A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament
Inferences hence be, 1. God loves to Act by a way of his own, working all by contraries. Thus God brought Joseph through the most despicable Slavery into most High Advancement: He Dream'd of the latter, but never Dream'd of the former. Yet this was God's method the more to commend his Mercy, he makes the way to Heaven by Hell Gates.
The second Inference hence is, God the Creator supplies the want of Creatures to comfort his Servants in distress: 'It is said expressly, [ God was with Joseph] but Jacob was not with him, No, he was stolen and sold away from his Father into a strange Land: Yet the want of his Earthly Father was sweetly supplied by the presence of his Heavenly Father, who furnished him with Prudence, Piety and Prosperity to allay the smart, and to dulcifie the bitterness of his sad Adversity. Let none then in their lowest Estate despond therein, provided they be pious, such as own God, God will own them, Deut. 26.17, 18. He will not despise them in their Affliction, Psal. 22.24. but his Eye is upon them, &c. Psal. 34.18, 19. 2 Pet. 2.9.
Inference the third, wait God's time for Deliverance, which is always the best time, as Joseph did here; who remained in the House of this Egyptian Lord about eleven years, for he was seventeen years old when he was sold, Gen. 37.2. and he was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, Gen. 41.46. If his two years Imprisonment be added to his eleven years Service, it makes up the number of thirty, made up of thirteen and seventeen, Joseph waited till his Word came, Psal. 105.19. He ran not away from his Service, for therein he would have offended his God, who at this time would have him a Servant, and therein he should have been injurious to his Master, who had bought him with Money: And had he been taken in the Flight, he would then have had double Irons deservedly put upon him: This would have been a shunning the Smoke, but running into the Flame, and with Aesop 's Fish, a leaping out of the Frying-pan into the Fire.
The fourth Inference, Though God hateth sin, yet he permits it, as theirs in the Sale of Joseph, because he can over-rule it, and cause it to serve his own Glorious Ends. Oh how was poor Joseph 's Ruin plotted by his Brethren! yet God orders both their malice and his misery to become the means of most marvelous Mercy: God is so good that he can convert the greatest evil into the greatest good, extracting weal out of woe. This may comfort us against the Plots of the wicked, which God causes to produce Effects contrary to their Intentions, &c. Thus as God delivered Joseph out of the Hands of his Barbarous Brethren, that they could neither slay him with the Sword, nor famish him in the Pit; but Reuben and Judah (two of the Conspirators) are God's Instruments to have him Sold as a Slave into Egypt: So God was with him there, and delivered him from his Slavery, and made him of a Slave or Skullion to become an High-steward, the second-man in his Masters (Potiphar's) House, as after he became the second man in King Pharaoh 's Kingdom, and that by the very means of Dreams too, which was the chief means whereby he was brought into all his Troubles, but (saith St. Stephen ) God saved him from them all, Acts 7.9.
When Joseph was advanced thus from the lowest Employ to the highest Office in his Masters House, that envious one the Devil took this occasion (aforementioned) for his Arch-Archers to shoot his fiery Darts and fatal Arrows at him, as now being a fairer mark (up aloft) for him to hit. The same Devil who had driven Joseph 's Brethren before to hate him, now drives his wanton Mistress to love him, and that with a lustful love: The Temptation on her part was, she saw Joseph was a goodly person and well favored, Gen. 39.6, 7. being the Beautiful Son of the most Beautiful Rachel; this exposed him as a fair mark for the Tempters Arrows: Beauty is a Baneful Bait; and Lust is sharp-sighted: 'It is dangerous to gaze with carnal Eyes upon a fair Face either in Man or Woman: How many have died of a Wound in the Eye, which Satan oft improves as a Burning glass to set the Heart on Fire? No one means hath so enriched Hell as Fair Faces have done; we should therefore take heed, that our Eyes become not Loop-holes of Lust, and Windows of wanton wickedness; to prevent this, we must make a Covenant with them, as Job did, Chap. 31.1. Pray against the abuse of them, as David did, Psal. 119.37. and curb them from looking and lusting after Forbidden Fruit and Flesh, as Nazianzen did, who (as himself saith) had Learned [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] to nurture his Eyes unto sobriety: None of these things had Joseph 's wanton Mistress done: 'It is said expressly, [ His Masters Wife cast her Eyes upon Joseph,] Gen. 39.7. that is, ut vidit periit, she looked and lusted; the Devil threw his Balls of Wild-fire through the Window of the Eyes into her Heart, and set it all on Fire; she did not shut up the Cinque-ports to secure herself from the Invasion of her Enemy. Her five Senses lay open for the Adversaries free entrance on her part. Visus, Colloquium, Contactus, Osculum, Concubitus, in such a case do too frequently follow one another: She cast her Eyes upon him, this first Inflam'd her, but when she laid her Hands upon him, this more Inflam'd her, and set her agog as it were: We may suppose that her solicitations to that sinful sin were gradual, and not (at the first) in downright Terms of Expression, but she began with a favorable Aspect upon him; her Eyes being as the Bellows to blow up the Flame that was now as a Fire (of Hell ) burning in her Heart, as Virgil saith of Dido 's casting her Eyes upon Aeneas.
She could not satisfy herself with looking, but with it lusted. Then her smiling looks became wanton Glances beyond the bounds of Modesty; thence she proceeded to practice such Familiarity and Friendship with him as was below the Honor of a Lady to her Servant: Then she scatters now and then (in this abasing of herself to him) some wanton words of unchaste Intimations: At last she comes up to that frontless and shameless Impudency of barely and basely soliciting him [to lie with her ] which was the mark she (the Devils Archer ) shot at in all her foregoing flatteries, all which Moses thought meet to express in one word as enough: This was undoubtedly a most perilous Arrow ( pointed in the Devils, that Blacksmiths Forge, and Poysoned with the worst Venom in Hell) shot at good Joseph, if all Circumstances be but well considered; As,
1. These that concern the person tempted, Joseph was now about twenty seven years old, in the Flower of his Youth (which is the most slippery Age of Mankind) his Bones were full of Marrow, his Body full of Juice, and his Veins full of Blood, he was a Florid fair young Man, of a Sanguine Complexion (which, Naturalists tell us, is most Effeminate) and had a sound Body (as well as a comely Countenance ) whereon Austin descants, [Quo magìis Corpus sanum est, eo magìs morbus libidinis insanit.] The sounder the Body is, the stronger is the Disease of Lust in that Body: Youth is warm, prone and strong to Carnality, yet weak to withstand it.
2. Consider the person tempting, it was his Mistress, a Lady of Honor in Pharaoh 's Court, who solicited her Servant: It might seem unreasonable that the kind Respects of a Mistress, (so freely offered) should in the least be despised by a Servant, who is rather obliged by all means with the greatest gratitude to accept of them: Thus wanton and wicked Servants would have thought, if Unchast and Incontinent.
3. Consider the wages this Lady might probably promise Joseph for complying with her in this wicked work: She might wheedle her Servant with promising to promote him to greater Wealth and Honor by her Influence upon his Master.
4. Consider the opportunity, he might have Embraced her Motion and herself too with secrecy and security, for they two were left alone, her Husband (Potiphar) and all his Servants were gone abroad to Solemnize some Festival day (as Josephus affirmeth) his Wife, feigning herself sick, staid at Home, to have the fairer opportunity for her private Attempt upon Joseph.
5. Consider also the Importunity that this Temptation was not offered once only, but often, yea, Jom, Jom, Hebr. Day by Day; His Mistress gives not over upon the first Repulse (having not only her Eyes full of Adultery, 2 Per. 2.14. but also her heart hot as an Oven, Hos. 7.7. and belching out flames as if it had been Mount Aetna ) did daily invite him, solicit him, provoke him, and laid in Ambush to entrap him; insomuch that Joseph 's Heart must seem harder than the hardest Rock to the Eyes of carnal Reason; If it could not be pierced by this Arrow of carnal Concupiscence shot out of the Devil's Bow (by this his Arch-Archer ) at Joseph 's Heart, and so oft enforced and inculcated upon him. 'It is a wonder, that Joseph did not at length fall under the force of this Temptation, being so incessantly assaulted with it. Seeing,
Notwithstanding All this, Joseph 's Bow abode in Strength, &c. for his Continency conquered the Temptation by two means;
(1.) By a peremptory rejecting (upon solid Reasons) that heinous offer 'tis said, v. 8. [but he refused] and so would but sew (of his years) have done: Oh how many wanton and wicked young Men (about his Age of 27 years) would with both hands have embraced this offfer'd Opportunity with less Importunity, and would have committed (as they wickedly call it) this sweet Sin with so much Secrecy and Security, &c. As the Youngster in Terence foolishly saith [Shall I let slip such a desirable and so unexpected an opportunity? Then should I indeed be a Fool in grain, &c. ] yet chaste Joseph abhors the offer, renouncing it, not by one word only, saying No, I will not do it; but he further asserteth, [I may not, I dare not, I cannot do it] rendering cogent Reasons, and pregnant Arguments for his refusal, v. 9. As,
1. That his own Relative State required him to refuse if, showing how his Condition (of being a Servant) commanded him to abhor all Ingratitude and Treachery: My Master (saith he) hath been signally good to me, and hath confer'd a mighty Trust upon me, even of his whole and of his All: I have sworn to him the Oath of Fidelity; therefore should I be an ungrateful Wretch and a Treacherous Villain, if I (forgetting both my Duty to him, and his Mercy to me) should be so sinfully evil to him, as filthily to Violate his Honorable Marriage-Bed.
His Second Argument whereby he repells the Temptation is drawn from his Mistress's Relative State, [As I am Potiphar 's Servant, so thou art his Wife, joined to him in that Holy Band of Wedlock; 'tis neither in thy power nor in mine to break that sacred Band: Though my Master hath committed all his Family to my power, yet hath he given me no power over thee; for power over the Wife is seated only in the Husband, 1 Cor. 7.4. Therefore if thou wouldest Bed with a Man, then go Bed with thy Husband.
His Third Argument is from the heinous Nature of the Act of Adultery, calling it a great wickedness, as indeed it is in divers respects.
1. As it breaks God's Seventh Commandment, Thou shalt not commit Adultery; And,
2. The Eighth too [ Thou shalt not Steal] 'tis the worst sort of Theft, as it is a stealth of the best, of the first real Blessing bestowed on Man as soon as he was Created; Adultery is a Theft; therefore of that which is most precious, (a Wife) and should be most peculiar to the owner, as Joseph intimates to his Mistress here.
3. 'It is double Injustice, not only as it steals a Spurious Heir into a Man's Estate, (or at least thrusts Bastard-Brats in for a Portion among legitimate Children) but also as it wrongs the Husband notoriously of his Property: Therefore Jealousy of Injury herein doth raise the rage of a man to such an height that it cannot be allayed without Revenge, Prov. 6.34, 35. Hereupon Joseph argues thus against his Tempting Mistress with an Argument of Justice, [My Master hath committed all his Goods (but thee) to me, and therefore for me to meddle with thee, would be transcendent and notorious Injustice.
4. 'It is Sacrilege, especially in sanctified ones called to be Saints, 1 Cor. 1.3. for the Bodies of such are Temples of the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 6.19, and to turn the Temple of God into the Devil 's Brothel-house, by carnal Copulation adulterously, is no better than Profane and Abominable Sacrilege.
