THE successe of things, and event of counsels is in the hand of God: for the way of man (saith the Pro­phet Ieremy) [...] is not in his own pow­er, Ierem. 10. neither lies it in man to direct his owne steps. The evidence of which positiue, and measur'd truth is in none descri'd more fullie, then in this Stan­dard of examples, blessed Ioseph, the Prolocutor in my text. Not to wander in a Labyrinth, or maze of circum­locution, but a short tale to make, and that vndoubtedly true; Iacob, as yee all know, had twelue sonnes, of whom it befell, that as in his flock there were some black, some white, so among his children some good, some bad. Io­seph was the yong'st saue one, and the onely respe­cted of his father, either for the loue he bare to his mo­ther Rachell, or rather because Iacob begot him in his old [Page 2]age. For children then begotten, are commonly best belou'd of their Parents, in that they make them seeme young againe. Whether for these, or other reasons, certaine it is, the superlatiue loue of the father procur'd an vnparallel'd envie in the brethren. For they stript him of his coate, cast him into a pit, and sold him into Egypt for a slaue. So soone as he was brought into E­gypt, he was brought as it were sub hastâ, and sold the se­cond time to Potiphar. Here the wittie malice of his Mistresse cast him into the dungeon, and laid him in the stockes, vntill the yron entered into his soule. But in processe of time (as God would haue it) the Prince of the people freed him from his bonds, and rais'd him to such a height of honour, as that without Ioseph no man could lift vp his hand, or so much as wagge his foote throughout all Egypt. Being in this state, and authority, the Allmightie cals every where a dearth vpon the land, so that Iacob is constrain'd to send his sonnes into Egypt to be their fathers Purveyors. At the first they finde ri­gour in his face, but the more he seekes to hide his af­fection, the lesse it will be hid, every one might read it in his eies. At length he puls of the vizard, and reveales himselfe to be Ioseph, their brother, whom they sold into Egypt. But perceiving that the sound of these wordes tormented their consciences with a remembrance of their ill-deserving guiltinesse, out of the natiue gentle­nesse of his disposition makes it his glorie to passe by their offences, and labours to perswade them they did him a good turne in selling him; that he had never bin so great, had not they so sinned, sweetely insinuating in these comfortable, and gracious tearmes. Be not grie­ved, [Page 3]nor angrie with your selues, that yee sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserue life, and againe re­peating the very words, God sent me before you to preserue you a posterity in the earth: at last he takes vp my text as a graunted conclusion. So now it was not you that sent mee hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and Lord of all his house, and a Ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

Thus much is impli'd in the very barke, and rinde of my text; but this is no time to angle about the shore, & therefore by your leaue I will let downe my net, and launch into the deepe, where you may finde a strange Action, and as strange an Euent. The Action is in the Mission, or sending of Ioseph into Egypt; the Conse­quence, in that he was made a father to Pharaoh, a Lord of all his house, and a Ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. In the Action consider the principall, ouer-ruling cause, or if you will the Orderer, and Disposer of this Action, and that is put downe first Negatiuely, Not you; Then positiuely, But God. The maine point is in the Mo­dification of the Action, or in the manner how God sent him, and not they; and how they, and not God. These cir­cumstances are so involu'd, that I must handle them ioyntly. In the terminus, or Consequence of the Action, you haue Iosephs aduancement, or exaltation, and there­in his Piety in ascribing all to God, as to the primarie effi­cient cause of his exaltation, He made me. Secondly, the Dignities, and titles conferr'd vpon him. The first in a borrowed sense is stiled paternall, and heere is express'd the correlatiue in that Paternity, Pharaoh, who made me a father to Pharaoh. The second title is Politicall, or ciuill, [Page 4]and that's two fold, Lord, and Ruler; the Seigniorie, or Place of this Dominion, and regiment, is of Pharaohs house, and throughout the land of Egypt, and here is de­sign'd the Extent, and amplitude of this Dominion, and regiment, of all his house, throughout all the land of Egypt.

If any Criticall Sceptique shall perhaps discouer the former part of this text to be somewhat thornie, while the matter is in handling, let him knowe that I hold an argument, which is too vulgar, and too popular, not al­together proper for a Comitiall assemblie; and yet if you can haue so much patience, as to attend vnto the euent, or Consequence, which is the later part propos'd, I doe not doubt, but through God's gracious assistance wee may gather some grapes euen from these thornes, and a few Roses from these Thistles. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God. Such hath beene the stupiditie, & sottishnes of some Philosophers, that as if the sense of their bodies were sealed vp, and the faculties of their vn­derstandings quite exil'd, I knowe not with what folly shall I say, or madnes, they link'd all occurrences to a po­eticall chaine of fatall necessitie. Others no lesse despe­rately wilfull, fram'd an imaginatiue Goddesse of their owne fraile capacitie, & attributed the soueraignety to Chance, and Fortune. But diuines tell vs, Quòd Deus ne{que} laborat in maximis, S. Ambrose. ne{que} fastidit in minimis, sed membra cu­licis, S. August. & pulicis disponit, that the Almightie which dwells on high, humbleth himselfe to behold the thing's belowe, and be­sides his generall prouidence, which is seene in the go­vernement of the whole vniuerse, particularly moderats, and sweetly determines each singular action, & accident from the greatest to the smallest. Math. 5. No sparrow lights vpon [Page 5]the ground, which is the smallest accident any man can thinke, without the knowledge, and foresight of God. Jer. 14. No drop of water falleth from the clowds without his ordinance; and which is more, the very teares which trickle downe our cheeks be numbred in his bottle: what seemeth farther in the sight of man from any certaine course or line of Prouidence, then by the glauncing of an arrowe from the common marke to kill a trauailer passing by the way, and yet God himselfe is said tradidisse hominem to haue deliuered the man into the hands of the shooter. Exod. 21. The Whale which came to deuoure the Pro­phet Ionas, may seeme to haue arriu'd in that place by chance, but the scripture testifies, Io [...]. 2. Dominum praeparâsse piscem, that God prepared this great Fish to receiue the Prophet for the greater setting forth of his owne glory. By the diuersitie of opinions among these Brethren we may gather, that the selling of Ioseph into Egypt for any thing they knew, was accidentall, and yet this very Io­seph confesseth that he was not sold away by their coun­sell, and aduice, but by the prouidence of God, that after­wards he might bee better able to refresh, and relieue his aged Father in a common dearth, and misery. To come then to the Orderer, and Disposer of this, and whatsoeuer purpose, first you see that every thing, which commeth about, is in some sort God's effectuall working. Of him, by him, & from him are all things: Rom. 11. Things are of two sorts, good, or euill; In good things there is no question, for the Lord's efficacie is stil working both in making, and in sustaining them in the being receiu'd from him. The difficulty is in things euill. Euill is either of punishment, or sinne; of the first God himselfe is the [Page 6]Author, for out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth e­vill: Lam. 3. Euill of sinne is wholy from Satan's suggesti­on, and man's corruption. But yet here lies a Gordian knot, the vnloosing whereof hath exercis'd the wits of most ages. The Manichees not knowing how any euill could be deriu'd from Him, which is the fountaine of all goodnes, most blasphemously fram'd two beginnings, which is one, two Gods, a good, and an euill God. The Libertines being not able to distinguish an Accident from a Subiect; the malignitie, or deprauation of the Action, frō the Action it selfe, assign'd the fault, as wel as the fact, the obliquity of the worke, as well as the worke it selfe, to the only good, and righteous Creator both of things in heauen, & of things in earth. These men would haue God, and his doings subiect to their iudgement seate, and whatsoeuer they cannot comprehend within the narrow reach of their owne wits, they can finde no reason, nor goodnes in it. They will not make their iudg­ments agree to God's doings, but they will haue God to make his doings agree to their iudgments. Not to strike vpon these rocks of error, and heresie, but safely to keepe the maine, my first position is, that the treason, and cruelty in selling Ioseph proceeded from the brethren, and not from God; The execution thereof, (that is) the selling it selfe, was likewise done by them, yet not without God's especiall permission, & powerfull gubernation. Treache­rie, and cruelty is a breach of God's reueal'd will, and therefore cannot possibly passe vnder his approbation; for all irregularitie hath such a disproportion with the Diuine Nature, that though Gods infinite power can doe all things, yet he cannot sinne, though Gods essence [Page 7]being incomprehensible be in all things, and all things in it, yet can neither sinne be in it, nor it in sinne; though his goodnes, and loue in some kinde, and measure be exten­ded to all his creatures, for he causeth his sunne to shine, and raine to fall vpon euill, and vpon the good, yet doe they not in any respect extend vnto sinne, but he persueth it with mortall, and implacable hatred. Indeed the naked action considered by it selfe must of necessity haue God for the Author, but the murtherous intention, which is the formall part, and the deformity of that action hath no more correspondencie with Him, then extreame heate hath with any mixture of cold, or the cleerest light with any shadow of darkenes. Hence some curiously distinguish betweene durities, and obduratio, making du­rities, hardnes of hart, man's sinne, but obduratio, bardning, Gods iudgement. For seeing the wicked are so in Gods power that they cannot sinne without his sufferance his permission is necessary to this, that they should actually commit, what they are inclin'd to commit, and this is most iust in God; for though euill (sayth S^t Augustine) is not good, yet it is good, that there should be euill, in as much as God, who bringeth light out of darknes, is able to doe good of euill; and it is iust in him to permit, where hee is not bound to hinder. If his knowledge bee not in euery thing hee is not omniscient; if his presence were not in euery thing, hee were not omnipresent, so if his power worke not in euery thing, he is not om­nipotent.

