done but it shall be open A godly caveat Labour a preservative from fornication A guilty conscience is a great burden The fruit of fornication 1. Destruction of the soule 2. Idolatry 3. Shortnes of life 4 Ignominious shame Josephs chastity rewarded Properties of unchast women A note for garish attire and wanton lookes An example of this mischiefe Gen. 6. Teachers infectious company corrupteth the minde Envie accoÌ„panieth fornication shame followeth Gen 4.9 He prophecieth of Christ Faithful dealing with neighbours Gen. 5.49 Gen. 29. Hardiness of whom it is Gen. 37. Man purposeth God disposeth Envie descâ—ibed a Blindeth the mind b hindreth â—â—stenance c Provoketh murder d Pineth aâ— mens prosperity A remedy against envie Gen. 42. Joseph mercifull to his brethren Gen. 50. A sure token of good Properties of Envie 1 Corruption of life 2 Distemperature of body 3 Small sleep Gen. 39. A token of a quiet minde Effects of whoredome Gen. 49. Parents teaching not their Children are guilty Commodities of concord Exod. 17. Ioh. 1. The fruite of obedience Gen. 49. A note for Parents Levi hâ—s birth and countâ—ey Gen. 34. Christ Christ A minister what hee should be of himself not righteous Mat. 5. End of the priesthood prophesied Christ his passion prophesied Christ Gen. 34. Christ our redeemer The zeale of a Minister Gen. 34. Gen. 34. Gen. 49. The manner not the doing rebuked The sin of the Sichemites Raped Dina Persecuted strangers Gen. 12. Ravished their wives Gen. 35. The ministerie described Exod. 28. Levit. 8. The three blessings of the family of Levi Christ prophecied A distributing excludeth the sole receiving of the Sacrament Exod. 29 Levi. 1.2 3. An exhortation for Ministers A minister may be married Levit. 21. He must come with a pure mind to exâ—cute his office Levit. 1.2 3 4 A comfort for godly parents Prophecy of the destruction of Israel The Realm plagued whose Ministery is wicked Gen. 36. Levi his progenie Exod. 6. Levi made Priest at 18 years Married at 28. A note for Parents Blessings of the learned Minister Wisedome a precious jewell Sin blindeth wisedome Commodities of wisedome Christ his death and spitefulnes of the Jews prophesied Mat. 27. Ministers what they are The wicked Priesthood and their misery described 1 Sam. 2. A Prophecy of their destruction A prophecy of Christs persecution Mark the right portraiture of the Shaveling generation Christ and his members Ergo faith the holy Ghost justifieth and not merits Christ his true mnistery described Christ lighneth the world Baptisme of Christ prophecied No Priesthood shall succeed Christ Priesthood of Christ how beneficial Christ our propitiator Christ giveth power to his to tread down spirits Juda his exhortation The duty of children Valiantnes of Juda the gift of God The manhood of Juda. The valiantnes of Jacob Er Anan slaine for not using the benefit of lawfull mariage FornicatioÌ„ a fruit of drunkennes Gen. 38. An intolerable custome of the Amorites Apparell Beauty wine provoketh whoredome FornicatioÌ„ is chargeable Happy are they that can cease from doing ill It is sinful to any man to glory in his felicity See what it is to upbraid men their vice Children that marry without consent of parents plagued Discommodities of wine 1. Blindeth understanding 2. Servant of lechery Fruite of drunkennes A drunken man is shamelesse Example Who ought to drinke wine Properties of a drunken man is filthy talk wicked deeds Discommoditie of whoredome Four noisome Spirits follow drunkeÌ„nes 1. Concupiscence 2. Heart burning 3. Lechery 4. Covetousnes Astibnenc from wine what commodity it hath 2. It slandreth not 2. It quarreleth not nor raileth 3 It breaketh not the commandements 4. It perisheth not before the time Obedience to parents how profitable The discommodites of covetousnesse a Fill of Pride b Merciles c Disquiets the soule d Consumes the body e Contemnes Gods holy word The covetous lecherous cannot feare God Idolatry the fruit of covetousnesse Two Spirits waite upon a man a In respect that heavenly things are better then earthly not in externall rule government b Ergo iure divino the Pope can challenge no earthly power c Not in power and rule but in the excelâ—eÌ„cy of the office appertaining to God Tyrants wicked men described and prophesied Mutuall discord is a plague for tyrants Christ prophesied Note this ye that seeke after witches for lost goods The misery of Jerusalem a Famine b Pestilence c Death Sword d Besiegement e Devouring dogs f Daily reproche g Losse paine of eyes h Slaughter of children i Ravishing of Wives k Burning of the Temple l Desolation of the country m Captivity A remedy for these First Repentance Obedience The most heavenly benefit of Christ his second coming A sweet comfort for the godly Christian Matth. 