Mysterium Magnum (An Exposition of the First Book of Moses, called Genesis)

28. The time is even at hand wherein the figure of Pharaoh shall be brought to effect: your images of false and wicked magic shall be manifested to the whole world, by Joseph’s exposition of the vision. Break off from the images, and pray to God, that he would give you the understanding of Pharaoh’s visions ; and then you may be partakers of the seven good kine and ears within you. 29. If not, then must all your images of false and wicked magic be turned into such barren kine and ears, as they are indeed for the most part already in the inward ground, and outwardly at present are devouring, and always devour, the good times and years; for they have almost quite devoured and swallowed up into the abyss all love, faith, truth, righteousness, humility and fear of God; and at present also they devour all outward food and sustenance. They have devoured the silver, and there is nothing left but meagre and base copper: and yet they are so hungry and greedy that they lie gnawing 1 Or, qualities. 2 Type or representation. at the copper, as a dog at a hard bone, and would fain have more to devour, and yet there is no more for them.

30. Therefore they are so hungry, that they themselves worry and devour one another for hunger, and bring their land and country into death and famine. But hereby they are made bondslaves to the anger of God in the seven properties of nature, as the whole land of Egypt was made King Pharaoh’s own in the dear time ofjoseph. 31. This anger of God will hereafter give you seed, that you must sow images and idols, and devour them again yourselves, as you have clearly done for a long time, and must be its bondslave servants, as Egypt was to Pharaoh. 32. Let this be told thee, O Egypt of Christendom, by Joseph’s interpretation in the spirit of wonder of the sixth number of the seals: It concerns thee, awake and behold, the great famine of body and soul is at hand, or else thou must be famished. 33. Thou standest at present in no other figure1 in the sight of God, but that of the seven ill-favoured, hungry, withered, lean kine and ears: the blessing of God in body and soul is departed from thee, that now thou huntest after good things and temporal sustenance, and yet are not satisfied with it. And the more that thou dost hunger and suck upon bones, thou wilt be still the more hungry, till thou hast devoured all thy good kine in conscience, both in body and soul, as also land and people. And thy form and feature is so ill-favoured, that the princes of the inward and the outward heaven cannot endure to behold thee, but help to judge thee to the damnation of death, saith the spirit of wonders in Joseph’s interpretation.

34. Behold thyself now aright, art thou not thus ill-favoured and hungry? Consider all thy faculties:2 thou art raving blind with great hunger, for thou hast swallowed that up into the abyss which should bless thee and make thee happy, and hast set up the hypocrisy of thy idol ministers instead thereof. Righteousness, truth, love, faith, humility, chastity and the fear of God were thy blessing by which thou wouldest become fat again, but thou hast swallowed up all these properties, and set thine idols in their stead, and covered them with Christ’s purple mantle; and now the evil hungry form, feature and properties of a devourer are awakened in thee. 35. The first devouring property covered with Christ’s mantle is pride, viz. a desire of self-might, under the lowly humble mantle of Christ resolving to be potent and splendid, as Lucifer under his black 1 Or, resemblance. 2 Powers, virtues and abilities. hood, who yet always supposeth he is the most potent, when yet in the presence of God he is but a lord in phantasy. 36. The second property of thy hunger covered with Christ’s mantle is covetousness, viz. the devourer, who devoureth himself, and getteth from others their sweat, and flesh from their bones, and devoureth it: and yet hath nothing, but always lieth like poison, sucking out itself. This hath devoured all truth, righteousness, patience, love, hope, faith, and the fear of God, and yet is but a mere hunger: at present it hath eaten all silver from the copper, and yet looketh as if it had devoured nothing, for nothing is to be seen in it. But that it is more hungry than before it hath devoured all good times into itself, and still always devoureth all provisions, which God of his grace bestoweth, and yet is every day more hungry with devouring: and though he could devour heaven, he would devour hell also, and yet remaineth a mere hunger still.

37. The third property of this hunger covered with Christ’s mantle is envy , viz. the son of covetousness, and pride is his grand¬ father. This stingeth and pricketh and rageth in the hunger, as poison in the flesh; it stingeth in words and works, and poisoneth all; it lieth and cheateth, and is never quiet. The more greedy covetousness is to devour the greater is this its son, envy ; it will possess all alone to itself, and yet hath no place of rest, either in heaven, this world, or hell : It can remain neither in heaven, nor in hell, it standeth only in the hunger of covetousness, and is the life of covetousness. 38. The fourth property of hunger covered under Christ’s mantle is anger, which is the son of envy, and covetousness is its grandfather: what envy cannot sting to death, that will anger strike and fell to death. It is so evil and wicked that it breaks and shatters the bones to pieces. It always thirsteth after murder, only that its father and grandfather, viz. covetousness, envy and pride, may have room enough. It destroyeth body and soul in their kind of fatness, and wasteth country and city, and is further so wicked that it would destroy heaven and hell, and yet hath nowhere any rest.

39. These are the four elements of hunger, which devour and swallow up the seven fat kine and ears of Pharaoh, and yet are as they were before. At present Joseph hath seen and manifested them in Pharaoh’s dream, so that they are become manifest in the world, and are set before the eyes of the watchmen who sit in council for judg¬ ment, what is to be done more with these dry ill-favoured kine, for God hath given them the seven fat kine of the manifestation of his grace; but they devour all, and yet are so very hungry that hell dwelleth in their four elements, and the kingdom of the devil standeth in their figure.1 40. O Egypt of Christendom! thou hopest for good, and yet desireth only to work wickedness. No good shall come to thee; except thou diest from this hunger, thou wilt burst thyself asunder in it. Whence shall good be interpreted to thee by Joseph, when thou thus hungerest the more? Nature generateth in thee such a thing as thy hunger and desire is. Thou oughtest to hope for nothing, except thou convertest and puttest on Joseph’s new garment. And then the Lord will give thee his spirit, so that thou wilt see and understand thy images, and put them away, and stand with Joseph before the face of God, as Joseph before the face of Pharaoh, and wilt be able to see and interpret the wonders of God.

41. And then the Lord will set thee with Joseph over the kingdom of his mysteries, that thou wilt rightly understand the magic ground of faith, and wilt search no more in the images of the outward natural magic, as thou hast done for a long time. But thou wilt see the inward ground, and with Joseph rule over Egypt, that is, over the mysteries, and wilt therein praise the Lord, and draw in his fountain, and drink water of life. 42. For the word, which thou shalt now learn and understand, is nigh thee, namely in thy mouth and heart (Rom. x. 8 ; Deut. xxx. 14); thou art God’s formed word, thou must learn to read thy own book, which is thyself, and then thou wilt be free from all images, and wilt see the place of which it is said, The Lord is here (Gen. xxviii. 16). And then thou wilt attain the life of power and virtue again, and become fat, and put away the mantle of Christ, and say, Here is the man that will walk in the footsteps of Christ, and will follow and imitate him, and be like and conformable to him (Phil. iii. 10) in his life and image.

43. This whole history of the dreams of Pharaoh is an image, whereby the spirit under an outward action portrayeth and typifieth the human ground, how good, God created him, and set him in his fatness, and how he is thus destroyed by Satan’s envy and poison, and changed into so ill-favoured an image. 44. But in Joseph the spirit representeth a figure, shewing how a man must again spring up through the new birth out of this poison; and how he should be set before God again, and how God giveth him his spirit, and maketh him ruler in his house; how he shall gather in heavenly fruits in faith and a good conscience, against the time of temptation, when the dearth or famine, viz. God’s anger, sifteth the soul. 45. In which sifting then, that fruit which is for food, which stands by the soul in repentance, and in which its little pearl-plant with its branches groweth, it takes along, and beareth good fruit. 46. Those fruits are then Joseph’s interpretation, as he declared God’s counsel, and taught it to Pharaoh. So the new birth bringeth forth such good fruit and doctrine, which makes known the way of God to mankind, and standeth before him with wisdom, as Joseph before Pharaoh. And this we see in Joseph’s counsel, after he had inter¬ preted his dream. He said to Pharaoh, Let the king look out for a wise and prudent man, who may build granaries for Pharaoh, where provision may be laid up, that men may have necessary sustenance in the famine (Gen. xli. 33-36). Which the spirit secretly represents in the figure of man,1 that a man should look out for wise men, fearing God (Exod. xviii. 21), which should help to gather in the divine treasury and provision, with wisdom and understanding, with doctrine, life and prayer; that thereby the divine treasure and provision might be gathered in.

47. And then when the time of trial, sifting and hunger cometh, that God’s anger might be thereby kept back and prevented, and not so suddenly make both body and soul, land and people, lean, and devour them, but that there may be something for provision. Con¬ cerning which God saith he will do well to them that fear God, unto a thousand generations (Exod. xx. 6); and this provision shall continue to a thousand generations. 48. And Moses saith further, This saying of Joseph pleased Pharaoh, and all his servants, well. And Pharaoh said to his servants, How can we find such a man, in whom the spirit of God is; and said to Joseph, Seeing God hath made all this known to thee, there is none so understanding and wise as thou : thou shalt be over my house, and all my people shall be obedient to thy word, only in the regal throne will I be higher than thou. And further, Pharaoh said to Joseph, Behold, I have set thee over the whole land of Egypt, and took his ring off his own hand, and gave it to Joseph into his hand, and clothed him with white silk garments, and hung a golden chain upon his neck; and caused him to go in his second chariot, and caused it to be proclaimed before him, This is the father of the land; and set him over the whole land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said

1 Or, condition of such a man: the Man Christ, or a Christian man. to Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thy will shall no man stir his hand or his foot in the whole land of Egypt. And he called him his secret council, and gave him a wife named Asenath, the daughter of Poti-pherah, priest of ON (Gen. xli. 37-45)- 49. This now is the most excellent figure in the whole Bible, that there is nowhere the like to it of any man. And he standeth in the figure of an approved tried Christian, who hath out-stood all trials : whom the spirit of Christ hath lead with himself quite through his sufferings, death, hell, prison, and misery; as the only God, viz. the Great King, set him before him, and tried his wisdom, which he had received in the process [or imitation] of Christ, when he received him with joy, and giveth this testimony of him: There is none so wise as thou, who would so hiddenly introduce his life in patience, through death and hell, to God, as thou. 50. And as God giveth him full power over his kingdom, and in his love maketh him his helper and assistant, as a council of a king helpeth and assisteth a king to govern his kingdom; so also God sets him in his kingdom, and ruleth by him, and giveth him his seal-ring, viz. the humanity and Deity, in the love of Jesus Christ, to his soul; and causeth him to ride in the second chariot after him, that is, where God’s spirit goeth, there always goeth such a man after it; and the devil, death and hell dare not touch him any more, for thus he getteth power over the devil, death and hell, and also over his mortal flesh and blood, as Joseph over the land of Egypt.

5 1 . And as Joseph quickly withdrew and built the king granaries to lay up provisions; so also such a man, who according to his inward ground sitteth in the kingdom of God, buildeth for God his Lord many such human houses, viz. men’s souls, in which he lays up in store the divine overplus which God giveth him in Christ Jesus, viz. the divine knowledge and wisdom, with good instruction, doctrine and life, so that his doctrine spreadeth abroad and multiplieth as sands in the sea; so innumerable spreading branches his pearl-plant putteth forth, that many hundred thousand souls eat thereof, as of Joseph’s provision in the famine. 52. And then Poti-pherah’s daughter, that is, the daughter of the priest of On, viz. the true Christianity, is given him for a spouse, which he is to cherish and love, and begetteth of her these two sons (Gen. xli. 50), as always travelling in this way, and then they walk with washed hearts. As Joseph before the time of the famine in Egypt begat of his wife, Manasseh and Ephraim ; and so it was represented to him with these names, how God had in the house of his misery caused him to grow great and gave him much.

53. And then also a child of God sets open his chests of treasure when the famine cometh, that the anger of God sifteth the world, as Joseph did his granaries, and imparted to his fellow twigs therewith out of his chests of treasure, that they perish not in that famine. How this Famine went through all Lands, and how Jacob sent his sons into the Land of Egypt for Corn, and how they came before Joseph , and how he shewed himself to them. What is thereby to be understood1 i. rTpHis forty-second chapter of Genesis, concerning Joseph and his brethren, is a figure, shewing how such a converted Christian, which hath already entered with Christ into his process, and hath now overcome, in the end also forgiveth and rewardeth his enemies with bounty, who have brought him into Christ’s process with their persecution and wicked devices and counsel. And how also their sins are set before them, and how they are brought into anxiety and necessity, and how in the end, of mere grace they are released from pain and punishment; and how God is so gracious to them upon their conversion, that he not only releaseth the punishment, but blesseth them with his gifts and benefits : as here Joseph did to his brethren.

