14. Thus the first birth was set behind, viz. in subjection, and the second birth foremost and uppermost in the dominion. And here is that figure concerning which Christ says, Father, the men were thine, that is, they were of your nature's property, but you hast given them to me; for the Father gave to Christ the highest blessing and power, whereby the fiery soul lost its dominion of self-will (John xvii. 6).
15. And Moses says Jacob did thus knowingly, that is, the Covenant of God knew it in Jacob that God would have it so. Jacob could not with his bodily eyes for age well know these two lads, but with the eyes of God's Covenant he saw and knew them, for God's spirit in him did this.
16. And he blessed Joseph and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac have walked, the God who has preserved me all my life long even to this day, the Angel that has released me from all evil, bless these lads; that they may be called after my name, and after the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; that they may increase and multiply on earth (Gen. xlviii. 15, 16).
This figure stands thus:
17. The God of love blessed the incorporated Covenant of grace out of which should come Christ, viz. the heavenly Joseph: as here Jacob with his blessing began at Joseph, and blessed Joseph's sons through Joseph. Thus God also through the name of Jesus blesses the soul and the spirit, for God has appointed the name Jesus to be a throne of grace; and through that throne of grace he blesses Christ's children and members according to the humanity; and here in the words of the blessing makes no difference between the children, to signify that the soul and the spirit shall in Christ enjoy like graces and gifts; only the power he gave to the new regeneration out of the faded heavenly image, that the soul should through the power of the new regeneration work and flourish, spread forth and be great therewith, that is, that the soulish tree with its branches should grow out of this blessing.
18. In the words of this blessing there is this understanding or meaning: The incorporated ground of grace in the power and virtue of the Word spoke forth the power, and comprised in Jacob his body, soul and spirit, in one, and thereby spoke itself forth upon the children of Joseph: God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac have walked, that is, through the wills and desires which my fathers have inclined to God, with which they have walked before God: also, through the power of God who has sustained me my life long, even unto this day: also, the Angel who has delivered me from all evil, bless these lads. That is, he blesses them through the divine and [through the] human power, through the Angel of the great counsel in Christ Jesus, which Angel has delivered men from all evil, that they should according to these names be called children of the Covenant, and in this power increase and grow great.
19. But when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon Ephraim 's head, it pleased him not well: and he laid hold of his father's hand, that he should turn it from Ephraim' s head upon Manasseh's head. And said to him, Not so, my father: this is the firstborn; lay your right hand upon his head. But his father refused, and said, I know it well my son, I know it well: this shall also be a people, and be great: but his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall be a multitude of people ( Gen. xlviii. 17-19).
20. By the outward figure the spirit points at their offsprings, which stock or tribe should excel the other in greatness and might; but by the inward figure of man's conversion and new birth it points at the inward ground; signifying how the inward and youngest ground of the incorporated grace in Christ would be greater than the ground of the first created Adamical man.
21. But that Joseph disliked it, and would not willingly that the youngest should be preferred before the eldest, in the figure it signifies this: Joseph stood in the figure of the new regeneration, signifying how the inward ground, viz. the eternal- speaking Word in the humanity of Christ, should turn itself forth through our soul, and take away the power of self-will from the soul, and that the creaturely soul would not that it should lose its power: it would not willingly die to its own will, but would keep its first natural right.
14. Thus the first birth was set behind, viz. in subjection, and the second birth foremost and uppermost in the dominion. And here is that figure concerning which Christ says, Father, the men were your, that is, they were of your nature's property, but you have given them to me; for the Father gave to Christ the highest blessing and power, whereby the fiery soul lost its dominion of self-will (John xvii. 6).
15. And Moses says Jacob did thus knowingly, that is, the Covenant of God knew it in Jacob that God would have it so. Jacob could not with his bodily eyes for age well know these two lads, but with the eyes of God's Covenant he saw and knew them, for God's spirit in him did this.
16. And he blessed Joseph and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac have walked, the God who has preserved me all my life long even to this day, the Angel that has released me from all evil, bless these lads; that they may be called after my name, and after the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; that they may increase and multiply on earth (Gen. xlviii. 15, 16).
This figure stands thus:
17. The God of love blessed the incorporated Covenant of grace out of which should come Christ, viz. the heavenly Joseph: as here Jacob with his blessing began at Joseph, and blessed Joseph's sons through Joseph. Thus God also through the name of Jesus blesses the soul and the spirit, for God has appointed the name Jesus to be a throne of grace; and through that throne of grace he blesses Christ's children and members according to the humanity; and here in the words of the blessing makes no difference between the children, to signify that the soul and the spirit shall in Christ enjoy like graces and gifts; only the power he gave to the new regeneration out of the faded heavenly image, that the soul should through the power of the new regeneration work and flourish, spread forth and be great therewith, that is, that the soulish tree with its branches should grow out of this blessing.
18. In the words of this blessing there is this understanding or meaning: The incorporated ground of grace in the power and virtue of the Word spoke forth the power, and comprised in Jacob his body, soul and spirit, in one, and thereby spoke itself forth upon the children of Joseph: God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac have walked, that is, through the wills and desires which my fathers have inclined to God, with which they have walked before God: also, through the power of God who has sustained me my life long, even unto this day: also, the Angel who has delivered me from all evil, bless these lads. That is, he blesses them through the divine and [through the] human power, through the Angel of the great counsel in Christ Jesus, which Angel has delivered men from all evil, that they should according to these names be called children of the Covenant, and in this power increase and grow great.
19. But when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon Ephraim 's head, it pleased him not well: and he laid hold of his father's hand, that he should turn it from Ephraim' s head upon Manasseh's head. And said to him, Not so, my father: this is the firstborn; lay your right hand upon his head. But his father refused, and said, I know it well my son, I know it well: this shall also be a people, and be great: but his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall be a multitude of people ( Gen. xlviii. 17-19).
20. By the outward figure the spirit points at their offsprings, which stock or tribe should excel the other in greatness and might; but by the inward figure of man's conversion and new birth it points at the inward ground; signifying how the inward and youngest ground of the incorporated grace in Christ would be greater than the ground of the first created Adamical man.
21. But that Joseph disliked it, and would not willingly that the youngest should be preferred before the eldest, in the figure it signifies this: Joseph stood in the figure of the new regeneration, signifying how the inward ground, viz. the eternal- speaking Word in the humanity of Christ, should turn itself forth through our soul, and take away the power of self-will from the soul, and that the creaturely soul would not that it should lose its power: it would not willingly die to its own will, but would keep its first natural right.
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