of silver, which he gave to Benjamin, are the gifts of the Word out of this great love, wherewith this Benjamin should trade and get increase, and gain much for his Lord and Brother, the heavenly Joseph; for, with money, men trade: so also should the inward Benjamin trade with his gifts of the three hundred pieces of silver, viz. with the gifts of Christ; that is, teach and make known God's wonders, for he is Christ's servant and assistant, yea his true brother.
29. But the ten asses laden with the choice good things of the land of Egypt, which Joseph sent to his father, signify in the figure the ten commandments in the law of nature, which Joseph had laden with good things; that is, Christ has laden them with his grace, and sent them to God's righteousness in the conscience, whereof poor nature has to make expenses.
30. But the ten she asses with corn signify the ten forms of the soulish and natural fire-life, upon which Christ loads the soul's food, when they go in his process in the imitation of him. The bread and the food upon the way signify the Word of God, of which the poor old Adam must eat, that he may live.
31. These Christ gives his children and brethren on the way of their pilgrimage, when they go home again in the process of Christ, that they may have provision to spend; and thereon nature, viz. the old father, eats, and commands them that they should not contend one with another upon this way, but in love and peace go home into Paradise.
32. O Israel! where is now your peace? It seems as if you have consumed all the provision of Joseph, and must at present want, seeing you so very much contend about this food, and have raised such murdering about it. Truly you have murdered your brother Benjamin by the way, and therefore you are in strife, and will not go home. You are afraid, but the famine will drive you forth, or else you will be hungry and starved.
33. Thus they went up from Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan to their father Jacob. And made it known to him, and said, Joseph is alive, and is lord of the whole land of Egypt. But his heart thought much otherwise, for he believed them not. Then they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them: and when he saw the chariots which Joseph had sent to bring him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived. And Israel said, I have enough, that my son Joseph yet lives; I will go down and see him, ere I die (Gen. xlv.
25-28).
This figure stands thus:
34. When Christ's Apostles were laden with this present, they went therewith into their father's house, viz. among the brethren in the kingdom of nature in their unbelief, and made known to them the great glory and the present of JESUS Christ, which he had given them, that they should bring it to them. But their heart believed it not, that these simple men, the Apostles of God, laden with such great good things, were sent by Joseph, till they saw the chariots of the Holy Ghost, which brought the present in great power and works of wonder, and heard the powerful word of JESUS Christ, with deeds and wonders out of their mouth. Then said Israel, Now I have enough; now I can believe; I will also go along with you to Christ, that I may see him: as old Jacob said, I have enough that my son Joseph yet lives, I will go up, that I may see him before I die.
35. Thus also these chariots go out from God's children among the unbelievers, which at first will not believe: but when they feel these chariots, and the present, in them, then they also say, I have enough,
I will go along into Egypt into repentance, that I may see and know my Saviour: for their spirit is also revived, as Jacob's spirit was.
36. Where are now these chariots in the teachers' mouths, upon which the Holy Ghost rides and touches the heart of Israel, that his spirit be revived? Indeed, says Babel, the spirit of Christ at
of silver, which he gave to Benjamin, are the gifts of the Word out of this great love, wherewith this Benjamin should trade and get increase, and gain much for his Lord and Brother, the heavenly Joseph; for, with money, men trade: so also should the inward Benjamin trade with his gifts of the three hundred pieces of silver, viz. with the gifts of Christ; that is, teach and make known God's wonders, for he is Christ's servant and assistant, yea his true brother.
29. But the ten asses laden with the choice good things of the land of Egypt, which Joseph sent to his father, signify in the figure the ten commandments in the law of nature, which Joseph had laden with good things; that is, Christ has laden them with his grace, and sent them to God's righteousness in the conscience, whereof poor nature has to make expenses.
30. But the ten she asses with corn signify the ten forms of the soulish and natural fire-life, upon which Christ loads the soul's food, when they go in his process in the imitation of him. The bread and the food upon the way signify the Word of God, of which the poor old Adam must eat, that he may live.
31. These Christ gives his children and brethren on the way of their pilgrimage, when they go home again in the process of Christ, that they may have provision to spend; and thereon nature, viz. the old father, eats, and commands them that they should not contend one with another upon this way, but in love and peace go home into Paradise.
32. O Israel! where is now your peace? It seems as if you have consumed all the provision of Joseph, and must at present want, seeing you so very much contend about this food, and have raised such murdering about it. Truly you have murdered your brother Benjamin by the way, and therefore you are in strife, and will not go home. You are afraid, but the famine will drive you forth, or else you will be hungry and starved.
33. Thus they went up from Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan to their father Jacob. And made it known to him, and said, Joseph is alive, and is lord of the whole land of Egypt. But his heart thought much otherwise, for he believed them not. Then they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them: and when he saw the chariots which Joseph had sent to bring him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived. And Israel said, I have enough, that my son Joseph yet lives; I will go down and see him, ere I die (Gen. xlv.
25-28).
This figure stands thus:
34. When Christ's Apostles were laden with this present, they went therewith into their father's house, viz. among the brethren in the kingdom of nature in their unbelief, and made known to them the great glory and the present of JESUS Christ, which he had given them, that they should bring it to them. But their heart believed it not, that these simple men, the Apostles of God, laden with such great good things, were sent by Joseph, till they saw the chariots of the Holy Ghost, which brought the present in great power and works of wonder, and heard the powerful word of JESUS Christ, with deeds and wonders out of their mouth. Then said Israel, Now I have enough; now I can believe; I will also go along with you to Christ, that I may see him: as old Jacob said, I have enough that my son Joseph yet lives, I will go up, that I may see him before I die.
35. Thus also these chariots go out from God's children among the unbelievers, which at first will not believe: but when they feel these chariots, and the present, in them, then they also say, I have enough,
I will go along into Egypt into repentance, that I may see and know my Saviour: for their spirit is also revived, as Jacob's spirit was.
36. Where are now these chariots in the teachers' mouths, upon which the Holy Ghost rides and touches the heart of Israel, that his spirit be revived? Indeed, says Babel, the spirit of Christ at
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