Works of Joseph Hall, Book 3 – Title page 44
Contemplations. THE THIRD BOOKE.
Of IACOB and ESAV.
OF all the Patriarkes, none made ſo little noyſe in the World as Iſaac; none liued either ſo priuately, or ſo innocently: Neither know I whether hee approued himſelfe a better ſonne or an Huſband. For the one; he gaue himſelfe ouer to the knife of his Father, and mourned three yeeres for his Mother: for the other he ſought not to any handmaids bed, but in a chaſt forbearance reſerued himſelfe for twenty yeeres ſpace, and prayed: Rebecca was ſo long barren, his prayers proued more effectuall then his ſeed. At laſt ſhe conceiued, as if ſhee had beene more then the daughter in law to Sarah; whoſe ſonne was giuen her, not out of the power of Nature, but of her husbands Faith.
God is oft better to vsus then we would: Iſaac prayes for a ſonne; God giues him two at once: Now, ſhee is no leſſe troubled with the ſtrife of the children in her wombe, then before with the want of children: we know not when we are pleaſed; that which we deſire, oft-times diſcontents vsus more in the fruition; wee are ready to complaine both full and faſting. Before Rebecca conceiued, ſhe was at eaſe: Before ſpirituall regeneration there is all peace in the ſoule: No ſooner is the new man formed in vsus, but the fleſh conflicts with the ſpirit: There is no grace where is no vnquietneſſe: Eſau alone would not hauehave ſtriuen: Nature will euer agree with it ſelfe; Neuer any Rebecca conceiued onelyonly an Eſau; or was ſo happy as to conceiue none but a Iacob; She muſt be the mother of both, that ſhe may hauehave both ioy and exerciſe. This ſtrife began early; EueryEvery true Iſraelite begins his warre with his being. How many actions which we know not of, are not without preſage and ſignification?
Theſe two were the champions of two Nations; the field was their mothers wombe; their quarrell, precedency & ſuperiority: Eſau got the right of Nature; Iacob of grace: yet that there might be ſome pretence of equality, leſt Eſau ſhould out-run his brother into the World, Iacob holds him faſt by the heele: So his hand was borne before the others foot: But becauſe Eſau is ſome minutes the elder; that the younger might hauehave better claime to that which God had promiſed, he buies that which he could not winn: If either by ſtrife, or purchaſe, or ſuite, we can attaine ſpirituall bleſſings, we are happy: If Iacob had come forth firſt, he had not knowne how much he was bound to God for the fauour of his aduancement.
There was neuer any meat, except the forbidden fruit, ſo deare bought as this broth of Iacob; In both, the receiuer and the Eater is accurſed: EueryEvery true ſonne of Iſrael will bee content to purchaſe ſpirituall fauours with earthly; And that man hath in him too much of the blood of Eſau, which will not rather dye then forgoe his birth-right.
But what hath careleſſe Eſau loſt, if hauing ſold his birth-right, he may obtaine the bleſſing? Or what hath Iacob gained, if his brothers Veniſon may counteruaile his Pottage? Yet thus hath old Iſaac decreed; who was now not more blind in his eyes, then in his affections: God had forewarned him that the elder ſhould ſerue the yonger, yet Iſaac goes about to bleſſe Eſau.
It was not ſo hard for Abraham to reconcile Gods promiſe and Iſaacs ſacrifice, as for Iſaac to reconcile the ſuperiority of Iacob, with Eſaus benediction: for Gods hand was in that, in this none but his owne: The deareſt of Gods Saints hauehave beene ſometimes tranſported with naturall affections: He ſaw himſelfe preferred to Iſmael, though the elder; he ſaw his father wilfully forgetting nature at Gods command, in binding him for ſacrifice; He ſaw Eſau lewly matched with Heathens; and yet he will remember nothing, but, Eſau is my firſt borne; But how gracious is God, that when we would will not let vsus ſinne? And ſo orders our actions, that wee doe not what we will, but what we ought.
That God which had ordained the Lordſhip to the yonger, will alſo contriue for him the bleſſing; what he will hauehave effected, ſhall not want meanes: the Mother ſhall rather defeat the Sonne, and beguile the Father, then the Father ſhall beguile the choſen ſonne of his bleſſing. What was Iacob to Rebecca more then Eſau? or what Mother doth not more affect the elder? But now God inclines the louelove of the Mother to the yonger, againſt the cuſtome of nature, becauſe the father loues the elder, againſt the promiſe: The affections of the Parents are diuided, that the promiſe might be fulfilled; Rebeccaes craft ſhall anſwer Iſaacs partiality: Iſaac would vniuſtly turne Eſau into Iocob, Rebecca doth as cunningly turne Iacob into Eſau: her deſire was good, her meanes were vnlawfull: God doth oft times effect his iuſt will by our weakneſſes; yet neither thereby iuſtifying our infirmities, nor blemiſhing his owne actions.
Here was nothing but counterfeiting; a fayned Perſon, a fayned Name, fayned Veniſon, a fained Anſwer, and yet behold, a true bleſſing; but to the man, not to the meanes: Thoſe were ſo vnſound, that Iacob himſelfe doth more feare their curſe then hope for their ſucceſſe. Iſaac was now both ſimple and old: yet if hee had perceiued the fraud, Iacob had beene more ſure of a curſe, then he could bee ſure, that hee ſhould not be perceiued.
Thoſe which are plaine-hearted in themſelues, are the bittereſt enemies to deceit in others: Rebecca preſuming vponupon the Oracle of God, and her husbands ſimplicity, dare be his ſurety for the danger, his counſeller for the cariage of the buſineſſe, his cooke for the dyet, yea dreſſes both the meat and the man: and now puts words into his mouth, the diſh into his hand, the garments vponupon his backe, the Goats haire vponupon the open parts of his body, and ſends him in thus furniſhed for the bleſſing; Standing, no doubt, at the doore, to ſee how well her leſſon was learned, how well her deuice ſucceeded. And if old Iſaac ſhould by any of his ſenſes hauehave diſcerned the guile; ſhee had ſoone ſtept in and vndertaken the blame, and vrged him with that knowne will of God concerning Iacobs Dominion, and Eſaus ſeruitude, which either age or affection had made him forget.
And now ſhe wiſhes ſhe could borrow Eſaus tongue as well as his garments, that ſhe might ſecurely deceiue all the ſenſes of him, which had ſuffered himſelf more dangerouſly deceiued with his affection: But this is paſt her remedy: her ſon muſt name himſelfe Eſau with the voice of Iacob. It is hard if our tongue do not bewray what we are, in ſpight of our habit. This was enough to worke Iſaac to a ſuſpition, to an inquiry not to an incredulity: He that is good of himſelfe, will hardly beleeue euill of another; And will rather diſtruſt his owne ſenſes, then the fidelity of thoſe he truſted: All the ſenſes are ſet to examine; none ſticketh at the iudgement but the eare; To deceiue that, Iacob muſt ſecond his diſſimulation with three lyes at one breath: I am Eſau, as thou b…ſt me, my Veniſon: one ſinne entertained fetcheth in another: and if it be forced to lodge alone, either departeth, or dyeth: I louelove Iacobs bleſſing, but I hate his lye. I would not doe that wilfully, which Iacob did weakely, vponupon condition of a bleſſing: He that pardoned his infirmity, would curſe my obſtinateneſſe.
Good Iſaac ſets his hands to try whether his eares informed him aright; hee feeles the hands of him whoſe voice he ſuſpected: that honeſt heart could not thinke, that the skinne might more eaſily be counterfaited, then the lungs: A ſmall ſatisfaction contents thoſe whom guiltineſſe hath not made ſcrupulous: Iſaac beleeues, and bleſſes the younger Sonne in the garments of the elder: If our heauenly Father ſmell vponupon our backes the ſauour of our elder brothers Robes, we cannot depart from him vnbleſſed.
