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 stands in the figure of an approved tried Christian, who has out- stood all trials: whom the spirit of Christ has 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 gives this testimony of him: There is none so wise as you, who would so hiddenly introduce his life in patience, through death and hell, to God, as you.
50. And as God gives him full power over his kingdom, and in his love makes him his helper and assistant, as a council of a king helps and assists a king to govern his kingdom; so also God sets him in his kingdom, and rules by him, and gives him his seal-ring, viz. the humanity and Deity, in the love of Jesus Christ, to his soul; and causes him to ride in the second chariot after him, that is, where God's spirit goes, there always goes such a man after it; and the devil, death and hell dare not touch him any more, for thus he gets power over the devil, death and hell, and also over his mortal flesh and blood, as Joseph over the land of Egypt.
51. 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 sits in the kingdom of God, builds for God his Lord many such human houses, viz. men's souls, in which he lays up in store the divine overplus which God gives him in Christ Jesus, viz. the divine knowledge and wisdom, with good instruction, doctrine and life, so that his doctrine spreads abroad and multiplies as sands in the sea; so innumerable spreading branches his pearl-plant puts 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 begets 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, Manas seh 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 comes, that the anger of God sifts 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.
The Sixty-Ninth Chapter
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 showed himself to them. What is thereby to be understood [Gen. xlii.]
1. THIS forty-second chapter of Genesis, concerning Joseph and his brethren, is a figure, showing how such a converted Christian, which has already entered with Christ into his process, and has now overcome, in the end also forgives and rewards 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 releases the punishment, but blesses 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 shows 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 acknowledged, 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 knows that sin has so
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 stands in the figure of an approved tried Christian, who has out- stood all trials: whom the spirit of Christ has 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 gives this testimony of him: There is none so wise as you, who would so hiddenly introduce his life in patience, through death and hell, to God, as you.
50. And as God gives him full power over his kingdom, and in his love makes him his helper and assistant, as a council of a king helps and assists a king to govern his kingdom; so also God sets him in his kingdom, and rules by him, and gives him his seal-ring, viz. the humanity and Deity, in the love of Jesus Christ, to his soul; and causes him to ride in the second chariot after him, that is, where God's spirit goes, there always goes such a man after it; and the devil, death and hell dare not touch him any more, for thus he gets power over the devil, death and hell, and also over his mortal flesh and blood, as Joseph over the land of Egypt.
51. 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 sits in the kingdom of God, builds for God his Lord many such human houses, viz. men's souls, in which he lays up in store the divine overplus which God gives him in Christ Jesus, viz. the divine knowledge and wisdom, with good instruction, doctrine and life, so that his doctrine spreads abroad and multiplies as sands in the sea; so innumerable spreading branches his pearl-plant puts 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 begets 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, Manas seh 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 comes, that the anger of God sifts 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.
The Sixty-Ninth Chapter
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 showed himself to them. What is thereby to be understood [Gen. xlii.]
1. THIS forty-second chapter of Genesis, concerning Joseph and his brethren, is a figure, showing how such a converted Christian, which has already entered with Christ into his process, and has now overcome, in the end also forgives and rewards 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 releases the punishment, but blesses 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 shows 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 acknowledged, 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 knows that sin has so
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