18. And therefore Joseph was so inclined in his mind that he could not conceal any falsehood, but when he heard any evil of his brethren he told the same to his father. This his brethren could not brook, and therefore they called him a betrayer, and envied him: for the spirit which reproves wickedness and falsehood was revealed in him. For Christ should reprove the world for sin (John xvi. 8). But seeing he now did represent a Christian, he told it his father, out of whom HE should come who should reprove the world. And we see very clearly how flesh and blood [viz. Joseph's natural brethren] in the type of Christendom became an utter enemy to the type [viz. to the true Christian Joseph] , and they could not speak a friendly peaceable word unto him; for it does sorely vex and of fend the Serpent in flesh and blood, when Christ comes and will bruise its head.
19. Moreover, we see very evidently how the spirit of God did manifest itself in Joseph, and signified to him the figure of his constellation; so that he could understand dreams and visions, after the same manner as the prophets in the spirit of Christ saw visions, and could expound them: so also Joseph.
20. As it was shown unto him in a vision how he would be a prince over his father, and all his brethren; which does directly point out the inward man in the spirit of Christ, who becomes prince over his Father's Adamical house. In the type and figure whereof Joseph stood outwardly, and therefore the external figure was set forth and personated in him by the hatred of his brethren towards him; signifying how the multitude of the world would be hateful, scornful, and opposite enemies to the new child in Christ's spirit; and also how it would be done by those who were Christians, and did boast of Christ, and were also such in the inward ground; and how the Adamical man would not know and acknowledge Christ in a true outward and manifest manner, but ignorantly despise and contemn him in his brethren and members.
21. To signify that in this world Christ has taken on himself the reproach, in the righteousness of God; and that he would not only in his own human person suffer scorn, and bear Adam's reproach (seeing Adam departed from the image of God), but that he would also suffer himself to be reproached in all his members and children; so that he would also bear Adam's reproach in them, and make them like to his image (Rom. viii. 29).
22. Therefore must Jacob's children, who also were in Christ's line according to their natural Adamical man, reproach, revile and hate the image of a true Christian man in Joseph. To show how one Christian would exercise, provoke [and persecute] another in zeal, and despise his fellow-Christian for a natural opinion's sake; as it now is and ever has been practised in Christendom [namely], that the one party has despised, contemned and hated the other, because of natural laws [rights or privileges] and the opinions of a supposed service of God.
23. As Joseph was hated of his brethren because he had visions,l so nowadays is the divine wisdom (which reveals itself in God's children) vilified and hated of the natural Adam. Which scorn and enmity does wholly proceed and arise from the Pharisaical laws and canons, from the concubine of Christ, the stone-churches, and their ministers, which do disgrace and vilify the concubine of Christ themselves, as it appears very evidently; and thereby they contemn and despise the children of Christ.
18. And therefore Joseph was so inclined in his mind that he could not conceal any falsehood, but when he heard any evil of his brethren he told the same to his father. This his brethren could not brook, and therefore they called him a betrayer, and envied him: for the spirit which reproves wickedness and falsehood was revealed in him. For Christ should reprove the world for sin (John xvi. 8). But seeing he now did represent a Christian, he told it his father, out of whom HE should come who should reprove the world. And we see very clearly how flesh and blood [viz. Joseph's natural brethren] in the type of Christendom became an utter enemy to the type [viz. to the true Christian Joseph] , and they could not speak a friendly peaceable word unto him; for it does sorely vex and of fend the Serpent in flesh and blood, when Christ comes and will bruise its head.
19. Moreover, we see very evidently how the spirit of God did manifest itself in Joseph, and signified to him the figure of his constellation; so that he could understand dreams and visions, after the same manner as the prophets in the spirit of Christ saw visions, and could expound them: so also Joseph.
20. As it was shown unto him in a vision how he would be a prince over his father, and all his brethren; which does directly point out the inward man in the spirit of Christ, who becomes prince over his Father's Adamical house. In the type and figure whereof Joseph stood outwardly, and therefore the external figure was set forth and personated in him by the hatred of his brethren towards him; signifying how the multitude of the world would be hateful, scornful, and opposite enemies to the new child in Christ's spirit; and also how it would be done by those who were Christians, and did boast of Christ, and were also such in the inward ground; and how the Adamical man would not know and acknowledge Christ in a true outward and manifest manner, but ignorantly despise and contemn him in his brethren and members.
21. To signify that in this world Christ has taken on himself the reproach, in the righteousness of God; and that he would not only in his own human person suffer scorn, and bear Adam's reproach (seeing Adam departed from the image of God), but that he would also suffer himself to be reproached in all his members and children; so that he would also bear Adam's reproach in them, and make them like to his image (Rom. viii. 29).
22. Therefore must Jacob's children, who also were in Christ's line according to their natural Adamical man, reproach, revile and hate the image of a true Christian man in Joseph. To show how one Christian would exercise, provoke [and persecute] another in zeal, and despise his fellow-Christian for a natural opinion's sake; as it now is and ever has been practised in Christendom [namely], that the one party has despised, contemned and hated the other, because of natural laws [rights or privileges] and the opinions of a supposed service of God.
23. As Joseph was hated of his brethren because he had visions,l so nowadays is the divine wisdom (which reveals itself in God's children) vilified and hated of the natural Adam. Which scorn and enmity does wholly proceed and arise from the Pharisaical laws and canons, from the concubine of Christ, the stone-churches, and their ministers, which do disgrace and vilify the concubine of Christ themselves, as it appears very evidently; and thereby they contemn and despise the children of Christ.
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