No ſooner is Iacob gone away full of the ioy of his bleſſing, then Eſau comes in, full of the hope of the bleſſing: And now he cannot repent him to hauehave ſold that in his hunger for pottage; which in his pleaſure he ſhall buy againe with Veniſon. The hopes of the wicked faile them when they are at higheſt, whereas Gods children finde thoſe comforts in extremity which they durſt not expect.
Now he comes in blowing, and ſweating for his reward, and findes nothing but a repulſe: Lewd men when they thinke they hauehave earned of God, and come p…dly to challenge fauour, receiue no anſwer, but, Who art thou? Both the Father and the Son wonder at each other, the one with feare, the other with griefe; Iſaac tremble … Eſau wept; the one vponupon conſcience, the other vponupon enuy: Iſaacs heart now told him that he ſhould not hauehave purpoſed the bleſſing where hee did; and that it was due to him vntounto whom it was giuen, and not purpoſed; hence he durſt not reuerſe that which hee had done with Gods will; beſides his owne: For now hee ſaw that hee had done vnwilling iuſtice: God will finde both time and meanes to reclaime his owne, to preuent their ſinnes, to manifeſt and reforme their foreign: who would hauehave looked for teares from Eſau? Or who dare truſt teares, when he ſees them fall from ſo graceleſſe Eyes?
It was a good word, Bleſſe me alſo, my Father; EueryEvery miſcreant can wiſh himſelfe well: No man would be miſerable, if it were enough to deſire happineſſe: Why did hee not rather weepe to his Brother, for the pottage; then to Iſaac for a bleſſing? If he had not then ſold, he had not needed now to begge: It is iuſt with God to denie vsus thoſe fauours which wee were careleſſe in keeping, and which wee vnderunder valued in enioying. Eſaus teares find no place for Iſaacs repentance; Except it were that he hath done that by wile, which he ſhould hauehave done vponupon duty.
No motiue can cauſe a good heart to repent that he hath done well; how happy a thing it is to know the ſeaſons of grace, and not to neglect then how deſperate to hauehave knowne and neglected them! theſe teares were both late and falſe; the teares of rage, of enuy, of carnall deſire; worldly ſorrow cauſeth death: yet whiles Eſau …owles out thus for a bleſſing, I heare him cry out of his fathers ſtore (Haſt thou but one bleſsing, my Fathers?) of his brothers ſubtlety (was hee not rightly called Iacob?) I doe not heare him blame his owne deſerts. Hee did not ſee, while his Father was deceiued, and his brother crafty, that God was iuſt, and himſelfe vncapable: he knew himſelfe profane; and yet claimes a bleſſing.
Thoſe that care not to pleaſe God, yet care for the outward fauours of God, and are ready to murmure if they want them, as if God were bound to them, and they free. And yet ſo mercifull is God, that he hath ſecond bleſſings for thoſe that louelove him not, and giues them all they care for. That one bleſſing of ſpeciall louelove is for none but Iſrael; but thoſe of common kindneſſe are for them that can ſell their birth right: this bleſſing was more then Eſau could be worthy of: yet like a ſecond Cain, he reſolues to kill his brother, becauſe he was more accepted: I know that whether he were a worſe ſonne, or brother; he hopes for his fathers death, and purpoſes his brothers; and vowes to ſhed blood in ſtead of teares. But wicked men cannot be ſo ill as they would; that ſtrong Wreſtler againſt whom Iacob preuailed, preuailed with Eſau, and turned his wounds into kiſſes. An Hoaſt of men came with Eſau, an army of Angels met Iacob. Eſau threatned, Iacob prayed: His prayers and preſents hauehave melted the heart of Eſau into louelove. And now in ſtead of the grim and ſtern countenance of an executioner, Iacob ſees the face of Eſau, as the face of God. Both men and deuils are ſtinted, the ſtouteſt heart cannot ſtand out againſt God. He that can wreſtle earneſtly with God, is ſecure from the harmes of men. Thoſe minds which are exaſperated with violence, and cannot be broken with feare, yet are bowed with louelove; when the wayes of a man pleaſe God, he will make his enemies at peace with him.
Of IACOB and LABAN.
ISAACS life was not more retyred and quiet, then Iacobs was buſie and troubleſome. In the one I ſee the Image of contemplation, of action in the other. None of the Patriarkes ſaw ſo euill dayes as he; from whom iuſtly hath the Church of God therefore taken her name. Neither were the faithfull euer ſince called Abrahamites, but Iſraelites. That no time might be loſt, he began his ſtrife in the womb; after that, he flyes for his life from a cruell brother to a cruell vncle. With a ſtaffe goes he ouer Iordan alone; doubtfull and comfortleſſe, not like the ſonne of Iſaac. In the way the earth is his bed, and the ſtone his pillow; Yet euen there he ſees a viſion of A…els Iacobs heart was neuer ſo full of ioy, as when his head lay hardeſt. God is moſt pr…nt with vsus in our greateſt deiection, and loues to giuegive comfort to thoſe that are forſaken of their hopes.
He came farre to find out an hard friend; and of a Nephew becomes a Seruant. No doubt when Laban heard of his ſiſters ſonne, he looked for the Camels and attendance that came to fetch his ſiſter Rebecca, not thinking that Abrahams ſeruant could come better furniſhed, then Iſaacs ſonne: but now when hee ſaw nothing but a ſtaffe, hee looks vponupon him, not as an vncle, but a maſter. And while he pretends to offer him a wife as the reward of his ſeruice, he craftily requires his ſeruice as the dowry of his wife.
After the ſeruice of an hard Apprentiſe ſhip hath earned her whom he loued; his wife is changed, and he is in a ſort, forced to an vnwilling adultery: His mother had before in a cunning diſguiſe ſubſtituted him, who was the younger ſon, for the elder; and now not long after, his father in law, by a like fraud, ſubſtitutes to him the elder daughter for the younger: God comes oftentimes home to vsus in our owne kind; and euen by the ſinne of others payes vsus our owne, when we looke not for it. It is doubtfull whether it were a greater croſſe to marry whom he would not, or to be diſappointed of her whom he deſired. And now he muſt begin a new hope, where he made account of fruition. To raiſe vp an expectation once fruſtrate, is more difficult, then to continue a long hope drawne on with likelihoods of performance: yet thus deare is Iacob content to pay for Rachel, fourteene years ſeruitude. Commonly Gods children come not eaſily by their pleaſures: what miſeries will not louelove digeſt and ouercome? And if Iacob were willingly conſumed with heat in the day, and froſt in the night, to become the ſonne in law to Laban; What ſhould we refuſe to be the ſonnes of God?
Rachel whom he …, is barren: Lea which was deſpiſed, is fruitfull; How wiſely God weighes …ot to vsus our fauours and croſſes in an equall ballance; ſo tempering our ſorrowes that they may not oppreſſe, and our ioyes that they may not tranſport vsus: each one hath ſome matter of enuy to others, and of griefe to himſelfe.
