A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 1 · Chapter 15

A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament · Biblical tract · Volume 1 · Chapter 15

p. 405CHAP. XV. The Hiſtory and Myſtery of Jacob and Joſeph Intermingled unto both their Deaths.

HAving handled the Hiſtory of Jacob's ſixth Croſs, to wit, the ſuppoſed Death of his Jewel Joſeph, under which he long mourned (even Twenty three years) Gen. 37.34. but at laſt was comforted with that joyful News, [Joſeph is yet alive,] Gen. 45.26. he is Lord of the Land of Egypt, and he hath ſent for us all to dwell with him: Though theſe glad Tidings at firſt ſeem'd abſurd and incredible to Jacob (for thoſe Men had crack'd their credit with their Father in telling him a Tale, when they could firſt cauſe his woe, and then come to comfort him, Gen. 37.32, 35. and therefore now were hardly believed) His Heart fainted, for his believed them not, his fear prevailing over his hope in the Conflict, put him into a ſwooning or fainting Fitt, yet when he ſaw the Waggons, &c. ver. 27. his Spirit revived, Septuag. foreign, as Fire ſtirred up that lay buried under Aſhes, ſuch aſſurance have deeds above words, his Sons ſtifly affirm it for Truth (their Brother Benjamin alſo Atteſting it with them) and they likewiſe confirm it, by producing before his Eyes, the change of Raiment (or Rich Robes) Joſeph had given them. Benjamin ſhews him, the three hundred Shekels, and five coſtly Suits beſtow'd by his Brother upon him, above all, they all ſet before him the ten He Aſſes, loaded with the precious things of Egypt, as well as the ten She-Aſſes carrying Corn and Bread, &c. for himſelf by the way; and laſtly, the Waggons and Royal Chariots (relating withal, all they had ſeen and heard) were the undeniable demonſtrations: Then his Spirit return'd to his Heart after a ſad Recoil, and he recovers out of his ſudden Conſternation, being cheered up with a belief of all, Gen. 47.19, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28. Hereupon, as ſtrangely tranſported, he cryeth, [It is enough] leaping levalto's, (as it were) he rejoiced more for his Son Joſeph's Life; than for his Lordſhip.

☞ Thus Jacob's twenty three years ſorrow, and that for a matter which was only ſuſpected, not real, (for all this time Joſeph was Alive, ever and anon in great Favour, while his Father ſorrow'd for him as if Dead) God graciouſly converted into great joy: He then was no Stoick as one without paſſions: His belief rais'd him up, as his unbelief caſt him down, Rom. 5.1, 4. and thus alſo we Childiſhly torment our ſelves with our oft conceited and groundleſs fears (as he did) fear hath torment, 1 John 4.18. ſetting the Soul (as it were) upon the Rack, and rendring it reſtleſs, but Faith worketh Hope, Peace and Joy, Rom. 15.13. filling the Soul with a contentful Complacency and Acquieſcency.

No ſooner had he well digeſted this fear, but another fear comes upon him, to wit, Jacob's ſeventh Croſs (to make up his calamities into the perfect Sabbatical number of ſeven) his fear to go down to Egypt, though it was to ſee his Jewel Joſeph there, and his own late reſolve ſo to do. This grand Doubt lay firſt about his Warrant for his Peregrination or Journey to Egypt, when this was removed, he truſts God for his welcome thither, and welfare there. Such fears did fall upon him, that in his conſulting with God about it, God gave him this anſwer, [Fear not to go down to Egypt,] Gen. 46.1, 2, 3, 4. though he had good grounds of hope, as to his proſpect of preſent Providences in Humane Matters. For,

1. He was now forced out of Canaan by that Famine which God had call'd for, Pſal. 105.16. ſo his Call from that place ſeem'd clear to him.

2. He underſtood that there was Corn no where but in Egypt, hereupon he ſaith to his Sons, VVhy gaze ye one upon another, as at your Wits end? we muſt have Corn from thence, or we cannot live, we muſt certainly die, Gen. 42.1.2. Therefore his call to that place ſeemed clear alſo.

3. He had likewiſe the Royal invitation of Pharaoh thither, and all accommodations for eaſe and honour as well as for ſubſiſtency in his undertaking the Journey.

4. He had as joyful (as well as lawful) an Errand as ever Mortal Man had, to ſee his own beſt-beloved Joſeph, whom he had not ſeen for twenty three years, but thought verily he had been buried ſo long ago in the Bellies of ſome Brute Beaſts that had devoured him.

5. The Lord of the Land was his Jewel Joſeph, who had ſent for him alſo by Royal Authority, and ſent both ſuch Waggons and ſuch Proviſions, not only of common but of precious p. 406things, as made him, his Sons, their Wives and Children all willing and deſirous to take this tedious Journey.

Remark firſt, The common courſe of Divine Providence in Humane Affairs is, That Parents do provide for their Children, not Children for Parents, 2 Cor. 12.14. 'Tis their Duty to lay up Portions and Proviſions for their Poſterity: But here it was juſt contrary, the Son was the Storer, and the Father was the Starved: Gods ways are not as Mans; had Man been Gods Counſellor, he would have counſell'd thus; Seeing Canaan is promis'd to Abraham's Off-ſpring, Let Jacob lay up Proviſion in his own Land, and let Joſeph be Famiſh'd out of Egypt, and forced Home to his Fathers Houſe, and ſo poſſeſs the Land of Promiſe: No, ſaith the moſt wiſe God, it ſhall be thus, Jacob the Father muſt be Starved in that Land of Promiſe which flows with Milk and Honey, and Joſeph the Son muſt be the Storer in Egypt, that Curſed Countrey of Cham, as David calls it, Pſal. 105.23, 27. and 78.51. and though this ſeem abſurd to Humane Apprehenſions, and apparently repugnant to my Expreſs Promiſe, yet Jacob muſt leave his Land of Canaan (wherein he had ſeated himſelf, as now a Poſſeſſor of my Promiſe ſo oft renewed) and muſt go down into a ſtrange Countrey, there to be a poor Pilgrim again. Still my Promiſe (which though Sealed is not Dated) ſhall in no wiſe be diſannulled, but ſhall in due time have its full Accompliſhment. God loves to go a way of his own, ſometimes he fetches a Compaſs (as before) and goeth about and about, while he goeth about to fulfil his word. Hereupon David declareth expreſly, how God ſent a Famine (as all publick calamities are of his ſending for puniſhing the wicked, and for proving the godly,) Pſal. 105.16. which was the chief cauſe and firſt occaſion of Iſrael's going down into Egypt, ver. 23. Therein the Divine Decree began to work (concerning Iſrael's Sojourning and Suffering hardſhip in Egypt) by a wonderful Providence: There was a ſore Famine at the ſame time both in Canaan and in Egypt (by Gods ſhutting up his Hand of Bounty, and withholding his Bleſſing whereby their Staff they lean'd upon was broken) this God concealeth from the Father (though a Prophet) before he ſent it, and therefore Jacob made no Proviſion before-hand, though he then lived in the Glory of all Lands, Ezek. 20.6. for Fatneſs and Fruitfulneſs; inſomuch that when his Father Iſaac Sowed in that Land (which he only Hired then for his uſe) and that in a time of Famine too, he had an hundred ſold increaſe (which is the very utmoſt that our Lord mentions, Mat. 13.23. in the Parable of the Sower, Gen. 26.12. yet his Son Jacob meets at this time with no ſuch overflowing meaſures, ſo his Stores were ſoon Exhauſted when the ſtarving Famine falls upon his Family: But God revealeth this approaching Judgment to Jacob's Son, Joſeph (a Prophet alſo) ſeven years before it came, hereupon he laid up Stores in abundance in Egypt: Jacob the Father is Famiſh'd at Home, while Joſ…ph the Son is Fed to the full Abroad: The emptineſs of Jacob's Barns drives him out of Canaan, and the fulneſs of Joſeph's Garners draws him down to Egypt.

Remark the ſecond, Oh that Chriſts fulneſs may incite and intice us, as Merchants to the Indies, &c. full of Spices, Pearls and precious Commodities, as Bees to pleaſant Meadows full of fragrant Flowers, affording ſweet Thyme to that laborious little Inſect; as the Queen of Sheba to Solomon, full of Wiſdom to ſatisfie her Soul in all her Abſtruſe Queſtions; and as Jacob and all his Family to Joſeph in Egypt, where he had fulneſs of Corn for them all in that extream Famine, which they (the bleſſed Church) ſmarted under, as well as their Neighbours, the Curſed Canaanites; ſo had Abraham and his Family, and ſo had Iſaac and his Family done before, Gen. 12.10. and 26.1. Saints have their ſhare in common Calamities, both the good Figs and the bad were carried Captive, Jer. 24.1, 3, 5, 8. The ſharp Sickle cuts down the Corn and the Weeds both together at the Harveſt; ſo that fulneſs both of Abundance and of Redundance, which (it hath pleaſed the Father, Col. 1.19.) doth dwell in our Joſeph, in our Jeſus, ſhould be a ſtrong Charm, and an irreſtiſtible Invitation to draw us effectually to him (ſeeing he is Anointed with the Oil of gladneſs, not only above, but alſo for his Fellows, Heb. 1.9.) then ſhould we return (as Jacob's Sons with Sacks full of Corn) with Hearts full fraught with the Rich Treaſures of Grace and Truth, John 1.16. Did they go (as Auſtin ſaith) three hundred Miles to get Food of Joſeph for their Bodies, and ſhall we think much to ſtir a few ſteps (in this City, ſay it be a few Miles in the Countrey) to get Food for our Souls? Oh how ſhould poor empty Creatures preſs toward a full Chriſt for a ſeaſonable and a ſatisfactory Supply! Alas we are made all up of meer wants, and he is all fulneſs to make up our wants! We ſhould preſs towards this precious prize, Phil. 3.14. eſpecially if a Famine of the Word fall upon us, as is threatned, Amos 8.11, 12. which God may juſtly call for, Pſal. 105.16. for our loathing of the Heavenly Manna, and accounting light of it, Numb. 11.6. and 21.5. Mat. 22.5. Lightly come by, is but lightly ſet by: Citò parta vileſcunt: Alas!

1. How have we like wanton Children, play'd the wantons with wholeſom Food, we have waſted it, inſtead of ſupplying our wants with it: Many Stomachs have been ſo Nice and p. 407Squeaſie, that they have even nauſeated the Bread of Life, their Palates have been too dainty and delicate, too critical and curious to find the Genuine flavour and ſavour of Angels Food; plain Preaching hath been plainly puff'd at and diſreliſhed.

2. And like froward Children, how have we quarrell'd about the Cup, till we have almoſt ſpilt all the Wine? 'Tis but a Righteous thing with the moſt Righteous God (who doth always right, Gen. 18.25.) to teach us more Wiſdom than either to quarrel or be wanton. He may take all away, ſaying, [I will not feed you, Zech. 11.9. that we may better know the worth of thoſe Bleſſings by the want of them: Thus hath He dealt with the ſeven Churches of Aſia of old: Thus with Bohemia, the Palatinate, and many other parts of Germany, &c. of late, and thus with that large Region of Nubia in Africk, which had (as 'tis thought) profeſſed the Chriſtian Faith, from the very time of the Apoſtles, but now hath embraced Mahometiſm, their Candleſtick is removed, Rev. 2.5. This brings in the third Remark.

3. Oh that we …y not be like the Murmurers in the Wilderneſs, crying out [our Soul loatheth this Light Bread] Numb. 21.5. or like thoſe other people, whoſe Sins of formality, Indifferency, and Supine Security were the great ſnuffs that dimm'd their Light, and at laſt put it out: As loathing of Meat, and difficulty of Breathing are two ſure ſigns of a Sick, and ſhrewd Symptoms of a dying Body, ſo are careleſneſs of Hearing and coldneſs of Praying, (both theſe Duties becoming irkſome, and if not diſuſed, yet done without delight) certain Signs and Symptoms of a Sick and Dying Soul, whether the Soul be conſider'd as relating to Chriſtians, in particular, or to the Church in General: A diſreliſhing of Duty uſhers in a diſuſe and diſcontinuance of it, and the Father will not feed ſuch froward and wanton Children: That Vineyard which brings nothing but Wild and Sour Grapes, Wild Notions, a Sour Spirit againſt each other) the Vine-Dreſſer, will lay deſolate, Iſa. 5.1, 2, 5, 6. it brings forth nothing but ſtinking ſtuff, (as the Hebrew word ſignifies) that was nought and noiſom Grapes of Sodom, and Cluſters of Gomorrah, Deut. 32.32, 33. their wicked Natures produce wicked Works, behold here are nothing viſible but works of the Fleſh, Inſtead of Fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5.19, 22. therefore (ſaith God) [I will lay it waſte] utterly ruine it, and root it up, and never ſave them for a ſinning ſtock any longer, thus Gods old houſe of the Jewiſh Church was left deſolate, Mat. 23.38. firſt by the Babylonians before Chriſt, and then by the Romans after him, by whom God, taking away the Goſpel from Jeruſalem, brought Deſolation not only upon his own Houſe (the Temple) but upon their Dwelling Houſes alſo: Thus Gods later Houſe, of the Chriſtian Church (planted at Rome, &c. by the Apoſtles) was laid Deſolate alſo, for when Religion did degenerate from its primitive power and purity, was become Barren, being all moſs-be grown, with Formality, and made in time not only a matter of Form, but of Scorn alſo, about the Sixth Century, the Saracens in the Eaſt, and thoſe Barbarous People (the Goths and Vandals) in the Weſt broke in: and bore down all before them: Thus alſo, we may well expect the removal of our Candleſtick, a Treading down of our Vineyard, and utter Deſolation: The like Sins bring the like Judgments: God may call for a Famine, &c. If we will not hear his Word, we may hear his Rod, Mic. 6.9. yea and feel his Sword too. Eliſha hath his Sword as well as Hazael and Jehu, 1 King 19.17. though of another nature, to wit, his Threatnings and Imprecations, all which were infallibly accompliſhed, ſuch as ſtand it out againſt the power of two Kings, ſhall yet fall by the Hand and Power of Prayer, and when ever our Eliſha's unſheath and brandiſh their Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God, Eph. 6.17. 'tis a fair warning that the Sword of Jehu and of Hazael are at Hand, ſee Hoſ. 6.5. and Jer. 1.10. all theſe aforeſaid, are for our examples, 1 Cor. 10.6. and for our Caution and Admonition, v. 11. God Hangs up (as it were) ſome in Gibbets for publick patterns of Divine Juſtice: Alterius perditio noſtra fiat cautio. The Torture of others ſhould be a Terror to us: Lege Hiſtoriam, nè fias Hiſtoria: worthily are they made Examples, who will take none. Foelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum.

To take warning effectually, at the Deſtruction of Wicked Men for their wickedneſs is a right and the beſt waſhing of our feet in the Blood of the wicked, Pſal. 52.6. with 58.10. the Righteous ſeeing the Ruine of the Irreligious, are made themſelves the more Religious thereby: The Perdition of the one is for caution to the other, and not to take warning, is a ſure preſage, as well as a juſt Merit, and deſert of utter Deſtruction, which, if we Repent not, will be our Portion; our Candleſtick, our God and his Goſpel will make a removal from us and then wo unto us, Hoſ. 9.12. this may be as ſurely foreſeen and foretold, as if Letters had been ſent from Heaven to ſuch a purpoſe as were ſent to the ſeven Churches of Aſia.

p. 408The Fourth Remark is, Though Jacob had a well grounded Faith, and good cauſe to Hope well both of his Warrant for his Journey into Egypt, of his welcom thither, and of his welfare there; yet ſome ſtrong pang of fear did poſſeſs him in his paſſage from Hebron. Had not his Faith been below his Fear, and had not his Fear got above his Faith, God had not ſaid to him at Beerſheba (where he pray'd for a proſperous Journey) thoſe chearing up words [Fear not to go down to Egypt] Gen▪ 46.1, 2, 3. Jacob might juſtly ſee ſufficient cauſe of Fear, upon ſundry Accounts. As,

1. His Father had been forbid to go thither in the like occaſion of Famine, Gen. 26.2.

2. The very Journey might ſeem too far for him, now become ſo frail and feeble through old Age, he might fear to die by the way.

3. In going to Egypt he feared to ſeem a forſaker of the Land of Promiſe, which was the Pledge of the Heavenly Canaan.

4 He feared, that coming into that Impious and Idolatrous Country, his Righteous Soul would be vexed with their unrighteous Converſation, (as Lot had been i… Sodom, 2 Pet. 2.7.) and with their Idolatry alſo; for about this time began their worſhipping of a Pide Bull or Cow (named Apis) from whence the Iſraelites learnt to worſhip a Calf, Auguſtine de Civit. Dei, lib. 18. cap. 4.

