speciall appointment of Potiphar but timeo Danaos dona ferentes this might be not so much in approbation of his fidelitie as to make him depend upon his further kindnesse the kindnesse of an adversarie which wee know no sooner turnes grievances into hopes than hopes into folly a Master-piece of close oppression and the readie way to Iosephs ne ultra his continuall bondage And thus likewise to the same purpose his particular imployment might be not so much an Office to keepe others as a snare to catch himselfe For so by taking opportunitie to escape without any tryall at all which perhaps was chiefely desired as being most for their credit who first imprisoned him or by running into errors as no man is sufficient to prevent all his adversaries might finde holes in that Coat which had none before and have something whereof to accuse him at least by shewing him a little kindnesse the libertie of a Prison and a command within it the better discover who were most likely to be his friends their enemies and durst any way comply with Ioseph without Potiphars consent 23 And surely if that be true which * In vit Agric. Tacitus observes proprium humani ingenii est odisse quem laeseris That we are prone by the jealousie of a corrupt nature to hate that man alwayes whom once we purposely hurt then no question if it were publikely knowne that Potiphar were so * Coniugis amori plus aequo tribuens Ioseph l. 1. Antiq. unjust as to imprison Joseph * Inaudita causa inexplorata fide veri tanquam reus criminis in carcerem Ioseph mittitur Ambr. without hearing him speake in his owne defence at first and without calling him to account afterwards as here 's no examination upon divine record it cannot be imagined but that Potiphar will be still unjust and in this respect the chiefe Butler his servant also nay forsooth his servants servant to second his desires to keepe Ioseph still in darkenesse for feare his innocence should breake forth as the Noone-day and like that fire from Heaven for which Elias prayed consume the Captaine and his men 2 King 1. 24 Or if the truth were manifest to Potiphar and he really inclin'd to release this prisoner yet the chiefe Butler measuring others by himselfe thinkes that Potiphar so great a man would at least seeme wise and just in the eyes of his Prince and not have others meddle with his faults or so much as seeme to know any passages of that nature that being Captaine of the Guard a man most likely to be powerfull in the State or of a proud spirit he will take his owne private courses to enlarge Ioseph by little and little and not returne the same publike way by which he proceeded against him never recant never confesse his errors before men and set the saddle upon the right horse but either bridle the tongue and stop the mouth of truth or breake the necke of him that speakes it And that for this purpose As the chiefe Priests in the 28. of Matthew gave large money to souldiers to belye the Resurrection and withall promised if this came to the Governours eares they would perswade him and secure them a hellish policie not onely reward but secure and protect the lyars So hee Captaine of the Guard so neere the person of Pharaoh wants no opportunitie to open and close up the Princes eares for his owne advantage he wants no money to bribe whose estate was lately so prosperous for Iosephs sake and by the qualitie of his Office he wants no souldiers or warlike men under his owne command to out-brave the truth to spit in the face of innocence and upon the least occasion to fight especially in a Womans quarrell and that when there is so little feare of being called in question and above all so much hope to cast lots for Iosephs garment and weare their Mistresse favour such and such like vanities being too often greater motives of courage than Religion and a good cause 25 Howsoever since the maintaining of correspondencie amongst great persons lookes many wayes and that upon trifles too studying and observing them more than better things we may well conjecture that as Herod and Pilate were mâ—de friends Luk. 23.12 by agreeing together against that innocent Lambe Christ Iesus so these two Officers will continue friends brethren in evill rather than Authoritie shall be truly informed and Ioseph remembred And thus it may be this Aegyptian Courtier degenerating from the Religion of his Countrey and reflecting wholly upon himselfe having as he thinkes made all the use he can of such a friend but an Interpreter whose worth is seldome esteemed or thought on unlesse it be for discourse or in cases of extremitie besides finding at first no faire way open competible with his owne private ends to speake in a poore prisoners behalfe might afterwards soone forget Ioseph and lay aside the memorie of his Petition to verifie the Proverbe Out of sight out of minde 26 But let this cautelous Aegyptian pretend what wisedome he can to excuse himselfe all is not sufficient to free him though but a Heathen from this heavie censure much lesse can it free a Christian upon like occasion for surely in private affaires the onely scope of this Text no policie can be good against that charitie o justice whereunto wee are entreated by Petition perswaded â—y â—nnocence bound by thankefulnesse and invited by many faâ—re opportunities in regard there seemes no reason uâ—dâ—r favoâ— why the same spirit which