Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 1 · Chapter 41
CHAP. XLI. Verſ. 1. At the end of two full years]
AFter the Butler was reſtored; by whoſe interceſſion, Joſeph hoped to have been preſently delivered, but was fairly deceived. So are all ſuch ſure to be, as depend upon living men, (never true to them that truſt in them) or deceaſed Saints to intercede for them to God, Deus O. M. pro ineffabili ſua clementia dignetur, & in poſterum Divo Kiliano interceſſore, Amplitudinem tuam contra fidei & Eccleſiae hoſtes tueri fortiter, & fovere ſuaviter, Epiſt. dedicat. ad Epiſcop. Herbipolenſ.ſaith Eckius, in a certain Epiſtle to a Popiſh Biſhop. Such a prayer begs nothing but a denial, with a curſe to boot.
Verſ. 2. There came up out of the river] Nilus: which, by over-flowing, fatteneth the Plain of Egypt, filling it with fruits; Mercer.and ſo fitly deciphering the ſeven years of plenty. Blunt's voyage, pag. 37.So far as this river watereth, is a black mould ſo fruitful; as they do but throw in the ſeed, and have four rich harveſts, in leſs then four moneths, ſay travellers.
Verſ. 3. Seven other kine came out of the river] Theſe, by their leanneſs, portended drougth and dearth, though they came up out of Nilus alſo. This River, when it overflowes unto twelve cubits height only, cauſeth famine; when to thirteen, ſcarcity; when to fourteen, chearfulneſs; when to fifteen, affluence; when to ſixteen, abundance, as Pliny tells us. The greateſt increaſe ever known, was of 18 cubits, under Claudius: Suet. in Claudio. Joſeph. Antiq. lib. 20. c. 2. Luc. l. 5. c. 9.(we read of a general famine in his dayes, Act. 11.28. mentioned alſo by Suetonius, and Joſephus;) The ſmalleſt, of five cubits; in the hiſtory of the Pharſalian Wars. Such a thing might fall out now, to cauſe this ſore famine. Or the river, for their ſins, might be dryed up, as God threatens them, Ezek. 29.3, 9. Eſay 19.5, 6. Sen. nat. quaeſt. lib. 4. cap. 2. Creditur Aegyptus caruiſſe juvantibus a…va I…bribus, at que annis ſicca fuiſſe novem. Ovid. Art. 1.1.And as it fell out in the reign of Cleopatra, that prodigiouſly prodigal Queen, the river overflowed not for two years together, ſaith Seneca: as at another time it overflowed not, for nine years together, ſaith Callimachus; and after him, Ovid. How eaſie is it for God, to ſtarve us all, by denying us a few harveſts? In caſe of famine, let us enquire the ſupernatural cauſe; as David did, 2 Sam. 21.1. when he know the natural cauſe to be the drought.
Verſ. 4. Dideat up the ſeven, &c.] In famine is not only outward want, foreign. Appetitus caninus. Thucyd. Polyb. Joſeph.but a greedy dog-like appetite within, that an ordinary meal ſufficeth not, Eſay 9.20. but men are ready to eat one another: as they did at Potidea, in the Peloponneſian War; at Ʋtica, when it was beſieged by Amilcar the father of Hannibal; at Jeruſalem, when it was beleagured by Veſpaſian; at Tunes, in the African War, Manl. loc. com. 278.when the ſouldiers were tithed; that is, every tenth man was cut in pieces and devoured. Such a famine there was at Rome in the dayes of Honorius the Emperour, that they were ready to eat one another; Alſted. Chronol. pag 300.and this voyce was heard in the place of publike meeting. Pone pretium humanae carni. At Antioch in Syria, Turk. hiſt. fol. 18.many of the Chriſtians, (in the holy war) through famine, devoured the dead bodies of their late ſlain enemies. At the ſiege of Scodra, they were well night put to this extremity, when horſes were dainty meat: Ibid. 426.yea they were glad to eat dogs, cats, rats, and the skins of beaſts ſodd. It exceedeth all credit, to tell at what exceeding great price a little mouſe was ſold, or puddings made of dogs guts. And if our relations deceived us not, ſuch things as theſe we heard of lately, to have fallen out in Germany. Alterius perditio, tuacautio. Seeſt thou another man periſh? ſee to thy ſelf.
