like a wandering Pilgrim go astray And in thy Truth am still a young Beginner O God be merciful to me a Sinner HALELUJAH A CROSTICH Upon his NAME Jn thee O Lord I 'le put my trust alwayes O Lord my God to thee I will sing Praise However thou dost please to deal with me Never O never let me slide from thee Suffer me not O Lord to go astray Make me I may thy holy Word obey I then thy faithful Servant still shall be To hate and to abhor Iniquity Honouring and Exalting none but thee THE History of Joseph OR A Divine Poem upon Joseph and his Brethren CHAP I. Being the xxxvii of Genesis The Argument Joseph his Dreams do here Relate His Brethren for it do him hate And in their Malice did him sell To Egypt there a Slave to dwell Hoping they ne'r should see him more But Jacob mourneth for him sore OUr Antient Father Jacob call'd by Name Dwelt in the Land of Canaan in great Fame He fear'd the Lord and did his Word obey And in that Land he sojourn'd many a day He had twelve Sons and of their Linage came The Tribes of all the Earth bore their Name Joseph and Benjamin the youngest were Whom Rachel his beloved Wife did Bear Seventeen Years of Age was Joseph when He sometimes kept Sheep with his Bretheren Yet he did not delight their Evil Sport But brought his Father still their bad Report Now he was pleasing in his Fathers sight And also was his Fathers chief delight Begot in 's Age wherefore he lov'd him best And made his Garment differ from the rest A Coat of party Colours Joseph had His Father made it for this comly Lad Wherefore his Brethren are with him displeas'd And hates him sore and will not be appeas'd But Joseph dreamt a Dream and thus did say Unto his Brethren Here my Dream I pray Behold we were together in the Field A binding Sheaes and when we had them fill'd And bound them up they all stood up an end Mine in the mia'st as I could comprehend And all of yours with meek behaviour Fine Did make Obeisance and bow down to mine Then said his Brethren Shalt thou Rule Reign Over us all but spoke it in disdain And now their Hatred yet did more increase They would not speak a word to him in Peace Yet Joseph dream'd another Dream and told His Father and his Brethren Behold The Sun Moon and th' Eleven Stars said he Did bow and make obâ—isance unto me What mean those Dreams his Father then did say Must I thy Servant be Must I obey Shall I and all thy Brethren bow to thee Away away my Son this must not be Thus he Rebukes him seeming then unkind But yet he bore those Savings in his Mind Now Josephs Brethren did in Sechem keep Their Heards of Cattel their Flocks of Sheep And Israel calls his Son and bids him go To Sechem to his Brethren to know How it is with them to come and tell His Father if they and their Flocks are well Joseph is willing his Father to obey And towards Sechem strait he took his way Now when at length that Country he came nere He then was told His Brethren were not there Then to the Man that told him he did say Where doth my Brethren feed their Flocks I pray Thy Brethren with their Flocks said he are gone From hence to Dothan Joseph thereupon Departed thence and after them did hast To Dothan where he found them out at last But when his Brethren saw him afar off Before he came to them thus they did scoff Behold the Dreamer cometh now say they The Dreamer cometh now we will him stay And cast him in some Pit then we shall see What will become of these his Dreams and He. But Reuben did intreat them thus and say O let 's not use such Cruelty I pray He is our Brother let 's not do so ill O let us not let 's not our Brother kill But if my Brethren you will think it fit We 'l cast him as you said into some Pit Reuben perswades them thus cause he would fain Restore him to his Father once again So then they stript him of his Coat at last And in a Pit poor Joseph he was cast A Pit which in the Wilderness was there 'T was Empty and from Water it was clear So they sate down to Dine and did espy A Company of Ishmaelites go by Who came from Gilead and for Egypt bent To carry Spices was their full intent Then Judah said unto his Brethren Let 's sell our Brother Joseph to these Men 'T will not avail us neither is it good To let him Perish and conceal his blood Out of the Pit they drew their Brother then And presently they bargain'd with those Men. For twenty Silver peeces he was sold All were agreed the Mony 's quickly told Now Joseph's gone his Brethren have their will He 's sold and gone but God is with him still Then Reuben came unto the Pit anon To seek his Brother Ah! but he is gone He rents his Cloaths his Vital Spirits burn And thus with grief for Joseph he did mourn The Child is gone but where I do not know The Child is not and I where shall I go And thus poor Reuben he did sadly grieve Whilst they Conspire their Father to deceive So from the Flock they took a Kid and kill'd And dipt'd his Coat into the Blood they spill'd And to their Father did convey it so To see if he might know this Coat or no And Jacob knew it and with grief he said This is my Sons Coat he is sure destroy'd Alass my Son said he where hath he bin Some evil Beast hath sure devour'd him And now he rents his Cloaths in woful sort And mourns in Sack-cloath so his Sons resort To comfort him but Comfort 's from him fled And he refuses to be Comforted He 's Dead said he what Pleasure can I have I will go down with Sorrow to the Grave Thus for him many Dayes he did lament Mourning full sore with grief and discontent Nothing would any Comfort to him give But Joseph's well and doth in Egypt live CHAP. II. Being the xxxix of Genesis The Argument Joseph to Potiphar is sold God doth him prosper many-fold Potiphars Wife doth fix her Eye On Joseph and would with him Lye But he denyes her being Chast And therefore is in Prison cast NOw down to Egypt Joseph he was brought And by an Officer of Pharaoh's bought The Ishmaelites in Egypt did him sell To Potiphar and with him he doth dwell And now the Lord 's with Joseph and doth give Prosperity with 's Master where he live His Master saw it and did understand The Lord made all things prosper in his Hand Wherefore in Joseph he took great delight So that he found great favour in his sight He made him Ruler over all he had Of his true Servant he 's exceeding glad And