5. 'It is the basest Treachery, for Marriage is not made without the Solemn Bond of Mutual Loyalty end Fidelity: therefore for a Wife to turn aside to strange Flesh, is doomed Petty-Treason against her Lord, Head and Husband; and to break that Bond of Wedlock is the vilest Treachery.
6. But above All, Joseph 's main pin upon which all his other Arguments did hang, was, his Fear of God, (his Fourth Argument) as, He saith to his Brethren (who had been barbarous to him) Do this, for I fear God, Gen. 42.18. So he saith here to his Mistress (in the sense of his words) I cannot do this, for I fear God: I fear to be a Sinner against my own Soul, Num. 16.38. and I fear to be a Sinner against my Good God, who Whoremongers and Adulterers will assuredly Judge, Hebr. 13.4. 'twas Conscience toward God, that made him say, How can I sin against God? who makes the Marriage-Covenant, and keepeth the Bonds, Prov. 2.17. As I may not be so ungrateful to my kind Master, so I dare not be so ungracious to my gracious God: as my Trespass would be wicked against Potiphar, so my Transgression would be worse wicked against the Lord, as David confessed, Psal. 51.4. I have Trespassed against Uriah, but I have transgressed against God, and God only: Thus Joseph 's Bow abode in strength, in giving a repulse to this Temptation by branding it for a great wickedness, as a Trespass against Man: and to make it more Black, he Brands it likewise for a grievous Sin, as a Transgression against God: The whole of his words are an Elegant and Angelical Apophthegm, or a most Golden Sentence, wherewith this chaste Youth withstands a most brazen Encounter; which, though it be pure and clean in itself, yet doth it cast Dirt and Dung at the foul face of this filthy Sin of Adultery, as honest People do cast all manner of stinking stuff at those Whores which are Carted through open Streets or Market-places, for committing this Sin. This was Joseph 's first means.
His second Means was, as he had hitherto fought against this Temptation by Dint of Argument, so hereafter he was forced to fly from it by force and flight, he repulses Sin by strength of Arms, when strength of Argument would not do, He flings from her by force, being stronger than she, as it was a violent Temptation, so it was as violently and valiantly withstood and vanquished: Delilah wearied Samson, by pressing upon him with her Impudent Importunity from Day to Day, Judge. 16.16. but so could not this wanton wise weary this chaste Joseph, though she importuned him Jom. Jom, Day by Day. Though the Iron, (as the Hebrew reading [Barzil Boah naphsho] signifies) entered into his Soul, Psal. 105.18. yet Sin could not enter into his Conscience, because it was fraught with God's fear; this was his Antidote and Preservative against that luscious Poison: He had set God at his right hand with David, Psal. 16.8. therefore was he not moved by the importunate Impudency of his wanton and wicked Mistress, who gave him no Rest▪ nor Respite, but did continually solicit him to this Sin without any Intermission, yet as Sin abounded in the Tempter, so Grace abounded much more in the Tempted, as Rom. 5.20. Satan (in this Tempting Woman ) knocked often at his Door, but there was none within to Answer or Open: The Devil oft struck Fire, but it did always fall upon wet Tinder, neither will Satan be said with a little, nor sit down sufficiently satisfied by a small or light repulse: There must be a Peremptory Denial given him in our resistings of him, and that again and again, Jam. 4.7. and 1 Pet. 5.9. as our Savior did, Matth. 4.5, 7, 9, 10. and though this Denial be done often, yet the Devil departs only for a Season, Luk. 4.13. He is called Beelzebub the Master-Fly, [quia muscarum adinstar, quo magis abiguntur eo magis premunt] because he hath the Impudency of Flies, which the more they are driven off, the more do press on, he soon returns to that bait from whence he is beaten: He will be egging us again and again to the same Sin, as he did Joseph here, whom at last (as he thought) he had caught in a Trap, Gen. 39.10, 11, 12, where we have an Account of that wanton Woman's unparalleled Impudency; who, when she saw her daily Sollicitations disappointed, would not still acquiesce, (because her Heart was set on fire of Hell) but watched all opportunities to work him to this wickedness, which (though Joseph most prudently and piously declined all occasions of Evil, by his not being with her at any time out of choice, according to 1 Tim. 5.14. 1 Thess. 5.22. Exod. 23.7. Prov. 5.8. and 1 Cor. 6.18.) She had Happily (or rather) unhappily happening at last to her, and that (as Josephus saith) according to her own cunning and crafty Contrivance; being thus, A Festival Day falling out then, that called Potiphar and his Family abroad to Solemnize the Feast, his Wife feigned hor self Sick (as Amnon did after upon the like Design, 2 Sam. 13.3, 5.) so beg'd her Excuse to stay at Home with some few of the Family, whereof Joseph was one: Who doing his business belonging to his Office of High-Steward in Private, (looking up his Bills of Account, saith the Chaldee ) this Privacy gave that wanton woman a fit opportunity to tempt him neither thinking nor fearing evil, but faithfully minding his Master's Concerns; Hereupon she Assaults him with her hands first, saying again (with her foul Mouth) that filthy bewitching Song [Come lie with me] then he refusing, she holds him by his Garment, endeavoring to hale him to her Bed by force.
The Sixth Circumstance to be considered, is her violent Detention of him, or holding him with her hands, and haling him to that wicked work, which brought him to the use of his second means of a violent and valiant breaking from her. Thus mingling undoubtedly some Threatenings with her Allurements, unless he would yield to gratify her Lustful Desires, that she would accuse him to his Master for his essaying to Ravish her: such Tricks do Adulteresses design for their own Vindication, and for the Innocent's circumvention: Behold here the sublimest Subtlety, Outrage, and Impudency of a Woman in her bringing woe to this Man, Joseph, who seemed now to be caught in such a Snare (by this wanton Woman's wily wit and wicked will) that he must be at a loss which way soever he turned.
1st. As to the Woman his Mistress, no mean Person but the Lady of the House that did thus solicit him to Amorous Embracements, pressing upon him with Arguments, that he might esteem it a part of his Felicity to be Beloved and Courted by such a Lady. That she his Mistress should have such an intimate Affection for him, but her Servant, who therefore ought to be obsequious to her, as she was his Madam (or rather Mad-Dame) in the Family, accounting it his Honor to have, but such her Humility as to give him the offer of such sweet pleasure, that he had done better if he had not contradicted her first Motion, but if then he had some mistrust of his Mistress's Reality, suspecting she did it only to put a Trick upon him, and only to try him, by this he might know her loves to him were lasting, that she had feigned herself Sick, preferring his private Society before a public Triumph, where the Ladies of the Court used to grace the Solemnity: that he was now in her hands, he and she alone in the House, private enough for present Pleasure: that if he still prefer'd his own obstinate Humour before that, and before her Favor and Preferment, she would assuredly accuse him to Potiphar, with whom, though his words might have more Truth, yet her words would have more Force. Thus we see in all this, what an unruly thing is lawless Lust, which breaks through the Bonds both of Conscience and of Modesty, transporting this Woman (who by her Sex should have been shamefaced, and by her Place as Mistress and Governess of the House, Grave and Exemplary ) into a most horrid Impudency and Outrage in offering to commit a Rape upon a Man, upon her Man or Servant, even upon the Young-man , Joseph, whom she now held fast with her hands, and would not let him go without he would be perverted to perpetrate her purposed as well as proposed Project of carnal Copulation with him: yea, such a furor Uterinus, or immoderate appetite of Venery had so fired up her inordinate Affections, that (as Josephus relateth) she besought him with Tears to gratify her Desires.
2dly. As to the Young-man, Joseph (about the Age (of 27) wherein Lust most rageth) he seemed to be plunged into such a Labyrinth now, as admitted of no possibility to extricate himself: He might well cry out then (as his Brother Reuben had done about him, Gen. 37.30.) En quid Agam? Oh what shall I do? &c.
1. Shall I yield to my Mistress's lawless Lust, whereby I may satisfy my own also? No; This is to become an impious, impure, ungrateful and perfidious Adulterer.
2. Shall I fly from her? No; that I cannot do neither, for I am held fast by her hands upon my Garment.
3. Shall I leave my Garment in her hand, and so escape the Snare and the Sin? No; that I dare not do, for she hath already threatened to accuse me to my Master, whereby I shall be endangered to lose my life, as well as liberty and good name, for my Garment (left in her hands) will be brought in as an Evidence against me; Oh what shall I do? Yea, his strait was the greater, if (as some say) she held him with such strong hands and struggled with him for so long a time, till some of the Servants (she complained to, v. 14.) were returned from the Feast of Triumph: Oh what Man, what Good-Man, nay, what of the best of Men would not have been bewitched with the Charms of this Flesh-pleasing Temptation under all these aforesaid Circumstances? Yet Joseph 's Bow abode in strength, being strengthened by God, his Chastity cannot be conquered, though in a strait, not betwixt two, but three or four great Evils.
Behold here how this Goodly Person (so called, Gen. 39.6.) was entangled in Satan's snare, wherein, he had been hurry'd head-long to Hell, had he not been more goodly on the inside than he was on the outside.
His Brethren had robbed him of his Garment, but not of his Grace, which enabled him here to abide the shock of this Temptation, and fortify'd his Soul so in this desperate Conflict, that he comes off Conqueror. If ever any one Mortal man were famous for having all the four Cardinal Virtues at once, surely it must be this Joseph at that Juncture, where we may behold as in a Mirrour,
1. His Temperance, in his not being enticed to folly, no not by his own over-kind Mistress or Lady enticing him; she the Tempter knocked at the Door of his pure Heart and chaste Soul with the Hammer of Temptation, but found none to open the Door, and to give either Entrance or Entertainment to so great a wickedness.
2. His Justice, in his not being persuaded to do his own very kind Master such a manifest Injury, as treacherously to defile his Marriage-Bed.
3. His Fortitude, in his not being overcome by so many and daily renewed Assaults, yea, and Violence at last, but persevering to the End in his Holy purpose.
4. His Prudence, in his nor being altogether at a loss, when surrounded with all those straits aforesaid, but prudently Answers the Dilemma or rather Trilemma, the Two-horned or rather Three-horned Argument aforementioned ( Shall I yield? or, shall I fly? or, shall I leave my Garment? ) He at length in profound Wisdom answereth, E duobus malis minus, e Tribus minimum est eligendum; of two Evils the lesser, of Three the least of all ought to be chosen. Though this Philosophical Maxim hold not true as to Moral Evils, none of which are matter of choice, the least no more than the greatest, none of which must be chosen; (for God never necessitates any Soul to sin) yet stands it good as to Inconveniencies either when opposite one to another, or when an Inconvenience is opposed to something that is morally Evil, as all Sin is: and this was Joseph 's Case; to yield unto his Mistress was a plain and palpable Sin, to leave his Garment in her hand and so to flee from her, and from sinning with her, had no Sin or moral Evil in it, 'twas at worst but an Inconvenience, and might produce bad effects, as it did afterward; yet Joseph 's Prudence suggested to his Soul, that the least sinning was far worse than the greatest suffering; how much more this Sin which he called a great wickedness, and whatever were the evil Consequences he might suffer by leaving his Garment behind him; yet therein he did not Sin: Hereupon he resolves with himself to break from this brazen-faced Curtizan, and to flee away without his Garment, trusting Providence with the Issue of Life, Liberty, and good Name, rather than he would offend his God, his Conscience, and his kind Master, by committing such a filthy Iniquity: Thus he (being as it were environ'd round about as with manifold Temptations from Hell, so with those four Theological Virtues or Graces from Heaven ) did stoutly Resist the Devil, Despise the World, and Subdue the Flesh, his Bow abode in strength, being strengthened, &c. This is the second time, that poor Joseph was stripped of his Garment; before, by his Brethren and now by his Mistress: before, by the Canker of Envy, and now by the Violence of Lust: before through Necessity, but now out of Choice: before to deceive his Father, but now to incense his Master. Joseph stays not to parley with her, he had done that before to no purpose, and now the Temptation was got too high for either Pleading against it or pushing at it, 'twas safer to flee from it than to fight with it, and though he was strong enough to rescue his Coat out of her hands, he runs from her.