Verſ. 5. And dreamed the ſecond time] Divine dreams uſe to be repeated, and to take deep impreſſion, as this did, verſ. 8. Pharaoh's ſpirit was troubled. Heb. behammered.
Verſ. 7. Behold, it was a dream] That is, it was but a dream, and no more; yet a divine dream: whereof, ſee the Notes on Chap. 20. ver. 3.
Verſ. 8. All the Magitians] Or, naturall Philoſophers, that ſtudied the ſecrets of nature, and could give a ready reaſon of every thing: Magus is a perſian word, and hath affinity with the Hebrew foreign a contemplative perſon; foreign: Such as was Ariſtotle among the heathens, and Auguſtine amongſt Chriſtians; the greateſt and accurateſt of men, after the Apoſtles, in contemplation and argumentation, Planudes cum tranſtulit annis aliquot ante Conſtantino▪ p…lim captam. Manl. loc. com. pag. 684. 2 Tim. 3.8.as many are of opinion. The Grecians were ſo delighted with his learned labours, that they have tranſlated him wholly into their tongue. As for the deep Theorems of naturall Philoſophy; they make one learned indeed, but ſeldome better, oft-times worſe, meer Atheiſts; as theſe wiſemen of Egypt, elſe where called enchanters, wizards, Exod. 7.11. Of theſe were Iannes and Iambres that reſiſted Moſes; learned they were, and lewd, as were thoſe Philoſophers, Rom. 1. [But there was none that could interpret] Becauſe God had ſmitten them with a ſpirit of dizineſs▪ Iſai. 29.14.and made the wiſdome of the wiſe to periſh; for elſe, it had been eaſie for them, to have ſeen plenty in the fat kine, and penury in the leane, &c. But God had reſerved that honour to Joſeph, as a ſtep or ſtirrop to further preferment.
Verſ. 9. I remember my fault this day] Oratio vere aulica, ſaith Pareus, a right courtiers ſpeech. …e ſo relates the hiſtory of his impriſonment, that he takes all the blame thereof to himſelf; gives Pharaoh the full commendation of his juſtice and clemency. As for Joſeph, he mentions him to the King; (leſt if any eſſe ſhould have done it before him, he ſhould have been ſhent for hi…ſilence;) but ſomewhat ſlenderly, and more for ſelf-reſpects, then of any good affection to the innocent priſoner; whom he calls a young-man, a bond-man, and hebrew; in whoſe behalf he neither adviſeth, nor entreateth that he may be ſent for. So very little is it, that Joſeph oweth to this Patrone. And ſuch, for moſt part, are court▪commendations. There you have foreign; as one ſaid of old, delayes and changes good ſtore: every man ſeeking and ſerving his own aims and ends; but little minding the good of others, further then ſubſervient to their own.
Verſ. 10. Pharaoh was wroth with his ſervants, &c.] It is wiſdome in a man to confeſs his faults, before the Prince whom he hath offended; and to commend his clemency in pardoning them: Orat. pro. M. Marcello, & Q. Ligario, &c.As Tully did Caeſars, as Mephiboſheth did Davids, &c. The Lord Cobham, the L. Gray, Sir Griffin Markham, being condemned for treaſon, about the beginning of King James, Anno 1603; B. Carletons thankefull remembrance of Gods mercies. pag. 181.and brought forth to execution: as they were upon the ſcaffold, the Sheriffe notified the Kings pardon, his Majeſties warrant for the ſtay of the execution: at which unexpected clemency, beſides the great ſhouts of the people, the condemned wiſhed, that they might ſacrifice their lives, to redeem their fault, and to repurchaſe ſo mercifull a Princes love.
Verſ. 11. Each man according to the interpretation] That is, no vain dreame, but ſignificant, and deſerving an interpreter.
