him and Cry'd Sampson the Philistines are at Hand And in the Chamber there were Men lay hid And from his Arms he brake them like a Thread Then said she Thou hast mock'd me hitherto And told me Lyes Now tell we what to do To bind thee He reply'd Thou with the Web Must interweave the Seven Locks of my Head Then she his Locks did fasten with the Pin And said the Philistines are coming in Shift Sampson for thy self then he awoke And Pin and Web and all away he took Then said she How canst thou pretend to love me When thus thy Doing towards me disprove thee For now behold thou hast deceiv'd me thrice And hast not told me where thy great Strength lies At length his Soul being vext exceedingly By reason of her Importunity He told the Secrets of his Heart and said Never yet Razor on my Head was laid For I have been to God a Nazarite Even from the Day that first I saw the Light Wherefore like other Men if I am shaven I shall be weak and of my Strength bereaven And when she saw that he had told her all The Secrets of his Heart she sent to call The Lords of the Philistines Come said she This once for now he hath made known to me The very Truth Then they came up together And brought the Money in their Hands to give her Then down to sleep upon her Knees she laid him And call'd a Man who of his Locks betray'd him And to afflict him she began and then His Strength became like that of other Men Then said she Sampson thy Philistine Foes Are just at hand And he from sleep arose And as at other times went forth to shake him Not knowing that the Lord did now forsake him But the Philistines seized him and brought Him down to Gaza having first put out His Eyes and did with brazen Fetters bind And made him in the Prison-House to grind Howbeit the Hair upon his Head began After he had been shaved to grow again Then the Philistine Lords together met And a Thanksgiving day apart they set For to rejojce and unto Dagon pay Their highest Service For our God say they Did this And when the People did behold Poor Captive Sampson they their God extoll'd And said our God Hath given into our hand Him that destroy'd us and laid waste our Land And in their heighth of Mirth they sent to call Sampson to come and make sport for them all And from the Prison-House they brought him and Between the Pillars they set him to stand And there he made them Sport Then to the Lad That led him by the Hand thus Sampson said Let me now feel the Pillars that sustain The House that I my self thereon may lean Now in the Home there was a mighty Throng Of Men and Women gather'd and among Them all the Lords of the Philistines were Besides upon the Roof there did appear About Three thousand Men and Women who Beheld while Sampson made them sport below And Sampson calling on the Lord did say O Lord my God remember me I pray This once give Strength that I aveng'd may be Of those Philistines who have blinded me And with his Right-hand and his Left he held Two middle Pillars which the House upheld And said Let me with the Philistines die And then he bow'd himself most mightily And down the House fell on the Lords and all The People that were in 't So that the fall Thereof slew at his Dying many more Than he had slain in all his Life before Then did his Brethren and his Kinsfolks come And took him up and brought him with them home And laid him in his Father's Sepulchre When he had judged Israel twenty Year CHRIST'S Sermon on the Mount Matth. Chap. V. AND Jesus seeing the Multitudes ascended Up to a Mount where sitting and attended By his Disciples he began to Preach And on this manner following did them teach Blessed are all such as are poor in Spirit For they the Heav'nly Kingdom do inherit Blessed are they that Mourn For in the stead Thereof shall Comfort be administred Blessed are they whose Meekness doth excel For on the Earth their Portion is to dwell Blessed are they who after Righteousness Hunger and Thrist For they shall it possess Blessed are they for they shall Mercy find Who to do mercifully are enclin'd Blessed are all such as are pure in Heart For God his Presence shall to them impart Blessed are they that do make Peace For why They shall be call'd the Sons of the Most High Blessed are they which suffer for the sake Of Righteousness For they of Heav'n partake Blessed are ye when Men shall falsly speak All kind of Ill against you for my sake And shall revile and persecute you sore Rejoyce and be exceeding glad therefore For your Reward in Heav'n will be great For thus of Old they did the Prophets treat Ye are the Salt o' th' Earth but wherewith must The Salt be season'd when the savour's lost It is from thenceforth good for nothing but To be cast out and trodd'n under foot Ye are the Light o' th' World A City set Upon an Hill cannot be hid Nor yet Do Men a Candle with a Bushel cover But set it where it lights the whole House over So shine your Light your Good Work 's seen there Men may your Heavenly Father Glorifie Think not that to destroy the Law I came Or Prophets no but to fulfil the same For till the Heav'n and Earth shall pass away One jot or tittle from the Law I say Shall never pass till all shall be complete Whoso therefore presumes to violate One of these least Commands and teacheth so Shall in God's Kingdom be accounted low But he that doth and teacheth them likewise Shall in God's Kingdom have great Dignities For I declare unto you that unless You shall exceed the Scribes and Pharisees In Righteousness You shall on no condition Into the Heavenly Kingdom gain admission Ye've heard 't was said of Old Thou shalt not kill And he incurs the Judgment who shall spill His Brothers Blood But I to you declare That he that 's wroth without a cause shall bear The Judgment Likewise of the Council he That sayeth Racha shall in danger be But whosoe'er shall say thou Fool the same Shall be in danger of Eternal Flame When therefore to the Altar thou dost bring Thy Gift and there remembrest any thing Thy Brother hath against thee Leave it there Before the Altar and come thou not near Till thou hast first made Reconciliation Then may'st thou come and offer thine Oblation Make an Agreement with thine Adversary Whilst thou art in the way and do not tarry Lest he at any time deliver thee Unto the Judge and by the Judge thou be Unto the Officer forthwith resign'd And to Imprisonment thou be confin'd I do affirm thou shalt not be enlarg'd Till thou the utmost Farthing hast discharg'd Ye've heard that they of
