Prototypes, Example 25
THE TWENTY FIFTH EXAMPLE.
OF Pharaohs Butler and Baker, and Pharaoh himſelfe and the Aegyptians.
BEfore I ſpeake of Ioſeph, Pharaohs Butler and Baker.ſome thing muſt be noted of a few more with whom he lived and had occaſion of commerce. Firſt, the Butler and Baker of Pharaoh, in whom wee may take notice, 1. That they were both Officers to a mighty King. 2. That they both did offend or ſeemed to offend their King. 3. They both were impriſoned. 4. That they both dreamed true dreames, ſomewhat like in appearance but quite contrary in ſignification. Laſtly, that they felt the effect of their dreames, and that the Butler was forgetfull of Ioſeph a great while but at laſt remembred him. So wee have their good deeds, their bad deeds, their benefits,1. Their good deeds. their croſſes.
1. They bare their impriſonment patiently and cheerefully. Gen. 40.7.The good deeds of both are that ſo farre as wee ſee they bare their impriſonment patiently and cheerefully, for Ioſeph witneſſeth that they had not beene ſad in former time, when he found their countenance heavy for want of an interpreter of their dreames, ſaying, why are you ſo ſad to day, intimating that they wonted not to be ſo. There is a certaine naturall cheerefullneſſe that will beare a man out in common croſſes, ſuch as impriſonment and make them merry, even though they lie by it, and be in ſome danger of death as theſe. This is a thing that lookes like vertue, but he that out of naturall wiſedome is cheerefull is morally vertuous, he that is ſo out of the ſight of God and the innocencie and quietneſſe of his conſcience, is religious. Labour to get ſo much grace as to prevaile more with your ſelves, then an Heathen man, even to beare all croſſes with an undejected countenance, let not calamities make your lookes heavie. Indeed if we give our ſelves to grieve for our ſinnes upon occaſion of our croſſes, it is commendable, but ſadneſſe at a croſſe bewraies weakeneſſe of judgement, becauſe it is a booteleſſe macerating of ones ſelfe, and making himſelfe more miſerable then elſe the croſſe could make him. It is true, God hath ſet griefe amongſt our affections, that it might ſomewhat quicken us to ſhunne croſſes and to ſeeke an iſſue out of them, and ſuch quantity of griefe as is requiſite for that end, may well be entertained, though it ſwell not ſo big as to write it ſelfe upon our cheekes and countenance.
But theſe two men whom impriſonment could not make to change countenance, yet became ſad when they wanted interpreters of their dreames. It was one of the waies by which the Lord was pleaſed to reveale himſelfe in thoſe times, this was a divine dreame offered unto each of them by God of purpoſe to finiſh the thing he had intended about Ioſeph, and hence they cannot be cheerefull till they know the meaning of the dreame.
To be heavie when we want fit meanes of making us underſtand that which much concernes us to know, is not blame-worthy. If theſe were ſad for want of a fit Interpreter of dreames, how much more cauſe have they to be ſad that want an Interpreter of Gods Word unto them? Did they as well know the neede of knowing the Scriptures, as theſe knew the want of an Interpreter, they would be ſad upon a juſter occaſion. But it may ſeeme much that we meete with interpreters of dreames, yet it is likely, nay certaine, that there were ſome which undertooke that office, as there were that exerciſed other curious arts. I ſuppoſe that God who gave dreames to ſome, gave then to others the knowledge of interpreting of dreames, and hence the Divells imitating God did ſet his Idolatrous Prieſts a worke to doe the ſame thing, and hence the Interpreters of dreames among the Gentiles. It was not to be diſcommended but rather approoved in theſe men, that having had dreames, they would have ſought to the Interpreters, and were ſad that their opportunity ſerved them not. How much more ſhould we ſeeke to thoſe that can teach us better things, and are appointed for that purpoſe and even be ſorry that wee want ſuch helpes?
