deliuered Teaching vs therein not to neglect meanes whensoeuer we néede but to vse them carefullie referring all effect to God The baker séeing his fellows dreame so good telleth vnto Ioseph his also But alas the difference Yet Ioseph is true and telleth him truely what it was though it were so bitter Teaching vs well that truth is to bee preserued howsoeuer the matter is and euen hard and sowre truths to bee tolde if we bee required Conferre herewithall for proofe and practise but these Scriptures 2. Sam. 12. the 7. verse 1 King 22.17 verse 2. King 20.1 and 17. Miche 2.11 verse Matth. 3.7 and Chap. 14.7 Galat. 1.10 with such like Beware we then ministers how we conceale what the Lord reuealeth to vs. 5 What is spoken here of Pharaohs birth-day and in Matth. 14. of Herods birth-day sheweth vs the antiquitie and lawfulnesse also of this obseruance if it be in measure Birth-daies and mariage-daies maie bee obserued if wee kéepe a course frée from vanitie and superstition That Pharaoh deliuereth them both out of prison one to life and the other to death some haue made it a figure of Gods last iudgement when the like shall be done But I stand not of it This onely I will note and now ende How the butler released forgot Ioseph a note of disgrace to him iustly and to all others that in prosperitie forget their comforters in aduersitie To manie to manie hath this worlde daylie that exalted to honour to riches and comforts forget Ioseph that is such persons as are godlie and faithfull worthie of comfort and yet oppressed by some straunge Putiphars who earst haue béene of their great acquaintance Chap. 41. In this Chapter we haue these things especialle to be obserued as chiefe heades The dreames of Pharaoh the king The deliuerance of Ioseph out of prison His gouernment in the land when he was preferred TOuching the first we sée Pharaoh here by dreame admonished of a great dearth that should insue in his land was this think you for Pharaohs sake no indéed not principally especially but it was for Iosephs sake y t he might be released and preferred and for Iacob his old fathers sake with all his familie who were by this prouidence comforted prouided for and brought into Egypt there to remaine an appointed time according as was said to Abraham Sée therfore againe and againe what profite still comes to the wicked by the godly For their sakes they haue mercie and manifold mercies as here had Pharaoh and all his land when otherwise the famine had deuoured most of them as well wee may see if it had not béene told to Ioseph by God and he directed with wisdome to prouide for it The king hath two dreames but all to one end the doubling being onely for more certaintie and more plainnesse Whereby the ministers of the worde may learne of the Lord in matters of weight that ought to be knowen euen twice to speake the same thing and oftner also if it be néedfull For this is sure this is plaine and this is euen the pactise of the Lord himselfe Foolish curiositie auoydeth this and vaineglorie suffereth vs not to submit our selues but who followeth the Lord he followeth the wisest guide and let others be no rule against him 2 When the morning came his spirit was troubled which feare was inough to teach him that these visions were sent of god but none could interpret thē vnto Pharaoh y t we might thereby learne how the wise in the world vnderstand not gods secrets but to his seruants his wil is reuealed Then spake his chiefe butler and told him of Ioseph Better late then neuer but fie of such hart that so long could forget so good a man and one that so friendly had dealt with him Two yeares saith the first verse ere this was done after Ioseph spake vnto him Delaies in court then some Courtiers euen in honest sutes very reasonable are too old we see But the best men abhorre them euer thākful minds defie forgitfulnes of their friends twice is it done y t quickly is done a readie dispatch doubleth the benefite to the receiuer consequently dutie to the giuer 3 Then sent Pharaoh and called Ioseph Not much vnlike to manie others that euer in their néed doe séeke to the godlie and well disposed to receiue that comfort or reape that benefit which other cannot yéeld them But in prosperitie they contemne them little regard either them or their vertues That Ioseph shaued himselfe and changed his raiment to come vnto Pharaoh it may well teach vs with reuerence to regard the Lord much more Before whom yet wee come not with thus much regard the more is our fault and the lesse is our féeling assuredlie The Lord weigheth not outward gesture but inward hart yet in respect of our selues outward gesture dooth helpe our inward heart and stir vs vp rather vnto reuerence as changing of garments kneeling bowing with eies and hands lift vp and such like therefore to be vsed 4 Without me saith Ioseph God shal answer for the welth of Pharaoh As if he should say though I expound thy dreame which turneth to thy good it is yet God not I that answereth for thy welth A dutifull speach in a child of god to giue god the honour that is due to him fit for vs and for all beléeuers euermore For what haue we that we haue not receiued doth not euery gift euery thing in nature good procéed from god why then should we rob him of his owne God forbid Herod for taking to himselfe most vainly the praise of his well speaking fearfully perished to make vs beware Yea Ioseph is carefull euen before the vnbeléeuers to commit this sin let vs marke it Therfore in the 28. verse he repeateth it againe This is the thing which I haue said vnto Pharaoh y e god hath shewed vnto Pharaoh what he is about to do carefully preseruing vnto the Lord his due 5 That Ioseph giueth counsell to Pharaoh to lay vp c. Beside that it sheweth the dutie of gods prophets ministers not onely to shew the euils to come but also the remedies for the same It doth also further warrāt as lawful good such laying vp in one yeare as may serue for an other either of father for his child man for his familie or gouernor for his place cōmitted vnto him Only moderation order that it be kept is to be cared for Which moderation must regard circumstances of person calling place time c. Therfore said Ioseph let there be chosen a man of vnderstanding wisdom to do this meaning no doubt which should do with discretion y t which was fit No warrant therfore this gathering thus limited for such end for those scrapings y e greedie cormorants vse amongst vs neither with measure
thought falling out and excuse the guiltlesse 3 Then Iudah another sonne of Iacobs moueth his Father to consent to the request of Ruben his brother made before for Beniamin to goe with them and vseth to this end some arguments as first of necessitie That wee may liue and not die both wee and thou and our children Secondly from security I wil be suretie for him of my hand shalt thou require him if I bring him not to thee and set him before thee then let mee beare the blame for euer Lastly a damno of hinderance that commeth by staye except wee had made this tarying doubtles by this wee had returned the second time Then the Father yelded and said if it must needes be so doe thus c. Where see and marke in Iacob a most Godly course in extremitie and danger namely to vse all honest meanes to relieue our feare and yet onely to trust in the GOD of Heauen Iacob sendeth the best fruites of the Land c. But as his hold aboue all houldes hee speaketh thus GOD Almightie giue you mercye in the sight of the Man c. Then againe obserue it in Iacob here that in time hee yeeldeth and cannot resist when GOD had decreed it should be so Surely so doe wee and so must wee doe what wee can Startle we may and striue a while as Iacob did here vtterly refusing and vtterly dislyking to doe this or that but if GOD haue appointed it to be so a time will come that wee shall striue no longer but say as Iacob said in this place If so it must be then so be it Happye are they y t yeeld soonest and striue least agaynst that good which God hath appointed Obstinacie was neuer constancie nor wilfulnes witte as I haue noted before To change from euill to good from error to truth from darknes to light was euer pietie when contrary course was sinfull obstinacie and the rodde of God vpon the vngodly But O how hardly is this perswaded So loue wee the thing wee haue loued long that needes we must cleaue to our owne damnation and thinke it holy So haue wee done our fathers long O constant course but you shall not doe as your Fathers haue done saith the Lord. 4 The truth of Iacob would also be obserued who willeth them to take double money with them least happily the former was an error This conscience want not onely theeues and robbers and open offenders but some that seeme honest and are not the worst Who can be content to make an aduantage of the error or ouersight or mistaking of their neighbours according to the common saying Si spye sport c. But if you spie not good earnest and swallowed vp without any remorse at all Thus did not Iacob no this hated Iacob and all good men euer God seeth and God must iudge mee one day iustly according to my workes What profiteth then if my neighbour see not Beware wee then and keepe cleane handes with a good conscience that shall neuer bee ashamed 5 Thus all thinges made ready these brethren set on and come into Egypt before Ioseph who when hee saw Beniamin was not a litle glad yet kept his owne Counsell and commaunded his Stewarde to make ready for Dinner that they might dine with him The Steward did so and now when it was time he brought the men all to Iosephs house who straight were afrayde and sayd to themselues because of the money that came in our Sackes are wee brought hether that hee may picke a quarrell against vs c. O filthye suspicion howe blottest thou and spottest thou euen good men Thus apt to misdeeme are these men So was euen Abraham in his time when he said I thought the feare of God was not in this place and that they would kill me for my wife So was old Heli and misiudged Anna that she was drunke Wherefore well said the Father and full true Quanti non dederunt locum errori dederunt suspicioni How great men haue withstood error and yet giuen place to suspition Suspicio calumniā parit Suspicion breedeth slaunder and is the mother of it in time Suspicio amicitiae venenum Suspition is the cutthrote of friendship and euer was As hardly doth a good man suspect one to be euill so hardly doth an euill man imagine one to be good Againe see how Ioseph in a meaning so good is misiudged and ill thought of by those men Then who can auoide this damnable suspicion or what can a man so well intend which some wil not conster quite awry The man so good the meaning so good yet all suspected Their God giue grace to doe but well and God giue comfort against cursed misdemers for they cannot be auoided but will be doing 6 When Ioseph came home they brought their presentes to him and bowed downe to the ground before him where see the dreame againe fully accomplished Now is the yongest also with them and all bowe Then asked Ioseph of their welfare and by by whether their Father the olde man was in health Not forgetting I warrant you for any honour his old father This was a child that had God in him and this is a glasse for all children to behold them selues in who now a dayes quickly forget their parents if neuer so litle welth grow But if honor also happen to come O what should wee doe with our old parentes then Our high places may not thinke of such meane people But proud Pecocke remember thy selfe and behold here a man second in the kingdome to the King a man honored with all the honour that a mighty kingdome could aford and yet his second word is for his father his old father his dere father and neuer is he well till he haue him with him Let Courtiers like or dislyke his frends be his frends and he will not deny them God giue Children such hartes 7 Then Ioseph turned to his yongest brother Beniamin his brother wholly by father and mother for Rachel bare both Ioseph and Bēiamin Ioseph blessed him with that not able to goe any further his hart so melted vpon his brother but turned aside to weepe a while See then tears by Gods mercies Himselfe deliuered from danger prison exalted highly to great honor his father aliue and in good health his brethren before him and Beniamin with him what mercies are these No maruell then if a good man seeing so sweet a God be moued to teares in a sweet feeling And thinke of your selfe If neuer wet cie hath shewed feeling hart haue you not bene dull Certainly mercy in a gracious God wringeth out tears from a feeling child when neither fire nor sword can get them out The one we ouercome by faith assisted but y e other quite ouercommeth vs being sweet and comfortable aboue all desert Then Lord giue feeling 8 When Ioseph had eased
hee was ashamed of his Kindred but that hee would couer his Brethrens fault then wept hee and cryed so aboundantly that the Egyptians heard and the house of Pharao also heard Brideled then may be affection awhile but when the banke breaketh the streame is strong and who can then stop the course agayne a while Yet see a care of his Brethrens name euen in the midst of his pang and till all were gone hee would not touch them Such wisedome such gouernment and such discretion is most gracious wheresoeuer it is and would God wee migâ—t euer bee beautified with it Let loue be seene and let sorrowe shew but remember euer time and place Then cryed Ioseph I am Ioseph I am Ioseph doth my Father liue as if he should haue sayd feare no longer my deare brethren nether bee dismayed it is Ioseph your brother that hath thus dalied with you Ioseph your Brother your owne flesh and bloud and no other I am Ioseph I tell you euen Ioseph your Brother and cast feare away Doth my Father liue But his Brethren amased could not answere a word they were starke dumbe O mighty God what a change is here such endes to sorrowes can God giue when it pleaseth him and let all flesh giue glory to him Againe see a type of the Lord our God which may be comfortable Hee checketh vs and snubbeth vs he bindeth and imprisoneth vs that is he imposeth vpon vs sundry afflictions as Ioseph did vpon these his brethren and when hee hath tryed vs to his good pleasure wee thinking of this man and that man of this malice and that malice agaynst vs fearing and dismayde almost altogether in the ende hee can hold no longer but that bottomlesse mercie of his breaketh out and with bowels of loue hee cryeth vnto vs it is I it is I I am Ioseph your brother that is Christ your Sauiour your God and your Lord that haue not spared mine owne life but haue geuen it for you bee not afraid be not afraid but plucke vp your hartes and reioyce your sorrow is ended and your tryall finished I will be a brother to you and no worse for euer It is I it is I so sweete is the end in time of the troubles and tryals of Gods children Euen as vpon the Sea when he walked and his Disciples feared he cryed it is I be not afrayd be of good comfort Come nere vnto me saith Ioseph come neere vnto me sayth Christ Yea come vnto mee all yee that trauell and are heauie laden I will refresh you So againe in his day of iudgement Come yee blessed of my Father come come I am Ioseph your brother c. which kindnesse in him both heauen and earth shall heare then as Pharao his house heard now of Ioseph So fitteth this figure to our Sauiour 2 Now therefore be not sad nether greeued with your selues that yee sould mee for God sent mee before you for your preseruation c. This comfortable speaking of Ioseph to his brethren must teach vs by all meanes to comfort them which are truly humbled and wounded