Farre be it from my attempt presumptuously to re­moue those auncient bounds & limits of God's permis­sion, dereliction, substraction of grace, exhibiting occasions of [Page 8]falling to the ill deserving: but hence to conclude that in the workes of the wicked, he hath no forwarder degree of disposition then bare toleration, so that his will should no way concurre with the selling of Ioseph argu­eth rather a preposterous, superstitious feare, then anie orthodoxe truth. For what is this but to ascribe weak­nesse to the Almightie, if things may be done whether God will, or no? What is this but to pull God out of his throne, to spoile him of his power, and violently to wrest out of his hands the office of iudging, and gouer­ning the world? And therefore though the Schoole­mens proposition be, God wills not sinne properly, in consi­deration of it selfe, as it is a meere priuation of that which is good; yet they deny not but God wils sinne impropriè, accidentally, propter coniunctum bonum, for some good conioyned with it. Deum velle mala fieri, & Deum velle mala non fieri, non opponuntur contradictoriè, saith Aquinas, cùm vtrum{que} sit affirmatiuum, to say that God doth will that euill should be done, and that God doth will that euill should not be done, is no contradi­ction, seeing both the propositions are affirmatiue. For sinne, though it hath an outward disagreement, such as may be in a creature from the Creator, yet (as it is well noted) it hath not naturally, or intrinsecally, any inward, positiue contrarietie, in as much as God can make sinne as sinne, turne to an occasion of his glory. If it were ab­solutely euill to him, then should the Diuine Nature bee the worse for it's being, which cannot stand with the impassibilitie of the Deity. I must needs confesse that some of our later writers haue not beene cautelous enough in enterlining their speeches in this point with [Page 9]sufficient warinesse, and circumspection; witnesse those harsh tearmes of Gods exciting, stirring vp, enclining, and by a secret, ineffable instinct mouing mens hearts to doe euill. I knowe we may obserue the same words subiect to the like exception in S. Augustines 20, and 21 Chapters, de gratiâ, & libero arbitrio; in his 5 booke Contra Iulianum; In Aquinas vpon the 9 to the Romans, and Bellarmine, though he gawleth Caluin herein, in his second booke de a missione gratiae, & statu peccati denieth not that God moueth, prouoketh, yea and in a sort commandeth some men to doe euill. To vindicate, and redeeme the simplicity of truth almost strangled through defect of a discreet, and sober handling, if the words be taken in a castigated, and well qualified sense, as they were taken by S. Augustine, and the first Imposers, the seeming harshnesse will easily be mitigated, & this stumbling blocke of offence quite remoued. It is one thing (as I have learned out of an old writer) to stirre vp, to bring forth, to dispose, and order mens euills, and it's another thing to worke, and cause euill in men. It is one thing to make an instrument euill, and it's another thing to vse an euill instrument, being alrea­dy so made by another. To make an instrument euill is euill, to vse an euill instrument, is not euill simply, yea to vse an euill instrument to good ends, is good. Satan, and our owne will hath made vs all euill Instruments, God though we be now made euill, vseth vs well. Satan, and our owne will hath wrought, and caused wickednesse in vs all; God moderateth, stirreth vp, and bringeth forth the euill, which Satan, and we haue caused in our selues, so that we vtter no part of that euill that is in vs, but where, and when it pleaseth the Gouernour of the vni­versall [Page 10]world. Hence is that of Hugo de S. Victore, Deus malis voluntatibus non dat corruptionem, sed ordinem. He moueth, and stirreth vp the corruption of the heart, not by instilling, or infusing the least obliquitie into a man, whose minde was pure, and innocent before, but finding the minde corrupt, and defiled, puls as it were the Ad­der out of his hole, and bringeth forth the poison which lurked in the breast. If as S. Austin seemes to implie, he enclines their wills to euill for then iust deserts, it is not done compulsiuely, but according to their own, proper, naturall bent.

This euen the Philosophers could discouer through their glimmering light, namely that God being a simple, and pure act, ordinarily moueth all things according to the condition of the nature, which euery thing hath. He makes the heauens moue circklewise, because that moti­on is fittest for them. After the same maner he moueth man according to his wil, and reason, so that his choice, or will is not compelled, but whatsoeuer hee doth, hee doth it willingly, whether the same bee good, or whe­ther it be euill. Hugo de S. vict. Peccatum necessariò sequitur ex gratiae sub­stractione, sinne necessarily followes vpon the withhol­ding of grace, yet not as the effect doth follow the effi­cient, for God caused not their crueltie, but only deni­ed them his grace, which should make thē tender hear­ted, and louing. Neither doth it at all disparage, or de­tract from Gods iustice, that the wickednesse of these sinfull brethren is intermixed with his iust designes, for what can more magnifie his wisdome, and goodnesse, then that hee should bee able to perfect the faire, and straight lines of his righteous decrees by such crooked [Page 11]and crabbed instruments? That like a good Physition of the flesh of Vipers he can make soueraigne Mithridate, and change their malignant poison into wholsome pre­seruatiues. If wee are not afraid (as Anselme notes) to confesse that infant is made of God, which yet is brought forth by the adulterous will of man, why also shall we deny that he is the author of that action, which is produced through an euill will. By one, and the selfe same heat of the sunne clay is hardned, & waxe mollifi­ed: it is one, and the selfe same showre which bringeth fertility, but according to the diuersity of the earth, the successe is farre different, for one earth produceth good fruits, and another sends forth thornes, and briars. Fixe your meditations vpon the fowlest thing that euer was committed, looke on Gods worke in it, it is most pure. For as it is in those double, two faced pictures, behold them on the one side, you see monsters, on the other side, the comeliest lineaments of the most perfect fea­ture. So is it in those wicked actions, the same that man worketh sinfully, God workes most holily. Take a simi­litude from the heauens: the first, and highest heauen drawes by it's motion the rest of the Planets, and that not by a crooked, but by a right motion; but yet the orbs of the planets so moued, moue of themselues obliquely. If you enquire whence is this obliquity of motion in the Planets, certainely not from the first Mouer, but from the nature of the Planets. In one, and the same action man aimes at one end, and God aimes at another end, and therefore they worke idem, but not ad idem. Though these brethren did the act, which God would, and determined in his secret, eternall counsell, yet they [Page 12]did it not vpon those grounds, and for those respects, which God did purpose. When the father deliuer'd vp his sonne, and Christ his body, and ludas his master, wherefore is God in the deliuery iust, and man guiltie, but because in one thing, which they did the cause is not one for the which they did, as S. Augstine resolues the question. Here you may consider the blindnesse, & dul­nesse of humane policy, when