Lea enuies Rachels beauty, and louelove; Rachel enuies Leahs fruitfulneſſe: Yet Lea would not be barren, nor Rachel bleare-eyed. I ſee in Rachel the image of her Grandmother Sara; both in her beauty of perſon, in her actions, in her ſucceſſe: ſhee alſo will needs ſuborne her handmaid to make her a mother; and at laſt beyond hope her ſelfe conceiueth: It is a weake greedineſſe in vsus to affect Gods bleſſings by vnlawfull meanes; what a proofe and prayſe had it beene of her faith if ſhee had ſtayed Gods leaſure, and would rather hauehave endured her barrenneſſe, then her husbands polygamy? Now ſhe ſhewes her ſelfe the daughter of Laban; the Father for couetouſneſſe, the daughters for emulation hauehave drawne ſinne into Iacobs bed: he offended in yeelding, but they more in ſolliciting him, and therefore the fact is not imputed to Iacob, but to them. In thoſe ſinnes which Satan drawes vsus into, the blame is ours: in thoſe which we moue each other vntounto, the moſt fault and puniſhment lyes vponupon the tempter. None of the Patriarkes diuided his ſeed into ſo many wombes as Iacob; none was ſo much croſſed in his ſeed.
Thus, rich in nothing but wiues and children, was he now returning to his Fathers houſe, accounting his charge his wealth. But God meant him yet more good. Laban ſees that both his Family and his Flocks were well increaſed by Iacobs ſeruice. Not his louelove therefore but his gaine makes him loth to part. Euen Labans couetouſneſſe is made by God the meanes to inrich Iacob.
Behold; his ſtrait maſter intreats him to that recompence, which made his nephew mighty, and himſelfe enuious: God conſidering his hard ſeruice, payd him wages out of Labans folds. Thoſe Flocks and Herds had but few ſpotted Sheep and Goates, vntill Iacobs couenant: then (as if the faſhion had beene altered) they all ran into parted colours; the moſt and beſt (as if they had beene weary of their former owner) changed the colours of their young, that they might change their maſter.
In the very ſhapes and colours of brute creatures there is a diuine hand, which diſpoſeth them to his owne ends. Small and vnlikely meanes ſhall preuaile where God intends an effect. Little pilled ſticks of Haſell or Poplar laid in the troughs ſhall inrich Iacob with an increaſe of his ſpotted flocks; Labans ſonnes might hauehave tried the ſame meanes, and failed: God would hauehave Laban know that he put a difference betwixt Iacob and him; that as for fourteene yeares he had multiplyed Iacobs charge of cattell to Laban, ſo now for the laſt ſix yeares hee would multiply Labans flocke to Iacob: and if Laban had the more, yet the better were Iacobs: Euen in theſe outward things, Gods childen hauehave many times ſenſible taſtes of his fauours aboue the wicked.
I know not whether Laban were a worſe Vncle, or Father, or Maſter: he can like well Iacobs ſeruice, not his wealth. As the wicked hauehave no peace with God, ſo the godly hauehave no peace with men; for if they proſper not, they are deſpiſed; if they proſper, they are enuied. This Vncle, whom his ſeruice had made his father, muſt now vponupon his wealth be fled from as an enemy, and like an enemy purſues him: If Laban had meant to hauehave taken a peaceable leaue, hee had neuer ſpent ſeuen dayes iourney in following his innocent ſonne: Iacob knew his churliſhneſſe, and therefore reſolued rather to be vnmannerly then iniured: well might hee thinke, that he, whoſe oppreſſion changed his wages ſo often in his ſtay, would alſo abridge his wages in the parting; now therefore he wiſely prefers his own eſtate to Labans louelove: it is not good to regard too much the vniuſt diſcontentment of worldly men, and to purchaſe vnprofitable fauour with too great loſſe.
Behold: Laban followes Iacob with one troop, Eſau meets him with another, both with hoſtile intentions; both goe on till the vtmoſt point of their execution: both are preuented ere the execution. God makes fooles of the enemies of his Church, he lets them proceed, that they may be fruſtrate, and when they are gone to the vtmoſt reach of their tether, hee puls them backe to their taske with ſhame: Loe now, Laban leaues Iacob with a kiſſe; Eſau meets him with a kiſſe: Of the one he hath an oath, teares of the other, peace with both: Who ſhall need to feare man that is in league with God?
But what a wonder is this? Iacob receiued not ſo much hurt from all his enemies, as from his beſt friend. Not one of his hairs periſhed by Laban, or Eſau; yet he loſt a ioint by the Angell, and was ſent halting to his graue: He that knowes our ſtrength, yet wil wreſtle with vsus for our exerciſe, and loues our violence and importunity.
O happy loſſe of Iacob! he loſt a ioynt, and wonne a bleſſing: It is a fauour to halt from God, yet this fauour is ſeconded with a greater. He is bleſſed, becauſe hee would rather halt, then leaue ere he was bleſſed. If he had left ſooner, he had not halted, but hee had not proſpered. That man ſhall goe away ſound, but miſerable, that loues a limbe more then a bleſſing. Surely, if Iacob had not wreſtled with God, he had beene foyled with euills: how many are the troubles of the righteous!
Not long after, Rachel, the comfort of his life dyeth. And when, but in her trauell, and in his trauell to his Father? When he had now before digeſted in his thoughts the ioy and gratulation of his aged Father, for ſo welcome a burden. His children, (the ſtaffe of his age) wound his ſoule to the death. Reuben proues inceſtuous, Iudah adulterous, Dinah rauiſhed, Simeon and Leui murderous, Er and Onan ſtriken dead, Ioſeph loſt, Simeon impriſoned; Beniamin the death of his Mother, the Fathers right-hand, indangered; himſelfe driuen by famine in his old age to die amongſt the Aegyptians, a people that held it abomination to eat with him. If that Angell, with whom hee ſtroue, and who therefore ſtroue for him, had not deliuered his ſoule out of all aduerſity, he had beene ſupplanted with euils, and had beene ſo far from gaining the name of Iſrael, that he had loſt the name of Iacob: now what ſonne of Iſrael can hope for good daies, when he heares his Fathers were ſo euill? It is enough for vsus, if when wee are dead, we can reſt with him in the land of Promiſe. If the Angell of the Couenant once bleſſe vsus, no paine, no ſorrowes can make vsus miſerable.
Of DINAH.
I Find but one onelyonly daughter of Iacob, who muſt needes therefore be a great darling to her Father; and ſhe ſo miſcaries, that ſhe cauſes her Fathers griefe to be more then his louelove. As her mother Leah; ſo ſhe hath a fault in her eyes; which was Curioſity: She will needes ſee; and be ſeene; and whiles ſhe doth vainely ſee, ſhee is ſeene luſtfully. It is not enough for vsus to looke to our owne thoughts, except wee beware of the prouocations of others: If wee once wander out of the liſts, that God hath ſet vsus in our callings, there is nothing but danger: Her Virginity had been ſafe, if ſhe had kept home; or if Sechem had forced her in her mothers tent, this loſſe of her Virginity had been without her ſin; now ſhe is not innocent that gaue the occaſion.
Her eyes were guilty of the temptation; OnelyOnly to ſee, is an inſufficient warrant to draw vsus into places of ſpirituall hazard: If Sechem had ſeen her buſie at home, his louelove had beene free from out-rage; now the lightneſſe of her preſence gaue incouragement to his inordinate deſires. Immodeſty of behauior makes way to luſt; and giues life vntounto wicked hopes: yet Sechem be wrayes a good nature euen in filthineſſe; He loues Dinah after his ſinne, and will needs marry her whom he had defiled. Commonly luſt ends in loathing: Ammon abhors Thamar as much, after his act, as before, he loued her; and beats her out of doores, whom hee was ſicke to bring in. But Sechem would not let Dinah fare the worſe for his ſinne. And now hee goes about to entertaine her with honeſt louelove whom the rage of his luſt had diſhoneſtly abuſed. Her deflouring ſhall bee no preiudice to her, ſince her ſhame ſhall redound to none but him, and he will hide her diſhonour with the name of an husband. What could hee now doe, but ſue to his Father, to hers, to her ſelfe, to her brethren; intreating that, vvith humble ſubmiſſion, which he might hauehave obtained by violence? Thoſe actions vvhichwhich are ill begun, can hardly be ſalued vp with late ſatisfactions; whereas good entrances giuegive ſtrength vntounto the proceedings, and ſucceſſe to the end.
