Section the 7th.

Josephus relateth how this [Judge Potiphar] most highly commended his Wifes Chastity and Loyalty, whereof he had now so clear a witness; but poor Joseph he Condemned for a most un∣grateful wretch (forgetting all his Masters Kindnesses conferr'd upon him) and for a most no∣torious Whore master (that would have ravishd the Judges Wife and his own Mistriss) there∣fore he (though never heard what he could say for himself) in the Judges Judgment deserv'd the most direful Doom that could be denounced against him: Hereupon he is Doomed into a Dungeon (so the place of his Imprisonment is expresly explained, Gen. 40.15. and 41.14.) Until his Sentence of Death, or Day of Execution: The Hebrew word Sohar, Gen. 39.20. signifies the Round-house or Round-Tower, of Sahar, round, Cant. 7.2. perhaps from the grinding Mills which the Prisoners were forced to turn round, as Judg. 16.21. yet [Bor] in Gen. 40.15. and 41.14. and so Zech. 9.11. signifies a darksom dirty Vault under ground: Here is Joseph let down and laid up, relying wholly upon his Righteous God.

Joseph's Exaltation after a long Humiliation had two Harbingers or Providential Precursors fore-running it.

1. The Abatement of his Sufferings, and 2. His Releasment from them.

1. Of the first, Whether his Sufferings were such as Samson suffered in Prison Judges 16.21. where that mighty Champion is made to grind in the Prison-house, and so like a Drudge or Slave, was not suffer'd to eat his Bread till he had earn'd it by this slavish Service, is uncertain, Joseph hath no such Remark upon him for such matchless strength as Samson had, and therefore the Philistims highly hugg'd themselves with thinking what a commodious use they could make of Samsons mighty strength: Yet this is certain that the Egyptians laid Jo∣seph in Irons, as the Philistims bound Samson in Fetters of Iron, for the Sacred Writ asserteth both, Psal. 105.18. and Judg. 16.21. yet with this difference, Chast Joseph did less de∣serve his Iron Fetters, than Unchast Samson, who had long suffered himself to be bound with the Green Withes of Sensual Delights, and therefore was now more justly bound in Fetters of Iron: Neither had Joseph his Eyes put out, as Samson had, for they had not been Organs or Instruments to inflame his Heart with Lust by glancing or gazing upon a filthy Harlot, as Samson's had been: However Joseph suffer'd hard things, and such as he deserved not, yea, for above two years together, yet suffer'd he silently from first to last. All this time, Joseph either pleads not at all for himself, or at least, is not heard of those to whom he made his Plea or Appealed: Doubtless he denied the Fact and Offence, but durst not accuse the only Offender, who seem'd so high, as to be above the reach of the Rod of Justice: Yet, as some suppose, she might Hang her self (and so become Gods Executioner upon her self to save others the labour) when she saw Joseph Exalted to the second Place of Honour in Egypt. This is the less improbable, because History mentioneth a just parallel to this, of Bellerophon a young Prince, with whose Beauty Sthenobaea Queen of the Argives being taken, sollicited him to Lye with her, which when he refused, she accused him to her Husband that he would have Ravish'd her: This he believing (as Potiphar did here) sent him with Letters to Jo∣bates King of Lycia, just as David did Uriah to Joab, 2 Sam. 11.14, 15.) to make him a∣away: Jobatet in order hereunto put him upon many desperate Services to have dispatcht him; but finding him Valiant and Victorious (escaping all Eminent Dangers) he bestowed his Daughter upon him with half of his Kingdom; which when wanton Sthenobaea heard of, she Hang'd her self for woe, and so perhaps might this wanton Huswife do, when she saw Joseph so Exalted by King Pharaoh; likeness in Acting may have likeness in End: Yet this Death was too good for her. However the less Joseph pleaded for himself, the more did his God plead for him, and even by all these cross and contrary means wrought Joseph's Exaltation and brought both his Dreams to their full Accomplishment: Behold and wonder how cross and contrary was Providence to the Promise given by God to him in his Divine Dreams. As,