Verſ. 12. And he interpreted to us our dreams] And well you requited him: but better late then never; Paerſtat ſero quam nunquam.though a ready diſpatch doubleth the benefit; howbeit God had an over-ruling hand in it, for Ioſephs greateſt good: he turneth the worlds ingratitude, to the ſalvation of his ſervants.
Verſ. 13. As he interpreted to us, ſo it was] Semblably, as Chriſt foretold the two theeves with whom he ſuffered, ſo it fell out; the one went to Heaven, the other to Hell. And ſo it ſhall fare with all men at laſt day, according to Iſai. 3.10.11.
Verſ. 14. And they brought him haſtily] Heb. They made him run: who haply knew not, what this haſte and h…rry meant, but was betwixt hope and fear, till he came to the King. It is God that bringeth low, and lifteth up; that raiſeth up the poor out of the duſt, and lifteth up the begger from the dunghill, to ſet him among Princes, &c. 1 Sam. 2.7, 8. In the year of Grace 1622. The Turkiſh Janizaries (who have learned that damnable art of making, and unmaking their King at pleaſure) drew Mustapha, (whom they had formerly depoſed) out of priſon: and when he begged for his life, they aſſured him of the Empire; and carrying him forth upon their ſhoulders, Muſtapha ſubita ill… mutatione, qua ex carcere ad ſummam diguitatem & potentiam evectus erat ita commetus fuit, ut animi deliquium pateretur, &c. Parei Medul. pag. 1165. Dan. hiſt. of Engl. p. 48.cryed with a loud voyce; This is Muſtapha, Sultan of the Turks, God ſave Muſtapha, &c. with which ſudden change the man was ſo affected, that he fell into a ſwoon for joy, and they had much adoe to keep life in him: Our Henry fourth was crowned the very ſame day, that, the year before, he had been baniſhed the Realm. [And changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh] And ſhould not we get on our beſt, when we are to come before God? Should we accoſt him, in the naſty tattered rags of the old Adam? and not ſpruſe up our ſelves, with the beſt of our preparation.
Verſ. 15. I have dreamed a dream, and there is none, &c.] So men ſend not for the Miniſter, till given up by the Phyſitian. Then they cry out with him in the Goſpel: Mark. 9.22.Sir if thou canſt do any thing, help us, &c. Whereunto what can we reply, but as that king of Iſrael did to the woman that cryed to him for help, 2 King 6.27.in the famine of Samaria; If the Lord help the… not, whence ſhall I help thee? out of the barn-floor, or out of the wine-preſs? Did not I forewarn you, ſaying, touch not the unclean thing, &c. and ye would not hear. Gen. 42.22. with 2 Cor. 6.17. Amor ingenii …eminem unquam divi… ſecit. Petron. Neſcio qu…modo bonae mentis ſoror eſt paupertas. Ib.Therefore is this thing come upon you. [And I have heard ſay, &c.] Pharaoh deſpiſeth not wiſdome, how meanly ſoever habited. Saepe ſub attrita latitat ſapientia veſte: Paupertas eſt philoſophia vernacula, ſaith he in Apuleius: And Eumolpus in Petronius, being asked why he went ſo poorly apparrelled, anſwered; the ſtudy of wiſdome, never made any man wealthy. And afterward he addeth; however it comes to paſs, poverty is the ſiſter of piety, and vertue is forſaken of fortunne. Nudus opum, ſed cui coelum terraeque paterent, ſaith Silius of Archimedes, that great Mathematician. And Aelian obſerves, Aelian. l. 2. Lactantius quaſi quidam fluvius Tullia…ae eloquentiae. Hieror.that the beſt of the Greeks, Ariſtides, Phocion, Pelopidas, Epaminondas, Socrates, were very poor men: Lactantius, that Chriſtian Cicero, as Hierome calleth him, was ſo needy, that he wanted neceſſaries. All that Calvin left behinde him, books and all, came ſcarce to three hundred French crowns: as Boz… his colleague witneſſeth.