applyed the rending of Samuels garment to the fatall prejudice and destruction of Saul in his owne audience 1 Sam. 15. and yet found no discouragement should not with like successe tell Pharaoh or Potiphar at least the truth of keeping Iosephs garment and the danger of not restoring it without blemish to the owner 27 And yet amongst men-pleasers there is a worldly policie which thinkes it better to bow and reverence to Haman better to consent with the Thiefe and to have fellowship with the deceitfull Psal 50.18 Esa 28.25 even such as have made lyes their refuge and under falsehood have hid themselves better to comply and hold correspondencie with the wicked practises of many great men who in the words of the Psalmist cruelly Psal 81.20 disdainefully despightfully speake against the righteous rather than call for justice or plead for truth Esa 1.17 Esay 59. v. 4. rather than judge the fatherlesse speake for the Widow or relieve the oppressed and advance his worth though his cause be innocent and his deserts beyond compare Hoc aulicorum solenne est perfidè insontes prodere potius tradere jugulandos quà m ut offendant cos à quibus metuunt saith learned Calvin This is the propertie of time-serving Courtiers perfidiously to betray the innocent nay to expose them to a finall destruction rather than offend those whom they thinke may crosse their
growes extraordinarie rich the Master poore No by his wisdome and providence all things succeeded well and prospered in his Masters behalfe Gen. 39.5 the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house and in the field The fame whereof no question followed him to the Prison and there so pleaded his cause that after a while he finds favour in the sight of the Keeper Ibid. vers 21 22. all things are committed into his hand and so he becomes charged with this great Officer and his companion who could not but perceive though at a little hole the hole of a Dungeon the brightnesse of his fidelitie worthy of a larger of a better imployment and the rather regard that his fidelitie because the want of it in themselves had begot the anger of a King the punishment of a Prison the terrors of a guiltie Conscience the matter of a fearefull Dreame the cause of this sadnesse which in the chiefe Butler might have increased beyond expression had not Ioseph beene an Interpreter and thereby testified that worth which now wee intend to discover Yet did not the chiefe Butler c. 9 Though the naturall man cannot discerne the mysteries of Grace the best meanes of happinesse yet his losses by the fall of Adam are not so great but he is both sensible of his wants and greedie to repaire them Hereupon the corners of Nature have beene searched to see if there were any voice of joy and gladnesse in their habitations Nay least those futura contingentia contingencies uncertainties to come should rest in silence even the Heathen people have made themselves Wise men so called to fore-tell events such as amongst the Babylonians were knowne by the name of Chaldeans Chaldeans not by Nation but profession a name attributed to the most learned in that facultie in Persia they were most properly called Magicians in Greece Philosophers amongst the Hebrewes they were stiled Cabalists Scribes Pharisees and amongst the Aegyptians they were tearmed Priests even the Land of Aegypt became a Nurserie for the Art of Divination a blacke Art farre beyond the light of flesh and bloud for in Nature wee finde onely three sorts of causes to regulate our judgements concerning events First some causes doe necessarily and alwayes produce the same effects and these effects as the Eclipses of the yeere may be certainely fore-seene Secondly some causes doe not alwayes and necessarily but commonly and for the most part produce the same effects and these effects as the severall changes of the Weather may be fore-seene too but by way of conjecture onely Lastly some causes are indifferently disposed ad opposita to contrarie effects and these effects as for a man in perfect health to goe or stand to be sick or die such a day at one time more than another I say these effects cannot be fore-seene or seene but when they are present And yet the learning of the Aegyptians will needes goe further and as Aquinas speakes usurpare futuroâ—um ut futura sint notitiam 22.95.1 C. foretell events without the consideration of any cause whereupon their intelligence seeming above Nature and guided as it were by a divine spirit their worth became more admired and their persons promoted accordingly Dan. 1.48 Hereupon the Prophet Daniel being taken as one of that number for shewing and interpreting the Kings Dreame was preferred over all the Province of Babylon In Rome whilest the State was governed by Senatours we may clearely see their priviledges there they had a Colledge of Augures or Magicians whose walls I feare are not yet demolished their authoritie was so great that whatsoever they designed was ratified by a Law Qui non paruerit capitalis esto as Cicero speakes in his second Booked de Leg. Whosoever will not obey let him be held a capitall offender * Ep. l. 4. Pliny writing to Arius calls other dignities propemodum paria almost equall in reputation Nay being one of that number himselfe he pleads antiquitie for respect and calls it priscum Sacerdotium an ancient Priesthood Ibid. derived it seemes as all Learning