The yong mans father doth not only conſent, but ſollicite; and is ready to purchaſe a daughter either with ſubſtance, or paine: The two old men would hauehave ended the matter peaceably; but youth commonly vndertakes raſhly, and performes with paſſion. The ſons of Iacob thinke of nothing but reuenge, and (which is worſt of all) begin their cruelty with craft, and hide their craft with Religion: A ſmiling malice is moſt deadly; and hatred doth moſt rankle the heart, when it is kept in and diſſembled. We cannot giuegive our ſiſter to an vncircumciſed man; here was God in the mouth, and Saran in the heart: The bloodieſt of all proiects hauehave euer wont to be coloured with Religion: becauſe the worſe any thing is, the better ſhew it deſires to make, and contrarily, the better colour is put vponupon any vice, the more odious it is; for as eueryevery ſimulation addes to an euill, ſo the beſt addes moſt euill: themſelues had taken the daughters and ſiſters of vncircumciſed men; yea Iacob himſelfe did ſo; why might not an vncircumciſed man obtaine their ſiſter? Or if there be a difference of giuing and taking, it had beene well, if it had not beene onelyonly pretended. It had beene a happy Rauiſhment of Dinah, that ſhould hauehave drawne a whole Country into the boſome of the Church: but here was a Sacrament intended, not to the good of the ſoule, but to murder of the body: It was a hard taske for Hamor and Sechem, not onelyonly to put the knife to their owne foreskins, but to perſwade a multitude to ſo painfull a condition.
The ſons of Iacob diſſemble with them, they with the people. (Shall not their flocks and ſubſtance be ours?) Common profit is pretended; whereas onelyonly Sechems pleaſure is meant. No motiue is ſo powerfull to the vulgar ſort, as the name of Commoditie; The hope of this, makes them prodigall of their skin and blood; Not the louelove to the Sacrament, not the louelove to Sechem: ſiniſter reſpects draw more to the profeſſion of Religion, then conſcience: if it were not for the loaues and fiſhes, the traine of Chriſt would bee leſſe. But the Sacraments of God miſ-receiued, neuer proſper in the end. Theſe men are content to ſmart, ſo they may gaine.
And now that eueryevery man lyes ſore of his owne wound, Simeon and Leui ruſh in armed, and wound all the males to death: Curſed be their wrath, for it was fierce, and their rage, for it was cruell. Indeed, filthineſſe ſhould not hauehave beene wrought by Iſrael; yet, murder ſhould not hauehave beene wrought by Iſrael; if they had beene fit Iudges (which were but bloody executioners) how far doth the puniſhment exceed the fault? To puniſh aboue the offence, is no leſſe iniuſtice, then to offend: one offendeth, and all feele the reuenge: yea all (though innocent) ſuffer that reuenge, which he that offended, deſerued not. Sechem ſinneth, but Dinah tempted him: She that was ſo light, as to wander abroad alone, only to gaze, I feare was not ouer-difficult to yeeld: And if hauing wrought her ſhame, he had driuen her home with diſgrace to her Fathers tent, ſuch tyrannous luſt had iuſtly called for blood: but now hee craues, and offers, and would pay deare for but leaue to giuegive ſatisfaction.
To execute rigour vponupon a ſubmiſſe offender, is more mercileſſe than iuſt: Or if the puniſhment had bin both iuſt and proportionable from another, yet from them which had vowed peace and affinitie, it was ſhamefully vniuſt. To diſappoint the truſt of another, and to neglect our owne promiſe and fidelity for priuate purpoſes, adds faithleſneſſe vntounto our cruelty. That they were impotent, it was through their circumciſion: what impiety was this; in ſtead of honouring an holy ſigne, to take an aduantage by it? What ſhrieking was there now in the ſtreets of the City of the Hiuites? And how did the beguiled Sichemits, when they ſaw the ſwords of the two brethren, die curſing that Sacrament in their hearts, which had betrayed them? Euen their curſes were the ſins of Simeon and Leui; whoſe fact, though it were abhorred by their Father, yet it was ſeconded by their brethren. Their ſpoile makes good the others ſlaughter. Who would hauehave looked to hauehave found this out-rage in the family of Iacob? How did that good Patriarke, when he ſaw Dinah come home blubbered and wringing her hands, Simeon and Leui ſprinkled with blood, wiſh that Leah had beene barren as long as Rachel! Good Parents hauehave griefe enough (though they ſuſtaine no blame) for their childrens ſins: What great euills ariſe from ſmall beginnings! The idle curioſity of Dinah hath bred all this miſchiefe; Rauiſhment followes vponupon her wandring, vponupon her rauiſhment murder, vponupon the murder ſpoyle: It is holy and ſafe to bee iealous of the firſt occaſions of euill, either done or ſuffered.
Of IVDAH and THAMAR.
I Find not many of Iacobs ſonnes more faultie then Iudah; who yet is ſingled out from all the reſt, to be the royall Progenitor of Chriſt; and to be honoured with the dignity of the birth-right, that Gods election might not bee of merit, but of grace: Elſe howſoeuer he might hauehave ſped alone, Thamar had neuer beene ioyned with him in this line: Euen Iudah marries a Canaanite; it is no maruell though his Seed proſper not: And yet that good children may not be too much diſcouraged with their vnlawfull propagation, the Fathers of the promiſed Seed are raiſed from an inceſtuous bed: Iudah was very yong, ſcarce frō vnderunder the rod of his Father, yet he takes no other counſell for his mariage, but from his own eyes, which were like his ſiſter Dinahs, rouing and wanton: what better iſſue could be expected from ſuch beginnings? Thoſe proud Iewes that glory ſo much of their Pedigree and Name from this Patriarke, may now chooſe whether they will hauehave their mother a Canaanite, or an Harlot: Euen in theſe things oft-times the birth followes the belly. His eldeſt ſonne Er, is too wicked to liue; God ſtrikes him dead ere he can leaue any iſſue, not abiding any ſiens to grow out of ſo bad a ſtocke: Notorious ſinners God reſerues to his owne vengeance. He doth not inflict ſenſible iudgements vponupon all his enemies, leſt the wicked ſhould thinke there were no puniſhment abiding for them elſe-where. Hee doth inflict ſuch iudgements vponupon ſome, leſt he ſhould ſeeme careleſſe of euill. It were as eaſie for him to ſtrike all dead, as one: but hee had rather all ſhould be warned by one; and would hauehave his enemies find him mercifull, as his children, iuſt: His brother Onan ſees the iudgment, and yet followes his ſins. EueryEvery little thing diſcourages vsus from good; Nothing can alter the heart that is ſet vponupon euill: Er was not worthy of any louelove; but though he were a miſcreant, yet he was a brother. Seed ſhould hauehave been raiſed to him; Onan iuſtly leeſes his life with his Seed; which he would rather ſpill, then lend to a wicked brother. Some duties we owe to humanity, more to neereneſſe of blood. Ill deſeruings of others can be no excuſe for our iniuſtice, for our vncharitableneſſe. That which Thamar required, Moſes afterward, as from God, commanded; the ſucceſſion of brothers into the barren bed: Some lawes God ſpake to his Church, long ere he wrote them: while the author is certainly knowne, the voyce and the finger of God are worthy of equall reſpect. Iudah hath loſt two ſonnes, and now doth but promiſe the third, whom he ſinnes in not giuing. It is the weakneſſe of nature, rather to hazard a ſin, then a danger; and to neglect our owne duty, for wrongfull ſuſpition of others: though he had loſt his ſon in giuing him, yet he ſhould hauehave giuen him: A faithful mans promiſe is his debt, which no feare of damage can diſpenſe with.