These Premises produce the third Archer that shot sore at Joseph also; to wit, Potiphar (his Master ) whom his Mistress basely perverted from a kind Friend to Joseph to become his cruel Enemy, because she could not pervert Joseph from his Chastity to commit Adultery with her. And his overmuch Credulity to his wanton fallacious wife, was the cause of his overmuch Cruelty to his chaste and innocent Servant; This wicked Woman shoots two Arrows at Joseph: (1.) At his Soul, in foully tempting him to Sin. (2.) At his Body, in falsely accusing him for Sin: This succeeded (casting him into Prison ) that though he could not be cast into Sinning, yet is into Suffering; The History hereof consists of four Parts, all relating to Joseph 's Malady; after which follows the mitigation of that Malady in the close of all: First, His Malady or Misery, (l.) Began in her clamorous Exclamation against Joseph, Gen. 39.13, 14. upon Joseph 's Escape she cries out (to those few that went not to the Feast) and called Whore first (as the common Saying is) causing them to become her prepared picked Witnesses against poor Innocent Joseph: where her Incontinency brought forth still more and more Impudency, to cry out, and say to those few about the House [ See, he hath brought in an Hebrew to Mock us, &c.] v. 14, 15. in which filthy Calumny, many Remarks are before the Eyes of an intelligent Mind, She belches up and blusters forth out of her black Mouth (it being as black as her Body, herself being a black Gypsie or Egyptian ) a whose bundle of Rage, Revenge, and Lies all at once. As,
1. She dissembles high Displeasure against her Husband for bringing this Hebrew into the House, calling him [He] by way of Scorn, and contemning to call him by his Proper or Common Name.
2. She calls her faithful Servant [an Hebrew] in the way of contempt also, for the Hebrews were abhorred of the Egyptians, Gen. 43.32.
3. She wishes her Husband Hang'd (as it were) for buying and bringing this Hebrew into her House.
4. She aggravates her pretended Affront, that she (a Lady) should be Mockd by an Hebrew Slave. The Hebr. [lits chack] ad Illudendum, to Sport, &c. (which Moses mentioneth in a good sense, Gen. 26.8.) is here taken in the bad sense for Whoredom; as Terence, Tacitus, and others use it.
5. To make Joseph the more maligned, She doth not say [to mock me] only, but she saith [to mock us] in the Plural Number; as if she did mean, This Hebrew Slave would not only abuse me in such a manner as to make others mock me, but she entitles the Injury in more general terms, as if it had been a National Offence, wherein this vile Hebrew had affronted the whole Nation of her Honorable Egyptians; well-knowing that the latter were very apt to be offended with the former, seeing they were naturally an Abomination to them, not only as they were Shepherds, Gen. 46.34. but also (as the Chaldee more plainly saith) because the Hebrews did feed upon (as well as Sacrifice ) those very Cattle which the Egyptians worshipped; and therefore their Persons and Sacrifices too were an Abomination to them, Exod. 8.26.
6. She basely belies Joseph, saying, [he came in to me, to lie with me] as if he had come in to commit a Rape upon her by force, and not to do his Stewards Business (as the Scripture saith, Gen. 39.11. and more fully the Chaldee Paraphrase, to search the Book of his Stewardship, or as Paulus Fagius explains it, the Scrolls of his Receipts and Disbursements: ) whereas in truth this was his only Errand of going into the House, and then the Devil (who counts a fit opportunity, the one half of a Conquest ) drives her furiously to fall in with this fair occasion, and to commit a Rape upon him, hoping, that his corrupt Nature (that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or Seed-Plot of all Sin) would be set on work to comply to the Act, when it was so well watered with an happy concurrence of Secrecy, Security, Sweetness of the Sin, and so much the more, with an Honorable Lady that offered him her Service.
7. When this cursed Curtizan had thus loaded poor and pure Joseph with this loud Lie and sluttish slander, then she backs it (to make it look more plausible and probable in the Eyes of her Servants whom she designed for Evidences against him to her Husband) with two pretended demonstrative signs.
1. I was compelled to cry out, and call (saith she) for your Assistance.
2. When I cried out for help, he fled away leaving in my Hands this his Garment, which I caught hold of, endeavoring to hold him: By that time she had thus well prepared her Witnesses (sometimes foaming with rage against Joseph, and sometimes beseeching them with many (Crocodile) Tears to vindicate her upon him ) her Lord was returned Home, and finding her (as Josephus saith) in an horrible Agony, demanded the cause with a much troubled Mind to behold his Wife in such a sad discomposure, though (indeed) he could not expect better; if that be true (which is supposed by some) that she feigned herself sick at his Departure: Hereupon she (judging it worthy of a Woman's wit to become the first Plaintiff, and to Ride upon the Fore-horse in fist Accusing him who might have been more justly her Accuser ) lays load upon the Innocent Hebrew, uttering with fierce words, and with not a few Tears, [ After this manner did thy Servant unto me, &c.] showing him his Garment, Gen. 39.16, 17, 18. All which (afore mentioned) she seemed to prove substantially by her wheedled Witnesses. This was the second part of good Joseph 's malady or misery, to wit, his Mistrisses false Accusation of him to Potiphar, to whom she makes her Appeal not only as to her Lord, but also as to a Chief Magistrate, who was invested with a power over Liberty (if not over Life ) as he was Provost Marshal in Chief to King Pharaoh, and from whom she demanded Justice against the pretended Offender, against whom she makes most bitter Invectives before her Husband: Her Pathetical and Passionate Harangue or Oration is Recorded by Josephus, wherein she (a Black-moor ) blackens white Joseph, rendering him all Black, and herself white; she represents him (who was not only his Earthly Fathers White-boy, but his Heavenly's also) far blacker than herself, yea, more ungrateful than Ingratitude it self, as Josephus phraseth if. Thus this heinous Impostrix addeth one sin to another, and hideth one sin with another, her own Adultery with a Capital Calumny cast upon Joseph; and thus this notorious Strumpet accuseth a most Chast and Innocent Man of that very crying Crime whereof she alone was most deeply guilty.
NB. 'It is then no new thing now; Alas! How many Innocents in all Ages have even perished by false Accusations: 'It is the very Godless guise of a wicked World, to charge that Home upon the guiltless, whereof; they (themselves) are known to be notoriously Guilty: This measure our Lord Christ met with meted out to him, to be Branded a Blasphemer by the Most Blasphemous Jews, Mat. 26.65. What wonder then if the most Orthodox Christians be now blackened with the Brand of Heretics by the most Heretical Antichristians: How did the malicious Heathens traduce those pure Primitive Christians ( purer than Snow, whiter than Milk, ruddier than Rubies, Lam. 4.7) as so many Murderers, Man-Eaters, Church-Robbers, Whore-Masters, Traitors? &c. all which (as is most manifest in Historical Records,) were their own common and customary notorious practices: And is it now to be wonderd at if wicked Men of our day do slander the best Servants of God, and the best Subjects of the King, for being so many Troublers of State (as wicked Ahab did holy Elijah, 1 King. 18.17.) when not they, but themselves are those that trouble it: No doubt but as the Accuser of the Brethren (as Satan is called, Revel. 12.10) set this wicked Woman on work to denigrate fair Joseph; so the same Devil ever since, and in our day, sets on his Infernal Instruments and Incarnate Devils to traduce the Saints of the most High God.
NB. 2. Hence observe the right Difference betwixt bare Lust and proper Love; the former is a fleeting, changeable and inconstant Humour, mostly changing into the other extreme, and from Love doth degenerate into hatred, whether it be satisfied, as in Amnons 's Case, 2 Sam. 13.14, 15. or it be unsatisfied, as in the case of this frontless propudium, whose unruly Lust after Joseph turned into inveterate and implacable Hatred against him, insomuch that both this Harlot and that Amnon added Inhumanity to their Impiety (both being Bewitched with the like Bait of Beauty) yet herein, if either, the former in some sense exceeded: But true Love it more fixed, and constant than mere Lust, it being not so much an Humour as a Principle, and therefore though some Jarrs and Contests may casually arise betwixt true Conjugal Lovers, yet are they wrought off again by this Principle, which is like the Springing Fountain, that when troubled in its Waters, will clear itself again: Neither can proper Love pick a quarrel from repulses of sin, as this Harlot doth here, who should rather have loved than hated Joseph for saving her Soul from guilt: She should rather have taken this as an occasion of thankfulness. Thus David did, when he was restrained by Abigail from his Bloody purpose against Nabal, &c. 1 Sam. 25.32, 33.
NB. 3. It is better to lose anything than Innocency. Joseph here chooseth rather to let go his Garment than his Conscience. My Righteousness (saith Job ) I hold fast, and will not let it go, Job 27.6. Jacob would let Flocks and Herds go, yea his Wives and Children go, yet would he not let his Christ go, Gen. 32.26. and so his Son Joseph here, would let his Garment go, but he would not let his Godliness go: Some may wonder here, why good Joseph would let his Garment go, upon a double account.
1. He being a lusty (though not a lustful ) young Man of twenty seven years of Age, so strong enough to strive with her a Woman, and could have either out-pulled her, or recovered it again out of her Hands, in case it were a loose Garment, and so might soon slip from her.
2. Joseph likewise being not only a lusty, but also a prudent young Man, could not but Prognosticate what an evil use this Harlot (now incensed by her disappointment) would make of his Garment left in her Hand, &c.
To such I Answer; It must be granted that Joseph was able, and could have rescued his Garment, but he was not wining, nor would he do so for these Reasons.
- 1. His Reverence he did owe to his Mistress, as he was her Servant, might make him hold off his Hands from her.
- 2. An Holy Jealousy ( Joseph might have of his own deceitful Heart ) might make him forbear, that he might neither touch her, nor be touched by her, fearing, he would be tainted with the touch of this Woman; for Solomon saith, he that toucheth his Neighbors (much more his Masters ) Wife shall not be innocent, Prov. 6.29. He durst not trust his Hand to touch such hot Coals, ver. 27, 28. for that would have been to tempt the Tempter, and to lead himselt into Temptation: He that would not be with her alone, Gen, 39.10. would not, much less touch her, when alone.
- 3. Joseph 's solid Judgment might suddenly suggest to him, that the best Expedient, and most present Remedy against the Temptations of Lust is not any presumptuous contending with them but rather a speedy conveying of himself from them: When Lust is in its Flame rampant and raging (as it was in this Woman;) 'tis certainly safer to fly from it, than to fight with it, in this case one pair of flight Heels (as saith the Proverb) is worth two pair of fighting Hands, He that trusts his own Heart then is but a Fool, Prov. 28.26.
