Spouse and consort and yet they were not two bodies but onely one but of a twofold Essence viz. one inward heavenly holy and one from the Essence of time which were espoused and betrothed to each other to g g g Or eternally an Eternall beeing 9. And the Magicall Impregnation or conception and birth did stand in this fiery Love-desire for the Tincture penetrated through both Essences through the inward and outward and did awaken or stir up the desire and the Desire was the Fiat which the Love Lubet or Imagination h h h Conceived tooke and brought into a Substance thus the likenesse of the expresse Image was formed in this Substance being a Spirituall Image according to the first As the Fiat had conceived and formed the first Image viz. Adam so also the likenesse was conceived out of the first for propagation and in this Conception also the Magicall birth was forthwith effected where in the birth the Spirituall body became externall 10. Understand if it had been that Adam had stood then the Magicall birth had been thus effected not by a sundry peculiar issue from Adams body as now but as the Sun through-shineth the water and rends or teares it not even so the Spirituall body viz. the birth had been brought forth and in its comming forth had become Substantiall without paines care and distresse in a great joyfullnesse and delight it had been in a manner as both seeds of man and woman doe receive in their Conjunction a pleasant Aspect even so also the magicall Impregnation and birth had been a Virgin-like Image wholly perfect according to the first 11. Which afterward when Venus's Matrix was taken from Adam and formed into a woman must be done through Anguish trouble smart pangs and distresse as God said to Eve I will multiply thy Sorrowes when thou conceivest thou shalt now bring forth Children with Sorrow and thy will shall be subject to thy Husband Wherefore because it was sprung forth from the Mans will Eve was halfe the Adam viz. the Part wherein Adam should have loved and Impregnated himselfe the same when as he stood not was taken from him in his sleep and formed into a woman therefore when Adam saw her he said she shall be called * * * Or Manness woman because she is taken out of man 12. Man should have walked naked upon the Earth for the heavenly part penetrated the outward and was his cloathing he stood in great beauty glory joy and delight in a childe-like minde he should have eaten and drunk in a magicall manner not into the body as now but in the mouth there was the Separation for so likevvise vvas the fruit of Paradise 13. All things vvere made for his sport and delight no sleep was in him the night was in him as the day for he saw with i i i Glorified illustrious pure eyes in k k k in his own genuine innate light peculiar light the inward man viz. the inward Eye saw through the outward as we in the other world shall need no Sun for we shall see in the divine Sight in the light of the Peculiar nature No heat nor cold had touched them there had also no winter been manifest upon the earth for in Paradise there was an equall Temperature 14. The Tincture of the Earth had been their delight and pass-time they had had all metalls for their play untill the time that God had changed the outward World no feare or terrour had been in them also no Law from any thing or to any thing for all had been free unto them Adam had been their chiefe Prince and they had lived in the world and also in heaven inhabiting in both worlds at once Paradise had been through the whole world 15. But seeing the divine Providence did well know that Adam would not stand being the earth was corrupted by its former Prince in that the wrath of God had moved it selfe and l l l Or tooke Amassed the Essence into an Impression therefore God created all manner of fruits and beasts also all sorts of m m m Or Soveraine healing Animalls vegetables and mineralls Medicines for the future sicknesse of man and likewise all kindes of meat that the man might have food and rayment also in this world 16. For he had determined to send another Prince by whom he would redeeme man from his sicknesse and death and purifie and purge the earth through the fire of God and introduce it into the holy being as it was when Lucifer was an Angell before it came into such a n n n Or Creaturall being creature 17. And Adam was created onely o o o Or in unto the divine Image which should be eternall and though it was known in the wrath of God that man would fall yet the p p p Or restorer Regenerator was also known in Gods Love q q q Text for to whom this Hierarchy should be given for a Royall Possession in Lucifers stead 18. But that the Fall * * * Or might not so much as appeare to arise from the divine decree might not proceed or come from the divine Appointment God made man perfect and created and ordained him unto Paradise and forbad him the false lust which the Devill stirred up through the limus of the earth in Adams outvvard body with his false Imagination and Hungry-desire 19. And Adam was before his Eve forty dayes in Paradise in the Temptation before God made the woman out of him if he had stood stedfast then God had so confirmed him to Eternity 20. But that I write of forty dayes contrary to the Custome and opinion of other writers is that we have certaine knowledge and sufficient ground of the same not onely by conjecture but from another knowledge of this also we will shew you the Types As first of Moses upon Mount Sinai when God gave him the Law this vvas done in forty dayes and Israel was tryed vvhether they would continue in divine obedience but seeing they made a Calfe and an Idoll and fell from God therefore Moses must break the first Tables of the Lavv signifying the first Adam in the divine Lavv vvho departed from it therefore the same vvas broken from him and he fell into the r r r Destruction breaking of his body as Moses brake the Tables in peece 21. And God gave Moses another Scripture or writing upon s s s Round baâ—l or Globe a Table of Stone which signifieth the Second Adam Christ who should restore the first and againe introduce his Law into his Table of the heart viz. into the life into the humanity and write it with the living Spirit in the sweet Name JESV thus the other Law was also written how Gods Love would destroy or break in peeces the Anger of which the Covenant in the Law was a type as shall be hereafter mentioned in Moses 22. The Second
viz. the free gift of the Father doth dwell in the inward true man which God created in Adam yet the gross Beast viz. the earthliness and vanity shall and trust in every respect be cast away from Christ yea Every man who desireth to be a Christian must cast out the earthly will which longeth and breatheth after vanity and Selfe â—â—st 21. As Abraham in this figure did not spare his owne children but cast them out so likewise a Christian must not spare or forbeare his children viz. his own lust and vaine desire and all whatsoever doth hang or depend thereon but dayly and hourely cast them out by the understanding out of the true Temple of Christ viz. out of Gods free gift and crucifie the old Adam else if it be not thus effected the old selfe-willed Adam crucifyeth Christ in him and so Christ indeed must hang on the Cross and be putt to death 22. And this figure also Concerning Abraham's casting out his naturall children doth signifie that when Christ viz. the true Isaac came into the flesh viz. into the humanity Abrahams naturall children viz. the Jewes should under the kingdome of Christ be cast out from the naturall goods viz. from all Dominion from Countrey and Kingdome and their Rule and Dominion should cease for the Dominion belongs onely unto Christ viz. to Christendom for Christ brought an Eternall Kingdome with him the goods were all his as Abrahams goods belonged to Isaac 23. And although it hath not dominion over all as Isaac had possession and rule of that onely which his father left him for the naturall children of Abraham born of Kethura became afterwards heathen and ruled over the outward goods as children of the outward nature yet Abrahams children who were in the Covenant under Circumcision must when Christ did manifest himselfe be cast out to signifie that the earthly man also viz. Selfe in the Serpents Ens which is on the children of the Covenant must be cast away from God 24. Thus in Abraham and his Son Isaac the figure of the Kingdome of Christ was represented but when Christ came into the flesh God putt away the figure and took from the externall children of Isaac the outward goods of the Land Canaan to intimate that now the holy Land of Canaan is become manifest where Isaac's children shall take possession of the true promised inheritance in Christ and no longer have the figure onely but the Essence of the figure viz. the perfect substance and now forsake the outward goods with the figure and putt on Christ in the flesh 25. But that the Jewes viz. Isaac's and Abrahams children viz. the children in Christs figure did not all turn unto Christ when he did manifest himselfe in the flesh hath this meaning God gave them the law of nature where in the law the Government of nature was understood externally and internally Christ viz. the Covenant and the promised free gift of God in Paradise so that the law of nature was to be Christs Sojourner and the true man also was to live under the law of nature in a * * * Note Right rationality and yet bring his own nature into Christs house and thus the figure of the law must continue among some of Abrahams children viz. amongst some of the Jewes to signifie that the law is Christs Sojourner 26. Understand that the nature of man shall remain for it is not so rejected of God as if clean another new man should arise out of the old but the new man shall