2. But then next is also represented in this figure, how earnestly and severely God sheweth himself against sin: as here Joseph against his brethren. And yet God is not earnest to punish the repenting sinner according to the sharpest severity, but he sets himself strictly against the soul in its conscience; that sin may awake and be acknow¬ ledged, and that repentance may be the greater, that man in such terror may be humbled for sin, and quite depart from sin, and be angry with it, and utterly hate it; when he knoweth that sin hath so terrible a judgment in it. The history saith thus: 3. But when Jacob saw that there was plenty of corn in Egypt , he said to his sons, Why do you look so long about you? behold, I hear there is plenty of corn in Egypt: go down thither, and buy us corn, that we may live, and not die. Then the ten brethren of Joseph went down, that they might buy corn in Egypt. 1 Gen. xlii. 687 But Jacob would not suffer Joseph’s brother Benjamin to go; for he said, Some mishap may befall him. (Gen. xlii. 1-4). 4. Now this is a figure, first, shewing that when man findeth himself in the divine anger in this famine, that as to righteousness he is in want, as Jacob and his children in the famine; then the Father saith in the conscience to the soul, Why lingerest thou so long looking about thee? Go down into repentance, where there is plenty of righteousness in the death of Christ, where Christ giveth righteous¬ ness for and instead of thy sins, if thou heartily turnest to him: And thus the Father bestoweth his will, and introduceth it into the sinner’s repentance and conversation.

5. But Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, that is, the humanity of Christ, he giveth not to it presently therewith: he first bestoweth upon it its sinful brethren, that is, he giveth it first his terrors into its conscience, and hideth his comfort in his grace, viz. the true Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, from the properties of sins,1 and sendeth the properties of sins, viz. those wherein sins have been wrought and committed after grace, to buy this corn of Joseph, viz. of Christ. 6. The sinner must himself enter upon it, and with earnestness enter into the suffering and death of Christ, and die from his sins in the presence of grace, in the prison of God’s anger, and cast himself upon Joseph’s, viz. Christ’s, mercy and grace, and not stay without and say, With Christ there is plenty of grace , and so tickle and comfort himself with grace. No, that quickeneth not the poor soul. Thou must go down into Egypt to thy injured brother, whom thou hast cast into the pit, by thy sins within thee, and must in great humility come into his presence. Though thou wilt not suddenly know it, till he in his mercy shall give thee to know it; and then thou must in Christ’s power, might and glory, which he gat in his resurrection, buy corn for the poor soul, that it may live, and not die; as Jacob said to his children.

7. And Moses saith further, Thus the children of Israel and others with them came to buy corn: for the famine was also in Canaan. But Joseph was the ruler of the land, and sold corn to all the people in the land. Now when his brethren came to him, they fell down with their faces to the earth before him. And he saw them and knew them, and carried himself strangely towards them, and spake roughly with them, and said to them, Whence come ye? They said out of the land of Canaan to buy food. But though he knew them, they knew not him yet (Gen. xlii. 5-8). 8. This now is the first state and condition of the poor soul when it turneth to Christ, to fetch food from him. Then he looketh upon the soul in its will, totally in its essence, to see whether the free will had set itself towards him. And now if the soul be converted, then he knoweth it; but first he terrifieth the conscience, and setteth himself roughly, and seemeth strange towards the soul, as he did towards the Canaanitish woman (Matt. xv. 26), and hideth his grace from the soul, till it shed forth its repentance, and boweth its face in the presence of Christ, and acknowledge its transgressions, and totally bow down itself to the pit of judgment, and yield itself into God’s anger and punishment, and to the dying of itself.

9. And then Christ looketh into it, and layeth fast hold upon it with the strict hand of God’s anger; but his love and grace hideth itself therein, and that is it which stirreth up the sins of the poor soul, and disturbeth them, so that it is terrified and afraid in the presence of God. When the soul standeth and crieth to God, then saith Christ in the conscience, Who art thou? behold thyself now, whether thou art worthy of me: as Joseph did here, when he said, Who are ye? and set himself roughly and strangely towards them. 10. And Joseph thought on the dreams which he had dreamed concerning them, and said to them, Te are spies, and are come to see where the land is open (Gen. xlii. 9). That is, Christ thinketh on his mercy, and on his bitter passion and death, and saith to the soul, Thou art a spy, and cometh to me only to see where the gate of my grace is open: but that shall not help thee, thou must do otherwise, thou must first enter into the gate of my suffering and death, or else thou art but a spy, and wilt see the gate of my grace stand open that thou mayest cover thyself with it as with a mantle; thou must be in earnest, or else thou wilt be but treacherous to me, and take my grace into thy mouth.

11. And Joseph’s brethren answered him and said, No, my lord, thy servants are come to buy food. We are all one man’s sons-, we are honest and true men, we thy servants were never spies (Gen. xlii. 10-11). That is thus much in the figure: before the properties of the soul in their vanity rightly know themselves, when the anger of God is presented before their eyes, viz. passeth into their essence, then the soul thinketh it is wrong that is done to it; for it thinketh if it comfort itself with the merits of Jesus Christ, and believeth on Christ, that he is the son of God, and hath satisfied for the soul, then it ought not to be blamed for a divine spy and unrighteous hypocrite; it is righteous through the justification of Christ, seeing it believeth the same, that it is applied to it for its benefit. 12. But as Joseph said to his brethren, No, but ye are come to see where the land is open, thus also the spirit of Christ blameth the essences of the soul; for it proveth them that they are not yet broken, and have still self desires in them, and will instantly lay hold on grace, viz. the open gate, which availeth not the soul; it must first enter into Christ’s 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 Christ’s wounds and death, into his resurrec¬ tion.

13. Further, Joseph’s brethren say, IV e thy servants are twelve brethren , sons of one man in the land of Canaan ■ and the youngest is still with our father, but one is not in being. Joseph said to them, That is it which I told you-, ye are spies. In this will I prove you: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go from hence except your youngest brother come hither. Send one of you hence, that may fetch your brother, but ye shall be prisoners: so will I prove your saying, whether your ways be in truth or not j for if not then are ye spies, by the life of Pharaoh. And they put them together in ward for the space of three days (Gen. xlii. 13-17). The inward precious figure standeth thus: 14. When the soul doth thus draw near to Christ, and will instantly put on his resurrection, then saith the spirit of Christ in the soul’s 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 me in a faithful and right path: whether they bring with them to me their youngest brother, viz. the true Joseph’s brother; that is, the incor¬ porated 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 soul’s essences, with their most inward ground, turn in to me and in me, 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 soul’s youngest brother, which it hides and covereth with sin; and in the beginning of its repentance it leaves him at home by1 the life of God. 16. Therefore saith the text of Moses very secretly: He 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 behind. Him must the repenting man bring along with him to the port of grace, or else he must lie three days shut up in prison, till he bring him, as Joseph’s brethren did. That is, else must the three Principles in man lie so long in prison in the anger of God, and cannot buy divine food unless they have this their youngest brother with them; that is, the gate, wherein Christ in man, in that same image of the heavenly world’s 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 turn wholly and altogether to him, and bring this incorporated ground of grace with him, wherein Christ will and shall manifest himself. If not, then saith Joseph, that is, Christ, to the soul’s essences, Ye are but spies to the life of God, and search only for the justification of man from the sufferings and merits of Christ.

That is, ye learn only the history, and take the precious Covenant of God in your mouths, and flatter yourselves with Christ’s satisfaction, and remain still only as spies of grace. But that shall nothing avail you or help you. Though likely you may spy out the kingdom of Christ, my anger and righteousness in my zeal and jealousy 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 with you (this is called, setting all the twelve sons of Jacob before Joseph, that is, before Jesus), and fall at his feet with body and soul, inwardly and outwardly, with all your faculties and powers, and yield them up into his grace.

18. For it is not said that they can take the grace, but that they should sink down into grace, that Grace may give itself to them; for man’s ability to take it is lost: self-will is rent off from God, it must wholly sink down into God, and leave off willing , that God may receive it again into his grace. 19. O Babel ! how [home] doth this hit thee? Thou art by or before the life of God, with thy hypocrisy, but a spy of the grace of God: thou dost but seek for the gate of grace, and how thou mightest with thy own will, without thy inward Benjamin, enter into the kingdom of Christ. Yes, thou wilt be outwardly an adopted child of Grace, whose sins are forgiven through the merits of Christ, and yet continuest to be Babel and a fable, and wilt not be a Christian in Christ. Thou wilt needs pass into heaven, but that will not avail thee: Joseph, that is, Christ, holdeth thee imprisoned in the anger of God, both in body and soul, unless thou givest him Benjamin, viz. the inward ground. And then heaven goeth into thee, and Christ standeth up in thee, out of the grave, so that thyself art risen from death: and then thy spying and prying hath an end.

20. O ye high schools [and universities], and all ye that will be accounted the ministers of God, and to teach the way of God, and contend and dispute about it; what are ye? Look upon yourselves in this figure: you appear to be no other than spies, you always search, and yet you lie still in prison. God will have it so no more; for he himself trieth the thoughts of man, and is himself present in all things ; his is the understanding, his is the knowledge of the kingdom of God, without him ye know nothing. 21. Your spying and knowing helps you not into the kingdom of God: you cannot enter therein, except that go forth in your life, that is, except it be manifested in your life, that ye are God’s children in Christ, in his sufferings, death and resurrection, in himself; not through an acquired historical seeming faith, but essentially, as a branch on the vine. Ye must be a twig on the tree; you must have Christ’s life, flesh and blood operatively and substantially in the inward ground in you; and you must become Christ; else ye are all, one and other, but spies, searchers, and historical Christians, and no better than Jews, Turks and heathen.

22. O ye simple men, let it be made known to you: Go but forth from the tower of the confounded languages, then may you soon come to the right. Seek 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 you are all, one and other, but spies (Matt. xxvi. 64; Acts vii. 55, 56; Col. iii. 1). 23. Gaze about no more, it is high time. The time is truly born [or at hand] (Rev. i. 3 ; xxii. 10), your redemption draweth near (Luke xxi. 28). The Bridegroom calleth his Bride (Rev. xxi. 2): you must indeed into the prison of Joseph in his famine: if you will not [bring your inward ground of your hearts into repentance with you], Amen [so be it], 24. And Moses saith further, But on the third day he said to them, If you will live, then do thus, for I fear God: If you he honest and true men, let one of your brethren lie captive in your prison. But as for you, go your ways, and carry home what ye have bought for your hunger ; and bring your youngest brother to me, and so I shall believe your words, that you may not die. And they did so (Gen. xlii. 18-20).

The figure standeth thus: 25. When the soul draweth near to God, and will work repentance, and that its inward ground is yet wholly shut up in vanity, so that the mind is still hanging to self, 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 soul’s essences out of the prison of his anger, that the mind is well eased again, like one that is released out of prison. Then saith the mind thus: I am very well eased in my prayer in this repentance. 26. For God’s anger hath released nature out of its prison, that it should with greater labour and industry press into God; for in its prison it cannot do so, for it is in anguish, and beholdeth only its com¬ mitted sins which continually drive it back, that it is afraid, ashamed1 and daunted in the presence of God. But when the anger lets it loose, then it gets power and virtue 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 poor soul remain 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 Christ’s and my salvation’s sake, and give up my will wholly to thee; cast me into death or into life, into derision or scorn, into poverty or misery, as thou wilt; I will cleave to thee, I will not play the hypocrite before thee, and give thee but half my will any more, as I have done.

28. And then if the earnestness 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 meantime, ere it thus come to pass, the soul must lie captive in one band. 29. But nevertheless God saith to the other released forms2 of life: Now go your way with that which you have at present in this repen¬ tance bought or gotten of me; and carry it home, that is, defile it not again, 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 saith further, But they said one among another, IV e trespassed against our brother, that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he wept to us, and we would not hear him ; therefore now this trouble cometh upon us. Reuben 1 Abashed. 2 Or, faculties. answered them, and said, Did I not tell you as much, when I said, Sin not against the lad; and ye would not hear? and now is his blood required. But they knew not that Joseph understood it; for he spake to them by an interpreter. And he turned himself from them, and wept; and when he turned himself to them again, and spake with them, he took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes (Gen. xlii. 21-24).

31. This figure now is the earnestness of repentance, when man in his repentance standeth before God, when he seeketh to God [and weepeth to him], when his conscience and sins awake: as here the brethren of Joseph did. Then he saith in himself, This have I merited and deserved by my sins, that I have helped to deride, scorn and crucify Christ within me, and without me in my fellow-members, and have not regarded the entreaties and beseechings in my fellowChristians, but have scorned, derided, and judged them to damnation. At present it toucheth me home, when I will turn to God by repen¬ tance, now his sobs and tears withhold me, in that I have driven him away for my voluptuousness, jesting, sport and wantonness, now I stand here, and the heaven in me in my conscience is become as iron. 32. Then saith God in the conscience, hast thou not known well enough; moreover, have I not caused my word to be told unto thee; thou knewest well that thou diddest wrong, but thy evil stubborn self-will must reign; and now thou wouldst have grace. And the devil saith, It is to no purpose, grace is gone, heaven is shut up, hell is open, leave off, thou wilt not attain it.