to him who answer'd I am here I am the Lord thy Father 's did obey Fear not to go to Egypt he did say I will there make of thee a Nation great And I will give thee there a Princely seat I will be with thee while thou there remain I 'le bring thee down and bring thee up again Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes Thus at Jehovahs word he did arise And all his sons they did prepare to carry Their Father thence and did no longer tarry Likewise their Wives and Children that went Rid in the Chariots then that Pharaoh sent They took their Goods and Cattle they had got In Canaan with them so they left it not And all his seed with him to Egypt came His sons and daughters I for bear to name But all that came with him both great and small From Canaan were three-score and six in all Now Joseph had two sons besides those men So in the whole they were three-score and ten Then Judah he before to Joseph sent For to prepare a place so Judah went And Joseph with his Chariot came to meet His Father and in Goshen did him greet Upon his neck he fell and did imbrace And wept upon each other for a space And Israel said to Joseph Let me dye Now I have seen thy face for surely I Have oft lamented for thee very sore And did not think to see thee any more Then Joseph said to Pharaoh I will go The truth of all things to him I will show That thee and all thy house are come to me From Canaan he the truth of all shall see That you are Shepheards he shall understand And that your Flocks are brought unto this Land And if that Pharaoh do of you inquire To know your trade if he of you desire Then you shall say thy servants of a truth We have been Herdf-men ever from our youth That in the Land of Goshen you may dwell hate Because it doth all other far excel Besides th' Egyptians they do Shepheards Throughout their Land such they abominate CHAP. X. Being the xlvii of Genesis The Argument Joseph doth his Breth'ren bring And his Father to the King Pharaoh Goshen Land doth give With consent they there should live Joseph for them do provide Whil'st with joy they there Reside THen Joseph came to Pharaoh now and told My Father and my Brethren behold Are come to thee with all that ere they have There Heards and Flocks that thou their Lives may save They all are come from Canan unto thee And in the Land of Goshen now they be And Joseph took five of his Bretheren And unto Pharaoh did present them then So Pharaoh he enquir'd of their Trade Thy Servants Shepherds are they answer made They said moreover scarcity at home Hath forc't thy Servants hither for to come Thy Servants have no Pasture for our Sheep We could in Canan Sir no longer keep Now we intreat thee therefore let us dwell In th' Land of Goshen for we like it well Then Pharaoh spake to Joseph thus and said Thy Father 's Come I see be not dismaid The Land of Egypt is at thy Command Give unto him the chiefest of the Land The Land of Goshen let him there abide And see that he of nothing be deny'd If there be any of Activity Over my Cattel let them Rulers be Then Joseph also did his Father bring And set him in the Presence of the King So Jacob blest him and to him did bow And Pharaoh asked him how old art thou An hundred and thirty yeares said he My Pilgrim years so few and evil be That I have not attain'd it doth appear Unto the years that all my Fathers were This being said he with an humble heart Took leave of Pharaoh then and did depart And Joseph plac'd his Father and did give Possessions to his Bretheren to live Within the best and cheifest of the Land In Ram'ses then as Pharaoh did Command And Joseph there his Father Nourished His Brothers and their Housholds there with Bread Now in the Land the Famine waxed sore They had no Bread for they had spent their store So that in Egypt great was the Complaint And Canan through Extreamity did Faint And Joseph took the money that he found In Egypt for he there had many a pound Which he receiv'd for Corn that there was bought To Pharaohs house to lay it up he brought So then when money in the Land did fail Th' Egyptians did their Cases thus be wail And said to Joseph Bread vvith us is scant Why should we in thy Presence Die for vvant Then bring your Cattel Joseph said and I Will give you Food for them you may not die So then they brought their Cattel and he gave Them Bread for them their Lives thereby to save For all their Heards of Cattel and their Sheep Which fed them for a year and did them keep But when that year was ended then they came To him the next and said it is no shame For us to tell my Lord we are bereft Of all vve have that we have nothing left Saving our Bodies and our Ground my Lord We in thy sight can nothing else afford Why should vve Perish under thy Command Buy us for Bread both we and all our Land And vve to Pharaoh vvill be Servants bound So that vve may have Seed to sow the Ground VVe may not Perish vvhile this Famine last Nor that our Land it may not go to wast Then Joseph bought for Pharaoh all the Land of Egypt then of the Egyptians Hand Because the Famine vvas upon them fore Each man did sell their Land to him therefore So all was Pharaohs and he did remove Those men that Sold their Land the Truth to prove From all their Dwellings through the Land so vvide Unto the Cities there for to abide But now the Priests their Land he did not buy Because they need not sell their Lands for why Their Portion Pharaoh gave did them releive They did not sell vvhat he to them did give Then Joseph to the People thus did say Behold I now have bought you all this Day And all your Land for Pharaoh now vvith speed Go sow your Ground lo here I give you Seed And you shall give the fifth of your Encrease To Pharaoh but the fourth you with Peace You shall enjoy the fourth part to yeild Food for your selves Seed to sow each Field And for your Housholds it shall be for Meat For all your VVives and little Ones to eat Then they made answer thou hast sav'd our Lives Let us find Favour both vve and our VVives In my Lords sight and vve vvill Servants be To Pharaoh and will serve him vvillinglie And Joseph made a Law vvhich to this day stands firm in Egypt never to Decay That Pharaoh he should have of them the fifth of all except the Priests which vvas their Gift And Isr'el there did dwell in Egypt Land The Land of Goshen vvas
