9. When a man is thus a Christian in such a process and way, then he has given up all whatsoever he has of temporal goods, or is able to do, as also his own will, to God, who brings him first into Christ's image, and makes him conformable to Christ, and takes nothing away from him of that which he had before of natural right, viz. the disposal of temporary goods; but he takes away the authority and power of his own nature, viz. his evil self will which Adam had brought away from God and introduced into a creaturely selfness of his own willing and working in earthly things, whereby Adam bereaved God his Lord of the government in him, and made the essence and things of this world his own; as if he had made it, and would not be God's servant therein, and be his fellow-branches' guardian and nourisher, and give them his virtue, will, essence and substance, but says, [It is] Mine; that is, it is mine own, I will keep it only for myself and it shall remain with me. And would not work therewith in the life of his brethren, and give them also of his life and power; and bereave them also (through that appropriation of it to be mine) of the power in the kingdom of nature, viz. of the growth [and fruits] of the earth which God gave in common, and would only fill his own body, and thereby be accounted great, and a lord of his miserable despised fellow-branches, whom he wickedly bereaves of the sap wherewith they should strengthen their life, and brings it into a propriety [calling it mine] . This authority God takes away from a Christian, and makes him a guardian and nourisher of his brethren again, viz. a steward of his Lord: He lets him possess the temporary goods which he had, so far as he possessed them in a natural right with righteousness and truth, and makes him a Joseph therein.
10. This Joseph now says not, This is mine, that village, city, country, principality, kingdom, empire; also that house, land, field, money; those goods, those cattle, that woman, that child, is mine. But he says with his whole heart and conscience from a new good Christian will, It is all my God's and his children's. He has set me as a ruler, disposer, and steward of it, that I should manage it to that purpose which he will have me. I should sustain myself and his children, the needy, with it; and I should be their curator or guardian, and give them also my power, virtue and understanding of the divine gift; and instruct, tutor or take care of them for their good. And as God governs me with his spirit, so also should I that am his officer in this world, with my understanding and office, govern my fellowmembers in such power and virtue, and take care of them. For all that I rule over is not mine, but God's and theirs; but I should do to them as God does to me.
11. To such a one God givesJoseph's understanding and wisdom, and governs the house of this world by him; be he in what state and condition soever, therein he sits in the office of God, and is only a servant or minister of the office, and a guardian over divine creatures, for the right Christian government of his will is in heaven, his conversation is alike in heaven and on earth; as the Scripture says, Our conversation is in heaven (Phil. iii. 20). For according to the inward ground of his soul and spirit he is in Christ in God, viz. in the eternal speaking Word, from which Adam's will had turned itself away, and turned itself out into this world, which will Christ has turned in again into the eternal Word. And so now he governs with that reinturned will through and in the outward substance and matters of this world, viz. in the formed outspoken or expressed Word, as a servant, minister and instrument of the eternal speaking Word in its secret mystery of wisdom, viz. in the visible creaturely word.
9. When a man is thus a Christian in such a process and way, then he has given up all whatsoever he has of temporal goods, or is able to do, as also his own will, to God, who brings him first into Christ's image, and makes him conformable to Christ, and takes nothing away from him of that which he had before of natural right, viz. the disposal of temporary goods; but he takes away the authority and power of his own nature, viz. his evil self will which Adam had brought away from God and introduced into a creaturely selfness of his own willing and working in earthly things, whereby Adam bereaved God his Lord of the government in him, and made the essence and things of this world his own; as if he had made it, and would not be God's servant therein, and be his fellow-branches' guardian and nourisher, and give them his virtue, will, essence and substance, but says, [It is] Mine; that is, it is mine own, I will keep it only for myself and it shall remain with me. And would not work therewith in the life of his brethren, and give them also of his life and power; and bereave them also (through that appropriation of it to be mine) of the power in the kingdom of nature, viz. of the growth [and fruits] of the earth which God gave in common, and would only fill his own body, and thereby be accounted great, and a lord of his miserable despised fellow-branches, whom he wickedly bereaves of the sap wherewith they should strengthen their life, and brings it into a propriety [calling it mine] . This authority God takes away from a Christian, and makes him a guardian and nourisher of his brethren again, viz. a steward of his Lord: He lets him possess the temporary goods which he had, so far as he possessed them in a natural right with righteousness and truth, and makes him a Joseph therein.
10. This Joseph now says not, This is mine, that village, city, country, principality, kingdom, empire; also that house, land, field, money; those goods, those cattle, that woman, that child, is mine. But he says with his whole heart and conscience from a new good Christian will, It is all my God's and his children's. He has set me as a ruler, disposer, and steward of it, that I should manage it to that purpose which he will have me. I should sustain myself and his children, the needy, with it; and I should be their curator or guardian, and give them also my power, virtue and understanding of the divine gift; and instruct, tutor or take care of them for their good. And as God governs me with his spirit, so also should I that am his officer in this world, with my understanding and office, govern my fellowmembers in such power and virtue, and take care of them. For all that I rule over is not mine, but God's and theirs; but I should do to them as God does to me.
11. To such a one God givesJoseph's understanding and wisdom, and governs the house of this world by him; be he in what state and condition soever, therein he sits in the office of God, and is only a servant or minister of the office, and a guardian over divine creatures, for the right Christian government of his will is in heaven, his conversation is alike in heaven and on earth; as the Scripture says, Our conversation is in heaven (Phil. iii. 20). For according to the inward ground of his soul and spirit he is in Christ in God, viz. in the eternal speaking Word, from which Adam's will had turned itself away, and turned itself out into this world, which will Christ has turned in again into the eternal Word. And so now he governs with that reinturned will through and in the outward substance and matters of this world, viz. in the formed outspoken or expressed Word, as a servant, minister and instrument of the eternal speaking Word in its secret mystery of wisdom, viz. in the visible creaturely word.
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