Certaine plaine, briefe, and comfortable notes vpon euerie chapter of Genesis Gathered and laid downe for the good of them that are not able to vse better helpes, and yet carefull to read the worde, and right heartilie desirous to taste the sweete of it. By the Reuerend Father Geruase Babington, Bishop of Landaph.

Chap. 44. (Book 44)

Two thinges especiall hath this chapter, and they are these.

• Iosephs tryall of his brethren.
• Iudah his oration for Beniamin.

TOuching the first, wee are to vnderstand that Ioseph was desirous to make tryal of his bre∣therens affection towardes Beniamin, thin∣king peraduenture they enuied him as they had done himselfe before,* 1.1 where wee may see & learn, how euen good men are hardly indu∣ced to thinke wel of those whose behauiour before they haue kno∣wen to be bad. Therfore stand wee stedfast in a good course least happily our fall make all our whole life after halfe suspected. Credit, & honor, and honesty is soone lost, but soone gayned againe when once it is lost. The meanes that Ioseph vsed, was a commaundement to his steward to put his owne cup in Ben∣iamins sack &c. which may not be a warrant to vs to vse any vn∣lawfull practises, seeing God hath commaunded vs to walke in simplicity, of like in Ioseph this was some particular motion for which he might haue warrant.* 1.2 It seemeth by the text the cup was but siluer, and then how that might be his honour being so great may be a question. Whereunto we may answere that per∣aduenture that age was more temperat in plate and pompe than this of ours: againe, though it were but siluer, yet might the in∣grauing and workmanship be very costly. What also if Ioseph but newly exalted, wisely and discretly moderated his course, least spite and enuie (a weede in Courte growing very much) might worke him woe being but a stranger. Increase one may with credit wel, but to strike saile with worthy mindes can ne∣uer want scorne and scoffing taunt.

2 That Ioseph taketh vpon him to be a Diuiner,* 1.3 it sheweth the litle spots that are in the fairest faces,* 1.4 and may not be fol∣lowed, but let vs rather stande now and see the poore mens plea when Iosephs Steward ouertooke them, and layd the cup to their charge. Alas say they, why doth my Lord say so, God forbid that thy seruants should do so, &c.* 1.5 But how doe they prooue themselues honest and true? First ab aequitate. God for∣bid we should be such, as if they had said, it were not right, it were not good, and thy seruantes (though poore men) haue a care of right, and what may become them. Secondly a repug∣nantibus, of thinges contrarie in some sort one to another. Be∣hold (say they) wee brought our money againe, how then should wee steale? &c. These thinges being crosse and contrary one to another in some sort. Lastly ab incommodo, by the detriment they are content to indure. With whom soeuer of thy seruants it is found, let him die the death, and wee also will be my Lords seruantes. So stifly stood they vpon their truth, and so bould is truth before all men euer. But yet see a defect,* 1.6 though bould they might be being true men, yet wise and not rash must inno∣cency make men. They rashly said, with whom it is found let him die: but they should haue added being stollen by the partie, and of knowledge taken. For want of which warines wee see their danger had not thinges beene as they were. Therefore thus much let vs learne and not stand vpon it, that in the mid∣dest of our best integritie & vpright course, yet we vse no vn∣aduised Speeches, neither giue any needlesse aduantage, but warely speaking avow our truth, and so abide the triall.

3 This offer of theirs was thus far taken of the Steward, that he with whom the cup should be found should become ser∣uant, and the rest should be blamelesse. then fell they to sear∣ching, beginning at the eldest, and behold, in Beniamins sacke the yongest of all is the cup found. Then they were abashed, they rent their clothes, they laded their asses, and backe againe gat they to the Cittie to Ioseph for mercy.* 1.7 Who seeth not here as it were a paterne of this brittle worlds comfort. Yesterday these menne were bidden to dinner, feasted and much made