arise out of Adam's nature and property and out of Gods in Christs nature and property so that man is become an Adam-Christ and Christ a Christ-Adam a Man-God and a God-Man and therefore the figure continued still among the Jewes and for this cause they were not all converted to Christ that so nature might keep its figure and due right for it shall deliver up its children under the Law viz. the figure of Christ to God the Father in Christ but its figure shall be proved in the fire of God so that it shall be known who hath been the true child of the naturall Law in the figure of Christ that hath been born in the spirit in the law out of the figure of Christ and who hath not 27. It is not hee that hath the words and Title of the law that is a Jew born in the figure and in the law but he who is born of the promise in Abrahams faith he that liveth in the figure of Christ viz. in the law in profession and practice with mouth and heart the same the law of God in Christs figure hath comprehended and will bring him into the fullfilling of the figure 28. For it doth not onely depend on mans knowing that Christ hath given himselfe into the law and is become the fullfilling in the law as the Titular Christian boasteth but it depends on Gods * * * Ordinance Order on the mercy of God whosoever hath been a true Jew and hath put on Abrahams faith in the law he hath putt on the Ens of Christ which Abraham conceived or apprehended which Ens of faith the humanity of Christ hath fullfilled and it is hidden to him what it is for he worketh in the office of nature in the law of God which Christ hath taken into himselfe and fullfilled so that he serveth God in the office of nature and the Office of nature serveth Christ for it is become Christs own propriety 29. For unto him all power is given both in heaven and on earth Matth. 28. under which power the office of nature also is in the law for God in the spirit of Christ is Even the selfe same who gave the law and the office of nature to do Righteousness together with the figure of the kingdome of Christ with the Ens of faith to Abraham and Moses and he is also the very same who fullfilled the Faith and the law 30. Thus the Jew worketh in his faith in Christs office viz. in the Law wherewith Christ governeth in nature and hath putt on Christ in the Covenant and in the Ens of faith in Christs figure which Christ hath fullfied 31. For the Christian who confesseth Christ in the flesh worketh in his Faith in the flesh of Christ and hath the Law of nature viz. Gods officer to do uprightly in his faith for Christ ruleth in the Law of God which he hath fullfilled and made a Servant in his children and killeth the law of Sin through the fullfilling of his Love in his bloud and death both in them who live in the dominion of his Law and also in them who live in the dominion of his Conquest as the Christians do 32. For the faith which presseth or cometh in unto God in the law in the figure in the Covenant the same cometh unto God in the Ens of Abrahams faith out of which Christ was born and he that cometh in unto God in the fullfilling of the
Element or thing whatsoever 4. And although the Elementall Compaction viz. the body which the Ens hath attracted to it selfe that is breathed it forth from it selfe as an externall Degree doth vanish and come to nothing for it hath a temporall beginning yet the first Ens cannot perish As we also see that all things enter againe into their mother from whence they are arisen and come forth viz. into the foure Elements 5. Now in this Consideration we finde the true ground of Sins Originall Seeing that the living powerfull understanding Speaking Word was breathed forth out of all the three Principles into the Ens of Mans Image for his f f f Intellectuall faculty understanding that he should and could rule the properties of the compaction of Sulphur Mercury and Salt but he hath now introduced this understanding viz. the Speaking powerfull Word againe into the Compaction of time viz. into the earthly limus where also the Fiat of time is Awakened in the body and hath taken the understanding viz. the inspired g g g Sound or harmony breath captive in it selfe and placed it self master over the understanding 6. So that we doe now see by wofull h h h With great lamentation experience how it is now with us that when we would speak albeit the understanding Word doth Idea or conceive it selfe in the inward Ens and desires to manifest the truth yet the awakened vanity in the earthly limus of the body doth soone forthwith catch it and cunningly blendes and works it forth into its own property or Serpentine suttlety so that the word of the humane understanding doth breath forth Lies iniquity malice falsehood and such cunning vanity and foppery in which voice the Devills desire doth mix it selfe and makes it to a Substance of Sin which the Kingdome of Gods Anger doth receive 7. For in what property every word doth forme and manifest it selfe in Mans Speech when he speaks it forth let it be either in Gods Love viz. in the holy Ens or in the Ens of Gods anger of the same it is againe received when it is Spoken the false word proceeding from the false Ens being infected by the Devill and Sealed to destruction is also taken into the Mystery of the wrath viz. into the property of the darke world Every thing entreth with its Ens into that whence it takes its originall 8. Seeing then the Speaking Word is a divine manifestation wherewith the Eternall word of God hath manifested it selfe and that this same Speaking Word is inspired into man we are therefore heere to consider what Man doth manifest with this Speaking Word understand it thus if the humane Lubet and desire which is the Fiat or the creating of the humane word doth conceive the forme of the word in the holy Ens viz. in the heavenly part of the humanity then the word i i i Or speaketh soundeth from an holy Povver and the mouth speaketh Truth 9. But if it be from the vanity from the Serpents craft which Eve imprinted into her selfe and thereby awakened its Suttlety then the word sounds from the Ens of the darke world viz. it proceeds from the Centre to the fire-word and thereinto also it entreth in its k k k Ens. End when it goeth forth out of the forme viz. out of the mouth and whithersoever it goeth it l l l Worketh bringeth forth fruit 10. If it entreth into another mans m m m Text into the mansion house of his Tone or Hearing faculty Hearing in whom the hunger of craft and vanity stands in open desire it is soon received as into a fruitfull Soyle and takes deep spreading root and brings forth such evill fruit whence also such sharp words and stinging n n n Text Thornes or jerking Taunts Taunts of the Devill are hatched in the devillish essence 11. But if it proceeds forth empty and bare onely into the false Imagination then it ascends into the will of the Minde and conceives it selfe in the Minde into a Substance for a Seat of the Devills desire even for his murthering Fort which he hath in Man 12. But if the false word be uttered against an holy man in reviling and reproaching him and the holy man will not let it take place in him and not stirre or move himselfe in the evill part of his property with the like evill word then the wrath of God receives it from without the man and is thereby mightily Enkindled and not onely the inward Ens of Gods anger according to the Spirituall darke worlds property is thereby enraged but also the outward Ens of the wrath in Turba magna is inflamed and hangs over the wicked mans Head and doth even encompasse him and he is therewith taken and possest as if he sate in the Hellish flames of fire 13. Of which Christ said that when the wicked did curse us we should blesse him that is Eccho forth the word of Love against his fiery word and not suffer his malicious word to enter into us for to take root and then it goeth backe againe and apprehends the wicked Reviler himselfe for Christ said we heap fiery coales upon his head 14. For Every word of man proceeds from an Eternall Ens either from the Ens of Gods Love or from the Ens of Gods Anger and if now it be brought forth out of the Ens viz. out of its owne place or mother it will have againe a place of its Rest wherein it may work 15. Now if it cannot take rest and worke in its likenesse without the wicked man who hath awakened and brought it forth out of his Ens and introduced it into a Sound or o o o Vocall wordy Substance then it catcheth or surrounds its Expresser or author who hath brought it into a Substance and entreth againe with its root into its mother whence it did arise that is with the Enkindled Spirit and with the Substance of its contrived matter it doth lay hold of and apprehend the p p p Or expressors Speakers Inventers Body viz. the outward Essence of the outward Sulphur 16. For every word when it is expressed is outwardly made and formed for in the expressing or pronouncing thereof the outward Spirit viz. the outward part of the Soule receives it to its own Substance and afterward beeing enkinded in the wrath and infected by the Devill in its comming forth in its witty glancing suttlety of the Serpent doth enter again into the Soul and Body of the monstrous Image and worketh according to its property Enkindled and infected by the Devill and continually bringeth forth such evill fruits and words as wee plainly see that out of many a wicked mouth nothing but vanity proceeds 17. Moreover we have a very great and weighty point here to consider of concerning the Serpents craft that if the Devill hath infected the word when it is borne in the Heart and formed in its