1. Besides the Arrows aforesaid shot at him by his Mistriss, his Master (who had highly honour'd him) must shoot Arrows at him too: So God would have it, he must be Uxorious, give credit to his Wives Craft, not heeding the Rule,

The Wife will hate, whom the Husband loves , and will asperse them: He must judge him contrary to that old rule of Judgment [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] hear both parties, and cast him by an improbable evidence; for if Joseph had been the Aggressor and assaulted her by force, he would never have left his Coat in her Hand to have been a Witness of his forcible assault (this the Judge should (at least) have supected) yea not only cast his Cause, but his Person into Page  381Prison by one Witness only, and one that was a party, yea the only guilty party too, whereas by two or three Witnesses (and such as are indifferent and unbiass'd) ought the Judge proceed to Judgment, not first execute, then Examine.

2. As to Joseph, God will have it, that he who even now was advanced to the, highest Office in his Master's House, must all on a sudden be abased, and cast down into a Dungeon for a capital crime: what he said in his own defence Moses mentions not, if he pleaded not guilty, his plea must not have audience, his enraged Master (notwithstanding all his former Affections for him) must now in utmost outrage, cry, [Sergeant, take the Rogue, tye his Hands, Fetter his Feet, lay him and leave him in the Dungeon, until the day of his Exe∣cution.

☜ Note well, I have insisted the longer upon this Wanton Womans attempt upon Jo∣seph's Chastity, upon two grand grounds and reasons.

1. Because this very Sin of filthiness and carnal uncleanness is the very [peccatum flagrans] the flaming out and loud crying sin of this present time: God saw no such shameless sin in Israel, Numb, 23.21. and therefore none of Balaam's Inchantments could prevail against them, v. 23. until he by his wicked wiles had wrought them up to commit this Sin, Numb. 25. at large; assuredly the Balaam of Rome, hath used his Inchantments against England, and when none would prevail, he hath grosly Debauched it, and that to purpose with this very sin of filthy defilements, well knowing, may God hereby become our Enemy, hereby, our defence if gone, and the Pope may come. A Debauched Nation will gratefully and greedily embrace a loose and licentious Religion such as Popery is, that gives dispensations for all sorts of Debauchery. My

2. Grand Ground is, just as the Devils Arch-Archers dealt with Joseph personal here, set∣ting a wanton and wicked Mistriss to shoot sore at him: So the same Devil doth now set on that Arch-Archer, that Mother of Harlots, the Romish Juncto, to shoot her envenom'd Arrows against Joseph Mystical (so the Church of God is called, Amos 6.6.) the Reformed Religion, but God makes her Bow abide in strength, as he did Joseph's here; there is a Spi∣ritual Adultery, to wit, Idolatry, which the Mother of Harlots, tempts us to as insolently as ever this lew'd Woman did Joseph to commit Corporal with her; though the beginning be the Devils, yea and the middle too, yet the end will be the Lords, as in Jobs case, Jam. 5.11.

NB. Fourthly, So in Joseph's also, whom God seemed to neglect for a long time, and to give him (as it were) up into the hands of Satan and his Instruments.

1 Of his Brutish Brethren who sold him for a Slave. 2. Of his wicked Mistriss who falsly accused him (with success) of her own sin. 3. Of his Master, who over-credulously cast him down into the Dungeon: God suffered all these in silence: But not withstanding all these injuries done to Joseph by Divine permission, yet it plainly appears, that Divine Providence all along dropd down many sweet allays, both to qualify and to dulcify Joseph's bitter Potions, all which were Soveraign Cordials, and Sacred Memorials of Divine Mercy, in the midst of his worst misery. As,

1. When his Barbarous Brethren desperately design to destroy him, either by the Sword; God raises up Reuben to save him from that: or by Famine; God jostles in Judah to deliver him from that.

2. When he was sold for a Slave then there God was with him, and gave him great fa∣vour in his Masters Eyes, so that he became advanced to the Highest Honour in his Masters House.

3. When his Miscreant Mistress would have seduced his Soul to Sin, God strengthend him to resist it, and to obtain a Conquest over that Temptation.