for their sinnes And the ascribing of his comming into Egypt to God teacheth vs to distinguish betwixt Gods finger and mans malice in the selfe same action for they differ greatly the one being sinfull to an euill end the other being gracious and mercifull euer for good In Iobs affliction God had his finger and Satan his with but what Satan maliciously God most mercifully directed to his glory and to Iobs good So the crucifying of our Sauiour and the afflictions of his children euermore Therfore it followeth not that if we say such things be of God by by it should be coÌ„cluded that he is author of euill You see the difference remeÌ„ber S. Austen God would neuer suffer euill to be done except he were able out of euill to draw good The land of Egypt yelded this comfort that the posterity of Iacob according to Gods purpose might be preserued in the same Therefore y e Godly are not burdensome to a countrey but a countrey is blessed y t it may relieue them and the inhabitantes inioy for them such mercy as peraduenture without them they should neuer haue So happily euen this land wherein we liue for the poore exiles of Gods flocke and we may do well to thinke of it to stay all grudging 3 That Ioseph calleth this deliuerance a great deliuerance being but from famine and bodily death it may fitly moue vs to thinke of our deliuerance from hell death and deuill by Iesus Christ in the bottomlesse loue of our most gracious Father and from ignorance superstition and popery from fire and fagot with most bloudy cruelty by a dread and deare a mild and mercifull Soueraigne of God for this purpose giuen vnto vs and placed ouer vs. O what deliuerances be these and how should we feele them within and publish them without day and night to the praise of God the fountaine of all and the honor of his annointed and appointed meanes for euer The Grecians deliuered but from bodily seruitude called their deliuerer a Sauiour to them and range it out Sauiour Sauiour that the Fowles in the Ayre fell dead downe with the crye Much more much more than ten thousand times may wee call the Lordes Annointed a Sauiour vnto vs. God giue feeling which I feare wee want 4 Then biddeth hee his Brethren goe tell his Father what honor GOD had giuen him in the land of Egypt making GOD the Fountayne of his preferment like a thankefull man and not worldly meanes like the gracelesse hartes of these times Promotion commeth neither from East nor West from North nor South but GOD raiseth vp and setteth with Princes euen with the Princes of his people That Ioseph would haue hs father neere him it noteth the comforte that is comforte indeede if GOD vouchsafe it frendes to bee neere one to another And that he promiseth to nourish both him and his may not be forgotten but for euer teach vs that if the Lord vouchsafe vs any thinge in this Worlde our Parentes portion shoulde bee there in with offer of vs before demaunde of theirs and all comfortable countenance vnto the ende Yea see if Ioseph bee not euen earnest and greedie to haue this comfort deriued to his Father from him and verily there is no more pleasure or sweete comfort to a good vertuous Childe than to doe good vnto his Parents according to the power that God hath giuen Fye of all filthy natures then too visible daily before our Faces in this accursed and daungerous time that being both riche and welthy warme and well furnished with all comfortes suffer not onely other frendes in kindred neere them to say nothing of the naked members of Christ but euen their Parents that bred and bare them to suffer both hunger and colde need and misery to their vtter shame
should be so to the other This practise of Satan and power of his venom is too to manifest euen in our dayes in such as condemne our Church-méetings our exercises of the worde and Sacraments and whatsoeuer we do in comparison of their owne supposed puritie Of whom it may iustly be spoken that Austen said Finxerunt se nimis iustos cum totum vellent perturbare They haue feined themselues ouer holy whē in this sort they would trouble al. For vs who are so abhominable to them let vs comfort our selues with the truth of our cause and with this example of Gods people whom yet God suffered thus to be iudged of by filthie Egyptians knowing that in the end these proude censures shall hurt vs as much as this contempt in the Egyptians did the Hebrues when it caused them to be placed in the land of Goshen which was the very best of the land of Egypt Let this suffice of this Chapter Chap. 47. The chiefe points of this Chapter are two The speech of the king with Iosephs brethren and father The extremitie of the famine TOuching the first it is saide that Ioseph went to y e king to tell him of his friends comming withall tooke with him fiue of his brethren whom he presented to the king aswell that the king might bee assured they were come as also sée what maner of people they were Wherein appeareth both the maiesty the wisdom of Ioseph that without the kings knowledge and expresse direction he would do nothing in this matter though his fauor were great with the king and verie extraordinarie well-knowing what meaner places then Princes Courts giue triall of that manie are the whisperers flatterers and maligners of them who with anie speciall fauour vse to be regarded of the chiefe Soone might they and peraduenture soone would they haue incensed the king both against Ioseph and his friends if this course had not warilie beene taken And what though the king before had giuen commaundement touching this matter yet safe it was to haue direction againe in a matter of his owne and of this nature to bring strangers into a Princes land to inhabit the verie best place of the same Who knowe the varietie of great mens mindes and what mountaines priuie whisperers can moue sometime when a man is not admitted to his answer but condemned vnheard will approue Iosephs wisedome and say it was necessarie The king when he saw them asked what trade they were of taking it as certaine that they had some trade So vnvsuall was it then for men to be idle But had he asked manie a man in our dayes there answer peraduenture would haue béene to seeke vnlesse they should haue answered that they vsed to walke from tauerne to tauerne with a white rodde in their hands to top Dasies withall These mens answere was not to seeke but readily they tolde the king they were shéepheards both they and their fathers that is men that liued by keeping and bréeding of cattell a most profitable and good trade for the wealth and comfort of a land Would God their example might worke with vs to cause vs to abhorre this sinfull idlenesse the mother of infinite euils amongst vs and to buckle our selues to some profitable seruice to the common wealth Surely it is for the dead to rest from their labours and not for the liuing altogether But many times I haue touched this matter and therefore now no more 3 Then sayd Pharaoh to Ioseph the land of Egypt is before thee in the best place of the land make thy father and brethren dwell c. We saw the kings gracious fauour to his faithful and true Ioseph before and now we sée his constancie in the same A most princelie vertue in him and a most swéete incouragement to the hart of Ioseph as they know that wish and want bound was Ioseph if he had had a thousand bodies and minds to haue serued such a maister with them all Farewell Pharaoh thou king of Egypt and liue being dead in the pennes of men whillest the world endureth for this clemencie Be thou to all men a mirrour of sweetenesse to faithfull seruants and teach euen them that know more then thou didst of Gods truth in this behalfe Ioseph praise thy lot also and say thou hadst mercie not alwaies found to serue such a maister so kind and so constant in fauour to the end not onelie to thy selfe but euen to all thy friends O marueilous comfort 3 Not long after Ioseph brought his old father also to y e king that he might sée him Who being come into presence saluted Pharaoh or blessed him Teaching vs therby how péeuish not how zealous they be that amongst vs méeting them who professe the same truth relie vpon the same God that themselues séeme to do yet wil not speake to them a word lest they should be defiled by saluting those that are not so factious to say no worse as themselues be O learned skill Iacob may salute Pharaoh of Egypt and we may not say good morrow to a true professor of the gospel But such straining at a gnat and swallowing of a canull will one day haue his iudge to whom I referre it with this little remembrance by the way 4 The king also spake vnto Iacob and asked him of his age to whom he answered that the whole time of his pilgrimage was an 130. yeeres few euill haue the daies of my life bene and I haue not atrained vnto the yeeres of my fathers c. Where we haue a comfort both against shorter life and more affliction then our fathers haue had if the Lorde so please to haue it He dealing no otherwise in that with vs then with Iacob his seruant That he also calleth this life a pilgrimage hath his profite euer to admonish vs of another place and to plucke our affections from this sinfull world We haue not here an abiding citie but must looke for one from aboue setling our selues and our businesse no otherwise in this worlde then becommeth pilgrimes that must along to another place This do not many whose buildings and purchasings and vncessant cares giue shrewd shew their hearts are here not as pilgrims hearts but rather as men that dreame of little good when this life is ended Read the 49. Psalme the 2. Cor. 5. and meditate of them 5 Then Ioseph placed his father as Pharaoh had willed and Ioseph nourished his father and his brethren and all his fathers housholde with bread euen to the yong children See the dutie of a godlie childe to his deare father not to sée him want the comfort of his abilitie anie waies during life And see how cruellie Ioseph now reuengeth his brethrens wrong done vnto him when he was yong He nourisheth them and theirs with comfortable foode during all the famine Such remembrances of iniuries such reuenges are in the godly stil
the best vine He shall wash his garment in wine his cloke in the bloud of grapes His eies shalbe red with wine his teeth white with milke Great is the blessing of Iudah then many fauours are vouchsafed to him Mighty in battaile prosperous in war shal he be Of him shall come kings one after one many in number til at last the Lord Iesus come who is K. of Kings L. of Lords Earthly blessings he shal also inioy as wine milke that is a countrey most abundant in vines and pastures and all cōmodities His brethren shal bow to him his enemies shal feare him as men do to stir vp a Lionesse that is a sleepe What greater blessings but I pray you let vs remēber was not Iudah also faulty when he lay with Thamar his daughter in lawe as we heard before how happeneth it then that Iacob so sharpely reprouing Rubē Simeon Leui passeth ouer in silence thus Iudah his fault and speaketh of nothing but blessings vnto him Surely this thing was of God y t we might therby learne that sometimes he euen passeth ouer and couereth the faults of his chosen in sweete mercy as at other times he openly toucheth them in vnblameable iustice That in Iacob also we might take a lesson not euer to publish whatsoeuer we know The discretion of a man passeth by an offence the same againe at other times doth it not there are times to speake times to be silent which this guider of Iacob here wil also direct his seruāts vnto as shalbe fit y e hartely in prayer for his glory beg y e same 4 Zabulon shal dwel by the sea side he shalbe an hauen for ships his border shalbe vnto Zidon Here Iacob in y e spirit disposeth to Zabulon what 200. yeres after by lot fell so out as wee see in Iosua chap. 19.10 c. whereof came a double comfort First to incourage them very cherefully when time should serue to goe into that land wherein their portiō and inheritance was assured already Secondly to be content with it when by lot it should fall vnto them knowing that though thus the casting of lots was vsed yet this was altogether the same which their father Iacob in the Spirit had foretold and therefore no Fortune or chance but the very finger and prouidence of God 5 Issachar shall bee a strong Asse couching downe betwixt two burdens And he shall see that rest is good and that the land is pleasant and he shall bow his shoulder to beare and shalbe subiect vnto tribute This is as if Iacob should haue said Issachar or y e tribe of Issachar shalbe for strēgth able to doe much being like a strong Asse or an Asse of great bones as y e Hebrue is but to his strength he shal not haue corage to resist his enemies therefore shall couch downe betwixt two burdens bow his shoulder to beare c. A nature which we daily see in too many to be content for their owne ease and earthly profit to cary sackes and coles too in them not a few rather then they will intermeddle any thing In some men this is too bad namely in magistrates and men of place in their countreis Whose couching downe and bowing to these burdens because they see rest is good wil one day be laid as hotly to their charge as now it doth greatly disgrace them in the world with good men In the meane time they are but like Asses as Issachar was fit to beare 6 Dan shal iudge his people as one of the tribes of Israel Dan shalbe a serpent by the way and adder by the path byting the Horse heeles so that his rider shall fall backward The sence is this Dan also shall haue the honor of a tribe and shall in subtilty and craft abound being that way like a serpent also that way hee shall pinch his enemies and giue them ouerthrowes byting as it were the Horse heeles so that his rider shall fall backward though openly and by hand stripes as wee say he be not able to encounter or to do any great matter Subtill secret byters then and workers of their will by pollicy craft and cunning are hereby noted and resembled Outwardly and openly they doe little but couertly and craftily they are like Serpentes by the pathe so byting the heeles not the head of the Horse that in the ende the rider is ouerthrowen and falleth backwarde as well as if openly hee had beene encountred and peraduenture rather So ouer-reacheth hidden guile when a man thinketh not of it 7 O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation An abrupt breaking from the matter in hand to a meditation as if he should say O Lord whilest I thus speake of the estate of these my children and the posterity that of them shall come I see vnto how many troubles and afflictions they shall bee subiect and with what crosses they shall be exercised but in this my fayth euer was still is that thy gracious hand and helpe shall neuer be wanting to them but what thou hast promised to my forefathers thou wilt performe most faithfully in the posterity of them and mee when thy good time shall be For this is thy saluation O Lord which I haue euer wayted for 8 Gad an host of men shall ouercome him but hee shall ouercome at the last A prediction of them not vnlike to that of our Sauiour Christs concerning his children In the world yee shall haue tribulation but be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world To that in the Apostle for thy sake are we killed all the day long and appointed as sheepe vnto the slaughter Neuerthelesse in all these thinges wee are more than conquerours through him that loued vs. To that againe in his epistle to the Corinthians We are afflicted on euery side yet not in distresse we are in doubt yet dispair not we are persecuted yet not forsaken cast downe but yet wee perish not c. Finally to that of Iohn All that is borne of God ouercommeth this world and this is that victory that hath ouercome the world euen our faith Who is it that ouercommeth this world but he which beleeueth that Iesus is that sonne of God Not therfore vncomfortable to Gad in the ende more than this estate and lot of all Gods children though for the time greeuous and bitter 9 Concerning Asher his bread shalbe fat and he shal giue pleasures for a King The meaning is this a fruitfull part of the land shall fall to him which abundance with corne and all good fruites shall make his bread fat and his pleasures many euen fit and conuenient for a King in that kinde A comfortable blessing in this world and granted to moe then I feare me feele Gods goodnes in it and send from a feeling hart thankes to almighty God for it A blessing