- 4. To which may be added, his Sanctity was such as to love his Coat the less, because her carnal Hands had handled it, and that not with a virtuous, but with a vicious contact, and chaste Joseph was one of those who hated the very Garments spotted with the Flesh (his own as well as others, ) Jude 23. so left he the Garment defiled with the Defiler. And though infamy and other misery he was sure to suffer hereby, yet will he rather pass through bad report, than be driven either from his Duty or from his integrity, 2. Cor. 6.8. He chooseth not iniquity rather than affliction, Job 36.21. but chose suffering rather than sinning. Thus the Primitive Christians chose rather to be cast [ad Leones, quàm ad Lenones] to Lions without, than to be left to Lusts within, as Tertullian phraseth it: Thus because we will not comply to drink the Cup of Rome's Fornication, therefore the Harlot hates us, accuses us to the Prince, and casts some of us into Prison: Let loose Garments go, but not fixed Godliness go. Thus this good Soul Joseph goes in a right and straight Line to God, and dare not fetch a compass (especially a sinful one) to prevent a bad Report. A good Name is too dear bought when 'tis purchased with a bad Conscience: Joseph will not do evil, that good may come of it, Rom. 3.8. Neither will he give over being good, though thereupon evil do ensue: He dare not play away his Innocency to prevent Infamy, but (as is aforesaid) parts with his Garment, rather than with his Godliness; though he foresaw, she, with whom he left it, would make no good, but a very bad use of it, and accordingly it proved: His Blackmoor Mistress first loved him for his Beauty, then lusted after him in Amorous Embracements, to lie with him, which when he refused, she (upon this disappointment ) hated him much more than ever she loved him: 'It is the Guise and Custom of Women, [quicquid volunt, valde volunt,] what they, do desire, they are usually hurried Headlong with a mighty Torrent of Desires; which, when it meets with an Obstruction or unexpected Diversion, then it rageth and foameth out (as Land Floods) into contrary Passions, especially wicked Women, who, upon provocation (of frustrated Affections) are like the troubled Sea, do cast out Mire and Dirt, and cannot rest, Isa. 57.20, 21 And therefore 'tis the Character of a Whorish Woman, according to Mantuan.
Their inordinate Love or Lust doth degenerate into deadly hatred; as it did in this cursed Curtizan, who, having villanouslly courted this Chast Joseph to Unchastity with her, doth now Cloak her villainy under Joseph 's Coat she had catched, and both therein and therewith (as Solomon saith) hunted for his precious Life, Prov. 6.26. in falsely accusing him to her Husband; upon this was the third Arrow shot at poor Joseph out of the Bow of his Masters Indignation, which might (in all probability) have shot Joseph to death; however it shot him into Prison: One would think, the Coats Joseph wore had some strange evil Fate attending them: His first Coat (we read of) he parted with against his will, for he was unable to retain it against the strength of his ten Brethren, who all joined Hands to strip him of it, when he was but a youth of seventeen years of Age, and the youngest of ten. That Coat was shown to deceive his Father in whom it caused great sorrow for him, Gen. 37.32. and this second Coat (that is here mentioned ) he left with his will, and out of choice and judgment; for he was twenty seven year old now, so had attained great strength, and 'twas only a weak Woman (who now devested him) whom he could more easily have mastered than the ten Men aforesaid: 'Twas therefore his choice to leave it, rather than a better thing. This Coat is likewise shown by his Mistress (as that was by his Brethren ) to deceive his Master, in whom it kindled great wrath against him: Oh costly Coats were they both! The former caused much sorrow to his Father, and the latter much sorrow to himself. At the sight of this be angry, had all been true that his Wife told him: A Man commonly Consults the death of him who hath abused his Wife, and he can accept of no Ransom to save the Adulterer. So saith Solomon concerning the rage of Jealousy, and its rejecting all Ransoms, Prov. 6.34, 35. This Relation of the Wife being believed by the Husband (when 'twas not only affirmed by Words and Tear, as saith Josephus, but also confirmed by the Coat shown) 'tis a wonder that Potiphar, being a Martial Man, and Master of the Slaughter Men, (as is before noted) did not hereupon make a Slaughter of Joseph, and presently put him to Death: That this was not done, could not arise from the former respect that Potiphar bare to Joseph, for this most of all must aggravate the Crime. The more Respect, the more Rage for such a Roguish Requital: It must therefore be ascribed to God, and to God only who knew Joseph 's Innocency. 'Twas the power of God's Providence that manacld this Court-Marshal's Hands, when so incensed against Joseph for so Capital a Crime: Natural Agents cannot Act without the leave of Supernatural Providence. Fire may blaze, but it shall not burn, unless God bid it do so, Exod. 3.3 Dan. 3.21, 22.
☜ Oh then, what sufficient security have Innocent ones under God's Power and Favor against both Angry Men and enraged Devils! yet though Joseph was not slaughtered here, he was cast into Prison, Gen. 39.20. yea, into a Dungeon, Gen. 40.15. and where he had hard Treatment, as David tells us, Psal. 105.18. He was so laden with Fetters there, that the Iron entered into his Soul; that is, did eat into his Flesh; and all by means of this whorish woman, of whom Ambrose observeth well, that because she was such a Slut she quite lost the Name of Joseph 's Mistress, (so she is nowhere called, though she was so) yet Potiphar is honored with the title of Joseph 's Master, and Joseph acknowledged himself his Servant, but he would not be styled her Servant, especially in the service of Sin, to whom he did owe no such Service; wherefore she is not dignify'd with a Name by Moses, as Joseph 's Master is (whom the Holy Ghost calleth Potiphar ) but no Name is vouchsafed to his Mistress, like the Rich Glutton in Luke, Ch. 16.19. not once named, as Lazarus is, though poor and little set by of Men, yet God knew him, (as he did Moses, Exod. 33.12.) by Name, whereas the Names, both of that Rich Man, and of this Rude and lend Woman, were writ only on the Earth, Jer. 17.13. (not in Heaven, Luk. 10.20. nor in the sacred Record ) easily cancel'd, Rot above ground, and left only for a reproach. This clamorous and strenuous Strumpet is only styled Potiphar 's Wife, and She and She, but not at all is she once named by any proper Name, or once called Joseph 's Mistress; So the Whore of Babylon should not be honored with the title of Church, for though an Harlot be a Woman, yet not a true Woman, so Rome is not a true, but a false Church; and 'tis very remarkable also, that while she thus clamours and Declaims against Joseph, and accuseth him of filthiness, she likewise accuseth her Husband of Foolishness, saying, [the Hebrew Servant (so she styled him in scorn, as the Jews called Christ a Nazarite in contempt, Joh. 19.19. and 1.46. and his followers Galileans, Mark 14.70. and Act. 2.7.) whom thou broughtest and broughtest unto us, &c.] Gen. 49.17. In which words she implicitly lays the blame upon her Lord, just as Adam did in the first Sin, saying [the woman whom thou gavest me] Gen. 3.12. wherein he devolves the Sin upon God himself, implying, If thou hadst not given me a Woman I should not thus have sinned: So here, her words import the same fault in Potiphar, intimating, If thou hadst not bought and brought this Hebrew, such an affront would not have been offered me, so that some part of the Crime she imputes to her Lord's foolishness, as the other part to his Servants filthiness: and without doubt her design in thus transmitting the fault upon her Husband, was, to stir him up the more, for acquitting himself the better, to fall foul upon poor Joseph with the greatest Rigour and Severity: But surely Potiphar was too credulous of his Wives words and tears (as Josephus saith) omitting the further and fuller inquiry into the Fact; Credulity is a Note of Folly, Prov. 14.15. [The simple believeth every word.] This wanton woman with her words and weeping could draw Potiphar any way with a wet finger, and persuade him to anything: Especially in a case of Jealousy, which cast a mist before his mind, and made him too light of Belief, so as to condemn the man rashly, before he had examined the matter thoroughly. Philo well observeth, that when she showed Joseph 's Coat, had not her Husband been blinded, he might have more rationally suspected it to bean Evidence of his Wifes Violence to his Servant, rather than a sign of his to her: Epicharmus 's Rule [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , be not light of beli • f ] had been of good use here for setting the Saddle upon the right Beast in his due Administration of Justice: Potiphar doth not truly try, before he did thoroughly trust; he should have lookd twice before he had leapd once, an impartial Examination of both Parties might have prevented His unjust Condemnation of the wholly innocent Party: 'It is equally a Crime to be over-credulous as to be overcensorious; both these two ways Potiphar offended: (1.) In being overcredulous to his Flattering, yet Faithless wife: And, (2.) In being over-censorious of his false-impeached, yet Faithful Servant: He was Judge in the Cause, and should have lent both his Ears to hear the Defendant as well as the Plaintiff, yet as if he had but one Ear for the latter, the former is Cast, (before his Cause was ever heard) and then cast into Prison: where we must leave him, until the time that his word came, Psal. 105.19. his liberate, or delivering word: In the mean while he had (2.) some mitigation of his Malady, which at last ushered in his high Exaltation.
Section the 7th.
Josephus relateth how this [Judge Potiphar] most highly commended his Wifes Chastity and Loyalty, whereof he had now so clear a witness; but poor Joseph he Condemned for a most ungrateful wretch (forgetting all his Masters Kindnesses confer'd upon him) and for a most notorious Whore master (that would have ravishd the Judges Wife and his own Mistress ) therefore he (though never heard what he could say for himself) in the Judges Judgment deserved the most direful Doom that could be denounced against him: Hereupon he is Doomed into a Dungeon (so the place of his Imprisonment is expressly explained, Gen. 40.15. and 41.14.) Until his Sentence of Death, or Day of Execution: The Hebrew word Sohar, Gen. 39.20. signifies the Round-house or Round-Tower, of Sahar, round, Cant. 7.2. perhaps from the grinding Mills which the Prisoners were forced to turn round, as Judge. 16.21. yet [Bor] in Gen. 40.15. and 41.14. and so Zech. 9.11. signifies a darksom dirty Vault under ground: Here is Joseph let down and laid up, relying wholly upon his Righteous God.
Joseph 's Exaltation after a long Humiliation had two Harbingers or Providential Precursors fore-running it.