5. He might juſtly fear likewiſe, the Debauching of his Poſterity, by the Pleaſures and Treaſures of Egypt, Hebr. 11.26. wherewith they being bewitched in that pleaſant and plentiful Land, might not only become Diſſolute and Senſual in life, but alſo lay aſide all Thoughts of returning to Canaan.

6. Jacob might laſtly fear, not only the corrupting of his Family both in Worſhip and Manners, but alſo their Slavery in that Country, which was foretold by God to Abraham, Gen. 15.13. and ſo, his going now thither, ſeem'd to haſten that Miſery upon them, which would of it ſelf come ſoon enough, without his going down to fetch it.

Theſe and the like might be the many Grounds of Jacob's Fears, as on the one hand he admits not of that fond Stoical Apathy (which is no better than a ſtupid blockiſhneſs;) ſo on the other hand, his ordinary Faith might be run down by an extraordinary Fear, through thoſe carnal Reaſonings of a wicked Heart, that (through Satan's Suggeſtions) pored too much downward upon the ruſhing and roaring Streams which ran ſo ſwiftly under him and his, until he was help'd to look upward at his God, and the God of his Fathers, who had hitherto kept touch with them in his Promiſe by the Almighty hand of his Power and Providence, &c. whatever Jacob's Fears were, he took the right Method to get rid of them: He prays down his Fears, and prays up his Faith; The very Heathens will not dare to take a Journey, without firſt offering Sacrifice; much leſs ought Chriſtians, whoſe Father Jacob did not dare to neglect it. He conſults with God, as David did after, ſaying, Shew me the way I ſhould chooſe, that my Soul may dwell at eaſe, Pſal. 25.12, 13. and 32.8. and the Prayer-Hearing God gives him an Anſwer of Peace, Gen. 41.16. and ſweetly counter-comforts him againſt thoſe his Fears aforementioned: As,

1. The ſame God who forbad his Father to go down, bids him (the Son) not Fear to go down.

2. As to all thoſe Miſchiefs of Soul and Body to thy ſelf and to thine, thou feareſt (may be met with in Egypt) fear them not, for I will go down with thee, &c. v. 3, 4. thou ſhalt have me thy Antidote againſt all thoſe Evils.

3. Neither ſhalt thou die by the way, &c. but thy Son Joſeph ſhall cloſe up thy eyes when thou dieſt.

4. Whereas thou art afraid that the Egyptian Servitude ſhall ſuppreſs thy Offspring: I will there make of thee a great Nation, &c. This made him couragious.

Inference hence is, Firſt, Oh happy and thrice happy are the Children of Jacob, (the cloſe walking Chriſtians) who (with their Father Jacob) have God ſaying to them [I will go with you] both in all your Journeys by Land, and in all your Voyages by Sea: and not only ſo, but alſo [I will go down with you] into your Graves, and [I will ſurely bring you back again from thence] This is as good Security as can be to God's Servants, both while they live, and when they die. For,

1. While they live, God is their good and their comfortable Companion, their Convoy by Sea, and their Conduct by Land: If Caeſar's Barge-man could be comforted with Caeſar's words in a Storm [Quid Times, Caeſarem vehis, & ejus Fortunam] Be not too timorous in this terrible Tempeſt, but chear up, thou carries Caeſar, ſo cannot miſcarry: A child of light walking in darkneſs need fear nothing, while his Heavenly Father holds him faſt by the hand, Pſal 23.4. and 138.7. Iſa. 50.10.

p. 4092. When they Die, and go down to the Grave, (as Jacob did go down to Egypt) God ſo ſaith to them, as he ſaid to him; Fear not to enter into that Sleeping-place of the Sepulchre, I will ſurely awake you again, and bring you back from the Jaws of a Temporal Death, to the Joys of an Eternal Life, and your frail Bodies, that now Death and Grave do ſwallow up, ſhall certainly riſe again, and by their very rotting ſhall be the more refined at the grand Reſurrection, 1 Cor. 15.36, 42, 43, 44, &c.

The Second Inference is, God comes uſually to his Servants, as he came here to his Servant Jacob, while he was in ſuſpenſe, and did hang betwixt Hope and Fear: God loves to perfect his ſtrength in our weakneſs, 2 Cor. 12.9. The Heart of Man is not in a capable caſe for receiving Divine Promiſes till it be firſt freed from falſe Fears: Therefore God came to comfort Abraham with [Fear not] before he gave him the Promiſe, Gen. 15.1. ſo his Grandſon (Jacob) had the ſame Cordial [Fear not] before the promiſe both of his own perſonal ſafety, and of his numberleſs Poſterity: Had God given Jacob only that General Promiſe [I will be with thee] It indeed had been enough (had he ſaid no more) for a ſufficient Security againſt all his particular Doubts and Fears, yet out of his ſuper-abundant Bounty, he gives a diſtinct Anſwer, and what might be ſatisfactory in every particular, ſaying (in effect) to him,

1. I Approve of thy Enterpriſe, my Command is thy Warrant, I will make thy Journey Proſperous, according to thy Prayer.

2. Thy change of place, ſhall neither change my Promiſe to thee, nor thy Company with me; I am not chained to one place, but am preſent in every place, not tied to Canaan, but will be with thee in Egypt.

3. Though thou for a time forſake the Land of Promiſe, yet thither will I again bring thee, when Dead, and thy Poſterity while living, for whom thy Body (Buried there) ſhall take and keep Poſſeſſion till their Return, ſo that this Promiſe contains the Hiſtory of many (yea, more than two hundred) years.

4. And thy Jewel Joſeph (whom thou thought was loſt) hath been but lent to the Lord, who will return him (whom now thou ſo much longeſt to ſee) with Advantage; he was loſt a Slave, but ſhall he found a Lord, yea, a Lord of Lords, and of the whole Land.

5. Yea, thy Joſeph (whom thou gave up for Dead) ſhall cloſe up thy Eyes when thou dieſt, wherein God promiſed him both a quiet Life, and a comfortable Death in Egypt, his dear Joſeph (being preſent with him) ſhould have the Honour (above all his Sons) to do that laſt Office of Love, of putting his hand upon his Fathers Eyes (which were lift up wide open toward Heaven when he died, having Hope in his Death, Prov. 14.32.) to ſhut them up, which ſhall ſhortly be opened again to ſee God in the Fleſh, Job 19.26. By all theſe particulars, God aſſured Jacob (and ſo he doth no leſs to us the Children of Jacob) that there is a Paternal Providence, of God always attending upon him and all his, whom he will never fail, nor forſake, Joſh. 1.5. and Hebr. 13.5. the particular Promiſe to Joſhua is generally applied by the Apoſtle to all Believers; Bleſſed ſhalt thou be in thy going out, and Bleſſed in thy coming in, Deut. 28.6. I will carry thee down, and I will bring thee up, (ſaith God to Jacob) thou ſhalt not want my preſence, at no time, and in no place; Semel Electus, ſemper Dilectus, ſaith Auſtin, which is well Engliſhed whom God once loveth, he ever loveth, even to the end, Joh. 13.1. This Bleſſed Patriarch, having now this Double Compellation, [Jacob, Jacob] and this Treble, yea, Quadruple Conſolation from Heaven, his Heart was much eaſed of his Fears, his Spirit lightned from his Doubts, his Faith now got above his Fear by the help of this Heavenly Viſion, [that he Roſe up from Beerſhebah] v. 5. The word [Roſe up] hath an Emphatical ſenſe, ſignifying [Alacrity] Importing, that his Faith was now confirmed, his Joints were Oiled, and his Legs made nimbler by this Oracle of God (as it had been with him by his Viſion at Bethel, Gen. 28.12.) ſo that he doth now (as he did then, Gen. 29.1.) Hebr. even lift up his feet, went luſtily on his way as faſt and as far as his Legs would carry him. He did ſo from Bethel, though now he had Pharaoh's Royal Chariot to reſt his old Legs in; He goes cheerfully end ways to Egypt, when his Encouragements outweigh'd his Diſcouragements as in David when diſtreſſed, 1 Sam. 30.6. taking along with him his Cattle and Goods, v. 6. though Pharaoh had (in a Court Complement) forbad it, Gen. 45.20. yet this prudent Patriarch would not go down like a Beggar (by careleſly caſting away his All in this tranſport of Joy, as 2 Sam. 19.30) and ſo to become a Trencher-fly to others: He had learnt that Leſſon, 'tis better to truſt in the Lord (in the lawful uſe of means ſubſervient to Providence) than to put Confidence in any man (though his own Son) or in the greateſt of Men, who are Princes, as Pharaoh, Pſal. 118.8, 9. who oft proved but a lye, Pſal. 62.9. They may die, or their love may die, and they (themſelves) may live: He had learnt that alſo [why ſhould we be chargeable to thee, my Son, 2 Sam. 13.25. Therefore he carries what Proviſion he had with him and his Family, conſiſting of Sixty ſix Souls, v. 26. went along with him, to which, if Jacob, p. 410Joſeph, and his two Sons (Manaſſeh and Ephraim be added, they make up the Number of Seventy, v. 27. though they are reckon'd (by following the Septuagint then moſt in uſe) to be five more, Act. 7.14. Suppoſe ſo; yet even that is but a ſmall Number to deſcend from Abraham in 215 years time after the Promiſe of multiplying his Seed, as the Stars, &c.

The Fifth Remark is, Moſes mentions this ſmall number that went down with Jacob thus induſtriouſly, not only for diſtinguiſhing the Twelve Tribes, nor to ſhew out of what Family Chriſt ſhould deſcend, naming Perez and Hezron, which are named in Chriſt's Genealogy, Matth. 1.3. and Luk 3.33. but the principal Reaſon is, that this inconſiderable Number at Iſrael's going into Egypt, might the more magnifie the Mercy, Truth, and Power of God in multiplying theſe few into an Innumerable Number in Egypt, ſo that theſe Seventy Souls were become Six hundred Thouſand, beſides old People, Women, and Children in 215 years more, when Iſrael came out of Egypt. This could not without a Divine Miracle, and a ſignal ſingular Bleſſing of Heaven, be accompliſh'd upon Earth: All which do ſhew,

1. That the Promiſe of God muſt not be over-haſtily expected in its Performance. God gave Abraham his Promiſe, of making him a great Nation, &c. Gen. 12.2, 3. yet two Hundred and fifteen years after that, his Offspring were increaſed to no more than to ſeventy Souls. God had ſignified to him, that his Seed ſhould be evil intreated four hundred years, Gen. 15.13. which muſt begin when Iſhmael mock'd Iſaac, he being the Son of Hagar the Egyptian, Gen. 21.9. Gal. 4.29. This Perſection happen'd Thirty years after that firſt Promiſe, Gen. 12.2, 3. which Promiſe was Four hundred and thirty years before the Law, Gal. 3.17. and Four hundred and thirty years after that Promiſe, came Iſrael out of Egypt, Exod. 12.40. when Jac…b came down into Egypt, he was 130 years old, and then the juſt half of the 430 years (betwixt the Promiſe to Abraham, and Iſrael's Deliverance out of Bondage) to wit, the 215 years were exactly expired: This half is thus reckon'd by parcels, 'twas 25 years after Abraham was come into the Land before he had Iſaac, 'twas 60 years more before Iſaac had Jacob, and 'twas 130 years more (which was the Age and Time of Jacob's coming to Joſeph, All which amounts to 215; yet all this long Period, God's Promiſe lay Dormant as to its Performance, the Number of Stars and Sands promiſed was circled in only 70 Souls.

Thus that Promiſe (which was the firſt in the World) of the Womans ſeed breaking the Serpents head, had not its Accompliſhment till Shilo came, which was about Four thouſand years after the making of that Promiſe to Adam: Thus that Promiſe to Ahaz [that a Virgin ſhould conceive a Son.] Iſa. 7.14. yet neither he, nor his ſaw its Performance: Thus alſo Daniel's 70 weeks or 490 years, had a long Commencement after Daniel's Day, before the Meſſiah came to take away Tranſgreſſion, &c. Thus Abraham's 430 years was a long Parentheſis betwixt the Promiſe and the Performance, of God's giving him that Land: yea, we muſt reckon 40 years move to the 430, (for ſo long Abraham's Seed wander'd in the Wilderneſs before they came to poſſeſs the Land of Promiſe: and indeed the Performance of that Promiſe, of all Nations to be bleſſed in Abraham's Seed, was much longer after that, even not till Chriſt came, The Oath which he ſware to our father Abraham, Luk. 1.73.

Note, 2. God's Church is oft reduced into a narrow compaſs, and ſmall number, as here into 70 Souls, unable to ſubſiſt among the 70 Nations (which Apoſtatiz'd at the building of Babel) yet God the Churches Rock protects her from their Malice, Pſal. 105.12, 13, 14, 15. and raiſed her up from this ſmall Foundation, to a Prodigious Multiplication, v. 26. and that, all the Time under the Croſs, in deſpite of all the Powers of Egypt engaged againſt them: the more moleſted, they the more multiplied.

Having handl'd Jacob's peregrination into Egypt, the next Remark is, his commoration in Egypt, wherein two things are conſiderable;

1. His Honourable welcome thither; And,

2. His comfortable welfare there. Firſt of the firſt.

1. Jacob had not only a common welcome, but an honourable one: When he had quell'd and kill'd his fears (for he firſt fear'd to go, till God promis'd him his preſence and protection) by the power and force of his Faith, Gen. 46.3, 4, 5. He came down thither comfortably, committing his All to a faithful Creator, whom he found far better to him than his own fears, who gave him not only a welcome thither, but alſo a welfare there; for Jacob's beſt and happieſt days were thoſe he ſpent in Egypt with his Jewel Joſeph, Lord of the Land; 'twas for Joſeph's ſake, that Jacob and his Family had their welcome to Egypt, and welfare in it; ſo 'tis for Jeſus ſake, that we have both theſe, both in the Kingdom of Grace and in that of Glory. That Jacob might have his welcome thither, he ſent Judah as his Praecurſor or Harbinger, being a Man of more excellent Parts, and of greateſt Authority among his Sons, both wiſe and well-ſpoken, as appears by that exquiſite Oration he made to Joſeph, Gen. 44.18. p. 411to the 34. wherein he prefers his F…thers Life before his own Liberty, he could not live to ſee Jacob die. Him he ſent to give Joſeph notice that his Father Was at hand, Gen. 46.28. Thus this good Man guided his matters with diſcretion, Pſal. 112.5. in ſending this Son Judah as his Meſſenger, who did not only excel all his other Sons in Prudence and Power, but alſo was moſt acceptable to his Father (in becoming ſurety for Benjamin his Brother, wherein he was a Type of Chriſt (deſcending from him) who is our ſurety, Heb. 7.22. Gen. 43.9. yea, and he was moſt acceptable to his Brother Joſeph too, for his Cogent Arguments wherewith he overcame his Bloody-minded Brethren to ſave Joſeph from periſhing in the Pit, Gen. 37.26, &c. Thus Jeſus (of the Tribe of Judah) delivers us out of the Pit, Zech. 9.11.

☞ Behold here the Prudence and Providence of this pious Patriarch, thus to prepare his way for his welcom, leſt the Inhabitants ſhould make an Inſurrection againſt him, when they ſaw him (a meer Stranger) intrude as an under ſettle and an Interloper among them to eat the Bread (whereof they then had too little for themſelves) out of their Mouths with his ſeventy Souls, beſides his great Train of all ſorts of Cattel. This admoniſhes us to do nothing unadviſedly, leſt our raſhneſs work our Ruth and ruin; give no offence careleſly, take no offence cauſleſly: As Jacob would not trouble any, ſo he prudently prevents his being troubl'd by any: Joſeph, (hearing by Judah that Jacob was got to the Borders of Egypt) goes forth to give him his welcom, and Oh what a joyful meeting was this of Father and Son, who had not ſeen one another in long twenty three years: How joyful this was to Jacob appeareth,

1. In his falling upon the Neck of Joſeph, and weeping over him with Tears of exceeding great joy. Oh how joyful will be the meeting of Saints in Heaven! As Jacob might here ſay to Joſeph, Oh my dear Child, where haſt thou been all this while? I thought thou had been dead: Thus the Father ſaid to his penitent Prodigal with exceeding joy, [Thou waſt dead, but now alive, thou waſt loſt, but art found, Luke 15.20.32 and thus Chriſt ſhall ſay, [Come ye bleſſed of my Father, Mat. 25.34.] as if he ſaid, My dear Children, where have ye been all this time? John 17.24. 'Tis his joy to have them with him, &c. He will have all his redeemed with him, he doth not ſo much pray it, as ſay it with Authority, he ſays, [I will] have it ſo; he ſays it, as one in joint-commiſſion with God, I will have mine with me, I have merited it for them, and I cannot account my ſelf happy enough without them, Eph. 1.22, 23. Thus Joſeph will have (as Pharaoh's Vice-Roy) all him Fathers Family with him, that where he was (in Pomp, Peace and Plenty) there they might be alſo: And thus Jeſus (our Brother) will have all his Brethren with him, it was part of his joy on Earth (while he was below) to have them about him, Mat. 28.10. Go tell my Brethren, they muſt meet me in Galilee, &c. Mark 16.7. how much more to have them with him in Heaven; the Head will draw up all the Members (not leaving ſo much as a little Toe here below) into the Fathers Boſom. This meeting of Head and Members one with another ſhall be a more joyful meeting, than that of Jacob and Joſeph, &c. or of the two Couſins Mary and Elizabeth, the preſence of Chriſt, though but then in the Womb, made John [foreign] to skip and ſpring more like a ſuckling at the Breaſt than an Embrio in the Womb, and [foreign] to Dance a Galliard (as the two Greek words import) Luke 1.44, 46. leaping levalto's for the Saviours coming; what ſhall the preſence of our Joſeph or Jeſus do in the Joys of Heaven? If that joy of Jacob and Joſeph's meeting cannot be conceived, much more incomprehenſible is the joy of our meeting our Lord in the Air, 1 Theſ. 4.17. (as Jacob's Family met Joſeph in Goſhen, Gen. 46.29.) Sermo non valet exprimere, experimento opus eſt. 'Tis fitter to be believed, than poſſible to be diſcourſed, yea, 'tis impoſſible to be diſcovered, 1 Cor. 2.9. we may as ſoon compaſs Heaven with a Span, or contain the Ocean in a Nut-ſhell.