with outwarde Symballes To vs at this day it hath no such neede though it may be lawfull in other respectes since the resurrection of our Sauiour and heade geueth full assuraunce hee shall lykewyse chaunge oure vile bodie that it may bee fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie according to the working whereby hee is able euen to subdue all things vnto himselfe 3 Fortie dayes were accomplished c. The dayes differed as people and places differed The Iewes here mourned fortie dayes in this sort The Egyptians seuentie others nine and some one way some an other A time set we cannot appoint but euer remember that our griefe be moderate and without hypocrisie 4 When Ioseph asked leaue to goe bury his father Pharoh most willingly consented vnto it and sayd Go vp and bury thy father as hee made thee sweare Thereby giuing againe verie great testimony of his Princely fauour towardes his good seruant and euen therein also shewing some religion that hee would not haue a lawful oath broken to the iust reproofe of those now that haue not so much in them But mee thinke I heare you obiect against this the example of our Sauiour in the Gospel who said to his Disciple seeking leaue to goe first and bury his father follow me and let the dead bury their dead Answere 1 But remember there the office that then that Disciple was chosen vnto the preaching of the Gospel a worke of weight and also of speed Answere 2 Remember that as yet that father of his was not dead but til that time he would haue been respited Answere 3 And lastly remember that his father was not yet of the family of the faithfull and therfore the case with this nothing like 5 There went with Ioseph to the buriall all the seruants of Pharaoh both the Elders of his house and all the Elders of the lande of Egypt These for honour Likewise all the house of Ioseph and his brethren and his fathers house These for nature and aliance Lastly Charets and Horsemen not a fewe and these for securitie So the company in all was exceeding great And as their company so was their mourning also passing great so that both the inhabitants of the lande wondred at it and the place receiued a name thereof the lamention of the Egyptians So his sonnes did vnto him according as he had commanded them Which right well may admonish vs euer to bee faithfull in dead mens wils when they are honest lawfull A vertue surely worth very much yet not so honoured as it deserueth which woorketh to some both shame and sinne 6 When Iosephs brethren sawe that their father was dead they said it may be that Ioseph wil hate vs c. Where see the sting and the continuall â—yting of an euil conscience what they had deserued now they feare and a guiltie minde wanteth euer rest See it also how parents liues keep many things streight that either goe awry or are feared as likely when they bee gone Esau wil hold while his father liueth but when once hee is gone haue at Iacob his brother for a reuenge Small cause there is then why children so egerly should wish their ends since their life keepeth out much contention and euil Their message to Ioseph was but feined and so appeared since easily it might be thought that if Iacob had feared any such thing he would haue carefully spoken of it to Ioseph himselfe in his life time But let vs learne by it that an vntruth wilbe peering out one way or other to shame vs if we vse it and therefore take heede The argument they vse to moue him to mercy would bee obserued to wit because they were seruants of his fathers God It is all one as if they should haue sayd they which haue one God should be ioyned in most sure loue togither To the great confusion of them that so proudly so maliciously and so contentiously disturbe the peace and most holy vnitie that otherwise would be and of right ought to be amongst brethren brethren I say of one God one faith and one baptisme c They likewise came vnto him and fel downe before him confessing themselues his seruants and at his direction 7 Then Ioseph wept when they spake vnto him and said vnto them feare not for am not I vnder God When ye thought euil against me God disposed it to good that he might bring to passe as it is this day and saue much people aliue c. See the tendernes of a godly hart Ioseph could not forbeare teares when hee saw the feares of his brethren falling thus downe before him but euen with water vpon his cheekes he most kindly speaketh to them comforteth them and biddeth them not feare Yea he maketh arguments vnto them and by proofes wil haue their heartes assured that they neede not doubt Am not I vnder God saith hee that is doo not I feare God and therefore cannot deale hardly with you beeing my brethren or am not I vnder God that is can I or may I goe about to reuenge that which God remitteth and forgiueth being vnder him but by the successe of things it appeareth that God hath forgiuen you therfore farre be it from me to controll the doings of his maiestie O that I were able with word or wish with speech or prayer to effect in some the sequeale of this argument wee know how many times offences grow amongst vs and how many times some being sory for their faultes seeke to satisfie them whom they haue grieued with an vnfeined hart But it wil not be taken Reuenge reuenge cryeth the spirit of venome and leaue him not whilest he is woorth a groat Would that man now beholde heere Ioseph might he not learne that if he feare God hee must forgiue yea he wil forgiue Or if you take it in the other sense that in reuenging that which God forgiueth he professeth openly that hee taketh not himselfe to be vnder God Now what a man is sory for and willing to make amendes for God forgiueth if therefore man wil not that man proudly exalteth himselfe aboue God in controwling his doings and in punishing that which hee remitteth which if it bee horrible in dust and ashes then let that person knowe that the Lorde will awake though hee seeme to sleepe and beat that bitter stomacke euen with yron roddes till hee haue taught it to stoupe to both him and his O looke we therfore vpon Ioseph euer and when sight of misdooing moueth the grieued neighbour or friend to say forgiue then aunswere with Ioseph in holy wordes Am not I vnder God That is my brother my friend I see by this sorrow that God hath forgiuen and if I should keepe I should make my selfe aboue and not vnder God which farre be from mee Therefore feare not I forgiue and forget and all is wel The verie bones of Iosephes brethren reioyced at his clemencye and
bee good for vs to liue we shall liue and when an other place shall be better for vs the Lorde as he did Henoch can take vs away yea and will if we trust in him 8 Lastlye let vs thinke vpon this occasion that though all of vs in bodye cannot obtaine this honour to bee thus caught vp to walke with God yet may we in minde be partakers of this much to ascend vpwarde to haue our hearts aboue and not beneath and to walke in spirit amongst those endlesse ioyes that are prepared for vs. Chap. 6. Hitherto wee haue heard of mans generation now must wee heare of his degeneration that wee may well perceiue if wee will see any thing how vaine a thing man is rebelling euer against his God This whole Chapter contayneth cheefelye but these three thinges 1 Mans degeneration from God in the foure firste verses 2 The iustice of God ordaining punishment for him from the 5. verse to the 8. 3 The mercie of God euen in this Iustice from the 8. to the end 1TOuching the first it teacheth vs as I sayd the great and greeuous corruption of man who the more bound hee is for mercy to serue God trulye the more apte and prone hee is to offend him highlye The Lorde had nowe increased mankinde them manye to theyr great comforts if they could haue vsed it and nowe without all regarde and thankefulnesse for such his goodnesse headily and hastilye wickedlye and vngodlye they prouoke him to anger and great displeasure against them by fleshlye following their owne willes euerye man marrying as hee best lyked for outwarde beautye without regarde of Gods liking and inwarde vertue The Sonnes of God that is the Children of the godlye sawe the daughters of men that is of wicked parents descended such 〈◊〉 Kain was that they were fayre and they tooke them wiues of all that they liked 2 Wee see howe greeuous a thing vnequall mariages bee when the godlye with the vngodlye the beleeuing with the Infidels the religious with the superstitious are vnequally yoaked surely euen so greeuous to God that for this cause especially the whole world was destroyed by the Flud The Lord is no changeling he disliked it euer and disliketh it still It is a secret poyson that destroyeth vertue more speedily then anye thing Salomon was ouerthrowne by the daughters of men for all his wisedome Iehosaphat matched his Sonne to Ahabs daughter and it was his destruction Hee forsooke the waye of the Lorde and wrought all wickednesse in a full measure Whye because sayth the Texte The Daughter of Ahab was his Wife Ahab was wicked but a wicked Wife made him farre worse for shee prouoked him saith the Texte Be not vnequally yoaked with the Infidels saith the Apostle for what felowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darkenesse what concord hath Christ with Belial or what parte hath the beleeuer with the Infidell It is a lawe of mariage that should not bee broken that it bee in the Lorde that is with his liking and in his feare with such as bee godlye and hould the truth Our children we allow not to marrye against our wils but our right wee challenge to giue a consent And shall the Children of God seeke no consent of theyr Father in Heauen to theyr marriages But his consent hee will neuer giue to marrye his enemie and therefore doe it not It is not lawfull it is not expedient if it were lawfull The Flud came to so much such disobedience and forget it neuer 2 Consider how God hateth it that in mariage onely beautie and fauour should be respected for theyr fairenesse the sonnes of God chose wicked Women saith this place and God plagued it Fauour is deceitfull and beautie is vanitie saith wise Salomon but a Woman that feareth God she shall be praysed 3 Marke the worde striue in the 3. verse My spirite shall not alwayes striue with man And see in it and by it the deepnesse of Gods goodnesse to vs miserable sinners he dooth not by and by bring vpon vs the desarte of our sinnes but beareth with vs and long beareth with vs daylye and hourelye giuing mercy more notwithstanding all those sinnes yea he striueth with vs and tuggeth with vs that wee might be saued and not perish O what a God is this Looke how your selfe striue with your childe or friend whome you loue to bring him to good and to saue him from euill euen so doth the Lord with you yea much and farre more As I liue as I liue sayth the Lord I desire not the death of the wicked but that he may turne from his way and liue O turne you turne you from your euil wayes for why will yee dye yee house of Israell The Lord of his promise is not slack as some men count slacknesse but is patient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentance sayth the Apostle Peter And despisest thou O man sayth S. Paule the riches of Gods bountifulnes and patience and long suffering not knowing that the bountifulnes of God leadeth thee to repentance Thus good is God and thus he striueth with vs. 4 Agayne marke his mercy in the time that hee graunteth heere to repentance An hundred and twentie yeares sayth hee shall his dayes bee that is though thus greatly and greeuously man hath offended and euen all the earth is become corrupt so that with great iustice I might bring a flood foorthwith and consume them all yet will I not doo so but still beare longer and looke for amendment yea an hundred and twentie yeares yet will I giue him ere I bring the flood vpon him to see if they will returne and auoid my wrath What is long suffring if this be not and this is the sweete nature of our God 5 Of Gyants and mightie men the word speaketh sundrie times in seuerall places Heere he sayth of these vngodly mariages came many of them which being mightyer then the vsuall sort of men vsurped by their might authoritie ouer others and did degenerate from the simplicitie wherein their Fathers lyued In the booke of Numbers they that went to search the land of Canaan when they returned made report that they had seene there Gyants in comparison of whome they seemed Grashoppers In Deuteronomie mention is made of Og the King of Bashan whose bed was of iron nine cubits long and foure cubits brode That great Goliah also of the Philistims you remember S. Austen sayth he saw the tooth of a man as great as an hundred of ours what was the body then somewhat you may guesse Plinie reporteth that in Crete out of a mountayne was digged the remnants of a man by guesse of proportion when hee liued six and fortie cubits but there were no end to tell you all we reade of this matter Thus much