1. The Abatement of his Sufferings, and 2. His Releasment from them.
1. Of the first, Whether his Sufferings were such as Samson suffered in Prison Judges 16.21. where that mighty Champion is made to grind in the Prison-house, and so like a Drudge or Slave, was not suffered to eat his Bread till he had earn'd it by this slavish Service, is uncertain, Joseph hath no such Remark upon him for such matchless strength as Samson had, and therefore the Philistines highly hug'd themselves with thinking what a commodious use they could make of Samsons mighty strength: Yet this is certain that the Egyptians laid Joseph in Irons, as the Philistines bound Samson in Fetters of Iron, for the Sacred Writ asserteth both, Psal. 105.18. and Judge. 16.21. yet with this difference, Chast Joseph did less deserve his Iron Fetters, than Unchast Samson, who had long suffered himself to be bound with the Green Withes of Sensual Delights, and therefore was now more justly bound in Fetters of Iron: Neither had Joseph his Eyes put out, as Samson had, for they had not been Organs or Instruments to inflame his Heart with Lust by glancing or gazing upon a filthy Harlot, as Samson 's had been: However Joseph suffered hard things, and such as he deserved not, yea, for above two years together, yet suffered he silently from first to last. All this time, Joseph either pleads not at all for himself, or at least, is not heard of those to whom he made his Plea or Appealed: Doubtless he denied the Fact and Offence, but durst not accuse the only Offender, who seemed so high, as to be above the reach of the Rod of Justice: Yet, as some suppose, she might Hang herself (and so become God's Executioner upon herself to save others the labor) when she saw Joseph Exalted to the second Place of Honor in Egypt. This is the less improbable, because History mentioneth a just parallel to this, of Bellerophon a young Prince, with whose Beauty Sthenobaea Queen of the Argives being taken, solicited him to Lye with her, which when he refused, she accused him to her Husband that he would have Ravish'd her: This he believing (as Potiphar did here) sent him with Letters to Jobates King of Lycia, just as David did Uriah to Joab, 2 Sam. 11.14, 15.) to make him aaway: Jobatet in order hereunto put him upon many desperate Services to have dispatched him; but finding him Valiant and Victorious (escaping all Eminent Dangers) he bestowed his Daughter upon him with half of his Kingdom; which when wanton Sthenobaea heard of, she Hang'd herself for woe, and so perhaps might this wanton Huswife do, when she saw Joseph so Exalted by King Pharaoh; likeness in Acting may have likeness in End: Yet this Death was too good for her. However the less Joseph pleaded for himself, the more did his God plead for him, and even by all these cross and contrary means wrought Joseph's Exaltation and brought both his Dreams to their full Accomplishment: Behold and wonder how cross and contrary was Providence to the Promise given by God to him in his Divine Dreams. As,
1. Besides the Arrows aforesaid shot at him by his Mistress, his Master (who had highly honor'd him) must shoot Arrows at him too: So God would have it, he must be Uxorious, give credit to his Wives Craft, not heeding the Rule,
Cato.
The Wife will hate, whom the Husband loves , and will asperse them: He must judge him contrary to that old rule of Judgment [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] hear both parties, and cast him by an improbable evidence; for if Joseph had been the Aggressor and assaulted her by force, he would never have left his Coat in her Hand to have been a Witness of his forcible assault (this the Judge should (at least) have supected) yea not only cast his Cause, but his Person into Prison by one Witness only, and one that was a party, yea the only guilty party too, whereas by two or three Witnesses (and such as are indifferent and unbiass'd) ought the Judge proceed to Judgment, not first execute, then Examine.
2. As to Joseph, God will have it, that he who even now was advanced to the, highest Office in his Master 's House, must all on a sudden be abased, and cast down into a Dungeon for a capital crime: what he said in his own defense Moses mentions not, if he pleaded not guilty, his plea must not have audience, his enraged Master (notwithstanding all his former Affections for him) must now in utmost outrage, cry, [ Sergeant, take the Rogue, tie his Hands, Fetter his Feet, lay him and leave him in the Dungeon, until the day of his Execution.
☜ Note well, I have insisted the longer upon this Wanton Woman's attempt upon Joseph 's Chastity, upon two grand grounds and reasons.
1. Because this very Sin of filthiness and carnal uncleanness is the very [peccatum flagrans] the flaming out and loud crying sin of this present time: God saw no such shameless sin in Israel, Numb, 23.21. and therefore none of Balaam 's Inchantments could prevail against them, v. 23. until he by his wicked wiles had wrought them up to commit this Sin, Numb. 25. at large; assuredly the Balaam of Rome, hath used his Inchantments against England, and when none would prevail, he hath grossly Debauched it, and that to purpose with this very sin of filthy defilements, well knowing, may God hereby become our Enemy, hereby, our defense if gone, and the Pope may come. A Debauched Nation will gratefully and greedily embrace a loose and licentious Religion such as Popery is, that gives dispensations for all sorts of Debauchery. My
2. Grand Ground is, just as the Devils Arch-Archers dealt with Joseph personal here, setting a wanton and wicked Mistress to shoot sore at him: So the same Devil doth now set on that Arch-Archer, that Mother of Harlots, the Romish Juncto, to shoot her envenom'd Arrows against Joseph Mystical (so the Church of God is called, Amos 6.6.) the Reformed Religion, but God makes her Bow abide in strength, as he did Joseph 's here; there is a Spiritual Adultery, to wit, Idolatry, which the Mother of Harlots, tempts us to as insolently as ever this lew'd Woman did Joseph to commit Corporal with her; though the beginning be the Devils, yea and the middle too, yet the end will be the Lord's, as in Jobs case, Jam. 5.11.
NB. Fourthly, So in Joseph 's also, whom God seemed to neglect for a long time, and to give him (as it were) up into the hands of Satan and his Instruments.
1 Of his Brutish Brethren who sold him for a Slave. 2. Of his wicked Mistress who falsely accused him (with success) of her own sin. 3. Of his Master, who over-credulously cast him down into the Dungeon: God suffered all these in silence: But not withstanding all these injuries done to Joseph by Divine permission, yet it plainly appears, that Divine Providence all along dropd down many sweet allays, both to qualify and to dulcify Joseph 's bitter Potions, all which were Sovereign Cordials, and Sacred Memorials of Divine Mercy, in the midst of his worst misery. As,
1. When his Barbarous Brethren desperately design to destroy him, either by the Sword; God raises up Reuben to save him from that: or by Famine; God jostles in Judah to deliver him from that.
2. When he was sold for a Slave then there God was with him, and gave him great favor in his Masters Eyes, so that he became advanced to the Highest Honor in his Masters House.
3. When his Miscreant Mistress would have seduced his Soul to Sin, God strengthend him to resist it, and to obtain a Conquest over that Temptation.
4. When that Wicked Woman had highly incensed her Husband by her false accusation against him, so that the rage of Jealousy, might have immediately transported him into a bloody revenge for Ravishing his Wife (as he was made to believe) and to execute Joseph with his own hands: Yet God restraind that rage ( Psal. 76.10.) and manacl'd the Hands of enraged Potiphar, as he had done Joseph 's Brethren before, so that, as they only could cast him into the Pit, he only could cast him into the Prison: Neither of them could Kill him, or cause him to be killed by other hands.
5. When Joseph was cast down into the Dungeon, (so his Prison is called, Gen. 40.15. & 41.14.) yet God, who suffered Joseph to be cast thither, suffered himself (as it were) to be cast thither also, for God was with Joseph there, Gen. 39.21. as he had been with him in his Slavery, v. 2. God would own him, (well knowing his Innocency ) though the World disowned him, and dealt most mischievously with him, as if he had been the worst Miscreant in the World: Oh how good it is to have God our Friend, who will be with us, while we be with him, 2 Chron. 15.3. in our Adversity as well as in our prosperity; God was present with Joseph (as he was with God ) everywhere, and God's presence with him, made him like a Pearl in a Puddle, while he was in Egypt, he still retained his Orient and Genuine Virtue, both in his Prisons and in his Palaces, though some while he seemed to Relinquish his Radiant Luster and Splendour. Though God suffered him to be Imprison'd, and did not immediately (by some Miracle) release him out of Prison, because of his Innocency, but let him be let down into a Dark Dungeon, yet did not God desert him, but is graciously present with him, and showed him light in that place of Darkness, Psal. 112.4. though it was the Darkness of a Dungeon: This was the first Harbinger of his Exaltation (aforementioned) to wit, the abatement of his sufferings, as the second is his Releasement from them: Though God did indeed suffer Joseph 's sufferings to lie sore and severe upon him for some time, and lets him lie two or three years in Prison, Praying, Weeping, Crying, Toiling and Sweating there, that he might be thoroughly exercised in the practice of Piety, and so the better prepared for the best preferment; yea, God permitted Innocent Joseph to be cast into the Kings Prison, Gen. 39.20. the worst place for Traitors, as guilty of High Treason, he as it were passed through the Traitors Gate, into the Tower House or Dungeon, where he was laid in Irons, which did eat into his Flesh, or entered into his Soul, Psal.105.18. as a Sword was said to pierce through the Soul of our Lord's Mother, Luk. 2.35. that is, bitter sorrows did sorely afflict her for her Sons sufferings; so it could not but be a sad Cor-dolium to good Joseph 's Soul, his Heart must be wounded, to have his reputation thus wounded by a wicked Woman, and for no crime to be cast into Prison in peril of his Life, besides, it could not choose but wound his mind, to meditate upon his forlorn condition, seeming now to be a mere cast-away from the Church of God, where before he had been Blessed to hear the joyful sound of God's Word and Promises, Psal. 89.15. in his Fathers House, instead whereof, he was continually followed with many contrary cross Providences, and out of this complication of mischiefs (befalling him) the Devil frames a Chain of Despair (complicated of many Links, and far worse than those Fetters upon his Feet) wherewith to Chain down his Soul, and cause it to Sink into the Pit of Desperation in his own sad self-reflections; and to strike him down Dead the more, the Devil might suggest to him that his Dear Father was Dead at the news of his being devoured by Wild Beasts: All these and many more might unquestionably Torment Joseph 's Mind, more than his Iron-Fetters could do his Body: Yet all passed through the Hand of permissive Providence which appointed the time, the place, the manner, and the measure of them, over-ruling them to God's Glory, and to Joseph 's Advancement, causing this very Imprisonment to be the means thereunto, for unless he had been cast into Prison, and into the Kings Prison too, he had not been made known to the King, nor thereby exalted. 'Twas God's presence with Joseph in Prison, that made his Bow still abide in strength (as his Father said of him, Gen. 49.24.) and Armed him against these Archers; the Arrows of his Mistress's false Accusation, and of his Masters furious indignation could not (both of them) kill him. The God of Jacob, the Shepherd and Stone of Israel defended him, yea, and notwithstanding all these Archers against him, made him a Shepherd and feeder of all his Adversaries, and a Stone for Israel to rest upon in the Land of Egypt.
Hence we may learn 1. Though we be traduced as was Joseph ( no Beasts bites worse than Pick-thanks saith Demosthenes; )
2. Though the Prince 's Favor towards us, be turned into Frowns upon us ( there's no frust to be put in them, Psal. 146.3.) as Potiphar 's were to Joseph;
3. Though cast into Prison as he was; all these may not daunt us: God's presence may be still with us, none of these evils shall prevent, but all shall promote God's Promise by his Presence. God is now fetching a compass (which is both strange and wide) he hath a Wheel within a Wheel, Ezek. 1.16. all working one way, yet unseen in the work: All preparing the way and straightning crooked paths, for accomplishing the Promises of the latter day, yea and preparing us to be Ripe for them. Moses proveth that God's Presence was with Joseph by a threefold Argument. The first is plainly demonstrative by its effects, to wit, the Abatement and Mitigation of Joseph 's present Prison-Misery. The second is more plainly demonstrative in Joseph 's Inlargement and Releasement out of Prison. But the Third is most of all so, in his Advancement to the Highest Honor in Court and Kingdom. As to Moses first Argument, he saith [ Jehovah was with Joseph in the Tower-House, and extended Mercy unto him, and gave him Grace, Vaji hen chin Hebr. gave his Grace, in the Eyes of the Prince of the Prison, Gen. 39.21. which words import that a Prison cannot keep God from his Servants, Christ saith of himself, I was in Prison, &c. Mat. 25.36. to wit, in and with my Members to counter-comfort them in all their Miseries: It was God's presence with the Apostles and Martyrs▪ that made their Prisons to become Palaces, the Fiery Furnace, a Gallery of Pleasure, the very Stocks, a Music School, which made Paul and Silas to sing Psalms of Praise to God at Midnight, when their Feet were fast in the Stocks, Act. 16.25. this place of sighing to many Psal. 79.11. [Let the sighing of Prisoners come before thee] was made a place or singing to those Blessed Souls, and if the sighing, then the singing, if the Praying, then the Praising, of Prisoners do Mount up much more as a sweet memorial unto the Lord, as Act. 10.4.