The ſecond evidence of Jacob's joyfulneſs at this meeting of Joſeph, was, his ſaying, Now let me die, &c. Gen. 46.30. Jacob could hardly hear the News of Joſeph and live. His Heart fainted, when he heard, that Joſeph was yet Alive, Gen. 45.26. but when once he ſaw him, now (ſaith he) let me die: He had ſaid before upon the Tidings of Joſeph's life. ['Tis enough Joſeph is yet alive, I will go down to ſee him before I die] Gen. 45.28. He had almoſt pined away in a lingring Deſire of his Son Joſeph long 23 years; and hearing he was living, when he thought him all that time Dead, then he cryeth [it is enough] I have enough of Content and enough of life, may I be but ſo happy, as to ſee him once before I die. And now having obtained that Deſireable and Delightful fight of his ſuppoſed loſt Son; He calmly compoſeth himſelf to a willingneſs to die: Saying, I have lived enough, I have my life, (for his life was bound up in the life of the Lad) I have longed enough, I have my love (for he loved him above all his Sons) I have ſorrow'd enough, I have my joy, and I have ſeen enough, in ſeeing him whom my Soul deſired to ſee. The ſight and embracement of Joſeph was to Jacob ſo tranſporting, as was that of the Bleſſed Babe Jeſus at Bethlehem to good old Simeon, who Sung his Soul p. 412(as it were) out of his Body, when he had laid Chriſt in his Heart as well as lapt him in his Arms, ſinging, I fear no Sin, I dread no Death, ſweet Babe of Bethlehem, let this Song ſerve for a Lullaby to thee, and for a Funeral to me, Oh ſleep thou in my boſom, and let me ſleep in thy Peace, Luk. 2.29, 30. Thus Jacob in his embracing of Joſeph, was under the like Raptures rejoycing more for Joſeph's life (he had from him, his Father) than for his Honour he deriv'd from Pharaoh.

Thus, as Jacob was welcom, Firſt, to Joſeph; So Secondly, was he welcom to Pharaoh for Joſeph's ſake: That it might be ſo, Joſeph putteth forth his great Prudence, Piety and Humility in many particulars; As,

1. He at this merry Meeting inſtructs his Brethren (unacquainted with Courtſhip, being wholly Educated in Countrey Affairs) how they might comport themſelves before the King and his Courtiers, when he preſented them to him, for he brought his Brethren to Pharaoh before he brought his Father, Gen. 46.31, 32, 33. with 47.2, 7. wiſely ſuppoſing, that the King would deſire to ſee theſe ſame new ſtrange Gueſts, his highly honoured Joſeph's Relations.

2. He foreſaw his next work (after meeting his Father and his Family) was, that he might now procure a commodious place of Reſidence for them, which Pharaoh had promis'd in the general, [Ye ſhall eat of the fat of the Land,] Gen. 45.18, 20, Now he would have that Royal general Promiſe confirmed to that particular place of Goſhen in their Preſence and Audience.

3. Though Joſeph had this frank Offer of Pharaoh, was his great Favourite and Vice-Roy, yea, and had Invited his Father with a promiſe to nouriſh him and his Family, particularly in Goſhen, Gen. 45.10, 11. all the five following years of the ſore Famine, yet will Joſeph do nothing for his Friends (notwithſtanding his Princely Power) to fix them in that Fertile Countrey without the Kings Privity and Approbation.

4. As Joſeph promis'd Goſhen to Jacob either out of Conference he had with Pharaoh concerning it, or out of confidence of his Royal Aſſent whenever the motion was made to him, as it was, Gen. 47.4, 6. So for his actual performing of that Promiſe; he effectually obtains the Kings Grant and Royal Licence, whereby he prudently prevented the Arrows of thoſe Arch-Archers (afore-mentioned) the envious Courtiers, who were never wanting to wait for his halting, and would have ſhot ſore at him for abuſing his Authority, well-knowing that envy attends upon Honour, and always aims at the higheſt. The talleſt Trees are weakeſt at the Tops: His Providence in avoiding that offence (had he acted by his ſingle Principality) was as a Back of Steel to make his Bow abide in ſtrength.

5. His marvellous W ſdom and pious Modeſty appear in this alſo, that he did not ſend any of thoſe Courtiers that attended him in his Riding to meet his Father in Princely Equipage with his Charet and much attendance, Gen. 46.29. but as he humbled himſelf to his Father and his Family, jumping out of his Charet (as the Rabby's relate) and caſting away his Princely Bonnet, and other Ornaments of Honour, (that they might the better diſcern him) and falls down before his Father in all Filial Subjection and Reverence, wherein he was not to act the part of a potent Prince, but of a dutiful and ſubmiſſive Son; ſo here he humbles himſelf to become their Meſſenger (himſelf) to Pharaoh, ſaying, [I will go up and ſhew Pharaoh, &c.] Gen. 46.31. for none could expedite that Affair ſo well as himſelf, having the Kings Ear, and ſo high in his Favour, that Pharaoh could deny him nothing he requeſted: This teacheth, that what we can (and ought to) do our ſelves, and that beſt of all with our own Hands, we may not commit it to be done by other Hands, as is the cuſtom of careleſs and ſlothful ones; Non-reſidents carry on their cure of Souls by their Curates or Journey-men.

6. Joſeph (though a Prince) was not aſhamed to own his own Kindred, though their Trade was mean and deſpicable, eſpecially in the Opinion of the Egyptians; for he did not only vouchſafe to meet them in their way, but alſo,

1. To preſent ſome of his Brethren (poor Shepherds) to the King, Gen. 47.2. who ask'd them, [What is your Occupation?] ver. 3. a meet queſtion for a good Magiſtrate to ask; that they had one Pharaoh takes for granted; this prudent Prince ſuffer'd none of his Subjects to live idly without Employ: God made Leviathan to play in the Sea, Pſal. 104.26. but none to do ſo on Earth: He that will not work, ſhall not eat, 2 Theſ. 3.10. Paul condemns idleneſs as a Capital Crime, to the pains of Death, yea, to one of the worſt of Deaths, to die by Famine: 'Tis a Law laid upon all Mortals to ſweat out a poor living by ſome lawful Labours, and to Earn what they eat by the Sweat either of the Brow or of the Brain, Gen. 3.19. yea, Paradiſe it ſelf, which was Adam's Store-houſe, was his work-houſe alſo.. He muſt take pains, (though then without pain or wearineſs) as well as have the pleaſures thereof, Gen. 2.15. ſuch as do not ſerve God in an honeſt Calling, will ſoon (as all looſe Perſons do) Liſt themſelves p. 413to ſerve the Devil: Joſeph here had Inſtructed his Brethren to tell Pharaoh the Truth, and not to be aſhamed of their Trades. Though Graſiers or Shepherds were abominable in Egypt, every lawful Calling hath its foreign, a Decorum, an Honour put upon it by God: 'Tis the unlawful only, that are ſhameful; A Gameſter, a Cheater, a Kid-napper, an Uſurer, &c. are aſham'd to own themſelves as ſuch, when asked what their Occupations be; whereas the honeſt Scavenger, Chimney-ſweeper, Tankard-bearer, &c. are ready to own themſelves ſo; 'tis the Language of our Law, [To Bridewel with them,] that can give no true account of ſome juſt Employ.

2. Joſeph likewiſe preſented his Father (though a poor Aged Man) to Pharaoh, Gen. 47.7. He was not like thoſe unnatural Children of our day, who think it a diſgrace to acknowledge their poor Parents: David did not ſo, who brought his Father and Mother to the King of Moab to keep them, (haply pleading that his Father Jeſſe's Grand-mother Ruth was a Moabiteſs,) 1 Sam. 22.3, 4. And Joſeph did not ſo, who ſet his old Father before Pharaoh, who wondred at the whiteneſs of his Hoary Head. As the King, ſeeing Joſeph's Brethren young Men, and fit for Labour, therefore asks them about their Occupations, and they anſwer, That they were not like Body-Lice, which live not by their own Sweat, but upon the Sweat of others, they lived by their own Labours, and not upon the Labours of others, ſo it was no Sin to ſuccour them: So he, ſeeing Joſeph's Father a very old Man, and paſt his Labour, asks him only of his Age, but nothing of his Occupation: Jacob was now an hundred and thirty years old, juſt the half of the four hundred and thirty years, between the promiſe to Abraham, and the Delivery out of Egypt, to wit, two hundred and fifteen years were at this very time expired, as before: It was ſtrange News in Egypt to ſee ſo old a Man as Jacob. Pharaoh deſign'd no more in his demand, [How old art thou?] Gen. 47.8. than what a blind Heathen could do, namely, to know his years, and the Age of his Life; yet God ſo diſpoſeth of Jacob's anſwer, that an excellent Lecture is read to that Heathen King, ver. 9. How Heaven is Mans Home, this World is but as an Inn where Man Sojourns for a while, and wherein he (as a poor Pilgrim) is expoſed to manifold evils, yea, and that through the former ſins of the Sons of Men, Nature began to decay, and Mans Life grew ſhorter than formerly, inſomuch that neither Jacob himſelf, nor any other Man now attained to the years of the Life of their Forefathers in the days of their Pilgrimage; for Jacob's Father Iſaac lived to an hundred and eighty years of Age, Gen. 35.28. and his Grand-father Abraham to one hundred ſeventy five, Gen. 25.7. whereas he himſelf was the… but an hundred and thirty; and being ſo very old, he found his ſtrength decay, therefore did he both before then, and after, make Death familiar to him at Bed and Board, learning to die daily, and often crying, [Let me die,] Gen. 45.28. and 46.30. and [lo I die,] Gen. 48.21. and 50.5. yet God was better to him than his expectations, for he lived ſeventeen years after his conference with Pharaoh, Gen. 37.28. dying at an hundred forty and ſeven years ſtill ſhort both of his Father and Grand-father, as before.

After theſe things were Tranſacted, Jacob and his Sons had Pharaoh's hearty welcom, as they had Joſeph's before: They deſired to live in the Land of Goſhen, according to Joſeph's Inſtructions; Not only becauſe,

1. It was neareſt to the Land of Canaan, ſo ſtood moſt commodious for their Return out of that Country to their own.

2. It was moſt fruitful, fatteſt, and fitteſt for feeding their Cattle; but alſo, becauſe,

3. That they might dwell apart from the Egyptians, and ſo not be corrupted with their Idolatry: Joſephus addeth, that Joſeph would not have his Brethren diſperſed among Egyptians, for this would have divided them one from another; yet were there ſome Egyptians Inhabitants among the Iſraelites in Goſhen, of whom they borrow'd Jewels at their Departure, Exod. 11.2. However, Pharaoh gave them his Royal Grant of Goſhen, Gen. 47.4, 5, 6.11. at their Petition for Joſeph's ſake. Kind he was, and conſtant in his Reſpects to ſo good a Servant; It pleaſed Pharaoh well, only to hear of his Servants Brethren, Gen. 45.16. yea, and his Courtiers too, at leaſt in counterfeit Kindneſs, they muſt love whom the King loves, they do but humour Pharaoh, while they honour Joſeph: yea, ſo good-humour'd God made Pharaoh to Joſeph, that he offer'd him to make ſuch of his Brethren (as were Men of Activity) of Shepherds to become Courtiers, Gen. 47.6. but we find not that Joſeph accepted of this Royal-offer, as being loth to adventure them among the Corruptions of the Court, though God had given him Grace to be as freſh Fiſh in a Salt Sea, and his bow abode in ſtrength, &c. yet might he well Queſtion, whether it would be ſo well with them, &c.

In all which Joſeph reſembles our ſweet Jeſus, who though a Lord, not only of one (as Joſeph) but of all Lands, yea, of Heaven and Earth, yet is not aſhamed to acknowledge the meaneſt of the Saints as his Brethren, Hebr. 2.11. He preſents us to the Father in whom we p. 414are accepted, Eph. 1.6. and provides a Goſhen, a Land of light for us, Joh. 14.3. and inſtructing us how to comport our ſelves before his Father, &c.

Having ſeen Jacob's welcom to Egypt, now his welfare in it is next to be conſidered: as the firſt was Honourable, ſo the ſecond was comfortable; His condition in Egypt was (indeed) like checker'd work. He had there long Mercy, but at laſt ſome Miſery, God hath ſet Adverſity over againſt Proſperity, Eccleſ. 7.14. There will be interchanges of fair Days and foul.

1. 'Twas fair weather with Jacob, when he met his Jewel Joſeph, when he had the Honour to be admitted into Pharaoh's Preſence, to kiſs (as we ſay) the King's Hand, and to hold a familiar Conference with him about Matters of Man's Mortality: and when a free and open Entertainment (by the King's Liberality, and through Joſeph's Interceſſion) was granted him in Goſhen; but above all when God graciouſly gave him to live there full Seventeen years in Health, Peace and Plenty, nothing all that time was he deprived of to render his life comfortable: He and all his had abundance of all things by his Son Joſeph's means, while the Egyptians themſelves were ſo pinched with penury, that they ſold all they had, and at laſt themſelves, for Peaſants and Vaſſals to Pharaoh, to purchaſe Bread for ſuſtaining their own ſingle lives: Thus it fared better with him and his (though mere Strangers) than with the proper Inhabitants and Natives of the Land: And thus Jacob's laſt Days, were his Beſt Days. He never had ſo large, and ſo long Proſperity neither in Syria, nor in Canaan before, as he had now in Egypt, though ſome part of this Proſperity was in the ſad time of a ſore Famine: This in the general; but more particularly, Joſeph is God's Inſtrument of Jacob's (and his whole Families) welfare in that ſore Famine, feeding them all with Bread, Hebr. according to the mouths of the little ones, Gen. 47.12. that is, according to the Number of their Families, as well ſmall as great, He did provide for them all, giving every one their [foreign] or full portion and proportion, as Luk. 12.42. which ſeemeth to have Reference to this place expreſs'd by the Septuagint [foreign] he gave them their due meaſure of Meat, or the Hebrew may be read [to the mouth of a little one] as the Nurſe puts meat into the Mouth of her Suckling, meaning tenderly and carefully; yea, and with as little care and pains to Jacob and his Houſhold, as Children uſe in providing for themſelves; yet 'tis improbable thoſe Shepherds (uſed always to pains-taking) would be idle all that time, as if they had been but ſo many helpleſs Infants: However 'tis a figurative Speech, ſignifying Joſeph's great Care he had to provide Neceſſaries for them all, from the eldeſt to the youngeſt, and their ſtrong Confidence for Proviſions in their proper Seaſon and Proportion from him: 'Tis ſaid, Joſeph nouriſh'd his Father and his Family; for which end, he was ſent before by God, Gen. 45.7, 8. and 50.20. and Pſal. 105.17. and which he (himſelf) had promis'd to do, Gen. 45.11. and 50.21. whereupon he is called [The Feeder (or Shepherd) and Stone of Iſrael, Gen. 49.24. by whoſe means, and for whoſe ſake ſo many Thouſands were preſerved, who otherwiſe would all have periſhed: All which teacheth us theſe many Remarks. As,

1. That 'tis a bleſſed thing to begin a Journey with ſeeking Gods Bleſſing at the beginning thereof; ſo did Abraham's Steward, Gen. 24.12. ſo did Jacob when come from Beerſhebah to Bethel, Gen. 28.20. He prayed as well as Vowed, and ſo he did at his coming out from Beerſhebah towards Egypt, Gen. 46.1. there he offer'd Sacrifice: and as God gave a ſucceſsful Journey to Eleazar, Gen. 24. ſo he did to Jacob in that long Journey to Laban in Syria, and in this perillous one to Joſeph in Egypt, where he met with both welcome and welfare: As 'tis ſaid [Tithe and be Rich] ſo [Pray and be Proſperous] the Popiſh Proverb [Maſs and Meat hinders no mans Thrift] may ſerve to reprove Neglecters of Prayer. As Prayer muſt be the Alpha of all our Enterpriſes, ſo Praiſe muſt be the Omega thereof. Hoc primum Repetas opus, hoc poſtremus omittas.