this Device Least we burn thee and all thy Father's House Is it not so that ye have called us To make a Spoil And Sampson's Wife wept sore And said Thou dost but hate me and no more To put a Riddle to my Countrymen And not tell 't me And he reply'd agen I have not told my Father or my Mother And shall I now to thee this thing discover And she continually before him wept During the time the Feasting Days were kept And now behold it came to pass that he By reason of her Importunity Did on the Seventh Day to her unfold The Riddle which she to her Brethren told And e'er the Sun went down on that same Day The Philistines to Sampson thus did say What is more sweet than Honey What more strong Than is a Lion And he said How long Would it have been e'er you had understood This thing had you not with my Heifer plow'd Then came the Spirit of the Lord upon Him and he hasted down to Askelon And Thirty of the Philistines he slew And took their Cloaths and gave the Garments due To every one of them that had disclosed The meaning of the Riddle he proposed And towards them his Anger fiercely burned And he unto his Father's House returned But Sampson's Wife was given unto one What was his Friend and chief Companion CHAP. XV. BUt in a while as Sampson visited His Wife in the Wheat Harvest with a Kid To her into her Chamber he would go The which her Father would not let him do But said I thought that thou hadst quite forsook her Wherefore I gave consent and thy Friend took her Doth not her Sister's Beauty hers exceed Though young I pray then take her in her stead And Sampson said I shall more blameless be Than they though I shall do them injury And then he caught Three hundred Foxes and Turn'd Tail to Tail and put a fiery Brand Between Two Tails and setting fire thereto Into the standing Corn he let them go And burnt both Shocks and standing Corn and Vines And all the Olives of the Philistines Then they enquired who this thing had done And were inform'd it was the Timnite's Son Because his Father took his Wife away And gave her his Companion to enjoy And the Philistines came up full of Wrath And burnt with Fire her and her Father both And Sampson said though you have done this thing A farther Evil I will on you bring And my avenging Hand shall cease hereafter And hip and thigh he smote them with great slaughter And he return'd and came up to the top Of Etam and dwelt there upon the Rock Then the Philistines up to Judah went And in the Vale of Lehi pitch'd their Tent. Then said the Men of Judah for what reason Are you come up against us at this season And they made answer we are come to bind Sampson to do to him in the same kind As he hath done to us Then there went up Three thousand Men of Judah to the top Of the Rock Etam and to Sampson said Do'st thou not know that we have long obey'd The Philistines Wherefore is it that thou Hast done this thing to bring this Evil now Upon us let us know it Then said he I did to them as they have done to me Then said they we are come and have brought bands To bind and give thee up into their hands And he made answer you shall swear unto me That you your selves no Injury will do me And they reply'd No no we will but bind thee We will not kill thee but to them resign thee And they took two new Cords and therewith tied him And from the Rock where he abode convey him Whom when they to the Camp at Lehi brought The Philistines against him gave a shout And mightily the Spirit of the Lord Came on him and like burning Flax each cord That was upon his Arms became the Bands Were likewise separated from his Hands And he the Jawbone of an Ass espied And took and smote them till a Thousand died Then said he with an Ass's Jawbone I Have made mine Enemies in heaps to lie Behold I have destroy'd a Thousand Men With this same worthless Ass's Jaw And when He made an end to speak it came to pass He cast away the Jawbone of the Ass And said Now let the place where this was done Be by the Name of Ramath-Lehi known And he was sore a thirst and to the Lord He cried and said O Lord thou didst afford This great Deliverance and now shall I By reason of my Thirst fall down and die And fall into the most accursed Hands Of these uncircumcis'd Philistine Bands But God was pleas'd to cleave an hollow place Within the Jaw from whence did Water pass Whereof when he had drank his Spirit came As heretofore and he reviv'd again Wherefore that place which is in Lehi bore Unto this Day the Name of En-hakkore And in the Days the Philistines bore sway Israel for Twenty Years did him obey CHAP. XVI THen down to Gaza Sampson went and there Seeing an Harlot went in unto her And when the Gazites heard he was come thither Straightway they gathered themselves together To compass him about and lay in wait All Night to take him in the City Gate And they were still all Night for why say they To morrow we shall kill him when 't is Day And he till Midnight lay and then arose And with the City Gates away he goes Bearing the Posts and bar and all away And on an Hill near Hebron did them lay And afterward it came to pass he saw And lov'd a Woman named Delilah Who in the Vale of Sorek dwelt to whom There did the Lords of the Philistines come And said if thou wilt but entice him to reveal Where lies his Strength and which way we may deal With him to bind him to afflict him we Each one will give a great reward to thee And she to Sampson said I pray thee tell Wherein thy Strength doth other Men excel And how thou may'st be bound And he reply'd If they with Seven green Wit hs that ne'er were dried Shall bind me Hand and Foot I shall be then As weak and impotent as other Men. Then the Philistine Lords for her provide The Seven green Wit hs which never had been dried And she therewith did bind him now there were Men lying in wait whom she had placed there Then she cry'd out and said Now Sampson stand Thy ground for the Philistines are at hand And streight he brake the Wit hs and they became Like to a thred of Tow when toucht with flame So was his Strength not found out Then said she Sampson behold thou hast deceived me And told me lyes Therefore no longer blind me But tell I pray thee wherewith I may bind thee Bind me with Ropes that ne'er were us'd said he Then weak as other Men are shall I be She therefore took New Ropes and bound
