day and Pharoh had The fift of all their corn except alone The Priests that sold no lands did pay him none And happy Israel who in Goshen dwelt Pleas'd with their new possessions never felt The force of famine nor the plague of want Was known among them nothing there was scant Bread for the man and fodder for the beast Ioseph provided them and they increast For they whom God doth blesse shall multiply In spight of famine or the tyranny O' th' worst oppressors all the harsh commands Of t'other Pharoh nor the heavy hands Of their task-masters nor their loads laid on Could let at all their propagation The hard prest Grape yeelds most and so the fire The greater load of woods it bears the higher The flames ascend as they oreburdned grow Whilst Pharoh's hate doth but his weaknesse show Such care had God then of his Israel Mat. 16 18. Philip. 1 21. As of his Church ' gainst which the gates of Hell Shall not prevayle as death is made a gain To them that die in Christ whose thought is pain To worldlings minds so here this plague befell Losse to the world but gain to Israel Who in their giv'n possessions joy'd and there Old Iacob with his sonnes liv'd sev'nteen yeere So all the days that he on earth had liven By computation sevenscore were and seven But when the time drew neere that he must die Ioseph he call'd and underneath his thigh So Abraham gave the oath his hand did place And said if in thy sight I have found grace Ge. 24.2 Bury me not in Egypt let me sleep Amongst my Fathers bones that who so keep My name or theirs in memory may be Pertakers of the self-same obsequy To this though Ioseph plighted had his troth Yet Iacob bound him further by an oath Those happy counted are in their decease Who to their fathers gather'd were in peace Israel made this appear who did interre None but good Kings in Davids sepulcher So taught by Iacob who in this being Worshipt his God and turn'd him on his bed THE BLESSING OR The eleventh Chapter of Joseph GEN. the 48. The thread of Iacob's life neer spun He blesseth Ioseph and his sonnes Iacob was the second born Ioseph his brethrens hate and scorn Youngest of ten yet was he blest And more beloved then the rest So Ephraim heer the youngest lad The blessings of the right hand had A Greater love those blessings more endears To us which we have purchased with tears Hence comes it women love those children most For whom they felt great'st pain Iacob it cost Many a zealous groan ere he could gain The fruit of Rachels wombe and long again He wayl'd that losse with teares as from the houre Her sonne was borne his love it selfe did showre More upon his than on his brethrens head So for his losse he many tears ha'ing shed For him now found he in an extasie As cloy'd with earthly joy desires to dye The strength of gladnes were the world mine own And I not wish it sure the blisse were none But when the powres of the minde are bent Vpon one hope as 't were the whole content Of mans desire and God shall thinke it fit To grant no joy but heav'n is like to it His wish on earth was oh had Ioseph liven And that wish granted now he wisheth heaven For which he doth prepare his mastred flesh Yeelds to his conquering soule which now afresh Assaults the breach weakenesse and age had made In his fraile body those old wals decaid His spirit 's halfe got forth and doth foresee By faith's cleere eye heav'ns true felicity Where all the fulnesse doth of knowledge dwell With which the Patriarch inspir'd doth tell His childrens following fates and ere he dyes Of all that must betide them prophecies But i' th meane time conceive the news is quick And one brought Ioseph word his Fathers sicke He therefore hastning brings along with him His Sonnes Manasses and young Ephraim Of whom when Iacob heard he rais'd his head Strengthning himselfe and sate upon his bed Where thus to Ioseph he his speech began God did to me appeare in Canaan At Luz and blest me promising increase To me and to my seed whose fruitfulnesse Shall fill the land which for an habitation They shall enjoy and grow a mighty nation As for thy sonnes which were in Aegypt thine Before I came those I doe claime for mine As Ruben are and Symeon they shall be Mine owne thine after issue all from thee Shall take their names and with their brethren share Where they in their possessions setled are When I from Padan came my Rachel dyde With me in Canaan by the high way side 'T was short of Ephrath there I in the way Of Ephrath Bethelem her bones did lay But who are these said Israel for his eyes Were weake and dimme with age Ioseph replyes These are my sonnes with whom God blest me here Then Iacob bade and Ioseph brought them neer For him to blesse them who first with a kisse Then clasping of their bodies close to his Began the blessing In that posture Paul Acts 20.9 Rays'd Eutychus to life who by his fall Was doom'd to sleepe for ever else if there 2 King 13.20 In the dead Prophets bones such vertue were To raise men from their graves what vertue is Then in a living Patriarks holy kisse Or if th' Apostles gave the spirit of grace Where they impos'd their hands sure this imbrace Of a good man some blessing brings along 'T is a more full expression then the tongue Num. 22 Differing as deeds from words Balaam must blesse Against his will desiring nothing lesse But Iacobs blessing for