God knows how soon we may be cast into Prisons, (as Joseph was, and as some of us have already been) God's presence with us (if we be but Josephs ) hath been and will be our best Cordial, and may make us to speak another Language than sighing and sorrowing, even the Language of singing, and rejoicing that we are accounted worthy to suffer these things at the hands of evil men for doing good duties, and what is commanded us of God, Act. 5.41. Hebr. 11.36, 37, 38. with Hebr. 10.34. we should take it for a grace to be disgraced for Christ, who during our Durance and Imprisonment of Body, can give to us Inlargement of Soul. The Joy of the Lord being our strength, Neh. 8.10. our bow may abide in strength (as Joseph 's did here) also: If Christ do but send the Comforter (as he hath promised to do, Joh. 14.16, 18, 26. and 15.26, &c.) he shall more Encourage, than any Oppressor or Persecutor can Discourage. Christ's Presence makes a Prison a Paradise; therefore saith Christ, [ fear none of these things ] Rev. 2.10. where he shows, how the Devil is limited by God, saying, Behold, Satan (in the Justices of Peace ) shall cast some (not all ) into Prison (not into Hell ) for only ten days, but not forever: God will not despise his Prisoners, Psal. 69.33. Suppose we be shut up close in Prison; yea, in a dark Dungeon (as Joseph was) yet God and his Angels cannot be shut out from us, for as God was with Joseph, so his Angel was with Peter, in Prison, Act. 12.7. who had a light also shining upon him in that place of Darkness, Psal. 112.4. though the pleasant light of the Sun (Eccles. 11.7.) be shut out from us, yet in God's, light we shall see light, Psal. 36.9. which maketh Night and Darkness as the Day, Psal. 139.12. and whereby we may see him who is Invisible, Hebr. 11.27. Hence was it, that all the Holy Martyrs Glory • d in their Tribulations, Rom. 5.3, 4, 5. finding so much Joy in them: Thus the Primitive Apostles found plenty in penury, as having nothing, and yet possessing all things, 2 Cor. 6.10. when they wanted the external affluence of worldly Goods, they had the internal Influence of Divine Grace. This made them take joyfully the spoiling of their Goods, Heb. 10.34. well-knowing, they had Treasure in Heaven (that is subject neither to Vanity nor to Violence ) laid up for them: This they knew (not in Books or by the Report of others, but) in themselves, in their own Experience, and in the workings of their own Hearts: and thus the Modern Martyrs have found Prisons, Palaces and Paradises; as Argerius (that Italian Martyr) Dated his Letter to his Friend, [from the Delectable Paradise of my Leonine Prison ] and our own Mr. Philpot in the Marian Days, saith, [I and my Fellow-Sufferers do rouse as cheerfully in the straw in bloody Bonner's Coal-House (whither I was carried, and where I with many more were Imprisoned) as our Adversaries can do upon their best Beds of Down: Many more such Stories might be produced, for which I refer (for shortness) to the Martyrologies; adding one more only, Philip Landsgrave of Hesse, being a long time Prisoner under the Emperor Charles the 5th, was demanded, what upheld him all that time? He answered, that he felt the Divine Consolations of God's Presence, as the Martyrs (before him) had done. How God may deal with us, we know not, 'tis not long ago that in many places of this Land it was a like difficult thing to find a wicked man in the Popish Prisons, or a Godly man out of them: and should Popery return, such times may return again. Suppose God suffer such times, yet,
1. Fear them not, as before, Rev. 2.10. If so, God will not despise (or neglect, as some read, Psal. 69.33.) you, if you be his Prisoners, that is Prisoners for Righteousness sake, Matth. 5.10, 11, 12. though God may neglect or despise the worlds Prisoners, as being not in Covenant with him, yet he will not do so with his own covenanted Children, that are Imprisoned for his sake, and for being true to his Covenant; Fear them not, I say therefore, so as to choose Iniquity rather than Affliction, Job 36.21.
2. Flee them not, unless God give wings wherewith to flee, as he did to the Woman (the Church ) wherewith she did flee into the wilderness, there to be fed (though not feasted ) for a certain season, Rev. 12.6.14. God may raise up some great Eagle (as he did Constantine the Great ) that will lend wings to her, sufficient means of Safety and protection from Peril, when God opes a Door, then flee ( Christ gives us Warrant, Matth. 10.23.) 'tis then presumption, and not obedience, to set yourselves as standing Marks to be shot at by the Devil's Arch-Archers. Tertullian was too rigid in Condemning all kind of Fleeing in times of persecution.
3. Flagg or faint not at or under them: There is a Sea-Faith, and a Land-Faith, a Bettel-Faith, and a Prison-Faith; 'tis given both to Believe and to Suffer, Phil. 1.29. If we want either▪ we must ask them of God, Jam. 1.5. David desired the wings of a Dove (not of an Eagle ) to flee away with from his Persecutors, Psal. 55.6. yet when he could not flee from Persecution, but lay long under it, he desires that God would strengthen his Faith, and lengthen his Patience, Psal. 119.28. that his Soul might not melt away, or weep it out like water. And his Son Solomon saith, If thou faint in the Day of Adversity, thy strength is small, Prov. 24.10. As is the man, so is his strength, said they to Gideon, Judge. 8.21. That a man is indeed, what he is in his Trials, the Hour of Temptation proves oft a Tap to let out lurking Corruption: Affliction tries what sap we have, as Hard weather tries Health: Rotten Boughs will break when weight is laid upon them; so do Earthen Vessels, when set empty to the fire: Joseph 's Bow abode in strength here, he was semper idem, Always the same, such an one is the man that sameness is Grace, and there is Victory. How Joseph came to conquer this Trial from his injurious Master (who cast him into Prison) as well as that Temptation from his Adulterous Mistress, Moses mentioneth, because God was with him, and gave him his Grace, whereby he subdued Satan 's Suggestions, such as, What profit hast thou by thy Piety? Job 21.15. Seest thou not thyself a cast-off? Doth God regard thee? Joseph had a Prison-Faith, which made him more Happy in his Chains of Iron, than Potiphar (who Imprison'd him) was in his Chains of Gold: yea, than Pharaoh himself, Potiphar 's Lord.
Joseph stood by the strength of his Grace (which God (with him) gave to him) for above two years Imprisonment: the severity whereof was likewise qualified to him, by God's moving the Master-Jailor to mitigate that Rigour which enraged Potiphar had probably prescribed him to inflict upon Joseph: Though the former of these two years sorrow and suffering lay very smart and severe upon him, whose feet all that time were Hurt with Fetters, &c. but the latter of them, he had more Liberty; for as Joseph had found Grace in the Eyes of God, so God gave him to find favor in the Eyes of the Prison-Prince; The Heart of that Barbarous Heathen was in God's hand, which, though probably of a most boisterous Temper, (as most Jaylers usually are) mollified and melted, yea mellowed into a Tenderness toward poor Joseph; The same hand of God, which (all on a sudden) broke Esau 's revengeful heart, and turned his Fury against Jacob, into a fraternal Favor towards him, wrought this mighty Heart-changing work also towards Jacob 's Son Joseph, and perhaps the Conduct of God's Spirit upon this Jailor 's spirit, did gradually convince him by the convincing Carriage and Conversation of Joseph all this first whole year of his hard Usage and cruel Confinement. Upon this Conviction, Joseph 's Fetters were struck off from his feet (sadly galled by this time surely with them) and now he was no more in arctâ but in liberâ Custodiâ, no longer held fast in the Stocks, but let free to walk at Liberty within the Prison-walls, then the same Presence of God that had before advanced him to be the Steward in Potiphar 's Palace, lifted him up the second time to become the Steward in Potiphar 's Prison, under whom was this Prince-Jailor, when both of them had seen him a prosperous Man in all his Proceedings: whether Potiphar was privy to this Jailor 's Kindness to Joseph, is uncertain; probably what favor he showed him at first, Potiphar might be ignorant of. 'It is altogether improbable that Joseph would betray his own Innocency by too long and base a Silence, but as he did clear it up to the Chief Butler, Gen. 40.14, 15. so he had done no less before to the Chief-Jailor, while the Iron fetters did eat into his Flesh: There may no doubt be made of it; but that Joseph (so unjustly suffering even the forest fettering of condemned Malefactors ) must tell the Jailor (out of the Anguish of his Soul ) all the true Story of his Mistress's false and foul dealing both towards his Masters, and toward himself: which when the Jailor heard, he was moved with Compassion towards him (God so disposing his heart) so enlarged him from his Irons, and then Potiphar being informed by the Prison Keeper of Joseph 's Innocency might give his after Assent not only to his Inlargement, but also to his Preferment within the Walls of the Prison, where Potiphar and the Prison-Keeper both concur'd still to confine poor Joseph, not only upon the account of Prudence to maintain the Honor of that Lady of Honor, together with their own Credit, that so foul a fact and fault might be husht, quasht and buried in everlasting silence: but also upon the Account of Profit, for as Potiphar had seen himself marvelously enriched while Joseph was in his Palace, so he saw his Prison-Keeper wonderfully prospered by God's Blessing upon Joseph 's Labors in his Prison; There is no doubt but the Provost-Marshal and his Chief Jailor (as we say) went snips in the Prison-prosits.
Thus Innocent Joseph must still remain a Prisoner, though both of them knew his Innocency, they are (both of them) injurious to him, a pious man, lest the Impiety of a wicked woman should come to light, and so be injurious to her and themselves, and lest they should lose that Advantage of Profit by Joseph 's Service.
But the great God had other more glorious Ends than those two great Men (both called Princes in Hebrew) in letting Joseph lie his two years full out in Prison: God will not suffer his faithful Servant to be sent out of Prison in a sneaking Clandestine way, as might have been done by those two Princes aforesaid, after they understood their error in dealing thus roughly and rigorously with an innocent person, and as those Magistrates would have secretly dismissed Paul and Silas, when perhaps affrighted with the Earthquake, they were convinced of their precipitant fury in so despitefully using, and disgracefully abusing those two innocent ones, Act. 16.30, 35, 36, 37, &c. No, God would bring forth his Joseph with an high hand, and with an out-stretched Arm, as he did Israel out of Egypt 's Bondage afterwards. Though in the mean time Jehovah was with Joseph all his above two years Imprisonment, making it bearable to him; He had his Abatement and Relaxation long before his Releasement and Deliverance, he must wait upon God there, until the time that his word came, Psal. 105.19. to wit, the time that God's purpose and promise, was accomplished which profane persons call Fate, Fortune, &c.