33. But the great mercifulness in the grace of Christ in the inward ground presseth in with his pity and great compassion; although at present he still hideth his countenance of love from it, that the soul doth not know it, and maketh the troubled soul full of misery, that in self it beseecheth and weepeth before God, and accounteth itself guilty of all evil and wickedness; and beginneth in such kindled lamentation bitterly to complain of its sins, and to be sorry, and is also so full of shame in the presence of Christ that it hideth its countenance before God, and knoweth not what to do for lamentation. For it seeth in itself with its own eyes that the severe righteousness of God holdeth and bindeth it in its life: as the brethren of Joseph must see that their brother was bound for their sins before their eyes. 34. For though Christ be stirring in the soul’s essence in the inward ground of the incorporated grace, and shattereth it, that it seeth and bewaileth its sins, yet he setteth himself very strangely against the soul, and will not touch it with any beam of love : as Joseph set himself

strangely, as if he understood not their speech, and spake to them by an interpreter. 35. This same interpreter is even that which bringeth the soul into such repentance, which otherwise could not be; for it hath nothing more in its own power but this: that it may turn its abyssal un¬ fathomable supernatural will towards God, viz. that out of which it is proceeded, and there stand still, which yet is very hard for it, and yet possible.1 Unless its will have quite broken off itself from the incor¬ porated gate of grace, and given itself up to the poison and infection of the devil, so that the will of the abyss of the soul is entered into a figure2 of a false or wicked thistle, and be wholly poisonous. Then it is hard, for then it asketh not after repentance at all, but is careless and negligent, and obdurate, and desireth at no time to convert, neither is it sorry for any evil or wickedness, but taketh delight therein and rejoiceth at it, so long as it carrieth the body about it; and then it is quite lost: but where there is yet a little spark of divine desire left, there is remedy.

36. And Moses saith further, And Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to put everyone’s money into his sack again, also provision fior their journey: and they did so to them. And they laded their burdens upon their asses, and went their way. But when one ofi them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he perceived his money that lay uppermost in the sack, and said to his brethren, My money is restored to me, see, it is in my sack: then their hearts failed them, and they were afraid, one with another, and said, therefore hath God done this unto us? (Gen. xlii. 25-28). 37. This now is the most lovely rich figure, shewing how God taketh nothing away from the repentant sinner, when he in his will giveth up all, and resolveth to cleave steadfastly to God, he taketh no reward or bounty from him, or anything else; neither doth he take away his temporal good things, when he doth yield up all to God, and forsaketh selfishness. And then God filleth his sack and restoreth him all that money, which he giveth to the poor and miserable, in his blessing again, and layeth it aloft in his provision, that the man seeth that God hath afforded it to him again in his wonderful blessing.

38. At which a man often wondereth how it cometh to pass that temporal maintenance befalleth him in such a wonderful manner, when he hath not sought it or known anything of it, and likely stands amazed at it, questioning whether he should receive it or no, and 1 Note the ability of the soul to attain grace. 2 The condition, posture, and quality. thinketh verily it is done for a temptation to him : as here Joseph’s brethren thought that Joseph tempted them thus, that he might have an occasion against them. 39. And this signifieth the inward bounty of Christ, that when the poor sinner poureth forth his heart before God, for payment to the grace, and returneth what he hath to God, then God filleth the sack of his heart full with the grace of Christ, and giveth him still good pro¬ vision, viz. understanding and wisdom, in the way of his pilgrimage, wherein he is to journey through this valley of misery, home again into his Father’s country. 40. But by this journey and pilgrimage, wherein the Adamical man’s sack is filled with heavenly good things, the kingdom of God’s anger, as also the earthliness, is robbed of that which they have in man : as is to be seen in this figure.

41. For when Jacob’s sons came home to their father, and told him how it happened to them, and poured out their sacks and found the money again, and would have Benjamin also into Egypt. Then said Jacob, Te have robbed me of my children: Joseph is no more in being, and Simeon is not, and you would take away Benjamin: all this goeth against me (Gen. xlii. 35, 36). 42. Here Jacob their father standeth in the figure of the outward nature’s self, shewing how nature complaineth, when it is bereaved and robbed of its right, and of that which it hath begotten and brought to light; and standeth very excellently in the figure; for the outward nature saith, when it seeth the divine gifts in itself, whereby it looseth the right of its selfhood, I am bereaved of my might and strength; Joseph, viz. the inward ground of the kingdom of heaven, which I had in Paradise, that is no more; and so will also these gifts of my power and authority, viz. my children, that is, the properties of my nature, be taken away : it all goeth against me : I must suffer myself to be bereaved.

43. But Reuben said to his father, If I bring not Benjamin to thee again , then slay my two sons: give him into my hand, l will bring him to thee again (Gen. xlii. 37). That is, God comforteth nature, and saith, Give me thy forms, quality and condition, viz. thy children, into my hand, I will but bring them into Egypt to Joseph, that is, to Jesus, and will give them to thee again, thou shalt lose nothing: if I do not, then slay my two sons with thee, that is, slay the first and second Principle : 44. Which is even done, if nature be bereaved of its forms and con¬ dition. Then must cease in the nature of man the kingdom of God in love, and also the kingdom of God in the might of the fire. So very secretly doth the spirit of God delight to play in the figure of re¬ generation; which exposition will seem strange to reason: but we know what we write here, which is understood by those of our society. 45. And Jacob said, My son Benjamin shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if any mishap befall him in the way that you travel, ye will bring my grey hairs with sorrow of heart into the grave (Gen. xlii. 38). That is, nature is faint, when it must enter into the death of Christ, and is afraid of dying, and will by no means come to it; it excuseth itself concerning its heavenly Joseph which it had, viz. the heavenly image, which while it cannot comprehend it, it saith, It is dead; now when these my forms and qualities of life in this way shall get mishap again, then must I perish with sorrow of heart, and my life hath an end.

How Jacob’s sons went into Egypt again be¬ cause of the Famine, to Joseph to buy Corn, and take Benjamin with them. How Joseph caused them to be brought into his House, and to Eat at his Table. What is thereby to i. \ tow this whole chapter prefigureth to us the most excellent X >1 image, representing how first the outward nature, in this pro¬ cess, when it shall give up its will thereinto, that its life’s essences shall go into Egypt, that is, into the death of Christ, is very fearful, timorous, abashed and daunted, and yet in the end is willing and ready that all its forms and conditions of life might enter into the dying of self, viz. into the true Egypt, upon divine confidence, that it bringeth the will of God with it thereinto. 2. And then [secondly], how the forms and conditions2 of life are afraid before Joseph, that is, before the face of God, seeing they feel in them an evil conscience: as Jacob’s sons were afraid before Joseph, for they thought continually God would punish them for Joseph’s sake, at which they trembled. 3. And thirdly, how God, with the forms of the soulish nature, carrieth himself first so friendly, and first giveth them heavenly bread of his own substance, and yet but in a strange form: as Joseph invited his brethren for guests, and fed them at his table, that they ate and drank plentifully, and were merry; and afterwards let them go in peace. But presently after came with a terrible trial, in that he caused his cup to be laid into Benjamin’s sack, and pursued after them and fetched them back again. All which standeth powerfully in the figure of a repenting sinner, shewing how it goeth with him, till God in his love giveth him to know him.

4. Moses’ words follow thus : This famine was sore in the land. And when the corn was spent which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, Go again, and buy us a little food. Then Judah answered and said, The 1 Gen. xliii. 2 Powers or faculties. man obliged and charged us strictly, and said, Te shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. Now if thou wilt send our brother with us, then we will go down and buy for thee to eat: but if thou sendest him not, we will not go down: for the man hath said to us, Te shall not see my face, unless your brother be with you (Gen. xliii. 1-5). This figure standeth thus: 5. The soul of man standeth in three Principles, viz. in the eternal fire’s nature, and in the eternal light’s nature, viz. in the love-fire, which extinguished in Adam, for which cause at present the strife is. And thirdly it standeth in spiritu mundi [in the spirit of the world], in the kingdom of this world, viz. in mortality and restoration. 6. Therefore now understand us aright, thus: When the inward soulish ground, viz. the eternal soul from the Father’s property of the Word of God, turneth back again, and looks about after its little pearl, viz. after the second Principle of the angelical world’s property, then it will perceive that it was lost in Adam -,from whence ariseth its misery, and [also its] return again. And as soon as it returneth again, God giveth his grace into it again, but unknown and not understood by it. And he1 desireth that the inward fire-soul, viz. the centre of the eternal nature, should, with the voice of grace inspoken or inspired in Paradise (which was wholly incorporated), turn to God again.

7. In which divine desire this great unquietness ariseth in the soul, that it thus goeth into repentance. When it seeth that it hath lost its ability, neither may nor shall nor can it, in any other way, again attain its first pearl which it had, and come to divine salvation, unless it turn with its fire’s might wholly again into the ground of the incorporated grace, and give itself up thereto. 8. And now when the outward mortal soul (viz. the nature of the third Principle) of the kingdom of this world seeth this, then it is afraid, as Jacob was of his children; and always thinketh they will lose body and life, goods and honour, and their forms or faculties of life will be bereaved of their outward might and authority, which they have in this world. 9. And then also the inward fiery soul cannot stir up its inward ground, viz. the true Benjamin, and bring it along with it into Egypt, into the presence of Joseph, into earnest repentance, into the presence of Jesus: unless the outward soul, from the spirit of the world, be brought down and quite tamed and overwhelmed, that it also may in the end willingly submit to it, that the fiery inward great soul might thus move itself in all the three Principles, and stir up the most inward ground, viz. Joseph’s brother, viz. the incorporated gate of grace, together with all outward essences or faculties of the outward soul, and bring them along into the work of repentance, into the presence of the right Joseph or Jesus.

io. For the fiery soul is threatened by Joseph, that is, by Jesus, that if, in its drawing near, it bring not along with it the most inward ground, viz. the brother of Joseph, or Christ, which in its manifesta¬ tion becometh the temple of Christ, then shall its band of God’s anger not be loosed : its brother Simeon shall remain in prison, till it also stir up and bring with it Joseph’s brother, viz. the most inward ground. n. Neither shall its sack be filled with heavenly manna for its food (Rev. ii. 17), that is, its faith’s desire shall remain hungry and empty, and not be filled with divine power and virtue, unless it bring the temple of Christ, viz. the right sack, with it, whereinto the heavenly Joseph filleth his food. 12. This now in the text stands in a figure: shewing how the old Adamical man, viz. the old Jacob, thinketh it to be very hard that he should let all the powers of his life be carried along into Egypt, that is, into repentance, into the presence of Joseph, or Jesus; especially when he seeth that he must break his will, and part with all temporal things for it: as old Jacob must part with all his children for this food.

13. It went hard with him; and yet the famine and hunger did so press upon him that in the end he must yield and be willing that all his sons should go into Egypt; and his youngest son went along, and he was alone as one who had no children : So wholly must the outward nature leave whatsoever it hath or is in itself; as having no more power and ability as to earthly things, and give up the selfhood of its inward soul, which standeth in the drawing of God, that the inward soul may take the outward soul’s will along with it into conversion. And then the old Jacob, that is, the old earthly Adamical body, remaineth alone in its house of sorrow, and knoweth not now what will become of it, when its spirit must go along into conversion. Then thinketh the earthly Lucifer in it, viz. the fleshly desire, Hereby thou wilt lose temporal honour and good things, and be the fool of the world ; this will not serve thy turn and lust. 14. But the great famine, viz. sin, presseth the poor life in all the three Principles, that it must make ready and go into Egypt, that is,

into repentance, and seek divine food, and pray for it, and desire it, from the true householder Joseph, or Jesus, and in such prayer and desire fall on his face of great humility before Joseph, or Jesus, and desire food of him. 1 5 . But that Jacob’s sons must go twice into Egypt for corn, and at the first time receive corn enough, and yet they came into danger thereby, and were kept as a pledge,1 hath inwardly this figure: when man at first turneth into repentance, then first the terrible figure or aspect of his sins standeth before him, for they rouse him up, and the conscience standeth in the anger of God. 16. As the brethren of Joseph stood the first time before Joseph, when he held them for spies, so also man standeth before God as a spy of divine grace ; for he thinketh he will this once enter into repentance, that his old sins may be forgiven him; but he hath not yet so strongly tamed his will, that the will should think all days of its life while the body lasteth to remain in such begun repentance, but it thinketh only for once thus to destroy sin in the conscience, and to drown the old sins in repentance and sorrow.

