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42 - Commentary on The Book of Genesis · Sacred Texts Archive

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Chapter thirty nine. At this chapter we returned to the story of Joseph.
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We have him here Roman I, a servant, a slave in Potiphar's house
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verse one, and yet there greatly honored and favored one, by the providence
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of God, which made him in effect a master Verses two to six.
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Two, by the grace of God which made him more than a conqueror over
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a strong temptation to uncleanness Verses seven to twelve. Roman two. We have
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him here a sufferer, falsely accused Verses thirteen to eighteen, imprisoned Verses nineteen
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twenty. And yet his imprisonment made both honorable and comfortable by the tokens of
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God's special presence with him Verses twenty one to twenty three. And herein Joseph
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was a type of Christ, who took upon him the form of a servant,
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and yet then did that which made it evident that God was with him,
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who was tempted by Satan. But overcame the temptation, who was falsely
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accused and bound, and yet had all things committed to his hand. The
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History of Joseph b c. Seven twenty one, Verses one to six.
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And Joseph was brought down to Egypt, and Potifar and officer of Pharaoh,
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captain of the Guard, an Egyptian, bought him out of the hands of
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the Ishmaelites, which had brought him down thither. And the Lord was with
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Joseph, and he was a prosperous man, and he was in the house
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of his master, the Egyptian, and his master saw that the Lord was
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with him. And though the Lord made all that he did to prosper in
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his hand, and Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him,
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and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had
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he put into his hand. And it came to pass from that time that
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he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had. That
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the Lord blessed the Egyptian house for Joseph's sake. And the blessing of the
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Lord was upon all that he had in the house and in the field.
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And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand, and he knew not
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aught he had, save the bread, which he did eat. And Joseph
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was a goodly person and well favored. Here is one Joseph bought verse one,
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and he that bought him. Whatever he gave for him had a good
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bargain of him. It was better than the merchandise of silver. The Jews
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have a proverb, if the world did but know the worth of good men,
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they would hedge them about with pearls. He was sold to an officer
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of Pharaoh, with whom he might get acquainted with public persons in public business,
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and so be fitted for the preferment for which he was designed. Note
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One, what God intends men for, he will be sure somewhere another to
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qualify them. For two, Providence is to be acknowledged in the disposal of
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even poor servants and in their settlements, and therein may perhaps be working towards
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something great and important. Two. Joseph blessed wonderfully blest even in the house
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of his servitude. One God prospers him Verses two and three. Perhaps the
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affairs of Potiphar's family had remarkably gone backward before, but upon Joseph's coming into
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it, a discernible turn was given to them, and the face and posture
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of them altered on a sudden. Though at first we may suppose that his
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hand was put to the meanest services even in those appeared his ingenuity and industry.
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A particular blessing of heaven attended him, which, as he rose in
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his employment, became more and more discernible. Note peren one. Those that
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have wisdom and grace have that which cannot be taken away from them, whatever
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else they are robbed of. Joseph's brethren had stripped him of his coat of
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many colors, but they could not strip him of his virtue and prudence.
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Perenn too. Those that can set rate us from all our friends, yet
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cannot deprive us of the gracious presence of our God. When Joseph had none
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of all his relations with him, he had his God with him. Even
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in the house of the Egyptian Joseph was separated from his brethren, but not
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from his God, banished from his father's house, but the Lord was with
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him and comforted him. Paren three. It is God's presence with us that
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makes all we do prosperous. Those that would prosper must therefore make God their
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friend, and those that do prosper must therefore give God the praise. Two.
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His master preferred him by degrees made him steward of his household. Verse
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four. Note peren one industry and honesty are the surest and safest way both
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of rising and thriving. Seest Thou a man prudent and faithful, and diligent
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in his business, he shall stand before kings at length, and not always
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before mean men. Perend two. It is the wisdom of those that are
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in any sort of authority to countenance and employ those with whom it appears that
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the presence of God is some one hundred and one. Verse six. Potiphar
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knew what he did when he put all into the hands of Joseph, for
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he knew it would prosper better there than in his own hand. Peren three.
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He that is faithful in a few things stand fair for being made ruler
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over many things. Matthew, Chapter twenty five, Verse twenty one. Christ
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goes by this rule with his servants. Peren four. It is a great
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ease to a master to have those employed under him that are trustworthy. Potiphar
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was so well satisfied with Joseph's conduct that he knew aught he had, save
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the bread which he did eat. Verse six. The servant had all the
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care and trouble of the estate. The master had only the enjoyment of it.