5. Note The blessed estate of the elect after death The exhortation Gen. 30. The godly life of Issachar his true dealing An example for godly children A pattern of a vertuous life With a plain dealing man the Lord is pleased A single-hearted man described who and what he is Learn you children of the earth Obedience and plain dealing commended A Plague for disobedience The innocency of Issachar A godly pattern to follow Hearken you Land-Lords Learn you wealthy of the earth His exhortation when it was given Gen. 30. The love of Zabulon towarâ— Joseph A good conscience refuseth no triall Love between brethren is as a precious ointment Mutuall love is mutuall safety A figure of the trechery and covetousnesse of Judas read Matth. 27. Juda carefull for his Brother Reuben his love toward Joseph Mark the wicked policy of the ungodly Zabulon his exhortation Compassion is to be shewed as well to beasts as men The unmercifull punished both they and their children Fishers Boats fiâ—st invented by Zabulon but God gave the wisdome Gen. 49. The singular compassion of Zabulon Note Zabulon his mercy in giving food A mercyfull deede to clothe the naked Inward compassion wanting ability serveth A rare example of a mercifull heart God dwelleth â—n a mercifuâ—l heart Joseph rewarded good for evill He that is mindful of injuries is not mercâ—full Apt similitudes An exhortation to concord The end of discord is misery The state of the wicked at the latter day Heart and outward profession must be consociate Lies anger school-masters of evill life self-Selfe-love thinketh himself as good as other Desire of prerogative entiseth to murther Man purposeth but God disposeth A wrathfull man lively described a He accounteth his Parents as enemies b He knoweth not his brother c He obeyeth not the Minister d He regardeth not the righteous e He considereth not his friend The properties of wrath A wrathfull man worketh three wayes 1 By servants 2 By riches 3 By himself Two instruments of wrath bitter speech violent hands Remedy against wrath is forbearing of words The effect of impatience He prophesieth their wickednes A note for covetousnes Repentance obtaineth mercy A prophecy of Christ his humanity Christ lively described Christ our mediator Christ assisteth us in all temptations His birth Why he was called Neptalim Why Joseph was like Neptalim his family The swiftnesse of Neptalim Gen. 49. God his wisdome in creating us lively set forth All things must be done in time and order The reason Neptalim prophesieth the misery of his children A Vision Remorse of conscience moveth open confession By doing well God is glorified men blessâ—d the divel vâ—nquished Gad a good and valiant shepheard Gad hated Joseph for his complaining to his father 2. For his dreams A comparison The property of hatred A righteous man described Love consisteth in deed in word and minde Envy no mans prosperity It may be perchance your profit A poor man how he is rich A prophecy of Christ Two wayes for a man to walk in Two mindes in a man of good of evil Diverse sorts of double faces The covetous mans wickedness described God abideth with the plain dealer The preposterous judgement of the world makes not good or bad Other kindes of double faced men Aser his righteous living Double faced double punished A prophecy of Câ—rist his humanity Josephs afflictions God helpeth in distresse God never forsaketh his Joseph constant in temptations Sufferance what it is A present medicine in temptation Not from meat but from wanton fare A crafty practise of a woman Flattery the Divels sweet bait A token of a zealous heart Hypocrites are of all religions for luere Double faced men GOD abhorreth Note the fruit of lust Joseph did first admonish not proclame The Name of God fear of infamy pricketh the conscieece Note this A remedy against teÌ„ptation Note a subtile woman Josephs singular chastity A property of a Harlot The commodity of praier and sufferance Josephs lowlinesse in prosperity An amiable countenance a token of a liberall mind A covetous heart like Achaâ— A token of mercy if it were not for an ill end Note a flattering woman A good nature Thus the Righteous be bought and sold Concord between brethren pleaseth God Josephs mercifull heart declared A promise for them that pray for their enemies God provideth for his Elect. Josephs dreams Christ prophesied Benjamin what it signifieth Josephs distress revenged by God Temptation shaâ— not overcome them that fear the Lord Joseph aright figure of Jesus Christ A good man 1 OvercoÌ„meth evil 2 Loveth the righteous 3 Envieth not 4 Praiseth the valiant 5 Defendeth him that feareth God 6 Admonisheth the Sinner 7 Pitieth the poore The example of a godly man converteth Sinners The properties of a righteous man Disobedience the father of seven mischiefs 1 Envy 1 Desperation 3 Sorrow 4 BoÌ„dage 5 Needinesse 6 Trouble 7 Desolation An example of Cain An apt similitude to a mind resisting sinnes A prophecy of the nativity of Christ Of his passion Matth. 27. Of the comming of the holy Spirit Of his ascension A prophecy of the last comming of Christ The resurrection judgement described A prophecy of the nativity of Christ Christ described Christ wipeth away our sins