of at the Gouernours table, yea the same day in the morning with comfort and gladnesse they lade•• away and all was well: but behold now an other hue al is changed and changed greatly, their clothes rent, ther hartes heauy, and nothing but danger and death before their faces. Such is this world, and the fickle fading comforts of it. To day wee laugh, to morrow we weepe, to day wee florish, to morrow we fall, nay euen in the turning of a hand our estate is turned as these mens was. Post imbres fru∣ctus, post maxima gaudia luctus. Rayne bringes floods, and ioy bringes woe, sorrow follows comfort, too oft wee see it so. Be∣ing come to the presence of Ioseph agayne, they fell before him with heauie hartes, wee may well thinke, and the rather may wee thinke it because there is no mention of any wordes vsed by and by, by them, but onely that they fell before him vppon the ground.* 1.8 Surely their feare and sorrow within bereaued them of speech for a while, and so doth it vse. Remember Anna whose hart oppressed, as it were with anguish and griefe tooke speech from toung and spake by signes. Remember the Shunamite a∣gayne falling at the Prophets feete,* 1.9 & not able to speake. Such was the case of these men, by humble gesture, and falling downe they sue for mercy not able to speake: yet at last they spake, God knowes with passions, with teares and lamentation, with sob∣binges and sighinges to see their case (as Luther noteth.) They say, they can say nothing, the thing is found with them and what should they say? His seruantes they must bee and abide his plea∣sure. But Ioseph would not so, hauing his affection but vpon Beniamin onely. The rest he would dispise, and retaine Ben∣iamin. Then Iudah drew neere and tolde him the whole sto∣ry that here you see, how hardly their Father parted with Beniamin, what promise was made to returne him safe, and how lamentable would be their olde fathers case if they should faile. Therefore whosoeuer taryeth, he must goe ere his Father die. For his life depended vppon the Childe: where I marke agayne the reuerence of age in those blinde dayes, if their light be compared with ours. Before there was mention of his gray head, and now here is mention agayne of the same to moue pitie and regard in Ioseph towards him. Let it euer be hono∣rable

then as it ought, olde age, and let hoary head worke all regard in the best minde still and euer. But then agayne let old men bee also admonished to remember well the old verses con∣cerning this.

Sape nigrum cor est caput album, sed quibus album Et caput & cor est, sint in honore senes.

Often is the Hart blacke and the Head white, but whos•• haue both white Hartes and white heads,* 1.10 those olde men are honorable indeede and to be regarded. The vehement affecti∣on of old Iacob to his sonne Beniamin hath often beene note••, and yet here agayne is layd downe in large maner, Iudah refu∣seth to see his face any more rather than to goe without the Child, yea to redeeme the Childe that hee might returne to his father, he offreth himselfe a seruant for euer in a strange coun∣trey, which neuer would he haue done, but that he knew his fa∣thers life depended vppon the Childe. Vnspeakable therefore is a Parents affection sometimes where it is setled. Doe wee thinke Iosephs hart was not turned vp and downe in his bodie, whilest he heard and saw these things? Yes, yes, the next chap∣ter will shew he could hold no longer. Such sorrow, such wee∣ping, such sighing and sobbing in all his Brethren,* 1.11 such feare in their hartes to loose Beniamin, such mentioning of his fa∣thers loue to y^e childe of his mother that was now dead, and the rather because he the other brother by that woman was accoun∣ted dead. These, things I say were darts and daggers to pearce Iosephs Hart, and hee could no longer hold but confesse his name.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Creditonce cracked is hardly re∣couered.
• * 1.2

  A modera∣tiō in pomp and port of plate. &c.
• * 1.3

  Vers. 7.
• * 1.4

  The best men haue imperfec∣tions.
• * 1.5

  A detestatio∣ne peccati.
• * 1.6

  Be bould, but wary in iustifying your selfe.
• * 1.7

  A paterne of the fa∣ding com∣forts of this world.
• * 1.8

  Vers. 14.
• * 1.9

  1 Kings 4.27.
• * 1.10

  White heads shuld haue white harts.
• * 1.11

  Ioseph not able to hold any longer.