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An example, not to be imitated by any master, unless he could
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be sure that he had one in all respects, like Joseph for a servant.
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Three, God favored his master for his sake. Verse five. He
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blessed the Egyptian's house, though he was an Egyptian, a stranger to the
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true God, for Joseph's sake. And he himself, like Laban, soon
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learned it by experience. Chapter thirty, verse twenty seven. Note peren.
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One. Good men are the blessings of the places where they live. Even
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good servants may be so, though mean and lightly esteemed. Perene. Two.
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The prosperity of the wicked is one way or other for the sake of
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the godly. Here was a wicked family blessed for the sake of one good
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servant in it verses seven to twelve. And it came to pass after these
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things that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, and she said,
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lie with me. But he refused, and said, unto his master's wife.
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Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house.
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He hath committed all that he hath to my hand. There is none greater
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in this house than I, neither hath he kept back anything from me but
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thee because thou art his wife? How then can I do this great wickedness
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and sin against God? And it came to pass, as she spake to
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Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her to lie by her
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or to be with her. And it came to pass about this time that
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Joseph went into the house to do his business, and there was none of
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the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment,
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saying, lie with me. And he left his garment in her hand,
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and fled and got him out. Here is Roman one a most shameful
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instance of impudence and immodesty in Joseph's mistress, the shame and scandal of her
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sex, perfectly lost to all virtue and honor, and not to be mentioned
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nor thought of without the utmost indignation. It was well that she was an
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Egyptian, for we must have shared in the confusion if such folly had been
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found in Israel. Observe one. Her sin began in the eye. She
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cast her eyes upon Joseph verse seven, who was a goodly person and well
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favored Verse six. Note Perenne one remarkable beauty, either of men or women,
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often proves a dangerous snare, both to themselves and others, which forbids
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pride in it and commands constant watchfulness against the temptation that attends it. Favor
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is deceitful, deceiving Parene two. We have great need to make a covenant
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with our eyes Job Chapter thirty one, verse one, lest the eye infect
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the heart. Joseph's mistress had a husband that ought to have been to her
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for a covering of the eyes from all others. Chapter twenty, verse sixteen
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two. She was daring and shameless in the sin, with an impudent face
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and a harlot's forehead. She said, lie with me, having already by
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her wanton looks and unchaste desires, committed adultery with him in her heart.
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Note. Where the unclean spirit gets possession and dominion in a soul, it
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is as with the possessed of the devils. Luke, Chapter eight, Verses
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twenty seven and twenty nine. The clothes of modesty are thrown off, and
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the bands and fetters of shame are broken in pieces. When lust has got
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head, it will stick at nothing, blush at nothing. Decency and reputation
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and conscience are all sacrificed to the Baal pure three. She was urgent and
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violent in the temptation. Often she had been denied with the strongest reasons,
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and yet as often renewed her vile solicitations. She spoke to him day by
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day Verse ten. Now this was foreren One great wickedness in her, and
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showed her heart fully set to do evil. Peren too, a great temptation
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to Joseph, the hand of Satan. No doubt was in it, who,
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when he found he could not overcome him with troubles and the frowns of
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the world, for in them he still feld fast his integrity, assaulted him
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with soft and charming pleasures, which have ruined more than the former, and
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have slain their ten thousands roman Io. Here is a most illustrious instance of
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virtue and resolved chastity in Joseph, who, by the grace of God was
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enabled to resist and overcome this temptation, and all things considered, his escape
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was for aught. I know as great an instance of the divine power as
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the deliverance of the three children out of the fiery furnace one the temptation he
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was assaulted with was very strong. Never was a more violent onset made on
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the ford of chastity than this recorded here Pern one. The sin he was
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tempted to was uncleanness, which, considering his youth, his beauty, his
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single state, and his plentiful living at the table of a ruler, was
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a sin which one would think, might most easily beset him and betray him.
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Two. The tempter was his mistress, a person of quality whom it
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was his place to obey and his interest to oblige, whose favor would contribute
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more than anything to his preferment, and by whose means he might arrive at
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the highest honors of the court. On the other hand, it was at
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his utmost peril if he slighted her and made her his enemy. Peren Three.
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Opportunity makes a thief, makes an adulterer, and that favored the temptation.