Neither the one, nor the other ought to be neglected: God may indeed give Succeſs without Prayer, but certainly it will be nothing ſo ſweet to the Soul; that ſucceſs is ſweeteſt which is won by Prayer, and worn by Thankſgiving.

2. This teaches us alſo, That it is not only the Duty of Pious Sons to nouriſh their Aged Parents when they are diſenabled to provide for themſelves, as before; but alſo 'tis the Duty of Pious Souls to do good to their worſt Emmies, as Joſeph did, not only to his old Father who had been always kind to him, but alſo to his bruitiſh Brethren who had been ſome times cruel to him: Recompence to no man evil for evil, Rom. 12.17. Revenge to carnal Reaſon ſeems Juſtice. Ariſtotle commends it, the World calls it Manhood, but indeed 'tis Belluinum Beaſtly, and Doghood rather; the more manly any Man is, the milder and more Merciful he is, as was Julius Caeſar, who wept over his Foe's (Pompey's) Head preſented to him, ſaying, Non mihi placet vindicta, ſed Victoria: I ſeek not Revenge, but Victory: as was valorous David, 2 Sam. 1.11, 12. Though he was well pleaſed with Nabal's Death (the p. 415caſe being differing) yet he mourned for Saul's: and as was vertuous Joſeph, who while he fed his Brethren, heap'd coals of fire upon their Heads, Prov. 25.21, 22. to melt thoſe hard Metals into a kindly Repentance, knowing aſſuredly, that the leſs he reveng'd himſelf, the more his God would (as indeed he had done) reward him.

3. It teaches what a marvellous Providence of God attends the Church, in ſending Joſeph beforehand into Egypt, Pſal. 105.17. there to lay up great Proviſions for ſuſtaining his Church in the Time of Famine, while many of the World were famiſh'd by it.

4. It teacheth likewiſe, That ſeeing All Joſeph's Store was laid up for Jacob and his Families (the Church's) ſake, whereby Egypt and other Lands were preſerved: Oh then, what Fools are the Men of the World, who perſecute the Saints, that are their Saviours and Safeguard, who hate and hunt them to whom they owe all the good things they have? what is this but doing as the ſilly Deer do, in eating up thoſe very Leaves, which would hide them from the Eyes of the Hunter?

5. It teaches, That a poor life in the Church of God is to be preferr'd before the Pleaſures of the World: Joſeph taught his Brethren to ſay [Thy Servants are Shepherds] Gen. 47.3. that they might not be employed in Pharaoh's Court, or in the great Affairs of the Kingdom (as himſelf, having ſpecial Grace, was) but chuſe rather to live as poor Shepherds in the Church and Service of God, than to be proud Courtiers in the Royal Palace, eſtranged from the Houſhold of Faith: Joſeph (but eſpecially God) had a reſpect to preſerve the Purity and Viſibility of the Church ſeparate from the World, which could not have been, nor her Doctrine kept uncorrupted, had they been mingled with that ſuperſtitious people; therefore were they placed by themſelves at the firſt, though afterward multiplying into vaſt Multitudes, they ſpread further than Goſhen, and had Egyptian Families nigh and among them, whence it was that the Deſtroying Angel did diſtinguiſh their Doors by the ſprinkling of Blood, Exod. 1.2.7.23. and that the Iſraelites departing, borrowed of their Neighbours (the Egyptians) Jewels, and Earrings, &c. v. 35, 37. yet none (ſave Joſeph) are ſaid to live at the Court, accounting (with David) that one Day in God's Courts was better than a Thouſand in Saul's or Pharaoh's Courts, Pſal. 84.10. and (with Moſes) eſteeming it better to ſuffer Affliction with the People of God, than to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon, Hebr. 11.25, 26.

6. It teacheth, That as thoſe Shepherd Iſraelites were an Abomination to the more Courtly Egyptians, ſo every Iſraelite indeed, Joh. 1.47. is ſtill abominable to the Gypſies of the world: Solomon ſaith, He that is upright in the way, is Abomination to the wicked, Prov. 29.27. where he ſhews, there is no love loſt betwixt them: There be Antipathies in Nature, (as betwixt the Lion and the Cock, the Dog and the Sheep, &c.) but none like that of the old Enmity, Gen. 3.15. 'twixt the Godly and the Wicked; yet thus differing: The former hates Non virum, ſed vitium, not the Perſon but the Sin of a wicked man (as the Phyſician hates the Diſeaſe, but loves the Patient) but the latter hates both the Grace and the Gracious.

1. Grace, becauſe it contradicts his Vice which he ſo dearly loveth.

2. The Gracious, becauſe ſuch have a Counter-motion to his, and juſtles (as it were) againſt him with his contrary courſes, 1 Joh. 3.12.

Secondly, Having viewed Jacob's Proſperity, come we now to his Adverſity, the Cataſtrophe and Epilogue of his Pilgrimage-Comedy: God did with him as the Bridegroom is ſaid to do, Joh. 2.10. kept the beſt Wine for the laſt, Jacob tells Pharaoh [his Days had been full of evil] Gen. 47.9. He had many Croſſes attending him; I have (as the Hebrews do) numbred Seven principal ones. There were others leſs principal that pinch'd him, As (1.) His hard Service in Laban's Houſe. (2.) The Suborning of Leah for Rachel. (3.) The Fornication of Judah with Thamar, unlike Joſeph for Chaſtity. (4.) The detaining of Simeon in Egypt's Priſon. (5.) The Bereaving him of his dear Benjamin, &c. yet the Lord was with him, bore him through all, as Pſal. 34.19. and at laſt brought him to a wealthy place, Pſal. 66.12. even to ſit down without any more Croſſes in the fatteſt of that fat Land of Egypt for his laſt Seventeen years, Gen. 47.28. ſo long Jacob had nouriſh'd Joſeph, Gen. 37.2. and juſt ſo long Joſeph nouriſh'd Jacob; Bis pueri Senes, Old Men are twice Children: The ſweeteſt days Jacob ever ſaw were theſe Seventeen: His time in Egypt was the largeſt white of Mercy (with the leaſt black of Miſery) in the whole Table of this Holy Patriarch's Life: God reſerved his Beſt for Jacob's Laſt; yet this did not laſt always: for at laſt, the Infirmity and Imbecillity of old Age, (which is call'd an evil Age, Eccleſ. 12.1.) came upon him, which made his ſecond ſtate a ſtate of Adverſity that uſher'd in Death by a lingring Sickneſs; yet before this, he ſaw God's Promiſe began to be accompliſhed, God had ſaid, [I will make of thee a great Nation in Egypt, Gen. 46.3.] and he ſaw before his laſt Sickneſs, that his Offspring grew and multiplied exceedingly, Gen. 47.27. God dies not in any mans debt, neither will he let Jacob die, till he ſee ſome part of the Payment of p. 416his Promiſe; God is never ſhort, but oft over hit Promiſe, nor will he ſuffer his Church to ſuffer, this Seventeen years in Egypt, though the firſt five of them were years of ſore Famine; for Moſes in a few words of this 27th Verſe minds us, How,

1. The Church was commodiouſly ſeated in Goſhen.

2. Was Accommodated with peaceable Poſſeſſions, either Farmed under Pharaoh (for the Land ſell to him by the Famine, ver. 21.) or frankly rather (as a Donative) beſtowed upon her by him.

3. Was wonderfully Advanced with an Increaſe of Wealth both in Coin and Cattel.

4. And was mightily and marvellouſly multiplied with a numerous Off-ſpring above ordinary Cuſtom, which Moſes further mentions as a Divine Miracle, Exod. 1.12. But that which was adverſe to Jacob (after his ſo long proſperous Eſtate) is, his fatal Sickneſs, the Harbinger of his Death: The time drew nigh that Iſrael muſt die, Gen. 47.29. or Hebr. the days of Iſrael drew nigh to die, that is wherein he muſt yield to the ſtroak of Death, he lying many days under this laſt Sickneſs, being Sick unto Death; this Jacob underſtood by a natural Inſtinct, or it was Revealed to him by a Prophetick Spirit; hereupon by his Paternal Authority he exacts an Oath of his Son Joſeph, not to Bury him in Egypt but in Canaan, ver. 29, 30.

Here we have theſe following Remarks.

Firſt, While Jacob as a Father did impoſe an Oath upon Joſeph his Son, yet as he was a private Perſon, and his Son a publick Magiſtrate, he uſeth expreſſions of Homage intermingled with his Injunctions, ſaying, [If now I have found Grace in thy ſight,] and [I pray thee deal kindly and truely with me,] or Hebr. Do with me Mercy and Truth, wherein as he injoins Joſeph as a Son, ſo he reverenceth him as a Prince: Thus as Joſeph did not diſdain to Honour Jacob as his Father (according to the Fifth Command, Honour thy Father and Mother, &c.) though he was but a poor old Shepherd, and that in the preſence of ſuch Egyptian Courtiers (then of his Retinue) to whom Shepherds were an abomination, at their firſt meeting, Gen. 46.29. So Jacob the Father deems it his Duty to give due honour to his Son Joſeph, who was Lord of the Land, at their laſt parting. As the Divine and Natural Law did command that ſubjection which the Son paid to the Father in the former Inſtance: So the Civil and National Law did require this Homage that the Father (a Subject) paid to his Son a Prince in the latter, and herein Joſeph's Dream was accompliſh'd here, that the Sun and Moon ſhall do Obeiſance to me, Gen. 37.9.

The ſecond Remark is, God is more gracious to Jacob than his own Sayings, Sentiments or Expectations; when he met his Son Joſeph, he ſaid, [Now let me die, &c.] Gen. 46.30. yet God was ſo good to him as to give him a longer Leaſe of his Life, than he deſired: He that could have been content to have died at that inſtant of having ſeen his Jewel Joſeph, ſhall live (by a Divine Grant) much longer, and that a Life of peace and plenty; the beſt part of Jacob's Life (as to the quality of it) was then to come, when he wiſh'd to be gone and die; few and evil had been his former days, as himſelf ſays to Pharaoh, Gen. 47.9. but his days which follow'd that time were few and good, even all thoſe ſeventeen years wherein Joſeph nouriſh'd him, paying his foreign (nouriſhment for nouriſhment) to the utmoſt penny, the ſweeteſt years the good old Patriarch had ever ſeen. And this is the more Remarkable, that Gods grant of addition to Jacob's Life was two years more than that granted to Hezekiah, for that was only for fifteen years, 2 Kings 20.6. but this to Jacob was for ſeventeen: Whereas we are wont to reckon ſeven years for the Life of a Man; as God granted more by one year than two lives to Hezekiah, ſo he added to Jacob more than two lives, even three years, which is almoſt half of a third life, and what it wanted in quantity or number, it was ſupplied in quality or ſweetneſs; ſo God out-bade his hopes, deſires and deſerts (as he oft doth ours,) Gen. 48.11. I had not thought to ſee thy Face, and now I ſee thy Seed too, thus God ſhews us things not hoped for, Iſa. 64.2.

The third Remark is, Jacob took care for his Burial, and the place of it before his Sickneſs, being ſenſible of ſome Summons to Death by the decay of Nature, and learning to die daily, as 1 Cor. 15.31. yet will not be Buried in Egypt, though the Earth be the Lords and the fulneſs of it, Pſal. 24.1. and though he was then conveniently ſeated there with his whole Family, but Requeſts he might be Buried in Canaan, not from any Superſtitious conceit that one Countrey is holier than another, and nearer Heaven, but upon far graver grounds. As,

1. To teſtifie his Faith concerning the promiſed Land (a Type of Heaven) and the Doctrine of the Reſurrection.

2. To confirm his Family in the ſame Faith, that they might live as Strangers in Egypt (weaned from its Pleaſures and Treaſures) and wait for their return to Canaan, which God had promis'd to give them, and which he (though dead) would not relinquiſh his right p. 417in, leſt he ſhould ſeem to diſtruſt God, though yet he ſaw it not fulfilled.

3. To declare his love to his Godly Anceſtors above all vain Idolaters; theſe latter Jacob never loved while living, and therefore will not lye among them when dead: But the former, he judg'd it his Felicity to have Fellowſhip with both in Life and Death.

4. Becauſe Canaan (not Egypt) was the Countrey Chriſt (the Worlds Redeemer) was to lead his Life, receive his Death, be raiſed therein, and from thence to Aſcend into Heaven: Jacob therefore deſir'd to be Buried there, where the Worlds Redemption was to be tranſacted where Chriſt muſt die and riſe again, that he might at length riſe again with him. Hence ſome of the Antients ſay, that this Jacob and the other Patriarchs did Bodily Riſe again with Chriſt; becauſe 'tis ſaid, Mat. 27.52, 53. The Graves were opened, and many Bodies of Saints which ſlept aroſe, &c. to wit, thoſe Holy Patriarchs, who before were kept bound in their Sepulchers, till the very Heart-ſtrings of Death (now ſwallow'd up in Victory by Life Eſſential) were quite broken, even by the Death and Reſurrection of the Lord of Life, then were they inlarged to become Witneſſes and Attendants of Chriſts Reſurrection, and who appearing, were known to many in the City, as Moſes and Elias were known to the three Apoſtles in the Mount at Chriſts Transfiguration, either by a ſpecial Revelation, or by that Coeleſtial Illumination (which will be much more in Heaven, as Adam knew Eve in his ſtate of Innocency, Gen. 2.23.) or laſtly, by the Familiar Conference (wherein they might learn who they were) betwixt Chriſt and them, Mat. 17.3. But Modern Authors ſay, they were ſuch as were lately dead, who were well remembred by thoſe that were living, ſuppoſed to be, Simeon the Juſt, Anna the Propheteſs, Zacharias, Lazarus, and others lately dead, whoſe Bodies were not yet conſumed, as thoſe of the Patriarchs were, not only Buried ſo long before, but alſo ſo far off (as Makpelah Hebr. the double Cave was thirty Miles) from Jeruſalem: We ſhall therefore leave it undecided whether Jacob requeſted to lye in that Land, becauſe he hoped (as Lyranus affirms) to be one of thoſe, which ſhould Riſe out of his Grave at Chriſts Reſurrection, and to accompany him in his Aſcenſion into Heaven; this ſeems ſomething too curious, though it ſeem more comely, and more glorious both to the Patriarchs and to Chriſt. The Jews add a fifth Reaſon why Jacob would not be Buried in Egypt, becauſe he foreſaw the Duſt of Egypt would be turned into Lice, &c.

When Jacob did thus give order for his Burial, Swearing his Son Joſeph to obſerve the place of it; this he did not, as if he diſtruſted Jeſeph's naked Promiſe, but he requires an Oath, Gen. 47.31. Becauſe,

1. He would have them all know, it was no trifle he required, but a weighty matter, and of great moment, for fortifying his Families Faith, and for obliging them more firmly to expect their Return.

2. That Jacob might die in full ſatisfaction and aſſurance, that this thing, he deſired, would be faithfully done, knowing that the Sanction of a Sacred Oath would better outweigh oppoſition than a bare Promiſe.

3. That Joſeph might do it with leſs offence and envy to the King and his Courtiers, for the carrying away of Jacob's Corps did ſeem to carry a kind of contempt with it. The Egyptians might well object, [Is our Land good enough for you to live in while alive, and is it too bad for you to lye in when dead?] Hereupon Joſeph might have been otherwiſe perſwaded and over-ruled by Pharaoh: But this Oath anſwer'd all contrary objections, for they, that liked not to have their Land under-valued, yet allowed, that Joſeph's holy Oath ſhould be religiouſly obſerved; therefore Joſeph, to procure this grant of the King, urgeth this Oath which he made to his Father, Gen. 50.6. with 4, 5.