it is banding, and conspi­ring against the diuine prouidence. For when man seemes most to oppose it, he doth but effect that, which it willeth, and decreeth to be done. Giue me leaue to resume my former allusion, but in a different applicati­on. As the Planets haue euery one their motion in their proper orbe differing from all the rest, and most of all from that, which is first moued; but yet contrary to their owne motion, wee see them daily wheel'd about with the Primum Mobile: so when the motion of our wills doe exceedingly vary one from the other, and all seeme to driue to a contrary end then at that, which God aimeth, yet are they so ouerruled by his power, that at last we meet together, and bend that way where hee in­tendeth. For the diuine wisdome (saith Gregory the great) knowes long before how to lay the foundation of waighty, and great successes to follow, and to dispose, and bring to passe things by meanes seeming cleane cō­trary. So this Ioseph therefore sold of his brethren that he might not be reuerenced, or honour'd by them, but therefore is he honor'd, because sold. Thus Gods coun­sells, and decrees whiles they are auoided, are fulfilled, & mans wisdome when it resisteth, is entangled. The con­sideration hereof makes S. Austine breake into admi­ration, [Page 13]and cry out, these bee the great, the wonderfull, and exquisite workes of God, that when man, and An­gels nature had sinned, that is, had done not that, what he would, but what they would, euen by the same will of the creature whereby that was done which the crea­ture would not, he fulfilled that he would. And there­fore when in the last day Christ shall come to iudge the world, then in the most cleare light of wisdome it shall appeare, how certaine, and ineuitable, and most effectu­all God's will is how many things hee can doe, and will not, but willeth nothing hee cannot doe, so true is that of the Psalmist, Our God is in heauen, hee hath done whatsoe­uer he would. But least J should seeme illicitè curiosus, o­ver-curious, and too inquisitiue about hidden misteries, J will here stint the prosecution of this point, making for better speed but a light footing in so deepe a sand. Sufficient it is for my purpose, and your information, that God did not barely permit, but also ordaine that Ioseph should be sent into Egypt, yet not in the fauour of the sin committed by Iacobs sonnes, but for illustration of his power, & preseruation of his Church. They sold him only to disgorge their malice, and to hasten his ru­ine, but God made this their sending into Egypt, not a bondage, but an embassage, not a sending vnto misery, but vnto glory; and so J come from the perplexed cir­cumstances of the action, to the happy euent, or conse­quence of the Action.

And hee made me. It is the saying of Tully in his second de natura deorum, Quia sibi quisque virtutem acquirit, ne­minem [Page 14]à sapientibus vnquam de eā Gratias Deo egisse. Be­cause euery man himselfe getteth vertue to himselfe, therefore neuer any of the wise men did thanke God for it, as if the reason of man's vnderstanding was sufficient for a right gouernance. But the time of this ignorance is past, and the daies are come whereof it was prophesied that the earth should be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters couer the sea. Esay. 11. So that we religiously professe the ability of our nature is so wounded, that it needs a true confession, and not a false defence. For what is the very flower, and quintessence of mans wisdome, not guided by the spirit of God, to speake the best of it, but docta ignorantia, a learned kinde of folly, and profound simplicity. And this some of the Heathen themselues in that small knowledge of God, which sinne left them, did acknowledge him to bee the Author, and worker of the benefits they enioyed. In the Greeke Poets the stile runs [...]; the Gods are the giuers of good things. The Romane Captaines hauing conquered their ene­mies, tooke part of the Lawrell, which they did beare in signe of the victory, Plin. nat. bistor. lib. 15. and laid it in the lappe of Iupiter. But they did not glorifie God as they ought, for they robbed him of his honour, and gaue it vnto Idols. Yea, part of the Lawrell they kept vnto themselues, sacrificing to their nets, and burning incense to their yarne. Which ouer-da­ring presumption in sharing with soueraignty, and Roi­all Prerogatiue, is not only odious to the supreame Ma­iestie of the King of Kings, but to his Vicegerents, and Deputies here on earth. The Aetolians prou'd ridiculous, when being but Auxiliarie to the Romans in the warre a­gainst the Macedonians, Plutarch. they gaue out themselues the [Page 15]true Conquerers. But it is blasphemie in man to attri­bute either the strength, or glory of successes vnto him­selfe. Saint Paul's Omnia possum, had beene ouer presum­ptuous, had he not added, in Him that strengthneth me. Phil. 4. To preuent this vaine affiance in our selues, the Prophet denounceth him cursed, which trusteth in man, Ier. 17. and setteth flesh to be his arme; Ps. 40. for it is God which giueth strength to him that fainteth, and vnto him that hath no strength, he encrea­seth power. Ad malum prior est voluntas creaturae; ad bonum prior est voluntas creatoris. Mans will in wickednesse is the first deficient; God's will in goodnesse is the first effi­cient. And therefore Ioseph hauing manus ad clavum, had oculos ad coelum; his hands at the sterne, and his eyes in heauen. He rested not wholy vpon Pharaoh, knowing that kings are but the fingers of that Hand, which ruleth the world; but elevating himselfe frō the earth, soareth higher and like a true sonne of Iacob, behold's God vpon the top of the ladder of his exaltation. Hee made me a fa­ther] Indeed the maiestie of Kings is sacred, we owe vn­to them the bowing of the knee, the bending of the heart, for as God suffereth them to share with him in his highest title, so hath Hee giuen to them some resem­blance of his power, for they also haue Potestatem vitae, ac necis, power of life, and death ouer their subiects. Yet forasmuch as their hearts are euer in Gods hands & he mouldeth, and turneth them, as seemeth best vnto him, they can neither raise vp, whom God would haue de­prest, nor depresse any, whom God would haue raised vp. Which proueth it to bee a conclusion without ex­ception, which the Prophet Ieremy hath in his 9. Ier. 9. Chap­ter, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdome, nor the migh­ty [Page 16]man in his power, but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he vnderstandeth, and knoweth God. That Martiall King Edward the third outwent his fame, and was ac­counted to haue done things more commendable then his victorie, for hauing vanquished the person of the French King by force of battle, he put of from himselfe the whole glory, and gaue it most deuoutly vnto God, causing to be sung, Non nobis Domine, non nobis Domine, not vnto vs ô Lord, but vnto thy Name be praise; for thou art worthy ô Lord, to receaue glory, and honour, and power. Thus you see that euery good and perfect gift is from aboue, Jam. 1. descending from the father of lights. A good thought (as the Schoole speakes) is gratia infusa, a good word is gratia effusa, and a good deed is gratia diffusa. Through his grace, which is the God of all grace, men are what­soeuer they are. And so I come from the Author, or Primary cause of this aduancement, to the aduancemēt it selfe. And he made me a father to Pharaoh, a Lord of all his house, and a Ruler throughout all Egypt.]

