4. Places of Doctrine.
1. Doct. How the Iewes should be intreated at the hands of Christian Princes.
Vers. 17. SO he put them in ward, three daies. Rupertus would have this proceeding of Ioseph against his brethren, to be a pattern for Christian Princes, how they should intreat the Iewes: that as Ioseph doth only imprison them, and handle them roughly, to bring them to knowledge and confession of their treachery against him: so Christian governors should not put the Iewes to death, but use them hardly, by laying taxes and impositions upon them, that at the length they may be brought to repen∣tance Page 355 for their blasphemies against Christ: as it is in the Psalme, Slay them not lest my people forget it, but scatter them abroad by thy power, Psal. 59.12. Rupert. lib. 9. comment. in Gen. cap. 4.
2. Doct. Where the feare of God is not, there can be no true vertue.
Vers. 18. THis doe and live, for I feare God, &c. Ioseph biddeth them bee secure of his sincere and true dealing with him, because he feared God: so that true religion is the fountaine of vertue and honest dealing: they therefore that feare not God may for a while make a semblance and shew of hone∣stie, but it cannot be in truth, where the ground of true religion is wanting: where therfore the feare of God is not, we cannot expect any vertuous action, as Abraham reasoned with himselfe when he sojour∣ned in Gerar, The feare of God is not in this place, and they will slay me for my wives sake, Gen. 20.12.
3. Doct. The guilt of sinne remaineth when the act is past.
Vers. 21. THey said one to another, we have verily sinned against our brother. By this wee learne, that al∣though the act of sinne be done and past, yet the guilt and conscience of sinne may continue, as here the sinne which they had committed against Ioseph 23. yeares before, is revived, Muscul. As the Lord said to Cain, If thou doest not well, sinne lieth at the doore, Gen. 4.7. It lieth lurking in the doore of the conscience, ready upon every occasion to assault us.
4. Doct. The author of affliction, it commeth not by chance.
Vers. 28. WHat is this that God hath done unto us? These men having a guilty conscience, thinke that God meeteth with them in every corner: yet this good perswasion they have, that nothing hapned to them by chance, as this, the finding of their mony in their sacks mouth, but they ascribe all to Gods providence, they make him the authour of their crosses and affliction, Calvin. As David in like manner saith, that the Lord bid Shemei curse him, 2 Sam. 16.11.