☞ Whence we learn that Oaths are both lawful and needful (for Men are mutable) even betwixt theſe two Holy Patriarchs, the Son muſt be bound by an Oath to the Father; though Joſeph might otherwiſe have fulfilled Jacob's will, yet was it not judg'd amiſs to lay this Sacred Obligation upon him, which was ſo reverenc'd among Heathens: How may this condemn Chriſtians, both ſuch as allow no Swearing at all, (though Paul call it the end of ſtrife, Heb. 6.16.) and eſpecially ſuch as make no Conſcience to keep Oaths when Sworn, but Sport with them, as Children do with their ſlips, or as Monkeys with their Collars (who ſlip them on for their Maſters pleaſure, but off for their own) both play at faſt and looſe according to their liking? Pharaoh and the Egyptians will riſe up in judgment againſt ſuch Jeſuitical Mock-Chriſtians, and God himſelf will in time take his vengeance upon them: Yea, and how Pharaoh's approving Joſeph's Filial reſpect and obedience to his Fathers will condemneth ſuch graceleſs Children, who frequently contemn the Authority of their Parents, and tear in pieces their laſt Wills and Teſtaments: 'Tis a notorious ſhame that ſo many Nominal Chriſtians ſhould be ſo far out-done by thoſe poor Blind Heathens, who had a reverence both for piety to Parents, and the Bond of an Oath, as things prevalent with God, proh pudor! Oh ſhame to us!

p. 418After Jacob had Covenanted with Joſeph about the place of his Burial, that Diſtemper (which Summon'd him to order it) grew ſtronger upon his old decaying Body, which had been much worn and weakned by many ſore Travels, and long toilſom Troubles, Gen. 48.1. It was told Joſeph, Behold thy Father is ſick, which the Septuagint expreſſeth by [foreign, turbatur] to ſhew, how he had been toiled and turmoiled with many Croſſes, Calamities and Tryals all his Life, all which this laſt fatal ſickneſs was about to put an end to, he became ſick unto Death, and therefore he prepareth for it, before it came, by making his Laſt Will and Teſtament; which is Twofold.

1. He conſtitutes whom he would have to be his Heirs in Gen. 48.

2. He confers his Patriarchal Bleſſing upon all his twelve Sons, Gen. 49. This in the General: From which we have theſe Remarkable Inferences.

1. Gods love and Mans ſickneſs may well conſiſt together. Jacob is ſick, and yet it was, [Jacob hath God loved,] Mal. 1.2. and Rom. 9.13. So Lazarus is ſick, yet Chriſt had this word ſent him, [Behold, he whom thou loveſt is ſick,] John 11.3. Auguſtine asketh, Si Amatur, quomodò Infirmatur? If he be loved of God and of Chriſt, how can he be laid down upon a Bed of Sickneſs? Oh, well enough, may we ſay; Afflictions are Chriſt's love-Tokens: He ſaith, As many as I love, I rebuke and chaſten, Rev. 3.19. Prov. 3.12. Hebr. 12.6. Such as eſcape Affliction, may well queſtion their Adoption, God had one Son [Sine flagitio] without Corruption; but none [Sine flagello] without Correction. The ground is diſpleaſed love, and the End is, fuller Embracements; as here.

2. God exempts not his Saints from Sickneſs, nor from Death. Though they be dead to ſin, Rom. 6.2. and are redeemed from Death, Hoſ. 13.14. yet not from Sickneſs unto Death, which is as God's Chariot wherein he fetcheth his Children home to himſelf, (as Joſeph did for Jacob, Gen. 45.27. ſo God did in this Sickneſs ſend for him) that they may live and reign with him in free Embracements and full Enjoyments in a better world: 'tis neceſſary, that this tottering Tabernacle of Clay ſhould molder down, that a better Houſe may be Erected; for this do we groan earneſtly, 2 Cor. 5.1, 2, &c. that when the Earthly Houſe is diſſolved or taken down, we may have an Heavenly one, and ſo be freed from our back-burdens of Sin and Miſery.

3. Some Saints die ſoon and ſuddenly without much Sickneſs to uſher in Death; It was no more with Moſes, but only [Go up and Die] Deut. 31.49.50. He died [Hebr. Gnal-pi Jehovah] At the mouth of the Lord (which we read, According to the word of the Lord) Deut. 34.5. as if God had taken away his life with a real ſign of his love, kill'd him with a Kiſs, and ſuck'd his Soul our of his Body into himſelf in a friendly Salutation: This was in a manner equivalent to Righteous Elijah's Tranſlation (which two (a bleſſed couple) conferr'd with Chriſt upon Mount Tabor at his Transfiguration, Matth. 17.3, &c.) and to that of Enoch's alſo. Other Saints die of a long and lingring Sickneſs, as did Jacob here, and Eliſha after, 2 King. 13.14. the beſt are ſubject to Sickneſs and Death, and before they can come to the very Gates of Death, they oft paſs through a ſtrait, long, flabby Lane of a lingring Sickneſs, and all this in Mercy, that they may become more weaned from the World, better prepared for their Death, Deſirous to be diſſolved, to be with Chriſt, and that they may have a more eaſie Departure out of the world, for as a Member, the more it is mortified, the better is its cutting off endured, ſo when the Body is weakned and waſted with much Sickneſs, natural ſtrength being worn away, cannot make Reſiſtence, ſuch die more eaſily: The Divine Contemplation of Dr. Hall hereupon is richly worth Recording: Happy is the man (ſaith he) who after due Preparation is paſſed through the Gates of Death ere he be aware: and Happy is the Man, who by the holy uſe of long Sickneſs, is taught to ſee the Gates of Death afar off, and addreſſeth for a reſolute paſſage: The one dies like Enoch and Elijah, the other like Jacob and Eliſhah, both Bleſſedly. To which I add, Some are hurried away to Heaven in a fiery Chariot of an Acute Feaver all on a ſudden with the former, others lye long under Chronical Diſeaſes, dying, as it were, by Inches (as thoſe that are Conſumptive or be Famiſh'd) with the latter Inſtances.

Now come we to the former part of Jacob's Laſt Will and Teſtament, relating particularly to Joſeph and his two Sons. This Godly Patriarch being now ſenſible that the Sentence of Death was writ upon him, as 2 Cor. 1.9. foreign, or Death's Donunciation, (he felt in himſelf) well underſtood the double Duty of a Dying Man, (1.) To ſet his Heart in order; (2.) To ſet his houſe in order. The former he had done already, and now he addreſſeth himſelf to accompliſh the latter, in declaring the firſt part of his Will, which was thus occaſion'd; No ſooner did Joſeph hear of his Father's fatal Sickneſs, but he, like a dutiful Son (not lingring till he was ſent for) lays by all his Publick Affairs, and immediately haſtens to Viſit his Deareſt Parent, not only to pay his laſt Reſpects, and perform his laſt Offices of Piety to him, p. 419but alſo to receive his Father's laſt Bleſſing (which he preferr'd above all the Wealth of Egypt, and all the Gold of Ophir) from him. And he carries with him his two Sons, that they alſo might partake of the Patriarchal Bleſſing, be entred by their Grandfather into the Catalogue of the Church, and be bette… Confirmed in the Doctrine and Practice of true Piety.

1. NB. This Practice is a Pattern, to all Children of Godly Parents, they ſhould be more ſollicitous to Inherit their Parents Graces than their Goods. Dying Jacob was reviv'd at his Dear Joſeph's approach, the ſight of him did corroborate his weak, and comfort his ſick Soul; beſides, a Prophetick Spirit came upon him, and did tranſport him above his decaying and dying Fleſh; Jacob reverently entertains Joſeph as he was a Prince, ſo begins his Oration to him, Gen. 48.1. 2, 3. Reading a Divinity-Lecture out of his Kalendar and Catalogue of all God's gracious dealings with him, and merciful Diſpenſations to him, which he had carefully kept, recounting and reckoning them up, not by the Lump or by Whole-ſale, as it were, but by Parcels and Particulars.

2. NB. So ought every true Son and Daughter of Jacob to do: Thus David did, Pſal. 9.1. Shewing forth (or Heb. Ciphering one by one) all the marvellous Mercies of God towards him: This Jacob did here, v. 3, 4, &c. to teſtifie in what great Peace and Recumbency or Acquieſcence in God's Promiſes he died.

3. NB. Mark the perfect Man, and behold the upright; for, be his Beginning and Middle never ſo Troubleſom, yet the End of that man is Peace, Pſal. 37.37. or at leaſt his After-End: He ſhall have a Goſhen, a Shalom or Salem, Hebr. Peace, either here, or in Heaven; he ſhall by Death enter into Peace, Reſt in his Bed, Iſa. 57.2. though he ſhould not die in his Neſt, as Jacob did here, and Job deſired, Job 29.18. and accordingly did ſo, notwithſtanding all his Afflictions, both Job and Jacob had this commendable Confidence grounded upon God's Promiſes; 'twas not a Carnal, but a Spiritual Security, a bleſſed Calm and Compoſedneſs, a Sabbath of Spirit, flowing from Faith, and founded upon a good Conſcience of their own uprightneſs, which cauſed [Shalom, Shalom] great Peace and Joy, Iſa. 26.3.

There be two Branches of Jacob's firſt part of his Will.

The Firſt concerns Joſeph, whoſe preſence and influence had ſo affected his old Father's Heart, and quickned his dying Spirits ſo with new Strength, as to rouze himſelf up from his lying along upon his Death-Bed, to whom Jacob declareth how he had full power to bequeath the Land of Canaan as he pleaſed, (though then he was but a Pilgrim in Egypt, yet prizes he, and diſpoſes of his Intereſt in Canaan; ſo we in Faith of Heaven, abſent in Body, yet poſſeſs it with our Hearts, as he did with his Bones, &c.) becauſe God had given it him by Promiſe for an everlaſting Poſſeſſion (upon Condition of keeping Covenant with God) v. 4. Intimating thereby that Joſeph, being now a mighty Prince in Egypt, might poſſibly the leſs think of the Promiſed Land; therefore his Father gives him a grave and godly Avocation from the Treaſures, Pleaſures and Honours of that Land whereof he was now the Lord, and a ſolemn and ſerious Invitation to conſider of, and comply with that great Promiſe of Canaan, that he would now take up new Thoughts to joyn himſelf again to the People of the God of Abraham, from whom he now ſeemed for a little to be ſeparated, Gen. 49.27. and to corroborate his Confidence the more in God's Promiſe of that Country, he wills Joſeph as his Legacy and Portion, ſome part of the Promiſed Land; to wit, the City and Country of Shechem, over and above all his Brethren, Gen. 48.21, 21. ſo that, as Judah had the Dignity (from Reuben who forfeited it by his Inceſt) Joſeph had the Double Portion, 1 Chron. 5.1, 2, 3. Joſeph hath his part in the latter part of his Father's Will, among the reſt of his Brethren, Gen. 49.23, &c. as well as this part here, his was a double part or portion. And this Shechem was Ephraim's (Joſeph's Sons) Inheritance, Joſh. 20.7. with 16.1, &c. Joh. 4.5. and thither were Joſeph's Bones carried out of Egypt, and there Buried, Joſh. 24.1.25.32. And Jacob mentions his dear Rachels Death (with a great conflict and concuſſion of paſſionate Affections, as his [as for me, ſhe died by me] importeth) Gen. 48.7. upon a double account; Firſt, to Render a Reaſon, why he buried not Rachel in the double Cave, where his Anceſtors were buried by Couples, (Abraham und Sarah, Iſaac and Rebekah) and where he had ſworn Joſeph to bury him; becauſe ſhe died in Child-bed by the way, ſo could not be kept unburied, till brought to the Patriarchs Sepulchre, through the ſlow march of his tender Flocks. Secondly, That Joſeph might know, why he gave him a double Portion, becauſe his Mother Rachel was intentionally and by Right his firſt Wife, and had not Laban cheated him, Joſeph had been his firſt-born: This brings in the ſecond Branch of the firſt part of Jacob's Will, which,

Secondly, Concerns Joſeph's two Sons, Manaſſeh and Ephraim, whom Jacob here Adopteth not as his Grandchildren, but as his Immediate Children, yea, as his Eldeſt Sons, as in room of or for Reuben and Simeon, ſo bequeaths them the Birthright, and therewith a double Portion, making them two diſtinct and particular Tribes; (which was not vouchſafed to any of the p. 420Children of his other Sons, Joſeph's Brethren) and therefore, ſeeing Joſeph's two Sons were hereby made the Fathers of two Tribes. This made Joſeph's (their Fathers) part double to all the reſt of Jacob's Sons, v. 5. Moreover, Jacob might mention Rachel upon other Reſpects: As, (1.) To mind Joſeph, that as his dear Mother forſook her Father's Houſe in Syria, and ſojourned with her Husband in Canaan; ſo her Son Joſeph muſt be willing (by his Mothers pious Example) much more to leave his Honours in Egypt (which was not his Native Country) and go take poſſeſſion of the Land of Promiſe, which he did in his bones, when dead, Exod. 13.19. Joſh. 24.32. though he could not (for many cogent Reaſons aftermentioned) do it with his Body while living. (2.) Jacob might hope, that, ſeeing my dear Rachel was ſnatch'd away from me by a prepoſterous Death, when I expected ſhe would live (being young) and bring me forth a numerous Offspring (which, God promis'd, ſhould ſpring from my Loins) yet brought forth only two Sons, Joſeph and Benjamin, therefore God would Recompence me, and make up my loſs by Adopting Joſeph's two Sons, that God's Promiſe in multiplying his Seed, might be fulfill'd in and by them two.

The Remarkable Myſteries that lye couched in this Famous Hiſtory are theſe:

1. As Joſeph preſented his Sons to his Earthly Father to be Bleſſed by him, ſaying [Theſe are my Sons whom God hath given me] Gen. 48.9. So Jeſus preſents all his Saints to his Heavenly Father, ſaying in like ſort [Here am I, and the Children which thou haſt given me] Iſa. 8.18. Joh. 6.37, 39. As the High-Prieſt did preſent the Twelve Tribes to God as well as repreſent them before him, Exod. 28.29. So doth Chriſt us, Col. 1.22. Jude v. 24. Eph. 5.27. Hebr. 9.24, &c. and to him the Father Replies, as Jacob did to Joſeph here, [bring them now to me, and I will bleſs them] which he doth likewiſe with Kiſſes and Embraces: This Congruity is yet attended with one Diſparity: Jacob adopted Joſeph's Children at firſt as abſent, v. 5. but after, diſcerning two Young men ſtanding at Diſtance (probably behind their Father's Back for Reverence-ſake) but through the dimneſs of his decayed Eyes, he was diſenabled to diſtinguiſh their Perſons; therefore he asks, Who are theſe? upon which Joſeph informs his dim-ſighted Father; but Chriſt's Father (and ours in him, 2 Theſſ. 1.1, 2. with Eph. 1.3, &c.) can never be ſo dim-ſighted as not to diſcern and diſtinguiſh us either at a diſtance, or in the dark. He can diſtinctly diſcover us when under the Fig-tree covering, as Joh. 1.48. His All-ſeeing Eyes run to and fro throughout the whole Earth, 2 Chron. 16.9. and behold what Men do in the dark, Ezek. 8.22. yea, Darkneſs and light are all one with him; He is [foreign] all Eye, and knows all, Pſal. 139.2. to 14. Neither doth God Bleſs any as Abſent from him. Enter praeſenter, Deus hic & ubique potenter.

God's Preſence fills all places, he is Omni-preſent.

The Second Myſtery in the Hiſtory is, as Jacob adopted Joſeph's Children, ſaying, [They ſhall be mine] v. 5. and my Name ſhall be upon them, v. 16. In like ſort, God adopteth all whom our Joſeph, our Jeſus preſents and repreſents as his Dear Children, ſaying, I will be a Father to them, and they ſhall be my Sons and Daughters, 2 Cor. 6.18. This is call'd a Royalty or Prerogative, Joh. 1.12. which Nonnus Paraphraſeth [foreign] ſtiling it Heavenly Honour, ſuch as is amazing, 1 Joh. 3.1. and good reaſon, that worthleſs worms are hereby made higher than earthly Kings, Pſal. 89.27. Thus alſo the Name of God and of Chriſt is put upon all his adopted Children, hence they are call'd Godly and Chriſtians. They are call'd by his Name, 2 Chron. 7.14. Jer. 14.9. Deut. 28.10. They are married to Chriſt, Rom. 7.4. ſo have their husbands Name put upon them, Iſa. 4.1. as Solomon's Wife was call'd the Shulamite, Cant. 6.13. of [Shalom] Peace, from whence was his Name: Oh that we could take hold of the Skirt of that Jew (Jehovah our Emanuel) Zech. 8.23. ſaying, Let us be call'd by thy Name to take away our Reproach, Iſa. 4.1. Iſa. 63.19. Jer. 15.16. Deut. 28.10. would we but avouch the Lord for our God, he would ſurely avouch us for his adopted Children, Deut. 26.17, 18. we ſhould ſay to Chriſt as that Roman Lady ſaid to her Husband, Ubi tu Caius ibi ego Caia, I will not only bear thy Name, but will alſo live in thy Preſence, and thou ſhalt be a Covering of Eyes to me, as Gen. 20.16. I will not be ſick of a Pleuriſie, ſeeking any more than thy ſelf, I will be ſatisfied with thy favour, Deut. 33.23. Pſal. 65.4. when thou telleſt me where thou feedeſt, Cant. 1.7, 8. I will feed and lye down with thee, Pſal. 23.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. There is [a Cornu-Copia] all good with thee.