its truth affords Apparant proofes his deeds precede his words Which with Gods mercies he began I thought Nere to have seene thy face but God hath brought Things to my most content and hath decreed I should not onely see thee but thy seed Then Ephraim he preferd his right hand stayd Upon his head the left athwart was laid On t'others let none take offence to heare That Iacob blest his sonnes and crost them there Nor was 't a thing of chance but reade and see He laid his hands acrosse them Vers 14 wittingly Though Ioseph on his knees presents them quite Contrary and Manasses to the right Hand offered first So God ' mongst Iesses sonnes 1 Sam. 16. Chose not for face or faire proportions But what he saw within he understands All hearts and sure he guided Iacobs hands Who thus proceeds in blessing them and said The God from whom your Fathers never straid Abram nor Isack God that me hath fed All my life long till now with daily bread And the good Angell which such care hath had Me to redeeme from evils blesse the lads Be they by mine and Abrams sacred name And Isacks cal'd the blessing of the same Revel 7. As in Iohns vision those that stamped were And
In all his father's passions can't refrain But pays him with as many tears again They breath their souls in sigh's their kisses dry Their moystned cheeks then in an extasie Iacob cryes out prest with his sonnes embrace Now let me die since I have seen thy face And thou art yet alive So holy Paul In heavenly contemplation fil'd with all Those joyes his faith presented him desires Philip 1.23 To be dissolv'd his soule to Heav'n aspires Or would before its time but that kept in It cannot for the fleshly walls of sin From whence he prayes for freedom Iacobs thought Rom. 7.24 Gen. 28.12 From earth to heaven sure like his ladder wrought As t were made mindfull by this happinesse Of what unspeakable delights do blesse Good soules departed he with Paul doth cry Transported with his joy now let me die T was a good wish he when what most on earth Might glad his soule and make him wish new birth To live another age befell doth crave A peaceable departure to his grave Whence learn no blessing may on earth be given But a good man hath better hopes in heaven Ioseph whose passions could not else be orecome Turns from his Father to his brethen whom He thus bespake I will to Pharoh go To whom my fathers comming I will show And yours I 'le tell him that ye shepheards are Men that have ben train'd up to have the care Of Flocks and Heards which ye along have brought To save from famine if he aske you ought When ye before him come be my words made The same thus shall ye say thy servants trade Hath been 'bout cattell from our youth till now Ours and our Fathers so shall he endow You with the Land of Goshen a good place Free to your selves and to your flocks to graze Without disturbance yours shall be alone The land for an abhomination Your trade is to th' Egyptians so shall ye Have to your selves the fruitfull Goshen free THE PVRCHACE OR The tenth Chapter of Joseph GEN. 47. By his Favourites endearement Pharoh welcome and preferment Gave to Iacob and his sonnes To them their wives and little ones He doth the land of Goshen give There with their Flocks and Heards to live They onely of the famine stand Fearlesse whil'st th' Egyptians land Cattle and ev'ry pretious thing Ioseph purchas'd for the King Except o' th Priests whom he allowd A daily competence of food IMagine Ioseph hath by this time told His Fathers comming to the King behold My Brethren with their flocks and the old man Our Father are come downe from Canaan Driv'n thence by famine late they did arrive In fruitfull Goshen here of them are five Then to the King he brought his brethren on Who questions them their occupation As Ioseph taught them they their answer made We Shepheards are ' thath bin our Fathers trade Time out of minde encourag'd by the soyle Which like to Eden Garden without toyle Yeelded content and plenty but distrest With famine now seems cursed as the rest Of the whole earth for our first Parents sinne 'T is thou alone art happy that within Thy realmes men onely of Gods mercies sing Psalmes and not Lamentations Let O King His goodnesse teach thee pitty us whil'st we Thy servants and thy subjects crave to be We are come downe to sojourne in thy land Humbly desiring thou wilt give command We may in Goshen live The King replyes Ioseph thy Father is come downe thine eyes Behold the land see where thou find'st the best There let thy Father and thy brethren rest Let them in Goshen dwell and if there be Amongst them any whose activity Surmounts their fellows skilfull in their trade Let them be rulers o're my cattell made At first sight good encouragement they heard Not onely being admitted but prefer'd For Iosephs sake who now his Father brought And set him before Pharoh so we ought When God doth blesse us thankfull hearts to bring And blesse again as Iacob blest the King Who tooke good notice of him it appears By his demands he questions him his years To whom thus Iacob in whose sober eye Did reverence appeare and gravity The dayes and yeares of this my pilgrimage A hundred are and thirty a short age Compar'd to that my Fathers lived in But few and evill all my dayes have bin He first was sensible how life began Gen. 6.3 To shorten since God