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The tempter was in the house with him. His business led him to
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be without any suspicion where she was. None of the family were within Verse
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eleven, there appeared no danger of its ever being discovered, or if it
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should be suspected, his mistress would protect him. Peren four. To all
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this was added importunity, frequent, constant importunity, to such degree that at
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last she laid violent hands on him. Two. His resistance of the temptation
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was very brave, and the victory truly honorable. The almighty grace of God
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enabled him to overcome this assault of the enemy Parene one by strength of reason,
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And wherever right reason may be heard, religion no doubt, will carry
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the day. He argues, from the respect he owed both to God and
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his Master Verses eight and nine. Sub one, he would not wrong his
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Master, nor do such an irreparable injury to his honor. He considers and
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urges, how kind his Master have been to him, what a confidence he
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had reposed in him, in how many instances he had befriended him, for
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which he abhorred the thought of making such an ungrateful return. Note we are
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bound in honor, as well as justice and gratitude, not in anything to
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injure those that have a good opinion of us and place a trust in us,
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how secretly soever it may be done. See how he argues verse nine,
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there is none greater in this house than I. Therefore I will not
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do it. Note those that are great, instead of being proud of their
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greatness should use it as an argument against sin. Is none greater than I,
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then I will scorn to do a wicked thing. It is below me
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to serve a base lust. I will not disparage myself so much. Sub
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Two, He would not offend his God. This is the chief argument with
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which he strengthens his aversions to the sin. How can I do this?
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Not only how shall I? Or how dare I? But how can I?
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I possumas quad juree possumas we can do that which we can do lawfully.
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It is good to shut out sin with the strongest bar, even that
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of an impossibility. He that is born of God cannot sin. First John
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chapter three, verse nine. Three arguments, Joseph urges upon himself. First,
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he considers who he was that was tempted. I others perhaps may take
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their liberty, but I cannot. I that am an Israelite in covenant with
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God, that profess religion and relation to him. It is next to impossible
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for me to do so. Secondly, what the sin was to which he
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was tempted? This great wickedness. Others might look upon it as a small
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matter, a pecadillo, a trick of youth. But Joseph had another idea
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of it. In general, when at any time we are tempted to sin,
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we must consider the great wickedness there is in it. Let sin appear
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sin Romans, Chapter seven, verse thirteen, call it by its own name,
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and never go about to lessen it. Particularly, Let the sin of
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uncleanness always be looked upon as great wickedness and as exceedingly sinful, sin that
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wars against the soul as much as any other. Thirdly, against whom he
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was tempted to sin against God. Not only how shall I do it?
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And sin against my Master, my mistress, myself, my own body and
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soul, but against God. Note gracious souls look upon this as the worst
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thing in sin, that it is against God, against his nature and his
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dominion, against his love and his design. Those that love God do for
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this reason hate sin paren too. By steadfast resolution, the grace of God
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enabled him to overcome the temptation by avoiding the tempter. Sub one, he
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hearkened not to her so much as to be with her. Verse ten.
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Note those that would be kept from harm must keep themselves out of harm's way,
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avoid it, pass not by it, nay. Sub two when she
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laid hold of him, he left his garment in her hand verse twelve.
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He would not stay so much as to parley with the temptation, but flew
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out from it with the utmost abhorrence. He left his garment as one escaping
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for his life. Note it is better to lose a good coat than a
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good conscience Verses thirteen to eighteen. And it came to pass when she saw
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that he had left his garment in her hand and fled forth. That she
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called unto the men of the house, and spaken to them, saying,
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see, he hath brought in a Hebrew unto us to mock us. He
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came in unto me to lie with me, And I cried with a loud
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voice. And it came to pass when he heard that I lifted up my
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voice and cried that he left his garment with me, and fled and got
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him out, And she laid up his garment by her until his lord came
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home, and she spake unto him according to these words, saying, the
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Hebrew servant which thou hast brought unto us, came unto me to mock me.
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And it came to pass as I lifted up my voice and cried that
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he left his garment with me and fled out. Joseph's mistress, having tried
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in vain to make him a criminal, now endeavors to represent him as one,
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so to be revenged on him for his virtue. Now was her love
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turned into the utmost rage and malice, And she pretends she cannot endure the
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sight of him, whom a while ago she could not endure out of her
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sight. Chaste and holy love will continue, though slighted, but sinful love,
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like amnons to Tamar, is easily changed into sinful hatred. One she
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accused him to his fellow servants Verses thirteen to fifteen, and gave him a
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bad name among them. Probably they envied him his interest in their master's favor
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and his authority in the house, and perhaps found themselves aggrieved sometimes by his
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fidelity, which prevented their poor lorning. And therefore they were glad to hear
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anything that might tend to his disgrace, and, if there was room for
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it, incensed their mistress yet more against him. Observe, when she speaks
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of her husband, she does not call him her husband or my lord,
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but only he, For she had forgotten the covenant of her God that was
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betwixt them. Thus, the adulteress Proverbs, chapter seven, verse nineteen,
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calls her husband the good man. Note innocence itself cannot secure a man's reputation.
