Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Dedication 4
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE The L. Cecill, Vicount Cranborne, Earle of Salisburie, principall Secretarie to his excellent Majestie, and Chancellour of the Vniversitie of Cambridge, and of his Majesties most honourable privie Councell: Grace, mercy, and peace, from the Lord Iesus.
RIght Honourable, I present to your Honour, this last part of these my collections and Commentarie upon Genesis: wherein to set forth unto us the worthy history of honourable Ioseph, his humiliation first, and then his exaltation, together with his patience, chastity, clemency, equity, with the rest of his Princely vertues: A fit president for all noble persons to follow, and a perfect patterne for men of honour and authority to looke upon.
Ioseph was famous and renowned for many noble vertues, but most especially for these foure: his chastity in himselfe, piety toward God; fidelity to his Prince; clemency toward his brethren.
First Ioseph is a rare example of chastity, who in his youthfull yeares, being a poore stranger and a servant, enticed often and allured by promises, and that by no meane woman, but by his Lady the Mistresse of the house, and not ignorant of the danger, which might befall him for his refusall, yet chose rather with his innocency to lie in chaines of yron, than yeelding to intemperancy to weare chaines of gold:Gen. 39.…. this was his godly resolution, when hee was tempted, how can I doe this great wickednesse and so sinne against God? for he did very well know, that he which violateth wedlocke, doth sinne against God the author thereof: wherefore the Apostle saith,Hebr. 13.…. Ambr. lib. de Ioseph. c. 5. that the Lord will judge such himselfe: And Ambrose excellently concludeth this point concerning Ioseph, Magnus vir Ioseph, qui adamatus, non adamavit; rogatus, non acquievit; comprehensus, aufugit: Ioseph was a worthy man, who being loved, loved not againe: being entreated, consented not: being laid hold on, stayed not.
Secondly, Iosephs chastity is much more graced and commended by his piety: all his actions savour of godlinesse, and the feare of God as a sweet perfume doth give a pleasant scent to all his enterprises: before, when he was enticed, he had God in his mouth▪ when the two prisoners wanted an interpreter, he said unto them, are not interpretations of God? Gen. 40.8. when he stood before Pharaoh to interpret his dreame, he gave the glory to God, without me shall God make answer for the wealth of Pharaoh, Gen. 41.16. when his children, Manasseh and Ephraim were borne, he remembred God: at the birth of the first he said, God hath made me to forget all my labour: and hee called the second Ephraim, and said, God hath made me fruitfull in the land of mine affliction, Genes. 41.50, 51. Afterward when Ioseph communed with his brethren, … unknowne, he could not conceale his religion; This doe and live (saith he) for I feare God, Genes. 42.18. when he discovered himselfe to his brethren, he turneth himselfe unto God, saying, God did send me before for your preservation, Genes. …5.5. Th… … Ioseph did shew himselfe twice noble indeed, by his unfained piety, and godly sincerity: Much like herein was devout Daniel, who being one of the three chiefe Governours of that great Monarchy of the Persians, did thrice every day upon his knees pray and praise his God, Dan. 6.10. Thus should all prudent Governours doe, to honour him, by whom they are honoured, and to crave wisdome of the Author and Fountaine of wisdome. Hierome giveth this counsell to a noble Matron: Cum claritate generis morum suavitate contendas, cum nobilitate corporis animi virtute nobilior proficias, magisque illa nobilitate glorieris, quae filios Dei, & cohaered…s Christi facit, &c. non est quod sibi quis de nobilitate generis blandiatur, si ex meliore parte famulus sit: Hieron. ad Demetriad. With the greatnesse of thy stocke, strive by goodnesse of manners: together with noblenesse of bloud, increase in the true nobility of mind: count that the best nobility, which maketh us the sonnes of God, and fellow heires with Christ: it availeth not to boast of highnesse of stocke, if thou be abased in thy bettter part.