introduced earthly will may dye in it 40. For the fire-soule viz. the first Principle hangeth upon the Band of the outward world and continually and eagerly introduceth Something of vanity into it whereby the virgin-childe of the Angelicall worlds Essence viz. of Christs essentiality is defiled obscured and darkned therefore it must be so refined purified and purged again and many a cold piercing rautish wind of tribulation Anguish and great perplexity bloweth upon this child it must be continually as an off-scouring of the world for its Kingdome is not of this world as Christ said my Kingdome is not of this world 41. But the effect is this when the fair morning Star doth dawn and arise in the virgin-child then the outward life is even illuminated Or while it â—ives here in this time and it giveth it selfe up unto the obedience of the Internall life as an instrument and Servant of the internall 42. And then the holy Spirit of God shineth forth through the virgin-child and preacheth Christ crucified and reproveth the world for its Sins and wicked malicious doings and shewes them their false hypocriticall erroneous way that they will needs be the children of God in the outward Kingdome in their selfe-contrived and devised wayes and will seeke an externall forgivenesse of Sin in their owne conceited and received wayes and yet will still remaine in the vanity and in the pleasure of their flesh and desire onely to make devout shewes before God and give good words in a soothing glozing glosse of fine hypocrisie as if they served God in their contrived Conjectures and Opinions but still they will continue in selfehood in the outward shew and Ostentation 43. These the holy Ghost doth rebuke and reprove by the Virgins child in Christs Spirit and calls them hypocrites and wolves in sheeps cloathing and crafty Foxes borne of the Serpents Ens in whom there is the very property of Toads Dogs and wilde Beasts and shewes them that they draw neer to God with their lips but their Heart is full of murther gall and Serpent-desire and hath no true upright Love-desire in it also it shewes them that they are but meer flatterers and dissemblers in their Office who onely seeke pleasure and Temporall Honour and Respect thereby that so they might be able to domineer and Lord it over mens bodies and Soules Goods and Estates and thus they serve God onely from without with hypocriticall mouthes but their heart hangeth to the whoredome of Babylon full of devillish murther and poyson against him that doth but touch their Conscience 44. Such children in the Serpents craft who are best able as cunning Crafts masters in Sophistry to turne this Suttlety most takingly and artificially the children of the world doe set up unto themselves for Teachers and will learne the way of God from them 45. These Teachers doe assume unto themselves and presume upon the writings of the Saints and proclaime with open mouth that they teach Gods word the holy Spirit is poured forth by their teaching and preaching and though their conscience doth even convince them that they are not capable of the Office of the Ministry and that they are in no wise the Temples of the holy Spirit who should teach in and by them yet they care not for that it brings them money and Honour Christ is gone up to heaven and hath placed and Ordained them to be Stewards and Vicars in his office they must compose and contrive their Doctrine out of the writings of the Saints and out of their Reason upon the Letter of the Scripture their heaping together and composing of the words in the forme of their Suttle Reason must be the voice of the holy Spirit they say the holy Spirit is thereby poured forth into the Hearts of men 46. And though they themselves be onely Cain and in their q q q Or composing of the texts or bare letter of Scripture litterall and Bookish rapsody in their Sermons doe cast forth a great deal of light lewd Cainicall scorne and brother-slaughter and oftentimes mix lies and truth together yet the holy Spirit must have taught and the Congregation must thanke God for such holy sound orthodox Evangelicall Doctrine as they call it and after their killing of their brother there they must also help with boldnesse courage and zeale to murther and slay Abel and the little childe Jesus in his members with words and deeds 47. Such Teachers the world sets up to learn the Kingdome of God from and whosoever can but lustily cavill censure and condemne others in their Gifts and propose it with fine Distinctions and suttle Arguments and cloath them with the mantle of Reason and hide the Wolfe which thereby murthereth and devoureth Christs flock under the purple mantle of Christ to him they give diligent attention for the fleshly Serpents Heart doth therewith sooth up and flatter it selfe in its evill property It hath even such an Artificiall nature and Constitution 48. Such Seed these Teachers chosen of men doe sow who onely desire the Calling for temporall Honour and pleasure but are not called of God and are also without divine knowledge and understand not what true divinity is they enter not by the doore of Christ but they come into place by the Election and favour of men through the means of their own willing walking and running these can no way be acknowledged for the shepheards of Christ for they are not borne of Christ and chosen to this Function and divine calling 49. They are onely the great Master-builders of Babylon where the Languages are confounded and men thereby set at ods and variance and they set up war and contention upon the Earth for they wrangle and jangle about the meer Husk viz. about the written word and Letter and they have not the living word of God dwelling in them from which they ought to teach the Spirit of Christ it selfe must be the teacher in the word with the living voice or Expression the Spirit r r r The humane Spirit of man must know and feelingly finde Christ in it otherwise none teacheth the words of Christ onely dumb sencelesse words without power and Spirit 50. Now the Spirit of Christ in his children doth reprove these and shewes them the true way viz. how we must dye wholly in Christs death to the selfehood and the false selfe-full desire of temporall pleasure and honour and be borne again of Christs Spirit with another new will and desire out of Christs s s s Or body Love in peculiar Reall knowledge and preach and teach Christ from our own peculiar and singular knowledge of him in our selves 51. This Babel in Cain cannot endure that one should teach that Christ himselfe must be the teacher in the humane Spirit they plead their Cause from the forewritten Apostolicall word and say if they teach the same then the Spirit of God is poured forth yes forsooth very right I say so
to another * * * Mat. 24.14 For a Testimony unto all People And unto thee O * * * And to thee also O England Germany it is now shewen and also to those Nations of whom thou art born with the Name of Christ in that thou hast for a long time walked under the Mantle of Christ with an heathenish heart and boasted of the Adoption but lived onely in the iniquitie of the flesh That thy Judgement is nigh at hand 13. For the Angel of the judgement calleth aloud to the residue of Abrahams children in Christ Go out of Sodom Abraham in Christ is gon away from you yee have no more of Christ then an empty breath and a disputing verball lip-labour a mockery whereby one brother doth contemne scorn and mock another for Christs Knowledge sake and onely killeth Christ in his members The Citie Jerusalem and Babylon wherein thou hast gloried and proudly percked up thy selfe in thy devout hypocrisie shall go to ruin Amen 14. Lon Star shineth from the East and North which shall blindfold thee and break down thy walled Towers and Strong Holds in Jerusalem and Babylon for thou art called no longer Jerusalem but Babel and the children which sit in the shadow of the night and which lye imprisoned in Babel shall be delivered and come forth and enter into the Citie of God which he hath set open to all Nations and tongues of the earth that his glory may be known A light for All Nations or people 15. The figure of Abraham Sarah and Abimilech Gen. 20. is an emphaticall Type of Christendome how they should be weak in their own power and be delivered by God onely as Abraham was of a faint and timorus spirit when he was to go among these Nations and prayed his Sarah that she would say of him that he was her brother that so they might not slay him for her sake to signifie that a Christian in his own strength is not able to do any thing or to take unto himselfe therein the spirit of Christ who gives courage but he must go onely naked among his enemies and not at all rely on himselfe and his knowledge but meerly and onely upon Gods Grace 16. For he himselfe cannot stand onely Christ in him must be his sole courage and stedfast perseverance As Abraham here in his own abilities was full of doubt before Pharoah and Abimilech and continually fearfull of his life and must see onely when and how God would shield him and his Sarah and this history is excellently elegantly and exactly written of * * * Note Esdras Esdras in the vision of the spirit of Christ concerning Christs Kingdome as if the spirit had on purpose figured this History concerning Christs Kingdome for it aymeth directly thereat 17. But the outward man understands nothing of the Kingdome of Christ as we may see in Sarah when she conceived and brought forth Isaac shee said the Lord hath made me to laugh the people will laugh at this that the very Aged Sarah should give a child suck she did not yet understand the * * * Image Type of Christ but the Spirit of Christ in her understood it and not the naturall man in Selfhood but the will which was resigned and given up to God the same onely did apprehend the Covenant and the Spirit of Christ. 