only what his Lord will give him, when all trust and confidence in his own self is quite yielded up. Then is reason rightly killed, and the devil has lost his stool [and throne] in man: for in resignation man has nothing for his own: and the devil can no other way come at man but in the desire of selfhood [in appropriating anything for his own self].
1 Imaged, feigned or imaginary.
19. And Moses says further, Thus Joseph bought the whole land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every one their ground, for the famine was so sore, sharp and strong upon them: and so the land became Pharaoh 's own. And he distributed the people into the cities, from one place of Egypt to the other, except the land of the priests, which he bought not; for it was appointed for the priests by Pharaoh that they should provide for themselves out of that portion which he had given them: therefore they dared not to sell their lands (Gen. xlvii. 20-22).
The figure stands thus:
20. In such a manner Christ, when man in this pinching hunger draws near to him, buys for his grace his whole nature, with all the forms, conditions and qualities 1 thereof; and brings all whatsoever is in man again into the house of the great Pharaoh, that is, of God, and makes it subject to God his Father again.
21. For in Adam all men are become untrusty and perfidious, and are entered into the selfishness of the will, but Christ has bought this human own self to be his own again, and gives this up again to God his Father; and it points directly at Christendom, which Christ has bought with his grace by the treasure of his precious blood, and made it his own, and has now distributed his offices, wherein the Christians serve him, and are his own.
22. But that the priests' fields were not sold, and that Pharaoh would not buy them, but leave them for their own, points at the inward man, who is the priestly temple of Christ. This, God buys not back again, he wills that man should have it for his own; he desires only to have the kingdom of nature for his own servant. But the incorporated ground of grace, viz. the temple of Christ, he leaves to the soul for a dowry, for it is the place and city of God, wherein God dwells in man. No man can sell it again, pawn it, or engage it by oaths, for it belongs to the eternal One, and not to the possession of the creature: but it is a bestowed ground of grace, wherein Christ manages his office: it is his habitation and dwelling house.
23. Then said Joseph unto the people, Behold, I have this day bought you and your fields for Pharaoh: behold, there you have seed, sow your fields. And of your corn you shall give the fifth to Pharaoh; four parts shall be yours: to sow your field, for your food for your house and children. And they said, now let us live, and find grace before you, we shall willingly be Pharaoh 's bondslaves. Thus
Joseph made them a law unto this day concerning the fields: to give the fifth to Pharaoh: except the priests' fields, which were not Pharaoh's own (Gen. xlvii. 23-26).
1 Affections, properties or faculties.
only what his Lord will give him, when all trust and confidence in his own self is quite yielded up. Then is reason rightly killed, and the devil has lost his stool [and throne] in man: for in resignation man has nothing for his own: and the devil can no other way come at man but in the desire of selfhood [in appropriating anything for his own self].
1 Imaged, feigned or imaginary.
19. And Moses says further, Thus Joseph bought the whole land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every one their ground, for the famine was so sore, sharp and strong upon them: and so the land became Pharaoh 's own. And he distributed the people into the cities, from one place of Egypt to the other, except the land of the priests, which he bought not; for it was appointed for the priests by Pharaoh that they should provide for themselves out of that portion which he had given them: therefore they dared not to sell their lands (Gen. xlvii. 20-22).
The figure stands thus:
20. In such a manner Christ, when man in this pinching hunger draws near to him, buys for his grace his whole nature, with all the forms, conditions and qualities 1 thereof; and brings all whatsoever is in man again into the house of the great Pharaoh, that is, of God, and makes it subject to God his Father again.
21. For in Adam all men are become untrusty and perfidious, and are entered into the selfishness of the will, but Christ has bought this human own self to be his own again, and gives this up again to God his Father; and it points directly at Christendom, which Christ has bought with his grace by the treasure of his precious blood, and made it his own, and has now distributed his offices, wherein the Christians serve him, and are his own.
22. But that the priests' fields were not sold, and that Pharaoh would not buy them, but leave them for their own, points at the inward man, who is the priestly temple of Christ. This, God buys not back again, he wills that man should have it for his own; he desires only to have the kingdom of nature for his own servant. But the incorporated ground of grace, viz. the temple of Christ, he leaves to the soul for a dowry, for it is the place and city of God, wherein God dwells in man. No man can sell it again, pawn it, or engage it by oaths, for it belongs to the eternal One, and not to the possession of the creature: but it is a bestowed ground of grace, wherein Christ manages his office: it is his habitation and dwelling house.
23. Then said Joseph unto the people, Behold, I have this day bought you and your fields for Pharaoh: behold, there you have seed, sow your fields. And of your corn you shall give the fifth to Pharaoh; four parts shall be yours: to sow your field, for your food for your house and children. And they said, now let us live, and find grace before you, we shall willingly be Pharaoh 's bondslaves. Thus
Joseph made them a law unto this day concerning the fields: to give the fifth to Pharaoh: except the priests' fields, which were not Pharaoh's own (Gen. xlvii. 23-26).
1 Affections, properties or faculties.
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