nor for good end or any care of anie godly circumstance 6 Then said Pharaoh can we find such a man as this in whoÌ„ is the spirit of God Thou shalt be ouer my house c. Making this argument that because Ioseph had such gifts therfore he was fit for such place and implying the contrarie that places ought not to go where want of gifts is fit for them A thing that will accuse manie a giuer in the latter day when the lord shall recken That they haue not béene so holy as Pharaoh of Egypt to regard gifts in such men vpon whom they haue bestowed places of charge and most great charge But what did I say not regard gifs do not giuers of places in our daies regard their gifts who must inioy them How haue I erred since gifts and gifts and nothing but gifts and all for gifts we do what we do Si nihil attuleru ibis Homere foras If you haue no gifts the doore is open and the way before you packe you hence But O cursed gifts and cursed they that regard so much such kind of gifts My meaning is plaine and this text is plain Pharaoh of Egypt euen Pharaoh of Egypt I say regardeth what was within Ioseph and not what was without and shall we be all for the gifts without and nothing for grace within for gaine to our selues by sinfull bribes not for gaine to the Church or common wealth by strength to discharge Thou and thy gifts perish said the Apostle once and thou and thy gifts perish shall god say one day when it shall smart Yea thou with thy gifts that thus giuest for such gifts to an vnworthie one and he for want of gifts that yet giueth thee these gifts to supplie his want of gifts inward in mind and required of god if he wil haue such place as requireth such gifts to y e discharge of it The heathens to shew that honour ought euer and onlie accompanie Vertue built a Temple to Honor and so adioyned therevnto another Temple to Vertue that by no meanes a man could get into the Temple of Honor but onlie through the Temple of Vertue and alas shall wee that professe more knowledge bee woorse in our practise then all Heathens God worke with vs for his mercie sake in this respect 7 Then said Pharaoh to Ioseph Behold I haue set thee ouer all the land of Egipt He tooke his ring put it vpon Iosephs hand araied him in garments of fine linnen and put a chaine of gold about his necke He set him vpon the best Charet that he had sauing one they cried before him Abrech c. O god of comfort how art y u one and the same for euer to thy children sweet and mercifull kind and gracious bountifull and liberall in thy good time Is Ioseph now thus highly exalted And shal all Egypt be ruled by him O what are the afflictions of gods children then are they any thing but such humblings schoolings as the lord their god most gracious father fitteth them by and with vnder to such places honors and comforts as he hath apointed for them either here in this life or in y t to come No no they are no matters of anger any way but trainings leadings to other purposes of our swéetest god Foule daies haue faire dayes we see it here and lowring nights to bring bright mornings we shal euer finde as shall be good for vs. Farewel Putiphar with thy filthie vnkindnes to a true and gainfull seruant farewell mistresse of mischiefe with thy sinfull slaunder thou hast done thy woorst and Ioseph liueth and is out of prison honoured with honour aboue thy selfe God taking his paâ—â— thy malice hath failed of strength to hurt him blessed be God And blessed God blesse vs also that sinfull vnkindnes towards true meaning or hellish malice against holy life may be induâ—â—d with pacience of vs and visited in mercy by shée towards vs in thy good times our righteousnesse made open by thy fauours as here it was yea all thy children inabled by view of this experience to continue carefull to be vpright and to cleaue vnto thée before all the world in loue in feare in thankfull feeling and comfortable tast of thy swéete nature towards thine for euer and euer Amen Amen 8 That Ioseph suffered all this honor to be done vnto him and receiued it held it and vsed it doth it not shew that the children of God may inioy worldly places of high regard and yet be faithfull is pietie such a simplicitie that cannot abide honour in this or like order amongst men No neither yet is such peeuishnes pietie that condemneth Gods blessings as things vnlawfull for his children and grindeth the téeth at the comforts of Ioseph without a cause What Anabaptists think and haue put in writing we know more then we néede to regard Their kindes were diuerse and their sentences differing accordinglie Princes and potentates in this world here on earth haue receyued honours and giuen honour to their inferiours againe without dislike of God euer from their beginning so that an order be kept And to say that princes may not vse any of their subiects seruises according to their gifts honour them for their seruices accordinglie when they haue done is most derogatorie not onelie to the princes owne honour but also to his gouernement and libertie How did Darius honour Mordecai and how did Mordecai a faithfull man accept the same How did Nabuchadnezzar honour Daniel and Daniell take it vse it and enioy it with thankfulnesse to God faithfulnes to the king that gaue it and good great to many a one Daniel was made a great man saith the Text by the King who gaue him many and great giftes and made him gouernour ouer the whole prouince of Babel and chiefe of the rulers aboue all the wise men of Babel Sidrach Misaak and Abednago were also honoured and accepted of it Obadiah a good man met the Prophet Eliah and fell on his face and said Art not thou my Lord Eliah the Prophet refused not this honour The like said the Sunamite to Elisha with diuers others Let not my Lord be angry saith Aaron to Moses and here dwelleth in this Towne a Seer an honorable man saith Sauls seruant of the Prophet Samuel The iayler in the Acts to Paul and Sylas My Lords what shall I doe to be saued And they startled not at this title who yet rent their clothes c. when vnlawfull honour was giuen to them To be called Princes of Priests in that estate was most honorable and no title greater Eleazar the sonne of Aaron was called Prince of Princes Eliasaph Elizaphat Suriel are called Princes and Heads But of this I haue spoken elsewhere and therefore now goe no further Hoping that hereby wee see it plaine that titles and honors accepted of Gods
children as here of Ioseph are no signes of ambition nor forbidden as vnlawfull so the minde be humble and meeke and a measure kept And immoderat it cannot truely be said which of a chistian Prince for iust cause is voutsafed to y e faithful subiect according to the custome maner of the Countrey No rather it is to the common welth church both anornament and adiument The contrary being sought at this day in ministers out of al questiō by y e deep malice of Satan to the end that all they being brought into contempt Religion with them might also fall he hauing his libertie to spit out his venome and blasphemies against it at large not one being of authority and countenance to oppose himselfe against him and such his dealinges of the ministers Who so would haue the foundation of an house and building out may not immediatly begin to strike at that for feare all the building fall vpon his head but he must begin at the top and first vntile it then vntimber it and so by litle and litle come to the foundation which after this sort he may take away with ease euen so in this which wee now haue speech of if Satan directly should strike at the foundation Christ and his word with religion issuing from the same then all men espying his malicious drift would oppose themselues against him and so his drift be hindered by many stones in the building falling as it were vpon his head But when he beginneth to vntile it and to vntimber it as I haue sayd that is to debase and disgrace the ministers already in it and to hinder by their disgraces others of any gifts to come vnto it with such like proceedinges many and wicked in time he will haue the foundation with ease that is Christ and his word out of the same with all holy worship according to the same placing for learning barbarisme and blindnes and for religion superstition with all the blacknes and darknes of Egypt agayne Wherefore if euer the comforts of learning and learned men haue nourished to church and common welth sufficient helps and y e contrary in all ages rooted them out by litle and little till all were gone let vs neuer greeue at the meanes that so happie a good followeth after but blesse God hartily if the place we liue in afford them to vs and labour to our powers euer to maintaine them Knowing by Ioseph Daniel and all these examples now recited that in men of all conditions and callings in the church and common welth outward thinges as wealth and riches honors and dignities with titles of incouragement and gracious fauour in religious Princes may be allowed The true children of God hauing daily learned to abound to want that is in prosperity to vse what the time affordeth to Gods glory and in aduertsity to imbrace what the Lord then also sendeth without repining If Israel offend let not also Iudah sinne herein that is if some offend who should not do so Let not vs thus hearing and thus seeing follow their example and offende likewise But defye wee Satan and his attemptes to our last day Chap. 42. In this Chapter consider these Heads especiall and chiefe Iacobs sending of his sonnes into Egypt for food Their intertainment there with Ioseph when they came Their returne againe to theyr father TOuching the first in that Iacob sendeth for food wee see that euen he also was subiect to this famine where wee may note that the godly often times indure the same afflictions that the wicked doe but far yet differing from them in the end For vnto the wicked such afflictions are the whips and scourges of God for their sinnes and deserts vnto the godly they are tryals of faith and patience that God may be further glorifyed by them Ieremie Ezechiel Daniel with thousandes moe may be examples vnto vs and proofes hereof That Iacob sent wee see he tempted not God but vsed meanes we must doe the like The Egyptians sould and wee kepe neuer contented with the price that our iudgement may be iust in the day of the Lord when we shall smart for this greedines and want of loue To haue trafficke also with strangers forreners euen with such as differ from vs in religiō this story warranteth with many moe But that Iacob would not let Beniamin goe with them wee see his loue he loued the mother he loueth the child Beniamin is his ioy now that Ioseph is gone and he may not be from him The reason that is alledged least he should die is common to the others also if he had regarded them so much But indeede he did not though all were his children Beniamin he loued for him he feareth loue being euer giuen to feare according to the saying Res est solliciti plena timoris amor 2 Ioseph was gouernour of the lande c. And why did not Ioseph signify so much vnto his father all this while by letter and messenger sent of purpose both for his fathers comfort and his owne by mutuall hearing one from another S. Austen moueth this question and answereth it by another Why saith h◠did not God reueale vnto Iacob his beloued seruant what was become of Ioseph his sonne and that he was liuing c. Surely saith Austen because his good pleasure was otherwise and that thinges might come to passe not onely which God had decreed but as God had decreed concerning the maner The selfe same thing it was which gouerned and ruled Ioseph that he could not like to signify vnto his father his estate but euen follow the Lordes determined way and let all fall out as he would That the Text sayth also Iosephs brethren came and bowed their face to the ground before him it sheweth vs plainly how prophesies of God doe come to passe wee litle knowing either to good or to euill For was not this the dreame of Ioseph that all their sheaues should do reuerence to his sheafe and see now if it be not truly fulfilled though they litle thinke of it They bow and they bow to the ground before Ioseph litle thinking that it was Ioseph So did the Iewes fulfill the Scriptures concerning their dealinges with Christ when he should come and yet they did not thinke so So doth the Church of Rome fulfill the Prophesie of the Apostle concerning a departure from the fayth a forbidding to marry and commaunding to absteine from meates which God hath ordained to be receaued with thankesgiuing of them which belieue and know the truth Doe you remember a litle before how these brethren of Ioseph scoffed at his dreames and said then shall wee see what shall become of his Dreames Now let them see what is become of them they being now with their Faces downe to the grounde before him doing reuerence vnto him as the ruler of all Egypt So so shall all mockers see come to passe
what God hath spoken to their iust confusion if they repent not for such disdaine and vnbeliefe Let those mockers of whom S. Peter speaketh consider this They say in their iolitie where is the promise of his comming tush the day of doome will neuer be c. Behold behold yee prophane harts what is come to passe in Ioseph and what yet shall further follow in his time and take vp your scoffes in trembling feare to prouoke his wrath whose truth did neuer fayle nor euer shall 3 Ioseph knew his brethren and made himselfe strange to them speaking roughly c. Some condemne him for dissembling and say wee may not follow him But others excuse it by our Sauiours dealinges with the woman of Canaan to whom he meant in the end nothing but good what showe so euer he made awhile that her faith might appeare How so euer surely the truth is knowen that wee may conceale a truth for a time and not by and by vtter all that in time wee will Therfore hard it is to interpret all the doings of the godly according to outward showe and seeming for a time But that Ioseph knew them and they knew not him some haue made it a figure of our Sauiour Christ knowing but not knowen at diuers times Mary knew him not being risen till he called her by her name yet he knew her So againe the Disciples going to Emans and many moe But the day shall come that he shall be knowen to those that sold him and vnto all as Ioseph in time was to his brethren 4 Ioseph telleth them they are spies and are come to see the weaknes of the land Thereby shewing vs how careful all good subiects ought to be of the safety of their countrey and how ieliouse that any should espy the weaknes or nakednes of the same to the hurt of it euer Far and far vnlike to such vnnaturall runagates as are borne amongest vs which dayly and continually are discouering to the enimie our ports and crekes our men and munition our strength and weaknes and what so euer wee haue or may haue that may hurt our selues or profit our foes But the reward of such is with a iust God that euer hated it since he made man And for this present time me thinke wee might thus profit by this place that if rulers and gouernours be so carefull to keepe couered the weaknes of the Land least any aduantage should be taken by the enimy surely with like wisedome and very godly discretion should all particular men be carefull of their priuat wantes and weaknes their imperfections and infirmities ether to fortify against them that they may cease to be such or to keepe them couered and warely hidden from aduantage sought and to be taken by the aduersarie For this is fit if we care for any thing and no litle good it would cause in time to the common truth Many are too weake and wide open if Satan sailing and seeking a port will enter there And being thus weake and full of aduantage there is not that care that ought to be to preuent the same Whereby we fall with vs the cause that wee should more tender then our selues Be warned by this and apply wee the care of Gouernours in the land to our selues and our amendment in this respect We see it good and let a word suffice vs. 5 They say to Iosephs face that Ioseph is dead The yongest say they is with our father and one is not What a blindnes is this face to face to speake with a man yet not to know him Maruell wee not then if God so will that some see not the truth y t is yet present with them and euen vnder their eies For their darknes is deep whose eies are blinded in the Lords iudgement When Christ spake to Mary she knew him streight but not before So if Christ touch wee see full bright but not before That Ioseph sweareth by the life of Pharao wee see the experience of pitch pitching the touchers of it That be sweareth agayne the second time wee see how easily sinne entereth twice where it hath entred once And therefore learne to beware betymes not giuing entrance at all to that which is euill if wee can 6 Then they acknowledged their transgression when time was against their brother Ioseph and said one to another we haue verily sinned against our brother in that wee saw the anguish of his soule when he besought vs and we would not heare him therefore is this trouble come vpon vs shewing in themselues by such speech that force and fruite of trouble and affliction euen to make men acknowledge their faults which otherwise slily they would dissemble Guiltines in the hart and conscience is fitly compared to a body laid in the graue for as y t sleapeth and lyeth still but at last awaketh and ryseth agayne so doth guiltines sin it awaketh it awaketh biteth ful sore that earst lay stil and was cleane forgotten Prosperity lulleth and lappeth it vp but affliction rouseth it and vnfoldeth all Ruben as one y t is also wounded perfectly remembreth them of that which passed against their brother Did not I warne you saith he not to sin against y e child ye would not heare charging thē in words as worse than himselfe yet touching himselfe also very deepe who both contented in the ende and kept counsell with them all this while So vse fellowes in sinne to fall out amongest themselues when filthye wickednesse hath touched them all But why did hee wishe them not to hurte the Childe The reason in him is very well knowen vnto all because nature moued him the doing was bad But the reason y t I thinke of might haue bin this as yet may be in like case because children in time may be men when we may be reckoned withall for our doings Then Ioseph a child was too weak for ten but now Ioseph a mā is too strong for ten Therfore so vse children whilst they be yong as wel may be answered when they be men There is a remembrance of the anguish that pore Ioseph was in when be besought them A circumstance sure that moueth a good hart very much and most hard is the hart that yeldeth nothing to teares and anguishe of a troubled minde Would GOD the sighes and greeuous grones of our perplexed Brethren mooued vs more Wee should more resemble the GOD of pitie and lesse expresse the manners of these stonie Brethren Wee knowe the truth of the saying most sure that hee which wanteth mercie of mercie shall misse and hee shall haue mercie that mercifull is Yet grieue wee the soules and wring the Bodies both full hard and sore of our Christian Bretheren and Neighbours by vs. But marke these Bretheren of Ioseph here how now it pincheth their verye inwardes that euer they were so cruell to