The Third Myſtery in this Hiſtory is, There may be Difference of Opinion for a time betwixt the Holieſt Perſons and Relations, as betwixt Jacob and Joſeph here; The Father was contradicted by the Son, when he ſaw him croſs his hands to lay his right hand upon his younger Son, as about to convey the ſtrongeſt and moſt honourable Bleſſing by this ſign of the ſtronger and more honourable Hand upon Ephraim; Though Jacob guided his hands wittingly p. 421and wiſely, Gen. 48.14. yet this poſture diſpleaſed Joſeph, ſaying, [not ſo, my Father] v. 17, 18. ſuſpecting it to be ſome Miſtake of his Father from the Dimneſs of his Eyes, v. 10, 11. which might diſenable him to diſcern the Elder from the Younger; ſo, though he was well pleas'd with his Father's Bleſſing, yet being diſpleaſed with his ſymbolical Poſture, he endeavours to correct the ſuppoſed Error of his Fathers hands with his own, whereby he run into a real and worſe Error himſelf. Though the Eyes of Jacob's Head were Darkened, yet thoſe of his Heart and Mind were inlightned with a Prophetick Spirit, whereby he underſtood God's Mind more than Joſeph did, and therefore he refuſed both his Correction and Direction, ſaying, [I know, my Son, I know] v. 19. Thus we ſee, here is a pair of Holy Prophets, the Father and the Son divided, and in contrary Diſputes, yet not about the Subſtance of the Bleſſing, but about the Ceremonies and Circumſtances of it; wonder not then, that Differences do happen now in the True Church, and the Doctors thereof be oft Divided: It ever hath been ſo, as Here, before Chriſt, and as afterward, after Chriſt, Gal. 2.11. and Act. 15.39. It will be ſo for ever; But mark, the Differences are only in Points leſs Material, and ſuch as concern not the Foundation. This Difference betwixt Jacob and Joſeph was about a Matter of Ceremony; Joſeph, though a great Prophet and Diviner, inſiſted too much upon the Ceremonious part, would have the right hand impoſed on the elder Son, and ſo falls into a double failure: (1.) In binding God's Grace to the Priority of Nature. (2.) In diſtiking the Divine Motion of Jacob's Prophetick Mind, which thus guided his hand: Thus this mighty Man of God, who could before Divine all things, now knoweth not that the workings of Grace are not according to the Order of Nature, and that Divine Bleſſings go not by a Natural and Carnal Seniority, but by a Spiritual and Eternal Election, Rom. 9.7, 8, 11, 12. Joſeph ſaw not this now, for God reveals not all things at all times to his Prophets, as before.

NB. The quarrel about Ceremonies is Ancient, even in Father Jacob's days: 'twas alſo in the very Cradle of the Chriſtian Church, Col. 2.8, &c. Soon after, what coil was about Eaſter-keeping, even to Blows and Blood: Auguſtine in the Fourth Century complains hereof; worſe far when Antichriſt roſe, then Formality are up the Reality of God's Worſhip; as Pharaoh's lean Kine did the fat; ſo down to 'twixt Luther and Calvin, &c. The Heart-burnings 'twixt Ridley and Hooper about Cap and Surplice was ended in Body-burnings in the Marian Days: Peter Martyr adviſed Queen Elizabeth not to carry the Goſpel upon the Cart of needleſs Ceremonies: Some call them Innocent, but oh how miſchievous have they ever been in ſeparating chief Friends, as Jacob and Joſeph here, and many more ever ſince: the Lord ſtand up and ſtep in to ſtem the Tide and ſtop the Torrent of ſuch Quarrels in our own Times.

The Second Part of Jacob's Laſt Will differ'd from the Firſt; For,

1. The firſt was private, few perſons probably being preſent at its making; but this ſecond was more Solemn and Publick (being his laſt farewel to the World) All his Sons muſt then be call'd together, who at that time lived in diſtinct Places and Families.

2. The former Will, He made foreign when he was about to Die, Hebr. 11.21. but this latter was made when he was foreign The word uſed, v. 22. to expreſs Joſeph's being at the very point of Death: So Jacob in Gen. 49. had juſt finiſh'd his courſe (as foreign ſignifies) and had finiſh'd the work God gave him to do in the World, Joh. 17.4. after the firſt part Jacob ſaid [Behold, I die] Gen. 48.21. but after this ſecond he died indeed, he immediately gather'd up his feet, and gave up the Ghoſt, Gen. 49.33.

3. The firſt concern'd only Joſeph and his two Sons begot by him upon the Body of his Egyptian Wife: 'Tis ſomewhere ſaid in Scripture, that Jacob's Sons were of Cham, which cannot be meant of his Twelve Sons, for they were born to him, before he came into Egypt; but it muſt have Reference to thoſe two whom he adopted there to be as much his proper Children as Reuben and Simeon, Gen. 48.5. Now Joſeph marrying an Egyptian Woman, by whom he had thoſe two Sons; They were on the Mothers ſide the Sons of Cham; ſo Jacob's Sons in this ſenſe are ſaid to be of Cham. Beſides, Judah alſo married the Daughter of Suah, a Canaaniteſs, Gen. 38.2. contrary to his Duty, Gen. 24.3. and 27.46. and 28.1. whereof Judah could not be ignorant; yea, and before Salmon married Rahab of Jericho, there were others of Jacob's Offspring that married Wives deſcended from Cham, as Simeon had Saul the Son of a Canaaniteſs, Gen. 46.10. Upon this account therefore Joſeph preſented theſe his two Sons to Jacob, that they might receive his Patriarchal Bleſſing, that they might be adopted by him as his proper Sons, and haveIſrael's Name put upon them, Gen. 48.5.16. leſt any ſhould judge it ſome prejudice to them, (becauſe Born in Egypt, and of an Egyptian Mother) ſo reckon them of the curſed Stock of Cham, and not Heirs of the Covenant, and of the Promiſed Poſſeſſion: Hereupon alſo the Author to the Hebrews, Ch. 11.21. mentions Jacob's Bleſſing theſe two Sons of Joſeph by faith, but not a word of his Bleſſing the Twelve Patriarchs p. 422(mention'd by Moſes, Gen. 49.) which Jacob undoubtedly did by Faith alſo: The Reaſon is this, becauſe it was a more tranſcendent Act of Faith in Jacob to Bleſs theſe two Sons of Joſeph (being half the Sons of curſed Cham by their Mothers ſide) than it was to bleſs his own Twelve Sons, who were immediately deſcended from him in his Marriage at his Fathers appointment, Gen. 28.2. Both Rachel and Leah owned and obeyed the true God, Gen. 29.32, 33, 34, 35. and 30.6, 8, 13, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23. and 31.16. Ruth 4.11. whereas Ephraim and Manaſſeh's Mother was the Daughter of an Heatheniſh, Idolatrous, Sun-worſhipping Prieſt, Gen. 41.45. in a City of wickedneſs, (as On or Aven, Ezek. 30.17. ſignifies) becauſe they Sacrificed to the Sun there; thence was it called Heliopolis, a City of the Sun, and Potipherah, chief Ruler thereof under Pharaoh was High Prieſt of the Sun: Therefore muſt it needs be an High, Eminent and moſt Sublime Act of Jacob's beſt and moſt raiſed Faith to Adopt and Bleſs the Off-ſpring of ſuch a Mother, wherein he over-looks the Honour of her Extract (being a Princeſs as well as a Prieſts Daughter; as before (it ſeems) Prieſts were no mean Men among the Egyptians, for one Man might be both Prince and Prieſt, and ſome ſuppoſe Joſeph ſpared the Prieſts Lands for his Feather in Laws ſake, Gen. 47.22. others better ſay, 'twas Joſeph's burden to indulge Idolatry, he had no Heart to it, yet muſt have an hand in it, and could not help it as the King's Officer, whoſe Commands he muſt obey herein, or incur the utmoſt Diſpleaſure both of Prince and People; which yet condemns the contempt of a better Miniſtry now half-ſtarved by Men of better knowledge.) Jacob had no reſpect either to the Nobility of their Blood they were born of, or the vaſtneſs of that Wealth and Honour, they were born to, or yet the goodly ſtature and properneſs of their Perſons, (for that is a ſeeing as Man ſeeth, and judging by the eye of ſenſe, 1 Sam. 16.7.) but he looked upon them with an eye of Faith, yea, of a ſtrong lively Faith in his weak and dying ſtate, a Faith moſt illuſtriouſly Illuminated by an extraordinary Prophetick Spirir, whereby, though now he was a poor Pilgrim in Egypt, leaning upon his Pilgrim-ſtaff, (he mentions, Gen. 32.10.) yet now preſents it as a Scepter to Joſeph, ſignifying his Dominion, puts the name of Iſrael (which was the greateſt of Names) upon both his Sons (ſo that they are called no more the Children of Joſeph, as the Children of Judah, the Children of Reuben, &c. but the Children of Iſrael) And laſtly, he no otherwiſe diſpoſeth of the Kingdoms of Canaan to them, than, if himſelf had been peaceably poſſeſſed of the Royal Throne in Jeruſalem: Jacob acts in Bleſſing Joſephs two Sons, as one of God's Privy Council, preferring the Younger before the Elder; This was his Heavenly Wiſdom which he would have had no need of, had the Elder right to his right hand, and his right-hand Bleſſings, that is done in the common Courſe and Cuſtom of Nature, but here he was to ſhew the Freedom of Grace (which required more than ordinary Wiſdom) making the laſt to be firſt, and the firſt laſt: what he did herein was by Divine Inſpiration; And as if he had been one of God's higheſt Courtiers (as well as Counſellours) He beſtoweth both Temporal and Spiritual Bleſſings upon them, v. 16.20. as if the Key of El-ſhaddai had hung at his Girdle, and as if the Bona & Dona Throni & Seabelli, the good Gifts both of God's Throne and of his footſtool, the riches of Heaven and Earth had been. all in his Power to bequeath to whom he would at his pleaſure [My Redeemer (ſaith he) bleſs both the Lads;] there he puts the Bleſſings of Redemption upon them, and let them both increaſe (like Fiſh) into a Multitude, there's the Bleſſings of Providence, which did ſo miraculouſly multiply them, that at their going out of Egypt, Manaſſeh was Forty two Thouſand ſeven hundred, and Ephraim was Thirty two Thouſand five hundred, and though all theſe periſh'd in the Wilderneſs, yet were they at their entry into Canaan again multiplied (in both theſe Sons) to Eighty five Thouſand and two Hundred men meet for War, Numb. 26.28, 34, 37. the like Bleſſing was confirm'd on them by Moſes, Deut. 33.17. and Joſhuah acknowledged them to be a great people, Joſh. 17.17. All which ſprang out of Joſeph whom Jacob bewailed for dead twenty three years. Learn here from this Hiſtory a manifold Myſtery; As,

1. As theſe two Sons were born in Egypt, and of an Egyptian Mother, ſo we are born in the State of Sin, and by our Mothers, we are Children of wrath, yet may our Heavenly father Adopt us, and put his Name upon us.

2. As the Elder had the left hand, and the Younger the right; ſo is it as to the Jewiſh and Gentile Church held forth in the Parable of the Prodigal who was feaſted within doors (though the younger and leſs deſerving) while the Elder, was without, Luk. 15.

3. It teacheth alſo that the Church of Believers ſhall ſtand at Gods Right Hand as Sheep, and ſhall have Right Hand Bleſſings (upper Springs) to bring them thither: Whereas the people of the World are put oft with Left Hand Bleſſings only, (nether Springs) and at laſt turn'd oft as Goats to Chriſts Left Hand.

4. May we become through Grace Ephraim's (which ſignifies Fruitful) and Manaſſeh's (which ſignifies forgetful or forgetting:) Could we but forget thoſe things that are behind, our p. 423own Follies and Vanities, and learn to be fruitful in good works, God hath a liberal Legacy for us, and will bring us out of this lower Egypt to his high and Heavenly Canaan.

5. May we be but Joſephs (as Jewels in a puddle) retain our Luſtre (as he did) in Egyptian Slavery, and holding faſt our righteouſneſs, not letting it go in the worſt of times and places, &c. Job 27.6. and holding, holding up, holding out, holding on, holding faſt, and firm our Hope and Confidence to the end, Heb. 3.6. then doubt not but Jeſus (the Bleſſed Teſtator) will give us the double portion (which he hath cut out for us with his Sword in deſtroying the works of the Devil, Heb. 2.14, 15. and 1 John 3.8. and 1 Cor. 15.56, 57.) as Jacob did to Joſeph, Gen. 48.22. The Sword and Bow there is read by the Chaldee Paraphraſt [Pràyer and Supplication,] even this way Chriſt hath purchas'd a Field for us, (as Jacob did for him, Gen. 33.19.) yea, and an upper as well as a nether Field, (as Judg. 1.15.) this Life and that to come, 1 Tim. 4.8. and Mark 10.30. both bequeath'd by Teſtament.

6. Though there may be ſuppoſed miſtakes about the Mode of Adminiſtring Teſtament-Bleſſings, yet all are compoſed in an Amicable Acquieſcency and a Friendly End: Thus Iſaac thought that himſelf had been miſtaken in beſtowing the Bleſſing upon Jacob (the younger) inſtead of Eſau (the elder) through the blindneſs of his own Eyes: Jacob knew Gods mind towards Ephraim, though Iſaac did not at firſt towards Jacob; yet upon ſecond thoughts he confirms the firſt bleſſing (though ſurreptitiouſly procured) with a ſecond, wherewith he ſent him away in an eſtabliſh'd Faith to Padan-Aram, Gen. 27.33. with 28.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. So Joſeph's firſt thoughts were that Jacob was miſtaken accordingly in bleſſing the younger before the elder, yet underſtanding it was done agreeable to Gods will, he ſirs down ſatisfied therein, both this and that Difference ended in peace: Hence the Apoſtle affirmeth, that both Iſaac and Jacob were not miſtaken by their Humane Fancies, but acted altogether (in both their Bleſſings) by a Divine Faith, Heb. 11.21, 22. Would to God we had unity of Affection, where there is not yet unity of Opinion; though we cannot all be of one mind (no more than of one Face and Voice) yet may we live in Peace here; unity of Faith is to be had hereafter, Eph. 4.13.

When Jacob had bleſs'd both Joſeph's Sons, then in the laſt place he bleſſes all his own, Gen. 49. and this latter by Faith too, as well as the former. Though the Apoſtle mention not this as he doth that, Heb. 11.21. The reaſon of this Apoſtolical Omiſſion is ſuppoſed to be; becauſe,

Firſt, There is a malediction implied in this, for what he ſpeaketh concerning Reuben, Simeon and Levi ſeemeth more like a Curſe than a Bleſſing, whereas that concerning Joſeph's Sons was a pure Bleſſing without any ſuch mixture, ſo properly ſucceeded Iſaac's Bleſſing Jacob, &c. ver. 20.

Secondly, The Apoſtle might pick out that one Inſtance out of the many Patriarchal Bleſsings, ſuppoſing a taſte enough, where the whole is ſo well ſupplied at large in Gen. 49. and inlarg'd upon again in Deut. 33.

Thirdly, Beſides, the Apoſtle ſaith there, Heb. 11.32. [And what ſhall I more ſay? the time would fail me] to give further and fuller Inſtances; and therefore he doth Artificially wind up all together to avoid that prolixity which would not conſiſt with a ſhort Epiſtle, ſo might for brevity's ſake omit this laſt and long Patriarchal Bleſſing; wherein are contained theſe famous Remarks.

1. Jacob did this when he lay on dying, to ſhew that he perſiſted and perſevered in Faith to his laſt Breath, conſtantly believing the Promiſes of God whereby Canaan was ſettl'd upon his Poſterity, He died in the Faith of it, Heb. 11.13. and when he was a dying, 'twas no more 'twixt God and Jacob, but, behold I die, Gen. 48.21. (as it was no more 'twixt God and Moſes, but go up and die, Deut. 32.49, 50.) Jacob's Speech was a Speech, not of fear, but of Faith, well-knowing that Death to him ſhould neither be total nor perpetual; not total, for it was of the Body only; not perpetual of the Body, but for a Seaſon only, for that was buried in the door of Hope for Riſing again.

The ſecond Remark is, This laſt Teſtament of the dying Patriarch is a living Oracle; Oh what a brisk, vigorous, vivacious Spirit reſted upon the dying Fleſh of Jacob, when he ſang out this Swan-like Song at his Death: His Graces like good Liquor run freſh to the bottom, yea, his beſt Wine runs forth laſt without dregs out of this Veſſel of Mercy: The Spirits motion is many times quickeſt, when the motions of the Fleſh are ſloweſt. The Soul is moſt ſenſible, when the Body is becoming ſenſeleſs: The Sun ſhines moſt amiably towards its Deſcent; and the River, running toward the Ocean, the nearer it comes to the Sea, is the ſooner met with the Tide: Thus this Holy Patriarch, coming towards the Brink of Eternity, was met with a ſtrong Torrent of Prophetick Illuminations, and made moſt briskly (and with great p. 424ſplendor at his Deſcent) to utter the lively Oracles of God to all his twelve Sons. The laſt Speeches of Dying Saints, are ordinarily, as living Oracles and long remembred; how much more of this extraordinary Prophet and Primitive Patriarch, in this his laſt farewel (a moſt Heavenly one) to the World, when his Grace was juſt on changing into Glory?

