arose who looked upon the light of nature and Sems linage looked upon the light in the Covenant thus Japhet that is the poor captive Soul which is of the Eternall nature dwelt in Sems tent viz. under the Covenant for the light of nature dwelleth in the light of Grace and is a tenant or inhabitant of the light of Grace viz. of Gods light it is even as a forme or framed Substance of the unformed un-comprehended Light of God 15. And Hams line passed upon the Animall beastiall man proceeded from the Limus of the Earth in which was the curse whence the Sodomiticall and almost wholly brutish people did arise who esteemed neither the light of nature nor the light of Grace in the Covenant 16. This signifieth and pointeth out the outward part of the Soul from the spirit of this world which in the regeneration in the Spirituall world shall be a formed and very fixed will which may not or desires not to rule in the manner and condition of a Selfish peculiar Spirit but shall be as a Servant and Minister of the creâ—turall Soule and Gods Spirit in the holy lights Image it shall not be manifest in any Selfe-full arrogative understanding of Selfehood but remaine hidden as the night is hidden in the day and yet it is really there 17. For the Animal Soul shall not inherit the Kingdome of light although it shall and will be therein yet it hath no dominion or predominant vertue of its Selfenesse as an Instrument is a dead sencelesse thing in reference to the master and yet it is the masters Toole wherewith he maketh what he pleaseth the same in like manner we are to understand concerning the Animal Soul in the Regeneration 18. But in the Time of the four Elements it will have the upper hand and Sway for it hath brought it selfe into a proper selfehood and Imaginative life of Selfish propriety and therefore God hath accursed it and condemned it to Death so that it must dye to Selfe-hood 19. For when Adam did awaken the earthly properties out of the Limus of the Earth in his desire so that they went forth out of their just accord and mutuall Harmony each of them into its own selfe-will and lust to behold and looke upon its Selfe as a peculiar selfe-Life the beastiall Soul was hereby brought to its predominant power and force and this same is Hams property which God hath ordained to be Servant under the Angelicall Kingdome and Cursed its jeering Scorning Power in that it did mock at the heavenly Matrix and set forth its own figure and forme 20. The Spirit saith in Moses that Sem and Japhet took a Garment upon their shoulders and went backwards to their Father and covered him Gen IX Vers. 23. so that their faces were turned backwards and they saw not his shame O thou wonderfull God! How very Mystically and Secretly dost thou carry thy works who would know and understand thy wayes if thy spirit did not lead us and open the understanding 21. Both these brothers tooke a garment upon their shoulders and covered the father wherefore did not one doe it alone or wherefore did Noah drink himselfe drunke and lay so naked with his shame This reason looketh upon as if there were nothing more in it but onely an Hystory of such an Act but being that Ham was thereby cursed and made to be a Servant of his bretheren and not onely he but also all his posterity out of him we see thereby very clearly what the Spirit doth hereby signifie viz that it is a Type Character and figure of that which should afterward come to passe 22. The Earthly spirit which the Devill had made monstrous was a Scorner and jeerer of the heavenly birth it indeed saw the shame which it must bear upon it as a Monster but He went away as a Beast and mocked the new regeneration of the heavenly Matrix but Japhet viz. the poor Soul and Sem that is the disappeared Heavens Image which was moved stirred or quickned againe in the Covenant they tooke a Garment upon their shoulders this Garment was the new humanity which should open it selfe out of the Covenant out of the Angelicall world 23. And they went backwards and covered the Fathers shame this intimateth and betokeneth that the free-will of Selfe must and shall wholly turne it selfe away from the beastiall Monster of Selfefulnesse and ownhood wherein the shame standeth open and enter againe into the Resigned filiation or child-ship and goe no more forwards but retire again backwards and must take the Garment of the new humanity viz. Christs innocency merit and Satisfaction upon it and therewith cover the shame which our father Adam hath with the monster passed upon us by inheritance This was the Type which was here set forth 24. And that Sem did not carry the Garment alone and cover the father doth figure out unto us that the Soul viz. Japhet that
found Grace in thy sight passe not away from this Ens of faith viz. thy servant 11. For Abraham was now in the Spirit and spake from his faith 's Ens in Christs humanity and before him stood the Type and Image of Christs Deity and said in the great humility of the humanity of Christ Let a little water be fetched and wash your feet this is the great humility of Christ who washed his Disciples viz. his childrens feet as these three men here were washed signifying and pointing out that Christ should wash with his bloud the feet of Gods children who should be born of these three men viz. of the Trinity of the Deity whereby they might come to God 12. And he had the three men rest under the tree This now signifieth the tree of life under which Gods children should sit down and then he would bring them a morsell of bread to refresh and comfort their hearts and afterward they should go that is when Christ hath washed his childrens feet with his bloud whereby they are able to go to God viz. the holy Trinity then he giveth them a morsell of Bread that so they may recreate and Strengthen their hearts that is he giveth them the bread of life viz. his heavenly flesh for food so that they wax strong and are able in the divine Power to go from Abrahams earthly â—ent through this world in Gods Anger to meet the Lord and bow themselves before him as this figure signifieth 13. An he saith further For yee are therefore come to your Servant understand it thus the holy Trinity was here at this time represented in an Image of our humanity and Abraham stood in the type of the humanity of Christ even as Christ and his children are in reference to each other the holy Trinity leadeth the children of Christ in the divâ—ne drawing to the humanity of Christ and now these three men stood there in Our stead before Christ viz. before the figure for the Father draweth them to Christ and through Christ * * * Or in to the Father they are washed and atoned in Christ therefore now said Christ to the three men which God represented to him in his person even Therefore are yee come to your Servant 14. For Christ must be our viz. these three mens servant and God bringeth his three men viz. us who approach unto him in himselfe viz. into the will of the holy Trinity unto his Servant the Man-Christ that so he may wash and feed them and then they are able with boldnesse and confidence to come unto the holy Tri-une Deity 15. And the Men said to Abraham Do as thou hast said that is Christ offereth himselfe to his Father viz. to the Three-One God for a Servant understand the word which the Three-one God did in-spire into Adam concerning the bruiser of the Serpents head offereth it selfe for a Servant unto the Three-one God viz. unto the children who should possesse the kingdome of heaven now the Tri-une God saith Do with these thine and my children as thou hast said that is with these children which are now set before thee for they shall be Angels and thou shalt thereunto help them for I am therefore come in them unto thee now do as thou hast said 16. Here God fully gave the man-Christ to accomplish the Consummatum with them as he had said and the whole entire excellent and holy figure of the new-birth is therein emphatically and lively set forth and it shews how the holy Trinity doth delight it self with figures concerning the Word incorporated and inspoken into Adam and now opened in Abrahams Ens of faith and sets it forth with types and playeth in figures with this Christ who was to come where God representeth the person of Christ in Abraham and the children of the new birth whom Christ should beget anew in the person of the three men viz. in the Three-one Deity which bringeth them through Christ into it selfe and placeth them in the Angelicall Quire as these three men did appear in the form of three Angels and also in the person of the holy Trinity signifying that the holy Trinity would dwell in these Angelicall men and that they should be the Image viz. the manifestation of God 17. Abraham commanded to take three measures of fine Meal and to knead it and bake cakes that the men might eat what doth this mean these three men had no need of any such eating it is the figure of mans regeneration the three measures betoken the three Principles viz. the three worlds in man the fine meal pointeth out the heavenly humanity viz the divine heavenly Substantiality that this heavenly and divine * * * Or Essences Substantialities property should also be kneaded mixed with ours disappeared in Adam and a divine Cake viz. sweet bread for food of Gods children should be baked thereof understand in the fiery heat 18. When Christ stood in the fire of his Fathers Anger viz. in hell then these sweet cakes were baked for Gods children which they should eat and the three measures are now the three worlds viz. the whole man without the Serpents and beasts property which shall be mixed with the divine Ens into a * * * Or Batch lump and cakes baked thereof this is now Christs flesh which he hath joyned or mixed with our humanity and giveth us now the Sweet cakes thereof to eat viz. the heavenly flesh here the Holy Spirit did play therewith in the figure 19. And Abraham ran to the Herd and made ready also a calfe tender and good that is he gave it to his young man to dress it O thou wonderfull God! how much doth simplicity please thee how plainly and simply dost thou represent the great mysteries unto us I thank thee that thou shewest me unworthy man such things wherein the whole world is blind O God open thou their eyes I pray that they may see and turn unto thee and enter into humility 20. The tender Calf which was made ready for this Meal is the Limus of the earth viz. the outward man which is before God as a Beast understand it is a * * * Marvellous or wonderfull wonder-Beast like as the whole outward world before the divine understanding is onely as a beast wherein God formeth himselfe with the holy spirituall Ens into an externall Body to the manifestation of his deeds of wonder both of Love and Anger which figure of the outward world viz. the divine Beast shall * * * Note What shall arise at the Resurrection not be wholly turned into Nothing but the vanity onely shall be separated from the Good into the kingdome of darknesse 21. In like manner God will not wholly cast away the divine Beast on man which indeed dyeth heere but onely the introduced Serpents Ens and the vanity of the dark worlds Essence the divine wonder-Beast which is the Servant of the divine spirituall Image and
shall be so in eternity the same shall arise at the Last day and be proved through the fire of God where it shall be made very pure as a christall in which the Angel viz. Gods right Image shall dwell in which Angelicall Image God is primely manifest and thence shineth through the Beast as the Sun through a cristall this now is the signification of this Tender and good Calf which was dressed for this Meal and shews that the outward man according to his right Image created in Adam out of the Limus of the earth shall be brought upon Gods Table 22. But that Abraham saith He gave it to the young man to dresse that is the Servant doth betoken that this heavenly Beast-man is the instrument of the Angelicall man who is prepared to be a servant of this Angels Image 23. And Abraham took Butter and Milk also and set it all before these three men and came before them under the Tree and they did eat When Christ hath fed his people with his Body and Bloud and even while he feeds them he cometh in his power in his children before the holy Trinity and waiteth in his children upon these three men and giveth them from this prepared food wherewith he feedeth his children Praise and spirituall food 24. These three men viz. the holy Trinity do eat these holy spirituall meats out of the power of Christs Body for mans will giveth it selfe wholly peculiarly and fully to these three men for a food of praise with an holy voyce and prayer of Thankesgiving and this voyce of praise eateth the power of God into it selfe in manner as a man willingly eateth the tune harmony or pleasant air of a delightfull musick into his hearing and is therein merry and pleasant even so God doth awaken or manifest himselfe in his power in his word of hearing or divine Sence with mans pure humble voyce or melody of praise 25. For thereunto God hath created Angells and Men viz. to his own joy and know that we speak from the true ground and not from conjecture or * * * Or Parables Similitudes but from the Open Seal of God as we really see do but understand it aright 26. And now when God had delighted and fed himselfe with Abraham in the heavenly Ens which he would by the opening of the living word in the Seed of the Woman being also the heavenly Ens manifest and introduce into the Ens of the Covenant and had sported in the Ens of Abrahams faith viz. in the power of the praise of Abraham viz. in his humility then God asked after Sarah whom he well knew but Sarah knew him not that even the Lord should be in such a form then he said to Abraham Where is thy wife Sarah that is she was not yet in this Play untill she had received Abrahams Ens of faith and then this Play would awaken it selfe in her therefore she laughed at this for she knew not the Mysteries they did at present onely manifest themselves in Abrahams spirit where the Ens of Faith lay and he said She is in the Tent that is 27. She is in the humane Tent covered with the Earthly Tent that she doth not see who now is with me and the Lord said I will come again to thee * * * Ger. So. signifies As or If. As I live and lo Sarah thy wife shall have a Son that is I will come again to thee with the motion