18. But Reason viz. the selfefull will did not perceive any thing thereof it was onely matter of mirth and laughter to it for it looked onely upon it selfe what it was As Abrahams will of selfe-own hood looked onely on it selfe and was afraid and dismayed and yet in him there was the great might over all Powers and Principalities but it did not belong to the humane own-hood 19. For Christ in his children doth not belong to the humane own-hood viz. to the selfewill neither doth he appropriate or give in himselfe to it but unto the humble resigned will to that he doth incline and appropriate himselfe and sometimes he doth also defend the own will thereby 20. For the own selfe-will is of the nature of this world born of flesh and bloud but the Resigned will dyeth to the world and is brought forth to life in God Thus also we are to understand in Abraham and in all Christians a twofold will viz. one of this world which allwaies stands in fear and then according to the Second Principle viz. the Kingdome of Heaven the poore captive soules will which diveth and immerseth it selfe into Gods Mercy in * * * Note Hope Hope CHAP. XLVI Of Isaac's birth and the casting-out of Ishmael with his Mother Hagar What thereby is signified Gen. XXI THe Spirit in Moses setteth the figure of mans Regeneration in its process so exactly and orderly together in the history of Abraham that a man may even lay hold of it much more see it how he doth set the naturall man in selfe and Christ so punctually by each other and points even with the finger at the figure for when God had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and that Plain over against which Abraham dwelt and brought forth Lot then Abraham journeyed from thence towards the South shewing that when the Kingdome of Christ should be * * * Corrupt despoyled in any place that then Christ would depart thence 2. And He lived under the King Abimilech and sojourned as a stranger at Gerar In these two Names viz. Abimilech and Gerar the figure stands plain in the generation or formation of the word without any interpretation or exposition wherefore the Spirit in Moses wrote down this History and from whence he looketh as through an exact Perspective for ABIMILECH denoteth the man of ingenious and discreet Reason viz. the true man but without Christ onely in the creature as he is created GERAR betokeneth the strong Austere life of nature wherein the understanding must dwell which nature is corrupted and from that corruption casteth or darteth Temptations and oppositions continually into the life's understanding or Reason-light so that the life stands in a constant contrariety and is uncessantly sifted winnowed and proved which is the * * * Note Cross of the children of God that they see that while they live in themselves in selfe-Reason they can doe nothing else but go astray slip and erre as may be seen here in Abraham When God lead him away from the borders of the Sodomites he went towards the South unto King Abimilech The inward figure of this stands thus 3. When God had manifested himselfe to Abraham and set forth the figure of Christ and his Kingdome and also the Power of Judgement upon the whole earth then God hid himselfe again from Abraham and then Abraham went towards the South Countrey that is into his Reason viz. into mans own understanding and dwelt at Gerar that is in the corrupt nature which manifests it selfe plainly in his carriage towards Abimilech where he in the fear of nature in
and V for the S is the character of the holy fire and the V is the character of the efflux issuing forth or Emanation out of the fire 43. Thus the Name Jacob was in the fullness of time in the Ens of Mary changed into the Name Jesus which understanding hath been as dumb and dead both to the Jewes and Christians being no Nation doth any more understand its own language and contend onely about the Compaction of the formed nature of the outward name and understanding the Mentall Tongue none will learn to understand how the same hath formed imprinted and * * * Modelized Ideafied it selfe in the words and Names in the sensuall tongue and yet the whole understanding lyeth therein without opinions if we were not so very blind and shut up in ignorance suffering selfe in pride to rule and govern us we should soon attain to the deepest understanding but the Antichrist beareth the supremacy therefore Esau onely ruleth in the understanding Gen. 25.27 28. 44. And Moses saith further And when the children were grown up Esau was a cunning Hunter and a man of the field and Jacob was a * * * Honest. plain man and dwelt in Tents and Isaac loved Esau and loved to eat of his venison but Rebecca loved Jacob. O thou wonderfull God how very simply and plainly are the greatest Mysteries typifyed and deciphered who can be able to understand without thy Spirit from whence it was that the pretious man Isaac in the Type of Christ loved the naturall man in Adams corrupt Image Esau more then Jacob in the Type of Christ in his figure if thou hadst not in thy knowledge vouchsafed mee to understand the same I must be here even stark blind but it is thy Counsell O Lord that we know thee and thy time is born that thou revealest the Secrets 45. Moses saith that Esau was an hunter and a man of the field and the Father loved to eat of his venison and loved him above Jacob here stands an externall figure as if Isaac loved Esau for his Activeness cunning skill or worldly exercise and loved him more then Jacob so wholly hath the Lord the heart of the wise and of his children in his hand that his children must not in their will doe what they please and oftentimes well understand but what God wills 46. Also we herein see how oftentimes God withdrawes the Mysteries from the most holy that they must be even children in them and although they beare the divine play in their Hands and t is their work and exercise yet they must have a child-like Heart in the understanding thereof as it may be seen here in Isaac 47. He loved Esau more then Jacob why so the Ens of Christ lay in him which ruled him for Christ should love his Enemies viz. the corrupt Esau and his naturall children him he loved more then his divine nature for he brought his divine nature into the death of the corrupt Adam and loved * * * Not his sin in the nature but his poor undon nature by sin which he by death freed from sin and death Adams corrupted nature more then his holy Ens which he for mans corrupt natures sake gave into the fire of Gods Anger that so he might redeem it in his Love of this Isaac was here a figure in the Image of Christ who loved his Hunter in his Evill nature more then Jacob he did not love his iniquity but his child-like nature to which he would do much good as Christ loved us in our Adamicall nature and did us good he did not Love us according to the will of Sin in us as Isaac also did not therein Love his Son Esau but according to the Fathers nature and property according to the child-like filial nature The inward figure stands thus 48. When Isaac intreated the Lord that his Rebecca might conceive his naturall desire with the * * * Earnest longing lubet of the divine Ens of faith entered into Rebecca whereby Rebecca was opened and so the naturall Love of Isaac which was environed with faith was propagated in his seed and opened it selfe in Esau Isaac's love did not open it selfe in Esau as to his corrupt nature I say not according to the kingdome of the nature of this world but according to the Covenant according to the Second Principle viz. according to Gods kingdome which the externall nature in him had not as yet apprehended as the divine Ens in Abraham did open and manifest it selfe according to the Second Principle and not in the mortall corrupt Adamicall nature of the outward world the like also is here to be understood in the figure in Esau. 49. Not that Esau did receive the Ens of Christ in the Covenant as Jacob but his Fathers Love-desire in which the hidden Covenant stood unmoveable now there was thus a Conjunction with his Fathers naturall Love for Every property loveth its own likeness especially if the likeness be proceeded forth from the Essence or thing Loving as Esau was conceived in Rebecca of his Father through his Love-desire 50. And it even denotes that the divine Ens in Gods Love in Isaac loved the miserable humane nature to redeem it therefore God manifested his Love in Abrahams faith and introduced the same into an Ens so that this same Love which God gave to redeem mankinde should Love the humane nature in its shut up abandoned condition as in very truth the true reall Adamicall nature ordained by God was shut up in Esau and on the contrary the kingdome of the wrath had the outward dominion Now to redeem this the spirit in the Covenant through Isaac's nature Loved his Son Esau viz. the filial nature and not onely because that he was an Hunter of the creatures 51. Yet here also by this Hunter we are even to understand the same as is set down before concerning * * * Gen. 10.9 Nimrod who was a mighty Hunter before the Lord for this whole description of the first book of Moses is Gods Spirits figure type or representation where he * * * Or Sets forth as in a Map playeth with the kingdome of nature and then also with Christs kingdome and he hath so pourtrayed delineated and typifyed the Acts of the holy Patriarchs under his figure that we may clearly see in all the histories the glance or allusion of Gods Spirit how he hath delineated and set forth to the life the kingdome of Christ and the kingdome of nature and also the Devills kingdome in the wrath of the Eternall nature and neither the Jewes or Christians hitherto have had a right understanding of the same which among the Patriarchs was rightly understood in its true meaning 52. But afterwards when their children and posterity gave no heed unto the same but disregarded the true understanding and loved their Evill nature more then the spirit in the Covenant then the understanding was