First stript, then sold, after that imprisoned, & after all, exalted, and made the great commander of Egypt, that a man may truely say, his fortune had as many colours, as his coat. Twice he lost his coat, once in the hands of his brethren, & again by the hands of his mistresse, but after all, Pharaoh inuests him with a ring, & a royal coat. I for­beare the various rendring of the word [Father] follow­ing onely S. Ierome, who tells vs that in the originall, it signifies a father to the King, S. Jerom. in tra­dit. Heb. or a principall Counsellour. There's no ciuill name more honourable, and lesse sub­iect to enuy, as Plutarch obserues in the life of Romulus, whose chiefe Citizens did therefore assume to them­selues [Page 17]the name of Patricij. In the booke of Hester, E [...]h. 16. Ha­man a principall Counselour is stiled Pater Artax­erxis, the father of Artaxcrxes; [...] Chron. 13. And Rehobeam on the contrary being fourtie yeares old for his folly is term'd a child. Let not therefore the rigide censure of any esteeme wisdome and policy, altogether incompa­tible with yonger men. For God measureth not his en­dowments by number of yeares. Hoarie senses are often couched vnder greene locks, and some are riper in the Spring, then others in the Autumne of their age. God chos'd not himselfe, but young David to conquer Goli­ab, and to rule his people. Not the most aged person, but Daniell the most innocent infant delivered Susanna from the iniquity of the Iudges. A true Elias may conceiue that a litle clowd may cast a large, & aboundant showre, and the scripture teacheth that God revealeth to litle ones, what he concealeth from the wisest Sages. His truth is not abased by the minority of the speaker, who out of the mouth of infants, and sucklings can perfit his praises. The Angels which sometimes appear'd in youth­full semblances giue vs a pregnant proofe that many glorious gifts may be shrowded vnder tender shapes. Timothy was young, and yet a principall Pastor; S^t Iohn not old, and yet an Apostle; Ioseph of a tender age, and yet made a father, and principall counselor to Pharaoh. I know that they, which write of common wealths, ob­serue three especiall causes, why the aged sort should seem most indifferent to discharge so high a calling. The first, is the proofe of experience in things passed; the se­cond, due consideration of the time present; the third, a good vnderstanding of all that may follow. How beit [Page 18]the forwardnes of youth is not excluded from advance­ment, if they proue themselues in manners, wisdom, & discretion old. To many Nature hath giuen her gifts, some education hath profited, others by learning are made wise, and the vnlearned are taught by obseruing histories, which the wise Coūselour Cicero makes equal to that, which is before concluded of age. The proofe of which abilities receiues it's strength from Ioseph: hee was so wise, as Pharaoh said none like him; so faithfull, as being a prisoner himselfe, yet was made Keeper of the pri­son, and kept that, which kept him: So chast euen in the heat of alluring temptations, as he lost his cloake to keepe his honesty, whereas many sell their coat to loose their honesty. How kind & loving he was to his father, looke in the 42. Chap: of Genesis: there you shall see by the corne which he sent in the famine to feed him, and Gen: 45. by the chariots which he afterwards sent to fetch him. His providence, and circumspection for the Prince & coun­try, S. Ierom. i [...]tra­dit. Heb. in Gen. 41. was ratified, when they cried before him a Sauiour of the world, or as it were a God vpon earth; for the backs and the bellies of the whole land did blesse him. So that in Ioseph we haue the right character of a perfect Counse­lor. For as gouernment is truly called Alienum bonum, the good of others, so are their mindes too narrow for publike places, who thinke they are advanced only for themselues; that account honours, and offices rather the fauour of their Prince, then their duty to the King, and common wealth; that vse them as immunities to their greater ease, and not as burdens to their greater cares. But I leaue discoursing of this dignitie, that I may speak a word of the correlatiue. Saint Ambrose vpon the 9. [Page 19]to the Romanes telleth vs, that the name of Pharaoh, was not a proper name, but rather a sur-name; for the Kings of Egypt were then called Pharaohs, as the Romane Em­perors were Caesares, and Augusti. Pet. Mar. in 9. ad Rom. Peter Martyr deriveth it from the Hebrew verbe [...] which in the coniugation Hiphil, signifieth to avenge, as if the wise men of the E­gyptians intimated by that furname the power of a king, who as S Paul saith, beareth the sword, Rom. 13. and is an auenger a­gainst those that doe euill. I stand not on the Etymologie, but only obserue the goodnesse of Pharaoh, in selecting a man of vnderstāding to be his publike Officer, & prin­cipall Counselour. And here my heart daunceth with ioy, and my mouth is ready to ouerflowe with praises, when I consider how as Solomon the first, so our Royall Solomon the second, the wisest since the first for politike wisdome, hath notwithstanding his sage Counselors for aduice, and information. O that the Penny father Pa­trones of these desperately sinfull times, to whose trust is committed the care of prouiding Patres nutritios, Nursing Fathers, to feed the flocke of Christ with the sincere milke of the word of God. O, I say, that these Pa­troni Ecclesiae, or rather Latrones Ecclesiae, for