4. When that Wicked Woman had highly incensed her Husband by her false accusation against him, so that the rage of Jealousie, might have immediately transported him into a bloody revenge for Ravishing his Wife (as he was made to believe) and to execute Joseph with his own hands: Yet God restraind that rage (Psal. 76.10.) and manacl'd the Hands of en∣raged Potiphar, as he had done Joseph's Brethren before, so that, as they only could cast him into the Pit, he only could cast him into the Prison: Neither of them could Kill him, or cause him to be killed by other hands.

5. When Joseph was cast down into the Dungeon, (so his Prison is calld, Gen. 40.15. & 41.14.) yet God, who suffer'd Joseph to be cast thither, suffer'd himself (as it were) to be cast thither also, for God was with Joseph there, Gen. 39.21. as he had been with him in his Slavery, v. 2. God would own him, (well knowing his Innocency) though the World disown'd him, and dealt most mischievously with him, as if he had been the worst Miscreant in the World: Oh how good it is to have God our Friend, who will be with us, while we be Page  382with him, 2 Chron. 15.3. in our Adversity as well as in our prosperity; God was present with Joseph (as he was with God) every where, and Gods presence with him, made him like a Pearl in a Puddle, while he was in Egypt, he still retain'd his Orient and Genuine Vertue, both in his Prisons and in his Palaces, though some while he seem'd to Relinquish his Radiant Lustre and Splendour. Though God suffer'd him to be Imprison'd, and did not immediately (by some Miracle) release him out of Prison, because of his Innocency, but let him be let down into a Dark Dungeon, yet did not God desert him, but is graciously present with him, and shew'd him light in that place of Darkness, Psal. 112.4. though it was the Darkness of a Dungeon: This was the first Harbinger of his Exaltation (aforementioned) to wit, the abatement of his sufferings, as the second is his Releasement from them: Though God did indeed suffer Joseph's sufferings to lye sore and severe upon him for some time, and lets him lye two or three years in Prison, Praying, Weeping, Crying, Toiling and Sweating there, that he might be throughly exercis'd in the practice of Piety, and so the better prepared for the best preferment; yea, God permitted Innocent Joseph to be cast into the Kings Prison, Gen. 39.20. the worst place for Traitors, as guilty of High Treason, he as it were passed through the Traitors Gate, into the Tower House or Dungeon, where he was laid in Irons, which did eat into his Flesh, or entred into his Soul, Psal.105.18. as a Sword was said to pierce through the Soul of our Lords Mother, Luk. 2.35. that is, bitter sorrows did sorely afflict her for her Sons suffer∣ings; so it could not but be a sad Cor-dolium to good Joseph's Soul, his Heart must be wounded, to have his reputation thus wounded by a wicked Woman, and for no crime to be cast into Prison in peril of his Life, besides, it could not chuse but wound his mind, to meditate upon his forlorn condition, seeming now to be a mere cast-away from the Church of God, where before he had been Blessed to hear the joyful sound of Gods Word and Promises, Psal. 89.15. in his Fathers House, instead whereof, he was continually follow'd with many contrary cross Providences, and out of this complication of mischiefs (befalling him) the Devil frames a Chain of Despair (complicated of many Links, and far worse than those Fetters upon his Feet) wherewith to Chain down his Soul, and cause it to Sink into the Pit of Despera∣tion in his own sad self-reflections; and to strike him down Dead the more, the Devil might suggest to him that his Dear Father was Dead at the news of his being devoured by Wild Beasts: All these and many more might unquestionably Torment Joseph's Mind, more than his Iron-Fetters could do his Body: Yet all pass'd through the Hand of permissive Providence which appointed the time, the place, the manner, and the measure of them, over-ruling them to Gods Glory, and to Joseph's Advancement, causing this very Imprisonment to be the means thereunto, for unless he had been cast into Prison, and into the Kings Prison too, he had not been made known to the King, nor thereby exalted. 'Twas Gods presence with Joseph in Prison, that made his Bow still abide in strength (as his Father said of him, Gen. 49.24.) and Armed him against these Archers; the Arrows of his Mistress's false Accusation, and of his Masters furious indignation could not (both of them) kill him. The God of Jacob, the Shepherd and Stone of Israel defended him, yea, and notwithstanding all these Archers against him, made him a Shepherd and feeder of all his Adversaries, and a Stone for Israel to rest upon in the Land of Egypt.