But another thing commendable is,2. They deſpiſed not Ioſephs youth or meane condition. that they deſpiſed not Ioſephs either youth or meane condition, but open their dreames. And indeed this is a thing which adverſity will worke men even of high ſpirits unto, not to deny familiarity unto thoſe that be farre meaner then themſelves. It is a matter of neceſſity, for a great Officer in priſon to carry himſelfe affably and ſociably to a poore youth attending in the priſon, but to be affable to meane perſons when preferment and liberty meete together, that is a point of morall vertue at leaſt. It is more beautifull in a great mans carriage, then any jewell or multitude of jewels in his apparell; whoſoever deſireth to be had in good account, let him ſhew forth this vertue.
Another good act we have in the chiefe Butler, that when he was put in remembrance of Ioſeph by the falling out of the dreame of Pharaoh, and the inſufficiencie of the other Wiſe-men to interpret, then he did a good office to his King (though I cannot call it a good office to Ioſeph as he did it) even to informe the King of it, and bring Ioſephs ability to light, and make this gift of his ſerviceable to Pharaoh in this exigent.
They doe a good office to a King or any other man, who helpe them to men of commendable ſufficiencies to doe any neceſſary ſervice for them, and who certifie thoſe with whom they live what benefits themſelves have received by another, that others may receive the like benefit in the like neceſſity. All men ſhould be ſo charitable to their neighbours, as to commend unto them the ſpring from whence themſelves have dranke refreſhing waters.
But ſee the faults of theſe men,Their faults. 1. They both ſeemed to commit ſome treſpaſſe. firſt they both ſeemed to have committed ſome treſpaſſe (ſome matter of treaſon likely it was, becauſe the one died for it, and the other ſhould have died had he beene found guilty) you ſee how dangerous a thing it is to commit treſpaſſes againſt a Soveraigne King by any kinde of treacherous attempts or carriages, yea ſo much as in thought or word, for this is ſuch a thing as indangereth the offendor both in liberty and life. Therefore Salomon warneth us not to meddle with ſeditions, and telleth us,Pro. 16.14. that the wrath of a King is like the roaring of a Lyon, and that whoſoever ſinneth againſt him, ſinneth againſt his owne ſoule. It may befall an innocent man to be ſuſpected of this crime, as here it may ſeeme the Butler found by experience, but it is needfull that we carefully ſhunne the crime, though we cannot ſhun the ſuſpition. Feare God and honour the King, 1 Pet. 2 17.let your hearts be ſubdued to his Majeſty, and your tongues and much more your hands. Doe nothing by which you may ſinne againſt him, or cauſe him to be wroth againſt you. Kings are a little Modell of Gods Soveraignty, he hath made them his deputies, S. Peter calleth them the Supreame, S.1 Pet. 2.13. Rom. 13.1. Paul the higher Powers. How ill ſpeed had Abſalom, and Shebah, and Bigtam, and Zereſh, and others that attempted againſt Kings? Learne to be duly ſubject unto them by whom the God of Heaven doth as it were keepe his poſſeſſion of the world; Hitherto their common faults.
The Butlers ſpeciall fault the forgetting of Ioſeph.Now the ſpeciall fault of the Butler was forgetting of Ioſeph, though Ioſeph had beſought him to remember him, ſignifying alſo the wrong that he had in being brought either as a ſlave into the countrey, or as a priſoner into that place, but the words of Ioſeph vaniſhed, and the chiefe Butler had quite forgotten him whom he left in priſon, now that himſelfe was gotten out of priſon. So is the guize of men, when themſelves have eſcaped croſſes, they remember not to be helpfull to others that are in like calamity, yea though they have beene beholding to them in the time of their miſery, and have found them inſtruments of great comfort in their miſery. This is an unthankfull kinde of unmercifullneſſe, it is a compound of two faults, want of pitty and want of gratitude.