many of them haue turn'd their patronage into pillage, would at length imitate the example of this heathen in promo­ting Iosephs for the good of the Church, and the Com­monwealth; then should wee not see so many glorious lights of diuine truth ready to expire, and powre out their soules here in the bosome of their Nurses for want of a free, and comfortable passage to the exercise of their Ministery abroad. [...], was once the complaint of Na­zianzen; [Page 20]and these men goe about to make vs renew it now, Naz. Orat. 20. the sacred, and honourable order is in danger to become the most scorned order, [...], because Ecclesiasticall preferments are not commonly confer'd on those, who are most suffici­ent to serue the Lord, but on those, who are best able to serue the turnes of their greedy Patrones, which thinke them to be men of the best gifts, who are most able to giue. This is it, which rents and teares in peeces the ve­ry heart-strings of the Church, and sucks out the very inmost blood of Religion. For when Protestants shall vndoe those many good workes which Papists haue done, yea which Heathens haue done, we are at a stand, as Iosuah was at the siege of Ai, and knowe not what to speak; only thus much we may affirme, where is want of sufficient liuing, there wil be want of able Preachers, and where such Preachers are wanting, there the peo­ple perish. The people indeed shal perish in their sinnes, but their blood shall bee required at thy hands, which hast beene the cause of their spirituall famishment. Phae­rach that his people might not be consumed by famine, sets vp Ioseph, a Man of knowne worth, to gather food for the prouision of the land; but many of these are so farre from making wise Ouerseers of Christs flocke, that they vse all the meanes they can to procure both a spiri­tuall, and corporall famine in the land. For they throw downe Townes, and Towneships, and which is mon­strous, they strippe the world of Men too, for they put out men God's owne Jmage, to bring in Sheepe. Nero, and Diocletian destroyed but men, these destroy Huma­num Genus, euen mankinde it selfe. Howsoeuer they [Page 21]may giue loosers leaue to speake.

The time will come, wherein they will wish they had not so diuided Christs seamelesse coat; they will finde the Church goods are but a coale, which they carry from the Altar, as the Eagle did, but it will consume their nest, as that did hers. For it oft comes to passe that great houses are strangely, and suddenly made de­solate, by a cause not considered of the world, but secret in God, and that is for some oppression either in the Sonne, in the Father, or in the Grandfather, for Nullum tempus occurrit Dea, it is all one to God, either themselues shall liue to see their wealth pull'd out of their hands by a higher power, or their Children shall wast it in riot, & prodigality, or some of their posterity shall forfeit it by disloialty, and yee shall finde it true, which is said, that tertius hares non gaudebit, the third in descent shall liue to loose it. But J leaue these men to the scourges and lashes of an amazed conscience, and to the expectation of a dreadfull sentence, vnlesse they repent of their sacri­lege, and carelesnesse in preferring learned Fathers, who should beget children to God through the preaching of the Gospell. Pharaoh in bestowing his dignities did more regard the publique good of the Countrey, then the priuate gaine of his owne purse. The Man hee exal­ted was not a Mushrome of a nights growth, but one made for publique seruice. He was able to bee a Father to Pharaoh, and therefore was his honour equall to his vertue. For he was made a Lord of all his house, and a Ru­ler [Page 22]throughout the land of Egypt. Lord, and Ruler.

In all wel ordered Gouernments there are degrees, & these by God's appointment. For seeing Man is the most excellent of all creatures, it is most requisite hee should be fensed of God with the aide of principalitie, other­wise the state of reasonable men would bee farre more miserable then that of beasts; and a generall flood of confusion would a second time ouerflowe mankinde, did not order, and dominion preuent it. For it is not possible where all are equall, peace should long be kept. When the hearts of men are guided, & steered onely by their owne fancies, what licentious disorders doe arise? How are they tossed to and fro vpon the tempestu­ous seas of the world? Iudicious Master Hooker suppo­seth the worst times of the world to haue beene before the flood. Wee may gather it from the greatnesse of the plague, a vniuersail deluge. The cause of this by him is ascribed to the want of Rulers, for wee read not of any till the time of Nimrod, the first Monarch, who liued after the flood. Indeed it cannot bee de­nied there is no impossibilitie in nature considered by it selfe, but that men might haue liued without any publique regiment, howbeit the corruption of our na­ture being presuppos'd, we cannot deny but that the law of nature doth now require of necessity a dominion, & regiment, so that to bring things to the first course they were in, and to take away publique gouernment, were vtterly to ouerturne the whole world. It is the opinion of the Arch-Philosopher in the 3 of his Politicks, that there is a kind of naturall right in the noble, wise, and vertuous to gouerne them, which are of seruile disposi­tion; [Page 23]and this truth euen Mopsus in the Poët doth ac­knowledge, ‘Tu maior, tibi me est aequum parere Menalca. Virg.’