left to strive with man For he the first of all to me appears Complaining for the fewnesse of his yeares How should we scan our lives if Iacob doe Confesse his dayes but short and evill too Whom God chose in the womb who by his mother The blessing gate and birth-right from his brother Whom God so oft confer'd with who did stand On his lam'd legge and with a clasped hand Graspt't God himselfe and wrastling overcame Winning the prize a blessing and a * Israell name If he found ill in his dayes how shall we Lift up eyes most gratious God to thee Yet thou like Pharoh us that strangers are Nay worse thine enemies dost not onely spare Succour and cherish but promot'st us high To crowne and Kingdomes of eternity Grant then O God that for thy mercy we May ever more continue praysing thee As holy Iacob with a loyall heart Did blessing Pharoh till he did depart Out of his presence and with Ioseph went Who'cording to the Kings commandement Gave him and his the best part to possesse Of Egypt ev'n the Land of Ramases Where them he plentifully stor'd and fed According to their families with bread Which every where was scarce in Egypt and Canaan that milk and hony flowing land The famine rageth sore still Pharoh blest In Iosesph is the treasury increast And where but titulary Kings the throne Held heretofore Egypt is Pharohs own For yet the famine lasting and the soyle Ingratefull to the painfull husbands toyle Whilst slymy Nilus could not make it bear Their purses empty as their bellies were Coyn was as scarce as corn when wanting gold For food their horses and their herds they sold Which in one consum'd to Pharoh's hands Being masters now of nothing else their lands And their poor selves they do as bondmen yeild And every man for corn doth sell his field Till Egypt all was Pharohs they forsake Their Country-houses and themselves betake To dwell in Cities save the Priests alone To whom the Kings assign'd a portion They therefore sold no lands then Ioseph gave Others their ground and seed but the fift thrave To Pharoh's use reserv'd and this did bring Thanks from the subject profit to the King Thus the Almighty doth his servants blesse Giving to all their works a good successe Ioseph's the King's right hand the people they As much in admiration of him say T is thou hast sav'd our lives now let us find Grace in thy sight my Lord so shalt thou bind Vs Pharohs servants then a Law was made By Ioseph to this
chears Their heavy spirits all their rage Forgot in peace and full of age In Egypt he lamented dies And there embalm'd and coffind lies IAcob his Fathers imitates in death And in a blessing spent his latest breath Sure good cōmission for 't from God was given For he no sooner ended but to Heaven His soule was carried as if that the last Were of his businesse here on earth which past He leaves it having then no more to do And on his journey forwards sets when lo As the Ephesians loath to part with Paul Acts 20.28 To the ship sides with grief they brought him all So Iacob's sonnes their spirits overcome With sorrow left a while their earthly home And as men struck with the same fate they lay As dead as he they sure brought on his way Their fathers soul towards heav'n for long 't was e're Ioseph recovered strength to shed a tear Lumpish as lead i' th' fire which melted powres And flowes about he lay but now he showres His dead trance broken on his Fathers face A floud of tears then with a sad embrace He escaps his grief such streams of sorrows fall As if his moysture were dissolved all Into his eyes then with a pious kisse Strives to supply the breathlesse trunk with his Which he in sighing vents but seeing his breath Vain as his wishes to recall from death To the Physicians he converts it whom To fit the body for a forreign tomb He gives command that they embalm it well So they perform'd their charge on Israell Then after forty dayes were fully past So long the dayes of men embalmed last The lamentation for him sure was sore Th' Egyptians they bewayle him seventy more But when the times of mourning ended were And Ceremoniall rites he drawing nere To Pharohs house requests if I have found Grace in your sight 's thus tell him Ioseph's bound To 's father by an oath he may be laid i th' sepulcher he for himselfe had made In Canaan Let me therefore go I pray According to my vow that I may lay My father in his grave I shall remayn But few dayes absent e're I come again Pharoh that never any suit deny'de His Favourite Ioseph moved for thus replyde Go up in peace thou hast free leave and there Bury thy father as he made thee sweare So Ioseph with the servants of the King Went with his fathers coarse with tears they bring Him to his grave the Elders of the Land And of the Court his house his brethren and His fathers house behind they left alone Their sheep their cattell and their little ones As from some Town fire or the hand of fate Hath clean demolish't and made desolate The grieved Citizens march to forsake Her ruin'd walls such lamentations make The sad Egyptians and their tears let fall As had old Iacob father been to all Fierce is the battle when the dreadfull sound Of groans and shreeks of men departing drown'd The Drum and Trumpet such the wofull voice Of the sad mourners overcame the noise Of all the Chariot wheels the trampling steeds Though they were