him and to put him to death if it be possible for hatred worketh with spitefulnesse and is alway sorry to hear or see men go forward or prosper in well-doing For like as love beareth good will then to the dead and wisheth them alive and would if it were possible stay them from death which are condemned to die So hatred seeketh to stay the living and deemeth them unworthy of life which have offended never so lightly For the spirit of hatred doth through cankred frowardnesse of heart work joyntly with Sathan in all things even to the death and destruction of men But the spirit of love doth through long sufferance worke with Gods Law to the welfare of men Hatred is evil because it abideth with lying speaking continually against the truth making a great adoe of small matters overshadowing the lâ—ght with darknesse counting sweet to be sowre teaching slanderousnesse war wrong and aboundance of all mischief and finally filling the heart with divellish poison My children I speak these tâ—ings upon experience to the intent you should eschew hatred and stick to godly love Righteousnesse driveth out hatred and lowlinesse killeth it for a righteous and lowly person is ashamed to doe wrong not for feare of rebuke but for conscience sake because God seeth his intent He backbiteth no man because the feare of the highest overcommeth hatred for the feare of the Lord offendeth not neither wil do any man wrong no not even in thought At length I came to the knowledge of these things when I had repented the of my dealings toward Joseph For the true Repentance that is according to Gods will mortifieth a man to obedience chaseth away darknesse inlightneth the eyes giveth knowledge to the minde and leadeth the soul to salvation And whatsoever men know not of themselves that doth repentance teach them For it brought upon me the pain of the heart and if my father Jacobs prayers had not beene surely I had died out of hand For loâ—k wherein a man sinneth by the same he is punished Forasmuch therefore as my heart was mercilesse toward Joseph I suffered Gods rigorous justice in my heart by the space of xi moneths that the time of my punishment might fall out even with the time that I urged the selling of Joseph Now therefore my children each of you love his brothers and put away hatred from your hearts loving one another in deed word and tâ—ought of minde For before my fathers face I spake mildly of Joseph but behinde his backe the spirit of hatred darkened my understanding and tempted my minde to kill him Wherefore love ye one another heartily and if any of you offend other tell him of it gently driving out the poyson of hatred and fostering no deceit in heart And if the offender confesse it and be sorry for it give it him and if he deny it strive not with him lest he fall to swearing and so sinne double Let no stranger hear you uttering one anothers secrets in variance lest he turn to be your ill-willer and worke some great mischief against you For he will talke guilefully with thee and undermine thee to do thee a shrewd turn taking his poyson at thine own hand Therefore if he deny it and he ashamed of it and hold his peace when he is rebuked draw him not out for in denying he repenteth him so as he will no more offend thee but honour thee and fear thee and be in quiet But if he be unshamefac't and abide by his naughtiness then refer the revengement of it to God with all thy heart If another man prosper more then thou be not grieved at it but pray for him that he may have perfect prosperity For peradventure it may be to your own benefit And if he be exalted more and more envy him not but remember that all flesh shall die and praise God for it who giveth good and profitable things to all men Seek the Lords judgements and so thy mind shal let him alone and be in quiet Now if a man be enriched by evill means as Esau my Fathers brother was envy him not for in so doing ye controll the Lord who either taketh away his benefits from the wicked or leaveth them still to the repentant or else reserveth them in the unrepentant to their endlesse punishment For the poore man having sufficient of all things giveth thanks unto the Lord and is enriched of all men because men wish him no harm Therefore my children away with hatred out of your hearts and love one another with a right meaning minde Also will you your children to honour Levi and Juda for out of them shall the Lord make the Saviours of Israel to come I know that in the end your children shall depart from them and walke in all manner of mischief naughtinesse and corruption before the Lord And after a little pausing he said again My sonnes hear me your Father bury me by my fathers And so plucking up his feet he slept in peace and after five years they carryed him thence and laid him with his Fathers in Hebron The Testament of ASER made to his Children at his death concerning two Faces of Vice and Vertue Two wayes saith Aser are prepar'd for men the one for joy The last for death 〈…〉 The Testament of ASER. THe Copy of Aser his Testament and of the things that he spake to his Children in the 120. year of his life Being still in health he said unto them Ye children of Aser hearken unto your father and I will shew you all things that are right before the Lord The Lord hath given two wayes unto the Sons of men