The sum of sacred divinity briefly & methodically propoundedThe summe of sacred diuinitie briefly & methodically propounded

And of the Egyptians Isaiah ^uprophesieth, Their spirit shall be spent in the middest of them, being quite out of heart. Thus and diversly beside God doth work, disposing so of every thing, as best may serve to work & effect his counsels.

And of the Egyptians Esay ^uprophesieth, Their spirit shall bee spent in the middest of them, being quite out of heart. Thus and diuersly beside God doth worke, disposing so of euery thing, as best may serue to worke & effect his counsels.

1. uIsaiah 19. 3.Esay 19. 3.

In one or two Examples all this may be very manifest; God had determined to advance Joseph above his Brethren, and to make him the father of his fathers house. See how he maketh all things to concur hereunto: He useth first his own Brethren's malice, after long consultation of taking away his life: in the end, to resolve to sell him into Egypt. Being there, he openeth him a way into Potiphers house, a chief Ruler about the King: through whose wives inordinate lust and forged complaint, he is ⟨p. 105⟩unjustly thrown into Chains, and in Prison findeth favour with his Keeper, committing into his hands the charge of all the Prisoners. The same time God brought into that place two of the Kings chief Officers, his Butler and his Baker, for their offences committed, thither. By their Dreams, his knowledge and skill in the interpreting of hidden things cometh to be known. After which, God himself showeth to the King a Famine that was to come; but in a Dream dark and obscure, which only Joseph was able to expound. By this means the Butler calling him to remembrance, when now he seemed utterly to be forgotten, he is sent for, and presented to the King: And by the wisdom which God had given him, declaring the Dream, and advising the best means in policy to prevent it, is made Ruler over the whole Land. The Famine increasing, his Brethren first are driven into Egypt, and there unwittingly do him homage. After, his whole fathers house came to be fed by him; and so fulfil that which the Lord had purposed. See how he maketh these things one to hang upon another, that in the middest of the most contingent Actions, his counsels should yet have a necessary effect. Take another Example out of the Book of Ester, of the confounding of proud Haman, the enemy of the Jews, and defeating of his cruel and wicked purposes against the Church, by the Divorce of Vashti the Queen. God maketh a way for the lifting up of ESTER (not known to be a Jew) into her room. Mordecai he governeth, to be present when the Kings two Courtiers conspired against him; which by Esters means was signified to the King, they executed, and a perpetual record made of all this in the memorial of those times.