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46 - Commentary on The Book of Genesis · Commentary on The Book of Genesis

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Chapter forty three, hear the story of Joseph's brethren is carried on and very
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particularly related Numeral one. Their melancholy parting with their father Jacob and Canaan Verses
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one through fourteen, Numeral two, Their pleasant meeting with Joseph in Egypt verse
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fifteen, and so on. For on this occasion nothing occurs there but what
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is agreeable and pleasant. Jacob unwilling to part with Benjamin b. C.
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Seventeen o seven. And the famine was sore in the land, and it
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came to pass when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out
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of Egypt. Their father said, unto them, go again, buy us
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a little food. And Judas spaken to him, saying, the man did
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solemnly protest unto us, saying, ye shall not see my face except your
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brother be with you. If thou wilt send our brother with us, we
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will go down and buy thee food. But if thou wilt not send him,
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we will not go down. For the man said unto us, ye
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shall not see my face except your brother be with you. And Israel said,
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wherefore dealt ye so ill with me as to tell the man whether ye
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had yet a brother, And they said. The man asked us straightly of
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our state and of our kindred, saying, is your father yet alive?
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Have ye another brother? And we told him, according to the tenor of
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these words, could we certainly know that he would say, bring your brother
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down? And Judas said, unto Israel his father, send the lad with
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me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not
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die, both we and thou and also our little ones. I will be
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surety for him of my hands. Shalt thou require him if I bring him
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not unto thee and set and before thee. Then let me bear the blame
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forever, for except we had lingered surely now we had returned this second time
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here Number one, Jacob urges his sons to go and buy more co born
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in Egypt Verses one and two. The famine continued, and the corn they
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had brought was all spent, for it is meat that perisheth. Jacob,
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as a good master of a family, is in care to provide for those
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of his own house food convenient, and shall not God provide for his children
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for the household of faith. Jacob bids him go again and buy little food.
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Now in time of scarcity, a little must suffice, for nature is
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content with a little. Number two, Judah urges him to consent that Benjamin
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should go down with them, how much soever it went against his feelings and
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previous determination. Note it is not at all inconsistent with the honor and duty
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which children owe their parents, humbly and modestly to advise them, and as
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occasion is to reason with them. Plead with your mother, plead Josea too
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too. Subscript one, he insists upon the absolute necessity that they were under
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of bringing Benjamin with them, of which he, who was a witness to
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all that had passed in Egypt, was a more competent judge than Jacob could
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be. Joseph's protestation verse three may be alluded to to show upon what terms
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we must draw a knye to God. Unless we bring Christ along with us
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in the arms of our faith, we cannot see the face of God with
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comfort. Subscript two. He engages to take all possible care of him,
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and to do his utmost for his safety. Verses eight and nine. Judas's
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conscience had lately smitten him for what he had done a great while ago against
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Joseph. Chapter forty three, verse twenty one. And as an evidence of
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the truth of his repentance, he is ready to undertake as far as a
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man could do it for Benjamin's security. He will not only not wrong him,
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but will do all he can to protect him. This is a restitution
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as far as the case was, admit, which he knew not how he
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could restore Joseph. He would make some amends for the irreparable journey he had
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done to him by doubting his care. Concerning Benjamin, Joseph's brethren again send
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to Egypt, and their father Israel said unto them. If it must be
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so, now do this, Take of the best fruits of the land in
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your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm,
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and a little honey, spices and mrh nuts and almonds. And take double
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money in your hand. And the money that was brought again in the mouth
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of your sex, carry it again in your hand. Peradventure, it was
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an oversight. Take also your brother and arise, go again unto the man,
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and God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send
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away your other brother and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children,
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I am bereaved. Observe here numeral one Jacob's persuasibleness. He would be ruled
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by reason, though they were his inferiors that urged it. He saw the
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necessity of the case, and since there was no remedy, he consented to
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yield to the necessity verse eleven. If it must be so, now take
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your brother, if no corn can be had. But upon those terms we
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may as well expose him to the perils of the journey, as suffer ourselves
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and families, And Benjamin, amongst the rest, to perish for want of
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bread, skin for skin, and all that man has, even a Benjamin,
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the dearest of all, will he give for his life, no death
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so dreadful as that by famine Lamentations four nine. Jacob had said, Chapter
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forty three, verse thirty eight, my son shall not go down. But
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now he is over persuaded to consent. Note it is no fault but our
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wisdom and duty to alter our purposes and resolutions where there is a good reason
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for our doing so. Constancy is a virtue, but obstinacy is not.