a Maze Behold said he I now do understand That there is Corn enough in Egypt Land Then get you down to Egypt go and buy A little food from thence we may not dye So Joseph's breth'ren they did haste away But Benjamin doth with his father stay For Jacob said least mischief him befall And he be lost I am bereft of all So Jacob's sons to Egypt came at last Before the governor they all did hast And in his presence are admitted now And to the earth before him they did bow Now Joseph knew his bretheren said From whence come you which made 'em fore afraid Because he roughly spoke and seem'd so strange As though his countenance did somthing change Now they their brother Joseph hath forgot Although he knows them yet they know him not We came from Canaan Sir they did reply We hither come a little food to buy Joseph remember'd now his Dreams and said You sure are come as Spies I am afraid But they said Nay my Lord thy servant 's come To buy us food the famines sore at home We all are one mans sons they thus replyes Thy servants are true men we are no Spyes But Joseph said do I not understand You come as spyes to see our naked Land But they said Nay we all are Bretheren We are no spyes my Lord we are true men All of our Father lawfully begot The youngest is with him but one is not Then Joseph said I take you now for spyes Because I think these stories you devise By th' life of Pharaoh you shall not go hence For with your speeches I cannot dispence Untill that brother come that I may know If there be any truth in you or no Then send for him and let the truth appear Or else you shall remain as prisoners here So then he put them in ward all three dayes But on the third day thus to them he sayes This do and live for I do fear the Lord Therefore this liberty I l'e you afford Go carry Food for all you have at home But bring your younger brother when you come And one of you shall here in prison stay But go the rest with food and hast away So then they fell to reason with each other And said we sure are guilty of our brother When he besought and craved Mercy on us But we refus'd now evils come upon us Then Reuben said to save him I desir'd But you would not and now his blood 's requir'd And now they thought none understood them for Joseph he spake by an interpreter So then he turn'd aside from them to weep But yet his brother Simeon he will keep And caus'd him to be bound before their eyes That they may see he takes them still for spyes And then his Servants did Command that they Should fill their sacks with Corn they might away And give them victuals that they might not lack And put their mony-bags into each sack So this they did and they departed thence To take their Journey now they did Commence And when they came at length into their Inn To give their Asses Corn they did begin And lo when one he had his sack unty'd his bag of money there he soon espy'd Behold my money 's in my sack he said But when they saw it they were all afraid And said unto each other thereupon O what is this the Lord to us hath done And now with speed they hasted home to tell Their Father how all things to them befell The man said they that 's Lord of Egypt Land Took us for spies and there he did Command That we should be imprison'd for said he You all are spies and come our Land to see But we said nay we were twelve bretheren All one mans sons and all of us true men And one is not the other is this day With our Father So then he thus did say If you be true men you shall here with me A brother leave that I the truth may see And go you carry food for all at home But bring yourbrother with you when you come Then I shall see if you are just and true And will restore your brother unto you So I the truth of you may understand You then said he shall traffick in our Land So now they fell a empting of their food And saw their money and amaz'd they stood Wondering at it and were sore dismaid Their father likewise he was sore afraid And thus he said b'ing troubl'd at their news You Rob me of my sons and me abuse Joseph is not and Simeon's gone I see And you 'l take Benjamin O wo is me Then Reuben to his Father thus did say Suffer the Lad to go with us I pray Take my two sons and cause them to be slain If I bring not the Lad to thee again But Jacob said my Son shall never go He nere shall part from me for ought I know O leave my Benjamin my life to save Bring not my Gray head Mourning to the grave CHAP VI. Being the xliii of Genesis The Argument Jacob for want of food complaine To Egypt sends his Sons again But is opprest and full of we For grief that Benjamin must go So they 〈◊〉 Present with them take And Joseph much of them doth make NOw in the Land the famine still was great The food they brought from Egypt's almost eat Then Jacob said our food now groweth scant Go buy agaâ—â— my Sons we may not want Judah made answer to his Father now And said the man most solemnly did vow Saying you â—ere shall in my presence come Except you bring your brother that 's at home Then let the Lad go with us now said he Or else we never more his face shall see But if thou wilt not then it is in vain And we must never think to go again Then Jacob said Why did you let him know You had a brother Why would you do so Because said they he every thing enquir'd That we were forc't to tell what he desir'd For thus he said Have you no other brother D' your Father live and one thing or an other We answer'd him as you may apprehend To all yet knew not what would be the end Could we know certainly or any other That he would say unto us bring your brother Then Judah he with this importune great Said Suffer him to go I thee intreat That we may go a little food to buy We may not perish here for want and dye I will be surety what canst thou desire That of my hands thou mayest him require And if I bring him not to thee I 'le never Attempt thy presence but be blam'd for ever Then lets not tarry knowing 't is in vain For by this time we might have come again Then said their father if he needs must go Hard is the case but if it must be so Then take a Present with you for the man The best fruits in your vessels now you can Mirrh Nuts and