two mindes two doings two places and two ends and therefore all wayes may be one yea though they be contraries as are the wayes of good and evill Also there are two mindes in our breasts which doe move us either to honesty or dishonesty Therefore if a man be led to goodnesse all his doings are occupied about righteousnesse and if that be doe any thing amisse by and by he repenteth him for in as much as his minde is bent unto righteousnesse he putteth away naughtinesse and out of hand amendeth his misdeeds and correcteth the corruptions of his mind But if his minde incline unto evill all his doings tend unto naughtinesse in so much that he thrusteth away the good and taketh unto him the bad because he is under the dominion of Belial and if he doe any good thing he turneth the same unto evill For if he begin to do any good he bringeth the end of his doings to an evil work because the treasure of his heart is infected with the venome of a divelâ—sh and mischievous Spirit and therefore the evill overmastereth the good in his minde and bringeth the end of the thing to naughtinesse Some man sheweth compassion upon him that serveth his turn in naughtinesse that man hath two faces and that deed
of his is stark lewdnesse Another man loveth ungraciousnesse and he is lewd likewise and although he could finde in his heart to die for the compassing of his evill yet it is manifest that he is double faced and his doing is altogether starke naught For his love being but lewdnesse doth as it were cloak his evill with a good Name whereas the drift of his doings tendeth unto a wicked end Another healeth doth open wrong pilleth and polleth is covetous and pitieth not the poor He also hath a double face and all this is stark naught for in being niggardly towards his neighbour he provoketh Gods wrath and denyeth the highest in not pitying the poor He despiseth and spiteth the Lord which is the commander of the law he suffereth not the poor to rest he defileth his own sent to make his body gay he killeth many and pâ—â—ieth few this is the part of a double faced person Another committeth whoredome and fornication or vexeth many men piteously with his power and riches and yet abstaineth from meats his fast is naught for he doth the commandements with an evil conscience and that is a double faced dealing which is altogether naught Such manner of folke are right Swine and Hares for they seem to be half clean but in very deed they be utterly unclean You therefore my children become not like them neither beare you in one hood two faces the one of goodnesse and the other of naughtiness but stick all only unto goodness for in goodnesse doth God rest and men like wel of it Shun naughtiness and kill the Divel in your good works for they that are double faced serve not God but their own lusts because they seeke to please Belial and such as are like themselves Now though plain dealing men and such as pretend but one face are taken for offenders at the hands of such as beare two faces yet are they righteous before GOD Fâ—r many in killing wicked persons doe two works at once namely good by evill but indeed the whole worke is good because that he which hath rooted out the evil hath destroyed it Some man hating his neighbour mercifully blameth him for his advoutry or theft such a one is double faced but yet is the whole work good because he followeth the Lords example not respecting what seemeth good when it is evill in deed Another will not make merry with Rioters lest he should be stained by them and defile his own soul This man also is double faced but yet is all his doings good and he is like a Roe or a Stagge which in a common wilde berd seem to be unclean and yet are altogether clean because he walked in the zeale of the Lord shunning and hating those whom God willeth to be shunned in his Commandements and so killeth be evil with weldoing See therefore my Sonnes how there are two in all things one against the other and the one hiddeâ— under the other Death succeedeth to life shame to glory night to day and darkenesse unto light All righteous things are under light and life therefore doth eternall life overmaster death It is not to be said that truth is untruth righteousness unrighteousness or right wrong because that as all things are under God so all truth is under light I have practised all these things in my life and not strayed from the truth of the Lord but sought out the Commandements of the Highest to the uttermost of my power and walked with one face in goodness Take heed therefore my Children to the Lords Commandements and foâ—low the truth with one single face For they that are double faced shall be double punished The spirit of errour hateth the man that fighteth against it Keep the law of the Lord and regard not evill that seemeth good but have an eye to the thing that is good indeed and keep the same returning to the Lord in all his Commandements and resting upon him for the ends whereat men doe aym doe shew their righteâ—usnesse And know the Angels of the Lord from the Angels of Sathan For if ye cleave to wicked spirits your