was from these Aegyptians which perhaps is the reason why the same word in the originall being applyed to them signifies both a Priest and a Prince Chap. 41. v. 50. as though their authoritie were equall No question it was very * Augurum magna tunc erat tum copia tum authoritas great as appeares afterward by Iosephs promotion who was alwayes held for one of that number tantum religio potuit suadere malorum So much was this prophane Art of Divination respected and practised amongst the greatest in the Kingdome entertained sooner than a better thing and rewarded accordingly rewarded did I say yes surely for the Priests share was not Onions and Garlicke but the third part of all this large and most fruitfull Land treble the value of that whereat the whole World seemes to murmure and exclaime in these dayes 10 In this Art Ioseph seemes to comply with the Magicians by fore-telling things which afterward came to passe but yet with much difference in the end and meanes of his knowledge for the knowledge of the Magicians was by a wicked manner of Divination whereof there are many kindes unworthy to be named whose end is vaine curiositie and the meanes grand or grosse Idolatry either an expresse or a tacite confederation with the Devill but Iosephs knowledge was propheticall whose end is the manifestation of Gods glory and the meanes a speciall revelation from Heaven Indeed after his promotion we read that his servant speakes of a Cup wherein hee saith his Master doth divine Gen. 44.5 but it seemes agreed on all sides that such language was either according to that manner of Divination by the Cup frequent among the Aegyptians and so answerable to that opinion which they held of Ioseph for a Magician or to blinde the eyes of his brethren from seeing his propheticall Spirit before hee would reveale himselfe otherwise we cannot thinke that hee who in the time of his distresse kept the Commandement would in prosperitie renounce it forsake the Lord God of Israel and comply with Magicians in the end and meanes of their knowledge though they seeme to agree in the substance by fore-telling things which afterward came to passe And so much was apparant to the chiefe Butler it came within the compasse of his apprehension for he heard an interpretation of his owne Dreame and by seeing the predictions verified in himselfe hee never saw the like before Nay least this intelligence should be thought some imposture hee saw it seconded by another interpretation of the chiefe Bakers Dreame wherein the truth of predictions found like successe Like successe shall I say Yes for evidence not for consolation for when they were both offenders full of distracted thoughts animated with nothing else but feares and sadnesse even then Josephs interpretation awakes the chiefe Butlers Dreame frees him from Prison
a good name these oh these presented to authority countenanced by impudence prosecuted by wilfulnesse entertained by credulitie resolved by partialitie and punished by the indignation of great persons to the height of malice to the depth of imprisonment to the bitternesse of his soule to the fulnesse of oppression oppression which makes a wise man mad Eccl. 7. v. 7. What heart though never so well tempered for the greatest designes in Church or State can breath out any voice but that of the Psalmist Oh that I had the wings of a Dove Psal 55.6 that I might flie away and be at rest or spend any time but in sighes and sobs petitions not to be expressed unlesse they be very short and so was this thereby fittest for a Courtiers liking as you may reade it in the 14. and 15. Verses of this Chapter There I am sure it was delivered for it was spoken not written and that not by another but himselfe Thinke on me saith hee when it shall be well with thee and shew kindnesse J pray thee unto me and make mention of me unto Pharaoh and bring me out of this house for I was stolne out of the Land of the Hebrewes and here also have J done nothing why they should put me into the dungeon Here 's the Petition Had Ioseph trusted either his paper or his friend to present it the one might have beene read at leisure the other might have wearied his expectation or perhaps durst not have spoken without a licence from Potiphar and so in conclusion neither of them prove better than both together if I may so say a Paper-friend capable of impression on both sides but the Petition was delivered whereof both the matter seemes very reasonable and each circumstance beyond exception For first you see without any preface of * Iob 32.21 flattering Titles the givers folly the receivers pride whereof Joseph it seemes will not be taxed for the one himselfe nor be thought to suspect the other in this Aegyptian The chiefe thing desired is full of modestie onely to be brought out of that house especially that place of a Dungeon which as Peter Martyr observes having but one passage into it and that both a window for light and a doore for entrance makes the request not much unlike that of Diogenes to Great Alexander Plut in vit Alex. That the Sunne might not be kept from him onely to be freed from that darke circumference whose noysome vapours might well infect the places adjoyning and make Ioseph as well a keeper as a prisoner desirous to be brought out of such a house 4 The reasons are very forcible the one that he was no banished man from his owne countrey