unto your Father Then Judah said thus and to him drew near O let me speak a word in my Lord's Ear And let not Wrath be kindled in thy Heart Against thy Servants thou as Pharaoh art My Lord did ask if we a Father had Or any Brother so we answer made We had a Father that was Grave and Old And he a Son had with him thus we told And he alone was left him of his Mother Begot in 's Age he and another Brother And one is not the other he above The rest of us most dearly do him love Now thou didst bid us bring him unto thee When we did come again thou might'st him see But to my Lord thy Servants did Reply If he should leave his Father he would die And thou did'st say Except you bring him me Thy Servants never more thy Face should see So when we back unto our Father came VVe did acquaint thy Servant of the same But when our Father he had understood He bid us turn again to buy some Food VVe made him answer thus we cannot go Unless our Brother 's with us thou dost know But if he go not with us we are sure That we shall see the Face of him no more Then said thy Servant and our Father dear You know my Wife two Sons to me did bear And one of them said he departed hence I never heard of him nor saw him since And if you take this from me that I have You will vvith sorrow bring me to my Grave Now therefore vvhen I come to him he 'l see The Lad is left and he is not vvith me His heart upon him do so much depend I know his Life vvill soon be at an end Thus we our aged Father shall not save But full of Grief shall bring him to the Grave Thy servant I am surety for the Child That from him he no way should be exil'd Saying if I bring him not to thee I 'le never Come in thy fight but bear the blame for ever I pray thee let me be thy servant then And let the Lad go vvith his Bretheren How can I go I 'le be thy servant rather Than go to see this Evil of my Father CHAP. VIII Being the xlv of Genesis The Argument Now Joseph doth himself make known His Brethren lovingly doth own And for his Father without stay Doth send his Brethren away Whose Tidings Jacob did Revive To hear his Son is yet alive THen Joseph he no longer could refrain Before all them that did with him remain But being sorely grieved in his Heart He wept and caus'd each man for to depart VVhil'st he revealed himself in presence then There was no man besides his Brethren He Wept aloud So that it did appear That all the House of Pharaoh they did hear And to his Brethren then he thus did say I am your Brother whom you sold away Your brother Joseph you may Credit give How do's my Father now Do's he yet Live But Fear and Grief in them was so redoubl'd They could not speak to him they were so Troubl'd Then Joseph he again to them did say Come near to me my Bretheren I pray So they came near and he again doth tell I Joseph am whom you did hither sell Yet be not grieved though this thing be true It was the Lord that sent me here not you Take heed therefore in you there be no strife For God did send me here to save your Life There is but two Years of this Famine past But seven Years this Scarcity will last And there is five to come wherein you 'l see No Earing nor no Harvest there will be VVherefore the Lord did send me to this Land For to preserve you by his mighty Hand And he hath made me Father and a Lord To Pharaoh thus his Power doth afford To me this greatness You now understand I Ruler am throughout all Egypt Land Haste you unto my Father now and tell Thus faith thy Son that is alive and well Joseph thy Son whom God hath made to be Ruler in Egypt Come and dwell with me And in the Land of Goshen thou shalt dwell 'T is near me and all other doth excell Thy Childrens Children whilst this Famine last Thy Heards Flocks what soe're thou hast I may preserve thee here and may thâ—e Cherish Left in those five Years Famine thou should'st perish And now my Brethren you do see 't is true That it is I alone that speak to you And tell my Father he may come and see My glory and may here abide with me Then on the neck of Benjamin his Brother He wept and so they wept upon each other Moreover he kist all his bretheren And wept and so they talked with him then At length this tidings unto Pharaoh came He and his house are pleased with the same And unto Joseph Pharaoh thus did say Make hast and send thy bretheren away That they from Canaan may thy Father bring He shall be welcome here whil'st I am King I 'le give to him the best of all the Land The best that 's here shall be at his command And let them Chariots take for all at home That all their Wives and Children may come Yea let them come and not regard their stuff They shall not want here they shall have enough So Joseph did for them as he did say And also gave them Victuals for the way And gave each man a Change of Raiment then But five he gave his Brother Benjamin Three hundr'd Silver pieces also he Did give to him that he his Love might see And likewise to his Father did present Ten Asses laden with the like he sent Ten more with Corn and Meat such as was good To serve his Father by the way for Food So they departed but he thus did say See that you fall not out now by the way Then they went up from Egypt and did hast And to their Father then they came at last And unto him this newes did quickly tell Joseph's alive said they and he is well And more then this now thou shalt understand He 's Governor and Lord of Egypt Land But Jacob in the least Cannot believe His heart doth fail he can no Credit give They told him all but still his heart relent Untill he saw the things which Joseph sent To fetch him thence his spirits did revive It is enough said he my son's alive Joseph is yet alive and now will I I will go see my son before I dye CAHP. IX Being the xlvi of Genesis The Argument Jacob doth preparation make His Egypt Journey now doth take God by the way to him appear Bid's him go on and nothing fear And Joseph doth his Father meet In Goshen they each other greet ANd Israel Journeyed with all he had To Bersheba but there some stay he made He and his houshold while he there abode Did sacrifice unto the Lord his God And in a Vision while he yet was there God call'd