Verſ. 16. It is not in me, God ſhall give Pharaoh, &c.] This is the voyce of all that have true worth in them: they are humble, upon the knowledg of their perfections; they vilifie and nullifie themſelves before God and men; like true balme, that put into water, ſinks to the bottome: or like a veſſel caſt into the Sea, which the more it fills, the deeper it ſinks. And this is the bottome and boſome of humility, and very next degree to exaltation, as here.
Verſ. 25. The dream of Pharaoh is one] One in ſignification, but diverſe, in reſpect of viſion. Why it was doubled, ſee ver. 32. Repetitions in Scripture are not tautologies, but ſerve to ſet forth to us, the neceſſity, excellency, or difficulty of the thing ſo re-inforced. To write to the Philippians the ſame things, to S. Paul it is not grievous, and for them it is ſafe, Phil. 3.1. Seneca.Nunquàm ſatis dicitur, quod nunquàm ſatis diſcitur. Occidit miſeros crambe repetita magiſtros. Iuven.Away then with thoſe nice Novelliſts, that can abide to hear nothing but what is newminted. Miniſters meet with many that are ſlow of heart, and dull of hearing; theſe muſt have precept upon precept, line upon line, &c. Many alſo of brawny breaſts and horny-heart ſtrings; that as ducklings ſtoop and dive at any little ſtone thrown by a man at them, yet ſhrink not at the heavens great thunder, &c. Here a Miniſter muſt beat and inculcate; turn himſelf into all faſhions of ſpirit and ſpeech, to win and work upon his hearers. He muſt ſo long purſue and ſtand upon one and the ſame point, (ſaith Auſtin) till, Aug. de doct. Chriſt. & in Pſal. 10. Pſal. 49.1.2.by the geſture and countenance of his Auditors, he perceives they underſtand and aſſent to it. Hear this, all ye people, give ear all ye Inhabitants of the world, (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) Both low and high, rich and poor together. Quid dignum tanto feret hic promiſſ…r hiatu, Horat.will ſome proud ſpirit ſay? what ſo great matter is there delivered in this Pſalm, that ſo much attention is called for? Is it not an ordinary argument, ſuch as we have heard of an hundred times, (viz. the happy and ſecure eſtate of the Saints, though in trouble, and the miſerable and ſlippery condition of the wicked, though they proſper in the world?) True, ſaith the Holy Ghoſt; this is the ſubject of this Pſalme; and this, how common a theme ſoever, is the great wiſdome, and the dark ſaying, that I will here open unto you and that calls for your utmoſt attention.
Verſ. 33. Now therefore let Pharaoh, &c.] This was good counſell, and it proved beſt to the councellour. The Iewes injuriouſly charge him with ambitious ſelf-ſeeking: So they did Noah (as is above noted); with hard-heartedneſs, and in compaſſionateneſs to the old world. Theſe made the worſt of things, and ſo condemned the generation of Gods Children. How much better had it been, Eâ quem que anſâ prebendamus quâ commodè teneri queat. Epictet. Fran. de Sales c. 28.to have followed that golden rule of Epictetus? Take every man by that handle, whereby he may beſt be held; as Virgill dealt by Ennius, Cyprian by Tertullian, Hierome by Origen, Auguſt in by Tichonius. If an action had an hundred ſeveral faces, we ſhould alwaies caſt our ſight upon the faireſt; and make the beſt of every thing. What Ioſeph did here, he did doubtleſs, by divine direction.
Verſ. 34. Let him appoint officers] Biſhops or overſeers. Pakid. Epiſcopu… Such amongſt the Romans were praefecti anno…ae.The word ſignifyeth, any ſuch as have publike charge and office, whether in Church, or common-wealth. But how many of our Epiſcopi, are now become Apoſcopi, by-ſeers, rather then over-ſeers; as Eſpencaeus long ſince complained? Our land groans for ſome Moſes, to take away the evil-Officers. Nam non unum tantùm vitulum, ſed multos habemus, as honeſt Ferus ſaid of his times. And as John Hus, Multa quae illi or dinem dicunt, omnium rerum in chriſtianiſmo conſufionem pariunt. Bell. Huſſiticum. pag. q.of his Church-men; Many things, ſaith he, which they call order, breed confuſion of all things, throughout whole Chriſtendome.