no runnagate no malefactor but hee was stolne out of the Land of the Hebrewes the other that hee had done no offence since his comming into Aegypt nothing worthy of the Dungeon 5 The meanes likewise are very commendable the one subordinate the chiefe Butlers kindnesse the other principall the Kings notice his kindnesse to procure a discharge the Kings notice to grant it his kindnesse in case of opposition for true information the Kings notice for speedie justice both * Talium rerum usus spem fiduciam divini auxilii nec tollit nec minuit Pere de inter somniorum a Ioseph in carcere lawfull in themselves honourable for a Kingdome and necessarie for his triall who desires by faire and indifferent meanes to testifie his innocence and redeeme his libertie 6 And now the matter being thus reasonable makes the successe very probable had it beene a matter of difficultie Ioseph had denyed himselfe by asking it but all things of like nature are easily granted where there is nothing hard to be beleeved and here 's nothing to be suspected nothing can be but the reasons whereof the one wants an accuser in which case it were much better to beleeve that hee was stolne out of the Land of the Hebrewes than goe thither to trie it the other his innocence hath no accusation but a womans malice a partie no sufficient proofe a Wife indeed whose complaint might well make her Husband distaste and cashiere his servant not severely punish him without a legall witnesse Howsoever as it is well observed by S. Chrysostome Ioseph descends not to any particulars in * Nihil addens de iniquitate fratrum nihil de nequitia herae suae cum utramque hic possit perfiringerâ— Musc this or his other reason as that he was stolne and sold by his owne brethren and that though hee was farre-fetch'd yet hee was not dearely bought as hee might have been had hee fed the lascivious eye of his Masters Wife and been partaker in her adulterie that hee was carefull to resist and prevent her dayly sollicitations that she being greedie of an opportunitie found one layes hold upon him but all in vaine pro Iâ—noâ—e nubem she could detaine nothing but his Garment that this Relique shee kept in a Cloyster safe enough no question as a matter of wonder for others of advantage for her selfe and that so it fell out for by a speedie transmutation of lust into malice as though she had formerly been taught the practice of his brethren who stript him of his party-coloured Coat to accuse the wilde beasts to delude the old man their father and to free themselves from suspition so shee in like manner had made the same * Ipsa igitur quod celare debuerat prodebat ut composito crimine laederet innocentem Amb. in li. 5. de Ios Garment a witnesse to accuse his honestie and to magnifie her owne and so that which was left behinde as a pledge to testifie his innocence shee makes a cloake to cover her owne * Ill im vere exutam dixerim etiam aliena vestimenta servantem qua omnia amiserat velamina castitatis Amb. ibid. nakednesse and a hood to blinde her Husbands eyes And that besides all this if the truth hereof or the generalitie of his good behaviour in times past will not be justified by his fellow servants in promptu causa est the reason is plaine his false accuser was the Mistresse of the house and his Iudge the Master of it And if a Ruler hearken unto lyes much more if he practice them himselfe all his servants are wicked Prov. 29. ver 12. I say all these particulars sleepe in silence and * Hoc unum eurat non ut illos condemnet sed ut prose solo dicat Chrysost hee seemes onely to studie this one thing which indeed should be every mans carâ— how he may speake for himselfe without condemning without accusing others though he might have declared the whole circumstance as matter of instruction to informe the King to satisfie gainsayers and to answer all objections yet it seemes he thinkes it better as indeed it is both in point of wisdome and Religion to conceale the faults of others at least men of qualitie
received into the Chariot as Philip was by the Eunuch to be his guide and interpreter much lesse should their worth at the mercenarie pleasure of a corrupt follower groaning under the burthens of pride and covetousnesse stand or fall in the Masters opinion Is this the way to underdand the worth of Interpreters But marke the conclusion either their greatest favour in the end is an opportunitie of giving a Bribe sooner than another man or the hire of the labourer the portion of Levi the long expectation of his service even those sacred and masculine preferments of the Church are by a plausible kind of Sacriledge enforc'd to a transmutation of Sex Nay which is much feared as most damnable they are sometime made like the Signet and Bracelets of Thamar the reward of a Harlot In which case it may well be said this Marriage is not honourable nor that Bed undefiled and yet I feare there are too many who water such Couches with their teares whereby Beneficium in maleficium they obtaine a Curse for a Blessing in stead of a reward they are made a scorne a by-word a laughing-stock to the whole world Is this the way to requite the paines and gratifie the expectation of Gods Embassadours Have wee so learned Christ who said to his Disciples Luke 10.16 He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Surely if interpretations belong to God as the author they