many such sound proceeds From their high spokē griefs men scarce could hear Tears fild their eyes their cryes fild ev'ry ear Their cryes were strong and lowd enought t' have given A summons back from any place but heaven Or the deep pit of Hell where shreeks and howles Are lowder of the there tormented soules In Goren Arad deafnesse strikes their ears Wonder their eyes to see salt showres of tears Adde streams to Iordan which seven days oreflow'd With Ioseph's mourning whilst he there aboad The Cananites and dwellers round about Take pitious notice of it such a shout Of sorrow nere was heard there therefore they Thence nam'd it Abel Misraim to this day So the performance answer d his command His sonnes have carried him into the land Of Canaan and there laid him in the Vault Of Machpelah which with the field was bought By Abraham of the Hittite Ephron all Intended for a place of buriall And now a new having hallowed the Cave Adding the sacred body to the grave Of his forefathers they tow'rds Egypt hye Ioseph his brethren and his company One mischief seldome comes alone the losse Of Iacob to his sonnes hath yet a crosse Adds terour to their grief should Ioseph be Mindfull of their old grudge and misery He had sustain'd and now the mourning days For their dead Father ended he might rayse His spirit to revenge but that fears done They find him Israels not rough Esau's sonne For when they joyntly had advis'd and sent To Ioseph an attoning complement In Iacobs honour'd name this do we say By his command'ment now forgive I pray The trespasse of thy brethren and their sinne Wherby thou hast so ill rewarded bin The servants of thy Fathers God we are Forgive our trespasse then we pray thee spare Further entreaties answer'd he in tears Seeking to drown or wash away their fears When altogether they thus speaking kneel'd We are thy servants use us thou wilt To whom thus Ioseph fear not makes reply Not so w' are all Gods servants am not I Vnder him too and when yee sought my blood Did not he then convert it all to good That he as 't is this day might it contrive And I much people might preserve alive Fear nothing then these words his tears assures I will a comfort be to you and yours And so prevail'd these speeche's that they gate His love now firmer then their former hate How blest a sight when brethren thus agree A happy change ends Iosephs Comedy This makes a peacefull exit true content Crowns their remayning days in Egypt spent No more tormented now with griefs or fears Till Ioseph having liv'd an hundred years And ten perceiving that the time drew nigh Calling his brethren told them he must die His sonnes were present Ephraims seed he sees Vnto the third descent and on the knees Manasses grandchild holds a joy to blesse A Patriarch party to Gods promises He kept Gods secrets living now he dyes Which leave make some known he prophecies God will his brethren visit and recall Them from this place to that land wherewithall To Abraham and to Isack heretofore And Iacob he to blesse their of-spring swore This said he ministred his Fathers oath Vnto his children and gave charge to both He might be buried by his Fathers side An hundred then and ten yeers old he dy'de So much bewail'd that my unskilfull pen Might by their griefes inspir'd force tears from men Of this last age whose flinty hearts deny Should all the world themselves excepted dye To weep unlesse for want of company Should they but witnesse here what showrs were spent Rivers of melted sorrowes to lament This Hearse as when black clowds threat drops of raine Strong sympathy from stony wals doth draigne Distilling moysture all those weeping eyes Would force from their hard hearts like pitty rise Should they but heare their waylings as they went To Canaan with his bones but what was meant Here for a Comicke story lest that I By this relation make a tragedy Embalm'd in Egypt I shall let him rest Fitted with costly odour for his Chest FINIS
he Did serve them both and bare them company There they continued till some days were past Impatient with their durance both at last With froward vexing they out weare the light And in unquiet slumbers spend the night Untill as wearied both a nap they take Each with a severall dream i'th'morne doth wake When Joseph early comming to salute His charge he finds them sullen both and mute Sure mans eternall soul hath here some sence As other spirits oth'pleniscience Which unto them hereafter shall be given Their fleshly drosse being purg'd away in heav'n And did not our grosse bodies it deny Undoubtedly each man might prophecy Whilst our dull carcasses are charm'd with sleep Still as in death our soul his watch doth keep No outward objects interpose to hale Included fancy forth the naturall Thoughts of our souls presented then we finde And dream the fears or wishes of our minde The knowing soul then privy to th'entent Of following fate discover would th' event To th'corps and wanting pow'r to do 't at full Speaks in the language of an oracle With which the body waking from his trance Is more afflicted then with ignorance So 't was with these who understood the news Mat. 13.14 Their dreaming fancies brought them as the Jews Christs parables and no more then th'Eunuch did Esay's misterious prophecy as he rid Before hee met with Philip Act. 8.30 this did vexe