I need not enlarge my proofe in declaring that diffe­rence, and superiority of one aboue an other is the ordi­nance of God. For the Scripture is copious in this argu­ment, & Christ himselfe witnesseth in the 29 of S^t Iohn, speaking to Pilat, thou couldst haue no power at all, ex­cept it were giuen thee from aboue. If the powers that be are ordain'd of God, then also are they constant, and stable, and not to be resisted. For although by sundry suc­cessions humane things are disturbed, yet this power is perpetually preserued, as in the world, though there of­tentimes happen innumerable changes, yet the heauen, the ayre, the earth, the sea keepe still their place, neither at any time leaue their limits. Hence therefore that A­rithmeticall proportion, and Rebellious Parity of the Ana­baptists, and those truly called Puritans, which virulently oppose the flourishing state of our Church, so long, & so happily established. The malice of that Rabble occasi­oneth this clause. For you may note that they, which are close Factors for the Geneua discipline do not tremble to beare the people in hand, that the Puritans wee most speake against, are those Christians, which make it their meat, and drinke to doe the will of their Father which is in heauen, and haue a care to walke [...], diligently, per­fectly, and strictly in the waies of saluation. But to take away this vaile, which they lay before the eyes of the simple, they which our Church brandeth for Puritans, are those brainsicke, vndisciplin'd Disciplinarians, those seditious medlers in our discipline Ecclesiasticall, and by [Page 24]consequence Ciuill, who make religion their Stalking­horse to all impieties, Et per hunc Puritanismum non est via ad regnum coelorum. By this kinde of Puritanisme the way is not to Heauen, vnlesse they will haue Hell to bee their Heauen, and the depth of villanie the height of pie­tie. These, these alone be they, which I ioyne with the Anabaptists, and that iustly; eiusdem enim sunt farraginis, They make the same medly. For They which would seeke a parity in our Church, would seeke a parity in the Policie; They which would turne Churches into Chambers, Priests of the Lord into Bench-presbyterians; the sacred Hierar­chy of Bishops instituted by Christ, and his Apostles into a new fangled Office of Superintendents, They would like­wise, if their power were as preualent as their deadly malice, Sceptra ligonibus aequare, turne Kings swords, and scepters into spades, and mattocks; lawes, & ordinances into Commons tumults, and mutinies; & so make a new Metamorphosis of Church, and Common-wealth. The place, which the Anabaptists abuse, is taken out of the 21 of S^t Math: The Princes of the Gentils exercise dominion, but he that will be chiefe among you, let him be your seruant. Herevpon these men haue dream'd that after Christs comming, we should be without Rulers, & Authority; & from the same words doth some of our refractorie, and schismaticall Nouelists at home muster their forces a­gainst Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction. I will answer them in a word. Rule, and Authority, and Power was instituted for the suppressing of sinne; so long then as there is sinne in the world, which will be so long as the world lasts, go­vernment must haue it's force. The sword of the tempo­rall power must correct it with seuerity; Spirituall Ru­lers [Page 25]are to censure things spirituall, to keepe vnder fals­hood, and to curb the violence of faction. It is high time for Soueraigne Maiesty to send a strict Iniunction of ta­king heed, and bewaring that wee poyson not our stu­dies with the writings of Puritans, & Iesuits, for the one no lesse then the other, vnder colour of zeale, and pre­tense of holy discipline corrupt, and spoile greene age be­fore it can discerne, and season new vessels with vnsea­sonable liquor. Witnes that detestable, and traiterous instruction incouraging subiects to resist their supreme Rulers when they are notoriously taxed of iniustice, and cruelty. So that Kings according to them shall be no longer Kings, then they serue their turns. Are not these Gospellers, where they broach such tenents, meere Popes? Are not they like to Antichrist, that sits in the tem­ple of God, but aduanceth himselfe against all that is called God. Or doe they not worke like Sampson, who laid hold vpon the pillars whereon the house did stand, that ouer­throwing them, the house, and the men might fall in a common ruine. I am sure Gods word saith, Psal: 105. touch not mine Annointed, and doe my Prophets no harme. And this commaundement of obedience is without distinction. Ieremie commaunds the Isralits, euen those which were captiues vnder heathen Kings not to resist but to pray for them, and for the peace of Babylon. Jer: 29. And it is acceptable to the Lord, saith S^t Paul, not that yee resist, 1 Tim: 2. but that yee make sup­plications, and prayers for Kings, and for all that are in au­thority. The Prophets, the Apostles, and Christ himselfe subiected themselues to the power of Magistracie, Math: 26. and therefore when the Disciple did drawe his sword in Christs defence, hee was commaunded to put it vp into [Page 26]his sheath. Patientia enim Domini in Malcho vulnerata est, saith Tertullian. The examples are not to bee num­bred of Gods punishments vpon those that haue resi­sted authority by God ordained, and established. In the old Law it was death, if a man had resisted the higher power. Corah with all his was consum'd with fire; Da­than & Abiram were swallowed vp of the earth, because they seditiously resisted Moses and Aaron. Wee knowe what end Absolon came vnto, when hee had expell'd his father out of his kingdome. What seemed more good­ly to the eye of the world, then that notable act of Bru­tus and Cassius, which destroied Caesar, reputed a Tyrant, & yet that those their doings were not allowed of God, the end declar'd. Wherefore it is not lawfull to resist supreame Rulers, though they swarue from the line of iustice; for it pleaseth God sometimes to punish his people by a Tyranous hand, and in such a case to resist, what else is it but Tollere Martyrium, to take away the occasion, the glory, and crowne of Martyrdome. But the vindicating flames haue purg'd our ayre from these strange fogges, so that now there's no danger of infe­ction. If any hereafter should dare to vnrake these cin­ders, and againe disperse those treasonable positions, J could wish that Lords, and Rulers, and such as bee in Au­thority would reward them as Eliah did Baals Priests, 1 King. 18. and let none escape that is found; or doe vnto them as Samuel did, 1 Sam: 15. hewe these traiterous Agags in peeces before the Lord. And so because Lord, and Ruler are nomina relatiua, Let vs consider the Seigniory, or place of Regiment, of all his house, and throughout all Egypt. Before the soft weapons of paternall perswasions became ouer-weake to resist e­vill, [Page 27] Rule in generall was paternall, so that all dominion hath it's originall from the family, or houshold. Which kinde of proceeding the Graecians so much affected, that among them the state oeconomicall of euery mans priuate cause should first trie him able to gouerne in the common wealth. And therefore it was obiected to Philip king of Macedon, when hee would haue pacified the strifes in the City, that his Councell would little helpe, which would seeme to order others, when hee could not gouerne his owne at home. You knowe it is a naturall propriety in God to bring things de infimis ad media, & à medijs ad summum, and so hee exalted Ioseph, for he came to be Gouernour not per saltum, & by way of fauour, for he was plac'd at the Oare, before hee sate at the Sterne; but like a Scholler in our Vniuersities, hee tooke his degrees orderly, and for his sufficiency. First he was made a Father to Pharaoh, thē Lord of all his house, and so a Ruler throughout all Egypt. Here, if I would bor­row a little Geography, I might fill vp another houre, if not exceed it, by discoursing how famous, fruitfull, and populous a Country this Egypt was, when it began first to be called Egypt, whether it were a part diuerse from Asia, or Africa, or whether it partak'd of both; but these impertinences are rather fit to stuffe Comments, then to be discussed in Sermons. The thing which I admire, is that Egypt a place branded in holy Scripture for cruelty & tyranny, the Iron fornace, the house of seruitude, or bon­dage, should neuerthelesse receiue, and harbour Ioseph, when the house of Iacob lay in wait to destroy him. The vncircumcis'd esteeme him not only worthy, but accor­ding to his worth aduance him to a place of eminency. [Page 28]Brethren of the circumcision, not onely not approue him, but condemne him as guilty.