I pray if any be guilty of this fault, let him not forget it now, but being put in minde of it by the hearing of a like offence in this Officer of Pharaoh, let him ſee it to be as bad a vice in himſelfe, as at the reading of it he cannot chooſe but judge it in this Courtier. Had he ſeene ſo much ſerviceableneſſe, ſo excellent skill in ſo hidden a thing as interpreting of dreames, and ſuch excellent parts in Ioſeph, and had himſelfe found him ſo true an Interpreter, as that all things came to paſſe according to his word, and was he not worth once thinking of for a whole yeares ſpace together? Sure he was glutted with his owne proſperity, that in all thoſe daies could not find in his heart to caſt one thought backe againe to the priſon, and thinke of the wrong done to that ſo worthy a young man, who both miniſtred unto him in priſon and foretold his deliverance out of priſon.
This forgetfullneſſe of a man to whom we have beene indebted in miſery, is a teſtimony that ſelfe-love hath ſo abounded in him as that it hath choaked and conſumed all charity. It is a moſt disbecomming vice, it cauſeth hard cenſures from every mouth that doth heare, he that hath practiſed it in himſelfe cannot but condemne it in another, as David did his owne fault in a third perſon; forget not to blame your ſelves for having ſo forgotten.
And now be taught to uſe your memory vertuouſly to remember thoſe that are indiſtreſſe and under injuries, and thoſe that have ſuffered with you, and thoſe that have beene inſtruments of comfort to you in the common ſorrowes that befell both. Memory cannot be better exerciſed next after the remembrance of God and his benefits and our ſinnes, then in remembring the miſeries of others, with whom once our own ſelves were joyned in the ſame miſery, and the kindneſſes we have received of them in our miſeries. And ſo much of the faults of theſe men.
Their croſſe. They were both impriſoned.Now of their croſſes, they both were impriſoned, and ſure impriſonment is a croſſe. To be limited to one chamber, to be denied the common benefits that bruit creatures enjoy, drawing in the freſh aire, and a free beholding of Heaven and Earth, to want the benefit of ones friends company, and be ſo reſtrained, that neither he can goe to them nor they can come to him, to have one wall, one chimney,Impriſonment is a croſſe. one window for his proſpect, and either none or but a few and thoſe diſconſolate perſons as himſelfe to talke withall, this is a croſſe I ſay ſo tedious, as none can judge of it but by experience, yet many perſons both of high place and of great vertues have ſuffered it.
O now therefore let mee counſell you to be thankefull for liberty, and to praiſe God that hath not laid you faſt in ſome place of cuſtody, that hath ſet you at large and given you liberty to be with whom and where you would your ſelves, in your owne houſes, or in your friends houſes, or where you deſire to be, where you have no doores locked upon you, no keeper to ſhut you in and let you forth, no controler to take you up with ſurly words, none to finde fault with you in that kinde, or to exact upon you. I ſay, thanke God for liberty and know the benefit by having, which would ſeeme great unto you if you wanted it.
And ſecondly, uſe your liberty well, keepe your ſelves from ill company and ill courſes; runne not into places worſe then priſons, then when you be out of priſon. Moderate your ſelves in your freedome, that you may not be abridged of your freedome, eſpecially take heede of running into ſuch crimes, as ſhould cauſe you to deſerve impriſonment. Harmefull creatures are chained or tied up, ſo muſt harmefull men, let your behaviour be ſuch, that you may not inforce Governours to lay you faſt, let not Satan get you into his bondage, be not priſoners to your luſts,Gal. 5.13. and in this ſence alſo I may uſe Peters words, Abuſe not your liberty as a cloake of maliciouſneſſe, or as an occaſion to the fleſh, the abuſe of mercies doth forfeit them and addeth bitterneſſe to the want of them. If there be not a groſſe fatneſſe growne over the heart of a man, he will call to minde with anguiſh his unbridled walking in his liberty that now is bound to one place.
