The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…

That which is set down here of the afflictions of Josephs brethren, we may term more rightly by the name of scaring, than of punishment and affliction; for they were but put in fear only, and though they were put in ward; it was but for a very small time: and we read of no correction that was laid upon them; no, it appeareth by Josephs affection to them, who could not abstain, but was fain often to burst forth into tears when he had gone from them, that he so tendered them as his brethren; when by the wisdom of the spirit of God he made a show as though he would deal very hardly with them, yet this fearing and searing of them it humbled them, and drave them to confess, and to say one to another, we have utterly sinned against our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear him: therefore is this trouble come upon us. And here we see how they confessed their fault when they were scared, before they •eit any punishment upon them; which may be an argument, that it was a true humbling from the heart, with a grief not of the punishment, for there was yet none laid upon them, but of their sins, which then they brought into their remembrance, and it lay as a burden upon their conscience, that they even saw Gods judgements ready to give sentence of condemnation against them, except they prevented him by speedy repentance. Whereas if it had been done, and had been in time of affliction that they had been so humbled, it had been hard to say, whether it had been done truly or dissemblingly, with a feeling of their sins, or the greatness of their grief which they sustained, as is said before.

That which is set downe here of the afflictions of Iosephs brethren, wee may tearme more rightly by the name of scaring, than of punishment and affliction; for they were but put in feare onely, and though they were put in ward; it was but for a very small time: and wee reade of no correction that was laid vpon them; no, it appeareth by Iosephs affection to them, who could not abstaine, but was faine often to burst forth into teares when he had gone from them, that he so tendred them as his brethren; when by the wisedome of the spirit of God hee made a shewe as though hee would deale very hardly with them, yet this fearing and searing of them it humbled them, and draue them to confesse, and to say one to another, we haue vtterly sinned against our brother, in that wee saw the anguish of his soule, when hee besought vs, and wee would not heare him: therefore is this trouble come vpon vs. And here we see how they confessed their fault when they were scared, before they eit any punishment vpon them; which may be an argument, that it was a true humbling from the heart, with a griefe not of the punishment, for there was yet none laid vpon them, but of their sinnes, which then they brought into their remembrance, and it lay as a burthen vpon their conscience, that they euen saw Gods iudgements readie to giue sentence of condemnation against them, except they preuented him by speedie repentance. Whereas if it had been done, and had been in time of affliction that they had been so humbled, it had been hard to say, whether it had been done truely or dissemblingly, with a feeling of their sinnes, or the greatnes of their griefe which they sustained, as is said before.