of thy Seed and when Sarah shall conceive then I will open and unloose her in her shut up Seed and come into thy Seed that is move for to come signifieth to move when God cometh then he moveth man and cometh or goeth in and with man 28. But that he saith As I live this is spoken after an essentiall manner for God told him how he would come not before him as at this time he did but * * * Or If. As that is as the lightfull influence and power of the Sun giveth it self into a fruit which when it cometh doth not step neer to the fruit but * * * Or If. As that is it penetrates essentially with the As into it for As is as much as thus I will see into it or open my Love-aspect in the Ens of its life * * * Or If. As I live hereby we are not to understand as if he had said if I yet live but he would live in the As he would come in the As viz. Essentially and not figuratively and typically as at this time he did 29. For when God cometh then he comes no otherwise then * * * Or If. As that is like the Sun-shine into the fruit this is understood in the Language of nature Essentially with emphaticall excellency for if God speaketh of his own Comming then he speaketh onely essentially in nature and manner of the uncompacted tongue of Sence 30. And Sarah laughed at this shee thought that shee should bring forth a Son from Abrahams lust onely from the humane cohabitation in the concupiscence of the flesh therefore shee said Shall I now I and my Lord are both old take pleasure the beastiall worlds-worlds-spirit laughed at its youth in that it was now weak and should now again become youthfull and thought with it selfe this were a sport if thou couldest As if one should tell an old man thou shalt become young again and receive such a desire and lust as when thou wert young at this nature would laugh and think yes indeed would that were true as if doubt and hope were coupled together thus it was also with Sarah for the world-spirit understands not the mysteries of God it is before God onely as a beast and being the world-world-spirit did now hear that it should so come to passe then it thought thou shalt be the work-master oh that thou couldest thou wouldst very fain and laughed at it selfe that it should become young again 31. The naturall man understands even as much of God as a beast when it sees the Hay then it thinks now there is somewhat for me to eat but if it sees nothing then it hopeth for it out of Custome but Sarah had now hoped untill shee was ninety yeares old and thought it to be very wonderfull that God would do somewhat unto her above the ordinary and usuall course of nature and Imagined it unto her selfe after the manner of humane pleasure 32. But the Lord said Wherefore did Sarah laugh at it and she was afraid and said I laughed not but the Lord said it is not so thou didst laugh should any thing be too impossible for the Lord to do Here is the Type of Eve when shee had turned her vain curiosity into Selfe lust to eat of the forbidden tree and God afterward asked her Wherefore shee had don so shee denied also her own lust and laid it upon the Serpent 33. And being that now God had here alluded with Abraham concerning
in the sleep in Adams fall and shall remain in the Judgement and be changed again into its first matter out of which it was created it is not condemned into the Abysse but it shall passe into the mystery viz. into Sulphur and Mercurius which * * * In Mysterio Magno in the Grand Mystery is a Salt-spirit viz. a cause of all corporality as it shall be mentioned hereafter concerning Lots daughters who for this very cause were to be gotten with child of their father 38. Thus understand the figure farther internally Lot baked cakes of unleavened dough and made them a feast and they did eat Now the Angells do not use any such food but they were onely formed Angels in an Angelicall shape for Abraham and Lot also called them Lord it was Gods judgement and truth 39. This Feast was eaten in manner as the Offrings of Abraham and Moses as is before-mentioned for the wills-desire * * * Amasseth conceives formeth it selfe therein into a Substance God eateth onely the word of the will but the food is consumed in the outward spirit in which it is wrought 40. For Lot his Faiths-desire was the divine food of these men but with the feast which Lot gave them out of his good Love-will Lots will was formed into a Substance that so he might be preserved in this judgement outwardly as to the earthly life and inwardly as to the will of faith 41. For these Angels did eat of Lotts food as if they had eaten of his Body and Spirit which was therein apprehended in manner as it is to be understood in the * * * Or Sacrifices Offrings as is before sufficiently explained concerning the * * * Or Sacrifices Offrings of Cain and Abel for the unleavened cakes were or did signifie the informing or Impression as may be seen every where in Moses and they denote the Body of Christ whereinto the Imagination of God entered as into a Type and yet was onely conceived or apprehended in the Faith Vers. 4. 42. Furthermore the Spirit in Moses saith And before the men lay down the men of the Citie Sodom came and encompassed the house round about young and old even all the people from every quarter and called for Lot and said unto him where are the men that came in unto you the last night bring them out that we may know them 43. This is now the figure as it is before-mentioned the Judgement after that it had bound it selfe with Lott in the Feast did now penetrate and presse in the probation of their Essence and Being into All that they came peâ—meâ— on heapes running as mad enraged people driven forced and compelled to the Judgement 44. For the zeal of the Lord which longed after them drew them to it selfe it hungered earnestly to devour their vanity therefore they run altogether young and old and would know the Mouth which hungered after them for they in their blindness know not what they did thus the Anger drew them to it selfe 45. And Lot went out unto them at the door and shutt the door after him and said ah I pray dear brethren do not so wickedly I have two daughters which have never known man let me I pray you bring them out unto you and do with them what seems good in your eyes but unto these men do nothing for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof but they said Come hither thou art the onely stranger among us and thou wilt rule well we will deal worse with thee then with them 46. Here the ground of their Sin is finely deciphered and laid out in its colours wherein their cry was come before God as namely Uncleanness Lasciviousness Tyranny Self-willed perversness and the greatest of all was the Contempt of God for Lot had told them of the punishment which God would bring upon them and then they said Thou art the onely Stranger among us and wilt go about to rule and judge us we will yet plague thee worse then those to signifie that God had before sent them warning by the Messengers of his mouth and that they had onely plagued and contemned them therefore they said also to Lot wilt thou govern us with thy Threatnings and contem and nullifie our workes we will serve thee worse then them 47. For when they understand that Men of God were come in unto Lott who threatned them with ruin and destruction they made an uproar against them and would kill them as the mad blind world hath alwayes don when God hath sent them Messengers who have rebuked and reproved them then the Babylonicall Whore hath cryed out run run there is a new Heresie which would teach us other Doctrine and reprove our way which we go in 48. Thus it was here the selfefull rebellious Devills-will in his Serpents Ens would be uncontroulable unreprovable and Being these men were come they cryed out * * * Murther Mordio and said there were false Prophets and Teachers come to rebuke and contem them as the Babylonicall Whore hath alwayes don for shee will not hear what the Lord speaketh through his children but that onely must be accounted Sacred which 〈◊〉 speakes from the Serpents Ens. 49. This Whore hath covered her selfe with the Literall Word and gives forth her selfe for Holy and boasteth much in a Strange Attire but her heart is onely Sodom and Gomorrah when she seeth these two Angells come from Abraham that is from Christ to her in her Sodom and Gomorrah and lay open her shame then she makes the whole City of an 〈◊〉 with a cry of murther so that all people young and old come running together and think that there is some strange wonderfull Beast arrived 50. TAnd when they can perceive no new strange thing in Gods Messengers and hear that they do onely Teach and reprove then they think O! Our Minister and our Pastour calls him a new upstart an Heretick and false Prophet there is a fool and a frantick fellow sure enough he is worse then out of his wits and they begin to wonder at him like birds at an Owl and assault him and his house his wife and his children with scorn reproach and contempt as the Sodomites did Lot every one thinketh that he doth well if he can but Jeer and revile these Messengers 51. And although he knows no other ground or reason in the world but onely that the * * * Or Some noted Minister high Priest who hath put on the whore of Babylon doth set him at nought yet he is very raging mad and suffers a false wind viz. the spirit of the Babylonish whore to drive him and raveth in misunderstanding as here the Sodomites did who both young old smal and Great do force upon Lot and the two men which were come in unto him that they might know them That they might plague them scorn revile and reproach them for thus the Anger of
of the flesh unconverted and hath turned its eyes onely towards Sodom but with the mouth it is gon out of Sodom and the body is yet at Sodom and looketh with Lots wife onely upon Covetousness and temporall pleasure and will not go with the heart out of Sodom 34. Therefore the Angel of the wonders saith Thou art sifted and * * * Taken or captivated apprehended in the Turba thou art guilty and capable of the Brimstone-fire thy verball hypocrisie in that thou saist that thou art gon out of Babel and Sodom doth not at all avail thee thou art wholly captivated with Lots wife in the three First being thou hungerest onely after the three first and usest the Spirit of Christ onely for an externall covering and wilt not hear in thee what now the Lord speaketh but hearest onely what the Antichrist speaketh in his pride covetousness envy and Anger how thou maist please thy Earthly mortall Idoll Maozim and Mammon viz. Selfe-Love Selfe-Will Selfe-Sence 35. Thou seekest and honourest onely the externall Idoll-God viz. Silver and Gold Copper and the fullness of the Belly to thy Luxurious sumptuous and Stately Sodomiticall pleasure and this Idoll is also sifted for thy sake and is made nigh and far off unto thee and thou understandest not what it meanes thou saist there is no danger and it may well be helped and amended we may contrive it well enough to a good use but thou knowest not what is thereby Signed and signified The most inward figure of Lots wife being turned to a pillar of Salt is this 36. When these two Angels came from Abraham viz. from the Spirit of Christ unto Sodom to Lot and he bowed himselfe before the Lord unto the earth and entreated these Angels to turn in unto him they entered according to the divine property Essentially in unto him in manner as they came in unto Abraham with the Ens of faith even so it was here for it was but one Covenant but in Abraham the Seed to Christs person was named and not in Lot as Moses declareth very sufficiently 37. Lots faith took the Ens from the Angel who brought the same to him from Abrahams faiths Ens for of one viz. of him who did move and manifest himselfe in Abraham they must all be sanctified now Lot by the Administration of the Angel understand formed Angels sent out of the divine property out of Christs Ens and word was sanctified as a * * * Or line of affinity proxime line or branch on the Ens of Abraham 38. And being Lots daughters were capable of this Sanctification and not the mother the mother must go again into the first matter and Lot must copulate with his two daughters in the blessed Seed for they were capable of it and none else in the world for two Potent Generations were to arise from thence viz. the Moabites and the Ammonites A Great people as the Spirit in Moses doth also speak very covertly and hiddenly concerning Lots daughters that the one said unto the other Lo there is not a man on the earth to come in unto us after the manner of men come let us give our father sweet wine to drink and then we will lye with him that so he may not know it and we may preserve Seed of our father for the mother was not capable of this holy Seed being she was captivated and taken in the * * * Or sifting Triall Probation in the Turba 39. Now Reason would object and say wherefore did not the daughters of Lot marry with Abrahams Generation why would they lye with their Father Contrary to the Right and Law of Nature and all Nations Answer This might not be for the Seed of Christ was called in Abraham but now there lay two other lines in the Seed of Christ as neere affinities which should be born of Abrahams faith viz. of Christ As Abrahams faith was born out of JEHOVA out of the Name Jesus so these two lines of Affinity were in the Tree of Wonders which should spring forth from Gods Truth Righteousness and be brought into the Love of Jesus this manifestation the Angels brought unto and into Lot which opening and manifestation did spring forth in Lots Seed 40. But being his two daughters did also stand in this judgement and were apprehended in the same Spirit which opened it selfe in Lot and received also the same properties as their father it must be so and it was so permitted of God that these two sons Ammon and Moab must be born of two Sisters of One Seed for they were to be two Nations proceeding from two Lines of nature yet from one root 41. But in that the Spirit in Moses doth so cover it and saith The two daughters caused their father to drink sweet wine that he did not know what he did and so were gotten with child of their father in the fathers drunkenness which yet seems to be wonderfully strange without Gods work The same is thus to be understood Not that it did not so come to passe it did so come to passe as the Text in Moses declareth but this was a work of the Spirit of God and hereby also he covereth the externall shame 42. For the outward work is onely a shame in Gods sight and also in the sight of all People but the inward work in its figure must be so and it is the true figure that the Man Christ viz. Gods Son should be born through a shame which also was a shame before God but so he took our shame and reproach upon himselfe and hung it as a curse upon the Tree of the Crosse and offered it up unto the righteousness of God so likewise both these lines must be covered with a Shame that they both might be sanctified onely and alone under Christs shame on the Cross and they should not dare to say that they were pure before God and nature for the Scripture saith * * * Rom. 11.32 He hath shutt them up all under Sin that he might have Mercy upon all 43. And that this was truly and certainly a work of God appeares in this that on the same day the mother was turned to a pillar of Salt and Sodom destroyed doubtless with all their housholdstuffe and Goods that yet they that same night they set about this work whereas they continued all night in a Cave of the Mountain by Zoar so that we may well thinke no naturall fleshly instigation did provoke them thereunto 44. But it must be that the father should be drunk that the humane understanding might not do it but that it might be Gods work also that the Soul of Lot might not be Turbated in the Tincture of the Seed with the shame of the daughters it must be don therefore as it were in mans drunkenness and misunderstanding least the Nations should make a Right or Custome thereof for the daughters of Lot were also as t' were drunk in the spirit