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It is God's prerogative not to repent and to make unchangeable resolves. Numeral two
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Jacob's prudence and justice, which appeared in Three Things. Number one, he
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sent back the money which they had found in the sax mouths with this discreete
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construction of it, peradventure it was an oversight. Note, honesty obliges us
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to make restitution not only of that which comes to us by our own fault,
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but of that which comes to us by the mistakes of others. Though
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we get it by oversight, if we keep it when the oversight is discovered,
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it is kept by deceit. In the stating of accounts, errors must
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be accepted, even those that make for us, as well as those that
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make against us. Jacob's words furnish us with a favorable construction to put upon
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that which we are tempted to resent as an injury and affront pass it by,
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and say, peradventure it was an oversightight. Number two he sent double
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money as much again as they took the time before, upon supposition that the
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price of corn might have risen, or that if it should be insisted upon,
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they might pay a ransom for Simeon or his prison fees, or to
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show a generous spirit that they might be the more likely to find generous treatment
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with the man the lord of the land. Number three, he set a
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present of such things as the land afforded, and as were scarce in each
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balm and honey, and so forth. Verse eleven. The commodities that Canaan
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exported Chapter thirty seven, Verse twenty five. Note Subscript one. Providence dispenses
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its gifts variously. Some countries produce one commodity, others another, that commerce
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may be preserved. Subscript two. Honey and spice will never make up the
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want of bread corn. The famine was sore and canaan, and yet they
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had balm and mirrh. And so we may live well enough upon plain food
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without dainties, but we cannot live upon Danny's without plain food. Let us
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thank God that that which is most needful and useful is generally most cheap and
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common. Subscript three. A gift in secret pacifies wrath. Proverbs twenty one,
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verse fourteen. Jacob's sons were unjustly accused as spies, Yet Jacob was
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willing to be at the expense of a present to pacify the accuser. Sometimes
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we must not think it too much to buy peace, even where we may
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justly demand it and insist upon it as our right. Numeral three Jacob's piety,
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appearing in his prayer, God Almighty, give you mercy before the man
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Verse fourteen. Jacob had formerly turned an angry brother into a kind one with
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a present and a prayer, And here he betakes himself to the same tried
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method and its bad will. Note those that would find mercy with men must
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seek it of God, who has all hearts in his hands and turns them
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as he pleases. Numeral four Jacob's patience. He concludes all with this.
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If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved. If I must
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part with them thus one after another, I must acquiesce and say the will
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of the Lord be done. Note it is our wisdom to reconcile ourselves to
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the sorest afflictions and make the best of them, for there is nothing God
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by striving with our maker. Second Samuel fifteen, Verses twenty five and twenty
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six. Joseph entertains his brethren, and the men took that present, and
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they took double money in their hand. And Benjamin and rose up and went
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down to Egypt and stood before Joseph. And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them,
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he said to the ruler of his house, bring these men home and
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slay, and make ready, for these men shall dine with me at noon.
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And the man did as Joseph bade. And the man brought the men
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into Joseph's house. And the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph's
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house. And they said, because of the money that was returned in our
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sacks at the first time, are we brought in that he may seek occasion
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against us and fall upon us and take us for bondmen and our asses.
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And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they commune with
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him at the door of the house, and said, oh, sir,
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we came indeed down at the first time to buy food. And it came
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to pass when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks,
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and behold, every man's money was in the mouth of a sack, our
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money and full weight, and we have brought it again in our hand.
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And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food. We
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cannot tell who put our money in our sacks. And he said, peace
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be to you, fear not your God and the God of your father.
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Hath given you treasure in your sex, I had your money. And he
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brought Simeon out unto them. And the man brought the men into Joseph's house
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and gave them water, and they washed their feet, and he gave their
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asses provender. And they made ready. The present against Joseph came at noon,
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for they heard that they should eat bread there. Jacob's sons, having
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got leave to take Benjamin with them, were observant of the orders their father
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had given them, and went down the second time into Egypt to buy corn.