But howſoever, learne to prepare for impriſonment and for that purpoſe keepe friendſhip with God in your owne conſciences, with whom you may comfortably conferre when the priſon doores be ſhut and your other friends are kept out from you. And labour to get the knowledge of the Word of God, the meditation of which may be ſweete unto you when ſolitarineſſe would elſe caſt you into your dumpes. He that can powre out his ſoule to God in prayers and in ſupplications and in thankeſgivings, may make his priſon comfortable to him, he that can heare peaceable anſwers from his conſcience may ſing Pſalmes in the ſtockes, and he that can meditate of Gods Word can never languiſh with ſolitarineſſe, when he lieth under lock and key and that himſelfe alone alſo.
And another croſſe is to the Baker alone, he loſt his life violently,The Bakers croſſe alone, he was hanged. diſgracefully, and it may ſeeme deſervedly; for on the third day the King tooke them both out of priſon, and then putting them to triall, hanged the one and acquitted the other, reſtoring him to his place.
To die an unnaturall, and ſhamefull and violent death is a miſery, a croſſe, a puniſhment, death at what doore ſoever it carry a man out of the world, is grimme enough to looke upon, but to hale a man out of the world by violence and diſgrace, makes his approach more terrible. Nature hates its owne deſtruction, the ſoule and body cannot well indure their ſeparation, but ſo much the leſſe by how much the deſtruction is more violent, and the parting more contumelious.
Let us be thankfull to God therefore that hath taken our friends out of the world by faire and naturall deaths, and let us abhorre and ſhunne thoſe capitall ſinnes that may cauſe the Lord to bring us into the like miſery, and to pull us out of the world before our time, and with much contempt alſo: and let us be alwaies ready not for death alone, but for ſuch a kind of death. A man is to brooke reproach with death and as well as death. If onelyonly malefactors did fall in this manner, it were our duty to care for no more but to prevent crimes, but ſeeing the innocent alſo have beene oppreſſed, witneſſe above all exceptions, our Lord Jeſus Chriſt and his bleſſed Prophets and Martyrs, now it is requiſite for us to prepare for a violent death, onelyonly praying to God that wee may not pull it on our ſelves by our ſinnes, and then bearing it quietly, though it ſhould befall us without doing ill, and moſt comfortably if it ſhould befall us for having done well.
Their benefits. 1. They were both in high place under a great King.And ſo much for the croſſes of theſe men. Now their benefits.
Firſt, they were both officers under a great King, enjoying places of honour, and like by too (if they wanted not good husbandry) of wealth.
To have preferment and riches, or to be in the way of both, by attending upon a mighty Prince, is ſuch an outward thing as men make great account of; O how much more worthy a thing is it to be an attendant on God, and a ſpeciall officer as it werein his Court? They know not God and his ſervice, that cannot ſee an excellency in being admitted ſo neere to the King of Kings.
2. They had Ioſeph to attend them in priſon.But ſecondly, they had in the priſon an excellent perſon to attend them, and one of ſuch endowments, that was ready by diligence to miniſter any thing unto them, and by wiſdome to adviſe, counſell and informe them.
It is a great happineſſe in miſery to meete with a perſon able and ready to comfort and cheere up a ſad heart by cheerefull ſerving and by hearty counſell. Hee is as happy as one can be in priſon, that hath a Ioſeph to be with him or to waite upon him; God can give this benefit to us, we muſt ſupplicate for it, and learne to make as great account of ſuch in proſperity as in adverſity.
Now it might have beene to the Baker a benefit, if his want of due knowledge had not unfitted him to make it uſefull, that he had three dayes warning to fit him for death. There is no man that can promiſe himſelfe life for the ſpace of three dayes, but ſo eaſy are we to make and beleeve promiſes of life to our ſelves, unleſſe we ſee the time of our life moſt inevitably determined, that we will hardly ſet our ſelves to prepare heartily for death, unleſſe we be made to ſee that now before ſuch a time we muſt needes die. But it is our duty to looke for that, and walke prepared for it that may come every houre, muſt come within a ſhort time; for what is the longeſt life when once the concluſion of it is come upon us.