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Every One that keeps a good conscience can keep a good name. She
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accused him to his master, who had power in his hand to punish him,
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which his fellow servants had not Verses seventeen eighteen. Observe perenn one.
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What an improbable story she tells, producing his garment as an evidence that he
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had offered violence to her, which was a plain indication that she had offered
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violence to him. Note those that have broken the bonds of modesty will never
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be held by the bonds of truth. No marvel that she, who had
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impudence enough to say, lie with me, had front enough to say he
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would have lain with me. Had the lie been told to conceal her own
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crime, it would have been bad enough, yet in some degree excusable.
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But it was told to be revenged upon his virtue, a most malicious lie.
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And yet peren too, she manages it so as to incense her husband
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against him, reflecting upon him for bringing this Hebrew servant among them, perhaps
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at first against her mind, because he was a Hebrew. Note, it
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is no new thing for the best of men to be falsely accused of the
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worst of crimes by those who themselves are the worst of criminals. As this
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matter was represented, one would have thought chaste Joseph was a very bad man,
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and whose wanton mistress a virtuous woman. It is well that there is
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a day of discovery coming, in which all shall appear in their true characters.
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This was not the first time that Joseph's coat was made use of as
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a false witness concerning him. His father had been deceived by it before now
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his master Verses nineteen to twenty three. And it came to pass when his
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master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying,
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after this manner did thy servant to me, that his wrath was kindled.
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And Joseph's master took him and put him into prison, a place where
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the king's prisoners were bound. And he was there in prison, But the
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Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy and gave him in favor. In
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the sight of the keeper of the prison, and the keeper of the prison
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committed to Joseph's hand. All the prisoners that were in the prison, and
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whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of
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the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand, because the Lord
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was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to
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prosper. Here is one Joseph wronged by his master. He believed the accusation,
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and either Joseph durst not make his defense by telling the truth, as
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it would reflect too much upon his mistress, or his master would not hear
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it or would not believe it. And there is no remedy. He is
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condemned to perpetual imprisonment Verses nineteen twenty. God restrained his wrath, else he
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had put him to death, and that wrath which imprisoned him God made to
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turn to his praise, in order to which Providence so disposed that he should
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be shut up among the king's prisoners, the state prisoners Potiphar. It is
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likely chose that prison because it was the worst, for there the iron entered
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into the soul p. One hundred five, verse eighteen. But God designed
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to pave the way to his enlargement. He was committed to the King's prison,
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that he might thence be preferred to the King's person. Note many,
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an action of false imprisonment will in the great day be found to lie against
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the enemies and persecutors of God's people. Our Lord Jesus, like Joseph here
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was bound and numbered with the transgressors. Two. Joseph owned and writed by
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his God, who is and will be the just and powerful patron of oppressed
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innocence. Joseph was at a distance from all his friends and relations, had
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not them with him to comfort him, or to minister to him, or
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to mediate for him. But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy
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verse twenty one. Note peren one. God despises not his prisoners, Psalm
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sixty nine, verse thirty three. No gates nor can shut out his gracious
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presence from his people, for he has promised that he will never leave them
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paren too. Those that have a good conscience in a prison have a good
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God. There, integrity and uprightness qualify us for the defined favor wherever we
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are. Joseph is not long a prisoner before he becomes a little ruler,
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even in the prison, which is to be attributed under God. Sub one
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to the keeper's favor. God gave him favor in the sight of the keeper
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the prison. Note God can raise up friends for his people even where they
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little expect to find them, and can make them to be pitied even of
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those that carry them captive. P. One hundred and six, Verse forty
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six. Sub two to Joseph's fitness for business. The keeper saw that God
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was with him and that everything prospered under his hand, and therefore entrusted him
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with the management of the affairs of the prison. Verses twenty two and twenty
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three. Note wisdom and virtue will shine in the near perist spheres. A
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good man will do good wherever he is, and will be a blessing even
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in bond's and banishment, for the spirit of the Lord is not bound nor
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banished, Witness Saint Paul Philippians, Chapter one, Verses twelve and thirteen.
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End of chapter thirty nine.