so that the spirit might do what he would and they onely were an instrument 45. And that they did understand that the father was sanctified and they willingly would conceive of the holy Seed appeares in that they said There was not a man upon the earth who could come in unto them after the manner of mankinde and therefore they would lye with their father that they might preserve Seed there were indeed many upon the earth but none was capable of this Seed but these his daughters this the spirit in them gave them to understand 46. Therefore we ought narrowly to observe what it means when the spirit in Moses draweth a vail before his face that it doth not appeare wholly pure before God and yet for the unavoidableness sake it must be so 47. And we ought not also to judge in the deeds of God according to Reason for Reason looketh onely upon the outward and understands nothing of the inward it knowes nothing of the Root of this tree and of its Boughes and Branches from whence each Branch or People must take its unavoidable rise and Originall CHAP. XLV How God lead Abraham very wonderfully and how he alwayes stood by him in Temptation and defended him what wee are to understand hereby ABraham must be onely as a Pilgrim upon the earth Gen. XX. and travail from one place unto another and dwell in Tents and was every where Tryed and Tempted his wife Sarah was twice taken from him but wonderfully protected and preserved of God as once by Pharaoh in Egypt and then by Abimilech King of Gerar but both times protected by God 2. And now that Abraham viz. the Stock and beginning of the conceived Ens of faith in which Christ was understood must thus wander from one place to another and could have no abiding place upon the earth and moreover must stand in fear and Temptation the same is the true Type of Christendome upon the earth how the same should not be bound unto any certaine place Not unto any People that God did choose thereto in a peculiar manner but that Christ was given with his Gospel of the Kingdome of God to all Nations 3. And how he would wander with his knowledge from one people to another and have no where any constant abiding place with a people but be among the Nations with his children upon the earth onely as a Sojourner or Stranger and how they would continually try to destroy * * * The true Christians Christendome among the Nations and cast reproach upon it as they would sinfully reproach Sarah Abrahams wife 4. And how the Christians should be continually tempted and exercised of the Nations and plagued with Contention and warre also how Christ would goe with his Gospel from one people to another when they should be weary and glutted with the same and hold it onely for a Custome and a common ordinary thing and so they would grow wholly blind in it and make onely a * * * A work of prating and fair spoken discourse fine devout lip-labour thereof and suppose to finde out Christ by their accute disputations and Arguments 5. And then he would depart with the understanding and spirit from them and come unto another People which also would be onely fleshly and account and look upon Christ externally as a meer Man as Pharoah and this King Abimilech looked upon Abraham and his wife and desired to have carnall knowledge of Sarah by reason of her beauty which did signifie and denote that they would put on Christ in the flesh in an outward beastiall manner but not in power and spirit 6. As it is here to be seen in Abimilech and also in Pharoah that when they desired to know Sarah carnally that the Lord came in among them with punishments and plagues and shewed them his Angry countenance shutt them up and dismayed them as if he bound them with the chains of his might and made their women barren and terrified them with visions and presages as he did to this Abimilech and threatned him with Death in the Dream and made known unto him that Abraham was a man of God and how he was blessed of God 7. Through which means God brought the Nations to the faith for when he came unto a fleshly unbeleeving People then he shewed himselfe in power and wonders which the carnall Nations seing did convert themselves and turn unto God 8. Thus Abraham must be a Type of Christs Kingdome upon the earth and go up and down from one People to another whereupon the people which he left did yet boast themselves of Abraham and called themselves after his Name but were onely historicall children brought forth of strange women without Abrahams faith and spirit 9. Thus also it hath fallen out in Christendom when they have been * * * Negligenâ— of weary of the spirit of Christ and made onely a prating business thereof the Spirit of Christ hath then departed and hidden it selfe from them and then these people have indeed stood yet in the History and boasted themselves to be Christians but have been indeed onely the children of the Bond-woman viz. of Hagar and the sons of mockerey who with Disputing and wrangling about Christs Name and will have mocked scorned reviled contemned reproached and branded each other for Hereticks and meer Ishmalites have risen of them 10. As it is as plain as the day that now men go from the scorning and reproaching each other to the Sword of murther and will wholly slay and root out Christ in his members and set the Babylonicall Tower in Christs stead whereby a man shall be able in selfe-will and power to climbe into heaven so that a man need not enter in through the mortifying of the old evill man but may be able to come in after a fine hypocriticall way with the Selfehood of the evill man or indeed as outwardly adopted children covered with Christs purple-mantle where yet the will of Selfe is unmortified and cannot truly come to God 11. Now as these people were afterwards judged when Abraham departed from them they being onely mockers of the children of Abraham as may be seen in Pharoah and the Heathens also especially in the Land of Canaan so likewise it hath hapned to the Christians that these Nations which continued onely under the Name of Christ and yet were onely heathenish in the heart were alwayes judged and banished by such heathenish People as may be seen by Asia Egypt and Griece and many other Nations besides how God hath pulled off the Mantle of Christ from them as verball hypocrites and mockers of Christ and given them a darkned heart and understanding of the Kingdome of Christ and â—ast away their Candle-stick that they could no longer say we are Christians and belong unto Christ but Turkes and Barbarous People begotten of the wild Tree of nature 12. Thus Christ must here in this world wander onely as a light from one people
of the outward life these must go with Isaac that is with Christ in the old Abraham that is Adam to the offering of God and Abraham that is the man Adam in his children must himselfe cleave the wood upon which the offering must be burnt that is when he confesseth Christ then he cleaves the hearts of the wicked who run with him to the death and the Offering of God for Adam in his humanity clave Gods Love and Anger and now also Abraham must cleave the wood for the offering for Christ should also cleave death and life asunder and offer up himselfe upon the cloven wood of death and life unto Gods Anger 10. And on the third day Abraham lift up his eyes Gen. 22.4 and saw the place a far off Heere the Spirit pointeth at the sleep of Adam wherein he slept to the Angelicall world and on the third day after his falling asleep when as now the woman was made out of him and the fall effected he saw Christ viz. the place of God in the Covenant a far off also herein is included the Resurrection of Christ on the third day where he saw his place where he would and should offer and give up man to God his Father viz. the last Judgement and the finall offering a far off also it signifieth that Abraham in the Spirit saw the offering of Christ a far off viz. above 2000 yeares then to come And that the Spirit saith Abraham lifted up his eyes on the third day and saw the place is nothing else but that Christ did again lift up on the third day our humane eyes out of the Grave from the dead unto God and also that it was yet a far off in the dayes of Abraham thus the Spirit doth allude with the outward figure at that which was and is to come Gen. 22.5 11. And Abraham said unto the two young men which he took with him Abide you here with the Asse and I and the Lad will go yonder and worship and come again to you The figure of it internally stands thus The two young men must tarry there with the Ass and not go at this time unto the offering onely Abraham and Isaac must perform that that is we poor children of Eve must abide with the first and third Principle of our life this our time with the Ass viz. with the outward Body here in this world but Christ in Isaac and Abraham in Adam must go forth to the offering that is Christ stood in Abrahams viz. Adams Person and also in his heavenly humanity who should onely go and offer up the offering of his Body to the Anger-fire of his Father and worship for us unto God his Father therefore he said he would go yonder that is when he should offer up his life he would go yonder that is to God and worship for us unto God 12. This points at his Ascention according to the humanity when he had finished the Sacrifice he went * * * Yonder or to that place thither and worshipped in our assumed humanity unto God his Father that is our assumed Soul in divine power and property doth pray and intercede for our weaknesses and ignorances unto and before God Therefore saith Abraham we will go yonder and worship that is we God and Man and when we have worshipped we will come again to you that is we poor children of Eve must in the mean while tarry with the Asâ— untill the time of its offring and Prayer be out and then he comes again unto us when we have finished the course of the outward Asinine life 13. Also it intimates very pregnantly that he when the Time of the Offering in Prayer is out will certainly come again unto us from the place whither he is gon and dwell visibly with the creaturall humanity among us as the two Angels said unto the men of Israel * * * Note Jesuses comming again Act. 1.11 Yee shal see this Jesus come again in like manner as he is ascended which time is now neer and his voice to prepare the bride hath already sounded and therefore hold not this for an uncertain fiction the Morning Star and Messenger of the Annunciation is Appeared Gen. 22.6 14. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and laid it upon Isaac his Son and he took the fire in his hand and the knife and they went both of them together The inward figure stands thus Adam had divided and rent asunder Gods Love and Anger in himselfe and brought himselfe with the creaturall life into the Anger which had amassed the earthly vanity to it selfe now the Spirit of Moses doth here point at this figure how Christ should take our introduced Sin upon himselfe and carry it to the burnt-offering 15. And Abraham took the knife and fire Abraham denoteth Adam who took the fire of Gods Anger into himselfe and the knife signifieth Death that Christ should be killed and offered up in Abrahams that is in Adams Anger-fire to the Father and it clearly denotes that Abraham that is Adam should do it to Christ for Christ should be offered up of man being the man Adam had taken on himselfe the fuell viz. the Sin for the offering therefore also man viz. the Jewes must offer it up to the Anger of God that so man might be Atoned by man understand by the humanity of Christ. 16. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father and said My Father Gen. 22.7 8. and Abraham answered here am I my Son and he said lo here is the fire and the wood but where is the Lamb for the burnt-offring And Abraham said my Son God will provide himselfe a Lamb for the burnt-offring and so they went both of them together The pretious figure is thus The Spirit here playeth in Christs person who was come in great humility into Adams humanity and presents himselfe to his father in Adams essence with his heavenly humanity and saith behold my father here I have taken on me the Sin and death in the humanity here is now the fire of thy Anger viz. the divided life's formes of mans property Selfehood and own will in this now I have the fuell wherein thy fire of Anger burneth here now I have the wood viz. the Sins of all men and also thy fire to the offering where is now the * * * Sheep Lamb viz. the Patient Lamb which shall be offered up in this fire and Abraham answered from his strong faiths Ens God will provide himselfe a Lamb for the burnt-offering and they went both of them together 17. Here Christ doth in Isaac's figure present himselfe in our assumed humanity to his Father and saith where is now the Lamb for the true Peace offering but the faith of Abraham had apprehended the patient Lamb which lay in Isaac viz. the heavenly humanity which God would open in the Ens of faith in our disappeared and also heavenly humanity and said