The third Remark is, As the Grace of Faith participates of Beams from God, ſo it communicates of its Rays to Men: Jacob, bleſſed of God, bleſſeth all his Sons with a Prophetick Bleſſing, prophecying what ſhould befal all the twelve Tribes to the very coming of Shilo or Chriſt, Gen. 49.1, 10. As Chriſt was not a Creature all for himſelf, nay, not at all ſo, but for the good of others, Rom. 15.3. and Acts 10.38. ſo, no more are the Graces Chriſt gives: Jacob, (bleſs'd with Faith himſelf) in Faith bleſſeth all his Sons, Gen. 49. where we have Jacob in Gods ſtead, crumbling Divine Bleſſings among his twelve Children: God gives not out his Bleſſings by whole-ſale (as we ſay) but rather by retail only, which is to maintain Trading, Commerce and Communion betwixt himſelf and us: The Cloud doth not commonly empty it ſelf at a ſudden burſt, but gently diſſolves and drops down by drop and drop upon the Earth: God hath been dropping down Mercy upon Mankind from the Foundation of the World to this day, yet is not his Store-houſe drawn dry, or his Treaſury empty, not only ſtill more and more, but alſo there is ſtill better and better, and ſtill better things abiding in the bottom of Gods Basket, Heb. 11.40. the deeper the ſweeter in the Honey-pot of Divine Promiſes. Chriſt at the Marriage-feaſt procured and produced the beſt Wine in the laſt place, John 2.10. The Promiſes to the laſt Times are certainly the beſt Promiſes, and will be the beſt performances, when the Bridegroom comes (after ſo long an Eſpouſal) to Marry his Bride for an Everlaſting Embracement, Revel. 19.7, 8.

The fourth Remark is, Jacob in this Patriarchal Bleſſing, doth Prophetically deſcribe,

1. His Sons Conditions and Callings, ſome of one Employ, and ſome of another; as Judges, Prieſts, Warriours, Merchants, Husbandmen and Tradeſmen, all to make up the Commonwealth of Iſrael.

2. Their Manners, ſome were Wanton, ſome Cholerick, others Envious, Ravening, &c. yet repenting of their ſins, they receiv'd Remiſſion from God, and were Enrolled all as the twelve Tribes of Iſrael.

3. Their Situation, as Gen. 49.13. Jacob ſpeaks there as if he had been Joſhua dividing the Land, and appointing every Tribe where they ſhould dwell. Thus God (who ſets out the Bounds of all Mens Habitations, Acts 17.26.) gave Jacob a Divine Revelation to know (above the reach of either Devil or Angel without it) how his Sons ſhould be Situated in the World. And,

4. Their Succeſſion from one Generation to another (Oh how many thouſand dark Nights did this Dim-ſighted and Dying Patriarch ſee through and about two thouſand years forward) until Shilo came into the World.

Dying Jacob beſtow'd his laſt and beſt Patriarchal Bleſſing upon all the twelve Tribes; ſo 'tis expreſly ſaid, Gen. 49.28. Though the Legacy he left to Reuben, Simeon and Levi, ſeems rather a Curſe than a Bleſſing; yet if we conſider how theſe his three Sons had,

1. Their Lot in the Land of Promiſe.

2. Their Room upon the High-Prieſts Breaſt-plate. And,

3. Their ſhare in that Eminent Sealing (mentioned in Revel. 7.) equal with all the reſt: We muſt conclude, that they were not Curſed, but Bleſſed by Jacob, and were therefore reckon'd as three of the twelve Patriarchs in all after Ages: Omitting all the particular Benedictions of every Tribe (becauſe Moſes mentions them again, Deut. 33.) I ſhall here inſiſt only upon that ſingle Sentence inſerted in Dan's Bleſſing, [I have waited for thy Salvation, O Lord,] Gen. 49.18. which is a pious and ponderous Ejaculation of this Dying Patriarch, without any connexion either with that which goeth before, or with that which followeth after. The motions of the Spirit are not limited to any Rules of Method or Logical Order. Jacob ſeems here to be tranſported into a Divine Extaſie or Rapture, making a ſtrange Rhetorical Apoſtrophe, turning his Speech from his Sons to God, and from Benediction to Invocation; his words here (being Hebrew but three, Liſhugnathekah Kivethi Jehovah) is foreign, much in a little, and becauſe of its Brevity, Suavity and Fulneſs, is truely called a Golden Sentence; why this ſudden Exclamation is inſerted among his many Benedictions, without any Coherence either with the Antecedent or with the Conſequent, various Authors have rendred various Reaſons.

The firſt Reaſon is, Some of the Fathers ſay, that this Prophetick Patriarch foreſeeing Antichriſts Riſe out of this Tribe of Dan (whereof he was now ſpeaking) he made here a Confeſſion of his Faith againſt Antichriſt, how this was a miſtake in the Fathers, I have at large ſhewed in my diſcovery of Antichriſt, page 10.11, 12, 13, 14.

p. 425The ſecond Reaſon is that of Modern Authors, who think, 'tis rather an Holy Sigh, an Heavenly Groan to God, feeling himſelf faint, and almoſt ſpent with ſpeaking in his Death-bed-ſickneſs, now deſiring to be diſſolved, and ſo to be freed from all ſuch weakneſſes, as he at that time wreſtl'd with: This wiſh is ſuitable to old Simeon's, Luke 2.29. and Paul's, Phil. 1.23.

The third Reaſon is, ſay others, Jacob by his Prophetick Spirit foreſaw the great defection that would after be in the Tribe of Dan, and their Infection with Idolatry, Judg. 18.30. and 1 King. 12.30. (for which 'tis ſuppoſed, Dan is left out in the Sealing, Revel. 7.) hereupon he darts up this deſire to God for them, and for himſelf in them, having an Eye at Samſon (of that Tribe) their Saviour, eſpecially at Chriſt the Worlds Saviour, of whom Samſon was but a Type correſponding with this Antitype in many particulars of his Birth, Life and Death.

There is yet a fourth Opinion, That this Patriarch might ſpeak theſe words to his Son Dan, reading the words thus, [I expect Jehovah to be thy Salvation, O Dan,] for this Tribe in general, and Samſon in particular were ſore oppreſſed by the Enemy, as appears in Judg. 1.34. and 18.1, 30, 31. and 16.16, 17, 21, &c. ſo that this Ejaculation might well enough cohere with Jacob's ſudden and ſmother'd Meditation (out of which it did iſſue) though it doth not with the Antecedent and Conſequent Matter; but take the words as in our reading, and they hold forth this Golden and Great Truth, this Divine Doctrine. That, as Jacob did, ſo all the Children of Jacob ought to wait on God for his Salvation; wherein three grand Conſiderables offer themſelves.

1. The Object.

2. The Author.

3. The Action.

1. The Object in Jacob's Eye is Salvation, a moſt comprehenſive word, containing (though not in its ſtrict, yet in its large ſenſe) both freedom from all evil, and fruition of all good; ſo 'tis the beſt of all Deſirables, and if there be any thing in the World worth waiting for, it muſt be Salvation; which is Threefold.

Firſt, Temporal and External, Exod. 14.13. 2 Chron. 20.17. outward Deliverance out of Eminent Danger. This Jacob might include, but it was not all he deſign'd as the whole and ſole of his deſire, therefore Onkelos, or the Chaldee Paraphraſe reads it thus, [I expect not the Salvation of Gideon,] for that was but Temporal, nor that of Samſon, for that was but Tranſitory, but 'tis Redemption by Shilo that my Soul deſireth, which leads to—

Secondly, Salvation is Spiritual and Internal, Rom. 1.16. and Heb. 2.3. It is potentially in the Word preached, as the Harveſt is potentially in the Seed; the Doctrine of the Goſpel is the Grace of God that brings Salvation, Tit. 2.11. Thus are we ſaved from our ſins, Mat. 1.21. by Grace, Eph. 2.8. and from an untoward Generation, Acts 2.40. As when God takes a Soul, and fills it (as a Veſſel of wrath) with wrath and horrour, this is Metaphorically call'd an Hell and Damnation in this World: So when God inlarges the Heart, and fills it (as a Veſſel of mercy) with grace and mercy, this is an Heaven upon Earth, and a kind of Salvation.

Thirdly, 'Tis Glorious and Eternal: This is the uſual acceptation of the Word, being the common Notion of that unſpeakable Joy and Felicity which the Father beſtows on his Adopted Children in another World, when he comes to them by Sickneſs and Death, knocks off their Shackles of a miſerable Life, and Hands them into his Heavenly Manſions of Everlaſting Bliſs.

The ſecond thing after this Object is the Author of it; Jacob calls it [Thy Salvation,] as it is of the Lord alone; beſide him there is no Saviour, Iſa. 43.11. Salvation is of the Lord, Jo…. 2.9. and it belongeth to the Lord only, Pſal. 3.8. therefore is he call'd the God of Salvation, Pſal. 68.19, 20. and Pſal. 25.5. The God that gives omnimodam ſalutem (as Hebr. [Jeſhugnatha] having one Letter more than ordinary, importeth) even all manner of Salvation: He ſaves us from ten thouſand Deaths and Dangers; He ſaves us to Day, and will, or (at leaſt) can ſave us to Morrow: All kinds of Salvation (External, Internal and Eternal) are from the Lord, none of them come from Kings or from Parliaments, or from Navies or Armies; the word is Excluſive, 'tis from the Lord only, 'tis not from any of the aforeſaid aſunder, no nor from all them when together; 'tis only from God.

The third thing is the Action; [Wait for this.] Now waiting is a Servants work, Pſal. 123.2. If I be a Maſter (ſaith God) where is my Service? Mal. 1.6. David expectando expectavit, Hebr. [Kavah Kivethi,] Pſal. 40.1. in waiting waited; he prayed and waited, he waited and prayed; he firſt prayed and then waited to ſee the Iſſue, Pſal. 5.3. Waiting is an Act of the Soul, wherein it earneſtly looks for ſome promis'd good from the Hands of God. Waiting is a Compound of many Graces, Faith and Patience (like the two Cherubims which covered the Mercy-ſeat) have their Faces looking one toward another, and join their p. 426Wings together (over-ſhadowing the Soul) in this waiting work: Theſe two Graces do ſupport the Heart of Man, as Aaron and Hur did the Hands of Moſes, Exod. 17.12. Hope is the Pulſe of the Soul, and expectation is its Perſpective-glaſs: As the Body lives [ſpirando] by breathing, ſo the Soul lives [ſperando] by hoping, and the more lively that hope is, the more lively is the Soul for God: Expectation diſcovers things afar off (in Faith's Perſpective glaſs) as if they were at Hand, John 8.56. hereby Abraham ſaw Chriſts Day; and as Faith hath a ſtrong ſight, ſo it hath a long Hand, wherewith it both Eſpies and Embraces remote Mercies, Heb. 11.13. 'Tis not enough to believe the Promiſes in the truth of them, nor to hope for the good of them which is laid up in them; but we muſt patiently wait and expect till that good be given out to us by the God of Judgment, timing all our Mercies for beſt to us.

The remaining part of the Patriarch Jacob's Hiſtory may be reduced to theſe few Remarks.

The firſt is, When Jacob had beſtowed his Patriarchal and Prophetical Benediction upon all his Sons, being both broken with old Age, and wearied with ſo long a Funeral Oration, (which he had delivered with his utmoſt Extenſion of Speech, Intention of Spirit, and Retention of Memory) he quietly compoſeth himſelf to Die, and ſweetly to ſleep in Jeſus, well knowing with Job, that his Redeemer lived, and was ready to receive him into a Manſion of Glory, Gen. 49.29, 33. He had hitherto raiſed up himſelf into ſo reverend a poſture ('tis ſuppoſed he ſat on his Bed-ſide with his Feet hanging down) as his infirm Body would permit, in reverence to the Word of God which he then delivered, &c. ſo drew up his Feet and died: The Apoſtle expreſſeth dying Jacob's poſture [leaning on his Staff,] Heb. 11.21. where likewiſe he mentioneth only Jacob's bleſſing the two Sons of Joſeph, becauſe Born out of his Family in a Forreign Land, yet by Faith both are Adopted by Jacob for his own Children; and where the Apoſtle alſo follows the Septuagint, who in their unprick'd Bibles did read Matteh a Rod for Mittah a Bed; the Hebrew reading is, [He bowed himſelf upon the Bedshead,] Gen. 47.31. The Romiſh Vulgar reading leaveth out [upon] to make way for their worſhipping the Croſs: Suppoſe the reading be upon the top of his Staff, inſtead of the head of his Bed, then might it figure the Rod or Scepter of Chriſt, otherwiſe it had not been Faith (as the Apoſtle calls it here) but Superſtition; but the genuine true ſenſe is, that Jacob raiſed himſelf on the Pillow (being now a Clynick or Bed-rid) at the Beds-head, ſupporting his feeble Arms with his Staff which ſome not improbably (putting both the Hebrew words [Mittah and Matteh] together) ſuppoſe was his Bed-ſtaff when he took Joſeph Sworn to Bury him in Canaan, ſo bows himſelf forward with his Head in thankfulneſs to God, who had not only given him the ſight of Joſeph (whom he had reckoned dead and devoured by wild Beaſts) and his two Sons alſo in great Grandeur, and likewiſe ſome ſure hope to be Buried himſelf in the Land of Promiſe, as an Earneſt and Hanſel of the Twelve Tribes Poſſeſſing it.

The ſecond Remark is, The ſweeteſt days that ever Jacob ſaw were thoſe days he lived in the Land of Egypt immediately before his Death: Joſeph feedeth his Father (with his whole Family) full ſeventeen years before his Fathers Death, Gen. 47.28. and ſo long Jacob had nouriſhed Joſeph full ſeventeen years before he was ſordidly ſold by his Brethren (whom he now nouriſhed,) Gen. 37.2. That the Son ſhould feed his old Father and Family in a time of moſt dangerous Famine, was but his foreign, a paying nouriſhment to him from whom he had firſt his own before; yet ſuch was his Sons Capacity (as Lord of the Land) that it made Jacob's laſt days his beſt days: He was an hundred and thirty years when he was brought before Pharaoh, Gen. 47.9. and he lived in Goſhen till he was an hundred and forty ſeven years old, ver. 28. God reſerved his beſt Wine till the laſt for him: As his Nature and outward Man was moſt comfortably accommodated by his Son in Goſhen, ſo no leſs was his Grace and Inner Man by his God to the laſt, for his Graces like good Liquor (as above) ran freſh to the bottom: Mark the perfect Man, and behold the upright, for (be his beginning, and his middle never ſo troubleſom) the end of that Man is peace, Pſal. 37.37. A Goſhen he ſhall have either here, or in Heaven hereafter.

The third Remark is, At Jacob's coming down into Egypt did the firſt half of the four hundred and thirty years (mentioned in Exod. 12.40. and Gal. 3.17.) expire, commencing from Abraham's going out of Canaan, Gen. 12.4, 10. as a Sojourner, &c. ſo that from this time Iſrael were in Egypt for two hundred and fifteen years more before their Deliverance thence. It is plain that theſe four hundred and thirty years are to be computed from the firſt Promiſe made to Abraham, Gen. 12.1, 2, &c. to the giving of the Law, Gal. 3.17. and 'tis plain alſo, there were only four hundred years of this term to come, in Gen. 15.13. for then the thirty years were expired: The Text Exod. 12.40. doth not confine their Sojourning to Egypt only, but in Canaan alſo which was not theirs then by Actual Poſſeſſion, Gen. 15.13. but Abraham and Iſaac, &c. were Strangers in it, Gen. 17.8. Pſal. 105.11, 12. p. 427The Hebrew words [Moſhab] and [Toſhab] Sojourner have their Emphaſis: Abraham was the firſt Founder of this famous peregrination or Sojourning, which firſt began in Canaan (while Iſrael as Levi was in his Loins, Heb. 7.9.) and ended in Egypt, when the other Moyety of two hundred and fifteen years expired after Jacob came thither.

The Remaining part of the Patriarch Joſeph's Hiſtory is alſo reducible to theſe ſew Remarks.

The firſt is, as they are methodized in the laſt Chapter of Geneſis, His great Filial Honour to and care of his dear Father's dead Body, both in weeping upon it (as willing, if poſſible, to have wept him alive again) and in Imbalming it, Gen. 50.1, 2, 3. according to the Cuſtom of the Egyptian Country, wherewith he complied partly in Veneration and godly Affection to ſo worthy a Parent and Patriarch (who had ſo long mourned for him when he ſuppoſed his Son was devoured by an evil Beaſt, therefore he honours him with theſe Solemnities) and partly to preſerve the Corps ſweet ſo long as the many days time of Mourning, and the long Journey to Machpelah (his Burying-place) in Canaan required; but principally to teſtifie his Faith of the Reſurrection, and that Incorruption he hoped for at the laſt day.