And take up the fifth part of the land] For ſo much money, as it is worth: the Egyptians might well ſpare it, and the King might as well buy it, ſith he ſhould ſell it again, for very good profit. Neither would Joſeph adviſe, nor Pharaoh be adviſed, to take his Subjects goods by violence. When Samuel tells the people, that their King, Bucholc.whom they called for, would take their fields and vineyards, the beſt of them, and give them to his ſervants, &c. loquitur non tam de jure quam de more, he ſpeaks not of the right of Kings, (as if all were theirs, and no man had any thing of his own) but of the manner, and illimited power that ſome Kings take over their ſubjects goods; as in Turkie, Perſia, &c. Let it be the voyce of a Nero, whenſoever he put any one in office, Scis quid mihi opus ſit, Sueton. in Nerone.& hoc agamus, nequis quicquam habeat: Of a Seleucus, to proclaim, that the Kings pleaſure is the only law; foreign. Appian.as if it were not enough, to be above men, but above mankind: as thoſe Princes Would be, ſaith our Engliſh Chronicler, that would have their will to be law. Melancthon tells us of a certain Prince, in thoſe parts, Dan. hiſt. of Engl. f. 144. Primò un…n d…em …llebat, minitans, &c. Manl. loc. com. 636. Eram aliquandò in die Natali, in cujuſdam concione, &c. Erant foreign quibus gratificabatur & aſſentiebatur quorundam auribus, &c. Ibid. 479.that extorted money from his miſerable ſubjects, by knocking out their teeth. Firſt he knockt out one tooth, threatning to do ſo by the reſt, unleſs they brought him in ſuch a ſum, by ſuch a time, as he demanded. The ſame Author elſewhere relates, that he was at a Sermon on the birth-day of our Saviour: The Preacher took his text out of Luk. 2.1. There went out a decree from Caeſar Auguſtus, that all the world ſhould be taxed. And whereas the audience expected, that the Preacher ſhould have diſcourſed of Chriſts Nativity, of the hypoſtatical union, &c. he ſpent his whole hour (the weather being extream cold) in this ſubject, that Obedience muſt be yeelded to the higher powers; that they muſt have as much money given them, as they call for; with a great deal of ſuch like ſtuff, little to the purpoſe, but much to the pleaſure of ſome Princes then and there preſent. Such Court-Paraſites, many times, do much miſchief in a State; as well by ſeducing good Princes, (qui eſſent alii, ſi eſſent apudalios) as by ſtickling againſt them, when the world doth not favour them. When Edward the ſecond, ſirnamed Carnarvan, was purſued by his Queen, and ſon, the Biſhop of Hereford being to preach before her at Oxford, and to deliver the cauſe of her proceeding, took for his text, My head aketh, Dan. hiſt. of Engl. fol. 216.my head aketh; and concluded moſt undivinely, that an aking and ſick head of a Kingdom, was, of neceſſity, to be taken off, and no otherwiſe cured.
Verſ. 35. And let them gather all the food] This text warranteth providence, in laying up for a rainy day. Solomon ſends us to ſchool to the piſmire, to learn this leſſon, Prov. 6.6. And it is well obſerved, that our Saviour had a purſe for common ſtore for himſelf and thoſe about him. Neither was this a penny-pouch, but a bag ſo big, as needed a bearer. God would have us to be good husbands, and ſee that Condus be fortior promo, our comings in, more then our layings out; Parents muſt lay up for their children, 2 Cor. 12.14. yea, leave inheritance to childrens children, Prov 13.22. playing the good husbands abroad and at home, Prov. 27.26, 27.
Verſ. 37. And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh] The Devil, no doubt, by the Magicians and Politicians of thoſe times, did his utmoſt to hinder the Kings purpoſe of preferring Joſeph; as he did here for Cromwell, that great Reformer, whom King Henry the eight, Act. & Mon. 1070.of a Smiths ſon, made Farl of Eſſex. But theſe is neither counſel nor wiſdom againſt the Lord, Prov. 21.30.