to Joseph too and said Lo I had three white Baskets on my Head And in the Uppermost there seem'd to be Of bak'd Provision great variety Fit for King Pharaoh's Table and there came A Flock of Birds and seem'd to eat the same And Joseph said Thy Dream portends thy fall For at the end of three days Pharaoh shall Lift up thy Head and hang thee on a Tree So that the Birds shall feast themselves on thee And on the third day Pharaoh made a Feast Unto his Servants and among the rest The Butler and the Baker were brought forth The day being kept in Memory of his Birth And to his Place King Pharaoh did restore His Butler and he serv'd him as before But the chief Baker he condemn'd to die According unto Joseph's Prophecy Yet though the Butler had regain'd his Place He was unmindful of poor Joseph's Case CHAP. XLI AND now when two years time was fully past And Joseph from Confinement not releast It came to pass that Pharaoh dreamed and He seemed by a River's side to stand Whence he seven fat well-favour'd Kine beheld Came up and grazed in the neighbouring Field And after them there came up seven more Lean and ill-favour'd and did soon devour The seven fat Kine which came up just before So Pharaoh ' woke and mus'd awhile and then Soon as his Sleep his Dream return'd agen Wherein he saw upon one stalk there stood Seven ears of Corn exceeding Rank and Good And seven others with the East wind blasted And withered sprang up and quickly wasted The seven good Ears and quite devour'd them And Pharaoh ' woke and Lo it was a Dream And in the Morning he was discontent And for the wise Men and Magicians sent To ease his Mind but there was none of them That could interpret to the King his Dream Then the chief Butler making his address Unto King Pharaoh said I now confess My former Faults for when the King was wroth With his chief Butler and chief Baker both It pleased him to put us both in Ward In the House of the Captain of the Guard And in one Night we dream'd a Dream each one According to 's Interpretation And there was then an Hebrew there in Ward A Youth that serv'd the Captain of the Guard To whom we told whereof we had been dreaming And he interpreted to us the meaning And what he said fell out accordingly Me he restored to my Dignity But told the Baker he should surely die Then Pharaoh sent a Messenger in haste And Joseph from the Dungeon was releast And having shav'd himself and chang'd his Cloaths Into the Presence of the King he goes To whom King Pharaoh said I have been told Thou canst the meaning of a Dream unfold Now I have dream'd a Dream and there is none Can give me the Interpretation And Joseph said I cannot do this thing My self but God shall answer thee Oh King Then Pharaoh said to Joseph In my Dream As I stood by a River's side there came Up from the River seven well-favour'd Kine And fed upon the Banks all fat and fine And after them there came up seven more Lean and ill-favour'd and exceeding poor Such as the Land of Egypt never bred And on the seven well-favour'd Kine they fed And eat them up but 't was not to be seen That they had eat them they look'd still so thin So I awoke and mus'd a while and then Soon as my Sleep my Dream return'd agen Wherein I saw upon one stalk there stood Seven Ears of Corn exceeding rank and good Then seven others with the East wind blasted And withered came up and quickly wasted The seven good Ears and quite devoured them And being unsatisfied about my Dream I sought unto the wise Men of the Nation But they could give me no Interpretation And Joseph said Thy Dream oh King is one God shews to Pharaoh what he will have done The seven fat Kine and seven good Ears agree To shew seven years of Plenty there shall be The seven lean Kine and seven blasted Ears Denote there shall be Famine seven years This I declare to Pharaoh God doth shew To thee Oh King what he 's about to do Behold seven years of Plenty are at hand Which shall be very great throughout the Land And after them seven years of Famine shall Arise and shall consume the Land and all The former Plenty shall not be perceiv'd So much the Land with Famine shall be griev'd And since the Dream was doubl'd to the King It is because God hath decreed the thing And on this Land the same will shortly bring Now therefore if I may the King advise Let him look out a Man discreet and wise And make him Overseer of the Land And substitute Men under his Command To gather a fifth part for Publick Use Of what the seven plenteous Years produce And in the Cities lay it up for Store Against the Famine in the Land grows sore And let it be repos'd in Pharaoh's hand That so the Famine may not wast the Land And when King Pharaoh and his Servants heard The Propositions Joseph had preferr'd They were acceptable in Pharaoh's Eyes And in the Eyes of all his Court likewise So that he said can such an one be found A Man in whom God's Spirit doth abound And Pharaoh said to Joseph forasmuch As God's great kindness unto thee is such As to reveal this thing to thee I know No Man so wise or so discreet as thou Be thou therefore the Ruler of the Land And let my People be at thy Command Thou shalt in all things be as great as I Save only in the Royal Dignity Behold this day I have advanced thee Said he to be a Man of high Degree Throughout the Land And therewithal the King Bestow'd on Joseph his own Royal Ring And him with Robes of State did richly deck And put a Chain of Gold about his Neck And in his second Chariot made him ride And as he past bow down the Knee they cry'd With so great Honour was he dignify'd And Pharaoh said moreover I am King No Man shall dare to purpose any thing Or move his Hand or Foot in all this Nation Unless it shall be by thy approbation He also gave to Joseph a new Name And for a Wife gave him a Princely Dame Who was the Daughter of a Priest of Fame Now Joseph had attain'd his Thirtieth Year When he before King Pharaoh did appear And he went out from Pharaoh's Presence and Began his Progress over all the Land Now in the seven plenteous Years the Field Did its Increase in great abundance yield And Joseph gather'd all that plenteous Crop And in th' adjacent Cities laid it up Which like unto the Sand upon the shore Did so abound that he could count no more Such was the Plenty that the Earth then bore And unto Joseph there was born a Son Even by the Daughter of the Priest of On Before the