17. And it cometh also to that pass, that his conscience, though perhaps at first it be terrified, is in the end appeased, and divine food is given to him from the heavenly Joseph, into the sack of his desire, so that the anger of God letteth him go. But the anger of God in his righteousness taketh a pledge2 from the conscience, and keepeth it, to see whether man would continue to rest satisfied with this burden of food ; if not, then the anger of God hath [in the pledge] its first right in soul and body. 18. As it happeneth to us poor men, that we very slightly and lavishly spend the first food which the heavenly Joseph giveth us in repentance, and come again with great hunger, want and misery of conscience, and must come to be poor again; and even therefore, because we did not the first time bring along with us our Benjamin, viz. the most inward ground, in that our will was not quite broken, and that we suppose we shall continue till our end in repentance and divine resignation. But if it were done in the first repentance, then could not God’s righteousness in the anger take any pledge, but must leave us quite free.

19. This figure now, that Jacob’s children must go down into Egypt for food twice, and at the second time Joseph was first mani¬ fested unto them, and the third time they took along with them their 1 Were kept in pawn, or custody. 2 Or, pawn. wives and children, and all that they had, together with their father, prefigureth that when man through sin hath spent and consumed the first divine food, that he must hunger again and be in want in his conscience, so that his conscience presseth him and complaineth (as a hungry belly complaineth for food), then he thinketh on the first repentance again, how grace happened to him before. 20. But his most inward ground, viz. the band of God’s anger, complaineth against him and condemneth him, that he did not pre¬ serve grace. It blameth him for an unfaithful perjured man, who hath tasted God’s grace, and how it was bestowed on him of mere mercy, and that he hath for the lust’s sake of the flesh spoiled and lost all again. And then he standeth as one that is not worthy of anything, so much as to look up to heaven, or that the earth should bear him, that he hath for such base lust’s sake of the flesh squandered so precious a thing again, and thinketh yet with the poor publican and sinner, and with the lost son, the keeper of swine, He will turn again, and come to the salvation of God. And then first it is in right true earnest, and then goeth Jacob’s sons all one and other the second time into Egypt into repentance, to buy heavenly corn, and then must the old Adamical Jacob, viz. the body, stay at home in calamity.

21. In this earnest it is that Benjamin, viz. the inward ground, is first taken along. And now the first will is broken, and goeth no more in and with such a purpose as at the first time. And they come now no more as spies before Joseph, but as earnest hungry men, viz. with an earnest hungry life, which from all its powers and virtues hungereth after God’s mercy, after the food of Jesus Christ. 22. Here now beginneth the earnestness, in fear and trembling. And this is the true going forth after heavenly food, wherein the conscience stands in anxiety, and reason despairs of its own ability, and thinketh, Alas, God is angry with me: where shall I seek for grace? I am not worthy of it ; I have trampled it underfoot, I must stand ashamed before God. Into what deep shall I go, where I may dare to lift up my face to God, and bewail my wants to him? 23. Then comes the poor conscience, in need, and with trembling, before God, and hath not many confessions or words, for it accounteth itself too unworthy to speak one word before God, but setteth itself before his face, and boweth down to the ground; and thus in itself demerseth itself into the most mere and deepest mercy of God, into Christ’s wounds, suffering, and death, and beginneth from its most inward ground to sigh, and to fly into grace, and wholly give up itself

thereto: as Joseph’s brethren came thus the second time before Joseph, and fell down before him. 24. And when Joseph saw them thus, that they were all there and stood so humbly before him, he had so great compassion upon them that he could not speak a word either: but turned him and wept. And this is the state and condition wherein the inward ground of the heavenly world’s substance which faded in Adam (into which God again inspoke or inspired his Word of grace in Paradise, for an ensign, banner, mark and limit), became living again in this compassion, wherein Christ is assuredly born in man in this ground, and now instantly ariseth, through his sufferings, from death in man, and there sitteth at the right hand of his Father; which right hand is the fiery soul from the Father’s property in the Word of the eternal nature, and presenteth the soul in this ground before the anger of God, and satisfieth and filleth it with love. 25. And here a Christian beginneth to be a Christian, for he is one, in Christ, and is no more a spy and verbal or mouth-Christian: but that is in the most inward ground. And here Simeon is loosed, and there is no more condemnation to those that are thus in Christ Jesus (Rom. viii. 1). Although perhaps the outward body is in this world, and subjected to vanity, yet it hurteth it now no more:

but every failing which it now committeth in the flesh must turn to serve for the best to it. For now it beginneth to kill the works and contrivance of the flesh, and continually to crucify the old Adam ; for its whole life is now a mere repentance, and Christ in it doth help it to work repentance, and bringeth it now to his glorious feast or banquet: as Joseph did his brethren when they came again to him, when he commanded to make ready and gave them of his table.

26. Thus now Christ feedeth the converted soul with his flesh and blood, and in this feast or banquet is the true Wedding of the Lamb (Rev. xix. 7, 9). Whosoever hath been a guest here, he understandeth our sense and mind. And no other doth, they are all of them but spies ; though perhaps they suppose they understand it, yet there is no right understanding of this feast or banquet in any man, unless he hath been at it and tasted of it himself; for it is a very impossible thing for reason to apprehend it without Christ’s spirit in himself, who is himself the food at this feast or banquet ofjoseph. 27. And it is told thee, Babel, in thy spying by Joseph’s feast or banquet, that thou deludest Christendom : in that by this feast thou pointest them to the resurrection of the dead thou errest. A Christian must here eat the flesh of the Son of man, or he hath no life in him (John vi. 53): In the resurrection God will be All in All (1 Cor. xv. 28). Here Christ sitteth at the right hand of God (Col. iii. 1) in man, and presenteth him with his body, and with his innocent blood that was shed; and that, he covereth the soul withal, and floweth into it with the same, when God’s anger will stir, being instigated by the desire of the flesh.

28. O thou poor old Jacob of spying1 Christendom! let thy hungry sons, who are very lean for great hunger in the conscience, go to Joseph : keep them no longer back in thy fear. What, I pray thee, is thy fear? Thou supposest, that if this ground should come to light in the world, thou wouldst lose thy sons whom thou lovest. But who are thy sons? There is thy own honour, in that thou thinkest to sit in the stead of Christ upon earth. Also there is thy Lucifer of fleshly honour, which thou takest care for, and thy countenance is dejected about it, if a man should require an Apostolic life from thee, and seek thee in the process and imitation of Christ. It pleaseth thee better that thou livest in honour and voluptuousness of flesh, in spying, and honourest thy belly, and so bringest thy poor Christianity under a veil. 29. O thou poor old Jacob! trouble not thyself so about temporal momentary things. See how it went with old Jacob, when he let all his sons go from him to Joseph, how Joseph caused him to be fetched to him, and did so much good to him and his children, and nourished them in the famine, and placed them in a better land. And so it will go also with thee, if thou wilt let thy sons go to Joseph; but if thou wilt henceforth keep them back longer, then thou must starve, thou and thy children, and be famished in misery: saith the Spirit of wonders, by Joseph’s feast or banquet.

30. O Israel, mark this text very well, it concerneth thee, and hath clearly concerned thee, but that thou art yet blind in thy hungry misery, and waitest for the sword of the turba : that shall awaken thee, since thou wilt needs have it. 31. Every one thinketh, If three parts of men were destroyed then I should have good days with those that remain, and then we would be honest and virtuous, and lead an upright honest life. Also men gaze about to see whence that salvation will come, which is so much written of; and say and think, salvation will enter into the lust of the flesh from without: men always gape for an earthly kingdom of Christ. 32. O Israel, if thou knewest these present times wherein thou livest in blindness, thou wouldest repent in sackcloth and ashes. Thou lookest for the signal-star,1 and it hath appeared : it shineth, whosoever hath eyes may see it; it is indeed as big as the world is, and yet men will be blind. Enough, to those that are ours. 33. And as Jacob’s children spake much with their father concern¬ ing Benjamin, and promised to bring him again, he said at last: If it must be so , let it be so; and take of the best fruit of the country in your sacks, and carry down a present to the man, a little balsam and honey, and spices and myrrh, dates, and almonds. Take also other money with you; and the money that was put above in your sacks again carry with you: it may be it was done by mistake: Moreover, take your brother, arise, go again to the man. And the Almighty God give you mercy before the man, that he may let your other brother and Benjamin go. But I must be as one quite bereft of his children (Gen. xliii. 11-14).

34. This now is the figure that is above explained. And we see a very excellent clear type and image therein, shewing that Jacob com¬ manded his sons to take with them of the most precious rich and costly fruit of the land, and carry it with them to Joseph. In which the spirit portrayeth in the figure how the Christian Church, when it seeth itself in such trouble and spiritual famine, hunger and want, and now is on the way of repentance, should carry these good fruits with it before God, viz. hope, faith, and divine affiance, and not wild fruit, as covetousness, self-willed lust, and hypocrisy, but a purpose and resolution towards truth, righteousness, chastity, love and meekness. 35. Thus must the old man take a resolution, to go in such a purpose to Joseph, that is, to Christ; and then he yieldeth up all his sons for the journey of this pilgrimage, and saith, Now I am bereaved of all my sons, I have nothing more in the desire of fleshly voluptuous¬ ness, I have yielded them altogether into the will of God. 36. Also, we see in this figure how Jacob commanded them to take with them again the unrighteous money that they had brought back in their sacks, and restore it again: thus also must a man who will be or is a Christian put away from him all unrighteous things ; all that he hath gotten to himself by subtlety, craft, and wrong, that, he should repay again, or else indeed give it to the poor.

37. For that which he giveth to the needy and miserable that suffer want, he giveth to the hungry brethren of Joseph, and the heavenly Joseph receiveth it in his hungry brethren and fellow mem¬ bers, and returneth it to him again manifold: as Joseph’s steward gave 1 Such a star as leads the wise men to Christ. them again the money, which they carried home in their sacks the first time and brought it again, and said, Peace be to you, your father’s God hath bestowed treasure on you. 38. A man must put away all unrighteousness from him, if he will enter into the wedding of Jesus Christ. Hypocrisy and flattery in comforting oneself availeth nothing; it must be earnestness: and this is that which keepeth men back from the ways of God, even their walking upon the ways of hypocrisy, and flattering themselves. Whereas they should leave off and forsake unrighteousness and extortion, and restore that which is gotten by falsehood. Thus they have cast the purple mantle of Christ over the crafty wretch, and covered him with the satisfaction and merits, only that the thief may live under that cloak. 39. O thou poor Christendom, how hath Antichrist deluded thee with this cloak and covering! O flee away from him, it is time! The covering will not avail any wicked and unrighteous person : so long as any is such a one he is the devil’s servant.

40. A Christian is a new creature in the ground of his heart, his mind is bent only to well-doing: not to steal, else were Christ, [by consequence, accounted] a thief in man. Let but the mantle of Christ fall off, and restore what thou hast stolen, and gained and extorted with unrighteousness and injury; and cast away the old quarrels, strivings and litigations1 from thy soul, and go naked and empty under the cross to which Christ hangeth, and look upon his fresh bleeding wounds, and take his blood into thy hungry soul; and then thou wilt be healed, and redeemed and released from all want: else no comfort of satisfaction and merit will help thee. All true comfort is but this, That a Christian comforteth himself that he shall in this repen¬ tance in Christ Jesus obtain a gracious God: and that shall even be his comfort, that he may not despair. 41. The satisfaction wherewith the unrighteous comforteth him¬ self, and saith, My works avail nothing, Christ hath done all, I can do nothing; and continueth under such comfort in sins, that is the devil’s fishhook, whereby he catcheth his fish with Christ’s mantle. 42. Christ had his purple mantle on him when he was in his suffer¬ ing; but when he hung on the cross he had it no more, much less in his resurrection: So also should a man take this mantle about him only when he goeth into Christ’s suffering and death in repentance. In repentance it is alone available, and no way else, that a soul should

wrap itself up in it, when it is ashamed in its sins, before the face of God. 43. All that is taught and believed otherwise is deceit, a fable, and Babel. All teachers that teach otherwise are but servants and slaves of the belly, the devil’s fishermen, and a deceit of the world: of these let men beware. For he that will be a teacher must also be a true Christian, that so he may also thus live in Christ: else be is a thief and a murderer, that climbetb up some other way into the sheepfold (John x. 1), of whom Christ speaketh. 44. And Moses saith further, Then they took their present, and the double money with them, and Benjamin; and arose and went into Egypt, and presented themselves before Joseph. And when Joseph saw them with Benjamin, he said to his steward, Bring these men to my house, and slay and make ready; for they shall eat with me at noon. And the man did as Joseph said unto him; and brought the men into Joseph’s house (Gen. xliii. 15-17). 45. This now signifieth thus : That he that hides himself under the mantle must come forth, and bring his unrighteous wrong gotten goods again, and come before the face of the heavenly Joseph, and come naked and empty of his I-hood or own ability, and bring the right Benjamin that is in him along with him.

Then Joseph draweth near him, and seeth him, and commandeth his steward, viz. the spirit of power, to bring these men into his house, viz. into his humanity. And then the Lamb of God shall be made ready, and these men, or the life’s essences of the right soul, shall eat at Joseph’s table with him at noon (then it is noon when the high light of grace shineth as at noon or midday in the soul); and here Joseph’s brethren are reconciled, when they eat with Joseph, that is, with Christ, of his food.