But whereupon was this ſlackneſſe? Iudah feared that ſome vnhappineſſe in the bed of Thamar was the cauſe of his ſonnes miſcariage; whereas it was their fault, that Thamar vvas both a widow and childleſſe. Thoſe that are but the patients of euill, are many times burdened with ſuſpitions; and therefore are ill thought of, becauſe they fare ill: Afflictions would not bee ſo heauy, if they did not lay vsus open vntounto vncharitable conceits.
What difference God puts betwixt ſinnes of wilfulneſſe, and infirmitie? The pollution is puniſhed with preſent death, the fathers inceſt is pardoned, and in a ſort proſpereth.
Now Thamar ſeekes by ſubtlety, that which ſhe could not hauehave by award of iuſtice; the neglect of due retributions driues men to indirect courſes; neither know I whether they ſin more in righting themſelues wrongfully, or the other in not righting them: She therefore takes vponupon her the habit of an harlot, that ſhe might performe the act; If ſhe had not wiſhed to ſeeme an Whore, ſhe had not worn that attire, nor choſen that place. Immodeſty of outward faſhion or geſture bewraies euill deſires: the heart that meanes well, will neuer wiſh to ſeeme ill; for commonly we affect to ſhew better then we are. Many harlots will put on the ſemblances of chaſtity, of modeſty; neuer the contrary. It is no truſting thoſe, which doe not wiſh to appeare good. Iudah eſteemes her by her habit: and now the ſight of an harlot hath ſtird vp in him a thought of luſt; Satan finds well, that a fit obiect is halfe a victory.
Who would not bee aſhamed to ſee a ſonne of Iacob thus tranſported with filthy affections? At the firſt fight he is inflamed, neither yet did he ſee the face of her, whom he luſted after: it was enough motiue to him that ſhe was a woman, neither could the preſence of his neighbor, the Adullamite, compoſe thoſe wicked thoughts, or hinder his vnchaſt acts.
That ſinne muſt needs be impudent which can abide a witneſſe: yea ſo hath his luſt beſotted him, that he cannot diſcerne the voice of Thamar, that he cannot foreſee the danger of his ſhame in parting with ſuch pledges. There is no paſſion, which doth not for the time bereaue a man of himſelfe: Thamar had learned not to truſt him without a pawne; He had promiſed his ſonne to her as a daughter, and failed; now he promiſed a Kid to her, as an Harlot, and performeth it: Whether his pledge conſtrained him, or the power of his word, I enquire not: Many are faithfull in all things, ſaue thoſe which are the greateſt, and deareſt; If his credit had beene as much indangered in the former promiſe, he had kept it: now hath Thamar requited him. She expected long the enioying of his promiſed ſon, and he performed not: but here he performes the promiſe of the Kid, and ſhee ſtayes not to expect it. Iudah is ſorry that he cannot pay the hire of his luſt, and now feareth leſt he ſhall be beaten with his owne ſtaffe, leſt his ſignet ſhall be vſed to confirme, and ſeale his reproach; reſoluing not to know them; and wiſhing they were vnknown of others. Shame is the eaſieſt wages of ſin, and the ſureſt, which euer begins firſt in our ſelues. Nature is not more forward to commit ſinne, then willing to hide it.
I heare as yet of no remorſe in Iudah, but feare of ſhame. Three moneths hath his ſinne ſlept: and now when he is ſecureſt, it awakes and baites him. Newes is brought him that Thamar begins to ſwell with her conception, and now he ſwels with rage, and cals her forth to the flame like a rigorous Iudge, without ſo much as ſtaying for the time of her deliuerance, that his cruelty in this iuſtice, ſhould be no leſſe ill, then the vniuſtice of occaſioning it. If Iudah had not forgotten his ſinne, his pittie had beene more then his hatred to this of his daughters: How eaſie is it to deteſt thoſe ſinnes in others, which we flatter in our ſelues! Thamar doth not denie the ſinne, nor refuſe puniſhment; but calls for that partner in her puniſhment, which was her partner in the ſinne: the ſtaffe, the ſignet, the handkerchiefe accuſe and conuince Iudah, and now he bluſhes at his owne ſentence, much more at his act, and cries out, She is more righteous then I. God will finde a time to bring his children vponupon their knees, and to wring from them penitent confeſſions: And rather then he will not hauehave them ſoundly aſhamed, he will make them the trumpets of their owne reproach.
Yet doth he not offer himſelfe to the flame with her, but rather excuſes her by himſelfe. This relenting in his owne caſe, ſhamed his former zeale: Euen in the beſt men nature is partiall to it ſelfe: It is good ſo to ſentence others frailties, that yet we remember our owne, whether thoſe that hauehave beene, or may be: with what ſhame, yea with what horror muſt Iudah needs looke vponupon the great belly of Thamar, and on her two ſonnes, the monuments of his filthineſſe?
How muſt it needes wound his ſoule, to heare them call him both Father and Grandfather; to call her mother and ſiſter? If this had not coſt him many a ſigh, he had no more eſcaped his Fathers curſe, then Reuben did: I ſee the difference, not of ſinnes, but of men: Remiſſion goes not by the meaſure of the ſinne, but the quality of the ſinner; yea rather the mercy of the Forgiuer: Bleſſed is the man (not that ſinnes not, but) to whom the Lord imputes not his ſinne.
Of IOSEPH.
I Maruell not that Ioſeph had the double portion of Iacobs land, who had more then two parts of his ſorrowes: None of his ſonnes did ſo truely inherit his afflictions; none of them was either ſo miſerable, or ſo great: ſuffering is the way to glory: I ſee in him not a cleerer type of Chriſt, then of eueryevery Chriſtian; Becauſe we are deare to our Father, and complaine of ſinnes, therefore are we hated of our carnall brethren: If Ioſeph had not medled with his brothers faults, yet he had beene enuied for his Fathers affection; but now malice is met with enuy: There is nothing more thankleſſe or dangerous then to ſtand in the way of a reſolute ſinner: That which doth correct and obliege the penitent, makes the wilfull mind furious and reuengefull.
All the ſpight of his brethren cannot make Ioſeph caſt off the liuery of his Fathers louelove: what need we care for the cenſures of men, if our hearts can tell vsus that we are in fauour with God?
But what meant young Ioſeph to adde vntounto his own enuy, by reporting his dreames? The concealement of our hopes, or abilities, hath not more modeſty, then ſafety: He that was enuied for his dearneſſe, and hated for his intelligence, was both enuied & hated for his dreames. Surely God meant to make the relation of theſe dreames, a means to affect that which theſe dreames imported. We men worke by likely meanes; God by contraries. The maine quarrell was, Behold, this dreamer commeth. Had it not been for his dreames, he had not bin ſold: if he had not bin ſold, he had not bin exalted. So Ioſephs ſtate had not deſerued enuy, if his dreams had not cauſed him to be enuied. Full little did Ioſeph thinke, when he went to ſeeke his brethren, that this was the laſt time he ſhould ſee his fathers houſe: Full little did his brethren thinke, when they ſold him naked to the Iſmaelites, to hauehave once ſeene him in the Throne of Aegypt. Gods decree runnes on; and while we either thinke not of it, or oppoſe it, is performed.