Thus as the Afflictions of Joseph Personal were guided not by Human, but by Divine Counsel, so are those of Joseph Mystical (the Church, Amos 6.6.) God appoints the times how long the Church shall remain under the Cross, and when she shall be freed from it, both these times are Divinely determined; it is therefore necessary, that so long the Church must suffer Persecution with patience, seeing God is but all that time trying her (as he did Joseph ) as Metals are tried and made purer by the Fire (so Hebr. Tsadaph properly signifies) making her Persecution proof, thereby proving her Patience, Faith and Constancy, and thereby rousing up her Prayers, not only as Pillars of Smoke, Cant. 3.6. but as fervent Flames ascending up to God, yet all along comforting her, Hos. 2.14. that her pain shall not be perpetual, seeing there is a time prefixed wherein to put a period to it. Oh then, who would not but endure the Cross, and despise the shame through contradiction of sinners, Heb. 12.2, 3. even the Cross and shame of a Prison! seeing 'tis no untrodden path at this day, for Joseph, Micaiah, Jeremy, John the Baptist, Peter, Paul and Silas, yea, Jesus himself (who was taken from Prison, and from Judgment, Isa. 53.8.) and all the Holy Martyrs of Jesus, since the first planting of the Gospel, (to this day) have gone before us in the same path, we should therefore account it an Honor to have such Associates, and we should fetch comfort from hence, that 'tis but for a time, Deus dabit his quo{que} finem, better will come after, Post tenebras splendet, surgit post nubila Phoebus. The upright shall have deliverance out of Prison, Psal. 146.7. (as Peter had, Acts 12. and therefore spoke his own Experience, saying, The Lord knows how to deliver the Righteous, 2 Pet. 2.9. and as Joseph had here) yea, and they shall have Dominion as well as Deliverance, Psal. 49.14. when God hath fitted them by their Affliction, as he did David by Saul 's persecuting him for many years, till his Soul became as a weaned Child, Psal. 131.2. as he did Moses by his Forty years Banishment into the Land of Midian, and as he did our Joseph here by his Eleven years Slavery or Servitude, and his above two years Imprisonment: Then (to wit, at God's time ) King Pharaoh sent and loosed him, Psal. 105.20. and that by his own Master Potiphar, who had clapt him up there by his wanton Wives wicked Instigation: He had been bound Ignominiously, but now comes he to be loosed Honourably; and this is not all, Joseph is not let loose, and so bid to shift for himself, no, but Pharaoh makes him Lord of his House, Psal. 105.21. who had been made a lesser Lord twice, in Prince Potiphar 's Palace, and in the Royal Prison; he had Palace-preferment and Prison-preferment before his grand Deliverance, as Pledges of it. Now Joseph is mounted to that height of Dominion, as that he might bind Pharaoh 's Princes at his pleasure, Psal.105.22. even Potiphar himself and his Fellow-prince, the Prison-keeper: if he had listed, he could have paid them home in their own Coin, but that God's Law (of recompensing to no Man evil for evil, Rom. 12.17.) was writ in his Heart: And that his Adulterous Mistress might tremble more than his Injurious Master, at Joseph 's Investiture with such an over-awing and over-ruling Authority, is easy to imagine: All this Moses mentions, the means and manner, &c. in Gen. 40. and 41, &c.
Section the Eighth.
Moses having demonstrated the first Mercy of God to his Suffering Servant Joseph, to wit, the abatement and mitigation of his Sorrows and Sufferings, comes next to the second, to wit, his Releasement out of Prison, where he
1. Declares the Preparatory Providences falling out in tendency towards it; and
2. The Providential Performance of it. First of the First.
First, The 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Preparation towards it is most Remarkable in many Eminent Occurrences concurring to Joseph 's Deliverance; for in order to it,
- 1. Two of Pharaoh 's Princes must offend King Pharaoh.
- 2. These two must be cast into Prison for that Offence.
- 3. Into that very Prison where Joseph was.
- 4. Joseph must then be the Ruler of that Prison.
- 5. The Provost Marshal even Potiphar must have these two Offenders committed to him, as his Prisoners.
- 6. Potiphar must give Joseph (now the Ruler of the Prison ) the charge of those two Princes.
- 7. These two Prisoners must have each their troubling Dreams there and then.
- 8. Joseph in his administering to them (as he did to all the other Prisoners according to his Ruling Office) must observe the sadness of them both, and inquire after the cause of it.
- 9. They hereupon must declare their several Dreams (congruous to their distinct conditions) unto Joseph.
- 10. Joseph (by the help of his God, whom he had present with him in Prison) must be made able to Interpret both these Dreams in correspondency to the Events in both.
- 11. Pharaoh must Dream too, and twice, such Dreams as none of his Magicians could Interpret, either his first or last.
- 12. At this non-plus, the Butler must remember Joseph, mind Pharaoh how he had Interpreted his Prison-Dream: Hereupon Joseph must be released out of Prison in all haste, brought before Pharaoh; interprets both his Dreams; for which he was exalted to be the second Man to the King: From hence have we many most famous remarks. As
1. Observe here the marvelous contexture of many Divine Dispensations, which the most wise God did (as it were) link together (in a way of Subserviency one to another) and all to bring about this one, his own glorious End, to wit, Joseph 's Deliverance. David enquiring of God, must not go the direct way, but he must fetch a Compass, 2 Sam. 5.23. As David must not, so David 's God and our God will not go the direct way, but he will fetch a Compass, and so undoubtedly God is doing at this day: God loves to go a way of his own, which is always a good way, yea, the best way, though it seem (to Human Eyes) oft but a crooked way: God loves to walk the Maze in many Meanders, Windings and Turnings, and is never at such a loss in any Labyrinth, but by the Clew of his own Wisdom he can extricate himself and his own work upon the Wheel, and he will certainly unravel all those Intricacies of our present times, bringing them all to a Glorious Issue, as he did all those Intrigues about poor Joseph: The like limits are allotted to us now, as were allotted to God's people of old, even a limit or border of fetching a Compass, Numb. 34.5. Though we be Passive and God only Active herein; and though Providence hath its pauses, it hath also (as the Planets ) its Eccentrick motion, yet even in those Oblique Lines wherein it moveth, its Eye hath a direct prospect to its proper period, which in the appointed time it always attaineth, and none can frustrate it. Thus the Great God goeth about, while he goeth about to do some great work: 'It is a Law the Creator hath put upon his Creature (the Sun ) to traverse the Oblique Lines (about the Equinoctial ) of the Zodiac, yet neither the Sun, nor God much less (who made the Sun ) ever lost their way.
The second Remark is, Observe the predominancy of Divine Providence overall Human-Affairs, as manifestly appeareth in all these twelve particular Instances aforementioned: All which teach us, that there is an admirable Providence of God, which Governs all Matters in the World, and that many things happen to Mankind, which to us seem altogether fortuitous, casual and contingent, yet at the length appears to be so disposed and ordered by a Divine Hand, that God is all that time, and in all those Circumstances leading his Servants by the Arm, Hos. 11.3. through many crooked ways and windings to a very happy and joyful event. What things seem to happen by Accident, or according to the Custom of the Country (as that those two Courtiers offending the King, should be cast into the Kings Prison, which was under Potiphar 's chief Charge, &c. ) as to Men; yet as to God they fall out necessarily and unavoidably, as this did, that these two Offenders must be cast into the same Prison where Joseph was confined; which plainly demonstrates, that the Providence of God is predominant over all the Potentates of the World. God Ruleth all the Matters in Rulers Palaces, yea, even in the Courts of such Kings as are mere Heathens, and know not God; such an one was this Pharaoh, yet the only wise God over-ruled both his Courtiers Offences, his own Indignation against them, his Provost Marshal 's, and the Jailor 's Actings toward Joseph, &c. God so disposed of all, as these crooked things were made straight, Isa. 40.4. and all had a direct tendency to Joseph 's following high Exaltation: Therefore though things run crorss (in Court and Country ) and may be crosser still, yet let not your Hearts be troubled, John 14.1. There is certainly an expediency in all that happeneth, John 16.7. This may be our comfort, The Lord reigneth, Psal. 97.1. This Isle may rejoice (among the rest) thereat, as all the Righteous are required to do, Psal. 32.11. and 33.1. We read of the Fortunate Islands of Cyprus called Macaria, a Blessed Island, because plenty of Commodities are found therein, but this our Island is more happy than they, having God's Eye upon it from the beginning of the year to the end thereof, Deut. 11.11, 12. and wherein his Name is recorded, Exod. 20.24. yea, whereby God gets more glory (by so many sincere Saints serving him instantly night and day, Acts 26.7.) than from other Lands, either Islands, or the whole Continent: Christ is Lord of all (both of the Church and of the World, ) Acts 10.36. and therefore will not suffer the Church to be wronged by the World. He doth whatsoever pleaseth him both in Heaven and Earth, Psal. 135.6. and doth all things well, Mark 7.37. these cross Contingencies in City, &c. are all well done, as done in the perfection of Wisdom. Myconius writes to Calvin upon the view of the Enemies being uppermost, [ Gaudeo quod Christus Dominus est, alioqui totus desperâssem; I rejoice in this, that all these Dispensations (which portend danger to the Church) are ordered and over-ruled by my Lord Christ, otherwise I had despaired.
The Third Remark is, All worldly Affairs are compared to wheels, Ezek. 1.15, 16. and 10.9 because of their motion and mutation. This the Heathen Poets happily hammer'd at (though they could not hit right on the Head of the golden Nail of this Heavenly Truth) in their foolish Fable of Fortune's Wheel, yea, and James mentions the Wheel of Nature [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] Jam. 3.6. and indeed the whole world is of a wheeling Nature, moveable and mutable. The four wheels represent the four quarters of the world, or the four Empires: All the Affairs whereof seem to run on wheels, and to be oft (as to Human Apprehensions) observing no certain course or order, but seems turned upside down (as it were) in Promiscuous Administrations; so that one Kingdom or Quarter is uppermost at one time, and another at another. Thus Spain a while ago was for an Absolute Monarchy, and now France is for it; Thus Joseph is one while basely abased, and by and by most highly exalted, his Prison was miraculously turned into a Palace, how might he then cry with the Prophets words [O wheel] Ezek. 10.13. yea, all the time of Joseph 's Humiliation. There was a wheel within a wheel, (as Ezek. 1.16. and 10.10.) though Joseph little understood it, or the intricate motion of it; yet the unseen turning of this inward wheel had a direct tendency to his Exaltation. This [Galgal] or rolling world like a wheel yet obeys the Commands of the Son of God (who is the Man clothed in Linnen as the Church's High Priest) in all its rollings and revolutions, Christ stands between or beside the four wheels, at his Father's Command, Ezek. 9.2. and 10.2.6. and though the hands of those Angels (whose Ministry the Lord useth in ordering the Disorders of the World) be said to be under their wings, Ezek. 1.8. and 10.8. to denote their invisible operations as to Human Eyes, yet Christ's hand is always upon the wheels, whereby he guides and governs all the motions thereof, as he is their Maker and their Master: Now, if we consider the great wheel (not of Fortune, but) of Providence (which is slow in motion, as all great wheels are, and we should not quarrel that it moves not so fast as we would have it) is top-full of Eyes (instead of Cart-Nails ) Ezek. 1.18. and 10.12. so cannot mistake its way or work, as God (who overruleth all to his own Glory) is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , All Eye; so his Providence is full of Eyes, and (like a well-drawn Picture which vieweth all in the Room) inspects every individual in that great Room or House of the Universe, 2 Tim. 2.20. and did inspect Joseph, both in the Pit and in the Prison, and in all other places; and certainly there was a wheel within a wheel, (as Ezek. 1.16. and 10.16.) that insensibly whirled about poor Joseph, and though in this its Motion seems like to that of the Waterman, who looks one way and rows another, yet always it goeth to the place whither the head looketh, Ezek. 10.11. God guideth the whole Chariot of Time by an Universal, and equal Inspiration: The Head of him that sat upon the Throne directeth all, giving either Stands or Motions to All, Ezek. 1.12, 20, 21. All are but his Servants, Psal. 119.91. and means in his hand to serve his Providence, whoever is the Instrument of Providence (as all are) yet God is ever the principal Agent: the Kings heart is in his band to turn it as he pleaseth, Prov. 21.1. as he did Pharaoh 's to Joseph, working all things according to the counsel of his own will, Eph. 1.11. Though there be Diversities of Operations, (some Pro and some Con ) yet 'tis the same God, who worketh all in all, 1 Cor. 12.6. and Col. 3.11. All Animate and Inanimate do but fulfil God's Word and Will, Psal. 148.8. whether in their Stands, or in their Motions, either for or against his Church; though ofttimes God's Way is both in the Deep and in the Dark, and his Work so perplexed and Intricate, that the wisest men know not what to make of them, when at a loss, so as neither to feel Bottom nor see Shore: Thus wonderfully did the wheel of Providence whirl about with Joseph, raising him up first out of the Dirty Pit, wherein he might have been famished, then out of the Dirty Prison, wherein he might have perished, (beside other lifts out of his low Estate, both in the Provost-Marshal and in the Chief Jailor 's House, this great wheel gave him) to the very highest Honor in King Pharaoh 's Court and Kingdom; oh what a marvelous Metamorphosis, and not much less than a Miracle was this, that so sad a Prologue should have such a joyful Catastrophe, and so sweet an Epilogue: whereby God gave him a gracious Performance of his own Divine Promise, in making him the Head, and not the Tail, Deut. 28.13. and were we but right Josephs, God would do no less for us; but alas, we are made the Tail and, not the Head, v. 44. because of our Disobedience: Thus it was with Ephraim, Hos. 13.1.