and mysterious intimations and prophecies concerning the hidden spirituall world shewing what shall be after this time 41. Reason must know that the Spirit of God hath not laboured in the work onely to set forth the histories of the Ancient which for the most part seem but simple and childlike no they are set forth for a Type and information 42. The Spirit of God hath represented the greatest wonders therein which he would accomplish in man and that in a plain simple and childlike manner that so the pride of the Devill and the suttlety or wisdome of Reason might be confounded and made foolish thereby 43. For we must know that the greatest power and vertue together with the wonders doth lye in the humility and lowliness and how God is so near unto all things and yet nothing apprehends him unlesse it stand still unto him and give up the Own will and then he worketh through all as the Sun through the whole world CHAP. XLIX Of the death of Sarah and the hereditary Sepulchre of Abraham What is understood and signified thereby THe Spirit in Moses hath set before him the whole figure of man by Abraham shewing what his condition should be in this world Gen. XXIII and what hereafter should become of him for after he had first spoken of the beginning viz. of the Stock of the humane tree shewing whence it did spring he afterwards declares its boughes and branches together with its power and vertue and mentioneth how this tree is corrupted in its power and essence and that God hath bestowed the highest Tincture upon it to tincture it again and renew it and how the Poyson in the essence of the tree * * * Or hath been with-stood is to be resisted 2. Here he doth now very wonderfully signifie how this tree hath stood in the corrupt property in a strange field and rooted it selfe with the root into a strange or alienate own hood wherein the root was not native and how the root of the humane tree must forsake the strange field together with the strange introduced essence and wholly give it selfe freely out of its life's will and desire 3. Also hereby is signified how the place whence the humane root did spring is between the holy spirituall world and this earthly corrupt world and that mans propriety from whence he is sprung doth stand in a double * * * Our Text hath it The Cave of Machpelah which here in the Germane version is rendred a double Cave or a twofold Pitt cave viz. in two Principles and how he must be buried in this twofold pit as a kernell which is Sown into the ground and how also this cave of Machpelah this twofold pit is mans propriety of which essence or substance he himselfe is essentially 4. The figure of this wee see here in Abraham that when he conversed in this outward world he possessed upon the earth no Land of his Own but went from one place unto another and was every where a Stranger but when his Sarah dyed then he would have a burying place for a certain possession for his wife himselfe also and his children and moreover he would not have it for nothing but buy it all which is a very wonderfull typification and not onely a bare history as the Jewes have held it to be before whose eyes the vail of Moses is hung but we will here also set forth the inward figure with the outward and see what the Spirit in Moses doth here signifie Gen. 23.2 5. Moses saith Sarah dyed at Hebron in the * * * Our Text Kiriach-arba head Citie in the Land of Canaan this may very well thus be but the Spirit hath his figure under it for he lookes upon the Centre where the death of the Saints is and where the true man must dye as namely in the Head-Citie Hebron that is in the formed Word where he hath introduced the own hood and selvish lust into the formed word of his life's property and set himselfe up into a selfefull Dominion and Regiment as into an Head Cittie where the selfe-will hath framed and contrived to it selfe a Citie or propriety in the formed word and built it up for its own peculiar Land of possession where he indeed supposeth he is a God or Something of his Own that he may do with and how he please now this selfe-will must dye in the Head-Citie viz. in the formed Ens of the Word in its Centre viz. in the Citie of its own-hood 6. And this Citie Hebron lyeth right over against Mamre viz. between the eternall and temporall nature where the cave of Machpelah the twofold Pit is viz. the Kingdome of God and of nature for in this twofold Pit Abraham would bury his Sarah and have the Pit for his Own 7. That is to say when the children of the Saints in Hebron viz. in the Citie of humane own-hood do dye unto the selfefull outward naturall life or Selfehood then the true resigned life will no longer stand in a strange field or strange essence but in its own from whence it is Originally arisen but being it hath lost this same life's field in Adam and rooted it selfe into a strange field viz. into the Serpents field of falsehood the life cannot take unto it selfe again of due Right the first true field but it must buy it this is even the figure that Christ hath bought it for his Bloud of the heavenly essentiality for the holy Tincture understand he hath thus purchased it of the eternall nature wherein Gods Anger viz. the wrath of God in the Centre of nature was manifest and had devoured this field in the humane property into its selfe as its own for out of the Centre of nature the Word of the humane property was brought into a formation This the children of Selfe had taken into possession therefore saith the Spirit the children of Heth had this field for their own possession 8. This signifieth that Gods children must wholly forsake the nature-Right in this field of the formed life or word for they have lost the naturall Right in it but in Christ they must buy it again of the Father of nature they must take Christ for their Ransome and give the Father four hundred shekells of Silver for the same and these are the four Centres in the spirituall bodie 's property which are born in the holy Tincture viz. in Christs property 9. The first shekell is the true magicall fire the Second is the Light or Love-desire the third is the holy Sound of the mentall tongue the fourth is the formed or conceived Ens out of the other properties where the holy life is formed and stands in an Essence this is the pure Silver without any spott or foulness under which the Spirit of Moses points that Abraham in Christ hath given to the children of Heth viz. to Ephron understand to the Father or the Fathers property for his cave of
spake unto mee and swear also unto mee saying unto thy Seed I will give this Land he shall send his Angel before thee and thou shalt there take a wife unto my Son but if the woman will not follow thee then thou art clear from the Oath onely bring not my Son thither again and then the Servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his Master and sware unto him concerning this matter 9. The inward meaning is thus God saith to his Officer Nature have a care that thou dost not go according to thy Reason and conceive another will and bring my holy Ens again thither from whence it is come for it must dwell in man The God of heaven who hath taken the humane Ens from the Eternall word from his Eternall native Countrey which is the house of the Eternall Father who hath promised man the Land of Canaan according to the Paradisicall property and moreover hath Sworn to him he shall send his Angel before thee that so thou maist take a wife unto my Son there even where the Angel viz. the divine will shall guide and direct thee that is when God will betroth and binde himselfe with his Word and Power in his children with an Eternall Marriage then he sendeth his Angel before viz. his will into the humane Ens that the same doth convert and turn it selfe to God 10. The nature of the minde must not in its will of Reason take upon it to Lord and Master it and doubt at what God will do when the office or charge of a Servant is laid upon it it must not make it selfe its Looking-glasse and doubt when it seeth that the Soul lyeth captivated in the Ens of the Serpent it must not thinke with it selfe I shall not heere arrive with a prosperous success with my divine Message but it must leave that to God and discharge its Message according to Gods command and commit it to God how he will bring the woman viz. the humane spirit and betroth and joyn it with the Son Isaac that is with Christ in the divine Ens. 11. But if the woman will not follow thee then thou art clear of the Oath that is if the humane will when I send my will before thee in man will not follow thee then the Messenger viz. Gods Officer with the Sent heavens-Ens is clear onely bring not my Son thither again that is bring not the heavenly Ens again into that Essence out of which it is come but stand still therewith and hear whereunto God shall direct and incline thee for the Rain from heaven shall not ascend up again empty without fruit so likewise Gods Word and Command shall not return home empty but work and bring forth fruit in its formed wisdome 12. If one man will not then the same word falls upon another which is capable of it therefore nature viz. the Messenger Officer Advocate or Petitioner of the heavenly Message must not bring the word with the divine Ens back again into that place viz. into the inward divine voice for what God once speaketh forth by his Word in Power that shall and must stand in a divine form to the divine Contemplation Nature must go forward as a Messenger his way and declare that the Lord hath given Isaac all his Goods that is he hath given to Christ all his Goods and desires now a wife viz. Man who should give himselfe in marriage with Isaac in Christ. Gen. 24.9 13. And the Servant laid his hand under the thigh of Abraham his Master and sware unto him concerning this matter That is when God * * * Did dive immerse or baptize put his holy word with the heavenly Ens or Essence viz. with the formed wisdome into the naturall Ens of Mary as into Gods Servant and God and Man became One person then the humane nature sware under the thigh of the Fathers Eternall nature * * * Or in God unto God that it would obey God and hence forward go forth and seek the humane wife and marry it to the divine Ens All which is to be understood in Christs person who in his assumed humanity as Abrahams or God his Fathers Servant in the naturall property should go forth with his word and seek this Woman viz. his Bride and Spouse which the Angel of the Lord viz. Gods will should bring unto him Gen. 24.10 14. And the Servant took ten Camels of the Camels of his Master and departed and had with him all sorts of his Masters Goods and arose and went to Mesopotamia the Citie of NAhOr Here now the Spirit looks upon the process of God and intimates how God sent his Angel or Messenger Gabriel with the voice of nature to the humane nature in Nahor viz. to Adams nature in the Ens of Mary in which voice the living holy word was hidden with the heavenly living Ens and gave also the Fathers nature Ten Camels that is the * * * 10 formes Ten formes of the three Principles to the naturall and Supernaturall fire-life viz. * * * 7 formes Seaven formes of the Centre of nature and * * * 3 formes three formes of the three distinctions of the Principles all which are Gods camels whereby he beareth and carrieth all things 15. And the goods of the Lord are the formed wisdome of the great wonders and Powers all these Gods Officer tooke along with him when he had the divine word in himselfe and introduced the same into the humane naturall Ens even into the Ens of Mary or awakened opened or manifested the same therein as a man might expresse the great deeds and works of God whereas indeed the outward compacted bound-up SensVAll tongue cannot give words sufficient enough to the deep Mentall understanding 16. For here the spirit of Moses doth take the Angels message along with Isaac's figure and playeth externally in the figure with Isaac and Rebecca as Christs figure and inwardly he playeth with Mary as Adams Essence and with Christs as the Virginlike divine Ens. 17. And the spirit of Moses saith further Gen. 24.11 And the Servant caused the Camels to kneel down without the Citie by a well of water at evening time even about the time that women use to go out to draw water This signifieth and noteth out internally how the mystery of the nature of the three Principles being the bearers or carriers of the formed wisdome of God hath layd it selfe down by the divine fountain without the Citie the Citie betokens the hidden mysteries of the divine holy Ens of the formed wisdome about which the * * * Or the three Principles of nature nature of the three Principles hath layed it selfe for nature is externall and a Carrier of the mysteries of God it lyeth by the wellspring of God viz. by the birth of the holy Trinity The outward figure is thus explained 18. At Evening that is in the last dayes of