Years of Famine were begun The which he call'd Manasseh for said he God makes me to forget my Misery And all my Father's House And after him Was born another he call'd Ephraim For God saith he hath made me to possess Abundance in the Land of my Distress And when the seven plenteous Years were gone The seven Years of Famine next came on As Joseph said and there was a great Dearth In every Nation throughout all the Earth But in the Land of Egypt there was Bread And when the People almost famished Complained to the King he bad them go To Joseph and whate'er he said to do And now the Famine daily waxing sore Joseph began to bring forth of his Store Which he had laid up for the Publick Good To whom th' Egyptians came and bought their Food And People from all Countries far and near To Egypt came to buy Provision there For in all Lands the Famine was severe CHAP. XLII AND now behold when Jacob had been told That there was Corn in Egypt to be sold He said unto his Sons Why stand ye thus Go down to Egypt and buy Corn for us That so our craving Stomachs may be fed And not lie here and die for lack of Bread Thus Jacob's ten Sons were to Egypt sent But Joseph's Brother Benjamin ne'er went For why his Father said I will not send him Lest peradventure some ill chance attend him And Joseph's Brethren came among the rest To buy Provision for they were distrest Now he was Governor of all the Land And all the Corn of Egypt in his hand Wherefore his Brethren when they came to treat With him for Corn bow'd down ev'n at his feet And he no sooner saw them but he knew them And shew'd himself extremely strange unto them And very roughly asked who they were From whence they came and what their bus'ness there And they made answer We thy Servants from The Land of Canaan to buy Food are come Now tho' they knew him not yet he knew them And calling now to mind his former Dream He said I do suspect ye 're come as Spies To see in what distress our Country lies But they reply'd again my Lord we 're come Only to buy some Food to carry home Think not thy Servants Spies but true Men rather For we are all the Children of one Father Nay nay said he but ye are come to pry Into the Nations great necessity But they reply'd again Thy Servants are Inhabitants of Cana'n and declare That we 're twelve Brethren whom one Man begot The Youngest is at home and one is not Well then said Joseph hereby shall I know Whether ye 're Spies as I have said or no Now by the Life of Pharaoh do I swear Unless your Brother come I 'll keep you here Send one of you and fetch the Lad to me And you shall be confin'd so shall there be A Proof of what you say before mine Eyes Or by the Life of Pharaoh ye are Spies Then he for three days put them all in Ward And on the third day said I have regard To Equity therefore if ye are true And honest Men do this let one of you Be bound in Prison here and let the other Go carry Corn home and bring me your Brother So shall ye be approv'd and shall not die And they prepar'd to do accordingly And as they were discoursing to each other They said we were in fault about our Brother In that we saw his Soul in great distress And yet were so exceeding pitiless As not to hearken to his earnest cries This is the cause of these our Miseries And Reuben said you know I did forewarn And beg that you would do the Child no harm But you would not do then as I desir'd And now his Blood is at our hands requir'd Thus they discours'd about the cause that brought Their present trouble but they little thought That Joseph knew of what they did confer Because he spake by an Interpreter And he being moved at their words withdrew To weep and then returned to renew His former talk and chusing Simeon out Before them all he bound him hand and foot And gave command to fill their Sacks with Grain And to restore their Mony to 'em again And for their Journey give them Food to eat In such sort Joseph did his Brethren treat Then with their Asses laden towards home They went and when into their Inn they come As one of them his Sack of Corn unty'd To give his Ass some Provender he spy'd His Mony in his Sack again return'd Wherefore he call'd his Brethren and inform'd Them that his Mony was returned back Behold said he it is here in my Sack On sight whereof their Hearts were sore dismay'd And being very much affrighted said What is the thing that God's about to do That we do thus these Troubles undergo Then coming to their Father they related After what sort they were in Egypt treated And said the Man that 's Lord of all the Land And hath the store of Corn all in his hand Spake roughly to us and affirm'd that we Were come the weakness of the Land to see To whom we said we are all honest Men We are twelve Brethren whereof here are ten And two elsewhere all which one Man begot The youngest's with our Father one is not Then said the Ruler of the Land hereby Shall I make proof of your integrity Let one of you continue here with me And take Provision for your Family And get you gone and bring the youngest hither That so I may be satisfied whether Ye are true Men as you make protestation Then I 'll release him and give toleration To you to come and Traffick in the Nation And now behold as they their Sacks unloos'd To empty out their Corn there was inclos'd In each Man's Sack his Money therein bound As when they came from home which when they found Both they and their old Father were afraid And to his Sons afflicted Jacob said You of my Children have beâ—eaved me Joseph and Simeon now do cease to be And of my Benjamin you would deprive me These things do ev'n into distraction drive me Then Reuben said My Father I resign To thy disposing these two Sons of mine Give me the Lad and let them both be slain If I do not return him safe again But he reply'd I will not let him go For why his Brother is deceas'd you know And if upon the way some evil thing Should happen to the I ad you then will bring These my grey Hairs with sorrow to the Grave For he 's the only comfort that I have CHAP. XLIII AND now the Famine still continuing sore And having spent all their late purchas'd store Their Father bids them to go down for more To whom when Judah had himself addrest He said The Man did solemnly protest If we without our Brother came again To seek his Face would be for us in vain If therefore