46. This now is the supper (Apocalypse iii. 20). Here a man casts away the mantle, and becometh a brother of Joseph, and needs no more flattery or comforting of himself, but becometh a Christian in Christ, who is dead with Christ to his sins, and is become living in him, and is risen again in him, and liveth with him, eateth with him at his table, and is no more a servant of sin, who must fear again, but who is a son in the house to whom the inheritance belongeth (Gal. iv. 7), according to the Scriptures. 47. And when Joseph’s steward had brought them into Joseph’s house, they were still afraid, and spake to him before the door concerning the money which they had found in their sacks. But he comforted them, and said, l found your money, and have had it: your God hath bestowed treasure in your sacks. And he brought Simeon out to them ; and brought them into Joseph's house , and gave them water to wash their feet, and gave their asses provender. But they prepared their present against Joseph should come at noon; for they had heard that they should eat bread there (Gen. xliii. 17-25).

48. This now is the figure, and representation of a troubled man, who now entereth into Joseph’s house, and giveth again the un¬ righteous thing; for he had done much unrighteousness and wrong, because he had nothing to give. He giveth it again with his heart before the house of Joseph in true confession and acknowledgement, and would fain give it back again with his hand, if he were but able to do it. To such a one saith Joseph’s steward, Fear no more, I have clearly received it in your repentance, Christ hath paid and restored it for you in his blood, so that all is done away, and nothing remaining ; and you are in poverty and misery, therefore keep that little which you have, to cherish your life, though indeed you have it of wrong, and should have nothing in this world for your own; yet God hath given you treasure. Take water, and wash your feet; that is, cleanse the conversation of your hands and feet, and do evil no more; keep not that which is unrighteous, but only that little which you have of right, wherewith you cannot repay the wrong. 49. Not so to understand it that he should not restore again that which is of wrong, of his own which he hath rightly gotten besides extortion, if he be able. We speak of the poor, which hath nothing but a piece of bread left to sustain life: no excuse availeth before God, the conscience must become pure, or else thou art a thief. For the figure here addeth that the steward gave their asses provender, which signifieth the earthly body, that Christ will by his steward cause provender and food to be given to it.

50. These stewards here are honest and virtuous people in the world, which shall help to take care of it, that it may live; even though he was formerly a wicked man, if he were now honest from his heart. 51. Not as the false wicked world judgeth, who know a fault in a converted man, which he hath had, and still always upbraid him and condemn him for an unrighteous man, which devilishness the world is full of, that if they see a man who is converted, they cast all failings and infirmities which every one hath in flesh and blood upon him, and judge him for it, and look upon what he hath been, and not upon what he now is. Here saith Christ, Judge not, and then you shall not be judged (Matt. vii. 1). 52. Now when Joseph entered into the house, they brought him the present in their hands, and fell down before him to the earth. But he saluted them friendly, and said, Is it well with your father, the old man whom ye told me of? Both he yet live? And they answered, It is well with thy servant our father, and he yet liveth. And so they bowed and fell down before him (Gen. xliii. 26-28).

53. This now is the state and condition of the soul when it cometh plainly before the eyes of God, and hath wrapt its present up in the sufferings and death of Christ, and beareth it in its hands with the figure of the nail prints of Christ, in the presence of God. That is to say, the will to righteousness, truth, chastity, love, patience, hope, faith, meekness; these are now in the will of the soul, and these the soul giveth to the heavenly Joseph, and falleth down before him in humility. 54. But this Joseph saluteth the soul, that is, he speaketh or inspireth his word of grace into it, and parleyeth friendly in the con¬ science with it concerning the old Adamical Jacob of its life, and saith, Doth he yet live; that is, if he be still living and not quite dead there shall well be a remedy for him. At which the soul rejoiceth, and saith, It is well with thy servant my father, and he yet liveth. 55. And Joseph lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is that your youngest brother that you have told me of. And said further, God be gracious to thee, my son. And Joseph made haste away ; for his heart burnt within him towards his brother: and sought where to weep ; so he went into his chamber, and wept there. And when he had washed his face, he went forth, and carried himself boldly, and said, Set bread on the table (Gen. xliii. 29-3 1).

56. This now is that excellent type or image, as is above men¬ tioned; when Benjamin, that is the most inward ground, wherein lie the grace-gates of Paradise, is manifested before the eyes of Christ, in whom the great compassion kindleth itself; then God in Christ speaketh in or inspireth the living compassion: as here Joseph into Benjamin, when he said, God be gracious to thee, my son. This weeping of the heavenly Joseph kindleth this faded Paradisical image again with this weeping humility of Christ, so that from Christ’s weeping into this image the eternal joy riseth up: and then Christ setteth bread upon the table, that this image may eat with him. 57. And Moses saith further, And they served Joseph apart, and them apart ; and the Egyptians that did eat with him, apart also: for the Egyptians dare not eat bread with the Hebrews; for it is an abomination to them. And they placed them before him, the first according to his priority of birth, and the youngest according to his youth: and they marvelled amongst themselves. And they carried them food1 from his table: but Benjamin’s was five times as much as the other. And they drank, and were merry in drinking plentifully with him (Gen. xliii. 32-34).

58. This figure is now the most secret ground and highest mystery of all between God and man: although it appears outwardly as if Joseph would thus hide himself before his brethren, as if he were not a Hebrew of their progeny, yet the spirit hath here set down so deep a mystery that no reason can discern it. 59. For Joseph in this place standeth in the figure of Christ, who hath food apart, whereof they know nothing: as it is to be seen at Jacob’s well, when his disciples called him to eat. Then said he, I have food which you know nothing of ) which is to do the will of him that sent me (John iv. 32-34) : for the heathen woman’s faith was his food. 60. Christ, according to the eternal Word of the Deity, eateth not of the substance of heaven, as a creature, but of the human faith and earnest prayer, and the souls of men praising God, are his food, which the eternal Word that became man eateth, as a part; which apper¬ tained to no man or any other creature, neither can they eat it. And when he eateth the faith and prayer, together with the praise of God, from our souls, then the human faith, together with the prayer and praising God, becomes substantial in the Word of power, and is of one and the same substance with the substance of the heavenly corporeity of Christ, all alike to the only body of Christ, God, and substance, viz. God, man, and substance, all one.

61. This substance, which is one and the same substance with the assumed humanity, from us, wherein he hath shed his blood, which is alike of a divine and human substantiality, viz. supernatural flesh and blood, and then also of the human creature’s flesh and blood (except the earthliness of our humanity) he giveth this now to the human faith again to be eaten and drunk. 62. For faith, in the desire of its hunger, is the mouth which sucketh and receiveth it in. In which impression, catching and receiving, faith eateth and drinketh Christ’s flesh and blood; which eating and drinking is apprehended and kept in the inward Para¬ disical image, which faded in Adam and became living again in Christ; wherein the human Paradisical substance, and Christ’s flesh and blood, are entirely one substance, and continue so eternally. Which inward man is now no more called Adam, but Christ, viz. [being] a member of the body and substance of Christ, wherein is the temple of the Holy Ghost; and God’s holy Word is therein, substantially. And it is a form or image of the imageless Deity,1 viz. the imaged Word of God, an express reflex image2 of God.

63. And this now is the signification of the figure, that they served Joseph apart, and his brethren also apart : that still there is a difference between Christ, and his eating, and man, and his eating. The differ¬ ence is not as to the creaturely humanity of Christ from us, but between the un-formed eternal Word in him, wherein the total God is operatively and generatively, not shut up and separated, but expressive in full omnipotence; not creaturely, but divine : 64. But in us men (so far as man in his participation hath anything of God and Christ in his own substance) the Word is formed and sub¬ stantial, and this formed substantial Word eateth again of the formed Word of God, viz. of Christ’s flesh and blood, wherein yet also the un-formed Word, together with the whole fullness of the Deity, dwelleth (Col. ii. 9). 65. But the human creature hath it not in his own participation or possession of self, as it is in Christ Jesus, but [the creature hath it] as a vessel and habitation of God. After that manner by way of similitude as fire possesseth iron, and illustrateth it that it come to be all of a fire,3 and yet it hath not the fire in its own power or authority; for if the fire go out, the iron then remaineth to be dark iron. Or as the sun presseth and penetrateth through a herb, and puts forth itself to¬ gether in the herb and becometh substantial; and yet the sun’s spirit remaineth to be only a power and virtue in the herb, and the corpus or body of the herb doth not come to be sun : thus also is it to be understood between God and man.

66. But that Moses saith, And they served the Egyptians also apart, for the Egyptians dare not eat bread with the Hebrews, hath also its figure; though it might well be so outwardly in itself, that they have not dared to eat with them: which we leave unquestionably in its own worth, as also all other things. We leave it standing in a history, but we would only clear and explain the meaning and understanding, wherefore the spirit of God hath caused it to be deciphered so narrowly, curiously, exactly and punctually. 67. Now when we will search out this, we must take into 1 Resemblance of the inconceivable or non-imagible Deity. 2 Answering exactly as a man’s face doth in a glass. 3 Maketh it all of a light fire. consideration a natural Adamical man, of what kind, progeny or name soever he is, whether heathen, Turk, verbal or titulary Christian,1 or Jew; here they are all alike, and no otherwise: all these dare not eat with a right true Christian, as, viz. with Joseph’s brethren. But why? Because they have not a mouth to eat such food withal. Their mouth is yet shut up to them, and they cannot eat the food of Christ’s body; they are an abomination to it, and have a loathing against it : as we see that it is an abomination to the Jews, Turks and heathen, that a Christian saith, he eateth Christ’s flesh, and drinketh his blood (John vi. 53).

68. So also it is an abomination to the titulary Christendom, one part of which believeth not the substantial participation and feeding upon the body of Christ, but will have it merely spiritual. The other part will have the mouth of the Adamical mortal man full of it, and therewith comprehend and receive it. And so there is no right know¬ ledge or understanding in either party; and they sit at table, but without knowing anything as the brethren of Joseph did, who knew not Joseph, where indeed their faith feedeth, but their understanding knoweth not Joseph in his feast or banquet.2 69. Now then saith reason, seeing the Jews, Turks, and ignorant unknowing heathen, have no mouth to eat such food with, and that Christ saith, Whosoever eateth not the flesh of the Son of Man, he hath no life in him (John vi. 53); therefore they must all of them be damned. O Israel, how blind art thou here, and knowest as little as they, or as Joseph’s brethren knew of Joseph. 70. The Turks, Jews, and strange nations, whose desire and prayer goeth to the only God, have indeed a mouth, but not so as a Christian hath: for as the desire, viz. the mouth, is, such is also the food in the mouth. They desire the spirit of God, and such is also their eating: in that manner as before Christ’s humanity, in the Father and the Son, viz. in the Word.

71. But a Christian hath an incarnate mouth: for the soul’s3 desire, or much more, the substantial Christ or Christus, viz. the Virgin Sophia, hath a mouth from the substantial Word. But the other have one from the un-substantial Word; they desire the property of God the Father,4 viz. of the only God, and they do apprehend it also: but here grace is not manifest. 72. But seeing the Father hath given man to his Son Christ 1 Or mouth-Christian. 2 Or, mess of food. 2 Qr, soulish. 4 Or, to be like God the Father: our heavenly Father. (John vi. 37), as Christ saith (John xvii. 6), and hath manifested the grace in Christ, and inviteth them all in Christ, and that there is no salvation without Christ;1 therefore he giveth to them also the earnest crying prayer, which Christ receiveth from his Father and apprehendeth it in himself, and eateth it, and filleth them with his hu¬ manity, suffering, death, and shedding of his blood, and so they are with their spirit in Christ substantially, but in themselves as hidden to them. 73. For they desire not any way the flesh of the Son of Man, and therefore they have not in their selfhood any mouth for Christ’s flesh and blood, for they have no desire to it; but with their spirit they are substantially in Christ: but their inward in Adam faded Paradisical humanity (which faded in Adam), wherein the incor¬ porated grace in Paradise lieth, remaineth hidden in them, and with¬ out a stirring life.

74. For Christ dwelleth not substantially therein, as in a true Christian. But their faith’s substance is hidden in Christ to the day of the restoration of that which is lost in Adam, when their Paradisical image, which is not manifested in this time, will put on their faith’s substance, in God’s bestowed grace, which proceedeth from one upon all, out of Christ’s spirit; for that incorporated grace, viz. the inspoken or inspired Word, standeth also in them, and panteth after Christ’s substantiality. 75. But seeing their substantiality is in the Word, without this place, state and condition, in Christ, where Christ in himself fulfllleth their faith to God, therefore also will their substantial faith in God put on that incorporated Word in the Paradisical image, together with the same, at the revelation or manifestation of Jesus Christ; and herewith also the whole man. 76. For the Scripture saith, Of grace are ye saved, and that not of yourselves (Eph. ii. 8), not by your knowing, but through God’s mercy and compassion [are ye saved]. 2It lieth not in knowing, as if the know¬ ing could receive Christ; but it lieth in the gift, viz. in the grace, which Christ giveth to the unknowing into their faith in God, as well as to the knowing into their desire : it is done to both of grace.

