LIB. Ill. Of] 0 sE pH. brethrens perCecution. When they came to fecch him ouc of•he pit, he nowhoped for afpeedydifpatch; That lince they feemetl not to have fomuch'mercy, as ro pl'O- , IOJJP: his life, they would not continue tO nmch cruelty, as ro prolong his death. And now , when bee hath comforted himfelfewith hope oftbe favor of dying, bchold,dcath exchanged for bondage: how much is Cervitude, to an ingenuous nature,worfe then death ? For,this is common to all; th.r,to none but the miferable: lHdah meant this well,but God better: Re11hen Caved-him from the fivbrd,IMdah from atfJmifhing: God will ever raife up fome.fecret favourers to his own,amongll: thole dutaremoll:malicious. Howwellwasthisfavor bell:owed? If Iofipbhaddyed forhunger in the pit, both tacohand l•d•h, and allhisbrerhren had dyed fort1un• ger in Canaan. Little did the Ifmaelilifb Merchants know what a ·rreaCarc they B bougl\r, carried and fold ;moreprecious then all their Balmes ancrom ..-rh~Little did they thinke that rhey h•d in their hands the Lord of./Egypt , h thiJewell of the World. Why fuould we contemne any mans meanndfe, whev, he know not his dcll:iny? "oight One finneiscommonlyuCedforrhevaileofanother: Iofophl tGonss Cent home dipped in blood, that whiles they fuould hide their owne cruelty, : jud(might afflict their Father,no lefie then their brother. They h~ve devifcd thwere, a·e, to punifu their old Facher,for his love, with to grievou• amonument ofh'habit of: Hec thlf ismourned for in O•naln,os dead,profpers in ./Egypt tit';xl,as t<lipbar· and ofaSI.we, is m•de R.nler: ThusGod meanr to prepare him for agreato:u<hacge'; be muft firft rule Potipban Houfe,then Phuoaht Kingdome: hisowne Cerv~: ishis lea!l: c good, for his very pretence procures acommon bleffing : Awhole Family!hall fare thebetter for one Iojiph. Verrueisnoc lookt upon alikewith all eyes : his feUowes praife him,hisMafter trull:s him, hisMiltreffe affects him toomuch. A 11 the fpighrof hisbrethren was not to great a croffe tohim , as the inordinate affection ofhisMiftreffe.Temptations on the right hand,arenowmore perillous, and hard torefill:, by bowmuch they are more plau!ible and glorious; But the heart that isbent upon God knows how towalke fteddily, and indifferently betwixt thepleafuresoffinne, and feares ofevil!.He faw this pleafure would advance him: He knewwhat is was tobee aMinionofoneofrhe great<!l: Ladies in ./Egypt:yet refolves to contemne; Agood I heart will ratherlyein theduft, then rifeby wickednefTe. How JbaB I doe this, a11tl Jinne againjl6•d? D Hee knew that all the honots of./Egypt could not buyoffrhe guilt ofone fin, and therefore abhors notonely her bed, bur her company : He that will befafe from the acts ofevill,muftwifely avoid the occaGons.As finne ends everin fuame, when it is committed, fo it m•kes us pall: fuame,that we m•y commit it; The impudent ll:rumpet dare noronely Colicite, but importune, and in a fort force the mode!ly ofher good fervanr; She layes hold on his rarmenr; herhand feconds berrongue. Good Io[opbfound it now time 10 floe, when fuchan enemy purCued him : how muchhad he rather leave his cloake , then his venue! and 10 CufferhisM,Il:reffe to fpoyle himofhis livery, ratherrhenhe fuould blemifu her honor, or his Mafters in her, orGod in eitherofthem. This fecond rime is Iofoph ftript ofhis garment; before in the violence ofenvy, E nowoflull:; before ofnecellity, nowofchoice: Befote,ro deceive his Father,now hisMall:er: for behold,the pledgeofhis fidelity,which he left in thofewicked hands,, ismadean evidence a~:ainft him, ofthat which he refuted to doe~ therefore dir! be leave hi> cloak becauCe hewould not doe that, ofwhich be is accuCCd a~d condem· ned, becaufehelefrit : whatfafetyisthete again!l:great Adverfaries, when, e. ven arguments of innocence areufed to convinceofevill ? loftyeelded unto, is a pleafant madneffe, but is adefperat madneffe when it is oppoCed : No hatred burnes fo furioufly, as charwhich :trlfes from thequenched coales of!ove. Malice iswitty to devifeaccufationsofothersoutof their vcrrue, hQd ourowne. I ghiltinefTe: lo[tph either pleads not, or.isnot hearH. ,, .' DoubtlefTehe denied the fact , buthe-dare not accufe the offender : ::(hereis not I only the praifeofpa.rience;1 butofi:-tiriles ofwiCedome• even ln_unjul]: fufferinRS : He
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=