Prototypes, or, The primarie precedent presidents out of the booke of Genesis shewing, the [brace] good and bad things [brace] they did and had practically applied to our information and reformation / by that faithfull and painefull preacher of Gods word William Whately ... ; together with Mr. Whatelyes life and death ; published by Mr. Edward Leigh and Mr. Henry Scudder, who were appointed by the authour to peruse his manuscripts, and printed by his owne coppy.

THE TWENTY SEVENTH EXAMPLE. (Book 27)

OF IOSEPHS STEVVARD. (Book 27)

ONE person alone remaineth to be spoken of, whom wee cannot name to you,* 1.1 for the Scripture giveth him no name at all. He hath a good name, a good report in Scrip∣ture for a good man, but no name, that is, no particular surname, or proper name, by which he was usually knowne and di∣stinguished from other men of his Coun∣try or progenitors: of his birth or death we have nothing, but he is set forth by his relation to Ioseph, he was Iosephs Steward; for as Ioseph sowed, so did he reape, what a kind of servant and Steward himselfe was to Putiphar, such a kind of Steward in some degree, did God provide for him. He himselfe was a good servant to his Master, and him∣selfe being a Master, enjoyes a good servant to himselfe; many times the Lord sees fit to bring a mans good deeds into his owne bosome, a good child to his Parents, hath good children him∣selfe,

a good servant hath good servants, and so in the rest. Let this incourage you that be in the place of servants, to performe your duties diligently unto your domesticall Rulers your Masters, for by this meanes you may lay up for your selves, a comfortable hope of being served with like care and diligence your selves. God no doubt hath a speciall hand in disposing of servants to every Master, it is he that ordereth things so, as such a man hath good, and such a one bad servants▪ men often use great care to choose a servant, and meete with a very bad one contrary to all their hopes and care, againe sometimes by meere casualty almost men light upon a very good servant.

* 1.2More particularly his carriage was good to his Master, and to the strangers, brethren to his Master, but not by him knowne so to be. 1. Teachable, they learnt some knowledge of the true God from him. The God of your Fathers, saith he, and your God hath given you this treasure. How came this man to know a distinction of Gods? How came he to know that they had a God of their owne, peculiar to them and to their Fathers, which was not then acknowledged to be the God of all the world? Egypt had many Gods, this man acknowledgeth one God, and that one God which was acknow∣ledged and worshipped by these men and by their Forefathers. It is not likely, that Ioseph told his Steward, that these were his brethren, but it is undoubtedly manifest, that they were some such as he knew to be worshippers of the true God, which hee knew by some few men, to be worshipped in the Land of Canaan. Therefore you see how kindly he speakes to them, that a man may even perceive by his words, that they were so much dearer to him, because they pertained to that God. This was the more observable, because he was an Egyptian servant; O that all you which be servants to godly Governours, would learne some goodnesse from them, even to know and serve God; you all have some knowledge of that one God: but learne also the feare and love of that God, the sincere and carefull worship of that God from your Governours, that would fain teach it you, and would count themselves happy if you would learne it from them. But for a servant to live in the family of a Ioseph, that laboureth to teach godlinesse unto him by word and example, and yet declares no sense nor feeling of God, no knowledge or respect of him, how great a sinne is this, and how certainely shall this Steward of Ioseph rise up against such in judgement?

* 1.3But secondly, Iosephs servant was a very obsequious and dutifull servant, whatsoever his Master bad him doe was presently done, c. 42. ver. 25. Ioseph commanded him to fill their sackes with corne as much as they could carry, and to put every mans money into his sackes mouths, and to put his silver cup in the youngest sackes mouth, and his corne money, and he did according to his Masters words, and c. 44.4. He bids him runne after them, and say, Why have you returned evill for good? is not this the cup in which my Lord

drinks, and for which he would make diligent search,* 1.4 for so I thinke it should be rendred, for the matter of divining was farre enough from Iosephs. Loe the obedience of this servant; he by the light of na∣ture without Scripture, was taught to doe that, and did it, which the holy Scriptures teacheth us to doe, viz. to be obedient to our Masters, as you reade by Saint Paul to the Ephes. Co••os. As also to Timothie, and by Peter. Therefore they are to be blamed, that living in times of clearer light, and enjoying more helps towards vertue, are yet farre lesse obedience then this man was.

As vineger to the teeth, and smoake to the eyes,* 1.5 so is a sloathfull mes∣senger to him that sends him, and even so is a sloathfull or carelesse servant to them that imploy him: as vineger sets the teeth an edge, smoak makes the eyes to mart, so these provoke anger and griefe in their Governours. Fulfill therefore the honest commandements of your Governours, with speed and diligence, what things they ap∣point you to dispatch, let them be dispatched in fit season, and manner. If thou wert a Master thou wouldst have such a servant, be thou therfore such a one, and do as thou wouldst be done by. O but his Master (may some say) bad him doe that which was not lawfull, viz. To lay snares for the men, in putting the cup into Benjamins sacke unawares to him, and then following after them with a grievous accusation; that they had done great wrong, and shewed great ingratitude in taking away his Masters cup, and so bringing them backe as if they had beene great malefactors. I answere, that it is probable, Ioseph had acquainted his Steward with his meaning, that he did this not with an intention of bringing them into servitude, or doing them any wrong, but making a little fur∣ther tryall of them for some consideration, and so the thing was not ill done of Ioseph, nor of him. Let your obedience, therefore know its due limits, obey your Masters in all things, so farre as justice and your duty to God will permit.

Thirdly,* 1.6 his carryage to Iosephs brethren was very kind and cur∣teous, he brings them to his Masters house, speakes comfortably to them, saith peace be to you, freeth them from their feares, wherewith they were perplexed, lifts up their hearts to God, and saith, he had given them that money, brings Simeon forth to them whom they had left bound behind, and gives them water to wash their feet, and provender to their Cattle. Loe what store of kindnesse and courtesie he shewes to these strangers? his Master appointed him to bring them to his house, but all the other kind usage is from himselfe as it were an over-plus, besides that which was enjoyned him, out of a good and affable nature, and out of some good will he bare them, because he had beene infor∣med of the God of their Fathers.

Now let him be an Example to us, of practising like curtesie to strangers, and specially when we see them troubled and grieved, and most of all, if we perceive them to be servants to the true God,

learne that vertue of this Steward, though hee was a servant, and bond-man, yet it was to Ioseph.

Thus have I finished the Examples of the Booke of Genesis, which containes a short and briefe story of the things done from the beginning of the world to the death of Ioseph, for the space as it is thought by some, of 2309 years or therabouts, and of some, of 60 more, because they doe differ in judgement, so much about the age of Terah, when he begat Abraham.

The maine thing in the whole story to be observed is, how won∣derfully the providence of God, wrought by degrees, to bring his Church from out of the loynes of Abraham, and to make it a great and mighty Nation, which was but a little family, preserving truth, and Religion, in that household and lineage, when hee suffered all other Nations by little and little to follow their owne way and runne into Idolatry and abominations.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iosephs Stew∣ard.

  His name is not expressed in Scripture, neither any thing said of his birth or death: he was a good servant.
• * 1.2

  He was good to his Master and to his bre∣thren.

  1. Teachable. Gen. 43.23.
• * 1.3

  2. He was a very dutifull servant.
• * 1.4

  That was an evill act and unlawfull.
• * 1.5

  Salomon in Proverb.
• * 1.6

  3. He was very kind curteous to Iosephs bre∣thren.