☞ Hence we may learn 1. Though we be traduced as was Joseph (no Beasts bites worse than Pick-thanks saith Demosthenes;)

2. Though the Prince's Favour towards us, be turn'd into Frowns upon us (there's no frust to be put in them, Psal. 146.3.) as Potiphar's were to Joseph;

3. Though cast into Prison as he was; all these may not daunt us: Gods presence may be still with us, none of these evils shall prevent, but all shall promote Gods Promise by his Pre∣sence. God is now fetching a compass (which is both strange and wide) he hath a Wheel with∣in a Wheel, Ezek. 1.16. all working one way, yet unseen in the work: All preparing the way and straightning crooked paths, for accomplishing the Promises of the latter day, yea and preparing us to be Ripe for them. Moses proveth that Gods Presence was with Joseph by a threefold Argument. The first is plainly demonstrative by its effects, to wit, the Abatement and Mitigation of Joseph's present Prison-Misery. The second is more plainly demonstrative in Joseph's Inlargement and Releasement out of Prison. But the Third is most of all so, in his Ad∣vancement to the Highest Honour in Court and Kingdom. As to Moses first Argument, he saith [Jehovah was with Joseph in the Tower-House, and extended Mercy unto him, and gave him Grace, Vaji hen chinne Hebr. gave his Grace, in the Eyes of the Prince of the Prison, Gen. 39.21. which words import that a Prison cannot keep God from his Servants, Christ saith of himself, I was in Prison, &c. Mat. 25.36. to wit, in and with my Members to counter-comfort them in all their Miseries: It was Gods presence with the Apostles and Mar∣tyrs▪ that made their Prisons to become Palaces, the Fiery Furnace, a Gallery of Pleasure, Page  383the very Stocks, a Musick School, which made Paul and Silas to sing Psalms of Praise to God at Midnight, when their Feet were fast in the Stocks, Act. 16.25. this place of sighing to many Psal. 79.11. [Let the sighing of Prisoners come before thee] was made a place or singing to those Blessed Souls, and if the sighing, then the singing, if the Praying, then the Praising, of Prisoners do Mount up much more as a sweet memorial unto the Lord, as Act. 10.4.

☞ God knows how soon we may be cast into Prisons, (as Joseph was, and as some of us have already been) God's presence with us (if we be but Josephs) hath been and will be our best Cordial, and may make us to speak another Language than sighing and sorrowing, even the Language of singing, and rejoycing that we are accounted worthy to suffer these things at the hands of evil men for doing good duties, and what is commanded us of God, Act. 5.41. Hebr. 11.36, 37, 38. with Hebr. 10.34. we should take it for a grace to be disgraced for Christ, who during our Durance and Imprisonment of Body, can give to us Inlargement of Soul. The Joy of the Lord being our strength, Neh. 8.10. our bow may abide in strength (as Joseph's did here) also: If Christ do but send the Comforter (as he hath promised to do, Joh. 14.16, 18, 26. and 15.26, &c.) he shall more Encourage, than any Oppressor or Per∣secutor can Discourage. Christ's Presence makes a Prison a Paradise; therefore saith Christ, [fear none of these things] Rev. 2.10. where he shews, how the Devil is limited by God, saying, Behold, Satan (in the Justices of Peace) shall cast some (not all) into Prison (not into Hell) for only ten days, but not for ever: God will not despise his Prisoners, Psal. 69.33. Suppose we be shut up close in Prison; yea, in a dark Dungeon (as Joseph was) yet God and his Angels cannot be shut out from us, for as God was with Joseph, so his Angel was with Peter, in Prison, Act. 12.7. who had a light also shining upon him in that place of Darkness, Psal. 112.4. though the pleasant light of the Sun (Eccles. 11.7.) be shut out from us, yet in Gods, light we shall see light, Psal. 36.9. which maketh Night and Darkness as the Day, Psal. 139.12. and whereby we may see him who is Invisible, Hebr. 11.27. Hence was it, that all the Holy Martyrs Glory•d in their Tribulations, Rom. 5.3, 4, 5. finding so much Joy in them: Thus the Primitive Apostles found plenty in penury, as having nothing, and yet possessing all things, 2 Cor. 6.10. when they wanted the external affluence of worldly Goods, they had the internal Influence of Divine Grace. This made them take joyfully the spoiling of their Goods, Heb. 10.34. well-knowing, they had Treasure in Heaven (that is subject neither to Vanity nor to Violence) laid up for them: This they knew (not in Books or by the Report of others, but) in them∣selves, in their own Experience, and in the workings of their own Hearts: and thus the Mo∣dern Martyrs have found Prisons, Palaces and Paradises; as Argerius (that Italian Martyr) Dated his Letter to his Friend, [from the Delectable Paradise of my Leonine Prison] and our own Mr. Philpot in the Marian Days, saith, [I and my Fellow-Sufferers do rouze as cheerfully in the straw in bloody Bonner's Coal-House (whither I was carried, and where I with many more were Imprisoned) as our Adversaries can do upon their best Beds of Down: Many more such Stories might be produced, for which I refer (for shortness) to the Martyrologies; adding one more only, Philip Landsgrave of Hesse, being a long time Prisoner under the Emperor Charles the 5th, was demanded, what upheld him all that time? He answered, that he felt the Di∣vine Consolations of Gods Presence, as the Martyrs (before him) had done. How God may deal with us, we know not, 'tis not long ago that in many places of this Land it was a like difficult thing to find a wicked man in the Popish Prisons, or a Godly man out of them: and should Popery return, such times may return again. Suppose God suffer such times, yet,