Verſ. 38. And Pharaoh ſaid unto his ſervants] He would reſolve nothing without the advice of his Counſel. Val. Max. lib. 9. cap. 5.He was not like the Perſian Monarchs, who gave their Peers no freedom nor liberty of advice: Nor that wilful King James of Scotland, (that reigned in our Edward the fourth's time) that would ſeldom ask counſel, but never follow any: ſo wedded he was to his own opinion, (ſaith the Hiſtorian) that he could not endure any mans advice (how good ſoever) that he fancied not. Dan. hiſt. of England, contin. by Truſſel. 107.Pharaoh heard what his ſervants could ſay to it; who all, at length, conſented, when the ill-affected ſaw it was no boot to diſſent.
Can we find ſuch a man as this] Hence ſome collect, that Joſeph preached many more things to the King, of God, his power, providence, goodneſs, &c. then are here recorded; and was therefore ſo admired, Pſal. 105.22.and advarced to the office of teaching his Senatours wiſdom. To bind his Princes to his ſoul, and make wiſe his Elders, as the Original hath it.
Verſ. 39. Foraſmuch as God hath ſhewed thee all this] Pharaoh, at firſt, took him for no other, then a cunning ſooth-ſayer, and conjecturer of dreams. Now he finds better worth in him, a ſpirit of wiſdom and diſcretion: He ſeeth him to be a man ſpiritually rational, and rationally ſpiritual; one that ſeemed to ſee the inſides of Nature and Grace, and the world and heaven, by thoſe perfect anatomies he had made of them all. Briefly, ſuch a heart ſo well headed, nor ſuch a head better hearted, he had never met with. Wherefore he reſolves to ſet him at the ſtern of the State; there being not any thing that makes a man ſo good a Patriot, as true Religion; which admits not of that diſtinction between a good man and a good Citizen.
Verſ. 40. Thou ſhalt be over my houſe, &c.] Pharaoh prefers him, becauſe he found good parts in him. They that beſtow places of charge in Church or Common-wealth, upon undeſerving perſons, for by-reſpects, ſhall have Pharaoh to riſe up in judgment againſt them. The life of King Edward the ſixth; by Sir Jo. Heywood, pag. 6.In King Edward the ſixth's minority, Dignity waited upon deſert, (ſaith the Hiſtorian) which cauſed it again to be waited upon by reſpect. Order alſo was taken, that no man ſhould have any benefice from the King, but firſt he ſhould preach before him. Ibid. 115.Tamberlane-never beſtowed his preferments upon ſuch as ambitiouſly ſought them; as deeming them, in ſo doing, unworthy thereof: but upon ſuch, as whoſe modeſty or deſert, Turk. hiſt. fol. 227.he thought worthy of thoſe his great favours.
Verſ. 41. See, I have ſet thee over all, &c.] So Antoninus the Emperour, made Pertinax (a mean man, Pertinax obres praeclarè geſtas emſul eſt factu…: enjus cauſa multi indignati ſunt, &c. Dio. Idem in vita Pertinacis.but well qualified) Conſul; which many murmured at. But he was afterwards made Emperour; and finding the publike treaſure wofully waſted by his predeceſſor Commodus, he reſtored it by his good husbandry; which many Magnifico'es laughed at; caeteri, quibus virtus luxuriâ potior erat, laudabamus, ſaith the Hiſtorian.
