39. Now when a man is come so far, then Joseph [viz. the chaste virgin child of Sophia] is even born; then God his Father clothes his soul with the parti-coloured coat, viz. with the divine power; and forthwith the spirit of God in him begins to play with the soul: as he did with Joseph. For the spirit of God sees through the soul, and with the soul (as Joseph, in the type, saw things which were to come, represented to him in the vision of dreams, whereby the spirit did also play with the soul), even so the spirit of God does forthwith take delightful communion with the soul of a new Joseph, viz. with the inward spiritual world. So that the soul understands divine mysteries, and sees into the eternal life, and knows the hidden world, which yet is to be revealed in man: as this pen has found by experience, from whence it has received its spirit of knowledge.
1 Work, act, or move in him.
40. Now when this man begins to speak of divine things and visions, of the hidden world's divine mysteries, and speaks forth the wonders of God, and that his brethren (viz. the children of the outward world in whom the hidden spiritual world is not yet manifest) do hear it, they count it a mere fable and a melancholy chimera and whimsey, and esteem him foolish, in that he speaks of those things which they cannot understand and comprehend; they make a mere fancy and fiction of it. Also they account it some astral instigation or false enthusiasm, or the like; especially if he reveals and reproves their evil works and ways, as Joseph did; then they turn his open enemies, and grudge him his very life, as happened to Joseph.
41. Now when it is thus, reason beholds itself at a stand as if it were confounded, and knows not the ways of God, viz. that it must be thus with the children of God. It thinks, you seek God, and he brings you into distress and misery: thus this man does now wander up and down; as Joseph wandered in the wilderness when his father sent him to his brethren to see how it was with them.
42. So it goes likewise with God's new children, when God's spirit sends them to be zealous about the affliction of Joseph; and the world does every way hate and persecute them for it. Then they think, in the reason of this world, do you not go in the ways of God? wherefore then does it go so with you, that you are but the fool of the world? And then the mind begins to be troubled, and knows not how it is with it; for he hears that he is everywhere accused for a frantic wicked person, and hated; for the young mind in flesh and blood understands not the divine process; viz. how reason must become a fool, and how Christ does very willingly take upon himself in man, the reproach and scorn of the devil, and of the world; and how God's righteousness, and Adam's propagated guilt, must be always fulfilled with suffering, [and] how a Christian must stand in Christ's figure.
43. And now when it comes to be thus, then reason goes truly a-wandering in great sorrow and desertion with Joseph in the wilderness; and is every way in distress: and yet he must perform his father's commandment and will. But God forsakes not his Joseph; but sendeth him a man to comfort him, and show him the way to his brethren; as happened to Joseph, when he was a-wandering in the wilderness.
39. Now when a man is come so far, then Joseph [viz. the chaste virgin child of Sophia] is even born; then God his Father clothes his soul with the parti-coloured coat, viz. with the divine power; and forthwith the spirit of God in him begins to play with the soul: as he did with Joseph. For the spirit of God sees through the soul, and with the soul (as Joseph, in the type, saw things which were to come, represented to him in the vision of dreams, whereby the spirit did also play with the soul), even so the spirit of God does forthwith take delightful communion with the soul of a new Joseph, viz. with the inward spiritual world. So that the soul understands divine mysteries, and sees into the eternal life, and knows the hidden world, which yet is to be revealed in man: as this pen has found by experience, from whence it has received its spirit of knowledge.
1 Work, act, or move in him.
40. Now when this man begins to speak of divine things and visions, of the hidden world's divine mysteries, and speaks forth the wonders of God, and that his brethren (viz. the children of the outward world in whom the hidden spiritual world is not yet manifest) do hear it, they count it a mere fable and a melancholy chimera and whimsey, and esteem him foolish, in that he speaks of those things which they cannot understand and comprehend; they make a mere fancy and fiction of it. Also they account it some astral instigation or false enthusiasm, or the like; especially if he reveals and reproves their evil works and ways, as Joseph did; then they turn his open enemies, and grudge him his very life, as happened to Joseph.
41. Now when it is thus, reason beholds itself at a stand as if it were confounded, and knows not the ways of God, viz. that it must be thus with the children of God. It thinks, you seek God, and he brings you into distress and misery: thus this man does now wander up and down; as Joseph wandered in the wilderness when his father sent him to his brethren to see how it was with them.
42. So it goes likewise with God's new children, when God's spirit sends them to be zealous about the affliction of Joseph; and the world does every way hate and persecute them for it. Then they think, in the reason of this world, do you not go in the ways of God? wherefore then does it go so with you, that you are but the fool of the world? And then the mind begins to be troubled, and knows not how it is with it; for he hears that he is everywhere accused for a frantic wicked person, and hated; for the young mind in flesh and blood understands not the divine process; viz. how reason must become a fool, and how Christ does very willingly take upon himself in man, the reproach and scorn of the devil, and of the world; and how God's righteousness, and Adam's propagated guilt, must be always fulfilled with suffering, [and] how a Christian must stand in Christ's figure.
43. And now when it comes to be thus, then reason goes truly a-wandering in great sorrow and desertion with Joseph in the wilderness; and is every way in distress: and yet he must perform his father's commandment and will. But God forsakes not his Joseph; but sends him a man to comfort him, and show him the way to his brethren; as happened to Joseph, when he was a-wandering in the wilderness.
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