yoake it drew the power of Nature in the divine power into the heavenly and so was his Masters or Lords viz. the kingdome of Natures goods taken away and the heavenly Man in the Covenant gat them to himselfe with the divine wit and subtilty and returned therewith from his Lord Master viz. the kingdome of the Outward Nature againe into his Fathers house viz. into Paradise as Jacob into his fathers house The Figure is fundamentally thus 20. In Adam the kingdome of Nature lay in the Temperature that is all properties were of equall weight but when the will of the soule went with subtilty into the Seperation then the properties were stirred up and the Temperature was broken and then the Seperation was his Lord and Master and held the will captive as a servant who now must serve this Master 21. But when God spake or inspired againe his Grace with the Covenant of Love thereinto then the inward in spoken or inspired ground of Grace drew the kingdome of Nature with its wonders to it and came away with the Riches and selfe-Might and brought them againe with the inward new Man into Paradise 22. For the Riches of the Naturall Outward Mortall Man in that it bringeth forth the Wonders of God with its Exercise doth not belong to the kingdome of Nature as its proper owne but to the inward spirituall new Man borne of Christ he shall draw these wonders to him and take them with him to be an Eternall Vision and Contemplation of the wonders of God 23. When the Body of the outward Nature falleth a way then shall the works follow the New Man as a Treasure which he hath gotten to himselfe by divine witt and subtilty and put off the Evill Adamicall Natures house of Selfe-rule and Dominion as Jacob who stood in the figure of the New Spirituall Man with whom the Spirit of God alludeth in the prefiguration to the future kingdome of Christ shewing how Christ would obtaine all the Goods of this world and all the Riches of the Power and Might of Nature in the formed * * * Or Outspoken Expressed Word of God under his servitude wherein he yeelded himselfe up to be a servant of God in the kingdome of Nature and so make himselfe Lord and Master over it and bring it with him into his Eternall kingdome in our assumed Humanity and lastly manifest it at the End of the Day of this world and give it us againe in our Fathers first house 24. Thus we should not at all looke upon this Figure in Jacob as if God had bidden Jacob to deceive his Father in Law with subtilty and bereave him of that which was his as if God had pleasure in the Naturall false subtilty of Man No the spirituall subtilty is onely represented in the figure shewing how wee shall obtaine in the kingdome of Christ * * * Luk 16.9.11 the unrighteeus Mammon which wee have not as by a Naturall Right but obtaine it by the divine wit and then †††Mat. 11.12 the kingdome of Heaven suffereth violence and they that use violence ‖ ‖ ‖ Teare and snatch it take it by force with such wit of Divine science knowledg or skill as Jacob did in the figure of Christs kingdome 25. And it is shewen to the Jewes who with this figure helpe themselves in their subtilty and Earthly Fraud and treachery that this subtilty of Jacob prefigureth a Spirituall Type and doth not at all cover their wickednesse and falshood 26. For he that sayth * * * Exod. 20.17 Thou shalt not Covet or lust after that which is thy Neighbours hath forbidden all outward subtilty fraud and deceipt but in the ‖ ‖ ‖ Stam liâ—ien· Geneologies the Spirit of God hath thus with the kingdome of Christ signified and alluded in the figure at the inward Ground of the New Man with an Outward Figure 27. As with Ismael Abrahams first sonne from whom the Goods also were taken away to signifie that they belonged not to Adam in the Corruption and perdition but to Ghrist as the second Adam which he tooke with divine witt subtilty from the kingdome of Gods wrath in Man where he must first be subject to the wrath of God and serve in the assumed humane Nature yet so he obteined the Goods and took away all its Goods and that is it which this Figure of Jacob signifieth 28. The Spirit presenteth heere a Most wonderfull Figure in Jacob shewing how * * * 10 Times Gen. 31.7 Laban changed his wages Ten Times and yet could not hurt him to signifie how it is with the Children of God in this service that under the yoake of Nature they shall acquire the Goods of the kingdome of Nature in the Divine witt in the inward New Man thence happeneth such great alteration to Man in his purposes so that when he hath resolved upon the course that he will take the Devill comes with his Envy and hindereth him of his purpose by evill Men that it goeth not forward As Jacob when he thought the speckled sheepe and Goates shall be my wages then his Master disappointed him of his wages 29. So it is also with the Children of God in their labour and travaile when they thinke now they shall reape the blessing of God now they will apply themselves to the Children of God with whom they may work and bring forth fruit and there they will * * * Doe good effect their good purposes and comprehend this work in their Faiths desire that it ‖ ‖ ‖ Rev. 14.13 may follow after them then will every where all his work and purposes be broken so that it goeth not according to his meaning and will he must now onely trust and rely upon God as Jacob did and so no enemy can hurt him and though it seemes as if it would hurt him and that his work should be in vaine yet thus they work and bear fruit incomprehensible to Reason and in the End that Man departeth with much Goods out of the kingdome of this world and returneth againe into his Native Country as Jacob. 30. For the Scripture sayth * * * Rev. 14.13 the Works of the Children of God follow after their Faith they take them with them they are the Wages of their Faith The Faith taketh Christ into it selfe and Christ taketh the Works of Faith with him and thus a true Christian returneth home againe into his Native Country with much Goods which he hath introduced and layd up in hope with his Faiths desire 31. Which Hope God filleth for him in Christ with the heavenly Ens and taketh also herewith his works of Nature and draweth them to it selfe for an Eternall Wages which is Christ with the * * * Or Outspoken Expressed word viz. the kingdome of Nature wherein lyeth the Wonders and †††Essence and Substance being of Man kept to Gods Great Day
displaced that is be changed 26. This signifieth especially how the Repentant Man must enter upon this Combate of Jacob and so wrestle with God and Man in the Spirit of Christ in Gods righteousnesse in the Anger And when he overcometh then will the Ham of his fleshly selfe-will be broken that he must goe up and downe in this world as one halfe Lame that cannot well walke in the way of the world but goeth halting as if his limbs were halfe broken with which the wantonnesse and vanity of this world is driven on for the Spirit in the victory of Christ toucheth his Thigh that he is halfe lame in the Pride and Malice of this world and never regardeth it more but goeth up and downe as a despised lame Man who in the Pride of the world in their haile or frolick Jollity little regard but hold him for a lame halting Man who cannot follow the Garb of the Antick tricks conceited jests and lasciviousnesse of this world but he hath wrestled with God and Man and is with this victory touched and Marked 27. This the Pride and wantonnesse of this world understandeth not for it goes up and downe still in Gods severe righteousnesse in the kingdome of Nature in the might of the Fire in selfe-will and thinks it selfe very well till the Judgement possesseth its place then must the poore soule stand in the Eternall Judgement and live in paine and Torment 28. And as Jacob stood in the wrestling and had his Thigh touched that he halted then the Man sayd to him Let mee goe for the Day-breake dawneth but he answered I will not let thee goe except thou blesse mee 29. This is first the figure of Christ when he yeelded himselfe up in the righteousnesse of God in the Fathers Anger so that the Anger according to our humanity slew him then sayd the righteousnesse Now let mee goe for at present the Eternall Morning breaketh forth in mee But Christ had taken hold of the righteousnesse and sayd I will not let thee goe except thou blesse the humanity againe that the Judgement may cease except thou bring the Morning of thy inward power forth through the humanity that the Curse may cease and that Man may wholly stand in the divine working againe in the Blessing 30. Secondly It is the faire Type or Image shewing how it goeth with the Repentant Man when he giveth himselfe up through earnest Repentance into this Combate of Christ in Christs suffering and Death in his victory and in the Spirit of Christ wrestleth with Gods severe righteousnesse which continually assayleth him in his Conscience 31. For Gods righteousnesse in the Conscience sayth let mee goe thou art dead in sinne and hast no part in the divine Grace thou hast purposely and wilfully sinned and set the Grace behinde thy back now thou art mine praying will not availe thee I will not let thee in thy conscience attaine the Grace thou wilt obtaine no comfort more from God the morning will no more rise to thee in thy conscience for thou art a childe of Death Now leave off and let me alone that I may shutt thee up below in the dungeon or chamber of death 32. When this comes to passe then the poore soule wholly immerseth it selfe into the death of Christ and giveth it selfe up to the severe righteousnesse of God into the judgement for the judgement layeth hold on it But the soule catcheth hold of the incorporated Grace in the death of Christ and diveth therewith into the most inward ground of the judgement of God in which ground God's Love is broken forth through the righteousnesse and through the judgement viz. through the eternall night and hath made that same night in man to be day 33. Into this day viz. into the Abysse without all humane possibility or ability it diveth as a childe that neither can nor will doe any more that is too unworthy of all Grace and must indeed give it self up to the judgement but with this diving the soule yeedeth all its utmost will and ability and is in it selfe as it were void of nature and creature and falls againe into the Word wherein it stood in the eternall speaking before it s creaturely nature 34. For Gods righteousnesse and judgement hath no deeper ground then meerly the creaturely life but when the will of the soule yeeldeth it selfe up in going forth from the creature and sinketh into the Abysse then is it again as a new childe for the Abysse in the eternall speaking word out of which the highest Love and Grace of God hath manifested it selfe layeth hold on it and penetrateth into it as the Sun doth into the Ens of an hearb whence the hearb becometh half Solar or of the nature of the Sun Thus in this diving the soule in its will is half divine and then it wrestleth with God's severe righteousnesse in flesh and bloud and will over-power the Anger of God 35. Then saith God's righteousnesse in the conscience let me alone that is leave off and slay me not for thou seest very well that the Divine morning ariseth in mee cease from striving against the judgement of God But in the right combat the soule saith to God's righteousness I will not leave thee except thou blesse mee that is except thou givest mee the promised Grace out of the Death of Christ in his conquest that I may put on my Saviour Christ that he may be mine and I his And then thus saith God's righteousnesse as to Jacob What is thy name And then the poore soule nameth it selfe according to its owne creaturely name As Jacob did heere when he called himselfe Jacob But as the Lord said to Jacob Thou shalt no more be called Jacob but Israel that is a Tree of life Thus also saith God to the soule Thou shalt no more have self-names in mee but thou shalt be called a Christian in Christ viz. A branch in the Tree of Israel * * * Joh. 15.5 A sprout on the vine Christ For thou hast fought with God and man and hast prevailed Thou hast overcome Gods righteousnesse in the wrath of the Anger in thy Combat in the Spirit of Christ and art now an essentiall Christian and no more a titulary and verbal or Mouth-Christian from whom Grace is yet farr off 36. And Moses saith further †††Gen. 32.29 30. And Jacob asked him and said Tell me I pray thee what is thy name But he said wherefore askest thou what is my name And he blessed him there And Jacob called the place Pennel For I have seene God face to face and my soule is * * * Healed preserved The inward holy Figure standeth thus 37. When Jacob with the desire of faith in his wrestling apprehended the morning or Day-breake of God in the Spirit of Christ and †††Joh. 8.56 saw Christ a farr off without the creaturely humanity Then he said What is thy name But Christ said
againe as the whole figure together of Jacob thus fairely typifieth and as the Spirit hath signified thereby 16. * * * Gen. 33 8 9 10 11. And Esaw said farther to Jacob What meanest thou by all this herd which I met Hee answered that I might finde grace in the sight of my Lord Esaw sayd I have enough my Brother keepe what thou hast Jacob answered O no if I have found grace in thy sight then receive my Present at my hand for I have seene thy Face as if I had seene the Face of God and let it please thee from mee take I pray thee the Blessing from mee which I have brought thee for God hath bestowed it upon mee and I have enough thus he constrained him that he tooke it This now is the faire figure wherewith the Spirit alludeth how Christ appeareth before God with his Christendome viz. with his purchased Goods then sayth the Father to the Sonne Whither wilt thou goe with these thy Children who meete mee daily in that they come to thee And Christ saith O Lord that I might finde Grace from thee with them And the Father saith they are thy purchased goods keepe what thou hast I have without them enough even all things 17. But Christ saith O no my Lord receive I pray thee the blessing which God hath bestowed upon mee in my children which I have brought to thee for God hath bestowed them on mee and I have enough and he constrained God his Father that he received the kingdome againe from him And it is a true figure shewing how Christ after he sits at the right hand of God and ruleth over his enemies * * * 1 Cor. 15.24.28 would deliver up the kingdome again to his Father And then also will the Son be subject to the Father together with his Christendome as the Scripture saith Which the Spirit in this figure powerfully prefigureth and representeth in a Type or Image 18. This is an excellent figure where Jacob cometh to his brother Esaw that had been angry and perceiveth how Esaw falleth about his neck and weepeth that Jacob saith I saw thy face as if I saw the face of God Which signifieth to us that the wrath of God in the kingdome of nature was become an enemie in Adam's Soule and Body viz. the fiery Soule it selfe which standeth in the Fathers property in the eternall nature 19. But when this great love and humility pressed through in the bloud of Christ then was this wrath viz. the fiery soule converted again into Gods most cleare countenance and attained again the Eye of God's love Thus also we are to undestand concerning Esau when the Covenant of Grace in the figure of Christ in Jacob's humility was discovered to him then was his curse and malice through the Spirit of Christ turned into love that