The Fourth Remark is, such an over-ruling Providence of God attended Joseph, that those very means, which let in upon him his State of Humiliation, were improved thereby to hand him into his State of Exaltation: Thus God can by the same means, whereby we were cast down, raise us up; let us leave it with the Lord, 'tis not good to search too deep into God's Secrets, Deut. 29.29. As the Declaring of his own two Dreams to his envious Brethren, brought him into all this Misery; so the Interpreting of the Butler and Baker 's two Dreams to them, proved in due rime a great means for his full Delivery at his Age of 28, and two years after, the Expounding of Pharaoh 's two Dreams to him, became not only the Effectual means of his Actual full Delivery, but was the very step and stirrup whereby he did climb up into his lasting full Advancement, Gen. 40.13, 17. and 41.1.25, 46, &c.
The Fifth Remark is also, God gave to Joseph for his 13 years Affliction in his Service and Imprisonment, full fourscore years Liberty, Prosperity and Honor; God is a liberal Pay-master, and his Retributions to his Servants (for all their Sorrows and Suffrings) are more than bountiful as to Joseph his Servant here, whom God both Inlarged and Advanced by Dreams, as before he had been so low abased by them, as at last to be thrust down into a Dungeon: but behold, his God lets down a Ladder of Love to him (as he had done to his Father Jacob, Gen. 28.12.) to lift him up out of his low Condition, a Ladder of many Rounds, every ascending Step exactly answering those of his descending, in this Ladder of Promotion. As,
1. For his Servitude and Slavery he hath given him a Ring, an Ensign of Liberty, an Ornament of Honor, and a Badge of Authority, Gen. 41.42. It being his Signet or Sealing-Ring, wherewith he was invested with power (as well as honor ) to Seal with Royal Authority what Commands or Decrees he pleased for the People's observance; see Esth. 3.10. and 8.2 and Luk. 15.22.
2. For his Course kind of Cloathing suitable to his servile and slavish Condition, yea, for his Mourning Prison-Garments, Pharaoh gave him a Sute of Silk, or very fine Linnen, Cotton, or Bombazene, such as Princes wore, so he was ranked among his highest Courtiers.
3. For the Iron fetters upon his fett, Psal. 105.18. He hath a Chain of Gold about his Neck, that he might not seem Inferior to any Prince in the Kingdom.
4. For his being fixed in a fast and firm Prison and Dungeon (he could not stir his feet out of the Stocks) Pharaoh gives him a moveable Chariot, whereinto he set his feet, to go abroad (at his pleasure,) with Honor, yea, the second Chariot of the Kingdom, Gen. 41.43. which was one of the Royal Chariots, as 2 Chron. 35.24. wherein to Ride as a Vice-Roy raised above all the other Princes, as Mordecai was mounted upon the King 's Horse, Esth. 6.8. so was Joseph in the King 's Chariot, and is made the Second man in the Kingdom, for Interpreting Pharaoh's Dreams, whereas Daniel was but made the Third man, for Reading the writing upon the wall, Dan. 5.29.
5. For all his opprobrious Reproaches and contumelious Disgraces, that both his barbarous Brethren, and his lewd Mistress loaded him with, he hath now (in their stead) the King's Herald to Proclaim before him, [Abrech] Tender-Father, or Father of the King (for as [Ab] Hebr. is Father, so [Rech] in Syriac is King, from whence the Latin [Rex] is derived) or, Oh thou Blessed one (as it comes of Barak to Bless ) whom God hath made a Father to Pharaoh and all the People, Gen. 45.8. and while they thus Blessed him (who had been sufficiently cursed ) they bowed the knee to express their Reverence to him who was young in Years, yet old in Wisdom [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] an old young man.
6. For his being separated from his Brethren, Gen. 49.26. He was received into the Royal Society of the Right Honorable the King's Privy-Councillors, and was constituted as Chairman at the Conncil-Table, which, though Moses doth not express, yet David intimateth in Psal. 105.21, 22. All the very Privy-Councillors, as well as the Private People, were bound (possibly by Oath) to obey him in all things, and, as out of the Chair, he magisterally taught these Senators Wisdom. Thus the Hebrew Rending runs [He bound the Princes to his Soul (or according to his Will) and made wise his Elders ] teaching them not only Civil and Moral, but also Divine Wisdom; for which Cause God sent Joseph (saith he ) into Egypt, that some sound of the Redemption of fallen Mankind might be heard in that Kingdom, at that time the most flourishing in the World: Neither is Moses altogether silent herein, for he calls him a Master of Wisdom, or Father to Pharaoh, Gen. 45.8. much more to his Councillors, and he says, that no hand or foot shall move (to wit, in Affairs of State at Home, or (in foreign Embassies) abroad ) without Joseph 's order, he was the King's Plenipotextiary, Gen. 41.44.
7. For his being scost'd at by that scornful title of Dreamer, Captain-Dreamer, Hebr. or this Architect of Dreams, Gen. 37.19. and Rogue &c. by Potiphar and his Brethren, &c. behold now he hath an High name of Honor and Office put upon him, that is, [ Zaphnath Paaneah Gen. 4 • .45. which signifies in the Egyptian Tongue [a Revealer of Secrets] for his foreshowing the seven years of Plenty, and the seven years of Famine, or [thee Savior of the World ] for his saving many Lands from being Famish'd, by storing up Provision before the Famine came: Wherein he became a most eminent Type of Christ, who is so Indeed.
8. For his solitary Life he had led a long time, both as a Servant and as a Prisoner, God gave him in Honorable Marriage, the Daughter of Potipherah Prince of On, for so [ cohen signifies, Exod. 18.1. and David's Sons are called cohenim, 2 Sam. 8.18. Chief Rulers, they were Princes, but not Priests: And though Joseph was in this strange country constrained to Marry an Idolater, (because he could not take a Wife out of his Fathers Kindred ) as Jacob did the Daughter of Laban an Idolater in Syria, and Moses a Midianitish Woman; Yet the Daughter of a Civil Prince (though Idolatrous) was a fitter Match for this Religious Man, than one of a Superstitious Priest, who was a Master of Idolatrous Mysteries, this Joseph 's Conscience could not dispense with, unless he had in this (as he had in other things) some special direction from God. However, 'tis beyond doubt, Joseph instructed her in the true Religion, &c.
9. And that Joseph might have a full accumulation of comforts, proportionable to the time of his Troubles, for thirteen or fourteen years of his state of Humiliation (whereof about three years he lay in Prison) God gave him Fourscore years of his Honorable Principality: For he was going on seventeen when he was sold, Gen. 37.2. and he was thirty complete, when he stood before Pharaoh, Gen. 41.46. about nine years after, he received his Father into Egypt, after which he lived in Honor seventy one years, and Died at an hundred and ten years old, Gen. 50.26. This may comfort God's suffering Servants, and cheer up their Hearts, that though for a season they suffer hard things under the prevailing power of ungodly Persecutors, yet may they be assured, that (if they suffer not as evil doers, 1 Pet. 4.15.) God will plead their cause, do them Justice, and make them full amends for all their injuries, as he did to Joseph, and if he do it not (as to him) here, be sure it shall be done hereafter. Here was the second thing, to wit, the Providential Performance and Accomplishment of Joseph 's Deliverance.
This brings in the Third General Head, to wit, Joseph 's Exercise in this his Highest state of Exaltation, and the second sort of sore Archers; whereby he had, 1. A Passive Exercise; and secondly, His Active Exercise or Employ in his Exalted Estate, which was to lay up the fifth part of the seven Plenteous years, against the seven years of Famine: In performance of which Office he discharged his Duty, 1. In his Fidelity to Pharaoh, keeping Him and his People from being Famished. 2. In his Filial respects to his Father; 1. By sending Corn twice to him, Gen. 42. & 43. & 44. & 45. 2. By sending for him and all his into Egypt. 3. By placing them in Goshen.
Section the Ninth.
By this time the Devil (who plies his time, Rev. 12.12.) thought it now high time to call out his Artillery-Company (his Archest-Archers all) to shoot at this High mark with their Forked and Poisoned Arrows: This was fit matter for soul Malice in that envious one, that even in one hour (he enviously beheld) Joseph 's Iron-Fetters changed into a Chain of Gold, his filthy Rags into fine Robes, his straining stocks into a stately Chariot, his Dark and Nasty Dungeon, into a Splendid and Glorious Palace, yea Potiphar 's Slave and Captive (Satan saw) was now become his Old Masters Lord and Master, and the rattling Noise of his Fetters (which could not but be Irksome to Joseph 's Ears, but delightsome to the Devils ) was turned into the Honorable Trumpeting forth of [Abrech] or [Bow the Knee] before him, as he Rode in the Royal Chariot, up and down the Kingdom, to gather in the Corn of the seven years of plenty: When God had lifted up Joseph from a contrary Evil (as he commonly doth) to a Good just contrary to that Evil, (as of a Servant and Prisoner, be was made a Prince and Ruler ) Nazianzen noteth well, that Joseph was more afraid of Satan 's Snares in his Prosperity, than he was in his Adversity; Then (I say) the Devil envied him, and Muster'd up the Men of his House (as his Tool, the Lewd Lady, had Muster'd up the Men of her House, Gen. 39.14 to make them suborn'd Witnesses again Joseph ) even his Slaves and Vassals, the Children of Disobedience, Eph. 2.2. Those He employed as his Arch-Archers