Thus did not Ioseph and let vs marke it 5 Then fell he vpon his brother Beniamins necke and wept and Beniamin vpon his necke Moreouer hee kissed all his Brethren and wept vppon them c. See the Bowelles of men indued with Gods Spirit they are full of loue full of affection full of grace and full of goodnes when clubby chuâ—les haue Iron harts brasen bowels as farre from sweetnes outward towardes any frends as from holy feeling inward towardes God O where are these natures become now a daies that was in Ioseph Wee when our friends come to vs haue a formall shew but for this heat and hartinesse this life and power of loue that was in Ioseph alas it is gone and that makes vs strangers one to another but I say no more You see here by Ioseph the godly be no Stoicks nor they bee no flintie Nabals towards any but full of affection to their friendes Yea though their friendes haue wronged them as these had Ioseph yet all is forgotten and blotted out when once they meete Now the God of Loue worke more of this loue amongest vs daylye 6 The tidinges of this meeting came vnto Pharaos eare and the text saith it pleased Pharaoh well and his seruaÌ„ts where we see the power of God still for his seruantes to giue them fauour in the hartes and eares and eies of any mortall men whatsoeuer whose ministerie it shall please him to vse to the reliefe comfort or countenance of any of them He ruleth poore and rich meane and mightie to his Childrens comfort when he will yea euen the Princes haue their harts in his hande and hee ruleth them as the Riuers of water at his will Wee heard in the former Chapter that for the Egyptians to eate bread with the Hebrewes was an abhomination to the Egyptians yet see now euen the king and his courtiers most fauourably bent to these despised Hebrewes So powrefull I say is God ouer all harts when he will and who may not be comforted with it Nay see more not onely the King is fauourably inclined to them but most extraordinarily regardeth them calling for Ioseph and giuing him commaundement to dispatch his Brethren away with their lading and to giue them in charge to bring their Father and Families wholly vnto him and hee would giue them not some wast part of the Land but the very best of the land and they should eate of the fatte of it He furthermore willeth that charrets be taken out of Egypt for their children and wiues and that they should not passe for their stuffe for he would prouide for them See therefore the power of GOD not to prouide small thinges for his Children but euen thus farre to mooue the Kinge that he thinketh of the very best of the Lande for them And see in the King a most Princelie minde beeing where hee is good most bountifullie good A vertue euer worthy great commendacion In farre meaner personages it may haue his effect in a measure They also doing good for their degrees liberally hartily and throughly not sparingly and pinchingly Agayne wee may see the vse of Charets in those dayes for necessity not for pompe and pride where the iourney is small the way easie and the body strong That vse then warranted them and such vse now condemneth them if it bee so Let therefore necessity haue her lawfull helpes but let not pride and vanitye bee cherished and maintayned Lastly in the King it was most Honourable so to loue his true Seruant that for his sake hee loued all his frendes yet not onely loued them but thus loued them that hee would bee a Father to them and theirs in this measure and in this extremitie of famine and dearth Happy Ioseph whose faythfull seruice found so gracious regarde and worthy Pharao of a faythfull seruant as euer was any Prince that we may reade of 7 Then did Ioseph carefully dispatch them according to y e kings commandement sent vnto his father also great comforts else as you see in the text withal which prouisioÌ„ they come to their Father home safe and well euery one of them and as all a fire with the comfort of their tidinges they tell their Father Ioseph is yet aliue speaking as it should seeme euen all together least any should preuent another in so sweete newes Abruptly also and hastely their speech seemeth to haue beene made which argueth the heate of their hartes and their affections all troubled with these strange euentes Iacob a good man on the other side hearing these wordes betwixt hope and feare is all daunted and amased so that his hart fayled sayth the Text. GOD knew his Hart when hee heard of Ioseph to liue and yet afeard hee is least so sweete a tydinge should not bee true Euen as vsually still wee see it fall out that happy newes are hardly credited for feare of the Prouerbe Too good to bee true But when hee sawe the Charrets that Ioseph had sent to carrye him then the Spirit of Iacob reuiued Such assurance haue deedes aboue wordes alwayes The Phrase of his spirite reuiuing may put vs in minde of the effect of sorrow euen killing as it were the harts and mindes and spirites of men as also of the nature of comfort and ioy to reuiue agayne what sorrow so had daunted and euen ouercome 8 Then Iacob sayd I haue ynough that Ioseph my sonne is yet aliue neuer making any mention of his honour where a man would haue thought hee should haue gloried in that No no the life of his Childe is that which chereth him aboue the whole Worlde and therefore of that hee speaketh Teaching vs that naturall Parentes doe greatly ioy to haue their Children liuing though they haue no honour nor dignitie in the World Yet not vnthankefull to God if that also be added as Iacob assuredly was not here Would GOD Children were in like sort affected to them agayne ioying in their liues and deaths more than in any honors or worldly possessions that they are indewed withall bee they neuer so great Surely both dutie and nature would it if God were in vs. Then saith Iacob I will goe downe and see him yet ere I die Teaching vs the nature of faythfull Loue it coueteth sight and comfortable societie in the presence of those whom in Hart and minde wee doe both loue and affecte and contenteth not it selfe wholly with hearing that they are aliue Such longe and liked absence then of Parentes from Children and Children from Parentes and one Friende from another sheweth frosen affections is not at all dryed vp and quite decayed Iacob was nowe aboute an hundred and thirtie yeres olde and yet hee will take this long iourney to see his Child cutting the Throte by this his example of all such seely excuses as wee vse to keepe our selues out of one an others companie Surely Loue will creepe if it can not goe and tender Affection
by one meanes or other will shewe it selfe If so greate an age so longe a Iourney so many difficulties as might haue beene obiected in this remoue can not hinder Iacob what can hinder the Harte that loueth from sometimes visiting his affected Frendes and blessing God euen together for his giuen comfortes Here is then a sweet alteration of Iacobs estate and euen sodenly So sweete is GOD. Chap. 46. Then followeth this Chapter wherein wee haue layd downe The preparation of this old man with all his to his iourney The maner of their going The number of persons that went And how they were all receiued in Egypt THen Israel tooke his iorney saith the Story with all that he had came to Beer-sheba and offered sacrifyce vnto the God of his father Isaak Whereby hee signifyed that with most thankefull hart hee saw the greate goodnesse of God towardes both him and his and that he kept in his breast the possession of that land from whence present necessitie droue him Yea by this example hee most effectually taught that both iourneis and all other busines whatsoeuer should bee vndertaken with prayer and seruice of God Since a good beginning hath a good ende following in Gods gracious blessing 2 Then GOD spake vnto him in a vision by night c. where we see learne that neuer commeth man or woman to the Lord in true duty but he is ready to giue care to answer in vnspeakeable mercy Iacob in all likelihood had besought GOD to prosper his iourney and to bee his protection against all daungers and the Lord is ready to assure him of his desire with most sweete comfort Followe wee then Iacobs practise and expect in faith not wauering Iacobs blessing 3 No sooner had God sayde Iacob Iacob but hee answered and sayd I am here being prest and ready with all reuerent attention to heare what his GOD shoulde say vnto him and to follow the same with all faythfull obedience Such readinesse becommeth Gods Children well euen at this Day in the Church where GOD speaketh and with that Hart to come and to sitte mee downe is a holy obedience to the Lord thinking with my selfe in this sort O Lord this is thyne Ordinance by thy word Preached to instruct thy people of thy will Here Lord then am I in all humble feare to heare thy blessed pleasure what this day it shall please thee to put in the mouth of thy Seruant the Minister by whom thou speakest to vs to deliuer Lord guide him and Lord frame mee to all profite and good in this thing Here I am therefore speake on Lord thy seruant heareth This cannot they say that dull and dead in their inward feeling esteeme of the Ministerie of the word as of a matter of course and human pollicie to keepe people in obedience and no otherwise therefore absenting themselues from it and seldome or neuer setting themselues in this holy manner to heare the Lord speake his good pleasure to them But let vs bee wise and learne of Iacob if they will be wilfull and witlesse both what remedye I am here Lord is a speech for a Childe of GOD when I am in the Fieldes with my Cattell in my House with my Cofer or in the Tauerne with my like is a Speech of a wicked Worldling that sauoureth not the thinges which are of GOD as one day they shall knowe when it may bee too late to repent their follie and to call agayne yesterday That GOD that is able rent our hartes and giue vs feeling I beseech him 4 Then said the Lord I am God the God of thy Father feare not to goe downe into Egypt for I will there make of thee a great nation I will go downe with thee into Egypt and will also bring thee backe againe c. Here is the mercie of a swéete God and here is the staffe and stay of all godlie hearts Mercie that thus swéetlie he would comfort his olde seruant now worne and wearied with a wicked world assuring him of his hand fauour and helpe in all this iourney then the which what could the heart of a man wish more The stay of all men in their businesse whatsoeuer euen the Lorde the Lord and none but the Lord. For marke I pray you how God draweth Iacobs eies from looking vpon Iosephs honour and credite in the land whither now he was going or yet vpon the king that so graciously had commanded to send for them and his heart from trusting in these things vnto himselfe and his protection prouidence power saying I wil go with thee and I will bring thee thither and backe againe in thy posteritie as if he should haue sayd this is thy safetie this is thy stay and staffe that will hold my presence with thée and my prouidence for thée not thy sonnes great honour though in déed it be great nor yet the kings fauour though indeed verie gracious If we haue eares to heare then let vs heare and whatsoeuer comforts God graunteth vs in this worlde of friends or children yea of princes themselues yet let our ankerhold be the Lord and none but he knowing that with him these comforts shall profite vs and without him faile vs as most fickle and vncertain things euen happily then when we would be most glad to enioy and haue them I I will be with thee is a worde of trust and let it euer be looked to of vs. 5 Further goeth the Lord with Iacob and telleth him that Ioseph should put his hand vpon his eies that is close vp his eies when hee died Where we learne the custome of those times to haue committed this matter to the chiefe of the kinred or to one that was most deare to the partie dying Wheras we now a dayes referre it ouer to some olde woman and hard hearted keepers voyd of loue void of affection and oftentimes void of honestie and good dealing ether in this or other things concerning the kéeping of sicke folkes we our selues being so tender so weake or rather in déed so wanton forgetfull of true loue and duetie that we cannot abide to be present to the ende with those that haue béene present with vs to our comfort but giue them ouer and forsake them vnkindlie when wee shoulde shewe them our last loue and office with a faithfull heart taking such Christian courage to vs in that respect as is néedefull Wee may amende this fault by this example and remember it euer that God maketh a matter of account of it here that Iacob should receiue this comfort also euen to haue Ioseph his sonne to close his eies Then what God reckoneth of we may not thinke lightly of neither wilfullie or carelesselie withdrawe that from them whome wee ought to comfort with all due and good duties which God himselfe accompteth a comfort to the father and a duetie in the childe It is expresselie said of yong Tobias that he