The ſecond Remark of Joſeph concerning Jacob alſo is, the Funeral Solemnities of his Fathers Interment; when Joſeph had got leave of Pharaoh by the mediation of Meſſengers (for he being a Mourner muſt not come before Kings, Eſth. 4.2.) to fulfil the will of the Dead, and the command of his Father, together with the Obligation of his Solemn Oath (the ſacredneſs whereof, and the Execration of Perjury the Light of Nature diſcovered to theſe Heathens, Pharaoh and his Courtiers) he marcheth to Canaan with a moſt Pompous Retinue, both of Courtiers, Counſellors, Captains, and a ſtrong Convoy or Conduct for their Defence in caſe of Oppoſition, and there affordeth his Father a moſt Honourable Burial, Gen. 50.4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. making a grievous Mourning for him beyond Jordan, ver. 10, 11, 12. the place was thence called, [Abel-Mizraim] the Mourning of the Egyptians, which was a good Providence for confirming the Faith of the Iſraelites (when they were to paſs over Jordan afterward) by this ſtanding Monument of Jacob's Tranſportation out of Egypt into Canaan for his Burial.

The third Remark is, Joſeph's kindneſs to his Brethren, who had been notoriouſly unkind to him, and who were now Jealous he would be reveng'd of them, ver. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. See the force of Conſcience, though for a while it be ſtill, and ſeemingly aſleep, yet is faithful in Recording, and fearful in Reproving; albeit it doth not alway execute the acts of accuſing yet then hath it always the habit of it, and when awakened with Loſſes and Croſſes, brings old ſins to a new reckoning. What they ſay to Joſeph of their Fathers command looks like a loud Lie, ver. 16. for had Jacob known of their ill uſage of Joſeph, he would have branded them with it, Gen. 49. as he did Simeon and Levi for their cruelty; and he would himſelf have ſpoke to Joſeph before he died, for pardoning them. They repented, this purchas'd Joſeph's pardon, and he nouriſh'd them that would have ſtarved him in the waterleſs Pit, &c. Gen. 37.22, 24.

The fourth Remark is concerning Joſeph in four Reſpects.

1. His Age, ver. 22. 2. His Off-ſpring, ver. 23. 3. His Laſt Will and Teſtament, ver. 24, 25. And 4. His Death and Burial, ver. 26.

Firſt of the firſt of theſe, Joſeph's Age, he lived an hundred and ten years, ver. 22. Mark the Divine Comment God made upon Solomon's Sapiential ſaying, [Proſperity is ſet over againſt Adverſity,] Eccleſ. 7.14. and the marvellous proportion of both. He did not only receive good from the Hands of the Lord as well as evil, Job 2.10. but alſo his good far exceeded his evil, ſeeing for his about thirteen years Adverſity, he enjoyed after that full eighty years of the moſt Honourable Proſperity, even as much Happineſs as this lower World could well afford him: Thus alſo God dealt with Job, giving him an hundred and forty years of Temporal as well as Spiritual Bleſſings in abundance after the Lord turned his Captivity, Job 42.10, 12, 16, 17. Thus God Honoured Joſeph in Egypt, where he had no Divine Oracle or Angel to ſpeak to him as the other Patriarchs had, yet was he all along like a Pearl in a Puddle, keeping his Vertue ſtill where-ever he came, as God was with him, Gen. 39.2. and laſt; ſo Gods fear was before him, ver. 9. though the Iron entred into his Soul, Pſal. 105.18. (or his Soul came into Iron, Hebrew) yet ſin could not enter into his Heart, becauſe it was fraught with the fear of God when it was ſuggeſted to him that his becoming a Minion to one of the greateſt Ladies in Egypt would not only afford him much Carnal Pleaſure, but alſo Releaſe him out of Priſon, and Advance him to the Higheſt Worldly Honour, he contemns the Temptation, furniſhing the Tempter with nothing but wet Tinder to ſtrike Fire upon, reſolving to lye ſtill in the Duſt, rather than riſe by any way of wickedneſs. This was ſtrong Faith, and therefore is he made the tenth Exemplary Witneſs of Faith, Heb. 11.22.

p. 428Secondly, Joſeph's Off-ſpring; God bleſſed him for his Holineſs with ſo long a Life after his Affliction, that he lived to ſee his Son Ephraim's grand Childrens Children, Gen. 50.23. yea, and to Dance and Dandle with great delight upon his Lap the Grand-Children of his Son Manaſſeh: This was another Branch of Gods Bleſſing upon him for his Holineſs ſhining forth ſo ſplendidly in him, notwithſtanding his want of thoſe helps in Egypt (of God or Angels ſpeaking audibly to him) which his Fore-fathers had: Dr. Lightfoot affirmeth that Ephraim at Joſeph's Death could not be leſs than threeſcore and fifteen years old, and therefore that paſſage concerning Ephraim's Sons being ſlain by the Men of Gath, 1 Chron. 7.21, 22, 23. ſeemeth to be not very long after Joſeph's Death, if not before it. 'Tis probable (ſaith he) that third Generation of Ephraim (mentioned Gen. 50.23.) were the Perſons ſo unhappily ſlain by the Inhabitants of the Land. In thoſe Antient Times it was uſual for one Countrey to Invade another Adjacent, as Philiſtims (or Men of Gath) the Egyptians their next Neighbours, and to carry thence their Booties: This probably had been done upon Goſhen the utmoſt part of Egypt, and Bordering on the Philiſtims. The Children of Ephraim (preſuming on their Numbers and Strength) might Attempt to Requite the Plunderers, and Recover their Loſſes, wherein they miſcarried (as is related) for which Ephraim Mourned many days, &c.

Thirdly, Joſeph's Laſt Will and Teſtament, Gen. 50.24, 25. which he delivered by Faith, Heb. 11.22. conſiſting of two Branches.

1. His mentioning Iſrael's Exodus or departure out of Egypt, foreſeeing they would be hardly uſed after his Deceaſe, yet God would viſit them with Grace and Mercy, after he had viſited them with Juſtice and Anger, to wean them from the Idolatry of Egypt, that they might not carry it along with them into the Land of Promiſe, and becauſe they were tainted therewith, therefore the Lord Aired and Sweetned them from the ſtench thereof full Forty years in the Wilderneſs, and then brought them into Canaan: Joſeph lived with his Brethren (after his Return with them from Burying Jacob) in Egypt fifty three years, or more, in great peace and plenty; but at his Death began their Egyptian Bondage: Their Liberty and Worldly Felicity died with Joſeph, as afterwards Iſrael's Proſperity died with Joſiah: Yet dying Joſeph foretold them by Faith, that the Promiſe of fetching them forth, and giving them Canaan would aſſuredly be Accompliſhed; which Prophecy of Joſeph was fulfill'd about an hundred and ſixty years after his Death, ſo long did their Miſery and Slavery laſt before Moſes came.

The ſecond Branch of Joſeph's Laſt Will was a command concerning his Bones, Heb. 11.22. He ſaith not [my Body] but [my Bones] becauſe he foreſaw that his Body would be conſumed in the Coffin before their departure out of Egypt, and nothing but his Bones would then remain unchanged: This highly commends Joſeph's Faith, who though he ſaw the Promiſe afar off, Heb. 11.13. even an hundred and ſixty years diſtance betwixt his Death and Iſrael's Departure, yet he Imbraced it, neither deſpiſing it, nor doubting of its Truth.

Hence the fourth Reſpect is introduced, to wit, his Death and his order of the place of his Burial: His good Father left his Son a good Example. Jacob would not be Buried in Egypt, the Jewiſh Rabbies ſay, becauſe he foreſaw that the Duſt of Egypt would by Moſes be turned into Lice, &c. What a ſhame it is, that many Men are Buried quick in the World and in Sin? This ſhews Joſeph's goodneſs in imitating,

1. So good a Father, not to lay his Bones in ſo bad a place, hoping a better Reſurrection.

2. In diſcharging the Duty of a dying Saint, remembring Gods Promiſe, whereby David did ſtill all murmurings, Pſal. 77.9, 10, 11.

3. In retaining his love to the Land of Promiſe; it ſeems hereby, Egypt had not Joſeph's Heart and Affections, though he had his Honour and Grandeur therein: For he takes care his Bones ſhall be carried thence.

4. In providing ſuch a ſtanding Memorial of Iſrael's Deliverance from Bondage; the ſight of Joſeph's Bones did Preach Deliverance to them during that tedious time of their Slavery: Thus our Lord hath left his Body and Blood amongſt us as Remembrancers of our Deliverance from Sin.

5. In reſolving, when his living Body cannot go to Canaan, that his Dead Bones ſhould be carried thither: Thus our Edward the firſt had a ſtrong deſire to go to the Holy Land, but being prevented, charg'd his Son upon his Death-bed to carry his Heart thither, leaving 32000 l. to defray charges. His Superſtition ſhames our remiſſneſs in not ſending our Hearts to thoſe Ordinances which we cannot now come at: The want of an Ordinance may be an Ordinance, eſpecially where there is love to it, longings and lamentings after it: We do all things when we purpoſe and indeavour to do all things, and mourn that we can do no more.

p. 4296. In taking ſuch care to keep poſſeſſion of the Land of Promiſe, even while he lived and laid in Egypt: The Amorties in Jacob's abſence had Seized on his purchaſed Field, yet the Title is ſtill claimed and recovered: Oh that we could maintain on Earth good Intelligence with Heaven, and claim our Title there by juſt means!

The Fifth Remark is, it was during this long Interval betwixt Joſeph's Death and Iſrael's Deliverance out of their Egyptian Bondage, that Joſeph's Nephews, the Ephraimites, attempted their own Deliverance before the time appointed by God, not long after Joſeph's Death, and even while their Father Ephraim was yet alive. Haſty work ſeldom ends well; ſure I am this ended with ill ſucceſs, to the great Grief and Regret of their Aged Father, who mourned for this miſcarriage many days, 1 Chron. 7.22. This ſeems to have happen'd a little before the rigour of the Egyptian Slavery, and before the Reign of that new King (mentioned Exod. 1.8.) who knew not Joſeph, as the five Kings of Egypt (his Predeceſſors,) had done: Thoſe Ephraimites would have been carrying their Grandfather's Bones out of the Land before God's time, and before the Sins of the Amorites were full, Gen. 15.16. therefore the Inhabitants of the Land fought fiercely (pro Aris & Focis) for holding faſt their own Lands and Livings, and not to be turned out of their Tenements before the time: This furious fight of the Philiſtims upon their own ground, the Ephraimites (becauſe the Lord was not amongſt them, as afterward among the Murm…rers, Num. 14.42.) were not able to ſtand before ſo ſharp a ſhock, but turned their Backs in the Day of Battel, as is ſaid, Pſal. 78.9. and then was it, that it went ſo ill with the houſe of Ephraim, 1 Chron. 7.23. Notwithſtanding this, Joſeph's Prophecy concerning the carriage of his Bones, was in God's time accompliſhed; Moſes was mindful of Joſeph's laſt Will, and Iſrael's Oath (they Swore to him, Gen. 50.25.) therefore in Conſcience of Duty, the Coffin was carry'd out with Iſrael, Exod. 13.19. which was Buried in the Valley of Achor, that Door of Hope of a better Reſurrection; namely, in that Field near Shechem, &c. Joſh. 24.32. Thus long did Joſeph willingly wait for his Burial in Canaan, being not immediately after his Death carried thither, as Jacob was, but defers his Interment to this time, becauſe he would not diſoblige the Egyptians, who would have cenſur'd him for contemning their Land, as if that which had been the place of his living in Honour were not thought good enough by him for his lying in when Dead; this would have highly incens'd them againſt his Survivers.

The Sixth Remark, The Hiſtory of Job, &c. falls in order of time betwixt Joſeph's Death in Egypt, and Iſrael's Departure out of Egypt. This may rationally be concluded from theſe Grounds:

1. No mention is made in the whole Book of Job, either of the Children of Iſrael, or of their grievous Sufferings in Egypt, and Deliverance out of it, which had been moſt ſuitable and pertinent to the purpoſe.

2. Job is preferr'd for his Piety before any man then alive, even before his patience had given ſuch a luſtre to his Piety, then the Church muſt be in a very low Ebb.

3. After the giving of the Law, Sacrificing was confined to the Tabernacle, &c. but Job Sacrificed in a Country of the Gentiles, Men after were bid to Sacrifice at God's Altar, Exod. 20.24.

4. After Moſes time, the knowledge of God was extinct among the Gentiles, which before had been made known to divers by Dreams and Viſions, but then peculiar to Iſrael.

5. Job lived near two Hundred years old, Chap. 1, 2, 3. and 42.16. whereas after Moſes Man lived far ſhorter, Pſal. 90.10. God began to cut Man's life much ſooner off in Iſraelites, and all others.

6. If Eliphaz, was the fourth from Eſau of Teman, as Amram was from Jacob and Levi, this ſhews their Contemporizing, and that Job lived when it went ſadlieſt with Iſrael in Egypt.

The particular Remarks concerning Job are,

Firſt, That the Book is no parable or poetical Fiction (as ſome have dotingly ſaid) but a real Hiſtory, which is clearly demonſtrated both by the contexture of the whole, giving a diſtinct account of all circumſtances of Perſons, Places, Actions, &c. and by the ſucceeding Penmen of the ſacred Scripture, more eſpecially who mention Job as a real and eminent Pattern of Piety and Patience, as Ezek. 14.14. (where he is quoted and coupled with Noah and Daniel, two Perſons that acted glorious Works in the World) and Jam. 5.11. Some ſuppoſe that Job was a Son of Nahor Abraham's Brother, deſcended from him by his Son Uz, as Elihu was of his Son Buz, Gen. 22.20, 21. Job 32.2. and ſo Elihu came to live near to Job, who was Son of the Elder Brother, as he was of the Younger; others ſuppoſe him to be that Jobab of Eſau's Poſterity, Gen. 36.33, 34. being a Magiſtrate and Judge in his Country, Job 29.7, 8, 9, &c. whoſe Name was contracted into Job by his Adverſity, who before was call'd Jobab (at length) in the day of his Proſperity. There is an odd Story Jacobus Juſtus relates in the Notes to his Map of the Holy Land, that Balaam, Job, and Jethro, were Pharaoh's p. 430Counſellors when Moſes was born, and found by Thermutis the King's Daughter, who brought him into the Court; Moſes, while a Child, trampled Pharaoh's Crown under his feet. Balaam ſaid, It preſaged Deſtruction to the State; Job would have nothing determin'd againſt him; but Jethro ſaid, it was only a childiſh Trick, ſo not to be regarded; whence theſe three ſped afterward accordingly, Balaam was ſlain, Job afflicted, and Jethro made happy by Moſes affinity.

The Second Remark is, the Book of Job is a Tragi-Comedy, writ either, Firſt, by Job himſelf, who wiſhed the Hiſtory were written in a Book, Job 19.23, 24. ſo after his Deliverance might anſwer his own with. Or, Secondly, Elihu, who came not from far, as the other three did, but neighboured upon him, and nameth not himſelf as coming with them, and who ſaith, [I will ſhew my opinion, &c. Job 32.15, 16, 17.] Or, Thirdly, By Moſes in Midian, who wrote it for the comfort of Iſrael ſorely diſtreſſed in Egypt. Whoever was the Penman, it matters not, God was its Author, and Paul quotes Job 5.19. as canonical, 1 Cor. 3.19. the whole Book ſetting forth Job's fall from a very great height of Dignity into the very depth of Miſery by Satan's Malice, firſt againſt his Eſtate, and then againſt his Body: The Dialogues his three Friends held with him, were to convince him, that his Sinning had been extraordinary, becauſe his Suffering was ſo: The Doctrinal part of whoſe Diſputations was ſound, but their prejudice miſled them in the Application, Job vindicates himſelf all along, but not prevailing that way, He ſtops their Mouths by imprecating himſelf in particulars, Job 31.1. to laſt; then comes Elihu in as Moderator, but inclining to the ſame Miſpriſion of the others, the Lord himſelf convinceth them all of Job's Integrity, not only by an Oracle from Heaven, but alſo by reviving Job's Proſperity, doubling all he had loſt ſave only his Children who were with God, and making him the longeſt liver that was born after Terah, who died at two hundred and five years old, Gen. 11.32. and ſuppoſing Job Seventy years old when his trouble came, he lived two hundred and ten years old, having his years doubled alſo. Behold a Miracle here, How Job a Camel for Grandeur and Riches, paſſeth notwithſtanding through the eye of a Needle, yea, with Six thouſand Camels, &c. Job 42.12.16. He entreth that ſtrait Gate into a Manſion of Glory, &c. his eminent Piety had eminent Miſery, which yet ended in both Temporal and Eternal Felicity.