1. Fear them not, as before, Rev. 2.10. If so, God will not despise (or neglect, as some read, Psal. 69.33.) you, if you be his Prisoners, that is Prisoners for Righteousness sake, Matth. 5.10, 11, 12. though God may neglect or despise the worlds Prisoners, as being not in Covenant with him, yet he will not do so with his own covenanted Children, that are Impri∣soned for his sake, and for being true to his Covenant; Fear them not, I say therefore, so as to chuse Iniquity rather than Affliction, Job 36.21.

2. Flee them not, unless God give wings wherewith to flee, as he did to the Woman (the Church) wherewith she did flee into the wilderness, there to be fed (though not feasted) for a certain season, Rev. 12.6.14. God may raise up some great Eagle (as he did Constantine the Great) that will lend wings to her, sufficient means of Safety and protection from Peril, when God opes a Door, then flee (Christ gives us Warrant, Matth. 10.23.) 'tis then presump∣tion, and not obedience, to set your selves as standing Marks to be shot at by the Devil's Arch-Archers. Tertullian was too rigid in Condemning all kind of Fleeing in times of persecution.

3. Flagg or faint not at or under them: There is a Sea-Faith, and a Land-Faith, a Bettel-Faith, and a Prison-Faith; 'tis given both to Believe and to Suffer, Phil. 1.29. If we want either▪ we must ask them of God, Jam. 1.5. David desired the wings of a Dove (not of an Eagle) to flee away with from his Persecutors, Psal. 55.6. yet when he could not flee from Page  384Persecution, but lay long under it, he desires that God would strengthen his Faith, and lengthen his Patience, Psal. 119.28. that his Soul might not melt away, or weep it out like water. And his Son Solomon saith, If thou faint in the Day of Adversity, thy strength is small, Prov. 24.10. As is the man, so is his strength, said they to Gideon, Judg. 8.21. That a man is indeed, what he is in his Trials, the Hour of Temptation proves oft a Tap to let out lurking Corruption: Affliction tryes what sap we have, as Hard weather tryes Health: Rotten Boughs will break when weight is laid upon them; so do Earthen Vessels, when set empty to the fire: Joseph's Bow abode in strength here, he was semper idem, Always the same, such an one is the man that sameness is Grace, and there is Victory. How Joseph came to conquer this Tryal from his injurious Master (who cast him into Prison) as well as that Temptation from his Adulterous Mistriss, Moses mentioneth, because God was with him, and gave him his Grace, whereby he subdued Satan's Suggestions, such as, What profit hast thou by thy Piety? Job 21.15. Seest thou not thy self a cast-off? Doth God regard thee? Joseph had a Prison-Faith, which made him more Happy in his Chains of Iron, than Potiphar (who Imprison'd him) was in his Chains of Gold: yea, than Pharaoh himself, Potiphar's Lord.