at his Command He did possess it and did multiply And grew and did encrease exceedingly And Jacob seventeen Years there did dwell Most sumptuously in Riches did excel So that the Age of Jacob doth appear To be an hundr'd fourty seven Year Now vvhen the time drew near that he should Die He Call'd his Son to him and said If I Have in thy sight found Grace let me command That thou wilt put under my Thigh thy Hand Let me my Son thy Truth Rely upon Lay me not here vvhen I am Dead and gone But vvhen I Die then vvith my Fathers all Bury me vvith them in their Burial And Joseph answer'd him and said I will Perform my Duty thy mind to fullfil But Isr'el said to Joseph Swear my Son Thou vvilt perform my Will So thereupon Joseph did Swear And Isr'el Worshipped And bow'd himself to him upon the Bed CHAP. XI Being the lxviii of Genesis The Argument Joseph takes his Sons and He His sick Father goes to see Jacob each of them doth Bless Tells him of their good Success Prophesie the promis'd Land Will be Restor'd by th' Almighty's Hand NOw after this to Joseph speedily One came said thy Father 's like to Die So Joseph hasted and he took with him His two Sons Manasseh and Ephraim And also one told Jacob thus and said Joseph is come to thee be not dismai'd Then Isr'el when he had recover'd Strength Got up and sate upon his Bed at length And said to Joseph hear my Son I pray What I shall speak to thee and what I say The Lord Almighty did to me appear At Luz in Canan and did Bless me there And afterwards thus unto me he spake And said Behold I will thee fruitful make I will thy People multiply said he And I will make a Number great of thee I 'le give to thee and to thy Seed therefore This Land they shall possess for evermore And now thy Sons which here are Born to thee In Egypt thou shalt give them both to me As Reuben and as Simeon they are mine But all thy Issue after shall be thine Now vvhen I came from Padan in the Land Of Canan Rachel Dy'd upon my hand When I from Ephrah vvanted half a day And there I did her Bury by the way Then Isr'el Joseph's Sons did there espie He lookt on them as they were standing by And asked Joseph saying Whose are these And Joseph said my Sons vvhom God doth please To spare alive His blessings I may see They are my Sons whom God hath given me Then Isr'el said before thou take them hence Let me my Blessing on them both dispence Now Israel with sickness he did Sage His sight did fail by Reason of his Age Then Joseph brought them him and for a space He there did Kiss them and did them Embrace And then he said to Joseph I ne'r thought To see thy Face but God to pass hath brought That he hath also shewed my thy Seed The Lord our God is Merciful indeed Then Joseph from his Fathers Knees did take His Sons and did Obeisance to him make And Ephraim then he took in his Right hand Towards his Fathers Left as he did stand And also took Manasseh in his Left Next Isr'el's Right hand not to be bereft Nor misse his Right-hand Blessing thus he thought Then to his Father both of them he brought But Isr'el his Right Hand he did Convey And upon Ephraims Head he did it Lay And laid his Left Hand then upon the other Upon Manasseh's Head The Elder Brother And Blessed Joseph saying God before Whom all my Fathers Walk't and did Adore Whom Abraham and Isaac did obey And he that hath preserv'd me to this day The Angel which Redeem'd me from all ill Now Bless the Lad's and let my Name be still On them and let my Father's Names also Be upon them and also let them grow Unto a Multitude so great by Birth Their dwelling in the mid'st of all the Earth But now when Joseph saw on Ephraim His Father 's Right hand it displeased him And sought for to remove it thence upon Manasses Head which was the Eldest Son And Joseph to his Father thus did say This is the first-Born move thy hand I pray But Isr'el he refus'd and said I know It is my Son yet I will not do so Of him I know a People great shall be But Ephrahim shall be greater far than he So thus he did them bless upon that day And said In thee Isr'ael shall bless and say The Lord make thee as great as Ephraim Before Mannasseh thus preferred him Then Isr'el said to Joseph I shall die But God is with you and will not deny His gracious Promise but his mighty hand shall bring you hence unto your Fathers Land And I a blessing more hath given thee Then all thy Brethren now which living be That I took from the Amorite my Foe I got it vvith my Sword and vvith my Bow CHAP. XII Being the xlix of Genesis The Argument Jacob his Sons to him doth Call Pronounce his Blessings on them all And giveth them a strict Command To Bury him in 's Native Land Where all his Father 's they do Lie So makes a Blessed end and Die NOw Jacob Call'd his Sons and thus did say Gather your selves together now I pray That I may now unfold to you he sayes What shall befall you in the latter dayes Gather your selves together I may tell Come near and hear your Father Israel RUben my Eldest Son my Chief Delight The first beginning of my Strength and might The Excellency of high Dignitie And of Power do both belong to thee But now thou art as unstable as Water And thou shalt not be excellent hereater Because thou did'st defile thy Fathers bed Thy Power and Dignity is from thee fled Thou did'st defile my Couch and thereupon Thy Honour and thy Dignity is gone SImeon and Levy Bretheren in Ill The Instruments of Cruelty are still Within their Habitations I do fear O thou my Soul their Secrets come not near Nor let my Honour now with them be Joyn'd With their Assembly be not thou Confin'd For in their griev'ous VVrath a Man they Slew And b'ing self-will'd a VVall they overthrew O Cursed be their VVrath for it vvas fierce Their Cruelty too cruel to express Wherefore in Jacob I vvill them divide And scatter them in Israel so vvide BUt Judah all thy Brethren thee shall praise And shall be subject to thee all their dayes Upon thy En'mies Neck thy hand shall be Thy Fathers Sons shall all bovv dovvn to thee And as a Lyon shall come from the Spoyle My Son he shall lie down and Couch a vvhile And as a Lyonness shall so remain And vvho shall dare to stir him up again The Scepter shall not part from Judah's home Nor a Lavv-giver until Shiloh Come To him all People shall be gathered His People vvhich throughout the Earth are spread He shall his
