are gone Love makes him cry Go out leave me alone He who of late spake rough and threatned all Now weepeth loud and on their necks doth fall What means our Ruler Is not this a wonder That he who to th' Egyptians speaks like Thunder Should be so much transported as to cry And none but these eleven Strangers by Dear Hearts I 'm Joseph doth my Father live Said he to which they could no answer give His unexpected Greatness and their fault Daunts them as vanquish't sould'ers new assault Till he cryes Quarter and bids shake off fear Saying I am Joseph whom ye sold and here Was brought by Merchants Come be not afraid It was not you but God that for your aid Had order'd all things and for preservation Of life hath given unworthy me this Station Two years already hath the Famine been In Egypt Land and five yet is not seen In which 't will be in vain to plow the Land Because the Mower shall not fill his hand Wherefore your God and mine sent me before That I for you and for your houses store Should make provision he whom I do serve Me hither sent that I might life preserve And thought me fittest all the Corn to gather That was in Egpypt and be Pharaohs Father Haste then go up to the Old Man and say Thus saith thy Son that was not I this day Am Lord of Egypt so made by my God Who wills that thou come down and make abode With me and Goshen for thy dwelling place Accept it 's near there thou mayst see my face Thy Children Flocks and all shall nourisht be Nothing that 's thine shall taste of poverty In these five years of Famine Cast your eye And view my Limbs and Features it is I And let my Brother Benjamin the Youth Look well upon me Is it not my mouth That speaketh these things pray also declare Unto my Father what my Glories are In Egypt and perswade him to make haste To come and quickly of my Favours taste Then turn'd he unto Benjamin and said Joy of my Heart how well am I now paid For all my wishes and my pray'rs for thee Who am admitted once again to see My fathers image and my mothers face In thine dear Brother God give thee his grace This said in token of his true respect He weeps and kisses falls upon his neck And he again as far as modesty Permitted wept and kist most ardently Which though in secret done cannot be hid The Court takes notice what the Ruler did And that his Brethren come they Pharaoh tell Who said I 'm glad Servants they like it well Come in said Pharaoh Zaph I mean to see Whether thy father Jacob be like thee Send for him into Egypt where his store Shall be so much that he shall wish no more This is my will I hope you 'l not neglect To pay your father all the true respect You owe and for their better commodation Chuse out of Waggons best in all the nation For them the little ones and all their stores Being persuaded that the land is yours As one who 's willing to obey his Lord And serve his Father Joseph doth accord Horses and Chariots quickly are prepar'd By him who for provision nothing spar'd For each of ten had from him change of cloaths But to his brother Ben. gave five of those Three hundred pieces as a token he Unto him gave 'bove what his cost should be His Fathers Present it is greater far For unto him ten Asses loaded are With finest Gold that might supply his need And other ten loaden with Corn and Bread That might sustain his Father in the way All which he doth with small or no delay And then commands that they should thence depart With seeming joy yet grieved at the heart Lest they his Brother Benjamin molest At parting from them thus himself exprest Brethren I hope ye will all cordial be Till ye to Jacob bring good news of me Telling him I do live and wish him health And hope that he will see me and my wealth This do and so I hope God will you bring Unto the old man who is languishing For your long stay These are the whole commands Wherewith I wish you kiss my Fathers hands At home with bowed knees they all salute Their aged Father who for Joy stood mute When he had heard that Joseph was alive Ruler in Egypt and therein did thrive For sometimes he believed and sometimes not Because they 'd told him that the Lad was not But to confirm the truth they all declare What with the Ruler their adventures were And how he serv'd them e'r he let them know Whose Son he was or what he did them ow And also show him all the Waggons trim That should to 's Son in Egypt carry him These seen his fainting Spirit did revive Say'ng Well it is enough if Joseph be alive Help Lord for now my Son I must go see In Egypt land this done then let me die No sooner had the next Aurora bright With blushing Skies succeeded gloomy Night Then Father Israel to his Char'ot hies And rests not till Beersheba he descries Where resting he commandeth to erect An Altar whence he might his Pra'rs direct And Sacrifices to the God of Heav'n Because