Joseph stood by the strength of his Grace (which God (with him) gave to him) for above two years Imprisonment: the severity whereof was likewise qualified to him, by God's moving the Master-Jayler to mitigate that Rigour which enraged Potiphar had probably prescrib'd him to inflict upon Joseph: Though the former of these two years sorrow and suffering lay very smart and severe upon him, whose feet all that time were Hurt with Fetters, &c. but the latter of them, he had more Liberty; for as Joseph had found Grace in the Eyes of God, so God gave him to find favour in the Eyes of the Prison-Prince; The Heart of that Barbarous Heathen was in God's hand, which, though probably of a most boisterous Temper, (as most Jay∣lers usually are) mollified and melted, yea mellowed into a Tenderness toward poor Joseph; The same hand of God, which (all on a sudden) broke Esau's revengeful heart, and turn'd his Fury against Jacob, into a fraternal Favour towards him, wrought this mighty Heart-changing work also towards Jacob's Son Joseph, and perhaps the Conduct of God's Spirit upon this Jay∣ler's spirit, did gradually convince him by the convincing Carriage and Conversation of Joseph all this first whole year of his hard Usage and cruel Confinement. Upon this Conviction, Jo∣seph's Fetters were struck off from his feet (sadly galled by this time surely with them) and now he was no more in arctâ but in liberâ Custodiâ, no longer held fast in the Stocks, but let free to walk at Liberty within the Prison-walls, then the same Presence of God that had be∣fore advanced him to be the Steward in Potiphar's Palace, lifted him up the second time to become the Steward in Potiphar's Prison, under whom was this Prince-Jayler, when both of them had seen him a prosperous Man in all his Proceedings: whether Potiphar was privy to this Jayler's Kindness to Joseph, is uncertain; probably what favour he shew'd him at first, Poti∣phar might be ignorant of. 'Tis altogether improbable that Joseph would betray his own Innocency by too long and base a Silence, but as he did clear it up to the Chief Butler, Gen. 40.14, 15. so he had done no less before to the Chief-Jayler, while the Iron fetters did eat into his Flesh: There may no doubt be made of it; but that Joseph (so unjustly suffering even the forest fettering of condemned Malefactors) must tell the Jayler (out of the Anguish of his Soul) all the true Story of his Mistriss's false and foul dealing both towards his Masters, and toward himself: which when the Jayler heard, he was moved with Compassion towards him (God so disposing his heart) so inlarged him from his Irons, and then Potiphar being informed by the Prison Keeper of Joseph's Innocency might give his after Assent not only to his Inlargement, but also to his Pre∣ferment within the Walls of the Prison, where Potiphar and the Prison-Keeper both concurr'd still to confine poor Joseph, not only upon the account of Prudence to maintain the Honour of that Lady of Honour, together with their own Credit, that so foul a fact and fault might be husht, quasht and buried in everlasting silence: but also upon the Account of Profit, for as Poti∣phar had seen himself marvelously enriched while Joseph was in his Palace, so he saw his Prison-Keeper wonderfully prosper'd by God's Blessing upon Joseph's Labours in his Prison; There is no doubt but the Provost-Marshal and his Chief Jayler (as we say) went snips in the Prison-prosits.

☞ Thus Innocent Joseph must still remain a Prisoner, though both of them knew his In∣nocency, they are (both of them) injurious to him, a pious man, lest the Impiety of a wicked woman should come to light, and so be injurious to her and themselves, and lest they should lose that Advantage of Profit by Joseph's Service.