he was no more hee of whom the Scripture saith †††Rom. 9.13 Esaw have I hated for in the kingdome of the Adamicall nature was God's hatred manifested in him and he was himself that hatred and of that saith the Scripture †††Rom. 9.13 Esaw have I hated Now so long as the hatred in him had the dominion so long he was in God's hatred and was himself the hatred but when the Covenant of Grace in Jacob discovered it selfe to him and that Jacobs humility pressed into his hatred then began he to lament and weepe and Gods cleare countenance was manifested in his hatred so that in great compassion he fell upon Jacobs neck and wept 20. Which denoteth the repentance of poore sinners when the malicious wicked soule which lieth captive in the hatred of God turneth to God then beginneth first this compassion and repentance and sorrow for its former Sinne. When the Spirit of Christ afflicteth the soule then it weepeth and sorrrweth that it hath been so wicked and then instantly the Sun riseth upon it and the hatred of God is turned into the countenance of Love where of an hatefull spirit he is made an Angel 21. And though clearly the Scripture saith in a certaine place * * * Heb. 12.17 Esaw sought repentance with teares and yet found it not but this Text giveth us to understand much otherwise namely that indeed Esaw and all the children of corrupt Adam doe not finde repentance in their owne willing going and running else would it stand in the ability of man to attain Grace but the grace and divine mercy and compassion worketh repentance Yet man must give up his will to the Divine working 22. The Soules will must incline it self towards the promised Grace And then will the divine Sun shine into it's will and dissipate the †††Or the hatred in wickednesse hatred of wickedness and then the soule graspeth after the Sun of Grace and so beginneth the working of repentance in the power of Grace and then the Anger of God in the soule giveth it's severe righteousness to the Spirit of Christ and so Christ then saith to his Father * * * Joh. 6.39 I have lost none of them that thou hast given to mee 23. The Scripture saith †††1 Tim. 2.4 God willeth that all men should be saved And * * * Mat. 18.11 Christ is come to seeke and save that which is lost and †††Ezek. 33.11 Hee hath no pleasure in the death of a Sinner Then saith Reason If God will that all men should be saved and willeth not the evill can he not then save all Why doe they remaine hardened if he willeth not their hardening 24. Answer The Soule standeth in the * * * Vnfathomable unsearchable will of God in the eternall speaking word It is a sparke from the divine Speaking whereby the Abysse viz. the eternall one expresseth or speaketh forth it selfe in the science understanding and knowledge of the ‖ ‖ ‖ Seperability Severation it is in the speaking come into nature and creature and hath now the ability to express again viz. an Image of it selfe Note 25. Also in its knowledge it speaketh forth the wonders of the divine possibility in good and evill It speaketh it selfe in its essential speaking out of the eternal science it self in evil Where it should speak God it speake's in it self want where it should speake in its science into the eternal one viz. into Gods love and wisdome there it speake's into severation viz. into multiplicity and bringeth the science of its ability which standeth in the eternal speaking word out of the temperament into a self-will which breaketh off from the onely will of God and entreth into self 26. Therefore then it changeth the eternal will of the unity in it into the centre of severation wherein the only God introduceth his only will in the speaking forth of the word into nature and painfulness to the Divine perception and feeling viz. into an essential spirituall fire and out of the fire
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
Master tooke nothing upon him and was well pleased with what Joseph did for all was very pleasing and right in his sight 69. Thus understand us here according to its precious worth when Man is intirely resigned to God then is God his will and God takes nothing upon him about what Man doth nothing is against him for Gods will doth it in himselfe and all sinne ceaseth and although Gods will of Anger stirreth in him and bringeth fire from heaven from the Lord as was done by Elias yet all is right in the sight of God for the party doth it not but God through him he is the Instrument through which God speaketh and acteth 70. Now as God in so much as he is God can will nothing but that which is Good or else he were not God if he himselfe would any thing that were Evill so also there can be nothing in such a Mans will but blessing onely and the will of God as was sayd of Joseph God was with him in all his doings and blessed all things through his hand thus to the honest and vertuous a light ariseth in the darknesse and the Night is turned into Day to him and adversity is turned into prosperity and the Curse wickednesse and malice of the world is turned into Paradise and it is with him as Saint Paul sayth * * * Rom. 8.28 All things must serve to the best to them that love God 71. For Josephs Prison brought him before King Pharaoh and set him upon the Throne over that Land and People and made him Lord over his Father and brethren and to be a †††Steward Guardian and Officer of the King and to be Gods Regent and Governour through whom God ruled great Countries and Kingdomes as the like may be seene also in Daniell 72. Therefore a Christian should learne to beare the ‖ ‖ ‖ Affliction Temptation when God casteth him into Josephs Pit and Prison and relye upon God in all his doings and entirely resigne himselfe into God and then God would be more potent in him then the world and hell is for all those would at length after he hath stood out all the tryalls be put to scorne in him CHAP. LXVII How Joseph in Prison Expounded King Pharaohs Chiefe Butlers and Bakers Dreame to each of them and what is to be understood thereby Vpon the 40 Chapter of Genesis Genesis XL. IN this Chapter the Spirit representeth a figure shewing how the Spirit of God seeth through Mans Spirit and bringeth Mans Spirit into his seeing or vision so that it can understand hidden secret things for to Expound Dreames is nothing else but to see and understand the figure how the Spiritus Mundi the Spirit of the World in the Constellation of Man frameth it selfe into a figure with those things which in the humane Life are cleerly in working or indeed are framed in a figure in the Constellation by a Great Conjunction the working not being yet begun yet is Modelliâ—ed Naturally where the Spirit of Man by divine power knoweth in the prefiguration what working and effect it hath also it may be underhood by the diligent consideration of ‖ ‖ ‖ By an Astronomicall figure of the outward Heavens in a Scheme thus and a judgment of the Effects by Astrology predicting before the starres be in that posture in the Heavens or before the Effect be wrought by the Starres Astronomie †††Or in according to Astrologie wherein the Naturall effect and working is prefigured what naturally is wrought and represented by this power 2. But while Joseph was a childe and did not outwardly buisie himselfe in this Art therefore it is to be understood that the Spirit of God with his seeing or vision brought him into the Image or Idea of the Dreame and that the Spirit of God explained the Dreame through the Spirit of Joseph as was done also by Daniell for to expound Dreames is nothing else but to understand a Magick Image or representation of the Astrum Aspect or Constellation in the humane property 3. For every Man beareth the Image of his Constellation viz. a Magick * * * As Orion the Pleiaâ—es Amos 5.8 Mazzaroth the 12 signes Or Aâ—cturus Job 38.31 32 Ursa Minor or Ursa Major or any other Constellation that consisteth of many Starres together Or a figure of the whole Heavens erected upon a point of Time Asterisme in himselfe and when the Time cometh that such Magick Image of the superiour Constellation is kindled then it entereth upon its working and then the Astrall Spirit beholds it selfe in the Elements and seeth what figure it hath 4. But the Elements being †††Inanimate voyd of understanding and affording onely a ‖ ‖ ‖ Animale Body Beastiall Body in their figure therefore the Astrall Spirit can discerne nothing else but the forme of some such earthly Creature except the * * * Or Spirit of the Soule soulish Spirit be concomitant in the working of the Astrall Spirit then is it premodelled in a humane forme and in a true naturall way and manner of figure for the Soule onely hath true humane Eyes but the Astrall Spirit hath onely a beastiall appearance and seeth after the manner of a Beast 5. Yet seeing there is a great difference between a false and wicked soule which dayly Imagineth in a Beastiall manner of figure and willeth and desireth beastiall things and a pious divine soule wherein the Spirit of God is manifest so also are the Magicall Imaginations and representations in the Astrall Spirit different for a Beast Dreameth †††Or From Phansie according to Phansie and so doth a Beastiall or animall Man though indeed the * * * Or figure the Schema Coeli Image or Idea of the Constellation doth certainly co-modellise it selfe whether in Evill or in Good according as the Astrall Spirit eagerly longeth or lusteth in it selfe when it so vieweth what stands naturally as a working in it but seeing it is a Beast therefore it introduceth in its Image with its desire commonly the Modell †††Or in of a Phantastick Image and turneth it from Joy to sorrow from sorrow to Joy but the soule is faint and sick in such a Spectacle or Glasse and prefiguration whence oftentimes there ariseth great unquietnesse to the Body 6. But where a true Vision is seene in Man that is done by the soules modelising when it co-Imageth or co-modelleth it selfe in the figure through its Imagination then the Image or representation standeth in the right humane understanding though indeed the Astrall Spirit continually Imageth or frameth it selfe in Earthly formes so that very seldome an entire perfect vision appeareth as the work or effect in it selfe shall be also Mans owne Imagination it selfe doth often alter it what a Man thinks or Imagineth in the day viz. that Magick forme makes it so that the figure is according to his
it selfe towards him and now if the soule be Converted then he knoweth it but first he terrifieth the Conscience and setteth himselfe roughly and seemeth strange towards the soule as he did towards * * * Mat. 15.26 the Cananitish woman and hideth his Grace from the soule till it shed forth its Repentance and boweth its face in the presence of Christ and acknowledge its transgressions and totally bow downe it selfe to the Pit of Judgement and yeeld it sâ—lfe into Gods Anger and punishment and to the Dying of it selfe 9. And then Christ looketh into it and layeth fast hold upon it with the strict hand of Gods Anger but his Love and Grace hideth it selfe therein and that is it which stirreth up the sinnes of the poore soule and disturbeth them so that it is terrified and afraid in the presence of God when the soule standeth and cryeth to God then sayth Christ in the Conscience who art thou behold thy selfe now whether thou art worthy of me as Joseph did heere when he sayd who are yee and set himselfe roughly and strangely towards them 10. * * * Gen. 42.9 And Joseph thought on the Dreame which he had dreamed concerning them and sayd to them ye are spyes and are come to see where the Land is open that is Christ thinketh on his Mercy and on his bitter Passion and Death and sayth to the soule thou art a spie and comest to mee onely to see where the Gate of my Grace is open but that shall not helpe thee thou must doe otherwise thou must first Enter into the Gate of my Suffering and Death or else thou art but a spie and wilt see the Gate of my Grace stand open that thou mayst cover thy selfe with it as with a Mantle thou must be in Earnest or else thou wilt be but treacherous to mee and take my Grace into thy Mouth 11. * * * Gen. 42.10.11 And Josephs Brethren answered him and sayd No my Lord thy servants are come to buy foode wee are all one Mans sonnes wee are honest and true Men wee thy servants were never spies That is thus much in the Figure before the properties of the soule in their vanity rightly know themselves when the Anger of God is presented before their Eyes viz. passeth into their Essence then the soule thinketh it is wrong that is done to it for it thinketh if it comfort it selfe with the Merits of Jesus Christ and beleiveth on Christ that he is the Son of God and hath satisfied for the soule then it ought not to be blamed for a Divine spie and unrighteous Hypocrite it is righteous through the Justification of Christ seeing it beleeveth the same that it is applyed to it for its benefit 12. But as †††Gen. 42.12 Joseph sayd to his Brethren No but yee are come to see where the Land is Open thus also the Spirit of Christ blameth the Essences of the soule for it proveth them that they are not yet broken and have still selfe-desires in them and will instantly lay hold on Grace viz. the Open Gate which availeth not the soule it must first enter into Christs suffering and Death and put them on first through earnest repentance and conversion of its will and then it may enter through the Open Gate through Christs wounds and Death into his Resurrection 13. Further * * * Gen. 42.13 14 15 16 17. Josephs Brethren say wee thy servants are †††12 Brethren Twelve brethren sonnes of one Man in the Land of Canaan and the youngest is still with our Father but one is not in Being Joseph sayd to them that is it which I told you yee are Spies in this will I prove you by the Life of Pharaoh Yee shall not goe from hence except your youngest brother come hither send one of you hence that may fetch your brother but yee shall be prisoners so will I prove your saying whether your wayes be in truth or not for if not then are ye spies by the Life of Pharaoh and they put them together in Ward for the space of Three Dayes The inward precious Figure standeth thus 14. When the soule doth thus draw neere to Christ and will instantly put on his Resurrection then sayth the Spirit of Christ in the Soules Essence this is that which I told thee thy Essences are spies by the