5. The soul of man stands 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 stands 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, turns 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 arises its misery, and [also its] return again. And as soon as it returns again, God gives his grace into it again, but unknown and not understood by it. And he 1 desires 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.
1 God.
7. In which divine desire this great unquietness arises in the soul, that it thus goes into repentance. When it sees that it has 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 itselfup thereto.
8. And now when the outward mortal soul (viz. the nature of the third Principle) of the kingdom of this world sees this, then it is afraid, as Jacob was of his children; and always thinks 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.
10. 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 manifestation becomes 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.
11. 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 fills his food.
12. This now in the text stands in a figure: showing how the old Adamical man, viz. the old Jacob, thinks 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 sees 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 has 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 stands 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, remains alone in its house of sorrow, and knows not now what
5. The soul of man stands 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 stands 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, turns 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 arises its misery, and [also its] return again. And as soon as it returns again, God gives his grace into it again, but unknown and not understood by it. And he 1 desires 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.
1 God.
7. In which divine desire this great unquietness arises in the soul, that it thus goes into repentance. When it sees that it has 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 itselfup thereto.
8. And now when the outward mortal soul (viz. the nature of the third Principle) of the kingdom of this world sees this, then it is afraid, as Jacob was of his children; and always thinks 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.
10. 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 manifestation becomes 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.
11. 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 fills his food.
12. This now in the text stands in a figure: showing how the old Adamical man, viz. the old Jacob, thinks 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 sees 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 has 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 stands 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, remains alone in its house of sorrow, and knows not now what
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