thou wilt send him well and good Then will we willingly go down for Food But if thou wilt not we must let thee know We are resolved that we will not go For as I said before the Ruler swore Without him we should see his Face no more Then Isr'el said why were you so unkind To say you had a Brother left behind The Man said they was so inquisitive He asked if our Father were alive Or if we had a Brother whereunto Accordingly we answer'd could we know If he would bid us bring the Lad or no Moreover Judah to his Father said If thou wilt but intrust me with the Lad We will be gone that so both thou and we May be preserved with our Family I will be Surety for him if I fail To bring him back on me the blame entail For if we had not lingred we had been By this time here the second time again Well then said Isr'el if it must be so My Sons take my Advice before you go Provide some of the best Fruits of the Land To give the Man a present from your hand Balm Myrrh and Spices and a little Honey Some Nuts and Almonds and take double Money For peradventure it was a mistake In that your Money was returned back And take your Brother Benjamin and go And God Almighty grant the Man may show You Mercy that you may bring back again Your other Brother and my Benjamin And if I am bereav'd so have I been Then did the Men prepare the Present and They took their Money double in their hand With Benjamin and down to Egypt went Who unto Joseph did themselves present Who when he saw that Benjamin was come Order'd his Steward to conduct them home And to provide a Dinner for said he I do intend these Men shall Dine with me Then did the Steward as his Master said And brought them home whereat they were afraid And said the Man hath caus'd us to come in Because our Money was return'd again To take occasion now to fall upon us And make us Slaves and take our Asses from us Unto the Steward they drew nigh therefore And thus communed with him at the Door O Sir say they we came at first indeed To buy Provision to supply our need And in our Inn as we our Sacks unloos'd We found our Money therein all enclos'd In its full weight whereat surpris'd with fear Not knowing who had put our Money there We now have brought it in full weight again And other Money too to buy more Grain Peace Peace said he let not fear seize upon ye For I had the disposing of your Money God unto whom you and your Father bow Hath giv'n you Treasure in your Sacks I trow And then releasing Simeon who had been Confin'd in Joseph's House he brought them in And set them Water and they wash'd their Feet And gave their Asses Provender to eat Then they made ready against Joseph came Their Gifts in order to present the same At Noon for they were told he did design To have their Company with him to Dine And now when Joseph was returned home Into his Presence they with rev'rence come And brought their Presents in and laid before him And fell down at his Feet for to adore him Then he enquired if they all were well And said When you were here I heard you tell Of an old Man your Father how does he Is he in Health or doth he cease to be Whereto in humble sort they thus reply'd Thy Servant ev'n our Father doth abide In perfect Health which having said They bow'd their Heads and great obeysance made And Joseph viewing Benjamin his Brother They being both the Children of one Mother He asked if he were the Lad of whom They spake then said God give thee Grace my Son Then making hast to find a secret place To weep because his Bowels yern'd apace Upon his Brother to his Chamber went Where having giv'n his troubled Spirits vent He wash'd his Face and did himself refrain And to his Brethren then came sorth again And bad his Servants they should set on Bread At his command the Tables all were spread One for himself and for his Friends another And for th' Egyptians one apart from either That so they might not eat Bread altogether For it is held a great abomination For them to eat among the Hebrew Nation And they were placed as their age required The Eldest first whereat the Men admired And from his Table Joseph sent them Messes But in a larger manner he expresses To Benjamin his kindness which was such That he appointed him five times as much As to the rest and they drank plenteously Till they were merry in his Company CHAP. XLIV AND to his Steward Joseph spake and said Give these Men Corn as much as they can lade And in their Sacks bind each Man's Money up And in the Youngest's put my silver Cup Besides his Money and he made hast and did According as his Master had commanded And in the morning by the break of day With Asses laden they were sent away And now e'er they had scarce the Town 's end past He sent his Steward after them in hast And said Go follow them and ask them why They have dealt by me so ungratefully And say unto them You have done great evil To Rob my Master who hath been so civil And steal the Cup wherein he drinks his Wine Is it not it whereby he doth Divine Then he pursu'd and quickly overtook Them and these very words to them he spoke To whom they said Why hath my Lord such thought Oh God forbid that we should be so naught Behold thou know'st we brought the Money back The which we found bound up in each Man's Sack Which shews that we had no design to cheat How then should we now steal your Masters Plate With which of us thy Servants it is found Let him be slain and we to Slavery bound Now as you say said he so let it be He shall be bound but you shall all go free Then they unladed ev'ry Man his Beast And to his view expos'd their Sacks in hast And he from first to last them searched round And lo the Cup on Benjamin was found Whereat surpris'd each Man his Garment rent And lades his Beast and back again they went And now when Judah and the rest were come To Joseph's House for he was yet at home They fell before him to the ground to whom He said What deed is this that you have done Are you not sensible that such a one As I can certainly thereof make trial Then Judah said my Lord there 's no denial We cannot clear our selves The Lord hath sent For our mis deeds this heavy Punishment Behold to be thy Slaves we all are bound Both we and he on whom the Cup was sound Then Joseph said the Lord forbid that I Should exercise so great severity For he with whom 't is found and he