souls shall be tormented of the wicked Spirit whom ye serve in wicked lusts and worke But if ye quietly and cheerfully acquaint your selves with the Angel of Peace he shall comfort you in your life time My children become not like the Sodomites which knew not the Angel and perished for ever For I am sure that you shall sinne and be delivered into the hands of your enemies your land shal be laid waste and your selves shal be scattered into the four corners of the earth and be despised as unprofitable water in your dispersing abroad untill the Highest do visit the earth eatâ—ng and drinking as a man with men and breaking the Serpents head in pieces without noise He shall save Israel and all the Heathen by water being GOD hidden in man Therefore tell your children these things that they neglect not Gods Law written in the Tables of heaven For the time will come that they shall give no credit to the Law of the Lord And you falling unto naughtiness shall deal wickedly against God giving no heed to his Law but unto mens commandments For this cause shall ye be scattered abroad as my Brothers Gad and Dan which were not acquainted with their own countrey tribe and tongue Neverthelesse the Lord shall gather you together again in faith for the hope of his mercy for Abraham Isaac and Jacobs sake When he had so said he commanded them to bury him in Hebron And he died sleeping a good sleep and afterward his sonnes doing as he had willed them carryed him back and buryed him with his Fathers The Testament of JOSEPH made to his Children at his death concerning Chastity and Patience Let Joseph teach thee Love and Chastity So shalt thou have A long blessed life Void of all strife Even to thy grave The Testament of Ioseph MY sons and my brethren hear ye Joseph the well-beloved of Israel My children hear your Father I hâ—ve known in my life Envy and Death with the which my brethren would have destroyed me For they hated me and God loved me they would have killed me and the God of my Fathers kept me they put me into a pit and the most high brought me out again I was sold as a bondman and the Lord made me free and his strong hand helped me I was kept in hunger and the Lord himself nourished me I was left alone and the Lord comforted me I was sick and the Lord visited me I was in prison and the Saviour made me glad I was fastned in Chaines and the Lord unbound me He pleaded my cause in the accusations of the Egyptians and not only delivered me from Envy and Deceit but also exalted me insomuch that Putiphar chief Steward of Pharaohs house did lend me ladging where I was in jeopardy of my life by reason of a
shamelesse woman which entised me to do naughtinesse with her through the flamâ— of voluptuousnesse burning about her breast I was cast in prison for her I was beaten and mocked for her yet the Lord caused the Keeper of the Prison to be moved with mercy towards me He forsaketh not them that feare him neither in darknesse neither in bonds neither in tribulations or necessities God is not ashamed as man neither dreadeth he as men neither shaketh or shrinketh he for fear as earthly men He is present in all places and in their most grievous sorrowes he comforteth his He goeth away for a season to try the thoughts of their minde He found me trusty in ten Temptations and in every one I was constant and preserved For sufferance is a great medicine and causeth much goodnesse How often did the Egyptian threaten my death How often was I punished and yet the woman called me again How often did she threaten me to die because I would not have to do with her She said unto me thou shalt have governance of me and all that be mine if thou wilt give thy selfe unto me and obey my desire and thou shalt be Lord over us But I remembred the words of my father Jacob and entring into my chamber made my prayer to the Lord and fasted seven dayes yet I appeared unto the Egyptian in the self same estate of body as if I had lived in pleasures and delights For they that fast for GOD receive beauty of face When I had wine given unto me I drunk none and fasting three dayes I took my meat daily and gave it to the sick and needy and early I awaked unto the Lord and wept for Metemphetica the Egyptian because she was evermore troubling of me She came unto me in the night as though she would have visited me And first truly because she had never a son she fained to take me as her son And I prayed to God to send her a sonne untill which time she embraced me as though I had been her sonne and perceived not the cause And for a conclusion she drew me to have done fornication with her and I remembring my self was sorrowful to the death And when she was gone out I came to my self and sorrowed many dayes for I perceived her deceit and errour And I spake unto her the words of the most high God if peradventure she might be turned away from her pernicious concupiscence Many times as to a holy man she spake flattering words to me not without deceit lauding my chastity before her Husband which would utterly have destroyed me both manifestly and secretly she said unto me Fear not my