But the great God had other more glorious Ends than those two great Men (both called Princes in Hebrew) in letting Joseph lye his two years full out in Prison: God will not suffer his faithful Servant to be sent out of Prison in a sneaking Clandestine way, as might have been done by those two Princes aforesaid, after they understood their errour in dealing thus roughly Page  385and rigorously with an innocent person, and as those Magistrates would have secretly dismiss'd Paul and Silas, when perhaps affrighted with the Earthquake, they were convinced of their precipitant fury in so despitefully using, and disgracefully abusing those two innocent ones, Act. 16.30, 35, 36, 37, &c. No, God would bring forth his Joseph with an high hand, and with an out-stretched Arm, as he did Israel out of Egypt's Bondage afterwards. Though in the mean time Jehovah was with Joseph all his above two years Imprisonment, making it bearable to him; He had his Abatement and Relaxation long before his Releasement and Deliverance, he must wait upon God there, until the time that his word came, Psal. 105.19. to wit, the time that Gods purpose and promise, was accomplish'd which prophane persons call Fate, For∣tune, &c.

☞ Thus as the Afflictions of Joseph Personal were guided not by Humane, but by Divine Counsel, so are those of Joseph Mystical (the Church, Amos 6.6.) God appoints the times how long the Church shall remain under the Cross, and when she shall be freed from it, both these times are Divinely determined; it is therefore necessary, that so long the Church must suffer Persecution with patience, seeing God is but all that time trying her (as he did Joseph) as Metals are tryed and made purer by the Fire (so Hebr. Tsadaph properly signifies) making her Persecution proof, thereby proving her Patience, Faith and Constancy, and thereby rouz∣ing up her Prayers, not only as Pillars of Smoke, Cant. 3.6. but as fervent Flames ascending up to God, yet all along comforting her, Hos. 2.14. that her pain shall not be perpetual, seeing there is a time prefix'd wherein to put a period to it. Oh then, who would not but endure the Cross, and despise the shame through contradiction of sinners, Heb. 12.2, 3. even the Cross and shame of a Prison! seeing 'tis no untrodden path at this day, for Joseph, Micaiah, Jere∣my, John Baptist, Peter, Paul and Silas, yea, Jesus himself (who was taken from Prison, and from Judgment, Isa. 53.8.) and all the Holy Martyrs of Jesus, since the first planting of the Gospel, (to this day) have gone before us in the same path, we should therefore account it an Honour to have such Associates, and we should fetch comfort from hence, that 'tis but for a time, Deus dabit his quo{que} finem, better will come after, Post tenebras splendet, surgit post nubila Phoebus. The upright shall have deliverance out of Prison, Psal. 146.7. (as Peter had, Acts 12. and therefore spoke his own Experience, saying, The Lord knows how to deliver the Righteous, 2 Pet. 2.9. and as Joseph had here) yea, and they shall have Dominion as well as Deliverance, Psal. 49.14. when God hath fitted them by their Affliction, as he did David by Saul's persecuting him for many years, till his Soul became as a weaned Child, Psal. 131.2. as he did Moses by his Forty years Banishment into the Land of Midian, and as he did our Joseph here by his Eleven years Slavery or Servitude, and his above two years Im∣prisonment: Then (to wit, at Gods time) King Pharaoh sent and loosed him, Psal. 105.20. and that by his own Master Potiphar, who had clapt him up there by his wanton Wives wick∣ed Instigation: He had been bound Ignominiously, but now comes he to be loosed Honourably; and this is not all, Joseph is not let loose, and so bid to shift for himself, no, but Pharaoh makes him Lord of his House, Psal. 105.21. who had been made a lesser Lord twice, in Prince Po∣tiphar's Palace, and in the Royal Prison; he had Palace-preferment and Prison-preferment be∣fore his grand Deliverance, as Pledges of it. Now Joseph is mounted to that height of Domi∣nion, as that he might bind Pharaoh's Princes at his pleasure, Psal.105.22. even Potiphar himself and his Fellow-prince, the Prison-keeper: if he had listed, he could have paid them home in their own Coin, but that Gods Law (of recompensing to no Man evil for evil, Rom. 12.17.) was writ in his Heart: And that his Adulterous Mistriss might tremble more than his Injurious Master, at Joseph's Investiture with such an over-awing and over-ruling Authority, is easie to imagine: All this Moses mentions, the means and manner, &c. in Gen. 40. and 41, &c.