buried his father and mother verie decentlie comelie and orderlie when they were dead that euen by him also wee might thinke of these last dueties and not careleslie commit them ouer to others whilest we gréedilie and beastlie regard their wordlie goods they leaue behind them as too manie doe 6 In the Chapter followeth the maner of their going and the persons that went whereof I néede not to stande onelie wee must knowe that the persons are numbred and the number noted that the accomplishing of Gods promise might appeare but euen nowe noted that in Egypt hee would make of him a great Nation The persons that went here were in all but thréescore and tenne the persons that returned when God deliuered them out of Egypt were sixe hundred thousand men of foote beside children Great therefore was the blessing of increase in this people and true was the Lorde in his worde to Iacob As true was he euer and euer will bee in all his promises to his seruants I come to the last poynt which was their intertainment in the land of Egypt when they came Ioseph sayeth the text hauing intelligence of his fathers comming by Iudah his brother sent vnto him for that purpose made readie his Charet and went vp to Goshen to meete Israel his father and presented himselfe vnto him No honour then nor preferment euer so high can make Ioseph forget his dutie to his aged father but honour him he will vnto his end as a dutifull child that by him to the worldes end all children might learne to doe the like What was that that Salomon did to his mother when he rose to meete her bowed himselfe vnto her called for a stoole and placed her on his right hande but euen a patterne of like grace and duetie in a vertuous childe When Ioseph was come vnto his father O the fountains of affecton how were they broken vp both in father son There was clasping and cleauing one to another wéeping and wringinng for ioy and comfort that hardlie with drie eies anie present could beholde them Ioseph fell vppon his fathers necke and wept vpon the same a good while not able to speake till his heart was eased by a streame of teares And doe you thinke the father wept not to beholde his sonne The sonne of his loue the sonne of his desires whome so dearelie hee had bewayled as one rent in péeces with some wilde beast and nowe sawe with his eyes to be aliue and not onelie so but in such honour as to him and his hee might bee a father God knewe his heart all full of affection and what Rachell his mothers heart would haue beene if shee had liued to sée this day Well both of them weepe out of all question abundantlie yet Iacob the father getteth the victorie ouer his passions first and speaketh to Ioseph but how speaketh he I warrant you his woordes both for forme and matter sauour of affection also Nowe sayeth hee let mee die since I haue seene thy face and that thou art yet aliue What is this but heate and most feruent loue in a kinde father He nowe cares not for his life hauing once he helde Ioseph before his death Such speach vsed Simeon or not much vnlike when hee had séene Christ Nowe Lorde sayeth hee let mee depart in peace since mine eyes hath seene c. Who can then tell the heartes of Parents O that children may more and more thinke of them and requite them no worse then Ioseph did 7 Thus Ioseph hauing done his duetie to his father he remembreth himselfe also towards the king and telleth them that presently he will to the king to giue him intelligence of their comming Where we are to marke the titles which Ioseph will adorne his kinred withall when he commeth to the king surelie he will tell him that they are sheepheards what plaine shéepheards Yea verelie no more painting and colouring will Ioseph vse but confesse that they are shéepheards and which is much more he instructeth his brethren if the king should call them that they should say that not onlie they were so but that their fathers before them liued also so Where is this simplicitie nowe become in these proude and scornefull daies of ours when euerie man almost if he come to anie place is ashamed of his parents and kindred if their condition be but meane when we tumble and tosse and rake vp old Records day and night to fetch it about that wee may be gentlemen Surelie it is gone and our pride before wise men as ridiculous as before a iust God it is sinfull and odious What if our parents be but meane with others of our kindred the more is Gods mercie and goodnesse séene towards vs if we be exalted And shall we grudge to the Lord the praise of his owne mercie in such measure to vs by dawbing and painting our friends out with such antiquitie of bloud such descent and alliances and I know not what as may darken in some sort the Lords doinge Fie on â—is ingratitude and fie againe vpon this filthie pride It is farre from Iosephs spirit in whom this was vertue neither to adorne his kinred with vaine colours neither once to be ashamed of them as they were If we follow Ioseph wee follow him whom God loued and euen for this his vertue in this place noteth and commendeth secretlie If we follow the worlde and vanitie of hautie minds we take a course that hath no such comfort either with God or good men If a man sée a péece of clay know it to be clay and estéeme it but as clay doth he not wel But if he take it to be golde and estéeme it as golde when in deed it is but clay is he not mad So are these vanities that men so glorie in of smal value who so thinketh so of them and so reputeth them he is wise when others follies féeding but themselues are laught at of others verie iustly 8 The more yet appeareth Iosephs vertue For euery sheep-keeper saith the text was an abhomination to the Egyptian And yet was not Ioseph daunted with it nor once goeth about to couer the matter But his friends are to him still as they ought to be and the pride of the Egyptian hurteth himselfe What if the question were asked which of these two sorts of people were the better in respect of Gods approbation the Hebrues that were despised or the EgyptiaÌ„s that did despise would you not say the Hebrues Then we see they are not alwaies vnholie with God whom proude spirites esteeme to be so neither yet they so holie as they take themselues who in respect of themselues estéeme others to be abhominable This is but an olde trike of a tempting deuill to make some people thinke both of themselues better and of others worse then they ought to estéeme of others as abhominable vnto them when in déed rather they themselues
and therefore let them weigh their estate that take such bitter courses as we daylie sée whether that spirite be in them that was in Ioseph or no. Nay are they like vnto farre worse men then Ioseph was for knowledge in the truth that moderateth reuenges As vnto Antigonus who hearing with his owne eares certain of the soldidurs speake euil of him neuer reuenged the matter but patientlie endured it and bad them either go further or speake softer lest the king should heare them vnto Augustus Caesar who suffred one Timagenes a writer of historie abusing notoriously both him his wife and his whole familie to liue neuerthelesse and to liue in good estate euen in Rome vnder him If such men as these thus gouerned their affections when they had wrong may we carie the credites of christian professors boiling in malice hunting for reuenge and euen breathing out slaughter against whome we dislike as we sée at this day What the Lorde hath saide against such heates sundry times in these notes I haue obserued and our selues full well know his dislike of such dealing Nowe doe but thinke of him that in wisedome saide it Parciús vtendum potestatâ— quó semper ea vti possis Sparingly shouldest thou vse thy power that euer thou maist vse it That is reuenge little and liue long c. 6 The greatnes of the famine is laid downe noted by the effects of it When it consumed all the money in the land and brought it to Pharaohs coffers then all their cattell being glad to giue them for food when their money was gone thirdly all their land and euen their bodies also if he would so haue taken what they offered What a spectacle is this of Gods power what easilie he can do and of his gratious fauour what yet hee doth not Durum telum necessitas A sharpe dart is neede and want And therefore a great mercie is plentie and store Where be our hearts to feele it and to blesse God for it vsing it well to his glorie But what when both money and cattell with land also were gone all become Pharaohs Sée then a wisedome and a fatherly mercie in Ioseph Then gaue he them séed to sow their land yeelding y e king but the fift part and themselues kéeping foure to their maintenance wisdom I say because else the land should haue beene wast and the foode as yet holding out would haue decaied mercie for that if some had had them at such a list they would haue rather taken foure parts and haue left them one then quite contrarie as Ioseph did Mercie againe in that he regardeth their wiues and children c. That is their charges and according therevnto dealeth with them and alloweth to them Which is a thing they little thinke of that shaue to the bones and grinde euen the faces of their tenants now adaies What blessing also this kind dealing had in the hearts of the people the storie noteth when they thankefullie attributed the sauing of their liues vnto him Gracious dealing will euer haue a gracious report with thankefull men when sighing grones of whole families beggered and vndone will crie for spéedie vengeance from a iust iudge 7 Except the land of the priests onelie c. This wiâ—h that before in the 22. verse where it was saide that Pharaoh nourished the Priests with an ordinarie sheweth what care should be had of ministers and what prouision should euer bee made for them This Pharaoh of Egypt had a care of his Priests Iesabel a wicked woman maintained her prophets of the groues 400. at her table Micah in the Iudges maintained his Priest And may onelie the professors of the Gospell neglect their teachers Let the Lord iudge who said the labourer was worthie of his hire Let the Apostle iudge who saith they are worthie of double honour and the oxe may not be mufled that treadeth out the corne nay who with manie similitudes and arguments proueth the contrarie as 1. That no man goeth to warfare on his owne charges 2. That husbandmen eat of the fruit of such vineyards as theÌ„selues plant 3. That shéepherds eat of the milk of their own flocks cloth themselues with the wooll 4. That sowing spirituall things which are the greater we are well worthie to reape carnall things being the lesser 5. That the ordinance of God was to haue them liue by the altar that serued at the altar with other like reasons in that place and to the Galatians if you consider them and gather them out Had the priests of the law the tenth part and shal the ministers of a better testamenc haue neuer a part Such maintenance wil haue such ministers in time out of question to the vtter decay of learning pietie and religion and to the bringing in of al barbarisme error as Satan wisheth Worthie is the vertue of Nehemiah touching this matter euerlasting remembrance and imitation of them that haue like authoritie feare God He finding that the priest Eliashib who had the ouersight of that which belonged to y e maintenance of the priests being ioined in affinitie with Tobiah y e Ammonite an enemie of the Iewes the portions of the Leuites were not giuen them but euery man was fled to shift for himselfe amongst his friends most zealously reformed it as there you may sée threw out Tobiahs vessels thrust out Eliashib placed them y t were counted faithful brought the tithes of corne and wine and oile into the house of the lord againe Marke the state of our times and sée if such Tobiahs be not yet amongst vs and such Eliashibs who dealing togither in all vnrighteousnes conuey the portions of the Leuits by little and little from the church y t all may come to ruine vtter confusion in time They must haue the tith corne the glebe land peraduenture the house also for a dairie and their cousen Eliashib the minister there shall haue the tith géese and the egs at Easter But shall not god visit this great impietie O lord O lord in mercie forgiue the sins of the land and the iniquitie of thy people deseruing iustly the losse of thy worde sweet libertie of their consciences yet yet shew fauor For these mercies raise vp workmen y t are able to féed thy people as they ought either conuert or confound these church-robbers that sauor nothing but their 〈◊〉 gaine that taking thus dailie away the rewarde of knowledge indeuor the death of thousaÌ„ds thousands of soules 〈…〉 created Stirre vp Nehemiah thy faithful seruant to redresse this sin and to settle things carnal as shalbe 〈◊〉 to them that so â—â—spiritual that God be not mocked Howe that be thy people sheepe of thy pasture shal giue this praise for euer for so great a mercie Amen Amen 8 So Iacob dwelt in Egypt in the best of the land grew and
multiplied exceedingly and had possessions hee liued in that lande seuentéene yeares and sawe his childrens children he inioyed his sonne Ioseph in great honour with Beniamin also whom he loued yea hee inioied them all placed about him and liuing in vnitie peace and plentie Sée then the comforts of god to his true seruant after many afflictions God is not changed Cleaue we therefore to him and be euer shall dispose vnto vs for the best If we now weepe he is able to make vs laugh if we now grone vnder any burden he is able to ease our shoulders from it in good time and to comfort our later yéeres with a swéeter measure as he here did Iacob Remember the great calme that followed after their great daunger in the shippe Remember the wordes you nowe are sad but your sorow shalbe turned into ioy Remember the prophet for a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thée for a litle season but with euerlasting mercy wil I haue compassion on thée saith the Lord. Tobiah had his sight againe and ended in comfort Iob had all well againe in the end the lord blessed the last daies of Iob more then y e first Dauid after manie troubles hath a crown of honor Iacob hath his Ioseph againe that his spirit reuiueth Ionas commeth vp againe all in safetie from the bottom of the sea Feare not affliction therefore but refer all to God He is not the god of these men alone but of vs also All shalbe well in the Lords good time al teares wiped away from our eies and what he hath promised anie way so true is he so good is he so himselfe is he and euer shall be Here then might I ende if it were not also worthie obseruing how reuerentlie Iacob speaketh to his son being in authoritie If I now haue found grace in thy sight deale mercifully with me c. Teaching hereby all parents to 〈…〉 their childrens places as their children ought to 〈◊〉 to them So such giuing other that honor is due God shall be honored of them both and in them both Of this buriall 〈◊〉 by Iacob in the land of Canaan withal haue occasion to speake hereafter It respected Gods promise of that land in time to be giuen to his posteritie which he stedfastlie beléeued and for shewe of the same his vnwauering faith and the confirmation of others wished and sought that his bodie might thither be caried to take possession till that tim came Such faith in other of Gods promises concerning vs becommeth it vs euer to haue and God in mercie giue it Chap. 48. In this Chapter two things especiallie are laide downe The adoption of the sonnes of Ioseph to be Iacobs sonnes The blessing that Iacob giueth them TIdings are brought vnto Ioseph that his father was sick Sicke then are the godlie when it pleaseth God as well as others and worne and wasted with diseases and griefs they passe away as other men The Lord could do otherwise if it pleased him But this course is best in his eies that being as others appointed to die they also as others should haue these common messengers and forerunners of their death that hereby receiuing as it were a watchworde that the time is neere they might renounce the worlde with all the flattering and fading glorie thereof they might lift vp their eies to the God of heauen and consider the comfort of that companie They might dispose of their goodes and affaires of this worlde to the quiet peace of them that shall haue them And lastly with more ease depart and make an end the bodie being weakned and worne away by sicknes that it cannot so stiffely startle against that separation Ioseph visiteth his father in this his sicknesse and taketh his two sonnes with him Manasses and Ephraim still shewing himselfe in all things a