Husband for he is perswaded of thy chastity For if so be that any man shewed him of thee and me he would not believe it For because of this thing I covered me with sackcloth and layd me flat upon the Earth and prayed unto Almighty God that he would deliver me from this woman of Egypt When she could doe nothing this way she came unto me again armed with other reasons thâ—t is to say that she would fain learn the word of God of me and began to speak after this manner If thou wilt have me to forsake mine Idols follow my desire and I will perswade my husband the Egyptian to go from his Idolatry and we shall walke in the law of thy God I made answer to these things GOD will have none to worship him with uncleannesse neither hath he any pleasure in adulterers and she held her peace desiring to fulfill her concupiscence And I fasted and prayed that God might deliver me from her Again at another time she said unto me If thou wilt not do adultery with me I will kill my Prince and so by the law I shall take thee to my Husband When I heard that I rent my garment and said Woman I pray thee be ashamed of these things before GOD and feare God and do thou not such an abominable thing Neither despayre utterly that thou drown not thy self in thine own evil for if thou go about I shall utter and declare the thoughts of thine iniquity She fearing these things prayed me that I would not bewray her naughtinesse and so departed Yet again she went about to beguile me with gifts sending unto me all things that men have need of and she sent me meat strewed about with Inchantment And as the Eunuch brought it in I beheld and saw a terrible fellow giving me a sword with the dish and I perceived that she went about to deceive me And when he was gone I wept and touched not that meat nor any other of her sending for a good while after A day after that she came to me and said What is the matter that thou hast not eaten of the meat And I said unto her because thou hast poysoned it Therefore thou shalt know that I will not come unto Idols but only unto God Now understand therefore that the God of my Father by his Angel hath shewed thy mischief unto me and I have kept the meat to thy shame if perchance thou mightest repent or learn that the malice of wicked doers prevaileth not against them that worship the Lord in chastity And I took and did eat before her saying The God of my fathers and the Angell of Abraham shall be with me and then she fell down at my feet and wept Then lifting her up I exhorted her many wayes and she promised unto me that she would never do such iniquity after that day Yet because her heart was mourning and did burn toward me in adultery with sighes comming from the depth of her stomacke she cast down her countenance The Egyptian her husband perceiving her said Wherefore holdest thou down the face She answered I am even sorrowfull at the heart and he comforted her that was not sick yet again she entred in to me her Husband being without and said I am strangled or choaked either I will break thy neck or else drown my selfe without thou wilt obey me And I perceiving that the Spirit of Belial troubled and vexed her prayed unto the Lord my God and said thus wherefore art thou vexed and troubled all blinde in sinne Remember thy selfe for if thou do kill thy self the concubine of thy husband called Secon envying thee shall beat thy children and destroy the memory of thee from the earth And she said unto me Have done have done I perceive that yet thou hast some care for me I have even enough that thou defendest my life and my childrens I have good hope in time to come that I shall obtain my wished desire And she perceived not that for the love of my Lord God I said so and not for her sake Whatsoever he be that followeth the concupiscence of his most filthy and pernicious desire is made servant unto the same as this woman was And if he hear any
great-man in the land of Canaan and thy father sorroweth for thee in sackcloth Then I could fain have wept yet I refrained my selfe for shaming of my brethren and said I know if not for I am a bondman Then they took counsell amongst themselves whither or to whom they might sell me lest I should be found in their hands for they feared Jacob lest he should be revenged of them for they had heard that he was mighty both to God and man Then said the Merchant to them Redeem him now from the judgement of Putiphar they hearing this went and asked for me saying that they had bought me for mony he delivered me Memphitica spake unto her husband to buy me for she said I hear say they would sell him And they sent an Eunuch to the Ismaelites desired to buy me and when he could not bargain with them his returned shewed his Lady that they asked a great price for the childe she sent again another Eunuch saying Although they aske two besaunces of gold see that thou spare not for money but buy the childe and bring him to me He paid 80 golden Crowns for me said to his Lady that he paid 100 and I perceiving this held my peace lest the Eunuch should have been searched Behold my sonnes what I have sustained love