being over joy'd fell on his Neck And for a good while thereupon he wept Then Jacob said since thou yet liv'st and I Have seen thy face once more now let me die And Joseph said my Brethren I will go Unto King Pharaoh and will let him know That you and all my Father's House are come And that your Occupation when at home Hath been in feeding Cattle altogether And that you 've brought your Flocks and Herds all hither Now therefore when you come before the King And he shall ask you what your Trade hath been Say thus Thy Servants from our Youth till now Have dealt in Cattle we and our Fathers too That he may let you dwell in Goshen for Th' Egyptians do a Shepherd's-Life abhor CHAP. XLVII THen to King Pharaoh Joseph went and said My Father and his Sons with all they had In their own Countrey are come down to me And in the Land of Goshen now they be Five of his Brethren also with him went Whom he unto King Pharaoh did present And Pharaoh asked them about their Trade And they unto the King reply'd and said We and our Fathers while we were at home Were Shepherds all and now behold we come With all our Flocks to get some Pasture here For in our Land the Famine is severe We therefore pray thee to appoint a Portion Unto thy Servants in the Land of Goshen And Pharaoh said to Joseph I impow'r thee To use thy pleasure Goshen is before thee Settle thy Father and thy Brethren there And if among them active Men there are Commit my Cattle to their special care And Joseph brought his aged Father in Before the King and Jacob blessed him And Pharaoh asking him about his Age He said The Years of my Life's Pilgrimage Are but an Hundred Thirty very few And evil nor have I attain'd unto The Years of my Fore-Fathers longer age Which they past thro' in this their Pilgrimage And Jacob blest the King again and then Out of his Presence he return'd again And Joseph plac'd his Father and Relations In Egypt and appointed them Possessions In the best of the Land ev'n in the Land Of Ramases according to the King's Command And there he nourisht them with fit supplies Of Bread according to their Families And now the People having spent their store And Famine still increasing more and more Egypt and Canaan too for want of Bread Were sore distrest and almost famished And Joseph took the Money they did bring To buy their Corn and kept it for the King Wherefore the People came to represent Their case to him both Corn and Coin be'ng spent And Joseph said If Money be grown scant Bring me your Cattle and ye shall not want And they brought Horses Asses and their Flocks And Herds of Cattel ev'n all their Stocks And gave to Joseph in exchange for Bread For which the People he for that Year fed And when that Year was past the second Year They came again and said we can't forbear To let thee know our want my Lord doth know Thou hast our Money and our Cattle too And there is nothing left so hard 's our fate But only each Man's Person and Estate If thou wilt give us Bread into thy hands Will we resign our Persons and our Lands And be the Servants of the King for ever From Death therefore our hungry Souls deliver And take some pity on our wretched state Lest we dye and the Land be desolate And the Egyptians sold each Man his Field Beaause the Famine over them prevail'd And all their Lands became the King's Possession And Joseph plac'd them at his own discretion But the Land of the Priests he purchas'd not For Pharaoh had assign'd to them their Lot And they receiv'd their Food from Pharaoh's hands Wherefore they had no need to sell their Lands And Joseph said unto them now behold You and your Lands are unto Pharaoh sold Lo here is Seed to sow in each Man's Field And when the Land its ripe increase shall yield A fifth part shall belong unto the Crown And th' other four parts shall be your own For Seed to sow your Lands and for supplies Of Food convenient for your Families And they said Thou hast sav'd our Lives my Lord Thy gracious favour unto us afford And we will do according to thy word And Joseph made it a Decree to stand Ev'n to this day throughout th' Egyptian Land That Pharaoh should have a fifth part except The Priests Lands which unto themselves they kept And in the Land of Egypt ev'n in Goshen Did Isr'el dwell and therein had possession And grew and multiply'd exceeding fast And Jacob liv'd till seventeen Years were past So that the sum of Jacob's age appears To be an hundred forty seven Years And when the time approach'd that he must die He called Joseph unto whom he said If I Have now found favour in thy sight I pray Swear thou unto me that thou wilt not lay My Bones in Egypt for I fain would lie Among my Ancestors when e'er I die And not be bury'd here therefore fulfil This my Desire and he reply'd I will And he said swear unto me which he did Then Jacob bow'd himself upon his Bed CHAP. XLVIII AND now when Joseph heard his Father lay Even at the point of death he hasts away To visit him and took along with him His Son Manasseh and 's Son Ephraim Whereof when Jacob heard he strengthned Himself and rose and sate upon the Bed And thus to Joseph said Lo God appeared To me at Luz in Canaan and declared That he would bless and make me a great Nation And give my Seed that Land for a Possession And Jacob said Behold these Sons of thine As Reuben and as Simeon shall be mine And all the rest which shall be born to thee Hereafter shall be thine and they shall be Call'd by the Name of their own Family Behold thy Mother died upon the way When I from Padan came near Ephratah The which is in the Land of Canaan where To wit in Bethlem did I bury her And Jacob seeing Joseph's Sons were there He asked of him who the Children were And Joseph said My Father lo these be The Sons God in this Place hath given me Then Jacob said I pray thee bring them nigh To me and I will bless them e'er I die Now Jacob's Eyes by reason of Age were dim And Joseph brought his Sons near unto him And Jacob kissed and embraced them And said I never thought to see thy Face And lo the Lord hath shown me of thy race And Joseph from between his Knees brought forth His Sons and bow'd himself even to the Earth And in his Right hand held up Ephraim Towards his Father's Left hand guiding him And in his Left hand to his Father's right He held his Son Manasseh opposite And Isra'l stretching out his Right hand laid It on the youngest namely Ephraim's head And laid his Left hand wittingly