In an honeſt and obedient ſimplicity, Ioſeph comes to enquire of his brethrens health, and now may not returne to carry newes of his owne miſery: whiles he thinkes of their welfare, they are plotting his deſtruction; Come, let vsus ſlay him. Who would hauehave expected this cruelty in them, which ſhould be the Fathers of Gods Church? It was thought a fauour, that Reubens entreaty obtained for him that he might be caſt into the pit aliue; to dye there. He lookt for brethren, and behold murtherers; EueryEvery mans tongue, eueryevery mans fiſt was bent againſt him: Each one ſtriues who ſhall lay the firſt hand vponupon that changeable cote, which was dyed with their Fathers louelove, and their enuy: And now they hauehave ſtript him naked; and haling him by both armes, as it were, caſt him aliue into his graue. So in pretence of forbearance, they reſolue to torment him with a lingring death: the ſauageſt robbers could not hauehave beene more mercileſſe: for now beſides (what in them lyes) they kill their Father in their brother. Nature, if it once degenerate, growes more monſtrous and extreme, then a diſpoſition borne to cruelty.
All this while Ioſeph wanted neither words nor teares; but like a paſsionate ſuppliant bowing his bare knees to them, whom he dreamed ſhould bow to him) intreats and perſwades by the deare name of their brotherhood, by their profeſsion of one common God, for their Fathers ſake, for their owne ſoules ſake, not to ſinne againſt his blood. But enuie hath ſhut out mercy; and makes them not onelyonly forget themſelues to be brethren, but men: What ſtranger can thinke of poore innocent Ioſeph, crying naked in that deſolate and dry pit (only ſauing that he moyſtned it with teares) and not be moued? Yet his hard-hearted brethren fit them downe careleſſely, with the noyſe of his lamentation in their eares, to eate bread; not once thinking by their owne hunger, what it was for Ioſeph to be affamiſht to death.
Whatſoeuer they thought, God neuer meant that Ioſeph ſhould periſh in that pit; and therefore hee ſends very Iſmaelites to ranſome him from his Brethren; the feed of him that perſecuted his brother Iſaac, ſhall now redeeme Ioſeph from his brethrens perſecution. When they came to fetch him out of the pit, hee now hoped for a ſpeedie diſpatch; That ſince they ſeemed not to hauehave ſo much mercy, as to prolong his life, they vvould not continue ſo much crueltie, as to prolong his death.
And now, when hee hath comforted himſelfe with hope of the fauour of dying, behold, death exchanged for bondage: how much is ſeruitude, to an ingenuous nature, worſe then death? For, this is common to all; that, to none but the miſerable: Iudah meant this well, but God better: Reuben ſaued him from the ſword, Iudah from affamiſhing: God will euer raiſe vp ſome ſecret fauourers to his owne, amongſt thoſe that are moſt malicious. How well was this fauour beſtowed? If Ioſeph had dyed for hunger in the pit, both Iacob, and Iudah, and all his brethren had dyed for hunger in Canaan. Little did the Iſmaelitiſh Merchants know what a treaſure they bought, caried, and ſold; more precious then all their Balmes and Myrrhs. Little did they thinke that they had in their hands the Lord of Aegypt, the Iewell of the World? Why ſhould wee contemne any mans meanneſſe, when wee know not his deſtiny?
One ſinne is commonly vſed for the vaile of another: Ioſephs coat is ſent home dipped in blood, that whiles they ſhould hide their owne cruelty, they might afflict their Father, no leſſe then their brother. They hauehave deuiſed this reall lye, to puniſh their old Father for his louelove, with ſo grieuous a monument of his ſorrow.
Hee that is mourned for in Canaan, as dead, proſpers in Aegypt vnderunder Potiphar; and of a Slaue, is made a Ruler: Thus God meant to prepare him for a greater charge; hee muſt firſt rule Petiphars Houſe, then Pharaohs Kingdome: his owne ſeruice is his leaſt good, for his very preſence procures a common bleſsing: A whole Family ſhall fare the better for one Ioſeph. Vertue is not lookt vponupon alike with all eyes: his fellowes praiſe him, his Maſter truſts him, his Miſtreſſe affects him too much. All the ſpight of his brethren was not ſo great a croſſe to him, as the inordinate affection of his Miſtreſſe. Temptations on the right hand, are now more perilous, and hard to reſiſt, by how much they are more plauſible and glorious; But the heart that is bent vponupon God, knowes how to walke ſteddily, and indifferently betwixt the pleaſures of ſinne, and feares of euill. He ſaw, this pleaſure would aduance him: He knew what it was to be a Minion of one of the greateſt Ladies in Aegypt: yet reſolues to contemne it: A good heart will rather lye in the duſt, then riſe by wickedneſſe. How ſhall I doe this; and ſinne againſt God!
He knew that all the honours of Aegypt could not buy off the guilt of one ſinne, and therefore abhorres not onelyonly her bed, but her company: He that will be ſafe from the acts of euill, muſt wiſely auoid the occaſions. As ſinne ends euer in ſhame, when it is committed, ſo it makes vsus paſt ſhame, that we may commit it; The impudent ſtrumpet dare not onelyonly ſollicit, but importune, but in a ſort force the modeſty of her good ſeruant; She layes hold on his garment; her hand ſeconds her tongue.
Good Ioſeph found it now time to flee; when ſuch an enemie purſued him: how much had he rather leaue his cloake, then his vertue! and to ſuffer his Miſtreſſe to ſpoyle him of his liuery, rather then he ſhould blemiſh her honour, or his Maſters in her, or God in either of them.
This ſecond time is Ioſeph ſtript of his garment; before in the violence of enuy, now of luſt; before of neceſſitie, now of choice: Before, to deceiue his Father, now his Maſter: for behold, the pledge of his fidelity, which he left in thoſe wicked hands, is made an euidence againſt him, of that which hee refuſed to doe: therefore did hee leaue his cloake, becauſe he would not doe that; of which he is accuſed and condemned, becauſe he left it: what ſafety is there againſt great Aduerſaries, when euen arguments of innocence are vſed to conuince of euill? Luſt yeelded vntounto, is a pleaſant madneſſe, but is a deſperate madneſſe, when it is oppoſed: No hatred burnes ſo furiouſly, as that which ariſes from the quenched coales of louelove.
Malice is witty to deuiſe accuſations of others, out of their vertue, and our owne guiltineſſe: Ioſeph either pleads not, or is not heard.
Doubtleſſe hee denied the fact, but hee dare not accuſe the offender: There is not onelyonly the praiſe of patience, but oft-times of wiſdome, euen in vniuſt ſufferings: Hee knew that God would finde a time to cleare his innocence, and to regard his chaſte faithfulneſſe.
No priſon would ſerue him, but Pharaohs. Ioſeph had lyen obſcure, and not beene knowne to Pharaoh, if hee had not been caſt into Pharaohs dungeon: the afflictions of Gods children turne euer to their aduantages. No ſooner is Ioſeph a priſoner, then a Gardian of the priſoners. Truſt and honour accompany him whereſoeuer he is: In his fathers houſe, in Potiphars, in the Iayle, in the Court: ſtill he hath both fauour and rule.
So long as God is with him, he cannot but ſhine in ſpight of men: The walls of that dungeon cannot hide his vertues, the irons cannot hold them. Pharaohs Officers are ſent to witneſſe his graces, which he may not come forth to ſhew: the Cupbearer admires him in the Iayle, but forgets him in the Court. How eaſily doth our owne proſperitie make vsus forget either the deſeruings, or miſeries of others! But as God cannot neglect his owne, ſo leaſt of all in their ſorrowes. After two yeares more of Ioſephs patience; that God which cauſed him to bee lift out of the former pit, to be ſold, now cals him out of the dungeon to honour. Hee now puts a dreame into the head of Pharaoh. He puts the remembrance of Ioſephs skill into the head of the Cupbearer; who to pleaſure Pharaoh, not to requite Ioſeph, commends the Priſoner, for an Interpreter: He puts an interpretation in the mouth of Ioſeph: he puts this choice into the heart of Pharaoh, of a miſerable priſoner, to make the Ruler of Aegypt. Behold: one houre hath changed his fetters into a chaine of gold; his rags into fine linnen, his ſtocks into a Chariot, his layle into a Palace, Potiphars captiue into his Maſters Lord; the noiſe of his chaines into Abrech. He whoſe chaſtitie refuſed the wanton alurements of the Wife of Potiphar, hath now giuen him to his Wife the daughter of Potipherah. Humilitie goes before honour; Seruing and Suffering are the beſt Tutors to Gouernment. How well are Gods children paid for their patience! How happy are the iſſues of the faithfull! Neuer any man repented him of the aduancement of a good man.