Their troubled sences and so much perplexe Their mind with doubts as should a pardon come To one condemn'd he might misdoubt his doome And sentence in it till it were unseal'd And the glad news with the contents reveal'd Such were their fears they always us'd to be A little cheer'd with Joseph's company But now when he his morning wishes had Giv'n still he finds them discontent and sad Their pale aspects which with an o're clowded brow And wrinckled forhead made them seem as though Th'unpleasing fancies not with sleep forsaking Their troubled thoughts still wrought upon thē waking Such was wretch't Hamans face Hest 6. when he descride The strange catastrophe of all his pride So look't Caldeas King Dan. 5. when midst of all His jollity he spide upon the wall The characters unknown the dreadfull hand Which all the sages could not understand So pensive were these prisoners till some pause Past Joseph silence breaks and asks the cause What mean these heavy looks they both reply Yong man t is more then our lost liberty That now afflicts us we have each this night Dreampt severall dreams and here is none that might Discose the hidden meaning or make knowne To us the right interpretation Perchance they may devine some good event Some ease or end of our imprisonment Be not dismaid replide the holy youth Come not such secrets from the God of truth Cheer up your down-cast hearts and you shall see God makes his servants wise pray tell them me To whom the Butler as a good portent Of 's lucky fancy and the good it meant First clears his clouded face and taking heart He thus to Joseph doth his dream impart The Butlers dreame Me thought my fancy gave unto my sight A fruitfull vine which spread it self forth right Into three branches on whose boughs appeare The three most pleasant seasons of the yeare It springs and buds and then it blossoms bore At last with ripn'd grapes all clustred ore I gather'd some which as I then did think I crush't in Pharaohs cup and gave him drink To whom good Joseph being loath to hide Such welcome news from him thus replide interpreted The fruitfull branches that were spread three ways By their interpretation are three days Let not those houres seem tedious which being spent Are the last days of thy imprisonment The King shall lift thine head and shall restore Thee then to fill his cup as heretofore But when as I foretell you finde it so Remember Joseph and some kindnesse show Mention my name to Pharoh free me hence And my good tydings have full recompence I from the Hebrew land was stoln a childe Nor hath my youth committed ought so vilde As to deserve the rigor that thus stays Me here to languish out my best of days In obscure lazinesse with so small scope Able to breake the very heart of hope All that my worst accuser e're could lay Vnto my charge I once did disobey My Masters wife in a command that went Against my conscience and was therefore sent Here where you see me 't was no other fault That damn'd me to this melancholy vault Where were that axiom true that some doe hold Griefe makes men gray I had ere this grown old Now as you finde my truth remember me By the prediction of your liberty Your dreame expounded I have clear'd your doubt But dreame not when I shall my selfe come out Vnlesse your kinde remembrance quit me well By giving me what I to you foretell The Butler like a Courtier promis'd where Sad Ioseph makes his period with a teare By this the Baker having understood To'thers interpretation was good Rous'd up himselfe and herewith comforted The Bakers dreame interpreted Thus told his dreame behold upon my head Were three white baskets th'uppermost me thought With all choyce kindes of Pharoh's bake-meats fraught Where loe the birds that round about me fled Did cat them out o' th basket on my head To whom thus Ioseph loathing with delays Worse to torment him telleth that three dayes His three white baskets are whose short time spent Thou shalt be free from thy imprisonment And then an end of all thy cares shalt make Then shall the King thine head from off thee take And cause thee to be hang'd upon a tree And birds shall eat thy flesh from off of thee Thus Ioseph ends whil'st they with hope and feare True picture of those different passions were Nor will I otherwise describe their station But each was like his dreames interpretation Th' one full of hope the other of despaire But all proves true as Ioseph did declare For the third following morne it came to passe That Pharoh's birth day then solemniz'd was Mirth and the voyce of joy the heavens invade Whilst he feast for all his servants made To which the prisoners call'd he lifts their head The one 's restor'd the t'other punished With shame and verifying Iosephs words Hang'd and his flesh devoured by the birds Meane while th' advanced Butler too ingrate Forgets poore Ioseph and his wretched state Courtiers have busie heads the breath of Kings Takes from them cleane the sense of meaner things Th'have other thoughts to thinke on then to know Friends low in state when their high fortunes flow Th'have all faire language and that 's freely spent Their promise too is but a complement No strangers businesse in their heads can stand Without some memorandums in their hand But pardon me you noble soules that be Attendants fit for sacred Majesty Men farre above my Muse