814 - Contetnplationr. L I il. I II. OfJosEPH. D Marvd nor that I•ftph had the double portion of Iacohs land whohad more then rwo parrs ofhis forrowes:None ofhis fonnes did fo truly inherit his affiiC.tions ; noneof rhcmwas rir!Jer fo miferobk, or fogreat: (offeringistheway to glory : I fee in himnor acleerer type ofChrift thenofevery Chriftian; Becaufe we aredearc to our Father, and corn: plaineof finnes, therefore are we baredof our carna\1 brethren : If I•ftpb had not medled wirh hisbrothers faults , ycr he had been envied for his FathersaffeCtion. but nowmalice is mer wirhenvy : There is nothing more rhankldfe or dangerou; then to ftand inthewayof a relolure Gnner. Tharwhich rlorh cmrefr and oblige rhe penirenr makes the wilfull minde furious and revengeful!. All rhe fpighr ofhisbrtthren cannot make T•fepb caftoffrheliveryofhis Fathers love:what need wecare forrhe cenfuresofmen, ifour hearrscan cell us char we are in favour withGod ? But what meant young l•ftph co adde unro his ow:1eenvy , by reporting his dreomes? The concealemencofour hopesor abilities, hJth nor more modeftyrhen fafery: He thar was envied fur his dearneffe, and hated fur his intelligence, W3S both envied and bared for hisdreames. SurelyGod meanr to make the relation of rhefe dreames,ameaoes ro effea:thar which rhedr<amesimported. We menwork by likely meanes;God by coorraries. The main quarrell was, Beh.ld, thisdr<•mu <Pmmetl>. Had it nor been fur his dream<>, he bad not been fold: ifhe had nor been fold, he c had nor been exalted. So Ioftphs !tarehad nor deferved envy, ifhisdreames had nor caufed himco be envied. Full littledid loftph rhinke,when he went to feeke hisbrethren, rhar rhiswas rhe !aft rime he tbouldfee his f.uhers houfe : Fnlllirrle did his brethren chink,when they fold him naked to rhe Ifm~tliw, ro have oncefeene him intheTbroneof£g?p1. Godsdocree runnes on; andwhileweeitherthinkenor ofit,or oppofe ir, isperformed. In an boneft and obedient fimpliciriy, Jofepb comes to enquire of hisbrerhrens health, andnowmay nocrerurnetoearrynewesofhisowne mifery: whiles he rhinkesofrheirwelfare,rhey are plottinghisdeftrufriou; Co,u,ltt usfi•J him. Who would have expefred rhis cruelty in r)lem, which !houldbethe farhersofGods Church? It was thought a favor, rhat Htuhe11s entreatyobtained for him, rhar he D mighrbecaftinrorhepiralive, rodyerhere. Helookrforbrerhren, and behold, murrherers; Everymans tongue, every mans lift was bent againft him : Eachone !lriveswho lhalllay rhe lirft hand upon rhar changeable coarwhich was dyed with rheir Fathers loveand rheirenvy : And now rhey haveflripr himnaked, and haling himby borharmes, asir were, caft himalive into hil grave. So in prerenceofforbearance, they refolve to rormenr himwirh a lin~ring death : the favageft robbers could nor have been more mercileffe: for now beGdes (whar in rhemlyes) rhey kill their Father in their brother. Narure, ifir once degenerare,growesmoremonftrou• and extreme, then adifpoGrion borne to cruelty. All thiswhile ]•[eph wanred neitherwords nor reares 1 but likea paffi<in~re Cuppliant (bowinghis bare kneesrorhemwhomhedreamedlhouldbow rohim)in- E trearesand perfwadesby thedeare nameoftheir brorherh9od, by rheir profeffionof onecommonGod, for their Father>fake, for rbeir owne foules fake, nor co Gnne againft his blood. But envy barblhur ourmercy ; and makes rhem noronly fOrger rbemfelves robe brethren, bur men. What ftranger can rhinke of poore innoceor J•ftph , crying naked inrhar defolare and dry pit (onlyCaving rhar he moyftned ir wirh reares) and nor be moved? Yer hishard-h~arred brethren fir rbem downecarelefly, wirh rhe noifeofhislamenrarion in their eares, coearbread, nor once chinking by rheirownehunger, what irwasfor ]oftpb to be atfamilhr to dearh. Wharfoeverrbey rhonghr,God nevermeanr rhar ]•ftph f.bauld perilh in thar pir; and therefore he fends very Ifmaelitu to ranfome him from his Brethren; rhe feed ofhimchar per(ecuted his brother If••c , lhall now redeeme Joftph from his brerhrens
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