Asse-Fole bind unto the Vine And vvash his Garments in the Choysest Wine His Eyes vvith Wine they likewise shall be red His Teeth vvith Milk they shall be vvhitened ZEbulun he by the Sea-side shall dwell His Haven for Rich Shipping shall excell And flourishing so splendidly in order Quite unto Zidon there shall be his border ISsachar he as a strong Asse shall be Couching between two burdens shall see That Rest is good to him and that the Land Is good and pleasant he shall understand And he to bear his shoulder he shall bow And shall be subject Tribute to allow DAn he shall Judge his People and excel In Honour like a Tribe of Israel Dan he shall be a Serpent by the vvay An Adder by the Path vvhich in the day To bite the Horse-heeles subtily shall Craul To make him stumble and his Rider fall Then Jacob vvith this heavenly Salutation Cri'd out O Lord I vvait for thy Salvation GAd he an Host of men shall lay him vvast But he shall overcome them at the last ASher he shall abound in every thing And shall have Pleasure that befits a King NAphtali shall be let loose as a Hinde And giving fair and goodly words most kind JOseph he shall be like a fruitful Bough Which by a well's side fruitfully doth grow His tender Boughs and pleasant Branches all Shall grow and spread and run upon the wall The Archers grieved him and at him shot And though they hated him they hit him not But still his bow and hands in strength abode His Armes were strengthen'd by the mighty God Of whom is the chief Stone of Israel That Rich and precious stone that doth excel Ev'en by thy Father's God who will thee love And will thee bless with blessings from above With blessings here beneath that are to Come VVith blessings of the Breasts of the VVomb The blessings of thy Father hath not fail'd But far above his Elders hath prevail'd To th' utmost bounds of th' everlasting Hills On Joseph's Head they him with honour fills Upon the Head of him he that was hated He that was from his Breth'ren separated BEnjamin he shall Ravine in the day And in the Morning shall devour the Prey Like to a fierce Wolfe he at Eventide The spoile which he hath taken shall divide ALL these are the twelve Tribes of Israel And this is that their Father did them tell With sev'ral Blessings each of them did bless And afterwards thus to them did express I now am ready to be Gathered Unto my People now when I am Dead Bury me with my Fathers in the Cave In Ephrons Field the Hittite make my Grave VVhich is before Mamre in Canan Land Abr'ham he bought the same of Ephron's hand He and his Wife they both were buri'd there There Isaac and Rebeckah buri'd were And there I buri'd Leah after Death The Field was Purchas'd of the Seed of Heth. Thus Jacob made an end of giving charge Unto his Sons his mind hath spoke at large And then submitting to the Lord of Host Pluck't up his Feet and yeilded up the Ghost CHAP. XIV Being L. of Genesis The Argument Now Joseph he doth with great Care His Father's Funeral prepare Interrs him in his Native Land As Israel did him Command So he and all the Royal Train Returns to Egypt back again THen Joseph fell upon his Fathers Face And Wept and his dead Corpes he did Embrace And the Physitians that with him did dwell They did imbalm his Father Israel When Fourty dayes of Mourning were perform'd So long they Mourn'd for them that were Imbalm'd But th' Egyptians they did him bewail Seventy Days their Mourning did not fail And when the days of Mourning all were past Joseph he spake to Pharoah's House at last And said If I have Favour found I pray Speak in the Ears of Pharoah now and say My Father he did make me to him Swear To bear him hence and not to lay him here But in his Grave which is in Canaan Land To lay him there he gave a great Command And therefore let me now intreat of thee That this his will may be fullfill'd by me Then Pharoah said go and not lay him here Perform thy Oath as he did make thee Swear So Joseph with great diligence and care A stately Funeral he did prepare And with him went the Chief of all the Land All Pharoah's house they were at his Command Likewise his own house and his Bretheren And all his Fathers house went with him then Only the Children small it was his mind Their Sheep and Cattel such to leave behind Chariots he took and Horsemen sumptuously VVith him went an exceeding Company Now when they came to Atads threshing floor VVhich is beyond Jordan they Mourned sore VVith grievous Lamentation there they stays And Mourned for his Father seven dayes And when the Canaanites of all the Land Their Mourning saw amaz'd they all did stand And afterwards 't was call'd throughout their Nation Th' Egyptians place of grievous Lamentation So thus his sons as he did them Command VVith care interr'd him in his Native Land And Joseph he returned back again To Egypt he and all the Royal Train Now when his breth'ren saw their father dead They were afraid and sorely troubled And said it may be Joseph will us hate Now our Father 's dead hard is our fate Our former trespass he 'l remember still And Justly may requite us now with ill Therefore they sent to Joseph and did say Pardon our former trespasse now we pray It 't was our father's will while he did live The Sin we did Commit thou should'st forgive Let not thy heart against us now be hardn'd But let that sin we did commit be pardon'd This meek request made Joseph's heart relent He wept and said be you not discontent Then all his breth'ren fell upon their knee To him and said Lo we thy Servants be And Joseph said am I not under God Do I not know that Vengeance hath a rod When you thought ill God turn'd the same to good To save your lives you since have understood Fear not now therefore I will nourish you Your Wives and Children as I ought to do Thus he did Comfort them and told his mind And Spake to them most Lovingly and Kind Now Joseph he in Egypt still did dwell His Fathers house likewise there lived well And Joseph Ephrâ—ims Sons he there did see His Childrens Children to the third Degree Likewise the Sons Sons of Manasseh were Brought unto Joseph's knees as doth appear Then Joseph said unto his Bretheren I now shall die and God will surely then Visit you And will by his mighty hand Bring you from hence unto your promis'd land Which he t' Abraham and to Isaac sware And unto Jacob that he would prepare And Joseph made them swear and said this do My Bretheren When God shall visit you Carry my bones with you do not dispence With them in Egypt bear them