Pharaoh hath not more preferd Ioſeph, then Ioſeph hath enriched Pharaoh; If Ioſeph had not ruled, Aegypt and all the bordering Nations had periſhed. The prouidence of ſo faithfull an Officer hath both giuen the Aegyptians their liues; and the money, cattell, lands, bodies of the Aegyptians to Pharaoh. Both hauehave reaſon to bee well pleaſed. The Subiects owe to him their liues; the King his Subiects, and his Dominions: the bounty of God made Ioſeph able to giuegive more then hee receiued. It is like, the ſeuen yeares of plenty were not confined to Aegypt; other Countries adioyning, were no leſſe fruitfull: yet in the ſeuen yeares of famine, Egypt had corne when they wanted.
See the difference betwixt a wiſe prudent frugalitie, and a vaine ignorant expence of the benefits of God: The ſparing hand is both full and beneficiall, whereas the lauiſh is not onelyonly empty, but iniurious.
Good Iacob is pinched with the common famine. No piety can exempt vsus from the euils of neighbourhood. No man can tell by outward euents, which is the Patriarke, and which the Canaanite.
Neither doth his profeſſion lead him to the hope of a miraculous preſeruation. It is a vaine tempting of God, to caſt our ſelues vponupon an immediate prouiſion, with neglect of common meanes: His ten ſonnes muſt now leaue their flocks, and goe downe into Aegppt, to be their Fathers purueyours. And now they goe to buy of him whom they had ſold; and bowe their knees to him for his reliefe, which had bowed to them before for his owne life. His age, his habit, the place, the language, kept Ioſeph from their knowledge; neither had they called off their minds from their folds, to enquire of matters of foraine State, or to heare that an Ebrew was aduanced to the higheſt honour of Aegypt. But he cannot but know them, whom hee left at their full growth, vvhoſe tongue, and habit, and number were all one: whoſe faces had left ſo deepe an impreſſion in his minde, at their vnkinde parting: It is wiſedome ſometimes to conceale our knowledge, that we may not preiudice truth.
Hee that was hated of his brethren, for being his Fathers ſpye; now accuſes his brethren for common ſpyes of the weakneſſes of Aegypt; he could not without their ſuſpition hauehave come to a perfect intelligence of his Fathers eſtate, and theirs, if he had not obiected to them that which was not. Wee are alwayes bound to goe the neareſt way to truth. It is more ſafe in caſes of inquiſition, to fetch farre about; that he might ſeeme enough an Aegyptian, he ſweares heatheniſhly: how little could they ſuſpect, this Oath could proceed from the ſonne of him, which ſwore by the feare of his Father Iſaac? How oft hauehave ſiniſter reſpects drawne weake goodneſſe to diſguiſe it ſelfe, euen with ſinnes?
It was no ſmall ioy to Ioſeph, to ſee this late accompliſhment of his ancient dreame; to ſee theſe ſuppliants (I know not whether more brethren, or enemies) groueling before him in an vnknowne ſubmiſsion: and now it doth him good to ſeeme mercileſſe to them, whom he had found wilfully cruell; to hide his louelove from them, which had ſhewed their hate to him; and to thinke how much he fauoured them, and how little they knew it: And as ſporting himſelfe in their ſeeming miſery, he pleaſantly imitates all thoſe actions reciprocally vntounto them, which they in deſpight and earneſt, had done formerly to him; hee ſpeakes roughly, reiects their perſwaſions, puts them in hold, and one of them in bonds. The minde muſt not alwayes be iudged by the outward face of the actions. Gods countenance is oft-times as ſeuere, and his hand as heauy to them whom he beſt loueth. Many a one, vnderunder the habit of an Aegyptian, hath the heart of an Iſraelite. No ſong could be ſo delightfull to him, as to heare them in a late remorſe condemne themſelues before him, of their old cruelty towards him, who was now their vnknowne witneſſe and Iudge.
Nothing doth ſo powerfully call home the conſcience, as affliction, neither need there any other art of memory for ſinne, beſides miſery. They had heard Ioſephs deprecation of their euill with teares, and had not pitied him; yet Ioſeph doth but heare their mention of this euill which they had done againſt him, and pities them with teares; he weepes for ioy to ſee their repentance, and to compare his ſafety and happineſſe with the cruelty which they intended, and did, and thought they had done.
Yet hee can abide to ſee his brother his priſoner; whom no bonds could binde ſo ſtrong, as his affection bound him to his captiue: Simeon is left in pawne, in fetters; the reſt returne, with their corne, with their money, paying nothing for their prouiſion, but their labour; that they might be as much troubled with the beneficence of that ſtrange Aegyptian Lord, as before with his imperious ſuſpition. Their wealth was now more irkeſome to them, then their need: and they feare, God meanes to puniſh them more in this ſuperfluitie of money, then in the want of victuals (What is this that God hath done to vsus?) It is a wiſe courſe to be iealous of our gaine; and more to feare, then deſire abundance.
Old Iacob, that was not vſed to ſimple and abſolute contentments, receiues the bleſſing of ſeaſonable prouiſion, together with the affliction of that heauy meſſage; the loſſe of one ſonne, and the danger of another; and knowes not whether it be better for him to dye with hunger, or with griefe, for the departure of that ſonne of his right hand: He driues off all till the laſt; Protraction is a kinde of eaſe in euils that muſt come.
At length (as no plea is ſo importunate, as that of famine) Beniamin muſt goe; one euill muſt bee hazarded for the redreſſe of another: what would it auaile him, to ſee whom he loued, miſerable? How iniurious were that affection to keepe his ſonne ſo long in his eye, till they ſhould ſee each other dye for hunger!
The ten brothers returne into Egypt loaded with double money in their ſacks, and a preſent in their hands; the danger of miſtaking is requited, by honeſt minds, with more then reſtitution. It is not enough to finde our owne hearts cleare in ſuſpicious actions, except we ſatisfie others: Now hath Ioſeph what he would, the ſight and preſence of his Beniamin, whom he therefore borrowes of his Father for a time, that hee might returne him with a greater intereſt of ioy: And now he feaſts them whom hee formerly threatned, and turnes their feare into wonder: all vnequall louelove is not partiall; all the brethren are entertained bountifully, but Beniamin hath a fiue-fold portion: By how much his welcome was greater, by ſo much his pretended theft ſeemed more hainous; for good turnes aggrauate vnkindneſſes, and our offences are encreaſed with our obligations; How eaſie is it to find aduantages, where there is a purpoſe to accuſe! Beniamins ſacke makes him guilty of that whereof his heart was free; Crimes ſeeme ſtrange to the innocent; well might they abiure this fact, with the offer of bondage and death: For they which carefully brought againe that which they might hauehave taken, would neuer take that which was not giuen them. But thus Ioſeph would yet daily with his brethren, and make Beniamin a thiefe, that he might make him a ſeruant, and fright his brethren with the perill of that their charge, that he might double their ioy, and amazedneſſe, in giuing them two brothers at once: our happineſſe is greater, and ſweeter, when we hauehave well feared, and ſmarted with euils.