77. For Adam went forth from the only God into self, into ignor¬ ance, and led us all with him into that same ignorance. But grace came again from that same only God, and offereth itself to all ignorant unknowing persons, heathen as well as Jews. 1 Or, out of him. 2 Note how salvation is not of ourselves, but of grace in us. 78. Among the Jews stood the image or type of grace in the figure, signifying how grace would receive man again. But now the fathers of the figure, viz. the Jews, had no more part in the grace, viz. those among whom the image or type had not manifested itself: for the prefiguration and type pointed at Christ. The Jews pressed with their faith and prayer through the prefiguration into the only grace, which was in God, which God bestowed upon Adam and his children. But the heathen, wdiich had not the Law, and yet believed, without circumcision, in the only promised grace of God, they pressed without the type or prefiguration into the grace. 79. For the ability was given to the one people as well as to the other, no people could of themselves; but the grace took the will lor the ability, and gave them ability and power alike, the Jews and the faithful heathen. But infidelity and not willing was both with the Jews and heathen their damnation, in that they withheld their wills in self and in hardening, and went awhoring after other gods. Thus the circumcision and the sacrifices were not the Jews’ salvation; but grace, which they represented in such figures pointing at the hu¬ manity of Christ, when the grace would fulfil the future: the future fulfilling was their salvation.

80. Thus also at present the Christians have the figure of grace under the Gospel in the fulfilling: not that they can receive the ful¬ filling in self-power and ability, but the fulfilling of the grace tendereth it to them; if they will give up themselves thereinto, then will the mouth be given to them in the grace. 81. But the others bend their wills towards the grace of God, which is even the same grace with the Christians, and no more; but the substantial grace in the image of the fulfilling they know not. But the grace taketh their willing with the desire into it, and giveth the desire in the grace a mouth: which is hidden to the creature, till the day of the revelation of Jesus Christ. 82. Therefore there is no other difference between them but the substantial stirring in the Paradisical image, the Paradisical image not having yet put on Christ in substance, as it is with the true Christians. And yet their faith in the grace of God in Christ is substantial, yet not in the human own possession of self, but in God who fulfilleth all things, and is and dwelleth through all things. Thus the substantial grace is near the faithful or believing Jews and Turks, and in them, but as to the creature not apprehended.

83. They have Christ in them, but they apprehend him not, unless their will enter into the substantial grace of Christ, and then Christ manifcsteth himself in their creature, as well as in Christians. But the grace in Christ is laid by the faithful believing Jews and other people, for it moveth through them, and their will to God is in it, and walketh therein. 84. A titulary Christian without the divine will is further from it than a believing Jew, Turk, and heathen, or whosoever he be that putteth his trust in God, and giveth up his will to God. Such a one is nearer, and will condemn the titulary Christian, in that he boasteth of knowing, and comforteth himself with the grace, but continueth in his evil will and desire without grace, and will set the wicked man up in the grace of God. 85. 'I hou sayest thus, The strange nations are not baptised into Christ, therefore they are not children to the grace of the Covenant. Answer. If circumcision were alone salvation, then were baptism so also, for the one is as the other, but God requireth that a Jew should be circumcised inwardly in heart. Circumcision was but the type or image, shewing how Christ would cut off sin, which type Christ hath fulfilled. Thus also the spirit of Christ baptiseth with this Covenant in the Paradisical image, in the incorporated grace, and kindleth an ember.1

86. But it requireth an ens of faith, which is capable of the bap¬ tism,2 which cometh from the parents, and through the earnest prayer of those who are conversant about the work; else the Covenant is despised, and there is no circumcision of the heart and spirit. For the power and authority wherewith the Holy Ghost baptiseth 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 saith concerning the Supper of Christ, that the wicked receive it to judgment. 87. A wicked priest hath not power and authority to baptise with the Holy Ghost, he hath only the water, and is himself incapable of the office; but the ens of the child, and the believing parents, and those who require and promote the work, their earnestness and prayer reach forth the Covenant with their faith’s desire to the baptised infant. 88. But the wicked priest is no more profitable in it than the fontstone that holdeth the water; thus he bringeth only the water and 1 Bathcth, steepeth or soaketh into the grace, and quickeneth a sprout. the ceremonies, which a Turk can do, without faith or believing.

89. But a stranger that hath not the baptism, and knoweth nothing thereof, becometh in his faith circumcised in heart, and the Holy Ghost soaketh into his faith’s desire, and baptiseth him unto the revelation of Jesus Christ, when his faith shall also put on the sub¬ stantial Covenant in the grace. 90. O Babel, how blind art thou! How have thy clergy or men ordained and in orders set themselves in Christ’s stead! But they all serve not Christ, but themselves to their fleshly honour. O Babel, convert, the door is open, else thou wilt be spewed out. The time is born. 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 powerful 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 than the others. This prefigureth to us, first, the difference in the kingdom of Christ, shewing how they shall be unlike in the regeneration, as St. Paul saith concerning it, They shall excel one another in glory, 1 as the sun, moon, and stars do (1 Cor. xv. 4I).

92. For there it will avail nothing to have been a king, prince, lord, noble or learned, but he that hath had the greatest power and virtue in him, who shall have attained grace, in the name of Jesus, the most clearly in his wrestling of repentance, he will be greatest there. For these orders and degrees signify to us, that they will be unlike in the divine exaltation, viz. in the power and virtue, as the angels excel one another in power, virtue, beauty and brightness. 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, seeing he is Joseph’s brother; and Joseph here standeth in the figure of Christ: therefore it belongeth to the inward man to eat of his brother Christ’s food from his five wounds. This is that which this precious figure signifieth here, as may be seen. 94. But that the spirit saith, They drank, and were all filled with drinking, signifieth that in the kingdom of Christ there is a universal common participation and joy; and in that there is no difference, be¬ cause in such difference they shall all rejoice in one God. For their drink¬ ing fully signifieth here the eternal joy, where, in this joy, we shall be as it were drunk. And then will the inward man drink and eat of

the sweet grace which is manifested in Christ’s five wounds; and hereby give it into the fiery soul, which in its fiery essence will, in this sweetness, awaken the triumph of divine joyfulness, and here¬ with will the noble bride1 refresh its bridegroom, viz. the soul. 1 Sophia : the Divine Wisdom. How Joseph caused his Brethren’s Sacks to be filled, and the Money to be laid uppermost in their Sacks, as also his Cup in Benjamin’s Sack, and Caused them to be pursued and charged with Theft: What is thereby to be i. tv yTOSES saith, And Joseph commanded his steward, and said, Fill the XV J .men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, 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 corn. And the steward did as Joseph had said unto him. On the morrow, when it was light, he let the men go, with their asses. And when they were not come far out from the city, Joseph said to his steward, Up, and pursue after the men ; and when you have overtaken them, say thus unto them, Why have you requited evil for good ? Is it not that out of which my lord drinketh, and wherewith he prophesieth f ye have done ill. And when he overtook them, he spake such words to them (Gen. xliv. 1-6).

2. Now a Christian standeth in this figure, signifying that when he is come to this in right earnestness into the image in the trial on the path of Christ’s pilgrimage in this world, how God exerciseth and purgeth him, for this is the way and process on the path of Christ’s pilgrimage, and how God carrieth himself, and 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 earnestness, filleth his sack, viz. the mind and conscience in the life’s properties, with his grace, and layeth the cup of salvation (Psal. cxvi. 13), viz. the true and right silver cup, viz. the cup of Christ (John xviii. 11), out of which he 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 Joseph’s 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 1 Gen. xliv. 2 Or, divineth. disciples, and whereby he divined or prophesied concerning his eternal kingdom, and that whosoever would drink of this cup should with him divine and prophesy to1 the eternal life.

4. But this figure sheweth the great earnestness, signifying how this cup should be bestowed upon God’s 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 Christ’s cup be laid in for him. These now the wrath of God sifteth in the human nature, as to their souls and as to the mortal body, and saith to the conscience, Thou hast not rightly gotten his cup by the right of nature; thou hast stolen it out of God’s house from his grace and power. The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence (Matt. xi. 12) herein, 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 walk back with this cup in peace on these paths. 5. But no, it will not avail thee; if thou wilt take Christ’s grace along in thee, then thou must take on thee also his suffering, dying, scorn, persecution and misery, and suffer thyself to be continually reproached in the world for a false wicked man, and to suffer thyself to be accounted a wicked person2 by the Pharisaical hypocrisy, as one that hath stolen their cup and taken it away by violence; in that he will no more kneel down before the great Babylonish whore, who hath presented a cup full of hypocrisy and blasphemy, and quaff of their cup; and then reproach they him for a wicked person, who hath stolen their cup and authority from them, and run after him and would murder him, and damn him to temporal and eternal death, and re¬ proach him without ceasing for a treacherous person, who hath stolen their cup.

6. That is, when a true Christian obtaineth the cup of Christ, and drinketh out of it, then cometh the anger of God in the fleshly evil nature, as also the devil and the evil 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 whoredom and abomination in them, and because he revealeth it, and will not quaff with them in their cup of hypocrisy and blasphemy. 7. And then must a Christian lay down his sack of God’s grace at their feet, and suffer himself to be bound and captivated in their 1 Upon, into or concerning, 2 Or, knave. scorning and contemning; and then they oftentimes bereave him of body and life, honour and welfare, and set him with his cup before their judgment. And there a Christian must drink out of their cup the derision, cross, suffering and death of Christ, and imitate and follow Christ in this cup, and so not go home again in peace, with his filled sack of the grace of Christ, through this world into his eternal country of his Father.1 He must be conformable to Christ’s image (Phil. iii. io ; Rom. viii. 29), and follow him in his way which he hath walked in this world. This is powerfully prefigured in this figure.

8. For Joseph’s brethren stood now in the figure of a converted Christian, whom God hath clothed with Christ, and also laid in the cup of the cross, together with grace, and, moreover, uppermost in the sack; to signify 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 quietness, but in the strife about this cup, for it lieth uppermost in the sack of grace, and the strife about the cup must always be the forerunner of it. 9. For Christ saith, The Son of Man is not come to establish peace on the earth, but strife and persecution, that one be against another and persecute him (Matt. x. 34; Luke xii. 51). Also, He hath kindled a fire, and desireth it should burn (Luke xii. 49). And this is it: that a true Christian must always be spoken against, even those of his own family in flesh and blood must be his enemies (Micah vii. 6), that the sown and planted tree of pearl may stir and bring forth fruit. 10. As an earthly tree must stand in heat, cold and wind, and have great strokes and opposition, whereby the sap is drawn out of the earth into the tree, so that it blossometh and beareth fruit: thus also the poor soul, in such smitings and opposition, in scorn and misery, must draw power and virtue into itself out of the bestowed and en¬ trusted grace, viz. out of [the soil] and field of the Word of God, with earnest prayer and working, and thereby bear the fruit of faith, viz. good doctrine, instruction and conversation.

11. For thereby the soul feedeth the spirit of Christ, and Christ feedeth the soul again out of the sack of the substantial grace, viz. with his flesh of the substantial wisdom of God; and thus they give themselves one to another, to a perpetual working. 12. And we see hereby, 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 God’s children are the heat and cold, wherewith 1 Or, native country. God stirreth his little plant of pearl in his children, so that it hungereth after heavenly sap, and draweth it into itself and groweth. And this is that which Christ said, He came to set up strife on the earth: for Christ’s kingdom is a strife against hell and the devil; Christ striveth without ceasing in his children and members, with Satan, about the kingdom. 13. For in the earthly man lieth yet the ground of the Serpent, viz. a habitation of Satan, wherein Satan withstandeth the kingdom of Christ: So also on the contrary the kingdom of Christ in grace with¬ standeth the kingdom of Satan, with the cup of Christ; and this strife continueth always while the earthly body continueth.

14. For thus God’s anger worketh in the love, that the love (viz. the eternal One and eternal Good) might be distinguishable, per¬ ceptible, and discernible; for in strife and opposite will the pro¬ fundity or abyss, viz. the eternal One, which is without nature and creature, is manifest. 15. And therefore God hath introduced himself with his holy Word of powers into nature and creature, as also into pain and tor¬ ment, into light and darkness, that the eternal power of his Word in the Wisdom, together with the expressed Word, might be distin¬ guishable and perceptible, that knowledge might be. 16. For without this the knowledge of the eternal One would not be manifest, neither would there be any joy; and though it were in being, yet it would not be manifest to itself. Thus it manifesteth itself through the introduction into nature, through the separability or distinguibility of the speaking; whereby the speaking bringeth itself into properties, and the properties into opposition or con¬ trariety of will, and so through the opposition, the eternal Good, which bringeth itself along in the Word of the speaking, into distin¬ guibility, becometh distinguishable, creaturely and conceivable.1 17. Else if the evil in the contrary will were not profitable, God, viz. the eternal only Good, would not endure it, but annihilate it.2 But thus it serveth to the manifestation of the glory of God, and the kingdom of rejoicing; and it is an instrument of God, whereby he maketh his Good conceivable,3 that the good may be known : for if there were no evil, then the good would not be known.