his odd Sons were again made ev'n That he a prosperous success might have Of Isaac's God he doth protection crave In 's Journey and for length of days implores Till he had seen young Joseph and his Stores He had not fully ended his devotion When Suns departure and the Starry motion Invited him to leave and to take rest No no saith Jacob there is no such haste I once again will of my God enquire If he my going Egypt-ward desire If he be willing I will not be slack But if he be not then I will turn back This said from Heav'n he heard a sudden voice Say'ng Jacob Jacob fear not but rejoyce Since I have been thy fathers and thy God Well be go there and settle thy abode The truth to shew of this my promise made I 'le make thy seed as sand on Sea-shore laid This mighty Nation shall victorious be After four hundred years when my decree Shall be fulfill'd then fear not down to go I 'le guide thee there and bring thee up also No comfort will I from thee keep thou sees Thy son who was not he shall close thine eyes Good Jacob ravish'd with those hea'vnly news Rose up in haste and to his sons all shews And then commands with speed that they prepare All things which needful for ther journy were The Coaches ready some their father heave Some stand within him ready to receive Their wifes and children have their proper place Into the same and Coachmen drive apace Their cattel also which were numerous Gold Silver Jewels Treasures ponderous Purchas'd in Canaan these they did transport To Egypt whither then they did resort Thus Jacob leaves Canaan and his seed Do follow
This Ram thou shalt instead of him up offer I never did intend that he should suffer Ab. The best of news that ever yet were hear For though I did believe I greatly fear'd But bless'd be God and let him ever be As Abraham's so also God to thee Let no distrust for ever Lodge within Thy Breast thou' rt Type of him who must for Be offer'd really is it not best To go unto the Servants Isa There 's no haste Before approaching death I pray'd and now Restor'd again I 'le at the Altar bow He that is freed from danger ought with speed To bless the hand that helpt him in his need Ab. Do happy Child and I will second thee â—oynt Prayers welcome unto Heaven be Isa Lord let me ever with all thankfulness Adore thy name since thou did'st not oppress With grief my Mother but hast saved me That I to her may greatest comfort be â—n old age when my Fathers hoary head â—hew's to the World that he is almost dead â—id me thy will perform I 'le never grudge Being perswaded thou' rt a righteous Judge Ab. Lord I can say no more than I have said Who thee implores shall ne're want timely aid Thy Arm is strong Eyes quick and alwayes ready â—o ease his Burthen who doth carry steady 〈◊〉 have endeavour'd and my weak intention Hath met with mercy Heav'ns condescention FINIS EPILOGUE IF any thing in these few sheets be found May burn the thorn or prick the stony ground If any thing the way-side-corn doth gather To Sow't in good then then my Heav'nly Father The Meat is right if not spoil'd by the Cook If so the squeamish may forbear to look Upon it If any hunger starved be Eat heartily it will not surfeit thee If any Gentleman or Lady find Ought in this Poem fitteth not their mind They may repair unto some fatter Soil Where they may have their lukewarm hearts mad boil With love and valour Imps of flesh and blood I 'ave no such ware but here is that 's as good And love and valour too yet such as will Not hurt the lover nor the valiant kill They love and fight and yet both victors be Abra'm and God This Tragi-Comedy Pleased my self when I it undertook And pleas'd my friends when they on it did look But if it please not others let them cast It out of Doors perhaps 't may be the last That they shall see of mine in such a stile For this I 'le neither Plaudite beg nor smile FINIS JOSEPH REVIV'D OR The Twelve last Chapters of Genesis Metaphrazed Containing the LIFE and DEATH Of Holy JOSEPH By GEORGE LESLY Minister of Wittering in Northamptonshire And we know that all things work together for good to them that Love God Rom. 8.28 LONDON â—rinted for the Author and are to be sold by Charles Smith at the Angel near the Inner Temple gate Fleet-street 1678. Imprimatur Gul. Jane S.T.B. Reverend in Christo Patri D no. Henrico Episc Lond. à Sacris Domesticis Jan. 17. 1675. To the Right Worshipful WILL. WYMONDESOLD ESQUIRE Mr. EDMUND Mr. RICHARD Mr. MATTHEW and Mr. THOMAS his Brethren with their truly Vertuous Mother and Sisters Worthy Sirs and Ladies BEING about to throw my Mite into the Publick Treasury to plant a tender VINE in the Lords VINEYARD I thought you fittest to fence it with Your favourable Aspects who are not onely almost equal in Number but Vertues to those Sacred Patriarchs whose History I have metaphrazed The Meeter is like my Self dull and despicable but the Matter is of Divine Inspiration which juires Your acceptance by Heavens Authority while as the other onely lets the World know that I am YOURS Extraordinary obliged GEO. LESLY Wittering Jan. 7. 