Life of God in this will I prove them whether they come to mee in a faithfull and right Path and whether they bring with them to mee their youngest brother viz. the true Josephs brother that is the Incorporated line of the Covenant of Grace in their in Adam faded heavenly Substantiality viz. the Incorporated ground of Grace which was effected in Paradise so that the Soules Essences with their most inward Ground turne in to mee and in mee else they come but as Hypocrites and spies of the Gate of Grace 15. This is rightly called fetching the youngest brother for that same Incorporated Grace in the Promise Effected in Paradise is the soules youngest brother which it hides and covereth with sinne and in the beginning of its Repentance it leaves him at home †††Or with by the Life of God 16. Therefore sayth the Text of Moses very secretly Hee will prove them by the Life of Pharaoh which is as much as to say in the figure by the Life of God with whom this youngest son stayed behinde him must the repenting Man bring along with him to the Port of Grace or else he must lye * * * 3 Dayes Three Dayes shut up in Prison till he bring him as Josephs brethren did that is else must the †††3 Principles Three Principles in Man lye so long in Prison in the Anger of God and cannot buy divine food unlesse they have this their youngest brother with them that is the Gate wherein Christ in Man in that same Image of the heavenly worlds substance which faded in Adam ariseth from Death wherein he may have his dwelling place 17. Thus a Man is proved by the Life of God when he turneth to God to try whether he turne wholly and altogether to him and bring this incorporated ground of Grace with him wherein Christ will and shall manifest himselfe If not then sayth Joseph that is Christ to the soules Essences yee are but spies to the Life of God and search onely for the Justification of Man from the sufferings and Merits of Christ that is yee learne onely the Historie and take the precious Covenant of God in your Mouths and flatter your selves with Christs satisfaction and remaine still onely as spies of Grace but that shall nothing avayle you or helpe you though likely you may spie out the Kingdome of Christ my Anger and Righteousnesse in my Zeale and Jealousie shall yet hold you in Prison with all the Three Principles as long as you bring not the most inward ground of your Substance along
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
it for first Joseph sendeth his Steward after them and bids him tell them they had stolen his Cup and was churlish towards them when as yet they were not Guilty so also when a Christian hath his Sack filled with this food then will Christs Cup be layd in for him These now the wrath of God sifteth in the humane Nature as to their soules and as to the mortall Body and sayth to the Conscience thou hast not rightly gotten this Cup by the right of Nature thou hast stolen it out of Gods house from his Grace and power * * * Mat. 11.12 The Kingdome of Heaven suffereth violence heerin and thou hast done violence and gotten this Cup to thee into thy Sack thou hast not Grace by the right of Nature thou wilt needs walke back with this Cup in peace on these Paths 5. But no it will not avayle thee if thou wilt take Christs Grace in thee along then thou must take on thee also his Suffering Dying Scorne Persecution and Misery and suffer thy selfe to be continually reproached in the world for a false wicked man and to suffer thy selfe to be accounted a * * * Or Knave wicked person by the Pharisaicall Hypocrisie as one that hath stolen their Cup and taken it away by violence in that he will no more kneele downe before the Great Babylonish Whore who hath presented a Cup full of Hypocrisie and Blasphemy and quaffe of their Cup and then reproach they him for a wicked person who hath stolen their Cup and Authority from them and runne after him and would murther him and damne him to temporall and Eternall Death and reproach him without ceasing for a treacherous person who hath stolen their Cup. 6. That is when a true Christian obteineth the Cup of Christ and drinketh out of it then cometh the Anger of God in the fleshly Evill Nature as also the Devill and the Evill world and set upon him on every side because he hath this Cup in his Habitation and Prophesieth or Divineth against them that they have the Cup of Whoredome and Abomination in them and because he revealeth it and will not quaffe with them in their Cup of Hypocrisie and Blasphemy 7. And then must a Christian lay downe his Sack of Gods Grace at their Feete and suffer himselfe to be bound and captivated in their Scorning and Contemning and then they oftentimes bereave him of Body and Life honour and welfare and set him with his Cup before their Judgement and there a Christian must drink out of their Cup the derision Crosse Suffering and Death of Christ and Imitate and follow Christ in this Cup and not goe home againe so in Peace with his filled Sack of the Grace of Christ through this world into his Eternall * * * Or Native Country Country of his Father he must be †††Phil. 3.10 Rom. 8.29 conformable to Christs Image and follow him in his way which he hath walked in this world this is powerfully prefigured in this figure 8. For Josephs Brethren stood now in the figure of a Converted Christian whom God hath cloathed with Christ and also layd in the Cup of the Crosse together with Grace and moreover uppermost in the Sack to signifie that when the Grace of Christ which is bestowed on a Christian shall work and bring forth fruit that it is not done in standing still in peace and quietnesse but in the Strife about this Cup for it lyeth uppermost in the Sack of Grace the Strife about the Cup must alwayes be the forerunner of it 9. For Christ sayth * * * Mat. 10.34 Luk. 12.51 The Sonne of Man is not come to establish peace on the Earth but strife and persecution that one be against another and persecute him Also †††Luk. 12.49 He hath kindled a fire and desireth it should Burne And this is it that a true Christian must alwayes be spoken against even ‖ ‖ ‖ Mich. 7.6 Those of his owne family in flesh and Bloud must be his Enemies that the sowne and planted Tree of Pearle may stirre and bring forth fruit 10. As an Earthly Tree must stand in Heate Cold and Wind and have great Stroakes opposition whereby the sap is drawne out of the Earth into the Tree so that it blossometh and beareth fruit thus also the poore soule in such smitings opposition in scorne and misery must draw power and vertue into it selfe out of the bestowed and entrusted Grace viz. out of the soyle and field of the word of God with earnest prayer and working and thereby beare the fruit of Faith viz. Good Doctrine Instruction and Conversation 11. For thereby the Soule feedeth the Spirit of Christ and Christ feedeth the soule againe out of the Sack of the Substantiall Grace viz. with his flesh of the Substantiall Wisdome of God and thus they give themselves one to another to a perpetuall working 12. And wee see heerby how even the wicked must serve God in the working of his Grace for he is its stormy wind and his Cursing and Blasphemy against Gods Children is the heate cold wherewith God stirreth his little plant of Pearle in his Children so that it hungreth after heavenly Sap and draweth it into it selfe and groweth and this is that which Christ sayd * * * Luk. 12.49 He came to set up Strife on the Earth for Christs Kingdome is a Strife against Hell and the Devill Christ striveth without ceasing in his Children and Members with Sathan about the Kingdome 13. For in the Earthly Man lyeth yet the Ground of the Serpent viz. a Habitation of Sathan wherein Sathan withstandeth the Kingdome of Christ So also on the Contrary the Kingdome of Christ in Grace withstandeth the Kingdome of Sathan with the Cup of Christ this Strife continueth alwayes while the Earthly Body continueth 14. For thus Gods Anger worketh in the Love that the Love viz. the Eternall One and Eternall Good might be distinguishable perceptible and discernible for in Strife and opposite will the Profundity or Abysse viz. the Eternall One which is without Nature and Creature is Manifest 15. And therefore God hath introduced himselfe with his holy Word of Powers into Nature and Creature as also into Paine and Torment into Light and Darknesse that the Eternall power of his Word in the Wisdome together with the Expressed Word might be distinguishable and perceptible that knowledge might be 16. For without this the knowledge of the Eternall One would not be manifest neither would there be any Joy and though it were in being yet it would not be manifest to it selfe thus it manifesteth it selfe through the introduction into Nature through the Seperability or Distinguibility of the Speaking whereby the Speaking bringeth it selfe into properties and the properties into opposition or Contrariety of will and so through the Opposition the Eternall Good which bringeth it selfe along in the Word of the Speaking into
the first Adam and his children he calleth his brethren so very secretly and mystically the Spirit of Moses speaketh in the figure of Christ else in this place he had sayd enough in saying my father is come to mee if he had not had another figure under it 31. Hee sayth Out of the Land of Canaan and they are heardsmen thus he would tell Pharaoh that they might dwell in the Land of Goshen That in the Figure is thus much Christ sheweth with his inspeaking of Love into the word of his Father that his brethren are come to him out of the vanity of the Canaanites out of the wilde beastiall property and that they from their youth up from the time of Adam hitherto have been onely heardsmen that is the word of the humane Life ought to have dwelt in this fleshly Canaan in flesh bloud must and ought to have the Keeping and Ordering of the beastiall property of the flesh 32. For the Animale soule in Spiritu Mundi in the Spirit of the World in Man hath many hundred Beasts which it hath awakened and manifested in it selfe with the false and wicked Lust these Beasts now must the word of the humane Life keep always from Adam to this time and must be conversant with such Cattle and manage these beasts and take care of them therefore now sayd Joseph that they might dwell with their Cattle in the Land of Goshen that is in a peculiar place by it selfe and not with Pharaoh for Heardsmen sayth the Spirit were an abomination to the Egyptians that is the beastiall propertie in Man is an abomination to God therefore Christ bringeth onely the inward Paradisicall Ground this time of the Beast before the face of God but he bringeth the Beast into Goshen that is into the outspoken or Expressed substance of this world into a place blessed of God 33. The Beastiall Man cannot dwell with Pharaoh that is in Gods Majesty and holy power and vertue Joseph or JESUS leaveth him in the outward Nature in the Kingdome of this world and setteth him in a Blessing that he should dwell neere God but a principle is the distinction as between Time and Eternity 34. And Joseph sayd circumspectly he would say they had brought along with them their small and great Cattle to signifie that the whole Man with all his works were brought into the Grace and fat blessed habitation before God that Christs children with all their earthly works were placed in Goshen viz. in a state and condition of Grace 35. And he sayd to his brethren when Pharaoh shall aske what is your Trade and employment then shall ye say thy servants have been heardsmen from our youth up that is thus much when Gods Spirit shall search and trie what ye are in Minde and Thought whether ye be Angells and Ministers of God then humble your selves before God and say not concerning your selves before the Face of God wee sitt in thy Office and are Lords or Potentates and Rulers of the World or Rich Noble excellent Learned understanding persons or such like doe not esteeme your selves good in the sight of God say not wee are thy deare Ministers and Servants in thy Power but say wee thy Servants are Heardsmen from Adam to this time wee keepe and manage our Beastiall property viz. the works of thy wonders which thou hast made wee cannot subsist before thee O holy God for wee are unfitt unworthy ignorant heardsmen of thy wonders let us but finde Grace in thy sight that wee may dwell before thee in this Goshen O Lord wee know not what wee shall doe before thee doe thou direct and teach us how wee shall manage these thy heards for wee are thy Servants and will serve before thee as thy heardsmen 36. In this Glasse behold thy selfe thou faire world what thou art in thy high State places and Offices even all of you from the Emperour to the beggar and him that is least and lowest of all are but heardsmen every one is but a heardsman for their authority is but an Office of the Beastiall Man and hath under his Command and management but to rule over Beasts and no more for no worldly Office can rule over the inward divine Man he must in his Office manage onely a heard of Beasts or Cattle and Governe take care and tutor them and they Tutour him againe 37. With these Offices of heardsmen now the Earthly Lucifer prideth and boasteth himselfe as if he had an Angelicall Government and yet in the presence of God is but a heardsman or keeper of Beasts and no more 38. And therefore hath God typified and prefigured his Mysteries by such simple heardsmen that Man should see what he is in his Office State and Condition also that his wrath may not lift up it selfe and destroy these shepheards and heardsmen and so he hath alwayes in his prefiguration premodeled them onely as heardsmen that he might powre out his Grace upon Mans ignorance and want of understanding 39. Heerin behold your selves ye Potent Noble Rich Learned people all of you one and other how the Spirit of God represents you by the deere Patriarchs in the manner of the heardsmans Office in the revelation of his Mysteries ye are all one and other before him no other then his heardsmen the Emperours as well as his Ministers and servants the Noble as well as his inferiour one as well as another one in this beastiall Office ordereth and manageth another in another beastiall Office 40. But the Pharisee will say I keepe the sheepe of Christ wo be to him that committeth his sheepe to a Wolfe if he teacheth that which is Good from the Spirit of Christ then it is not from his owne authority and power but the Arch-shepheard doth it through him But he manageth Beasts onely and himselfe taketh one Beast of the heard to himselfe which must also be kept and cared for or else the Wolfe will devoure it 41. Thus hath God placed all offices in the Office of a Shepheard so that one should manage and take care of another and yet they are all but shepheards before him which keepe Beasts and Cattle Christ only is the shepheard of Soules and no other 42. None should trust the sheepe of Christ which he hath in him to any earthly Shepheard but onely to the Shepheard Christ for there are Wolves in all the outward offices of Shepheards which take and devoure the sheepe of Christ he may passe well for one in the Office of a Shepheard but let him have a care of the Shepheards Dogs that they doe not bite him 43. O World in thy high State and Condition O that thou didst but consider what thou art in thy State Condition in the sight of heaven and didst not set thy State and Condition so aloft in Gods Love for it standeth only in his deeds of Wonder in evill and good 44. When God would have a worldly State and Condition prefigured in his