from that time he did him Ruler make God blest what e're he had for Joseph's sake He blest his house with great Content and Peace And blest his field also with great Increase And now all things are left to Joseph's hand He takes account of nothing to Command Saving the bread which he alone did eat Nothing he doth regard except his meat Now Joseph's Comely yet will not be led To ill temptations though well-favoured Though he hath Pleasure and Content his fill And may lye with his Mistriss if he will No Joseph he doth love and fear the Lord And therefore such great wickednesse abhor'd But yet his Mistris casts her wanton Eye On him desiring him with her to Lye But Joseph he his Mistriss did refuse And did intreat her that she would excuse Him saying thus You well do understand My Master hath put all things in my hand There 's none in all his house so great as I Nothing at all that he doth me deny Of all he hath that doth belong to Life But only thee because thou art his Wife How can I do this wickednesse quoth he And sin against my God it must not be Yet day by day she sought to have her will But he withstands her and denies her still Then on a certain day when Joseph went Into the house where he did much frequent She came to him seeing that none was by And Caught him by the Garment saying Lye With me but Joseph soon did her withstand And fled and left his Garment in her hand And got him out but when that he was gone She call'd some other of her house anon And said the Ebrew servant he hath brought Came in to mock me and with me he sought To Lye but when I lift my voice and Cry'd He fled away because I him deny'd And here his Garment he hath left with me But when my Lord comes he the same shall see So when her Lord came home thus she did say Thy Ebrew servant mocked me to day He came to Sleep with me but when I Cry'd He fled a way because I him deny'd He fled and left his Garment here with me I laid it up my Lord for you to see Now when her Lord this thing did understand His wrath was kindl'd and he did Command That Joseph should be Cast in Prison strong His righteous servant now must suffer wrong But God's with Joseph loves his meek behaviour And in the Prison he hath got him Favour The keeper of the Prison thinks it fit All things to Joseph's hand he doth commit He sees that all things prospers in his hand He looks to nothing Joseph bears Command Now those that love and fear the Lord we see Finds Grace and Mercy still where e're they be CHAP. III. Being the xl of Genesis The Argument King Pharaohs servants prison'd are And Joseph he their Dreams declare But doth acknowledge 't is the Lord That doth such light to him afford The Buttler doth ungratefull prove Forgetteth Joseph's former Love A Little after this it Came to pass King Pharaoh's Butler and Chief Baker was For some offence which to the King was done They both were cast in Prison thereupon Into the Prison now where Joseph was And he the Charge and keeping of them has Now in one night they both of them did Dream And in the Morning troubl'd were extream Joseph perceiv'd it and to them did say Why are ye now so sad my Friends to day We both have dream'd said they troubl'd are Because we know here 's no interpreter Interpretations are of God said he Then say not so but tell your Dreams to me So then the Butler did to Joseph tell His dream and said to me it thus befell I saw a Vine before me in full growth And in the Vine three Branches budding forth They budded forth the Blossoms did appear Next came the Grapes quickly ripe they were And in my hand I had King Pharaoh's Cup I took and wrung the Grapes and fill'd it up And then as far as I could understand I did deliver th' Cup to Pharaoh's hand This is th' Interpretations Joseph sayes The Branches that thou sawest are three dayes For by that time King Pharaoh shall restore Thee to thy place that thou wert in before And thou shalt also bear the same Command To take and give his Cup into his hand But have me in rememberance with thee When thou shalt come in thy Prosperity And mention me to Pharaoh now I pray That I in Prison may no longer stay I am an Ebrew stolen away by theft Out of my Native Land and here am left To suffer and yet I have done no wrong To any yet am cast in Prison strong Now when the Baker saw and understood What Joseph told the Butler seemed good He said unto him Joseph now I see Thy saying's good interpret now for me I dream'd I had three Baskets on my head In one bak'd Meat the Birds about me fled Out of the uppermost they all did eat It being full of Pharaoh's dainty Meat Then to the Baker Joseph he did say Thy baskets likewise each of them 's a day For in three dayes King Pharaoh thou shalt see Will cause thee to be Hanged on a Tree And then the birdes will come thy Flesh to eat And fly about thee as they did thy Meat So three dayes after Pharaoh made a feast The Butler and the Baker were releast The Butler did his butler ship Command To give the Cup again to Pharaoh's hand The Baker he was hang'd upon a tree What Joseph said did come to pass we see But now the Butler he remember'd not His old friend Joseph but hath him forgot CHAP. IV. Being the xli of Genesis The Argument King Pharaoh's dreams torment his mind Till an Expounder he can find The Butler Joseph doth Commend To Pharaoh who doth for him send Joseph makes known his dreams and he Advanced is to high degree BUt stay shall righteous Joseph still remain A Pris'ner never to come out again No though the Butler he remember'd not The Lord his God he hath not him forgot But two years after by his Mighty hand The King of Egypt then he did Command That he his righteous Joseph should deliver For loe he dream'd that he stood by a River And seven Fat Kine did to him appear Out of th' River as he was standing there And in a pleasant Meddow they did feed But after seven Lean ones did proceed And as the fat kine in the Meddow fed They by the lean ones were devoured Yet to his sight so vile they did appear They still more ugly and ill-favour'd were Upon this dream King Pharaoh did awake But fell a sleep again his rest to take And dream'd the second time before 't was Morn And in his dream saw seven Ears of Corn Which sprung and grew upon one stalk so rare No Ears of Corn were ever seen so fair And after them there sprung up