which in the Kingdome of Christ attaineth the Marriage of the Line of Christ in the manner of a servant 6. For Adam hath negligently forfeited the Line the Right of Nature in the kingdome of God was lost in Adam and attaineth in the manner of a servant to the Marriage as Jacobs wives Maydes did whereby we then see that Rachell viz. the right selfe Nature could not work or bring forth fruit till the Line of servitude under the yoke of the Adamicall Nature of selfe-Love did first become fruitfull to signifie that the humane Nature must give it selfe up to be a servant under the Line of Christ if it will be married in the Line of Christ and be ingrafted as an heire of God 7. And then first springeth forth the kingdome of Nature in the kingdome of God and in the blessing becometh fruitfull as Rachell was first fruitfull when her Mayd had brought forth to signifie that Rachell also must be an handmayd to the Covenant of God and the Line of Christ and that the Line of Christ in her also be her Lord so that shee also attaineth the Marriage of Christs Line in the manner of a handmayd and that shee had not the Line of Christ in her in selfe-Power by the Light of Nature but as a Gift bestowed of Grace that standeth in another Principle 8. And signifieth under it that the Line of Christ was not propagated in humane selfe-ability but that it selfe doth presse into their Branches and that the Great or high Name or * * * Stock Familie or Genealogy stock or Tribe of Men is not respected but it presseth as soone upon the meanest and most miserable in the world which are but servants and handmayds as upon the most high and Noble 9. As we have a powerfull example of this in Jacob who must be in a servile condition Twenty yeares as a servant till the Twelve Stocks of the Tribes of Israel were begotten by him to signifie That a Christian must be borne under the servile yoake of the corrupt Domineering selfe-willed Adamicall Nature but if any should as a Christian be borne of the Line of Christ then must the †††Mother Parent be given up as a servant to God and be in the kingdome of Nature onely as a servant of God who in his heart forsaketh all temporall things and accompts nothing his owne and in his condition and employment esteemeth himselfe but as a servant who serveth his Lord therein 10. As Jacob who under this service of his begatt the Stocks or Tribes of Israel signifieth that they should be strange Guests in this world and serve God their Lord in the kingdome of Nature therein who himselfe would * * * Promise or appoint vote them their Wages that they should with Great Riches goe out of this world and enter into the Kingdome of Christ viz. into their first Adamicall Paradisicall Native Country as Jacob in his service got his stepfathers Goods with great Blessing The Inward Spirituall Figure standeth thus 12. When Adam was fallen he must goe forth out of Paradise and yeeld up himselfe to be a servant under the Spirit of the world in the Kingdome of this world and be subject to the Starres and the foure Elements and serve them in their Dominion and provide for and take care of their children viz. the Creatures of this world as we see before our Eyes 13. But when he was to goe out of Paradise as Jacob out of his Fathers house the Lord meets him sheweth him the Entrance in againe into Paradise through the seed of the woman and destroyer of the Serpent as he shewed the same also to Jacob by * * * Gen. 28.12 the Ladder which reached to Heaven 14. And when Adam was gone out of Paradise then he must submit himselfe to be a servant under a strange yoake and serve the kingdome of Nature in its wonders and provide for or take care of the Children of Nature which kingdome of Nature in the Fall became strange to him in that it now holds him by constraint and vexeth him with heate and cold sicknesse and misery and holdeth him Captive in it selfe and useth him in its service which before was his best friend and * * * Grand-Father Patron 15. And as Jacob in this Figure must flie to his friend his Mothers brother and serve him whom he kept as a servant and yet also in respect of his Daughter as a sonne in Law so also must Adam serve under the servile yoake of his Great †††Grand-Father· Father viz. the kingdome of Nature which kingdome gave him its daughter to wife of whom under this yoake he begat the children of God in the Blessing of God and also placeth his children as ministring servants in his Fathers house viz in the kingdome of this world 16. And as Jacob obteined Great Riches in the Blessing of God and acquired the Goods of his Master with subtilty * * * Gen. 30 37 38 39 c. in that he subtilly used the halfe peeled streaked sticks before the drinking Troughs where the sheepe drank upon which they conceived and brought forth †††Pied or spâ—tted ring-straked sheepe particoloured so also when Adam was come under the servile yoake of the kingdome of Nature wherein also the Envie and subtilty of the Devill domineered according to the kingdome of Wrath God shewed him that he should with suttlety acquire to himselfe the kingdome of Nature viz. the working of Nature with its wonders and procure the Power of Nature for an Eternall propriety that his works which he Operates in the kingdome of Nature must follow him into his Eternall Native Country and be his owne 17. Which subtilty was that which God shewed him viz. the Destroyer of the Serpent which Adam put on in the Covenant which put on the kingdome of Nature assumed from us Men and with divine subtilty tooke away the strength and power of our Lord and Master viz. of the kingdome of Gods wrath which held us captive under its yoake and put on all humane power and tooke away our Lord and Masters owne Power viz. the kingdome of Natures owne power as Jacob tooke his Lord and Masters Goods 18. And as the Spirit of * * * Gen. 31.10 God shewed Jacob in the vision that the Hee-Goates and Rams that leaped upon the Goates and Sheepe were ring-straked speckled and grisled so was Adam also shewed in the Spirit of the Covenant of Promise how the Spirit of Grace in the Covenant came upon the streaked particoloured humane Nature and blessed it so that it became pregnant of the spirit of the Covenant 19. Which Humane streaked or particoloured Nature is no other than the halfe earthy corrupt and againe in the Covenant Newborne Heavenly Nature upon this came the Spirit of God as to the heavenly part and made it fruitfull so that under the earthly
the proof or trial of Gods righteousness though indeed Grace was manifested in them but he erected a house viz. the Christian Church upon earth and made his children * * * Tabernacles Boothes Tents that is Christian Ordinances wherein they might dwell and hence it is called Christendome as Jacobs City is called SVCCOTH so also the place or City of Christendome is called * * * Matth. 7 7. Luke 11.9 seeke SVCHET so shall you finde ‖ ‖ ‖ Mat. 28.20 Christ who is alwayes in these Tents with his children to the End of the World 73. And the Text in Moses saith further * * * Gen. 33.18 19 20. Afterwards Jacob went to Salem the City of Sichem which lieth in the Land of Canaan when he came from †††Padan Aran. Mesopotamia and set up his Station before the City and bought a piece of ground of the children of Hemor the Father of Sichem for a hundred pieces of money and there he set his Tent up and erected an Altar and called on the name of the strong God of Israel In this Text the Spirit aludeth rightly to the future Christendome For Christ led his children after his Resurrection to Salem that is into salvation or the anoynting or Vnction of the Holy Ghost as Jacob led his children to Salem but it was to the City of Sichem that is among the Heathen 74. And set his Station before the City That is Christ should have his habitation by the Heathen and set his Temple and Doctrine neare the Idols Temples of the Heathen and purchase the City of his holy Christian Church from the Heathen that is with his bloud purchase it from Gods Righteousness even as it is come to passe And there erect his Altar among the Heathen and preach the name of the God of Israel that is Christ. 75. For the name Sichem signifies that the Christian Church must be in misery and trouble As Jacob buildeth his habitation before the City Sichem so must also the children of Christ be but strange guests in this world and be but as houshold servants to the Heathen Potentates and children of this world though indeed they have their habitation viz. the Temple of Christ in them which Christ hath purchased for them with his bloud yet they are outwardly but strange guests and pilgrims and dwell without before the City of this world viz. in an earthly Tabernacle and Tent in flesh and bloud CHAP. LXII Of Dinah Jacobs Daughter which he begat of Lea how she was deflowred by Hemor's Son and how Jacobs Son's slew Sichem for it and all the males that were in that City and tooke Dinah again and what is to be understood by this figure Genesis 34. The Gates of Christians warre for the Babylonish Whoredome now highly to be Considered 1. MOses sayth Put Dinah the Daughter of Lea which shee had borne to Jacob went out to see the Daughters of the Land Gen. XXXIV 1 2 3 4. and when Sichem the Son of Hemor the Hevite the Lord of the Country saw her he tooke her and lay with her and deflowred her and his heart cleaved to her and he loved the Damsel and spake kindly to her And Sichem said to his Father Hemor get me this Damsel to wife The Reader should very seriously consider this figure and rightly meditate on the Text in Moses look * * * Into the Face of it throughly into it then he will wâ—ll understand our sence and meaning and most precious