upon Manasseh's head although the eldest Son And Jacob blessed Joseph saying The God Of Heaven in whose Paths my Fathers trod Who all my Life hath nourish'd me even he Who from all Evil hath redeemed me Bless both the Lads and let them bear my Name And the Name of my Fathers Abraham And Isaac and let them multiply In the midst of the Earth exceedingly And Joseph seeing his Father 's Right hand laid On Ephraim's head he was displeas'd and said Not so my Father lay this hand upon Manasseh's head for he 's the eldest Son And therewithal attempted to have laid His Father's Right hand on Manasseh's head But he refus'd and said I know 't my Son I know 't full well he also shall become A People and be mighty But indeed His younger Brother shall him far exceed And many Nations shall come from his Seed Thus Jacob blessed them and said In thee Shall Isra'l bless and say God make thee be Like Ephraim and Manasseh Thus did he Prefer the youngest to the first degree And Isra'l said to Joseph Lo I 〈◊〉 But God shall visit you and certainly Shall bring you back unto your Fathers 〈◊〉 And thou shalt have a Portion from my hand Above thy Brethren which with Sword and Bow I took from th' Amorite my deadly Foe CHAP. XLIX AND Jacob called all his Sons together And said Ye Sons of Jacob come you hither And hearken what your aged Father says Who tells you what shall be in the last days Reuben my first born of my Strength the Flower The excellency of Dignity and Power Unstable as Water be for ever vile Because thou didst thy Father's Bed defile Simeon and Levi're Brethren Instruments Of Cruelty are lodged in their Tents Come not my Soul their secret Councils nigh My Honour with them have no Unity For in their Wrath they caus'd a Man to fall And in their Self-will digged down a Wall Curst be their anger fierce yea cursed be Their Wrath for it was full of Cruelty In Jacob therefore let there Seed be spread And every where in Israel scattered Judah shall have his Brethren's Praise and they Shall bow before him he his Foes shall slay Judah's a Lion's Whelp return'd from pray He stoop'd he couch'd and as a Lion lay As an old Lion who shall dare molest Or rouze him up when he lies down to rest The Scepter shall from Judah never start Nor a Lawgiver from his Feet depart Until the blessed Shiloh come to whom The scatter'd People shall from all parts come Binding his Foal unto the choicest Vine He wash'd his Garments all of them in Wine His Eyes shall with the Blood of the Grapes look red And milky Whiteness shall his Teeth o'er spread Lo Zebulun shall dwell upon the Sea An Haven for the Ships security And unto Zidon shall his Border be And Issacha◠is a strong Ass between Two Burdens crouching who when he had seen That Rest was pleasant and the Land was good His servile Neck unto the Yoak he bow'd Dan as a Judge shall over Israel sway He shall be as a Serpent in the way To bite the Horse and cast the Rider down O God! I have look'd for thy Salvation Gad by a Troop shall be o'ercome but he Shall at the last obtain the Victory The Bread of Asher shall be fat indeed And Royal Dainties shall from him proceed Like to an Hind let loose is Naphthali He speaketh all his Words acceptably Joseph's a fruitful Bough whose Branches tall Grow by a Well and over-top the Wall By reason of Hatred which the Archers bore They shot at him and griev'd him very sore But Joseph's Bow in its full strength abode And by the Arm of Jacob's mighty God He was indu'd with strength from whence alone Is Israe'l's Shepherd and chief corner Stone Even by my Father's God who shall assist Thee by th' Almighty God shalt thou be blest With Blessings from above and from below With Blessings of the Breast and Womb also Thy Father's Blessings have prevail'd beyond My Ancestors Unto the utmost bound Of the perpetual Hills yea let them rest On Joseph's head and let him be possest Of all who was divided from the rest Young Benjamin shall Wolf-like take his prey And part at night what he hath took by day All these are the twelve Tribes of Israel And thus their Father did their Fate foretel And blessed every one of them apart According to their Personal desert Moreover he gave them a charge and said Lo I shall die but let my Bones be laid Among my Ancestors in Canaan where Of Ephron Abraham bought a Sepulcher Together with a Field to be a Place Of Burial for him and all his Race There Abraham and Sarah lie and there They Isaac and Rebecca did inter And there when Leah died I buried her The Field was purchas'd of the Sons of Heth. Thus having said resigning up his Breath To him that gave 't his Feet into the Bed He drew and so was number'd to the dead CHAP. L. AND Joseph fell upon his Father's Face And did with Tears his lifeless Lips embrace And sends for his Physicians and advises Them to embalm his Father's Corpse with Spices And they did so and forty days did pass For so the manner of Embalming was And the Egyptians mourned for the space Of threescore and ten days which being expired He spake to Pharaoh's Servants and desired That they would please to speak in Pharaoh's Ear And tell him that my Father made me swear That I should bury him in Canaan where He hath provided his own Sepulcher I therefore pray thee that I may obtain Thy leave and I will soon return again And Pharaoh said Since thou hast sworn fulfil Thy Oath according to thy Father 's Will. And Joseph went up to accompany His Father's Corpse with great Solemnity And with him went up Pharaoh's Servants and The prime Nobility of all the Land And Joseph's Houshold and his Brethren all Only their Flocks and Herds and Children small Were left behind Moreover there went up Chariots and Horsemen even a mighty Troop And they came up to Arad's threshing floar Beyond the River Jordan where full sore They mourned for him till seven days were past So long their Mourning in that Place did last Which when the Canaanites beheld they said Surely some eminent Egyptian's dead Wherefore they call'd it Abel-mizraim ' Thus did his Sons as he commanded them For to the Land of Canaan they conveigh'd Him and in Machpelah near Mamre laid His Body in the Cave which Ephron sold To Abraham for him and his to hold And thus when Joseph fully had perform'd His Father's Will to Egypt he return'd Together with his Brethren and with all Them that came with him to the Funeral Now Joseph's Brethren being well aware That they were Fatherless began to fear That he would hate them and requite them all The Evil they had treated him withal Wherefore to him they sent a