18. If there were no anger-fire there could be also no light-fire, 1 Imagible, imaginable, or comprehensible. 2 Or, make it to be nothing. 3 Imagible, representable, or discernible. and the eternal love would be hidden, for there would be nothing that could be loved. Thus the love of God hath an occasion of love, for it loveth the dereliction of that which is forsaken, viz. the weakness; that it1 also might be great. 19. For God’s love cometh only to help the weak, lowly, humble, destitute, forlorn and forsaken, and not those that go on in the might and strength of the fire; not the might of self, but the impotency, and that which is forsaken. Whatsoever is lowly, disregarded, humble and destitute, in that, love worketh and dwelleth therein. 20. For love in its own property is nothing else but the divine humility out of the profundity or ground of the [eternal] One. Love neither seeketh nor desireth any thing but the One, for itself is the One, viz. the eternal Nothing, and yet is through All, and in All; but the appropriation of self-will is a nothing to it. 21. Therefore all is foolish and esteemed evil and base, in the sight of God’s Love, whatsoever willeth in its own self-ability: though it may well be profitable, as whereby the willing of nothing manifesteth itself, yet it is, in the sight of the willing of nothing, only a phantasy, viz. a sport of its own driving on, and tormenting itself.

22. For that which willeth nothing, but only that out of which it is proceeded, that hath no torment in itself; for that, to itself, is nothing, but is, only to that out of which it is proceeded. It standeth submissive to its Maker that made it, he may cause it to be something or nothing: and thus it is one and the same thing with the eternal One; for it tormenteth not itself, it loveth not itself, it feeleth not itself in its own will: for it hath no will of its own, but is given up to the total or universal. 23. As we see that the four elements stand in such a will; they are four, and yet but one. For the four stand in one ground, and the ground is neither hot nor cold, neither moist nor dry: it is that one element, an unperceptible life. But thus it would not be manifested to itself; therefore God hath stirred it up, and exhaled and unfolded it out of himself, that there might be opposition to itself, and might perpetually stand in strife, that the One might be manifested in multiplicity. 24. But herein neither of them destroyeth the other that it should cease to be, and be nothing; but that which is overpowered standeth still to that which hath overpowered it, the heat to the cold, or the cold to the heat; and there is no self possession or willing, but one

1 The love itself. element willeth the other, that the other may be manifest; and when it is manifest, then it giveth itself to the strongest in the stirring, and so there is a strife, and yet the greatest love between them: for in regard of the love struggling it is that the strife and willing or stirring ariseth. 25. Therefore man, in respect of his own willing, is an enemy to himself: if he did give his will to God, and did yield to him, then God would will through him, and with him, and his willing were God’s willing. But seeing he loveth his own willing, and not that which hath given him the willing, it is a twofold injury. 26. One, in respect of the own willing, that he will not hold still to the original and ground of his willing, and be one and the same thing with it : as the four elements do all give up their willing into the ground out of which they proceed and move and will according to the same. 27. A second is, that he breaketh off his love from the love of the abyss, and loveth himself, and forsaketh the love that hath given him his love; and himself willeth, goeth, runneth, careth, and looketh after many things, and breaketh himself off from the Unity: therefore he runneth on in his own will in the forms or qualities of nature and the four elements; as also in the multiplicity of the essences of the constellations1 in mere unquietness.

28. And the unquietness bringeth into anxiety, and the anxiety standeth in the desire of his will, and the desire includeth and overshadoweth itself, so that it is dark in itself, and cannot see itself. Therefore the self-will runneth on in mere dark anxiety, and vexeth itself in the desire, and seeketh the love in the desire, and yet findeth nothing therein but the image2 of the four elements which the desire itself maketh. Thus the will serveth its images, and loveth the image in itself: and that is the greatest folly which nature hath brought forth, and yet it is the instrument whereby the highest wisdom is made manifest. 29. O ye men, who count yourselves wise, and receive honour one from another in respect of your self-love and your own will, how mad are ye in the sight of heaven! your own honour which you yourselves seek is a stink in the presence of the only love of God. But he that seeketh another and honoureth and loveth him, he is one thing with the total : For when he seeketh and loveth his brother, then he introduceth his love into the members of his body, and is loved, sought,

1 Or, postures of the stars. 2 Form, quality or condition. and found of him who made the first man out of his Word, and is but one man with all men, viz. with the first Adam, but one in all his members; as also with the second Adam, Christ, [he is] but one. 30. For God gave man but one will, that he should will only what God would. God would have the world and the creatures to be, and that would he by and out of his Word. This should man also will through that same Word: as that Word would have it, so should man also will to have it be. God created all things in its own similitude or image, by the Word, and out of the Word, that one should love another; so should man also love his likeness and similitude. 31. For all men are but the one man, Adam. God created only him, and the other creating1 he left to man, that he should leave his will to God, and with God generate the other men out of himself in that likeness. But when that was not done God cursed the power that was given to man, so that the will of the creatures is opposite to him, seeing he would have them to misuse them, and would no more be a lord of the creatures, but mingleth his love also with them : whereupon the four elements captivated him, and made him also a beast as to the body. And thus now he runneth on in the will of the curse.

32. For he is God’s image. But he fashioneth2 his will into a bestial image, and disturbeth the order of God, from what it was in the word of Creation: He suppresseth the right true will of God, and setteth his own will in the place. He is with his will an enemy to all creatures, and all creatures are his enemies. 33. And therefore must the divine will in man be now born again in such anguish in the opposite will, and the right divine will of the new birth must suffer itself to have the enmity of all creatures; and therefore, because man beareth in his body a bestial will, wherein the bestial opposite will, together with the curse, is manifested, so now the life in the curse is at enmity with the life in the peace, and will not suffer it in itself. 34. But if the bestial will in the flesh could be wholly broken and killed, then the curse would cease, and so no creature could be at enmity more. 35. But seeing this cannot be, therefore must man stand in strife, and endure much evil to will in him from without, and to will much evil out from himself, in and towards that which is without him; and so standeth in strife between evil and good, and in evil and good; and

1 Or, procreating which was further to be done. 2 Imageth, modelleth, or figureth. liveth in the strife of the elements, and also in the strife of his own willing that God gave him. 36. For he complaineth always, that wrong is done him, and yet [he] himself is a wrong will, and the right will, which he obtaineth in the regeneration, is not his own natural willing, but it is the willing of the grace of God, which is manifested in his willing; which willing daily killeth his natural willing, and blameth man by God’s instru¬ ment with the children of the anger openly. 37. Moses speaketh further, and saith, They answered him, and said , JVherefore speaketh my lord such words? It is far from thy servants to do such a thing: Behold, the money, which we found aloft in the sack, we have brought to thee again out of the land of Canaan : how should we then have stolen out of thy lord’s house either silver or gold? He with whom it is found among us thy servants, let him be put to death • and moreover, we will be the servants of my lord. He said, Let it be as ye have spoken: he with whom it is found shall be my servant ■ but ye shall be quit (Gen. xliv. 7-10).

38. This figure now sheweth how the conscience desireth to justify itself, when it is apprehended by the wrath of God’s anger, that either, when God with his plagues in nature, also many times in the hiding of his graces, or through the evil world, blameth it, and representeth it unrighteous, then it will always justify itself, that wrong is done it. 39. For if it have once turned toward grace, and broken itself off" from ungodly courses, then it thinketh no evil at all shall happen: God is bound to protect it, and the world doth it wrong, when it reproacheth it as wicked; it ought no more to be subject to plagues and punishments, and it accounteth that honesty and righteousness, whereby it stealeth grace from God, and reckoneth it for its own, as if it were no more guilty of sins. 40. Also it excuseth itself towards the world, when the world will impute sins and blasphemies to it, as if it were guilty. Then it will needs die, or be put to death, or the like, as Joseph’s brethren did who knew nothing of the theft, and did not understand either, that all their unrighteousness, and their stealing of Joseph, when they stole him from their father and sold him, stood in the sacks of Joseph’s gifts, viz. were manifest before the eyes of Joseph, so that Joseph knew and understood their theft, and therefore caused them to be held for thieves, and caused them to be pursued as thieves, and fetched them back again, and set them before the judgment.

41. But instead of their thievery of their committed sins, whereby they had forfeited their lives, Joseph caused his silver cup to be laid to the gift in their sack, and caused them to be blamed for the cup: which they would not confess. The figure standeth thus: 42. When a man, as is above mentioned, becometh a true Christian, so that God giveth him his grace, then he layeth his grace hiddenly in the sack of his body, in the essences of life. And, moreover, layeth therein the cup of the cross, and blameth it no more in conscience in respect of its manifold committed sins; for he hath utterly destroyed them with the grace of forgiveness, and filled the sack of his sins with grace for the hunger of the poor soul. But it layeth now the cup of Christ to its charge, that it is guilty of that, viz. of Christ’s being scorned, also of his suffering and death, that he hath brought Christ to the cross with his sins, that it is verily guilty of the cup of Christ’s cross, and not wholly righteous. 43. For when God by his grace forgiveth him the sins unto death,1 then he causeth this cup of Christ to be laid aloft in the sack; seeing Christ himself hath the guilt of these sins laid upon him, and hath taken them upon him; therefore now this man is guilty of the cup of Christ’s cross (in which Christ must taste and drink out the anger of God in man): God’s righteousness requires of him to enter into the suffering, scorn, and death of Christ, that he should die with Christ, and give himself up to his scorn, and suffer with Christ.

44. But seeing he cannot do that, and is too weak to enter into such sufferings in the anger of God, therefore hath grace put this cup also into him, that he might drink of Christ’s victory, and prophesy or divine of Christ’s suffering and death, and make them known. 45. But God’s righteousness, which now requireth man to be in the process of Christ, viz. in Christ’s sufferings and death, and yet findeth him not always, in his conversation and will, therein, accuseth him for a thief, who carrieth the cup of Christ’s cross but as a thief in the sack of his life’s essences, and chargeth him of theft, if he walk other¬ wise than in the process [and imitation] of Christ. 46. For Christ hath received man into his sufferings and death, and turned away the righteousness of God’s anger, and introduced him, with his guilt of eternal death, into his innocent death, and is dead from the sins and wickedness in himself; and in this dying of 1 Mortal, deadly, or killing sins. Christ God’s righteousness, in the anger, requireth a Christian man to be. 47. But if he walk out of this path, and not in it, then saith righteousness, Thou art a thief, and hast wrongfully got this cup of Christ in thy sack, I will set thee before my judgment and sentence, as Joseph did to his brethren, when he caused them to be fetched back to the sentence of his judgment.

48. Therefore hath a Christian, who walketh under the banner of Christ’s cross, no excuse, when God by his steward, viz. by the chil¬ dren of this world, causeth him to be laid hold on in the righteousness of his anger, and chargeth him for a thief and an unrighteous person, also for a stranger, innovator or novelist,1 enthusiast, fool, and the like; when men load him with all his faults, and the infirmities of natural sinful flesh, and without ceasing blame him as wicked and un¬ righteous, and condemn him to the damnation of the temporal and eternal death; and though he is not, in the sight of the world, nor as to the world, guilty, yet he is liable to bear the scorn, suffering and death of Christ after him, as a Christian, and is liable to take upon him the whole process in the footsteps of Christ, and to follow Christ therein, and to suffer all, in Christ, and wholly to put on Christ in his derision, contempt, suffering and death, and to bear his cross and scorn after him; that he may enter into Christ’s kingdom, as a mem¬ ber of the body of Christ that hath suffered with him, and hath daily died to the anger of God in the death of Christ, from his actual sins.

49. For all sins, blasphemies and untruths, which are imputed to him wrongfully from the world, which he is not outwardly guilty of in the fact, that, he suffereth in the process of Christ, as a Christian; and therein drinketh out of the cup of Christ’s cross, who hath innocently suffered for his sins. 50. For if he be not guilty of them in his life, yet he is guilty of them in the inherited sin, and hath inherited them also in the seed out of which he is proceeded: they lie in his ground;2 he cannot excuse himself before God in the process of Christ, he is guilty of all Adamical sins. 51. But this is his comfort: that God manifesteth them by the children of his anger in this world, and so, as a curse, by the children of anger, fasteneth them to the cross of Christ; and in this manifesta¬ tion drowneth them in him in the blood and death of Christ, in that he still cleaveth to God, as Christ to his Father, and suffered himself to be 1 Novice. 2 Ground of his nature and heart. accused of sins which he had not committed, but had only inherited them; and so they were taken from him, and given to the anger of God in his judgment that he might condemn them.