one of you another and with continuance cast out from among you deceitfull minds for God delighteth in the concord of brethren hath pleasure also in the love choice of a proved heart For when my brothers came out of Egypt and knew me I gave them their money and never gave reproach unto them but comforted them after the death of Jacob I loved them more aboundantly and all that ever he commanded me I did very gladly and they marvelled because I suffered not them to be troubled for a small cause for all that was in my power I gave them Their children were reputed to me as mine own and mine own children as their servants Their life was my life and their sorrow was my sorrow and all their infirmity or disease was mine my Land was their land my counsel was the counsel of them and I never exalled my self above them in pride for mine own worldly glory but was amongst them as one of the least Tâ—erefore my sons if ye walk in the Commandements of the Lord the Lord shall exalt you and blesse you in ricâ—â—s pâ—rpetual And if any man will do evâ—ll to you with meeknesse look that ye pray for him and God shall deliver you from all evill For behold and see that for my long sufferance the Daughter of my Lord was given me to wife and there was given to me with her an hundred talents of Gold for God made them to serve me and gave me beauty that I should be as a flower above them that were faire in Israel and he kept me unto mine age both in strength and beauty because I was like to Jacob in all things And what dreams I have seen my children now heare There were xii Harts feeding and nine were divided abroad in the earth also I saw how that of Juda was a Virgin born having a white silken robe and of her came forth an immaculate Lamb And on the left hand of the said Lamb was as it were a Lyon and all Beasts made against him and the Lamb overcame them and trod them under his feet and in him joyed the Angels the men and all the earth These things shall come to passe in their time that is to say in the latter dayes Therefore my Sons keepe the commandement of the Lord and honour Juda and Levi For of them to you shall spring the Lamb of God which by his grace shall preserve all Gentiles and Israel The Kingdome of him is a Kingdome eternall which shal never passe For my Kingdome shall be ended in you aâ— the keeping of an Orchard for after the harvest it shall appear no more I know right well that after my death the Egyptians shall trouble you but God shall revenge you and bring you to the promised land which he share to Abraham Isaac and Jacob But carry my bones with you for in so doing the Lord shal be in the light with you against the Egyptians and Belial shal be in darknesse with the Egyptians Also carry wiâ—h you your Mother Zilphâ— and â—igh unto the valley neer unto Rachel bury her When he had said these words he stretched forth his feet and slept the sleep of all the World Then they imbalmed him with spices putting him in a Chest in Egypt after he had lived 110. years who saw Ephraims Children unto the third generation For unto Machir the sonne of Manasseâ— were children born on Josephs knees After this all 〈◊〉 of Israel bewailed him and all the Egyptians with a great mourning For he had compassion of Egypt as of his own proper members and assisted them both with his labour and counsell and did them good at all times and seasons The Testament of BENIAMIN made to his Children at his death concerning a clean minde Lo what true faithfull love doth mean All you that Lovers be It is in heart and not in lust As here you plainly seâ— The Testament of Benjamin THe Copy of Benjaminâ— words which he uttered to his Children being of the age of an hundred and twenty years He kissed them and said As Isaac was born in the hundreth year of Abraham so was I in the hundreth year of Jacob and because Rachel dyed at my birth I sucked her Bond-woman Bilha For after that Rachel had born Joseph she was barren twelve years And when she had prayed to the Lord in those twelve years she conceived and bare me for my father loved Rachel exceedingly and wished to see two Sonnes by her and therefore I was called Benjamin that is to say the sonne of my dayes or the sonne of my sorrow because my Mother dyed in the birth of me When I came first into Egypt and that my brother Joseph knew me he said to me What sayd they to me Father when they had sold me I answered They stained thy Coat with bloud and bringing it to him said See if this be thy Sons coat or no And my Brother also sayd unto me Truly when the Ismaelites took me one of them stripping me out of my coat gave me a thin shirt to put on and lashing me with a wâ—ip bade the run And as he went aside to hide my garment a Lion met him and flew him and his partners being afraid sold me is their fellowes You therefore my Children love the God of Heaven and obey his commandements following that good and holy man Joseph and let your mind be set upon goodnesse as ye know that mine hath been He that hath a good minde looketh rightly upon all things Feare God and love your neighbours and then although the spirit