Thirdly, Ioseph is famous for his faithfull service toward his Prince, who when he had gathered up all the money, which was found in the land of Aegypt and Canaan, for the corne which they bought, did not store it up for himselfe, but laid it up in Pharaohs treasury, Gen. 47.14. wherein Iosua well imitated him, who in the division of the land of promise to the Tribes, reserved no part for himselfe: but when they had made an end of dividing, then the children of Israel with one consent cast him out a lot amongst them, Iosua 19.49. Ioseph then thought not to inrich himselfe by his office, as many officers now adayes, but he travelled more for the wealth of Pharaoh, than his owne gaine: in whom was not wanting that property which Moses father in law requireth in a Governour, to be a man hating covetousnesse, Exod. 18.21. which point is touched well by Ambrose: Ne praeeminentem virum thesauri possideant sui, & pecuniis serviat, Ambr. lib. …. off…. c. 14.qui praeest liberis: That a great person should possesse, rather than bee possessed of his treasure, neither be commanded of money, who is a commander of men. Neither was Ioseph so devoted to his Princes profit, that he neglected the poore commons, but was a father also unto them: that whereas he had bought themselves and their land for Pharaoh, hee both releaseth them of their bondage, and taketh only the fift part of the increase of their land, whereas the whole belonged to Pharaoh: and by this means,De utilitate nihil perdiderāt, qui acquisierant perpetuitatem: …elius fuit conferre aliquid de fructibus, quàm to tu… de jure amittere, offic. 2.16. Non venditionem sui juris, sed redemptionem salutis pu…ban…, ibid. as Ambrose saith, they lost nothing of their profit, that gained a perpetuity: for it was better to part with some of the fruits, than to forgoe the whole. Such a prudent moderation well beseemeth wise Governours, to be such honourable mediators betweene Prince and people (wherein this kingdome, God bee thanked, wanteth not examples) as that the royall dignity of the one may be preserved, the others poore estate pitied, that the people may say unto them, as the Egyptians did to Ioseph, Thou hast saved our liues: for as Amb. well saith, they thought it no sale of their right, but a safety of their estate.
Lastly, Ioseph most wisely did temper severitie and clemencie, justice and mercy together: first he dealt roughly with his brethren, charged them to be spies, imprisoned them, caused Simeon to be bound, laid theft to their charge: but afterward he lovingly embraced them, wept over them, and was afoster father unto them:Greg. hom. … ▪ in Ezechiel. O tormenta misericordiae! cruciat, & amat: O the torments of pittie! hee vexeth, and yet loveth them: So merciemercy and judgement tempered together, make a sweet harmony,Psal. 101.1. as David saith, I will sing merciemercy and judgement: such a song did Ioseph sing;Detersa est ir…, quae apparebat & non erat, ostensa est misericordia, quae erat, & non apparebat. Greg. ibid. His wrath asswaged, which appeared, and was not: his merciemercy prevailed, which was, and appeared not. So Magistrates doe well sometime with Ioseph to use threats, and speake roughly, where is cause: but I well hope, that Iosephs irefull words, and pretended threatnings, will end toward his brethren, with mercifull deeds, and extended embracings. We praise God for your Honours mercifull government: let them first taste of your merciemercy, that teach you to shew merciemercy. The Egyptian priests under Pharaoh, by the hand of Ioseph, were maintained in the time of dearth: I doubt not but your Honour under our peerelesse Pharaoh, will doe your best, that the Ministers of the Gospell be stored with maintenance, where they have it not, much more bee suffred to enjoy that they have: Ioseph remitted his brethrens trespasse, that had taken away his particoloured coat: and although some of our brethren would have certaine ceremonies, which may seeme as the coat of this Church) removed, yet Iosephs brotherly connivence may heale up that breach. Toleration and forbearance toward friends and brethren in such matters, may well beseeme Ioseph: But your Honours constant resolution (therein concurring with his excellent Majestie) against all toleration of contrary religion, or giving countenance to such, is most honourable, and joyous to all faithfull hearts: If they differed from us only in some externall rites, and were beside peaceable and profitable men, they might have some reason to desire and expect to be tolerated and borne with; according to that conclusion of the Toletane Councel:Toletan. 5… can. 5. In una fide nihil officit Ecclesiae sanctae consuetudo diversa, &c. In the Church the unity of faith is not hindred by the diversitie of rites. But seeing they dissent from us in substantial and fundamentall points of faith, and so are enemies to the Church, and depend upon a forreinē Prelate for their direction, and so are dangerous to the state, your Honours resolution is most Christian, to shew no connivence in this case, much lesse to give protection, but to use against such all providence and circumspection: for Christ and Belial, Dagon and the Arke, light and darknesse cannot dwell together. God give your Honour courage, strength, and zeale, notwithstanding the malice and envie of idolatrous Romanists, to hold on this happie course, that with Ioseph, though archers shoot at you, your bow may abide strong, and the hands of your armes be strengthened by the hand of the mightie God of Iacob.Gen. 49.24.
Now lastly, I wish unto your Honour Iosephs portion, that according to his name,Ioseph signifieth added, of …asaph, to adde. first Iosephs vertues, then Iosephs honours, may be added unto you in this life, and his everlasting inheritance afterwards in the heavenly Canaan, through the great mercies of our gratious God, and infinite merits of our blessed Saviour Christ Iesus, to whom bee praise for ever.
Your Honours ready to bee commanded in the Lord, Andrew Willet.