LIB. Ill. Of JoSE P~. AIbrethren for common fpics ofthe weakndfc of Egyp1; he could not without their fufpicwn have come to aperfit intelligence ofhis Farhers ellate,and theirs,ifhehad notobjdted to them that which wasnot.Weare alwayes bound to goethe nearcll ·way totruth.lt ismore fafe in cafes,ofinquilition,to fetch farre about;that he might feeme enough an JEgypli•n,hefwcares heatheni01ly: how littkcoe~ld they fufpett, thisOath couldproceed from the fonne ofhim,which fworc by the fearc of his Father IJa.c? How oft have liniller refpetts dtawnc weake goodneffcto difguife it felf even with finnes ~ It was no final! joy to J•fiph,to fee this lateaccompli!hmenr ofhis ancient dreame; to fcerhe fuppliants ~I know nor whether morebrethren,or enemies) groveliog before himin an unknowne fubmiflion:and now it doth him good to feeme mercileffc B tothem,whom he had found wilfully cruell; to hide his love from them which had !hewed their hate to him ; and to think how much he favoureth them,& how little they knew it: And as fporting hirnfelfc in their feeming mifcry, he pleafamly imitatrs all thole afrions reciprocally unto them,which they in defpight & earnell had done formerly to him, he fpeakes roughly, rejetts their perfwafions, puts them in hold, and one of them in bonds. The mindc mullnotalwayes be judged bytheoutwardf.1Cc of the attions. Gods countenance is oft.times as fevere, and his hand as heavy to them whom he bellloveth. Many a one, underthe habit ofan JEgyptian, harhtheheart ofan I{raelitt.No fongcould befoddightfull to him,as to hearerhem in a late remorfe condemne themfelves beforo him , of their old cruelty towards him,whowas now theirunknowne wirneffe and Judge. C Nothingdoth fo powerfully call home the confcience,as afllittion, neither need thereany other art ofmemory for finne,befides mifery. They had heard ll{tphs deprecation oftheir evil! with teares,& had not pittied him; yeuo{iph cloth but heare theirmentionof this evil!which they had done againll him, and pitties them with tearcs; heweeps for joy to fee their repentance, and to compare his fafety and happineffe with the cruelty which they inrended,and !lid,and thought diey had done. Yethecanabide to fee his brother his prifoner; whomno bonds could bind fo llrong,as his affettion boundhim to his captive: Sitntln is lefr in pawnc, in fetters ; the reil returne,wirh their corne,with theirmony,paying nothing for their provilion,buttheir labour ; that they mi15ht be as much troubl(!(] with the beneficence of that llrangeJEgypti•n Lord,as before with his imperious fufpition.Their wealth was D nowmore irkefome rothem,then their need :andthey feare, God meanes to puniOr them more in this fuperfluity ofmoney then in the \Vant ofvittuals (What i1 tbiJ thAt G1tiha1h d1nt 11 us?) It is awife courfe to bejealous ofour gaine; and more to feare, then defire abundance. Old I.cobthatwas not ufed to limple and abfolute conrenrments, receives \He blefling offeafonable provifion, together with the afflictionofthat heavy meffage, the lo!feof one fonne,and the dangerofanother; and knows not whether it be better for him to dye with hunger, or withgriefe,forthe departure of that fonne ofhis right hand: He drives offal( rill the lall; Protrattion is a kinde ofeafe in evils that' mull: come-. At length(as no plea is fo lrnportunate,as thatoffamine)Btnfamin mull goe;one E evill niull be hazarded for the redreffe ofanother; What wouldit availe him, to fee whom he loved, miferable ~ How injurious were that afli:Clion to keepe his fon fo long in his eye, till they fhould fee each other dye for hunger! The ten brothers rerurne into Algypt loaded with double morty in their facks,& aprefent in rlieir hands; the dangerofmilhking is requited, by honell minds, with more then rellitution. Iris not enough ro finde ourowne hearts cleare in fufpiciou~ attionsexcept we fatisfie others:Now hath Joflpb what he would,rhe light and prcfence ofhisBtnjamin;whom he therefore borrowes ofhis Father for a time, that he mightreturne him with agreater interellofjoy: And now he fealls them whom he formerly threarrfed, and rumes rheirfeare into wonder: all unequal! love is nor pamall; all thebrethren ar~ entertainedbountifully, but Benj•min bath a five-fold portion: By how much his welcome waS' gr<ater, by fo much his pretended thefc A a a a feemed . Sq .
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