But now when Iudah ſeriouſly reported the danger of his old Father, and the ſadneſſe of his laſt complaint, compaſſion and ioy will be concealed no longer, but breake forth violently at his voice and eyes. Many paſsions doe not well abide witneſſes, becauſe they are guilty to their owne weakneſſe: Ioſeph ſends forth his ſeruants, that he might freely weepe. He knew hee could not ſay, I am Ioſeph, without an vnbeſeeming vehemence.
Neuer any word ſounded ſo ſtrangely as this, in the eares of the Patriarkes. Wonder, doubt, reuerence, ioy, feare, hope, guiltineſſe, ſtrooke them at once. It was time for Ioſeph to ſay, Feare not; No maruell if they ſtood with paleneſſe and ſilence before him; looking on him, and on each other: the more they conſidered, they wondred more; and the more they beleeued, the more they feared: For thoſe words (I am Ioſeph) ſeemed to ſound thus much to their guilty thoughts; You are murtherers: and I am a Prince in ſpight of you; My power and this place, giuegive mee all opportunities of reuenge; My glory is your ſhame, my life your danger, your ſinne liues together vvith me. But now the teares and gracious words of Ioſeph hauehave ſoone aſſured them of pardon and louelove, and hauehave bidden them turne their eyes from their ſinne againſt their brother, to their happineſſe in him, and hauehave changed their doubts into hopes and ioyes; cauſing them to looke vponupon him without feare, though not without ſhame. His louing embracements cleare their hearts of all iealouſies; and haſten to put new thoughts into them; of fauour, and of greatneſſe: So that now forgetting what euill they did to their brother, they are thinking of what good their brother may doe to them. Actions ſalued vp with a free forgiueneſſe, are as not done: and as a bone once broken, is ſtronger after well ſetting, ſo is louelove after reconcilement.
But as wounds once healed, leaue a ſcarre behinde them; ſo remitted iniuries leaue commonly in the actors a guilty remembrance; which hindered theſe brethren from that freedome of ioy, which elſe they had conceiued: This was their fault, not Ioſephs: who ſtriues to giuegive them all ſecuritie of his louelove; and wil be as bountifull, as they were cruell. They ſent him naked to ſtrangers, hee ſends them in new and rich liueries to their Father; they tooke a ſmall ſumme of money for him, hee giues them great treaſures; They ſent his torne coat to his Father; He ſends varietie of coſtly rayments to his Father, by them: They ſold him to be the loade of Camels; He ſends them home with Chariots. It muſt be a great fauour that can appeaſe the conſcience of a great injury. Now they returne home rich and ioyfull, making themſelues happy to thinke; how glad they ſhould make their Father with this newes.
That good old man would neuer hauehave hoped that Aegypt could hauehave afforded ſuch prouiſion as this. Ioſeph is yet aliue: This was not food, but life to him. The returne of Beniamin was comfortable: but that his dead ſonne was yet aliue after ſo many yeares lamentation, was tidings too happy to be beleeued, and was enough to endanger that life with exceſſe of ioy, which the knowledge thereof doubled. Ouer-excellent obiects are dangerous in their ſudden apprehenſions. One graine of that ioy would hauehave ſafely cheered him, whereof a full meaſure ouer-layes his heart with too much ſweetneſſe. There is no earthly pleaſure whereof we may not ſurfet: of the ſprituall we can neuer hauehave enough.
Yet his eyes reuiue his minde, which his eares had thus aſtoniſhed. When hee ſaw the Chariots of his ſonne, he beleeued Ioſephs life, and refreſhed his owne. He had too much before, ſo that he could not enioy it: now he ſaith, I hauehave enough, Ioſeph my ſonne is yet aliue.
They told him of his honour, he ſpeakes of his life: Life is better then honour. To hauehave heard that Ioſeph liued a ſeruant, would hauehave ioyed him more, then to heare that he dyed honourably. The greater bleſsing obſcures the leſſe. He is not worthy of honour, that is not thankefull for life.
Yet Ioſephs life did not content Iacob without his preſence: (I will goe downe and ſee him ere I dye:) The ſight of the eye is better then to walke in deſires; Good things pleaſure vsus not in their being, but in our inioying.
The height of all earthly contentment appeared in the meeting of theſe two; whom their mutuall loſſe had more endeared to each other: The intermiſsion of comforts, hath this aduantage, that it ſweetens our delight more in the returne, then was abated in the forbearance. God doth oft-times hide away our Ioſeph for a time, that we may bee more ioyous and thankfull in his recouerie: This was the ſincereſt pleaſure that euer Iacob had, which therefore God reſerued for his age.
And if the meeting of earthly friends be ſo vnſpeakably comfortable; how happy ſhall we be in the light of the glorious face of God our heauenly Father! of that our bleſſed Redeemer, whom we ſold to death by our ſinnes! and which now after that noble Triumph hath all power giuen him in Heauen and Earth.
Thus did Iacob reioyce when he was to goe out of the Land of Promiſe, to a foraine Nation, for Ioſephs ſake; being glad that hee ſhould loſe his Countrey for his ſonne. What ſhall our ioy be, who muſt goe out of this foraine Land of our Pilgrimage, to the home of our glorious inheritance, to dwell with none but our own; in that better and more lightſome Goſhen, free from all the incumbrances of this Aegypt, and full of all the riches and delights of God? The guilty conſcience can neuer thinke it ſelfe ſafe: So many yeares experience of Ioſephs louelove could not ſecure his brethren of remiſsion: thoſe that know they hauehave deſerued ill, are wont to miſ-interpret fauours, and thinke they cannot be beloued: All that while, his goodneſſe ſeemed but concealed and ſleeping malice; which they feared in their Fathers laſt ſleepe would awake, and bewray it ſelfe in reuenge: Still therefore they plead the name of their Father, though dead, not daring to vſe their owne: Good meanings cannot bee more wronged, then with ſuſpition: It grieues Ioſeph to ſee their feare, and to find they had not forgotten their owne ſinne, and to heare them ſo paſsionately craue that which they had.
Forgiue the treſpaſſe of the ſeruants of thy Fathers God:) What a coniuration of pardon was this? What wound could be either ſo deepe, or ſo feſtred, as this plaſter could not cure? They ſay not, the ſonnes of thy Father, for they knew Iacob was dead, and they had degenerated; but the ſeruants of thy Fathers God: How much ſtronger are the bonds of Religion then of Nature? If Ioſeph had been rancorous, this deprecation had charmed him; but now it reſolues him into teares: They are not ſo ready to acknowledge their old offence, as he to proteſt his louelove; and if he chide them for any thing, it is for that they thought they needed to intreat; ſince they might know, it could not ſtand with the fellow-ſeruant of their Fathers God to harbour maliciouſneſſe, to purpoſe reuenge. Am not I vnderunder God? And fully to ſecure them; hee turnes their eyes from themſelues to the Decree of God, from the action to the euent; as one that would hauehave them thinke, there was no cauſe to repent of that which proued ſo ſucceſſefull.
Euen late confeſsion findes forgiueneſſe; Ioſeph had long agoe ſeene their ſorrow, neuer but now heard their humble acknowledgement; Mercy ſtayes not for outward ſolemnities. How much more ſhall that infinite goodneſſe pardon our ſinnes, when hee findes the truth of our repentance?
Contemplations. THE FOVRTH BOOKE.
The affliction of Iſrael, Or
The Aegyptian bondage.
The birth and breeding of Moſes.
Moſes called.
The plagues of Aegypt.
BY IOS. HALL, D. of Diuinitie, and Deane of WORCESTER.
LONDON, Printed for THOMAS PAVIER, MILES FLESHER, and John Haviland. 1624.