Againe, it was a benefit to the Butler,The Butlers benefit. He both knew he ſhould be delivered, and was delivered out of priſon. he both knew he muſt be delivered, and was delivered out of priſon, and retured to his place of honour againe.
To have a comfortable deliverance out of croſſes is a benefit that we can eaſily diſcerne to be great, who doth not deſire it, rejoyce in it, pray for it and applaud others for it. It is therefore a great goodneſſe of God to grant it, indeed if one have beene caught by ſome affliction through wrongfull meanes, when nothing worthy thereof hath beene done by him; it is a favour of God to make his innocency knowne, and ſo to grant him a happy eſcape, but howſoever it is a mercy. But you ſee here it is a common mercy, be thankfull for it, walke capable of it, by being ſuch as God hath ingaged himſelfe unto, to deliver them out of all adverſity.
And moſt of all, make a good uſe of your croſſes and deliverances both, that you may be better after a croſſe, and that your deliverance may deliver you alſo from ſinne. Hee that getteth not ſome more grace in adverſity then he had before it came, and doth not uſe that grace after to ſhew himſelfe to have profited by his croſſe, comes out of a croſſe none otherwiſe then a beaſt may ſcramble out of a ditch, and to ſuch an one a worſe thing ſhall befall afterwards. And ſo much for this couple.
Now we proceed to Pharaoh himſelfe King of Egypt, we conſider in him the ſame things, his good and bad deeds, the good and bad occurrents that befell him.
Firſt for his good deeds,Pharaoh his good deeds. Hee was wiſe and had good morall parts. 1. Hee uſed all the meanes he could to come to the knowledge of his dreame. Pharaoh was indeed an Heathen and an Idolater, but he ſeemeth to have beene a man of good wiſedome and morall parts, the good deeds recorded of him in Scripture are theſe. Firſt, having dreamed a divine dreame, I meane a dreame ſent to him of God for ſome ſpeciall purpoſe, he uſed all the waies he could to come to the knowledge of it, and was much troubled when he ſaw that he could not attaine the interpretation of it. For a dreame was but a kind of riddle or ſimilitude offered unto a man in his ſleepe, which did darkely, and yet truely repreſent ſome truth, neceſſary for him to know. Indeed ſometimes God did appeare to his ſervants in dreames without any ſuch darke and obſcure revelations, and in expreſſe and plaine termes did tell them the things which they were to know, as in the dreames of Abimelech and of Abraham, but many times he appeared to them alone in ſimilitudes, yet ſo that he made them know the meaning eaſily, as in Ioſephs dreames, and in Iacobs dreame of the ladder, now ſuch an enigmaticall dreame being offered unto Pharaoh, he ſought all meanes of getting the interpretation of it: ſurely we ſhould much more ſeeke to attaine the knowledge of the Scripture, and deſire to have ſome to interpret the ſame unto us where it is doubtfull and obſcure. And if we neglect to ſeeke the meaning of it, we ſhall doe as much wrong to our ſelves as Pharoah ſhould have done to himſelfe, if he had ſleighted this dreame, for then ſhould his land have beene conſumed by famine as well as other lands. Therefore ſince God hath appointed you his written word for your inſtruction in matters concerning ſalvation, as then he pleaſed by dreames to reveale what hee ſaw fit unto men, ſee that you ſeeke to know the word of God as he ſought to know theſe dreames. OnelyOnly know this, that often the wiſe men and men of repute in the world, cannot tell you theſe things, but ſome poore impriſoned and neglected Ioſeph. This is Pharaohs firſt good deed.
2. He contemned not Ioſeph becauſe he was a poore ſervant and of low degree Joh. 1.46.Nex when he heares of Ioſeph he contemnes him not becauſe hee was a poore ſervant and of low degree, but is carefull to ſend for him and to conſult with him, and by this meanes attaineth to the knowledge of that which all his inchanters, wiſe-men, and diviners could not helpe him unto.