comfortable carefull and obedient man towards his father confuting also by his example that most sinfull softnesse of some in our dayes who can not abide to come at anie sicke persons as though themselues either neuer should be sicke or being sicke could rest contented to lie by the walles not comforted nor visited of anie bodie That with him he tooke his two sonnes he shewed that more highlie hee estéemed to haue his children receyued into Iacobs familie which was the Church of God then to inioy all the treasures of Egypt 2 Then one told Iacob that his sonne Ioseph was come Israel tooke his strength vnto him and sate vpon the bed c. Sée how the presence of déere friends comforteth the sick and grieued in their beds It euen maketh their spirits reuiue and their strength to come againe that they are able to speake and deliuer matters as whole men How may a friend then answer it to God or man to denie such comfort to the sicke 3 Then Iacob called for Iosephs children kissed them imbraced them and breaketh into these words I had not thought to haue seene thy face and behold God hath shewed me also thy seed Shewing thereby what a full feeling he had in his hart of Gods infinite mercies vnto him receiuing more then euer he could hope or looke for Such such féeling should we also haue in our estates euerie one of vs weighing our case past weighing our case present weighing what once was likelie and what yet now we haue what once we could not dreame of and yet now by God is done and rising vp vpon it into all feruent feeling of a sweete and gracious God which hath so done for vs. This did Iacob here and blessed he this doe not some of vs as may bee feared and therefore sinfull we But now let vs amende and write this saying of Iacob vpon our handes that we maie euer sée it Ioseph then tooke away his children from his fathers knees and did reuerence downe to the grounde O dutifull childe a verie patterne of all vertue and true affection to parents whilest the world endureth So great and so mightie so honourable and so high yet to his father hee boweth and doth reuerence euen to the ground his father being but a shéepheard as you heard before that is a man that liued by breeding and kéeping of cattell 4 Then Ioseph tooke his two sonnes Ephraim in his right hand towards Israels left hand and Manasses in his left hand towards Israels right hand so he brought them vnto him But Israel stretched out his right hand crossing his hands and laid it on Ephraims head which was the yonger and his left hand vpon Manasses head directing his hands of purpose for Manasses was the elder Then he blessed them giuing such title to his father Abraham as I wish vs to marke namelie that he walked with God To teach vs not to delight so much either in honour or prowes or pollicie or any thing in our ancetors as that they were religious and
that this our natiue countrey hath had long many a particular member in it if al were thought vpon Pleasures vpon pleasures fit for a king yea that many a king wantes inioy priuate persons if their spirites be not dead from all feeling 10 Nepthali shalbe a hinde let goe giuing goodly words That is this tribe shall be giuen to humanitie to sweet speech and by peaceable meanes rather than by force of armes to defend themselues and to haue their being and stay in the world A course certainly not without great power though it seeme outwardly to be weak What more perceth thaÌ„ a smoth tounge and what anger yeldeth not in the end to a soft answer Salomons testimony of this is knowe that a softe answere putteth away wrath when greeuous words stirre vp anger In his 25. Chapter againe A soft tongue breaketh the bones Meaning the heart that is bent vnto anger As for example How pacified Gedeon the raging Ephramites How staied Abigael the fury of Dauid comming with death in his heart to Nabal her husbande and all his houshold What the Towne-clarke did in the vprore of Ephesus we see in the Actes of the Apostles Other examples we may remember many The saying is old and true If a man will catch Birdes he may not come towardes them with a staffe But Fistula dulcè canit volucres dum decipit auceps The Pipe goeth sweetly whilest they are deceiued what daily experience sheweth I neede not tell But thinke you whether the smiling Sunne or the blustring winde wil cause you to laie downe your cloake first surely with his kinde beames he wil take both your cloake your coate from you when the others puffes doth make you hold all harder Great therefore is the power of a sweete tongue It comforteth the afflicted it healeth the sicke it cheareth the poore it ruleth the rich it winneth the subiect it appeaseth the King and whatsoeuer it will haue it getteth in the ende neither anger nor strength can resist the force of it Marke therefore well the blessing of Nepthali here in this place and know it to bee a blessing being vsed well that hee shall be a Hinde let goe giuing goodly wordes 11 Ioseph shalbee a fruitfull bough euen a fruitfull bough by the well side the small boughes shall runne vpon the wall c. Great and comfortable is the blessing of Ioseph in many verses which being sufficiently lightened with the marginall notes in the Bible I referre you to them and pray you to marke them Beniamin is the last and of him saith his father He shall rauine as a Woolfe in the morning he shall deuoure the praie and at night he shall diuide the spoyle Meaning that of him should come a seede which should bee giuen to spoyle and to liue thereby So goeth not this blessing by affection and fauour but Iacob by the spirite speaketh what hee must bee hee neuer so deare So were these twelue Tribes blessed of their father with seuerall blessings Whereof if some seeme hard blessings vnto vs we must remember that forasmuch as they hindred nothing the couenant but notwithstanding them they were all Patriarkes euen them that were sharpliest spoken vnto as Ruben Simeon and Leui c. Therefore in deed and truth they were blessed as daily yet it may be sayd that forasmuch as the crosses punishments and afflictions of Gods children be so farre from hindring their felicitie in heauen as that vsually they be helpes and furtherances thereunto therefore euen in the middest of them and in the thickest of them they may be sayd to be blessed yea with them and for them I meane for that God thus vouchsafeth to chasten them in the world to the end they may not be condemned with the world Blood-letting making for health is not an euil but a good and so worldly crosses leading to God chaunge their nature and become no curses but blessings to the godly What a faith had Iacob here so farre to see and so chearfully to hope Let it teach vs to see and expect with comfort what God hath promised wil truly performe 12 The blessing thus ended the seconde part of the Chapter followeth concerning the death of Iacob which heere was with great quietnes and in great comfort chearfully charging them what to do with him and so taking his leaue Let it teach vs the blessing of a staied heart to the last ende with good memorie and good comfort to prescribe vnto all what is our will and so to bid the world without feare farewel Let it teach vs the dutie of all the children of a man to be this ioyntly to care for the honest burial of their parents since here they are charged al togither to see this done and not some one or two of them Let vs learne that faith makes death no worse then a gathering of vs to our fathers thogh fraile flesh oft startle at it And finally be sure that hâ— appoinâ—teth not his burial in y e land of Canaan for any holines of ground or superstitious conceypt of one place to be better then an other of it selfe as blinde Popery doth make a difference of the Church from the church-yard of places in either of them before others as neerer the crosse and neerer the aultar but only for the promise sake as hath been said before that his faith might appeare how so constantly he belieued God that that land should be giuen in time to his seede as that dead hee would take possession of it with his fathers and thereby incourage his posteritie vnto like hope patiently passing on towards the time as became their knowledge Iacob then dieth a sweete death he plucked vp his feete hauing thus spoken and gaue vp the Ghost Many were his crosses whilest he liued as you wel know yet thus he endeth and endeth them Our time must come and who knoweth how soone The God of might and mercy be vnto vs in that houre as here to Iacob that ende we may and yet neuer ende die and yet not dyâ—ng liue with him for euer in his kingdome Amen Chap. 50. The chiefe heads of this Chapter may be these The honour done vnto Iacob before his buriall The honour done at his buriall Iosephs sweete placabilitie towards his brethren Iosephs death THen Ioseph fell vpon his fathers face wept vpon him and kissed him Where wee see the force of loue loatheth not his dead face his pale lips his earthly hue at all but breaketh and bursteth through all impedimentes and showeth it selfe by true tokens So loue where it was would neuer be hidden and as yet it continueth the same nature 2 The embalming of Iacob and others in those daies sheweth vs the lawfull vse of this honour then It was vnto them in those dayes some signe of future incorruption their faith beeing then vsually helâ—â—d
kinde nature no doubt blessed him and blessed God for him and so for you if you doo the lyke Am not I vnder God O speech of a gratious heart I cannot make an ende to thinke of it But I must be ruled Let me remember you therefore of his second argument Why saith hee should I bee angry with you since what you did euill the Lorde hath turned to good and to the sauing of many liues No no. I wil looke vpon him and not vpon you and his mercy shall blotte out your offence Therefore whilest that is in mine eye whiche I trust shal neuer from eye whilest I haue an eye feare not I may not I cannot I wil not hurt you No I will nourish you and your children And this shalbe an argument vnto you without all doubt that I am your brother stil in all loue and nature of a kinde brother Thus did hee cheare them and euen make them to liue who were lyke dead men before him for feare This last argument is woorthie marking namely that by his deedes of loue to them hee would shewe that he had forgiuen them Should our forgiuenes be measured by this rule would it shewe well God knoweth all and the worlde seeth this that the tongue saying we haue forgiuen yet our hande hoâ—â—eth in the least curtesie which may passe from vs. This was not Iosephs forgiuenes but in token that all was faithful I wil nourish you and your children saith hee that is I wil doo you all the good that I can Sweet Ioseph then sweet are thy words and sweet are thy deeds true is thy loue and thy fauour faithfull therefore tokens folow it as the heat the fire liue thou in this to our example euer and thy honour for such arguments bee neuer forgotten 8 So Ioseph dwelt in Egypt hee and his fathers house and Ioseph liued an hundreth and tenne yeares The Lord being mercifull to his people continued the life of a good Magistrate long vnto them The lyke mercy is with him stil to preserue vnto vs our comfort and our head gouernour his faithfull seruant our gracious Souereigne if wee intreat him by feruent prayer framing our liues to his lyking more and more and thanking him truly for so great a good If not as mercy keepeth so so iustice taketh that the cryes maye rynge when it is too late 9 Ioseph saw Ephraims children euen vnto the third generation which was a great blessing also Manasses childrens children So dealeth God with his chosen when he wil and hee wil when to them it may be good Be it therefore with vs as hee pleaseth and that is best for vs. If we liue yet he must blesse and if we dye yet neither hee nor that power in him dieth to be fauourable to our seede and to blesse them in mercy when we are gone His promise also is past alreadie I wilbe thy God and the God of thy seede after thee and what would we more if our consciences tel vs we are in this couenant Lastly Ioseph dieth also and taketh an oath of his brethren to remoue his bones when God should visite them by deliuering them out of Egypt to carry them to the land of promise Wher in his faith as his fathers before him did appeare as the Apostle witnesseth to the Hebrewes Their faithfulnesse in so doing when they remoued we see in Exodus Thus ended Ioseph the renowned seruant of God the faithful seruant of his Lord and maister and the nourcing father of all his kindred with him endes this booke and with it my labour which to the Lord of mercy I most humbly now commend that it may finde a blessing with him to the glory of his name to the comfort of his people and to the mouing of others whose leisure is greater whose gifts be better to consider what wanteth to a multitude in this land and to relieue them according to their reaches Praying thee also good Christian reader to whom there may be any vse of this my poore labor to goe forward with thy holy exercise of reading the scriptures to take thy bible into thy hands anew and euer when thou hast read a Chapter to read these notes ouer vpon the same and to conferre them with the text And if thus both thy feeling and comfort increase to blesse God the authour of all mercies and namely of this and to pray for him truly who loueth thee hartely and shall so continue FINIS Corrections Folio 6. line 5. read would fol. 37. b. line 9. his fol 47. b. line 20. f. all fol. â—0 b. line 5. is fol. 67. line 1. asked for Sarah saying where is â—oâ—d note line 3. these fol. 69. line 33. the religion ibi and line fol. 121. b. lin 4. dealings fol. 122. line 34. similitude Heb. 5. Act. 15.21 Esay 29. â—1 2 â—er 3. Ephes 1. August 15. de 〈◊〉 dei cap. 6. Luc. 11.13 Hieron in proâ—m epist ad Galat. 1. Sam. 5. 1. Cor. 3. Exod. 36. Iohn 4.38 Num. 21.17 Exod. 1. Iohn 1. 2. Cor. 5. Verse 1. The Trinitie createth Acts. 4.24 Iob. 38.4 Hebr. 1.10 Psa 102.25 Iohn 1.3 Iob. 26.13 33.4 Zanch. de tribus Elo him 14. pag. 1. par Metandis Iere. 10.11 In Genes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil Colo. 1.15 1. Cor. â— 6 Note Verse 1. Acts. 4.24 Iohn 1.3 Iohn 8. 1. Epist 2. 3.8 Syra 19.24 The 1. are against the creation of the world Iohn 8.29 Rom. 11.34 Psal 33. Rom. 4.17 Lib. 2. ca. 5. Prou. 16.1 Psa 103.22 Rom. 11.36 Psal 19.1 Esai 40.26 Gen. 1.28 Psal 8.7 1. Cor. 3.22 Psal 104.24.31 Hurtfull beasts and such like why created De ira dei cap. 13. How the creation profiteth vs to the knowing of God Psal 19. Psal 8.3 How Moses could write of these so long before him done Act. 7.22 Vers 7. Waters aboue the fyrmament to what vse Vers 14. Astrology not warranted Esay 47.12 Eccles 7.2.8 Chap. Esai 41.22 Psa 104.19 Aâ—g in quest De ciuit Dei confess in Psalmos contra Academ Gods Image what it is How doth God appoint man foode before his fall Vers 31. Folow God in doing all well Gods loue prouideth all readie for man before hee is made Creation of Angells Verse 2. How God resteth How the Father yet worketh c. Diuers Sabboths Ends of the Sabboth Exercises Rayne the gift of God Leu. 26.4 Deu. 11.14 Iere. 5.24 God will neuer waÌ„t meanes Verse 7. Mans base matter should humble him All made ready to man God no les carefull of vs then of Adam Verse 7. God both giuer and taker of life No phisick without God can profit Life must be accomted for Verse 8. Paradise made for a figure of Heauen Verse 9. Some pleasures alowed Verse 15. Idlenesse hated of God from the beginning Verse 17. Man scholed to obey euen in Paradise Learne of God howe to bring vp youth Verse 18 Verse 21. The holinesse of mariage Math. 19. 1.
