6. But whosoever are instituted in an office without the Chief Shepherd,2 Christ, they all of them are but in the land of Canaan in the famine of God's anger, and are but devouring wolves, both one and other, be they spiritual or worldly officers, be they noble or ignoble, prince or protector or guardian, priest or sexton, one as well as another. All that rules in an office without God's spirit, that rules of self and to the judgement of God; he that thinks not in his office to serve God, and to manage his office as a shepherd of God, he [is a minister and servant of , and] serves Lucifer.
1 Note the true ministers, pastors and teachers in the Church of
Christ, Jure Divino, who they are.
2 Or Archbishop.
7. Moses says further, Also Joseph brought his father Jacob, and
presented him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh (Gen. xlvii.
7).
That is, Christ set also the Adamical image before God, not only the five senses but the whole man: and he blesses God, that is, he thanks God and brings him fruit, to the praise of God, as a blessing. Then says God, in his acting and working, How old are you? And he answers, One hundred and thirty years is the time of my pilgrimage: few and evil have the days of my life been, and they reach not to the time of my fathers in their pilgrimage. So Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went forth from him (Gen. xlvii. 8-10).
8. Thus the Adamical man acknowledges and confesses before God his evil time in the earthly desire, and says it is but a pilgrimage, viz. a continual wandering and anxiety in continual cares and disquietness, whereby man works and effects God's wonders.
9. And Moses says further, There was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore and hard, so that the land of Egypt and Canaan were famished by reason of the famine. And Joseph gathered all the money that was found in Egypt and Canaan, for the corn that they bought: and he put all the money in the house of Pharaoh. Now when the money in Egypt and Canaan was brought, all Egypt came to Joseph, and said, Give us bread: wherefore must we die in your presence, being without money ? And Joseph said, Fetch me your beasts and cattle, and I will give you for them, seeing you are without money.
Then they brought their cattle to Joseph: and he gave them bread for their horses and sheep, for their heifers and asses: and so he nourished them with bread this year for all their beasts and cattle (Gen. xlvii. 13-17).
10. This figure is very powerful, and contains great and deep understanding: although the bestial man, full of covetousness and extortion, imagines to himself as if this made for him. Yet the true figure is quite against him; as also is the parable or similitude in the Gospel, of the unjust steward, which says, The Lord commended him that he had done so prudently (Luke xvi. 8).
11. This famine in Egypt and Canaan, when all the land was famished, prefigures the poor fallen man in body and soul, which the anger of God has dried up and caused to wither, so that it is famished. For Egypt signifies the soul's nature, and Canaan the body's nature. The great provision of corn which Joseph gathered together and sold in the famine, signifies the divine word of grace. The money of the Egyptians and Canaanites, for which they bought corn of Joseph, signifies God's creaturely word of the human life. The beasts which they there gave also for bread when there was no more money, signifies the imagelike 1 property in the life of man.
The figure stands thus:
12. When man in soul and body in this famine and in this starving hunger comes into God's anger and withering, then he has no refreshment nor comfort, for his conscience withers so quite in God's anger that he must go to the heavenly Joseph and buy this food of grace.
6. But whosoever are instituted in an office without the Chief Shepherd,2 Christ, they all of them are but in the land of Canaan in the famine of God's anger, and are but devouring wolves, both one and other, be they spiritual or worldly officers, be they noble or ignoble, prince or protector or guardian, priest or sexton, one as well as another. All that rules in an office without God's spirit, that rules of self and to the judgement of God; he that thinks not in his office to serve God, and to manage his office as a shepherd of God, he [is a minister and servant of , and] serves Lucifer.
1 Note the true ministers, pastors and teachers in the Church of
Christ, Jure Divino, who they are.
2 Or Archbishop.
7. Moses says further, Also Joseph brought his father Jacob, and
presented him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh (Gen. xlvii.
7).
That is, Christ set also the Adamical image before God, not only the five senses but the whole man: and he blesses God, that is, he thanks God and brings him fruit, to the praise of God, as a blessing. Then says God, in his acting and working, How old are you? And he answers, One hundred and thirty years is the time of my pilgrimage: few and evil have the days of my life been, and they reach not to the time of my fathers in their pilgrimage. So Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went forth from him (Gen. xlvii. 8-10).
8. Thus the Adamical man acknowledges and confesses before God his evil time in the earthly desire, and says it is but a pilgrimage, viz. a continual wandering and anxiety in continual cares and disquietness, whereby man works and effects God's wonders.
9. And Moses says further, There was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore and hard, so that the land of Egypt and Canaan were famished by reason of the famine. And Joseph gathered all the money that was found in Egypt and Canaan, for the corn that they bought: and he put all the money in the house of Pharaoh. Now when the money in Egypt and Canaan was brought, all Egypt came to Joseph, and said, Give us bread: wherefore must we die in your presence, being without money ? And Joseph said, Fetch me your beasts and cattle, and I will give you for them, seeing you are without money.
Then they brought their cattle to Joseph: and he gave them bread for their horses and sheep, for their heifers and asses: and so he nourished them with bread this year for all their beasts and cattle (Gen. xlvii. 13-17).
10. This figure is very powerful, and contains great and deep understanding: although the bestial man, full of covetousness and extortion, imagines to himself as if this made for him. Yet the true figure is quite against him; as also is the parable or similitude in the Gospel, of the unjust steward, which says, The Lord commended him that he had done so prudently (Luke xvi. 8).
11. This famine in Egypt and Canaan, when all the land was famished, prefigures the poor fallen man in body and soul, which the anger of God has dried up and caused to wither, so that it is famished. For Egypt signifies the soul's nature, and Canaan the body's nature. The great provision of corn which Joseph gathered together and sold in the famine, signifies the divine word of grace. The money of the Egyptians and Canaanites, for which they bought corn of Joseph, signifies God's creaturely word of the human life. The beasts which they there gave also for bread when there was no more money, signifies the imagelike 1 property in the life of man.
The figure stands thus:
12. When man in soul and body in this famine and in this starving hunger comes into God's anger and withering, then he has no refreshment nor comfort, for his conscience withers so quite in God's anger that he must go to the heavenly Joseph and buy this food of grace.
No commentary for this page.
There is commentary on page 1.