Surely it is a point of wiſedome not to ſleight men becauſe of their outward meaneneſſe, but without prejudice to conferre with them if we heare good of them, and to be ready to hearken to their wiſe words. Can any good come out of Nazareth, ſaith Nathaniel, prejudice againſt the meanes of Chriſts birth and education would have kept him from Chriſt, if he had not followed Philips adviſe, who bid him come and ſee. It pleaſeth God to triumph over the folly of men, that will meaſure things by worldly greatneſſe, and to give them over to undoe themſelves. In Ieremies time the Prieſts and men of note were oppoſite to him; ſo Chriſt was therefore neglected becauſe he was the ſonne of a Carpenter. Take heede that you meaſure not men by their high place and worldly accoutrements, God is often pleaſed to ſleight great ones and to reſpect the meaner: In this caſe learne wiſedome of Pharoah and judge not by the appearance.
3. When hee ſaw Ioſephs wiſdome hee preferred him.Thirdly, when he ſaw the high wiſedome that God had given to Ioſeph, he prefers him, and makes him chiefe ruler of his Kingdome next under himſelfe, and commits into his hand the care of gathering corne in the yeeres of plenty, to ſerve againſt the yeeres of famine.
Oh how deſirable a thing is it in Princes to commend men to high place for their worth ſake? And how happy is that nation, when not a mans either friends, or money, or flattery, or ambitious inſinuations of himſelfe, but his parts, the abilities God hath given him, and fitneſſe to diſcharge an high place, is the rule which the Prince doth follow in advancing men? It ſhall procure a world of welfare to the ſtate, and comfort to the Prince, to whom the Lord giveth ſo much wiſedome, as thus to diſpence places of preferment. But I ſpeake to ſubjects, wee muſt be helpefull to our Soveraigne Lord with our prayers, that is all which our hands can reach unto.
A fourth thing is, Pharaoh continued to favour Ioſeph all his life long,4. Hee continued to favour Ioſeph all his life long, and favoured his Father and brethren for his ſake. and for his ſake ſhewd great reſpect unto his bretheren and to his Father, ſending for him willingly and ſaluting him curteouſly, and planting him and his in the fruitfull place of his Kingdome, and fitteſt for cattle, even in the land of Goſhen. Thus it behoveth a good King, yea and a good man, to favour ſtill whom he hath begun deſervedly to favour, and for his ſake to ſhew all good eſteeeme to his friends and kindred, ſo farre as they ſhew not themſelves unworthy to be favoured. Conſtancy in loving and honouring a worthy man becomes Kings, and largeneſſe of love, even a kind of royall love, beſeemeth their perſons and places, for a worthy ſervants ſake to advance his Father, Bretheren and kindred. This is a right Kingly love, and ſuch as can ſort alone with men of ſuch high quality. Meaner perſons want meanes to ſhew their favourable reſpect in ſuch a ſpreading manner. Indeed to preferre unworthy perſons, becauſe they be of kinne to a man of great worth and much favoured, is not agreeable to the rules of wiſdome; but let them be men capeable of favour, and he doth not love a man thoroughly, that for his ſake doth not alſo love thoſe that are neere unto him. And if Princes have ſuch a Princely love to their vertuous favourites, how much more hath the living God to his? Theſe be things commendable in Pharaoh.
For his faults,His faults. Hee continued a Heathen though he had a Ioſeph in his Court. God hath beene pleaſed to reveale none but that common fault, hee continued an Heathen though he had a Ioſeph in his Court, and highly preferred by himſelfe. It is a hard matter to get out of darkeneſſe and to come into light, a divine ſpirit muſt joyne with the meanes, or elſe the meanes will prove ineffectuall.