signifie that the soule and the spirit shall in Christ enjoy like Graces and Gifts onely the power he gave to the New Regeneration out of the faded heavenly Image that the soule should through the power of the New Regeneration work and flourish spread forth and be great therewith that is that the soulish-Tree with its branches should grow out of this blessing 18. In the words of this blessing there is this understanding or meaning viz. The Incorporated ground of grace in the power and vertue of the Word spake forth the power and comprised in Jacob his body soule and Spirit in One and thereby spake it selfe forth upon the children of Joseph God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaack have walked that is through the wills and desires which my fathers have inclined to God with which they have walked before God also through the power of God who hath susteined mee my life long even unto this day also the Angell who hath delivered mee from all Evill blesse these Ladds that is he blesseth them through the divine and humane power through the Angell of the great Councell in Christ Jesus which Angell hath delivered Men from all Evill that they should according to these Names be called children of the Covenant and in this power encrease and grow great 19. But when Joseph saw that his father layd his right hand upon Ephraims head it pleased him not well and he layd hold on his fathers hand Gen. 48.17 that he should turne it from Ephrams head upon Manassehs head and sayd to him not so my father this is the first borne lay thy right hand upon his head but his father refused and sayd I know it well my sonne I know it well this shall also be a people and be great but his younger Brother shall be greater then he and his seede shall be a multitude of people 20. By the outward figure the Spirit pointeth at their Offsprings which Stock or Tribe should excell the other in greatnes and Might but by the Inward figure of Mans conversion and New Birth it pointeth at the inward Ground signifying how the inward and youngest ground of the incorporated Grace in Christ would be greater then the ground of the first Created Adamicall Man 21. But that Joseph disliked it and would not willingly that the youngest should be preferred before the Eldest in the figure it signifieth this Joseph stood in the figure of the New Regeneration signifying how the inward ground viz. the Eternall Speaking Word in the humanity of Christ should turne it selfe forth through our soule and take away the power of selfe-will from the soule and that the Creaturely soule would not that it should loose its power it would not willingly dye to its own will but keepe its first Naturall right 22. As wee see in Christs humanity viz. in the humane Soule when it was to dye to selfe and yeeld up its Naturall right * * * Mat. 26.36 Luk. 22.39 Then sayd Christ on the Mount of Olives father if it be possible that is the humane soule in him from the Fathers property in the Word sayd Father if it be possiblle let this Cup passe from mee but if it be not possible and that I must drinke it thy will be done as Joseph heere in this figure was loath to come to it and would not willingly that the last should be preferred before the first 23. The Text sayth it pleased him not well the Naturall Man is not well pleased to give up his naturall right and let the Kingdome of humility reigne in him he would rather be Lord himselfe but his owne will hath squandred that away so that he is set behinde for it is not possible that he should become the childe of God unlesse he drinke the Cup whereby he dyeth to his owne naturall will Therefore sayth Christ Father thy will be done and not my Naturall Adamicall humane will but let Gods will in my inward ground be done and not my Adamicall soules will It shall and must be resigned into God the first naturall right must goe backward behinde and Christ forward else there is no salvation 24. In this Type and Image the Spirit of God sporteth with the children of the Saints signifying how the new incorporated Kingdome of Grace would spread it selfe forth aloft and how the Kingdome of Nature should be set back behinde for if Christ arise and be borne in Man then must Adam be Servant and Minister 25. And it declareth besides that the Kingdome of Nature would also be great but the Kingdome of Grace yet greater of which wee have a similitude in a great Tree of many branches which through Nature generateth many twiggs and Branches and wherein Nature is powerfull but the vertue and power of the Sun is much more powerfull for if this doth not co-operate then the Tree cannot grow nor beare any fruit and wee clearly see thereby that the vertue and power of the Sun must gett aloft if the Tree grow and its fruit come to be ripe and profitable so also is it in Man 26. Man is Nature and Nature begetteth him that he may come into the formes and Conditions of the Creatures but the understanding must come forth in him which governeth and taketh care of Nature Nature willeth indeed that its desire be fullfilled but the understanding ruleth over Nature 27. But now Nature is sooner and Earlyar then the understanding Nature goeth formost but when the understanding cometh then it must follow behinde thus it is to be understood also in this figure of Jacob and Joseph concerning the New Regeneration that when the divine understanding shall againe be manifested in Man then shall Nature follow behinde 28. * * * Gen 48.20 Thus he blessed them that day and sayd Hee that will blesse any in Israell let him say God set thee as Ephraim and Manasseh In this Text what the Spirit declareth in this figure is as cleare as the Sunne for Ephraim and Manasseh were re-inoculated back into the Root of Jacob that is into the Covenant of Grace which God had manifested in him and were transplanted with the Birth of the Naturall right when the youngest was preferred before the Eldest thus also should all blessing and wishing be among the children of God that God would set them back from the Evill Adamicall will of selfe and set them into the Paradisicall Covenant againe and make them grow therein and bring forth the Kingdome of Grace in them and set it above the Kingdome of Nature of the first Adamicall Birth when this is done in Man then he is a childe of God againe in Christ and standeth in the blessing of God 29. Courteous Rabbies and Masters of * * * Literature Criticismes upon every letter learne I pray to understand the figures of the Old and New Testament and dispute not about the outward shell of words looke upon the chiefe Ground why the Spirit of God
thus speaketh and why it sets downe such Types and Images and consider what this signifieth that the Holy Ghost in all the figures of Christ alwayes sets the youngest before the Eldest begin at Cain and Abell and goe quite through and then you will come to Rest and your Strife hath an End 30. The Time of Strife is at an End Ephraim shall rule over Manasseh if you doe not so then will the Sun dazle and blinde you with its rising that ye must for Ever be blinde Ye would verily see with the Eye of the Kingdome of Nature and yet ye contemne the Eye of Grace but Ephraim attaineth the Naturall right of the first Birth why will ye Strive against your father Jacob as if he did not rightly blesse for ye set Manasseh before and Ephraim following behinde it is made manifest before the Eyes of the Most high who hath set Ephraim formost againe the kingdome of Nature in humane selfe should be the Servant and that ye would not but the purpose of the Most high goeth forward and ye are all therefore like to goe to the Ground there is no preventing of it more 31. Now when Jacob had blessed Joseph and his sonnes then he represented a very secret Type or Image of Christendome upon Earth for thus sayth Moses * * * Gen. 48.21 22. And Israell sayd to Joseph behold I dye and God will be with you and will bring you againe into the Land of your fathers I have given thee a peece of Land beyond thy brethren that I tooke with my sword and with my Bow out of the hand of the Amorites 32. Although there may well be an outward figure heerein which indeed is alwayes so yet this is much more an inward figure of Christendome for what could Jacob give away of that which he had not in his possession he had not Sichem in possession as the Glosses upon this Text will have it expounded which looke only at some outward thing so he could not give it severally to Joseph for Joseph dwelt not there but he and all his children and childrens children dyed in Egypt 33. Besides Jacob sayd he had taken it with his sword and with his Bow out of the hand of the Amorites which is no whâ—re to be shewen and yet may well be outwardly done so seeing he sayth he hath given it to Joseph as to the Type of Christendom and tooke it with the sword therefore it is a figure and secret Speech 34. For Jacob sayth behold I die and ye shall come againe into this Land God will bring you thereinto this first pointeth at Christ who should come out of Jacobs Covenant which God had in him when that should die according to our humanity then would God bring Israel againe into the Land of Gods Covenant and the Covenant hath a peece of Land in this world that at all times would be a dwelling for Christendom upon Earth although that peece of Land would be often turned with Manasseh and Ephraim from one place to another 35. That same peece of Land or Christian Habitation hath Christ taken with his Bow and sword of the Spirit and subdued the Princes of this world in his victory that Christendom should have this at all times upon Earth whereby then we see that Christendom should have the smallest victory upon Earth so that its Kingdome is like a remaining overplus peece of Land that so the Name of Christ might therein be outwardly knowne and acknowledged 36. Further it is the Most Excellent figure concerning Israell which with Jacob that is with the rising of the Kingdome of Christ would die that is the Jewish Politie and Government would be suppressed but God would in the last time bring them into this Land viz. into the true Covenant in Christ for he hath reserved this peece of Land before-hand that they should possesse the same againe which Babell beleeveth not but their time is neere for the fullnes of the Heathens is at an End CHAP. LXXVI How Jacob called all his Sonnes before his End and signified and prophesied to them how their Generations would rise up and what each of their State and Condition would be whereby he Expressed the Roote of Abrahams Tree together with its Branches and fruit What the State and Office of each of them would be and how they would behave themselves and how Christ would be borne of the Stock of Judah also how long their Kingdome would continue under the Law Genesis 49. from the first to the 12 th verse Gen XLIX 1 2. 1. MOses sayth And Jacob called his sonnes and sayd Gather your selves together that I may make knowne unto you what will happen to you in the future Times come together and hearken ye children of Jacob and heare your father Israell In this Chapter lyeth the whole understanding and knowledge how it would goe with the children of Israell in the future time under the Law as also afterwards with Christendom for in this Chapter the Spirit hath expressed and figuratively represented the tree of Israell with its Branches twiggs and fruit both according to the Kingdome of Nature and according to the Kingdome of Grace and under that signifieth concerning all States Conditions Orders and Offices among both Jewes and Christians especially the Antichristian Kingdome among Jewes and Christians is powerfully prefigured under it whence it ariseth and how it must fall to the ground againe and yet would continue a long time even till the Manifestation or Revelation of Jesus Christ. 2. For Israell heere under this Exposition declareth concerning the whole Adamicall tree how it was good in the beginning and how it perished also how it would be helped againe and how the Kingdome of Nature would outwardly Governe in Gods wrath and yet the Kingdome of Grace co-operate through the wrath whereby the naturall Evill Man would outwardly seeme as if he would serve God and minister to him but would onely be a false flattery and shew of Hypocrisie so long till Christ would break forth out of Gods Covenant and destroy Sathans hypocriticall Kingdome 3. And he beginneth at Reuben viz. from the first power of the humane Life and reacheth to Benjamin the last under whom Christendom is powerfully prefigured and what its properties would be so also are the times and Ages of the World powerfully pourtrayed under it If the reader will Observe it and gather the sence thereof then he will finde our Exposition in the true and right Ground I. The Testament of Reuben 4. Hee began at Reuben and sayd Reuben my first sonne Gen. 49.3 4. thou art my power and vertue and my first might and strength the chiefest in the sacrifice and the Chiefest in the Kingdome and Government he was vaine and fickle therein as water thou shalt not be the Chiefest thou didst climbe up into thy fathers Couch and there hast defiled my bed with thy climing up In the Figure it standeth thus 5. The Spirit