It seemes Ioseph was not of that generation which affecteth singularity, whose eyes are haughty, and eye­lids lift vp, but he was a man of an humble, and pretious spirit, whose courtesie, and sweet affability could pro­cure such extraordinary loue, and fauour in a strange countrey. And the Egyptians in making a stranger capa­ble of preferment amongst them, haue taught Posterity how in some cases we should regard non Quis, sed Qualis, not so much whence, as what they are, which liue amongvs. If it be well wai'd, we shall finde this was one principall meane whereby the Romane state receau'd both continuance, and encrease, because the people did so easily impart the liberties of their Citty almost vnto all. But the destruction, and ouerthrowe of the Lacedae­monians hence arised, in that they reiected those they cō­quer'd as strangers. And here, if Ioseph an Alien by birth, had not beene a subordinate Ruler in Egypt, both Egypt and the bordering nations had perish'd. Among vs Christians in Offices either of Credit, or Profit, what adoe there is, if this be Scottish, this Welsh, this English, & this I knowe not what, when we should remember that we serue vnder the dominion of one gracious Lord, & that those names of diuision are now abolished, hauing by a happy vnion recouer'd the ancient, common name of all the Inhabitants within this Ile. So that if the coat of many colours be giuen to Ioseph before Reuben, to the younger before the elder, wee should not repine at the disposall; for who are we that should dare to binde the hands of Iacob, as if hee could not bestowe his bounties, [Page 29]and favours on whom he pleaseth: Thus hauing with what speed I might, runne my intended race, giue mee leaue à calce ad carceres reuccari, and to end where I be­ganne. Iosephi actio nostra esset instructio; this rare equa­nimity and mildnesse of Ioseph towards his Brethren should be a patterne of imitation for intemperate spi­rits, and contentious dispositions in digesting iniuries, and recompensing good for euill. For whereas they stript him of his party colour'd coat, hee gaue them change of rayment; they sold him for mony, & put him in their purse, and in recompense of that hee would not sell them corne, but gaue it freely, and put mony in their sackes. They cast him into a pit to feed him with bread, and water of affliction, in liew thereof he brought them into his owne lodging, and feasted them sumptuously. Thus with meeknesse, and patience hee work'd out an exceeding great waight of glory. For hee was made a Father to Pharaoh, a Lord of all his house, & a Ruler through­out all Egypt.

O qui sanctorum labores respicis, cur non & remunerati­ones? O thou that seest the present sorrows of the Saints, why dost thou not looke out to see the future ioyes of the Saints? Yee stumble to behold the innocent Ioseph in affliction, why behold yee not in Egypt his glory, and exaltation. Indeed the world broacheth her best wine first, but of Christ it is said, 2 Job: Tu seruâsti bonum vinum vs­que nunc. He keepes the best wine till the later end; and, as Solomon saith, in our later daies we shall reioice. Prou: 31. For it is worthy to bee noted how such was the goodnesse of God vnto Ioseph that for the seuerall miseries, which he suffered, he receau'd a seuerall reward. For the hatred of [Page 30]his brethren he obtain'd the fauour of the King, and his Nobles. For the contempt, and scorne they heap'd vp­on him, hee was worshipped of them with their faces downe to the ground. For the party colour'd coat they stript him of, when they cast him into the pit, he was ar­rayed by Pharaoh with a princely robe of fine linnen. In­steed of the fetters wherewith hee was bound in prison, Pharaoh put his owne ring on his hand, and a chaine of gold about his necke. Insteed of the prison, and dungeon where hee lay, hee was set vpon the Kings best Chariot saue one, and carried in great pompe throughout the Citty. In a word, insteed of his fathers house frō which he was exil'd, he had dominion in all the land of Egypt. So true is that saying of Seneca, Quanto plus tormenti, tanto plus erit gloriae, the greater affliction a man endu­reth, the greater wil be his reward afterwards. But how­soeuer the Lord doth not alwaies deale thus with his children in this life, yet in the life to come they shall finde the truth of that comfortable promise deliuer'd by the Apostle 2. Cor. 4. Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent, and an eternall waight of glory. To which glory he that decre­ly bought vs, bring vs for his merits, and mercy sake. To whom with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be all power, might, and dominion now, and euer. Amen.