1675 6. TO THE READER IF Heaven be pleas'd to dart his glorious Rayes Into my Soul let others take the Bayes Who climb Parnassus and Mount Helicon For airy Notions while I at the Throne Of Mercy beg an understanding Heart To measure out what Moses did impart To th' World concerning Jacob and his Seed 'Mong whom a Dream did great dissention breed Though God inspir'd the Prophet from above And he poor Heart revealed all in love Whose harmless Vision counted was a crime And so perhaps may this my humble Rhime Yet if in friendly manner you disclose My oversights I 'le mend or write in Prose G. L. To my Worthy Friend Mr. GEORGE LESLY upon his Poem called JOSEPH Reviv'd WITH Fiction while the airy Poet doth Abuse the Text thou tell'st the naked truth Thou stuff'st thy Verse with Sense and every Rhime Compleat speaks thee a Poet without crime He who in Sacred Phrase was once forlorn And piece-meal shown like to his Garment torn Thou offer'st whole snips and shred's they Theam Thou draw'st his Story up without a Seam O happy Art thrice Joseph rides in State In Pharaoh's Second Char'ot first then date His second Trophy with Divine Records His Honour last commenceth with thy words Bid Breth'ren all his Glory'n Egypt tell He needs not now thy Pen hath don 't so well That all the Brittish Orb of it may ring And we of thee while thou of him do'st sing Tho. Woolsey D. D. JOSEPH REVIV'D OF Rachel's long'd for darling since I sing And thy beloved help me Jacob's King My Bark is crazie and my stock is small Yet if thou Wind and Sea command I shall Safe to the Harbour this my Pinnace bring Then of my self and it make offering At Padan-aram had this worthy breath Not long before the beauteous Rachels death Yet Hebron was the place of his abode At seventeen years belov'd of man and God Where with his Brethren Dan and Napthali Asher and Gad he on the downs did lie Feeding the Flocks with them their ill report Grieved the Lad for which he did resort Unto his aged Father and declar'd Those passages that he had seen and heard These actions Boy to them will fatal prove Though I can never take from thee that love I unto Rachel while she liv'd did bear For proof whereof this Livery take and wear This with his tydings did exasperate His Brethrens spirits so that him they hate Which heaven soon perceiveth and his fame Raiseth by dreams to be fulfill'd on them The which when he awake begins to tell Their eyes inflame and hearts with anger swell Against the harmless Youth who ne'rtheless In friendly manner did it thus express This night said he as we all binding were Sheaves in the field mine did it self uprear In King-like posture and yours round did stand Making obeisance waiting its command To which his Brethren hastily reply'd Shalt thou reign o're us Shall it e're be said That thou shalt have dominion No thy grave Is just reward for these thy Dreams to have Yet where Jehovah works no man can let He dreams again of their succeeding fate Which he once more doth unto them reveale And said this other I will not conceale And thus it was Behold the Sun
since you the handmaid gave And said of her you shall raise seed to me I thought this was enough to make her free I' th' house but now I see 't is otherways Favours of this kind have sudden decays However your desire I will fulfill Hagar be gone it is thy Mistress will Ang. Well said my friend for I desire the same Thy Family must from Isaack have its name And blessing too Ab. Thy will I shall obey Come Sirs get up and make no more delay The Lord commands whose laws are all to me Just though contrary they to nature be This Bread and Water take and so go hence You have abus'd your Mistress patience Though I know nothing I must not controul This peevish humour grieves my very Soul Chorus Each day hath its succeeding night Clouds sometimes darken the Suns light The Flowers that florid are to day Tomorrow Frost nips quite away Youth like a shaddow flies and age Sayth 't is my turn to tread the Stage Life must give place to grim-fac'd Death There 's nothing fixed made of Earth But all dance round and Circle make While one anothers place doth take The passions likewise have their turns One Breast with Love and Hatred burns One's sad and merry Melancholly And all sometimes are counted folly Honours and pleasures are so brittle That most wise men esteem them little In fine there 's nought but thoughts of Heaven That bringeth Wages home at Even Angel Abraham Devil Faith Flesh Despair Ang. Abra'm my faithful Servant do'st thou hear I must give thee a visit once a year Iâ—ave found thee