apprehension opened to us by the Divine Grace and learne to look upon the Scriptures of the first Book of Moses with cleere eyes 2. Leah the wife of Jacob bare to him six Sons viz. the half Stock of Israel and of her came Judaâ— viz the roote of David of whom Christ was manifested according to our humanity Afterwards she bare this Dina a daughter by which figure the Spirit powerfully prefigureth Christendome that after Christs ascension into heaven after the worke of humane Redemption the true Christendome should be borne As Jacob first begate the Twelve Patriarchs but afterwards of Leah that is of the mother of Christendom a daughter of fleshly selfe-love would be borne which daughter would goe a gadding to see the daughters of the Land among whom shee should be a stranger That is thus much in the figure 3. When Christendome would be borne that its number might be great it would goe forth in self-love and seeke the pleasure of the flesh and would set itâ— heart upon the customes and behaviours of the people and depart from lowliness and humility and would look after the wantonnes and pride of the daughters of the Land that is of the people and then they would beget this daughter Dinah and appeare before God in fleshly voluptuousness of spiritual whoredome and would play the whore with the heathenish customes but yet would present it self beautifull and trimly dresâ—â— as an amorous virgin which runneth abroad to be seene that shee might take Lovers as Dinah did which went thus forth a gadding 4. Thus also would Christendom trimm it self and dress it self with great ostentation and solemnity with Churches and Schooles and put on glittering sumptuous appearing holy Garments that they might have respect with the daughters of the Land as with strange people and yet would be full of flames of self love and fleshly menstruous polution under such habits and have a whorish heart as a whore outwardly flatters beautifies and trims her self and will throughout be calld a chast virgin Thus also would this trim Christendom be called holy but her heart would only play the whore with fleshly voluptuousness 5. Shee would faine see the dress of the daughters of the Land which dress is no other then the heathenish wisdome and Philosophy and would draw the same into Christ's kingdome and would live under Christ's purple mantle in those Rites and customes and trim her self therewith and thereby quite forget that her tents and habitations are without the City of these peoples customes as * * * Gen 33.18 Jacob dwelt without before the City of Hemor and also Christ said †††Joh. 18.36 His kingdome was not of this world 6. But this Christendome would set her heart upon the kingdome of this world and so in the dress of a virgin trim her self with many Churches Priests and Ceremonies under the habit of a virgin but in this departure from the simplicity and humility of Christ shee would but gad abroad in the world and looke after fleshly whoredome as Dinah did which is a type of fleshly Christendome which is alwayes borne after the true Children of Christ as Dinah was borne after the * * * 12 Patriarchs Twelve Patriarchs That is 7. When Christendome is borne and manifested among a people it begetteth in that place first the * * * 12 Patriarchs Twelve Patriarchs viz. the ground of the Apostolick Doctrine but
* * All whatsoever he hath or is Substance and fly from thence nakedly and resignedly in spirit and power that his chast virginity may abide stedfast before God 9. And if Joseph doth thus wrestle and suffers not flesh and bloud nor the base world to hinder or over-master him then it will become his utter enemy and betray him to death because he will not commit lewdnesse and whoredome with her and then Joseph viz. the †††The reall earnest conflicting Christian. wrestling man is cast into prison viz. into reproach and contempt for the sake of his chastity and feare of God and he must hide himselfe under Christs Crosse under his yoke in his suffering and death and live as a Prisoner in misery the world rejecting him as one not at all worthy to tread upon the Earth Accounting him as a prisoner that is imprisoned and despised for whoredomes sake desiring to have no converse nor intercourse with him being that the chiefe Masters and Great Ones viz. Potiphars wife doe revile him and accuse him of unchastity 10. Which wife doth also signifie the false Babylonish hypocriticall whore with all her dissemblers and flatterers in the fine Adorned house of Christendom who when they cannot catch Joseph with their whoredom and hold him but that he doth strongly gett away from them then they exclaim out against him falsely and keep his Garment for a Signe accusing him of unchastity viz. of Idolatry and * * * One of dangerous Principles or opinions heresie and call him a dreamer a ‖ ‖ ‖ A whimsicall fellow phantasticall fellow and a scismatick as hapned to Joseph 11. And when the Master heareth it then he beleeveth this Potiphars wife viz. the painted and fine accomplisht hypocrite in the house of hypocrisie and so Joseph cometh to be suspected of the Master and is rejected of him and cast into the prison of Affliction and there he must live in misery and scorn as a guilty person and yet not guilty 12. But this contempt banishment and affliction is good for him for thereby he is drawn from the pride and whoredome of the world and all its falsehoods which might assault his flesh and bloud and hinder the new birth and thus the pretious Pearle-plant growes under Christs Crosse in the disrespect and tribulation of the world and becomes great and strong 13. But in the meane time God doth send honest people to such a Joseph who take pitty and care of him and maintain him and acknowledge his innocency and shew themselves friendly and kinde towards him and consider his chastity and feare of God and do also respect him and provide for him till the inward Prince in Gods power be fit for the Government and then God bringeth him out of prison and giveth him the Scepter of Government to be a Prince in his Wonders and to rule and govern in Divine Knowledge over Gods wonderfull Workes as Joseph over the Land of Egypt In which * * * In such a condition type and figure this Pen is likewise born and indeed no otherwise which yet is hidden unto reason 14. This is now the Summe of the Exposition of the History of Joseph but seing it is so very rich and full we will make a fundamentall explanation upon the Text for a direction and manuduction to the loving reader who also intendeth to become a Joseph if he shall be in Earnest and learn to observe and know himselfe in this figure he will see what Spirits child hath made these writings for he will finde this †††That Pen of Iron or point of a Diamond is that engraveth in the heart Jer. 17.1 Gen. 37.1 2 3 4. Pen Engraving or writing in his Heart 15. The Text saith Jacob dwelt in the Land wherein his Father was a stranger namely in the Land of Canaan These are the Generations of Jacob Joseph being Seventeen yeares old was feeding the flock with his brethren and the Ladd was with the Sons of Bilhah and with the Sons of Zilpah his fathers wives and Joseph brought unto his Father their evill report Now Israel loved Joseph more then all his Children because he had begotten him in his old age and he made him a Coat of many Colours And when his brethren saw that their Father Loved him more then all his brethren they hated him and could not speak friendly to him The inward Figure is this 16. Jacob had cast his fleshly naturall Love upon Rachel being shee was fair and seing that the line of Christ in the Covenant did lye in Jacob Rachel was shutt up so that his seed was not manifested in her in the naturall manner of the flesh untill Jacob Rachel were grown old and neither of them loved each other so any more according to fleshly love but onely desired a fruit of their seed wherefore also Jacob and Rachel prayed unto God that he would open her and make her fruitfull and when this was brought to passe out of this seed of Jacob sprang forth a Line which did set forth and represent a figure of the pure naturall and right Adamicall humanity which birth in the figure typifieth how Christ would again beget the Adamicall humanity * * * Vnto in its primitive chastity purity and fear of God 17. For in Lea viz in the simplicity and lowlinesse the line of Christ arose and sprang forth and in Rachel the line of the first Adamicall man in his Innocency viz. a figure of the same which figure did represent how a Christian should stand at once both in Christs Image and in Adams Image and what a Christian in this world should be inwardly and outwardly and how he must become a Christian therefore saith the Text †††Gen. 37.4 Jacob Loved Joseph more then all his children the cause was this Joseph was sprung forth out of Jacobs owne naturall line of his peculiar naturall Love to Rachel wherein the line in Christs Love in the Covenant had also imprinted and manifested it selfe and it was a punctuall representation in the Figure of a new Regeneration how a true Christian should stand after that Christ should be revealed in the flesh of the humane nature 18. And therefore Joseph was so inclined in his Minde that he could not conceal any falsehood but when he heard any evill of his brethren he told the same to his father this his brethren could not brook and therefore they called him a betrayer and envied him for the spirit which reproveth wickednesse and falsehood was revealed in him for * * * Joh. 16.8 Christ should reprove the world for Sin but being he now did represent a Christian he told it his father out of whom HEE should come who should reprove the world and we see very clearly how flesh and bloud viz. Josephs naturall brethren in the Type of Christendome became an utter enemy to the type viz. to the true Christian Joseph