belong to man as the object and then the Messenger betwixt God and man deserves a better requitall unlesse we desire to make our selves objects of his furie everlasting displeasure who hates the works of unthankefulnesse both towards God and man Shall Superstition make more of her Priests than Religion of ours then surely it is much better to be the chiefe Butlers servant than his Interpreter Joseph was both for a while and which is the last particular of his condition a petitioner too Yet did not the chiefe Butler remember Joseph c. For this likewise I am prepared But the particulars of Iosephs petition set downe in the 14. and 15. Verses of this Chapter seeme reasons of denyall in the chiefe Butlers condition so that we cannot well speake of the one without the other and both together will trespasse too much upon your patience being sufficient for another oportunitie THE AEGYPTIAN COVRTIER THE SECOND SERMON HORA. Serm. Li. 1. Sat. 4. Qui non defendit alio culpante Hic niger est hunc tu Romane caveto EZEK 29. VER 6. And all the inhabitants of Aegypt shall know that I am the Lord because they have beene a staffe of Reed to the house of Israel LONDON Printed for HENRY SEILE 1635. THE AEGYPTIAN COVRTIER The second Sermon GEN. 40. VER 23. Yet did not the chiefe Butler remember IOSEPH but forgot him 1_AS the bond of all societie especially that dayly intercourse amongst men is best preserved by a mutuall knowledge of each others condition So all relations and censures must passe by the same acquaintance as the only meanes to animate and regulate their proceedings In which respect having met with two persons of different qualitie Ioseph and the chiefe Butler wee have heretofore made their severall conditions the two generall parts of this Text that so by discovering the motives of remembrance in the one and by guessing at the reasons of forgeâ—fulnesse in the other the matter it selfe might be more worthy of attention and the censure more heavie upon him who deserves it In Iosephs condition were observed three particulars the first of a prisoner the second of an Interpreter the third and last of a petitioner the two former have beene delivered at large in this place the other stayed behind for a better tryall of the chiefe Butler and his condition Now all the remainder is readie to be presented but first the next in order proves like it selfe a Petitioner for your favour and patience to heare an end of the whole businesse And yet before wee proceed any further it must not be thought any vaine repetition to summe up all that hath beene spoken by reducing it to a word or two 2 First then as Ioseph was a prisoner so the chiefe Butlers humanitie and experience of the same miserie might well make him remember his fellow prisoner especially considering his owne extraordinarie sadnesse occasioned by a Dreame at the same time which surely afterwards he could never forget And then as Ioseph was an Interpreter the interpreter of a Dreame so the chiefe Butler might be taught by his mothers wit by the fashion and superstition of his countrey to remember him as a man of great worth worth of the highest nature by the common voice of all Aegypt much more might he requite this Interpreter for removing the sadnesse of his Dreame and that chiefely at such a time when the same spirit of interpretation which recalled one to the pleasures of life delivered another to the terrors of death the better as might be then well enlarged by your owne private meditations to make him who was restored to his Office neither eate Bread nor drinke Wine neither lye downe to sleepe nor rise up to play never see a cluster of Grapes or a basket of bak'd meates or Fowles upon the Kings Table or Birds flying in the Aire never bow the knee to Pharaoh or give the Cup into his hand without remembring both the manner of his deliverance and the condition of his friend not onely a prisoner and therefore to be relieved not onely an interpreter of the chiefest ranke and therefore highly to be rewarded but which is the last particular of his condition and comes now to be handled a petitioner too Yet did not the chiefe Butler remember Ioseph but forgot him 3 Hitherto then you have seene Iosephs miserie and you have heard his worth whereby you must needes thinke him the fittest man to be an humble suiter for by the one his miserie he cannot want matter and by the other his worth he is best able to contrive the forme of a sad and discreet petition and yet when free retired meditations of a sublime and Angelicall nature are curb'd and crush'd by the clownish and sawcie intrusion of these distracting thoughts thoughts of want and extremitie when this extremitie may be exposed to the griefe and trouble of friends to the hissing and insultation of enemies to the shame and sleighting of acquaintance to the censures and Table-talke of strangers to the scorne or pitie or wonder or laughter of all when all this may be aggravated by the qualitie of the person the condition of his former estate the greatnesse of his spirit the tendernesse of his conscience the uncertaintie of his hopes the inconstancie of favour the hardnesse and corruption of the times But when this aggravation may be enlarged as here it fell out by reflecting upon the cause false accusations cunningly disguised imputations of faithlesnesse and dishonestie inrolling the losse of