dead Which with good Works is not accompany'd Was not our Father Abraham justify'd By Works and by the same his Faith was try'd When he his Isaac to the Altar brought Se'st thou how with his Works his Faith then wrought And with his Works he perfected his Faith And so the Scripture was fulfill'd which saith Abraham believed God and 't was imputed For Righteousness and he Gods Friend reputed Thus may you see that by Works ev'ry one Is justify'd and not by Faith alone Thus was the Haâ—lot Râ—hab justify'd By Works when she the Messengers did hide And by another way their feet did guide For as the body 's dead without the Spirit So Faith without Works never can inherit CHAP. III. AFfect not Brethren Superiority As knowing that we shall receive thereby The greater Condemnation in the end For we in many things do all offend Who doth not with his Tongue offend he can Guide his whole Body he 's a perfect Man Behold in Horses mouths we Bridles out To rule and turn their Bodies quite about Behold likewise the Ships which tho' they be Of mighty bulk and thro' the raging Sea Are driv'n by the strength of Winds yet they By a small Helm the Pilot's Will obey Ev'n so the Tongue of Man which tho' it be But a small Member in an high degree It boasts of things Behold we may remark How great a matter 's kindl'd by a spark The Tongue 's a fire a world of ill which plac'd Among the Members often hath disgrac'd All the whole Body firing the whole frame Of Nature and is kindl'd by Hell flame All kinds of Beasts and Birds that can be nam'd Serpents and Fishes are and have been tam'd By Mankind but the Tongue can no Man tame A stubborn Evil full of deadly bane We therewith God the Father bless and we Therewith curse Men made like the Deity Blessing and Cursing from the same Mouth flow These things my Brethren ought not to be so Is any Fountain of so strange a nature At once to send forth sweet and bitter water Can Olives Brethren on a Fig-tree grow Or Figs on Vines No more can water flow From the same Fountain sweet and bitter too He that 's endu'd with wisdom and discretion Amongst you let that Man by the profession Of Meekness wisely give a demonstration Of all his Works from a good Conversation But if your Hearts are full of bitterness And strife boast not nor do the Truth profess This Wisdom is not from above descending But Earthly sensual and to evil tending For where there 's strife and envying there 's confusion And ev'ry evil work in the conclusion But the true Wisdom that is from above Is in the first place pure then full of love Then gentle and intreated easily Next merciful without partiality Full of good fruits without hypocrisie And what is more the fruits of Righteousness Is sown in Peace of them that do make Peace CHAP. IV. FRom whence come Wars and Fights come they not hence Ev'n from th' inordinate concupiscence That in your Members prompts to variance You lust and have not kill and desire to have But ne'ertheless obtain not what you crave With War and fighting ye contend yet have not The things which you desire because you crave not Ye crave but don't receive the reasons just Ye crave amiss to spend it on your Lust. You that live in Adult'ry know not ye The friendship of the World is enmity With God He is God's Enemy therefore That doth the Friendship of the World adore Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vaiâ— The Spirit that lusts to hate doth in you reign But he bestows more Grace wherefore he says God scorns the Proud but doth the Humble raise Unto the Lord therefore submissive be Resist the Devil and he 'll from you flee Draw high to God and he 'll to you draw nigh Make clean your Hands you Sinners purifie Your Hearts you double-minded weep and mourn And be afflicted let your laughter turn To sorrow and your joy to sadness stoop Before the Lord and he will lift you up My Brethren speak not evil of each other He that doth judge and speak ill of his Brother Doth judge and speak ill of the Law therefore If thou dost judge the Law thou art no more A doer of the same but dost assume The Judgment-Seat and art thy self become A Judge thereof There is but one Law-giver That 's able to destroy and to deliver Who then art thou that dost condemn thy Neighbour Go to now you that say To such a place To morrow will we go and for the space Of one whole Year or so will there remain And buy and sell and get great store of Gain Whereas ye know not what a day may do For what 's the Life of Man Ev'n like unto A Vapour which tho' for a while it may Appear it quickly vanisheth away So that ye ought to say If God permit Us life and Health we will accomplish it But now ye glory in your confidence Such glorying is of evil consequence He therefore that doth know and doth not act The thing that 's good doth guilt thereby contract CHAP. XLVI GO to now O ye rich Men howl and cry Because of your approaching misery Your Riches are corrupted and the Moths Have enter'd and have eaten up your Cloaths Your Gold and Silver 's canker'd and the rust Thereof shall be an Evidence that 's just Against you and like fire your flesh devour Against the last days ye have heap'd up store The hire of them that reaped down your Field The which by you is wrongfully witheld Cries and the Voice thereof hath reach'd the Ears Ev'n of the God of Sabbath and he hears Your Lives in pleasure ye on Earth have led And as in days of slaughter nourish'd Your wanton Hearts and have condemn'd and slain The Just and he doth not resist again Be patient therefore Brethren ev'n unto The coming of the Lord behold ev'n so The Husbandman expecteth patiently The precious increase of the Earth to see With patience waiting till he doth obtain The show'rs of early and of later Rain So be ye patient fixing stedfastly Your Hearts for th' coming of the Lord draws nigh Grieve not each other Brethren lest ye bear The condemnation lo the Judge stands near The Prophets Brethren who all heretofore In the Name of the Lord their witness bore Take for Examples in their Sufferings And Patience they that endure such things Ye know are counted blest Have ye not read Of Job how patiently he suffered Have ye not seen in him what 〈◊〉 God's end How he doth pity and great love extend My Brethren but above all things forbear By Heav'n or Earth or otherwise to swear But let your Yea be Yea your Nay be Nay Lest ye become reproveable I say Let him sing Psalms that 's merry he that 's griev'd Let him by Prayer seek to be reliev'd If any of