Verſ. 42. And Pharaoh took off his ring] Pliny therefore is out, that thinks the uſe of rings came not up before the Trojan War. How happy had he been, bell…o librorum.(that was ſo great a book-devourer) had he light upon the Bible. He was in-ſighted in all the ſecrets of Nature; as appears by his works; Nihil unquam legit, quin excerperet: nec in Bibliotheca tantum, ſed in lectica; ſed equitan… quoque vel ſcribebat vel ſcribendum aliquod dictabat. Textor. Officina.(which is non minùs varium quam ipſa rerum natura, ſaith Eraſmus:). He never read any thing but he excerped it; neither in his library only, but in his couch; and whiles he was on horſeback, he either wrote, or dictated ſomewhat to be written. When he ſaw his Nephew walk out ſome houres without ſtudying, he ſaid to him, Poteras has horas non perdere. He lived in the dayes of Veſpaſian; and was a great dealer under him. What pity it was, that neither by Jews nor Chriſtians he came to the knowledg of the Scriptures; where he might have met with many Antiquities, (as this of the uſe of the ring, an ornament of honour) not elſewhere to be read of. But God had hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, becauſe it ſo ſeemed good in his ſight, Matth. 11.25, 26. [And put a gold chain about his neck] Behold (ſaith a learned Interpreter) one hour hath changed his fetters into a chain of gold, his rags into robes, D. Hall.his ſtocks into a chariot, his jayl into a palace; Potiphar's captive, to his Maſters Lord; the noiſe of his chains into Abrech. God commonly exalts his people to the contrary good to that evil, he had caſt them into; as Joſeph, here, of a ſlave, to be a Ruler; Chriſt judged, to be Judge of all. So Caius, ſo ſoon as he came to the Empire, the firſt thing he did, was to prefer Agrippa, (who had ſuffered impriſonment for wiſhing him Emperour:) he made him King of Judaea, (this was that Herod that was eaten with worms, Act. 12) and gave him a chain of gold, as heavy as the chain of iron, that was upon him in priſon.
Verſ. 43. Bow the knee] Or, tender Father, becauſe he was young in years, but old in wildom, foreign, as Macarius was called. Not the ancient are wiſe, but the wiſe ancient.
Verſ 44. foreignI am Pharaoh] Of a root that ſignifieth to make bare, becauſe (ſay ſome) he was to be bared, that is, ſifted and manifeſted by Joſeph.
without thee ſhall no man lift up his hand] And yet the Egyptians (in Seneca's time however) were a proud peremptory people, A…gyptus loqu…x & ingenioſà in contumeliam praefectorum provincia: in qua qui vitaveri… culpam …on effagit in ſamiam. Seneca. Salvator mundi. Hier. foreign. Ioſeph.apt to caſt contempt and contumely upon their Governours, were they never ſo upright and unblameable. Joſeph had ſaid, without me, God ſhall anſwer Pharaoh; And now he heareth, without thee ſhall no man, &c.
Verſ. 45. Zaphnath Pa…neach] That is, ſaith Idiprome, the Saviour of the world. An high ſtile: ſo the Greeks, when Flaminius, who had freed them from bondage, came amongſt them, called him, Saviour, Saviour, with ſuch a courage, that the birds that flew over their heads, amazed at the noiſe, fell to the ground. Hunniades, Plutarch.having overthrown Meſites, the Turks Generall, at his return into the camp, a wonderful number of the poor captives came, and falling at his feet and kiſſing them, gave God thanks for their deliverance by him. Some called him Father; ſome, the Defender of his country; the ſouldiers, their invincible General; The captives, their Saviour; the women, their protectour; the young men and children, their tender father. He again, with tears ſtanding in his eyes, cunceouſly embraced them, rejoycing at the publike good; Tur…. hiſt. fol. 269.and himſelf, giving moſt hearty thanks unto God, commanded the like to be done, in all the Churches of that province. [The daughter of Potipherah Prince of On] Called Aven. Ezek. 30.1…. that is, wickedneſs, becauſe there they ſacrificed to the Sun; whence it was called, Heliopolis. The chiefe ruler here under Pharaoh▪ was Prieſt of the Sun: belike, Prieſts were no ſmall men in thoſe days, amongſt the Egyptians. Among the Ethiopians (their neighbours,) the Prieſts of Iupiter were grown to that height of inſolency, and had ſo bewitched the people with their ſuperſtitions, Nullo detrectante, donec ad Erganem regem perventum eſt, qui omues occidit & ſacerdotium Suſtulit. Alex. ab Alexandro,that they would ſometimes take upon them to depoſe, and kill their Kings. This had been often done there; till at length, when they attempted the ſame upon Erganes King of that country, he ſlew them all, and took away their prieſthood. O that God would once put into the hearts of Chriſtian Kings, to deal ſo by that high-prieſt of Rome, who hath ſo long uſurped authority, to depoſe and abuſe them at his pleaſure!