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If we should ever know what a famine of the word means, let
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us not think it much to travel as far for spiritual food as did they
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for corporal food. Now Here we have an account of what passed between them
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and Joseph's steward, who some conjecture was in the secret and knew them to
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be Joseph's brethren, and helped to humor the thing. I rather think not,
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because no man was permitted to be present when Joseph afterwards made himself known
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to them. Chapter forty five, Verse one observed Number one joseph steward had
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orders from his master, who was busy selling corn and receiving money to take
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them to his house and make ready for their entertainment. Though Joseph saw Benjamin
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there, he would not leave his work at working time, nor trust another
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with it. Note business must take place of civility in its season. Our
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needful employments must not be neglected. No, not to pay respects to our
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friends number two. Even this frightened them. They were afraid because they were
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brought into Joseph's house verse eighteen. The just challenges of their own consciences and
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Joseph's violent suspicions of them forbade them to expect any favor, and suggested to
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them that this was done with a bad design upon them. Note those that
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are guilty and timorous are apt to make the worst of everything. Now they
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thought they should be reckoned with about the money and the sack mouths, and
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should be charged as cheats and men not fit to be dealt with, who
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had taken advantage of the hurry of the market to carry off their corn unpaid
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for. They therefore laid the case before the steward that he being apprized of
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it, might stand between them in danger and as a substantial proof of their
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honesty. Before they were charged with taking back their money, they produced it.
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Note integrity and uprightness will preserve us and will clear themselves as the light
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of the morning. Number three, The steward encouraged them. Verse twenty three,
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Peace be to you. Fear not though he knew not what his master
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drove at, yet he was aware of these were men whom he meant no
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harm to while he thus amused them. And therefore he directs them to look
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at the divine providence in the return of their money. Your God and the
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God of your father has given you treasure in your sex observe Subscript one.
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Hereby he shows that he had no suspicion at all of dishonesty in them.
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For of what we get by deceit, we cannot say God gives it to
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us. Sub point two. Hereby he silences their further inquiry about it.
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Ask not how it came thither, Providence brought it to you, and let
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that satisfy you. Subscript three. It appears by what he said, that
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by his good master's instructions, he was brought to the knowledge of the true
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God, the God of the Hebrews. It may justly be expected that those
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who are servants in religious families should take all fit occasions to speak of God
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and his providence with reverence and seriousness. Subscript four. He directs them to
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look up to God and acknowledge his providence in the good bargain they had,
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we must own ourselves indebted to God as our God, and the God God
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of our fathers, a God in covenant with us and them, for all
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our successes and advantages and the kindnesses of our friends. For every creature is
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that to us, and no more which God makes it to be. The
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Steward encouraged them, not only in words, but in deeds, for he
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made very much of them till his master came Verse twenty four. And when
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Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand,
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into the house and bowed themselves to him to the earth. And he asked
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them of their welfare, and said, is your father will, the old
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man of whom you spake, Is he yet alive? And they answered,
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thy servant, our father is in good health. He is yet alive.
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And they bowed down their heads and made obeisance. And he lifted up his
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eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, is
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this your younger brother, of whom you spake unto me? And he said,
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God be gracious unto thee my son. And Joseph made haste, for
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as Bowels did, yearned upon his brother, and he sought where to weep.
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And he entered into his chamber and wept there, and he washed his
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face and went out and refrained himself, and said, set on bread.
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And they set on for himself by himself, and for them by themselves,
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and for the Egyptians, which to eat with him by themselves, because the
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Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination unto
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the Egyptians. And they sat before him, the first born, accorded to
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his birthright, and the youngest accorded to his youth. And the men marveled
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one at another, and he took and sent messes unto them from before him.