and they could not speak a friendly peaceable word unto him for it doth sorely vex and offend the Serpent in flesh and bloud when Christ comes and will bruise its head 19. Moreover we see very evidently how the Spirit of God did manifest it selfe in Joseph and signified to him the figure of his Constellation so that he could understand Dreames Visions after the same manner as the Prophets in the Spirit of Christ saw visions and could expound them so also Joseph 20. As it was shewed unto him in a vision how he should be a Prince over his father and all his brethren which doth directly point out the inward man in the Spirit of Christ who becomes Prince over his Fathers Adamicall house in the Type and figure whereof Joseph stood outwardly and therefore the externall figure was set forth and personated in him by the hatred of his brethren towards him signifying how the multitude of the world would be hatefull scornfull and opposite Enemies to the New childe in Christs Spirit and also how it would be done by those who were Christians and did boast of Christ and were also such in the inward ground and how the Adamicall man would not know and acknowledge Christ in a true outward and manifest manner but ignorantly despise and contem him in his brethren and members 21. To signifie that Christ in this world hath taken on himselfe the Reproach in the Righteousnesse of God and that he would not onely in his owne humane Person suffer scorn and bear Adams reproach seing he departed from the Image of God but that he would also suffer himselfe to be reproached in all his members and children so that he would also beare Adams reproach in them and * * * Rom. 8.29 make them like to his Image 22. Therefore must Jacobs children who also were in Christs line according to their naturall Adamicall Man reproach revile and hate the Image of a true Christian Man in Joseph to shew how one Christian would exercise provoke and persecute another in zeal and despise his fellow-Christian for a naturall Opinions sake as it now is and ever hath been practised in Christendome namely that the one party hath despised contemned and hated the other because of naturall Lawes Rights or priviledges and the Opinions of a supposed service of God 23. As Joseph was hated of his brethren †††Or for the knowledge of his visions because he had visions so is now adayes the divine wisdome which revealeth it selfe in Gods children vilified and hated of the naturall Adam which scorn and enmity doth wholly proceed and arise from the Pharisaicall Lawes and Canons from the Concubine of Christ the Stone-Churches and their Ministers which doe disgrace and vilifie the Concubine of Christ themselves as it appears very evidently and thereby they contemn despise the children of Christ. 24. For by the Concubine of Christ the Churches the Babylonish Towre of the high Schooles and Universities is built and from thence come the confused * * * The confusion of severall Opinions and conceits in Mens Minds Languages so that Christ is not understood in his children when they in the simplicity of Christ declare and expound the visions of Joseph the mysteries of Christs Kingdome then these strange Languages despise it for they have gotten upon the Towre other Languages from the Compaction of the sensuall Tongues where every sence of the literall Spirits hath brought it selfe into a form of a severall peculiar Tongue or Speech 25. And the height of the Towre giveth the difference or distinction of speech to this sensuall Tongue so that they do not understand one another in their understanding or ground of their meaning which height signifyeth the pride of selfe-Love from which the five vowells do hide themselves so that they understand †††Mat 22.29 not the power of God in Gods children in the simplicity of Joseph but call him a Dreamer an expounder of Signes a Scismatick a phantasticall fellow an Enthusiast a Foole c. 26. Thus in the room and place of our Adamicall Guilt and Crime Christ is despised in his children and thus * * * Mat. 3.15 Christ fullfilleth the righteousness of God in his children and hereby the old man is also mortifyed and it is well for the Christian Joseph that it goes thus with him for otherwise he would not be thrown into the Worlds pitt and be sold to the Midianites that he might come to Pharoah and there become a Prince 27. Therefore a Christian must not be grieved and perplexed at the hatred of his brethren in that they hate Joseph but rather think with himselfe O! that thou also wert cast into Josephs Pitt that thou mightest thereby be brought away from the house of Sinne come likewise into Josephs Prison that so thou mightest have cause to fly from the world and that this Prince that giveth Joseph to understand the divine visions in his word of power might be also manifest and born under the Banner of Christs Crosse that in thee also the divine chastity of Joseph the pure Christian virginity might be manifested that thou likewise mightest obtain such a godly chast heart this ought to be the wish and will of a Christian and not that he may become great by means of the Towre of Babel in the Strange Languages of whose difference and severall variety the height of the Towre viz. Pride is the author and cause so that men will not understand one another in Love meeknesse humility and in the simplicity of Christ * * * Acts 17.28 in whom notwithstanding we live and have our being 28. Therefore O thou poore confused and distracted Christendome thou art bidden and entreated by the affliction of Joseph to see from whence thy affliction and misery cometh from no whither else save onely from the hatred of thy brethren which also are in Christs Line as Josephs brethren observe it aright thy wound and hurt thy misery and affliction doth come onely from the Towre of Babel from the Titles Dignities and Preferments of thy brethren who in their pride of the Confused Tongues are entred into selfe-Love observe it I beseech thee all strife division and contention in the world ariseth from thence 29. But thou saist this Towre doth advance mee to honour and esteem and makes mee high and rich so that I by meanes of the strange Languages of my literall endowments and Scholastique Learning can ride over Joseph and am able to binde him so that he must lye in the pitt and thus I am Lord in Christs kingdome upon the Earth 30. Hearken and marke it we have heard a watchman say the Midianites come and take Joseph with them and bring him unto Pharoah and there thine unfaithfullnesse and unrighteousnesse shall be discovered how wilt thou then stand before the face of Joseph The time is nigh at hand 31. Or dost thou thinke that
with you this is called setting all the Twelve sonnes of Jacob before Joseph that is before Jesus and fall at his feete with body and soule inwardly and outwardly with all your faculties and powers and yeeld them up into his Grace 18. For it is not sayd that they can take the Grace but that they should sink downe into Grace that Grace may give it selfe to them for Mans ability to take it is lost selfe-will it rent off from God it must wholly sinck downe into God and leave off willing that God may receive it againe into his Grace 19. O Babell how home doth this hitt thee Thou art by or before the Life of God with thy hypocrisie but a spie of the Grace of God thou dost but seeke for the Gate of Grace and how thou mightest with thy owne will without thy inward Benjamin enter into the Kingdome of Christ yes thou wilt be outwardly an adopted childe of Grace whose sinnes are forgiven through the Merits of Christ and yet continuest to be Babell and a Fable and wilt not be a Christian in Christ thou wilt needes passe into Heaven but that will not avayle thee Joseph that is Christ holdeth thee imprisoned in the Anger of God both in Body and Soule unlesse thou givest him Benjamin viz. thy inward Ground and then Heaven goeth into thee and Christ standeth up in thee out of the Grave so that thy selfe art risen from Death and then thy spying and prying hath an End 20. O yee high Schooles and Universities and all yee that will be accounted the Ministers of God and to teach the way of God and contend and dispute about it what are yee look upon your selves in this Figure you appeare to be no other then Spies you alwayes search and yet you lye still in Prison God will have it so no more for hee himselfe tryeth the Thoughts of Man and is himselfe present in all things his is the understanding his is the knowledge of the Kingdome of God without him yee know nothing 21. Your spying and knowing helps you not into the Kingdome of God you cannot enter therein except that goe forth in your Life that is except it be manifested in your Life that yee are Gods children in Christ in his Sufferings Death and Resurrection in himselfe not through an acquired Historicall seeming Faith but Essentially as a Branch on the Vine yee must be a Twig on the Tree you must have Christs Life flesh Bloud operatively and substantially in the Inward Ground in you and you must become Christ else yee are all one and other but spies searchers and historicall Christians and no better then Jewes Turks and Heathens 22. O ye simple Men let it be made knowne to you goe but forth from the Towre of the Confounded Languages then may you soone come to the right seeke * * * Mat. 26.64 Act. 7·55 56. Col. 3.1 Christ at the right hand of God within you he sitteth there unlock your wills that is give them up to him and he will unlock them well enough your repentance must be earnest or else ye are all one and other but Spies 23. Gaze about no more it is high Time †††Rev. 1.3.22 â—0 the time is truly borne or at hand ‖ ‖ ‖ Luk. 21.28 your Redemption draweth neere * * * Rev. 21. â— The Bridegroom calleth his Bride you must indeed into the Prison of Joseph in this Famine if you will not bring your inward ground of your hearts into Repentance with you Amen be it so Gen. 42.18 19 20. 