Verſ. 46. And Joſeph was thirty year old] This is mentioned, to ſhew what wonderfull graces he had attained, at thoſe years; what rare endowments, both of piety and policy. Julius Caeſar beholding the picture of Alexander, in Hercules his temple at Gades, wept, that he had done no worthy act at thoſe yeares, wherein Alexander had conquered the whole world. Behold, Ioſeph at thirty, ſhewed more wiſdome and vertue, then either of them; (as Pererius, on this text, well obſerveth:) and hath for his 13 years ſervice, and impriſonment, fourſcore years liberty, proſperity, and honour: God is a liberal pay-maſter.
Verſ. 47. By handfulls] Manipulation. Ex uno grano integer manipulvs colligebatur, Act. 14.17.Every grain of corn yeelds a handfull of increaſe. Thus God filled their hearts with food and gladneſs; and ſo left not himſelf without witneſſe, amongſt thoſe Infidels.
Verſ. 48. And laid up the food of the cities] He provided ſtorehouſes for every city; ſo they needed not to travel far. It is our happineſs, that we have the Word, that bread of life, brought home to us. Yet ſome are ſo wretched, that unleſs God will ſet up a …ulpit at the Ale-houſe door, they will not come to hear him. They will run to hell as faſt as they can; and if God cannot catch them, they care not, they will not return.
V. 50. Aſenath the daughter of Potipherah] This was not Potiphar, Ioſeph's Maſter. Ioſeph would not marry the daughter of ſuch a huſwife. Partus firè ſequitur ventrem. Ingenium ipſum a…que indoles (veluti concluſio ſequitur inferiorem part…m… plerun que matriſſat.
Verſ. 51. Manaſſ… for God, ſaid he, hath, &c.] He writes Gods mercies to himſelf, upon the names of his two children; that might be as ſo many Monitours to thankfulneſs and obedience. The Stork is ſaid to leave one of her young ones where ſhe hatcheth, as it were out of ſome inſtinct of gratitude. Doves, at every grain they pick, look upward, as giving thanks. [And all my fathers houſe] Even that toyl and thoſe indignities that were offered me in my fathers houſe, (ſo Iunius;) the grief whereof, his preferment allayed and mitigated.
Verſ. 53. And the ſeven years of plenteouſneſſ., &c.] All earthly felicities will determine; they are called a ſea of glaſſe mingled with fire; that is, with affliction. Henry the ſixth, Rev. 15.2. Truſſels Con…nuation. ſ. 189.that had been the moſt potent Monarch for Dominions, that ever England had, was, when depoſed, not the maſter of a mole-hill, nor owner of his own liberty; ſo various are the changes and chances of this mortal life.
Verſ. 54. According as Ioſeph had ſaid] Joſeph foreſaw and foretold the famine, but cauſed it not: ſo Gods preſcience, &c.
In all the land of Egypt] Such a revenue is thrift and parſimony. Optimum vectigal parſimonia. Cic.
Verſ. 55. foreign. Dio.Cryed to Pharaoh] Though they knew he had deputed Ioſeph: So 1 King. 6.27. foreign; we ſhould be as Gods, if we had not buſineſſes, cares and feares, about any of our ſubjects; ſaid Auguſtus to his wife Livia.
Verſ. 57. All countries came to Joſeph, &c.] Forrainers alſo ſhould be relieved, ſo much as may be; King Edward the 6. ſent 5000 pound, Hi frondibus & gramine veſcebantur. Scultet. Annal. pag. 315.to relieve Proteſtants beyond ſeas. Geneva received our fugitives for religion, in Q. Maries time: and Straſborough, the poor baniſhed Lorrainers, that were well nigh famiſhed, being forced to feed on hips and hawes, &c.