52. For thus also Joseph, in this figure, appeased his just anger towards his brethren: they were all guilty towards him, but he charged them not with their guilt, but charged them only with his cup, for he had clearly forgiven them all their trespasses. But concern¬ ing the cup alone he would not hold them guiltless, and yet of right they were not guilty of it: but he had laid it in, as his bounty, and made them guilty of it. 53. Thus also hath God given us his grace of mere love, after that we were clearly guilty of eternal judgment, and hath laid Christ and grace in the sack of our life, with his suffering and death, with his cup of the cross: concerning which he doth not hold us guiltless: we are all guilty thereof, and have not this cup by a natural right, but it is laid into us without our knowledge. Therefore we cannot release our¬ selves of it, except we cast Christ wholly from us, and give ourselves again to the anger of God; and then death, hell, and the anger of God make us guilty, and hold us captive in them: but at present man may lay hold on which he will.

54. But that Joseph caused the cup to be thrust into his brother Benjamin’s sack, it hath this figure: that Christ dwelleth in the in¬ ward man, viz. in his Paradisical brother, and hath this cup of the cross in his hand, out of which the guilty soul and the body must drink. He thrusteth it into his brother’s sack, for that inward ground is his brother: but the other brethren must drink of it, this brother of Christ holdeth it in him, for he is Christ’s member and habitation. 55. Therefore saith Joseph’s steward, By whomsoever the cup is found, he shall be my servant, but ye shall be quit; viz. the inward ground, the true Joseph’s, viz. Christ’s, brother, he is Christ’s ser¬ vant, who serveth his Lord and brother, and must hold the cup in his sack. The other forms1 of life of nature are free, and cannot hold the cup for Christ. 56. For they are not the right sack to put it in, but the ground of the heavenly world’s substance is the sack to which the holy cup of Christ doth belong, which poureth the ground of nature out of it. Therefore must Joseph’s brother be made guilty of the cup, because he stood in the figure of the inward man wherein Christ would mani¬ fest himself with his cup of the cross : and so the other brethren, viz. the

1 Conditions or qualities. poor soul together with the body, be quit and released from the guilt. 57. Therefore saith Joseph’s steward, He is my servant who hath the cup, he shall serve me, but ye shall be quit. That is, Christ is, in this inward Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, and serveth God with over¬ coming of death and the anger of God in man. And so all the other brethren, viz. the natural life, shall be quit from guilt and pain : and it standeth excellently in the figure. 58. Moses saith further, And they hastened, and laid every one his sack off on to the earth ; and every one took his sack off, and searched, and began at the eldest, and so to the youngest: and there they found the cup in Beniamin’s sack. And then they rent their clothes, and loaded every one his ass, and went again into the city (Gen. xliv. 11-13). 59. When Adam was fallen into sin, then the law and command fetched him back again, and charged him with the sin and theft, that he had eaten of the wrong fruit with a wicked mouth: therefore must he return again into the city, viz. into the earth, out of which the body was proceeded, and there lay down his sack into the earth. And there God’s righteousness searcheth into all the natural properties, viz. truth and righteousness, which availeth before God, viz. the image of heaven 5 and began from the first form of nature, and so on to the youngest and last, viz. to the incorporated ground of grace after the fall, and cannot find his cup of salvation in any natural property, although the body goes quite to powder in the searching, all but the youngest brother in the inspoken or inspired word of grace; in that lieth the cup of Joseph and of Christ: this the Spirit prefigureth powerfully in this figure.

60. Moses saith further, And Judah went with his brethren into Joseph's house ■ for he was there still ; and they fell down before him on the earth. But Joseph said to them, How have ye dared to do this thing? know ye not that such a man as I am can find it out? Judah spake and said, What shall we say unto my lord? How shall we speak? and wherein can we justify our¬ selves? God hath found out the misdeed of thy servants: behold here, we, and he with whom the cup is found, are the servants of my lord. But he said, That be far from me to do such a thing: the man with whom the cup is found, he shall be my servant, but go ye up in peace to your father (Gen. xliv. 14-17). The inward figure standeth thus: 61. When God blamed and charged man with guilt by reason of sin, and presented this to him in his anger by the deluge or flood, also by Sodom and Gomorrah before their eyes, that they had robbed in the house ofjoseph, that is, in the Covenant of grace, and transgressed the Covenant, then went Judah with his brethren, that is, Moses, with the children of Judah and Israel in the manifestation of the law, when their sins were manifested, and that God required the cup back again into Joseph’s house, that is, the law went back into Joseph’s house: Then Judah and Israel could not keep it, and so it went into the grace, and there the Covenant of grace, viz. the right Joseph, presented itself before their eyes, and said, while you are robbers and evil, do you suppose I cannot find you out? But they could not answer him, but must yield themselves to his sentence.

62. For Israel could neither keep the Covenant nor the Law, and therefore must now fall down before him, and yield themselves to his mercy and compassion. Israel would now give up himself to be God’s own servant, but he would not have them minister to him with their Law, but would have that to be his servant wherein the cup lay. He would not have only an outward worship and service of God, in the figure of Christ, with the Law, but he would have Benjamin, viz. the inward ground of the heavenly world’s substance, for a servant; but the minister or servant of the Law, viz. the natural man, should go home again in peace into his father’s country, and take the bestowed grace along with him in his life for food: this the spirit of God sets thus in a figure under these acts, pointing at the future. 63. Under this figure now the spirit intimates, by Judah, who was surety for Benjamin, very secretly and mystically, that the poor soul could not thus with the grace go home again to its father’s country, unless it had Benjamin, that is, Christ, in substance in it. For Judah pleaded exceeding hard that he durst not go home, unless he brought Benjamin along with him, or else he would himself remain there a servant.

64. Thus the poor soul giveth itself up to God, when God’s righteousness calleth it to go back again home with the Covenant. Then it will by no means go back, except it have Benjamin, that is, Christ substantially with it, else it cannot see God: as here Judah in this image and type excuseth himself, and saith, If he came back and brought not Benjamin with him, then he should bring his father’s grey hairs under the earth, seeing his soul clave to Benjamin’s soul (Gen. xliv. 30, 31). 65. That is, if the Adamical man should go into Paradise again, without Christ’s life and substance, then would he bring his father, the life’s nature, into the eternal divine forgetfulness d for the life of the human nature would not be manifest according to the divine property ; that is, it could not live in the kingdom of heaven. 66. Indeed God calleth the soul to go home with the Law into Paradise; but that cannot be, unless it have Christ in life and substance in it, and then it dares go home again into its first native country ofits Father. The Seventy -Second Chapter How Joseph Manifested himself before his Brethren.

And what is to be understood thereby1 i. A A OSES saith further, Then Joseph could no longer withhold himself W A before all those that stood about him ; and he cried, Let every one go forth from me. And none were with him, when Joseph made himself known to his brethren. And he wept aloud: so that the Egyptians and Pharaoh’s people heard. And he said to his brethren, I am Joseph, doth my father yet live ? And his brethren could not answer him, they were so terrified in his presence (Gen. xlv. 1-3). The inward figure standeth thus: 2. God gave Israel the Law, and commanded them thereby to go home again into Paradise, even as the figure of the promised land (into which they were to go, but could not for a long time, till Joshua led them in) was as a type and prefiguration of the true leading in by Jesus; and under the Law they had also the Paradisical Covenant of grace, as also the prophets, who lead them to God’s mercy and compassion. 3. But they could not by any of these come again into their first Adamical Paradisical country of their Father, to rest. God’s righteous¬ ness blamed them without ceasing, and required the power and ability, that they should give full obedience to the Law and the Covenant.

4. But seeing that could not be, and that neither the Law nor the Covenant could bring them in, back again, then the heavenly Joseph manifested himself out of the Covenant, for he could no longer withhold, in regard of man’s misery, and bringeth his great mercy and compassion through the Covenant into the Law. Which com¬ passion is signified by Joseph’s great weeping, when he could no more withhold from his brethren, and he wept so that even the Egyptians and the people of Pharaoh’s house heard; which signifieth that this weeping, viz. the mercy and compassion of God through Christ, the Egyptians also, that is, all heathen and people, should hear and receive it; even as it came to pass, when Christ’s weeping and compassion sounded among all nations, so that they all received it into their hearts, and turned themselves to this Joseph, who received them all, and fulfilled the Law, together with the Covenant. 5. But that Joseph cried, Let every one go forth from me! when he made himself known to his brethren, that none should stay with him, it signifieth this: When Jesus Christ, viz. the highest mercy and com¬ passion of God, manifested itself out of the Covenant, then must the Law, with all ceremonies, together with the Covenant, cease and be gone, also all man’s ability and power, as also all willing, going and running, must go forth and depart.

6. For, that presented itself out of the Covenant and the Law, which, fulfilled both the Covenant and the Law, and set itself in the stead of the Covenant and the Law, in the middle, as a Mediator between and in God and man, as a God-Man, and Man-God, who alone should bring Adam into Paradise, and destroy sin. None should be with him, he alone would and should manifest himself for a Light ( John viii. 12) and for a new Life to the humanity. 7. And it is the figure which sheweth how the repentant man must come to God: for he must cast away all things from himself; all his works and doings cannot reach the top and point of this, he must wholly enter into resignation and dereliction, and turn himself away from the comfort and help of every creature, that he may stand naked and alone before the most clear and merest mercy and compassion of God in Jesus Christ. 8. No hypocrisy or human comfort, wherewith men please and tickle the heart, will avail in this presence of Joseph, but a total forsaking of every creature, wherein everything is left to the naked soul, and that must in itself sink down in the presence of the heavenly Joseph, in its will and whole desires, and totally leave itself to him, and will nothing without his will, and set no other means or medium aloft in esteem, for all will avail nothing.

9. The whole creaturely life must be resigned and forsake its will and desires, that the creaturely will may be received and purified again by the un-creaturely will, that God’s will and man’s will may be one will. And then God is all in all in him, according to the inward and the outward world, in each world according to its property, viz. according to the eternal speaking Word in the soul; and according to the animal soul, in spiritu mundi [in the spirit of the world], in all, as an instrument of God. 10. Now when this is done, then saith the heavenly Joseph in his mercy and compassion, I am Jesus in thee , and openeth the inward eye in the soul, that it knoweth him in a moment; and he speaketh friendly into the soul, and saith, Doth my Father yet live? that is, is the Father’s nature yet in the soul, is there yet a breath of the divine life in it? 11. Before this manifestation now the soul’s own will is terrified, so that it hath in its own power no word more to speak, nor can it, in self, speak; for in this terror the self of the will goeth to the ground. For with this aspect ariseth the will of God up, and slayeth the soul’s own will: as Joseph’s brethren were so very much terrified before his face, that they could not speak a word more, all their ability failed them as if they had been dumb. And thus also will the wicked and ungodly at the last judgment be dumb before the face of God, and terrified to eternal death, that his life will be a mere anguish and terror of an evil conscience, which will be an eternal gnawing.

12. But Joseph said to his brethren, Draw near to me. And they drew near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. And now be not careful, nor think that I am angry for it, that ye have sold me hither: for to preserve your life hath God sent me hither before you (Gen. xlv. 4, 5). The holy figure standeth thus: 13. When Christ with his revelation or manifestation thus terrifieth the soul, that the soul’s own will is terrified into the death of its willing and ability, then he speaketh in or inspireth his Word of grace into it, and giveth it power [and virtue], and saith, in the soulish essence, Draw near to me, and raise up thy countenance from the terror of death; go in my power to me and into my will, I am no more angry with thee, that I have been sold into thy death. God hath sent me hither before thee, that I might nourish thee in thy hunger of misery, viz. in the hunger of God’s anger, till thou art freed from thy earthly body, in which lieth the great hunger and divine famine in the anger of God.

14. For to preserve thy life hath God sent me into thy humanity and soul, for there will yet be five years of dearth (Gen. xlv. 6) in thy flesh; that is, the divine hunger will yet remain in thy five senses of the earthly reason ; therefore hath God sent me before hither, ere this world cease to be, to thee, and into thee, that he might deliver thee in thy earthly five senses with a powerful deliverance, that my power [and virtue] of the famine in the five earthly senses may deliver and feed the poor soul; God hath set me as a lord and prince, and made me a father of thy nature, that I should rule, as Joseph over the land of EgypO I am become lord over all thy house, and all that thou hast and art, that I should nourish thee in thy famine with the divine food of my flesh and blood : be no more afraid, I am with thee in the neces¬ sity of the earthly life, I will deliver thee and bring thee to glory and honour. 15. And Joseph said further, Make haste now , and go up to my father and to your father, and tell him, Thus saith Joseph thy son, God hath set me as lord over all Egypt: come away to me, delay not. Thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and be near by me, and thy children, and thy children’s children, thy small and great cattle, and all that thou hast. I will there provide for thee; for there are still five years of dearth and famine ; that thou mayest not perish, with thy house, and all that which thou hast (Gen. xlv. 9-1 1).