that hee was assured his posteritie was chosen of the Lorde and euen for the kingdome that after folowed that it should be in his stock and line and belong to them Therefore sayth the Apostle that Isaac blessed Iacob by faith and Esau concerning things to come as did also Iacob in the ende of this booke when he was a dying This honor then that heere hee speaketh of shot at that which was fulfilled afterward in Dauid and Salomon but chiefely in Christ vnto whome all people are seruants and all Nations bow euen the knees of all things in heauen and earth and vnder the earth and to whome God hath giuen the heathen for an inheritance and the ends of the earth for a possession as sayth the Prophet Yet true also euen of the godly is this which is said he that curseth thee shall be cursed and blessed be hee that blesseth thee for euen in his holy tabernacle shall a place be giuen to them that make much of such as feare the Lord. And whosoeuer offendeth one of these little ones that beleeue in me it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that hee were drowned in the bottome of the sea But chiefely I say it is true in Christ who descended of Isaac that heere speaketh thus which Christ whosoeuer curseth by abusing his person or contemning his truth c. that man shall be cursed and whosoeuer blesseth him by imbracing him and beleeuing on him c. that man shall be blessed 17 Iacob was scarce gone out when Esau came Marke I pray you the powrefull prouidence of almightie God how it ruleth and gouerneth times and seasons dayes and houres and moments of time to the safetie and benefite of his chosen For doth Esau come before Iacob is gone No first Iacob is out of his walke and then he commeth Yet see agayne the narrow escape and let vs learne by it not euer to looke for easy and great passage from perill but be content if hardly and narrowly God deliuer vs scarse he was gone yet gone 18 After long debating of the wrong at last Esau breaketh into teares but preuayled not Let it make vs wary and wise least prophaning the dignitie of our holy calling to Christ and vilely esteeming spirituall graces selling them as this man did for some base price and preferring profit or pleasure before them we at last bewayle the same as now he doth but all too late Let the Apostles exhortation sound euer in our eares Let there bee no fornicator or prophane person as Esau was which for one portion of meate sould his birthright For ye know how that afterward also whē he would haue inherited the blessing he was refused finding no place to repentāce though he sought it with teares Surely such men womē as hauing bin once zealous great louers of the word of preachers professors of the same with very forward affection in all good causes and after to please some mens humors to purchase to themselues this or that profit or that they may inioy some sinfull pleasure either forgoe all agayne quite or in great measure Let them take heed they be not either in or very neere the prophannes of this Esau For what do they else then contemne spirituall things to obtayne earthly sell their birthright that is their title to Gods kingdome had by walking in his feare for such sinfull reward as they gayne by their change God awake all cooled harts and giue them heate agayne that so are slipped and thinke not of it Remember Esau and beware Esau 19 This blessing which Esau wringeth from his father includeth temporall things which are common to the wicked with the godly And that breaking of the yoke from his neck your margin sheweth you when it was fulfilled That which I note in it is a certayne vicissitudo rerum an interchange of things For hardly hath bin scene or rather neuer that any man any stocke or any countrey should be euer aloft or euer below and vnder But the Lord changeth giuing the yoke and breaking it away agayne according to his good pleasure 20 Agayne heere in Esau wee may note some properties of a bad man voyde and destitute of any true grace and learne by them both to examine our selues and to auoyde them if wee finde them First hee hated his brother for this thing and hee that hateth his brother is a mansleyer sayth the Scripture Secondly hee thinketh in his minde a secret venome of a poysoned heart his tong hee stayes sed loquitur in corde hee sayth within him some euill Like as the Prophet sayth they imagine mischife in their hearts meaning the wicked Lastly hee appoynteth a time when hys Father shall bee dead beeing content to make fayre weather and to carry murder and suche murder as of hys owne brother tyll that daye Thys is an hypocrites fashion euer to forbeare euill for feare of men 21 But his mother heard of it He happely afterwardes bolting out some suspicion This is the Lord still and still and euermore in the behalfe of hys nothing so secret to their harme which some way or other commeth not out Thus hath thy power O Lord appeared mightely and by name in this Kingdome and the protection of thy faithfull seruant our deere and gracious Souerayne Queene Elizabeth O Lorde how hast thou opened the darknesse of sinne conceyued agaynst her royall person agaynst thys lande and the life of all that feare thy name For wee were sould wee were sould O Lord by many bloudy mindes shee thy sacred seruant first as our head and stay vnder thy Maiestie and then wee her poore people liuing and breathing vnder her shadowe not to be for seruants and handmaydes as complayned that Queene Esther to Assuerus for then they had not bin so cruell but to be destroyed after many miserable monstrous torments with bloudy sword of murdering mindes that should haue licked vs vp drunke our bloud til they had vomited againe for fulnes with the same And from all this thine owne selfe hath saued vs and set vs free giuing them their portions eyther by Sea or land by one meanes or other as they did deserue Out thou broughtest Esau his conspiracies at all times to this day and saued thy true Iacob whome thou hast blessed amongst vs and ouer vs to our vnspeakable comfort ten thousand wayes Some or other heard of it as Rebecca did heere and were instruments of wisedome counsell and seruice to preuent it 〈…〉 Lord wee thanke thee with the very soules of our foules wee thanke thee crauing mercy that wee cannot do it as we should O Lord continue thy mercy for thy mercy sake and let the soule of our Souerayne be still deere vnto thee write her deere Father in the palmes of thy hands and regard her euer as the apple of thine eye Continue
thy Gospell to this land and the light of thy countenance still in our dayes blessed for euer and euer for what is past 22 Marke how Rebecca vseth meanes to saue Iacobs life and yet she had Gods oracle that he should be mightie and rule ouer his brother so that if euer any might haue presumed of Gods apoyntment she for one might but yet she doth not but leauing that vseth ordinary meanes and sendeth him away How senselesse then is it that some talke of predestination that if it be to be saued they cannot be damned and if to be damned they cannot be saued and therefore no meanes to be vsed fye fye of such follies Do as Rebecca heere doth leaue God his apoyntment to himselfe and take the ordinary course to be saued heare his word beleeue his promises and indeuour to walke in the wayes of hys will then shall God performe his apoyntment to your comfort as he did to Iacob the other is but tempting of God and deceyuing your selues Christ himselfe flyeth into Egypt from Herod and yet apoynted of God to liue his time which no Herod could preuent with many moe Lastly note Rebeccas words to her husband I am weary of my life for the daughters of Heth c. See in them how going about to get Iacob leaue to depart the countrey she telleth not her husband the true cause least she should grieue his heart but maketh an other excuse yet a iust one Such wisedome and good discretion is commendable eyther in man or woman Thus shee had her desire her husbands minde not troubled her sonnes both saued and her selfe in peace and quiet It was the Lords goodnes thus to direct her and that Lord in mercy make all these things profitable to vs. Amen Chap. 28. The heads of this Chapter are chiefely these The Fathers counsell at his sonnes departure The fact of Esau The ladder that Iacob saw The vow which he made 1TOuching particulars First wee may marke how a sweet and temperate nature in ould Isaac ruleth and ouerruleth all his affections which otherwise were stirred vp against Iacob when once hee seeth the will of God what it is He is now so farre from raging or rayling agaynst Iacob that quietly and fatherly hee calleth him vnto him blesseth him and giueth him his counsell to direct his match This is a speciall place for grieued parents to consider of or friends whatsoeuer that wee bee not froward and wilfull when children or others haue offended Anger must haue an ende and the sight of Gods wyll must ouerrule vs. I haue heard of parents that neuer woulde relent what circumstances so euer were to moue them Theyr griefe may be iust but yet for all that Isaac heere is a better example then they are and let vs all thinke of it 2 Hee blesseth his sonne Iacob agayne the second time to confirme his faith and to strengthen his heart that the Lorde would be with him so long as hee serued him in all his matters such comfort were fathers blessings in those dayes to children which now very little or nothing are regarded 3 That he calleth him God all-sufficient See comfort and stay of all trauelers in strange places whose trauell lyeth vpon them eyther by any necessitie of their calling or for the truth and their good conscience sake Surely it is this God is all sufficient euer able to protect and saue them wheresoeuer they come so must Iacob thinke that goeth abrode and be comfortable so will Isaac thinke that parteth with him and by the same stay his heart concerning the safetie of his sonne So let vs c. 4 He forbiddeth him mariage with vnbeleeuers and it still doth remember vs how perfitly those godly Patriarks hated such vnequall matches eyther for lucre or pleasure as wee in these dayes make no conscience of 5 It may be agayne our learning to marke the estate of Iacob heere He is chosen and his brother reiected he is the blessed of his father and the blessed of the Lord yet must he now goe walke hee must abrode and shift for himselfe his countrey and fathers house are not for him a banished man must he be O Iacob wee see thy case and consider the lot very often of Gods deere ones God make vs blessed as thou wert for to be banished is no newes 6 When Esau saw saith the text c. Now then he seeth when he had offended but he should haue seene before he offended An ouerlate sight is good neither in pietie nor pollicie for though the prouerb sayd it is neuer too late to do well yet an other answereth that had I wist commeth euer behinde So heere c. 7 Esau seeketh to win his parents loue agayne but all in vayne and preposterously as long as hee taketh not away the cause of their displeasure to wit his Cananitish wiues Wee may learne thereby that in vayne also wee our selues shall â—eâ—ke Gods fauour and seeme religious except the cause of his wrath be done away by vs to wit our sinnes and hated offences 8 He lodged in the feelds to wit Iacob a stone vnder his head c. In which let vs marke his estate who was afterward rich and wealthy The wide feeld is his house the cold earth is his bed a stone is his pillow c. Where is our faith when we see this with patience to beare the time of our humbling triall knowing this and many mo examples of Gods exaltation of his childrens worldly estate when hee seeth his time For who seeing Iacob now woulde haue thought hee shoulde haue bin as hee was after when hee came backe agayne yet so hee was and so able is God to any if it be his will Only beleeue in thy aduersitie and despayre not 9 That night in his dreame hee saw a ladder vpon earth and the top of it reached vnto heauen and so the Angels went vp and downe by it The letter sheweth vs the goodnes of God euer comforting his and strengthning them yea then especially when their neede is greatest of comfort as diuers times we haue seene before in this booke The mystery of this ladder may bee this The ladder is Christ The foote of it in earth noteth his humanitie man of the substance of his mother borne in the world The top reaching vp to heauen noteth his diuinâ—â—ie God of the substance of his Father begotten before all worlds perfit God and perfit man by which vnion of natures he hath ioyned earth and heauen together that is God and man The ascending and descending of Angells by that ladder sheweth how by Christ the seruice of Angells is purchased to vs to attend vs and serue vs as he shall thinke good to apoynt them who onely is I meane Christ our Sauiour the ladder whereby we ascend into heauen I am the way sayth he and no man