perfect always hitherto And now I am come to try if thou wilt do What I command thee without stay or grudge Remember once thou call'd me righteous Judge Ab. I 'm here speak Lord thy Servant hears and will Count all thy precepts Just and them fulfill Ang. What could'st thou freely part withal for me Ab. What could I not since I have all from thee Ang. Then thou must take thy Son thine only Son And sacrifice him so my will is done The Mount Moriah's fittest for thy turn There thou shalt lead young Isaack and him burn This action Abraham will please me well Ab. My Lord if you command I 'le go to Hell Devil Fond fool give o're Religion makes thee mad Heav'ns Minions never yet rejoycing had Without a damp their sweet is mix'd with soure It is not possible for humane power To act what he commands being as strict As those who bid men without straw make brick Faith Give o're thou murd'ring Sp'rit do not delude The friend of God all whose commands are good If he should fear or fret at his desire Thou canst not keep him from a fiercer fire Than he is bid to kindle for his Son That 's Brimston and will last when this is done And yet will be no pleasing Sacrifice To God nor him do Abraham and be wise Flesh What Father ever yet so cruel was To Murther his own Child without a cause View but these Limbs and features of his face His sparkling Eyes then there will be no space Left in thy harden'd heart for cruelty A faithful man will never Butcher be Of humane Bodies Faith Faint flesh those Eyes and Features are but toys That fade with time and age there 's greater Joys Laid up for Isaack immortality What needs thou care then if he burned be Besides hast thou not heard how Phaenix rare Burned to ashes doth her self repair Out of the same being first a little Worm If thou believe thou need'st not fear this storm Despair Thou canst not be belov'd of God since he Bids thee perform such monstrous cruelty They say he 's merciful if it be so Thou may'st lye still and never think to go To Mount Moriah whom he loves he loves But this command rather his hatred proves Faith This is an old tone and bespeaks thee fool Know that he hath given ev'ry man his Soul Which if he back again from him requires By Famine Sword or Pestilence or Fires 'T is never to destroy that he doth this But for removall to Eternal bliss Ab. Give o're give o're now it is almost day I will no more dispute Believe and pray I will for success on my loved host I spend but time my God is at the cost He gave me Isaack and desires that he In fire and flames should from the Altar be Sent whence he came Sarah Abraham Servants Sar. My Lord I fear you have a troubled head For I could scarcely hold you in your Bed Tell me your Dream it fearful is I 'm sure For I have Dreamed too and can't endure Now when awake no not to think of it I saw a Bow from Heav'n bent and hit My darling Ab. Sarah then our Dreams are one God bids me go and burn my little Son Sar. Burn him alas I see I laugh'd too soon Then must my hopes and comforts all be gone Ab. Peace Sarah it is God requires the Lad And he shall have him if I twenty had Can I bestow them better than to give My Maker all in whom I move and live Sar. My Lord 't is but a Dream as yet forbear Such things require a double Messenger Ab. Dearest thou know'st my Dreams are always true Though such a Dream as this I never knew However honey let us with submission Part with the Lad obeying Heav'ns commission His pow'er is great so is his mercy too Thou know'st not what he is about to do For I may safely with the Boy return And if I do not there 's no cause to mourn We are but as were and he another May give whom thou may'st call Isaack's Brother The promiser is all-sufficient We can have no just cause then to repent Our Piety which always promise hath Of grace and freedom from Eternal Death Sar. My Lord he is your own and God your Friend Obey him mean while I will Prayers send For him to Heav'n as soon as you are gone And beg he may not give me cause to moan Who laugh'd before Ab. Go Sadle me my Ass and two of you Must go with me where yet I do not know Call my Boy softly tell him he must rise To see his Father offer Sacrifice Go to the Log-pile and choose out some wood Cleave none for use but that 's exceeding good Ser. Sir all is ready Ab. Sarah fare thee well Still hope in God the Lad may live and dwell Again with thee his Mother till he come To mans ' state or another in his room Sar. My doubts are over may the Lord direct You in your Journey for if he protect Or kill the Boy I shall leave to complain Perhaps he doth intend a greater gain Than either you or I as yet expect Kiss me dear Child and thou my God effect The present work my Husband is but clay And may stretch out his hand another way Than is thy will again kiss me my Son Then go with courage Heav'ns