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But Benjamin's mess was five times as much as any of theirs. And
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they drank and were merry with him. Here is numero one the great respect
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that Joseph's brethren paid to him. When they brought him the present, they
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bowed themselves before him Verse twenty six. And again when they gave him an
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account of their father's health. They made obeisance and called him thy servant,
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our father verse twenty eight. Thus were Joseph's dreams fulfilled more and more,
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and even the father by the sons bowed before him. According to the Dream
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Chapter thirty seven, verse ten. Probably Jacob had directed them, if they
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had occasion to speak of him to the man, the lord of the land,
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to call him his servant. Numeral two. The great kindness that Joseph
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showed to them, while they little thought it was of brotherly kindness. Here
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is number one his kind inquiry concerning Jacob, is he yet alive? A
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very fit question to be asked concerning any especially concerning old people, For we
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are dying daily. It is strange that we are yet alive. Jacob had
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said many years before, I will go to the grave to my son.
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But he is yet alive. We must not die when we will. Number
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two the kind notice he took of Benjamin, his own brother. Subscript one,
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he put up a prayer for him. God be gracious unto thee my
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son. Verse twenty nine. Joseph's favor, though he was the lord of
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the land, would do him little good unless God were gracious to him.
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Many seek the ruler's favor, but Joseph directs him to seek the favor of
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the ruler of rulers. Subscript two. He shed some tears for him verse
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thirty. His natural affection to his brother, his joy to see him,
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his concern at seeing him and the rest of them in distress for bread,
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and the remembrance of his own griefs since he last saw him, produced a
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great agitation in him, which perhaps was the more uneasy because he endeavored to
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stifle and suppress it. But he was forced to retire into his closet there
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to give vent to his feelings by tears. Note sub point one, tears
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of tenderness and affection are no disparagement at all, even to great and wise
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men. Subscript two. Gracious weepers should not proclaim their tears. My soul
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shall weep in secret, says the prophet Jeremiah thirteen, verse seventeen. Peter
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went out and wept bitterly. See Matthew twenty six, verse seventy five,
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number three, his kind entertainment of them all. When his weeping had subsided,
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so that he could refrain himself, he sat down to dinner. With
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them, treated them nobly, and yet contrived everything to amuse them. Subscript
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one he ordered three tables to be spread, one for his brethren, another
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for the Egyptians that dined with him, for so different were their customs that
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they did not care to eat together. Another for himself, who durst not
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own himself a Hebrew, and yet would not sit with the Egyptians. See
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here and in distance. Sub Point one of hospitality and good housekeeping, which
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are very commendable, according as the ability is. Sub Point two of compliance
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with people's humors, even whimsical ones, as Bishop Patrick calls this of the
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Egyptians not eating with the Hebrews. Though Joseph was the lord of the land
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and orders were given that all people should obey him, yet he would not
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force the Egyptians to eat with the Hebrews against their minds, but let them
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enjoy their humors spirits truly generous hate to impose sub Point three. Of the
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early distance between Jews and Gentiles, one table would not hold them. Subscript
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two. He placed his brethren according to their seniority Verse thirty three, as
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if he could certainly divine. Some think they placed themselves so according to their
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custom. But if so, I see not why such particular notice is taken
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of it, especially as a thing they marveled at. Subscript three. He
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gave them a very plentiful entertainment, sent messes to them from his own table
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Verse thirty four. This was the more generous in him, and the more
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obliging to them, because of the present scarcity of provisions. In a day
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of famine, it is enough to be fed, But here they were feasted.
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Perhaps they had not had such a good dinner for many months. It
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is said they drank and were merry. Their cares and fears were now over,
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and they ate their bread with joy, concluding they were now upon good
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terms with the man, the lord of the land. If God accept our
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works are present, we have reason to be cheerful get when we sit,
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as they here did, to wait with the ruler. We should consider what
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is before us, and not indulge our appetite, nor be desirous of dainties.
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Proverbs twenty three, Verses one through three. Joseph gave them to understand
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that Benjamin was his favorite, for his mess was five times as much as
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any of theirs, not as if he would have him eat so much more
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than the rest, For then he must eat more than would do him good.
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And is no act of friendship, but rather an injury and unkindness to
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press any either to eat or drink to excess. But thus he would testify
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his particular respect for him, that he might try whether his brother would envy
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Benjamin his larger messes, as formerly they had envied himself his finer coat.
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And it must be our rule in such cases to be content with what we
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have, and not to grieve at what others have. End of Chapter forty three.