24. And Moses sayth further But on the Third Day he sayd to them if you will live then doe thus for I feare God if you be honest and true Men let one of your brethren lie captive in your Prison but as for you goe your wayes and carry home what ye have bought for your hunger and bring your youngest brother to mee and so I shall beleeve your words that ye may not die and they did so The Figure standeth thus 25. When the soule draweth neere to God and will work repentance and that its inward Ground is yet wholly shut up in vanity so that the Minde is still hanging to selfe yet if it will not give over Repentance and for all that cannot be free from the Earthly desires but continueth in Prayer then indeed God the Father letteth the Soules Essences out of the Prison of his Anger that the Minde is well eased againe like one that is released out of Prison then sayth the Minde thus I am very well eased in my Prayer in this Repentance 26. For Gods Anger hath released Nature out of its Prison that it should with greater labour and industry presse in to God for in its Prison it cannot doe so for it is in anguish and beholdeth only its committed sinnes which continually drive it back that it is affraid †††Abashed ashamed daunted in the presence of God but when the Anger lets it loose then it gets power and vertue of Prayer and the work of Repentance 27. But the Anger of God holdeth it continually with one Band as Joseph held one Brother in Prison till they brought the last brother also and thus must the poore soule remaine tied with one band of the Prison of Death till it shed forth the last brother viz. the inward ground and come before God and say Lord I will forsake all for Christs and my salvations sake and give up my will wholly to thee cast mee into Death or into Life into derision or scorne into poverty or misery as thou wilt I will cleave to thee I will not play the hypocrite before thee and give thee but halfe my will any more as I have done 28. And then if the Earnestnes proceed to practice that God perceiveth that it is in Earnest then will also the last brother be let loose that is then will also the last Band of the Anger of God be loosed but in the meane time ere it thus come to passe the soule must lye captive in one Band. 29. But neverthelesse God sayth to the other released * * * Or faculties formes of Life Now goe your way with that which you have at present in this Repentance bought or gotten of mee and carry it home that is defile it not againe live of it and partake of this present Grace bestowed and carry it in to the Honour of God that it may come before God with the Operation of it 30. Moses sayth further But they sayd one among another Gen 42 21 22 23 24. wee trespassed against our Brother that wee saw the anguish of his Soule when he wept to us and wee would not heare him therefore now this Trouble cometh upon us Reuben answered them and sayd did I not tell you as much when I sayd Sinne not against the Lad and yee would not heare and now is his bloud required but they knew
things passe in free will verse 21. Ch. 66. How knowing Nothing is better then willing for selfe verse 66. Ch. 71. Of the Divine willing and of the Humane willing verse 25. to the 36. Wisdome Ch. 1. What the Eternall Wisdome is verse 6. Ch. 29. How the Eternall Wisdome hath introduced it selfe into a formed visibility verse 1. to the 70. Ch. 41. A Speech to the Reason wise verse 42. c. Woman Ch. 19. Of the building or framing of the Woman verse 1. to the 27. Ch. 41. How the Woman is saved through bearing of children verse 29. c. Ch. 66. VVhat the Woman upon the Moone in the Revelations is verse 34 35. Word Ch. 2. Of the Word or Heart of God verse 1. to the 11. Ch. 2. Of the Outspoken Word verse 7. Ch. 28. What the Literall Word is verse 56 57. Ch. 36. How Man should try himselfe in the framing of his words verse 81. c. Ch. 40. VVhat Gods Word assumed verse 10. Ch. 56. Why our soule and the Word that became Man are compared together verse 23. c. Ch. 61. What the Word is verse 43 44. World Ch. 2. The whole world lyeth in a Clod of Earth verse 6. Ch. 2. Of the inward world verse 9. Ch. 2. How one world is in another verse 10. Ch. 4. Of the Three worlds verse 12. Ch. 17. That same world wherein Adam was before his Eve was must come againe verse 9. Ch. 29. VVhat the invisible spirituall world is verse 4 5. Ch. 31. How Sem Ham and Japhet are an Image of the Three worlds verse 10 11. Wrong Ch. 71. How Man doth a twofold wrong Z. Zebulun Ch. 77. The Testament of Zebulun and the figure thereof verse 3. to the 7. FINIS FOUR TABLES OF Divine Revelation Signifying What GOD in himself is without Nature and how considered in Nature according to the THREE PRINCIPLES ALSO What HEAVEN HELL WORLD TIME and ETERNITIE are Together with all Creatures visible and invisible and out of what all things had their Original Written in the German language by JACOB BEHM and Englished by H. B. LONDON Printed for H. Blunden and sold at the Castle in Corn-Hill 1654. TO THE READER With an Account of the following Tractate IT 'S no less common with men would seem wise than inconsistent with those that are really so to find a facile Faith for what they like and a sturdy Diffidence for what they dislike Like the twins of a byass'd Judgment the one savouring of Affection the other of Prejudice and both of Partiality That some Passages in the precedent Life will meet with such I make no question and therefore thought it not unnecessary to acquaint them with this Truth that what therein is related concerning our Author by the learned Gentleman that penn'd the Narrative was receiv'd not from uncertain wandring Reports but Authentick Information from the Tongues and Penns of those that during his life upon Earth were his familiar Associates Men consciencious both in Words and Deeds well knowing what strict account must be rendred of both And how sad an Account have they then to make whose Throats like open Sepulchers blast with their breath as far as their venome reaches the most eminent Gifts of God in men that bear his Image whereof did they know the danger it could not but make them tremble to consider how their poysoned Arrows will return and stick in their own Souls Yet have some not feared malitiously to defame this deep illuminated man of God A man whose Writings though not to us made Canonical by Miracles manifestly appear to have been the Dictates of God's Spirit and the Will of God the Rule of his whole life alwaies resigning himself as his own Pen testifies to the Divine Will to will and work nothing but according to the will of God Yet against the spirit of this pious man as if they feared an Ecclips of their Evening splendor by the Day-light of his writings have some especially among the Lamps of our Tabernacles spit forth their Venom in Aspersions so injuriously false and palpably absurd that neither Reason nor Religion Prudence or Piety could yield any motive thereunto only the Monster of their own frailty Thus doth the Prince of the Air blind men with self-love that though in others they abhor unrighteousness yet themselves can rashly proceed to sentence before they understood him yea some of them before they had read one Leaf in his Writings VVhereas others that have seriously studied him and with divine assistance understood much of him can justly as clearly evidence the true concordance of his writings with the word of God in Holy VVrit and their inconsistence with conceited Sects corrupt Doctrine both of our own and former Ages and all Heterodox Opinions whatsoever VVell may be said of him what an experienc'd Philosopher writeth of Paracelsus Cur praestantis viri famam omni laude dignissimi periclitari sinemus Scripta sua non nisi ad Dei Gloriam proximique emolumentum edentis lucrum utique ut calumniantur ex aliorum per scripta ipsius seductis incommodis nequaquam quaesitum ivit neque quod inimicii sius factitare solent ideo Medicinae dedit operam ut ex aegris salu arem faceret sed quicquid fecit bono animo fecit absque mercede quam nec accepit nec opus habuit artibus suis ipsi absque aliorum detrimento abundè sufficientibus Omnes prudentes veritatis amatores neminem ei unquam parem fuisse etiamnum credunt Quod vero ignorantium quorundam invidia contemtim habetur ipsi nihil derogat iâ—se enim manebit Paracelsus hi imperiti convitiatores suam tantum impudentiam prudentes c. 'T is true in respect of the common stile of most Authors his language may to some seem somwhat monstrous So do the Characters of Letters to Children primo intuitu and many even Scripture expressions to the Ears of the Natural man Besides he proceeds much by affirmation not Disputing but Convincing Error having not received his Knowledge from men or from the imperfect fallible Principles of the Schools but from the true Fountain of Wisdom and Knowledg Nor did he write as most do by transcription out of other mens Books nor were his Dictates neither the Products of his own Fancy but by Divine influence and as is his own expression out of his Three-leav'd Book which the Hand of God had opened in him wherein he found the Knowledge not only of all that Moses the Prophets Christ and the Apostles taught in Sacred Scripture but of all Mysteries also in Heaven and Earth as himself affirms in his Epistles and many other of his writings But lest his own Testimonie should seem invalid I make bold to insert what a learned German writeth of him Now saith he when Reason supposeth that it is ascended up to the height with its Wisdom and Arts God hath stirr'd up this our dear Jacob Behmen a plain