seven more But with the East-Wind blasted very sore And presently devour'd all the good So Pharaoh he awak't and understood It 't was a dream he quickly gave Command To call the South-sayers of all the Land They may interpret and his Dreams declare For why his spirits sorely troubl'd are So all the Wise-men far and near did hast And came before their Lord the King at last But when the King his dreams to them had told Not one of them that could the same unfold Then to the King the Butler he did say I call to mind a fault in me this day When I in prison and the Baker were Pharaoh in 's Anger caus'd us to be there So there we being troubl'd in our mind We both did dream but little thought to find A man to be indu'd with Wisdom so In all the Prison that our Dream could show Therefore we troubled were and sore dismaid But there an Ebrew servant to us said Why are ye now so sad my Friends to day What is your trouble tell it me I pray So then we told our Dreams to him and he Declar'd the truth as we did after see Upon this news King Pharaoh quickly sent Some of his Servants and with speed they went Now Joseph shall not long in prison stay Come forth of prison Joseph come away 'T is thee alone that must those Dreames unfold 'T is thee alone shalt wear the Chain of Gold At last this Newes they did to Joseph bring Who shav'd Chang'd came before the King So he beheld him and to him did say Canst thou declare a Dream to me I pray I have of late heard great report of thee That thou canst tell a dream what e're it be Then Joseph answer'd Pharaoh thus and said Let not the King be troubled nor dismaid For without me the Lord shall answer Peace To Pharach therefore let thy trouble cease Then Pharach said to Joseph In my dream I by a River stood a pleasant stream And seven Fat Kine did to me appear Out of th' River as I was standing there And in a pleasant Meddow they did feed But after Seven Leane ones did proceed And did devour th' fat ones that were there Yet still more ugly and ill-favour'd were Upon this dream I quickly did awake But fell a sleep again my Rest to take And dream'd the second time before 't was morn And in my dream saw seven Ears of Corn Which sprang and grew upon one stalk so rare No Ears of Corn were ever seen so fair And after them there sprang up seven more But with the East Wind blasted very sore And presently devour'd all the good So I wak't and when I understood It was a dream I quickly did command To send for the Magicians of the Land But none of them could these my Dreams declare They knew not what they meant nor what they are Let not the King said Joseph troubl'd be The Lord will shew the truth thereof to thee He has already what he means to do Thy dreams are one O King and are not two The seven Fat Kine that did first appear They do betoken each of them a Year So do the Ears of Corn that grew so rare Upon one stalk and seem'd to thee so fair The evill kine that after did appear And blasted Ears do shew a Dearth is near This is the thing and thou shalt find 't is true Yea this is that the Lord intends to do For seven years of Plenty there shall be In all thy Land and after thou shalt see A Famine great and Plenty shall be not Throughout all Lands but shall be quite forgot For seven more as thou shalt understand Untill this Famine hath Consum'd the Land And now the cause thy Dream so doubl'd was The Lord hath said it and 't will come to pass Let Pharaoh therefore see to get a man That is of understanding if he can And let him also Officers provide And set them over Egypt Land so wide And see they Carefull be of this Command To gather in the Fifth of all the Land During the seven years of this great Plenty To lay up Corn and let no place be empty At thy Command O King in every City That when the Famine comes thou may'st have pity So with thy food thou shalt thy Country Cherish And save thy people that they may not perish Now Pharaoh's pleas'd and said I witness can In all my Land there is not such a man And Pharaoh said to Joseph For as much As God's great Wisdom now in thee is such There 's none of Understanding now I see In all the Land for Wisdome like to thee Thou shalt be next me none shall near remove thee But in my throne I will be still above thee Behold I set thee over Egypt Land And then he took his Ring from off his hand And gave it Joseph and to him he said In Costly Garments thou shalt be aray'd So in fine Linnen he did him bedeck And put a Chain of Gold about his Neck His Second Chariot Joseph did command The people abrech Cry'd throughout the Land And Pharaoh said to Joseph thou shalt see I Pharaoh am and therefore none but thee Shall dare to stir a foot in all the Land But shall before thee in subjection stand And Joseph Pharaoh call'd another Name And gave to him a Wife of princely fame And he was thirty years of Age when he Departed from the King the Land to see So Joseph went throughout all Egypt Land And gather'd Corn in number as the sand He and his servants gather'd in such store They knew not where to lay up any more And now two sons to Joseph there were Born Before the Dearth and scarsity of Corn. Manasseth Joseph call'd the first by Name Saying the land 's forgot from whence I came He call'd the second Ephraim for said he In my affliction God hath gave him me The seven years of plenty now doth Cease As Joseph said the Famine did increase Over all Lands the Famine sore is spread But in the Land of Egypt there was bread At length the scarcity increas'd amain Among th' Egyptians So they did Complain To Pharaoh But said he to Joseph go Make your addresses to him let him know So then they did and Joseph of his store Did fell to them but still they wanted more All Nations buyes their food at Joseph's hands Because the Famine's grievous in all Lands So grievous that all Nations far and nigh Comes all to Egypt now their food to buy CHAP. V. Being the xlii of Genesis The Argument Now Jacob sendeth speedily His Sons to Egypt food to buy But Joseph takes them all for spies And Simeon there a prisoner lies The rest return opprest in minde For Grief their brother 's left behind NOw Jacob call's his sons and thus he said Chear up your selves and be not you dismaid Why do you now upon each other gaze Why do ye stand so are you in