Let us pray to God to leade us into the knowledge of his truth, or elſe we may live long with them that know it, and yet learne nothing of it. It is in our nature to ſettle our ſelves in the religion of our forefathers, and not to conſider whether it be true and good, yea or not. A kind of ſliteneſſe in matter of religion, doth raigne in the world, men will not be at the trouble to examine that which they find in uſe, they will not hazard themſelves in croſſing the common-voice; ſo they ſwimme downe the ſtreame, and runne into perdition for company. Let us be carefull to examine the things that we finde, and ſeeing God hath vouchſafed us the happy guidance of his word, let us learne to try all things and hold faſt the good: 2 Theſ. 5.21.OnelyOnly in crying we muſt take heede that we be not of a kind of croſſe humour, that will ſtrive to goe in a ſingle way, and will refuſe things upon ſleight grounds, as if they were glad to find occaſion to goe alone. And ſo much for Pharaohs faults too.
Now his proſperity was great. Firſt,3. His benefits. 1. God warned him of the famine before hand. God warned him of the Famine before hand that hee might prevent the danger of it to his people: a great mercy to be made to underſtand evills long before, that a man may hide himſelfe from the evill of them, the wiſedome of man can alone gueſſe of future things, and of ſome it cannot ſo much as gueſſe. O how great favour doth God ſhew to men when he will lend them a little part of his Wiſdome, and tell them what miſchiefes are comming on the world. So God told David, how Saul and the men of Keilah would have conſpired againſt him, Chriſt foretold his Diſciples of the ruine of Ieruſalem, and made them able to ſave themſelves out of that deſtruction. Now wee muſt learne to eſteeme it a greater mercy, that we are forewarned of the evill to come in another world, and acquainted with the onelyonly meanes of flying from that unſufferable wrath. Let us be as carefull to beleeve thoſe predictions and to follow that counſell for eſcaping the miſchiefe foretold, as here Pharaoh was to beleeve Ioſeph and to take his counſell, and then ſhall we as aſſuredly eſcape the miſery of eternall deſtruction, as he and his Countrey eſcaped the unhappineſſe of Famine.
God gave him a faithfull and wiſe ſervant.A ſecond benefit, God gave Pharaoh a Ioſeph, a worthy ſervant, a man of excellent Wiſdome and faithfullneſſe, fit for that high honour of being Second to Pharaoh, who in all things behaved himſelfe as became a wiſe and godly man. The Lord cannot give a greater benefit to a King and a Kingdome, then by preferring a Ioſeph, by providing ſuch a man, and inclining the hearts of Kings to favour ſuch; this is a mercy which our prayers muſt obtaine for our King and for our ſelves. Lord ſend Ioſephs to the Court, and guide the heart of his Majeſty to love and advance Ioſephs.
3. He was a rich and mighty Prince.A third mercy, he grew exceeding wealthy and a mighty Prince, poſſeſſor in a manner of all the land of Egypt, and had all the people as his ſervants to plow the ground for him, ſo that he was a rich and mighty Prince. But when Princes or other men become very great and high, many times their weakeneſſe and corruptions turne that benefit into a miſery and occaſion of much miſchiefe; learne ſo to receive this benefit, as to be earneſt for grace, to uſe it well that it may not turne to your deſtruction.
Nothing ſaid of his croſſes.But of Pharaohs croſſes we reade nothing, he was ſo proſperous a King, that no adverſe accident is recorded to have befallen him. Even to eſcape great croſſes muſt be accounted a great mercy, and if the Lord have cauſed any mans life amongſt us to runne with ſo even a threed as it were that no adverſity hath, interrupted it, he is ſo to take notice of this mercy, as to take heed withall, that he flatter not himſelfe with vaine thoughts, as if he were therefore much in Gods favour, becauſe of ſuch immunity from outward evills. Not ſo, but we muſt ever remember that in the Pſalme,Pſal. 38 19. & 73.4, 5. That the wicked are luſty and ſtrong, that they have no bonds in their death, and that they be not in adverſity as other men.
The EgyptiansHitherto of Pharaoh, now of the Aegyptians, both the land in generall and the chiefe officers about Pharaoh.
Canaan is compared to it.The land of Egypt was a rich land and fertile, the Holy Ghoſt doth not ſpeake much of their idolatry in Geneſis. But in after times they were infamous for it, and there did Iſrael learne to be Idolatrous If God leave a people to themſelves, they will ſoone degenerate either into prophaneneſſe and a meere contempt of God or into falſe worſhip and Idolatry. How thankfull ought wee to be to whom the Lord hath pleaſed to reveale his truth and to keepe us farre from worſhipping a falſe god or embracing a falſe religion?
But we have an example of ſome good in theſe Egyptians, Their vertues They ſubmitted themſelves to their Governours.and a great vertue it was they ſubmitted themſelves to their Governours with a very great ſubmiſſion. The Famine lay upon them, they were content to buy corne of Ioſeph for money, and when that failed, to pawne their cattell, and when that meanes was gone, to ſell their lands and themſelves, and did not rebell and with ſtrong hand take corne to themſelves, whither Pharaoh and Ioſeph would or not. This was a moſt commendable thing in the Egyptians, they would rather ſell themſelves to the skinne, yea ſell themſelves and all, then they would tumultuouſly riſe in armes, make ſedition, take corne by force and ſtrong hand.
O that we could ſee our duty in theirs, and learne to ſubmit our ſelves ſo conſcionably to our Governours, that nothing may drive us to ſedition or rebellion. A man might have brought great ſhew of reaſon, why the Egyptians ſhould have refuſed to ſell themſelves and their lands, if he would have given leave to wit and words: but theſe men are content to ſtoope ſo farre, rather then to forget that they were ſubjects. Why ſhould not religion make us able to keepe our ſtomacks downe from all diſloyall practiſes, as well as nature taught it the Egyptians?
Now for the faults of Egypt, I have one to marke, it is ſaid,Their faults. They were mad with famine. they were faint with famine, Gen. 47.13. or mad with famine, ſo ſome tranſlate if, and better; great croſſes put men almoſt out of their wits, and drive them into a certaine kinde of fury they know not what to doe. We muſt pray to God for ſuch a meaſure of wiſedome and patience, that croſſes may not worke ſo diſtemperedly upon us.
But another good deed.They were thankfull to Ioſeph. They ſhew themſelves very thankfull to Ioſeph and acknowledged that he had ſaved their lives. It is a good thing to confeſſe the good we have received from others, and thankefully to acknowledge to whom we owe our lives or any great office of love.
Alſo the Egyptians had a great croſſe for they were utterly impoveriſhed by famine.Their croſſe. They were impoveriſhed by famine. Foure benefits.
But they had great benefits, Firſt, ſeven very plentifull yeeres, and ſecondly, a man of wiſdome that provided for them before hand, thirdly, a man of equity that made them tenants upon due and eaſie rates, viz. they paid the fifth part of their increaſe to Pharaoh and had foure parts to themſelves, then which what Tenant can deſire a more equall rent. Who could wiſh to have a better bargaine? So they had you ſee an interchange of good and evill, as moſt times the Lord doth pleaſe to ſend unto the ſonnes of men. Let us ſee our mercies to make us more patient under our croſſes, and let us ſee our croſſes to make us more thankefull for our mercies, and let not either paſſe from us without a good uſe.
Pharaohs ſervants reſpected Ioſeph.Now for Pharaohs Servants and Counſellours and Princes, we reade not of any envie they had againſt Ioſeph, but that they applied themſelves to him in all kindneſſe, and ſpake to Pharaoh to ſuffer him to go into the land of Canaan to bury his Father, and accompanied him thither with great pompe. He was an Hebrew, yet his graces and good carriage cauſed that they all loved and honoured him.
It is a commendable thing ſo to reſpect excellent vertues, as not to be mooved with envie at their proſperity whom vertue doth advance, yea to love, eſteeme, and honour them the more, becauſe they have ſhewed themſelves worthy the higheſt dignities that have befalne them. The Court of Cyrus was filled with men of another temper then Pharaohs Court, How did they practiſe againſt Daniels life through envie? Let us be liker the Egyptian Lords here then the Perſian. (*⁎*)