his brethren. Then Jofeph took them to fupper; and they were fet down in the fame order as they used ot fit at their father's table. And although Jofeph treated them all kindly, yet did he fend a mefs to Benjamin that was double to what the rest of the guests had for their fhares.

7. Now when after fupper they had compofed themfelves to fleep, Jofeph commanded his fteward both to give them their measures of corn, and to hide its price. again in their facks; and that withal they should put into Benjamin's fack the golden cup, out of which he loved himfelf to drink. Which things he did in order to make trial of his brethren, whether they would ftand by Benjamin when he fhould be accused of having ftolen the cup, and fhould appear to be in danger; or whether they would leave him, and, depending on their own innocency, go to their father without him. When the fervant had done as he was bidden, the fons of Jacob, knowing nothing of all this, went their way, and took Simeon along with them, and had a double cause of joy, both because they had received him again, and because they took back Benjamin to their father, as they had promised. But prefently a troop of horsemen encompaffed them, and brought with them Jo-. feph's fervant, who had put the cup into Benjamin's t fack. Upon which unexpected attack of the horsemen they were much disturbed, and asked what the reason was that they came thus upon men, who a little before had been by their lord thought worthy of an honourable and hofpitable reception: They replied, by calling them wicked wretches, who had forgotten that very hofpitable and kind treatment which Jofeph had given them, and did not fcruple to be injurious to him; and to carry off that cup out of which he had, in fo friendly a manner, drank to them, not regarding their friendfhip with Jofeph, no more than the danger they should be in if they were taken, in comparison of the unjust gain. Hereupon he threatened, that they fhould bepunished; for though they had efcaped the knowledge of him, who was but a fervant, yet had they not efcaped the knowledge of God, nor had gone off with what they had ftolen; and after all, afked, why we come. upon them; as if they knew nothing of the matter: 140.2

And.

And he told them, that they should immediately know it by their punishment. This, and more of the fame nature, did the fervant fay, in way of reproach to them: But they being wholly ignorant of any thing here that concerned them, laughed at what he faid; and wondered at the abufive language which the fervant gave them, when he was fo hardy as to accuse thofe who did not before fo much as retain the price of their corn, which was found in their facks, but brought it again, though no body elfe knew of any fuch thing, fo far were they from offering any injury to Jofeph voluntarily. But ftill, fuppofing that a fearch would be a more fure juftification of themselves than their own denial of the fact, they bid him search them, and that if any of them had been guilty of the theft, to punish them all; for being no way confcious to themselves of any crime, they fpake with affurance, and, as they thought, without any danger to themselves alfo. The fervant defired there might be a fearch made; but they faid, the punishment fhould extend to him alone who should be found guilty of the theft. So they made the fearch; and having fearched all the reft, they came laft of all to Benjamin, as knowing it was Benjamin's fack in which they had hidden the cup, they having indeed fearched the reft only for a fhew of accuracy; fo the reft were out of fear for themfelves, and were now only concerned about Benjamin, but still were well affured, that he would also be found innocent; and they reproached those that came after them for their hindering them, while they might, in the mean while, have gotten a good way of their journey. But as foon as they had fearched Benjamin's fack, they found the cup, and took it from him; and all was changed to mourning and lamentation.. They rent their garments, and wept for the punishment which their brother was to undergo for his theft; and for the delufion they had put on their father, when they promifed they would bring Benjamin safe to him. What added to their mifery was, that this mel-. ancholy accident came unfortunately at a time when they thought they had been gotten off clear: But they confeffed, that this misfortune of their brother, as well as the grief of their father for him, was owing to them

felves, fince it was they that forced their father to fend him with them, when he was averfe to it.

8. The horsemen therefore took Benjamin and brought him to Jofeph, his brethren alfo following him; who, when he faw him in cuftody, and them in the habit of mourners, said, "How came you, vile wretches as you are, to have fuch a strange notion of my kindness to you, and of God's providence, as im pudently to do thus to your benefactor, who in fuch a hofpitable manner had entertained you!" Whereupon they gave up themselves to be punished, in order to fave Benjamin; and called to mind what a wicked enterprise they had been guilty of against Jofeph. They alfo pronounced him more happy than themfelves, if he were dead, in being freed from the miferies of this life; and, if he were alive, that he enjoyed the pleasure of feeing God's vengeance upon them. They faid farther, that they were the plague of their father, fince they fhould now add to his former affliction for Jofeph, this other affliction for Benjamin. Reuben alfo was large in cutting them upon this occafion. But Jofeph difmiffed them; for he faid, they had been guilty of no offence, and that he would content himself with the lad's punishment, for he faid, it was not a fit thing to let him go free, for the fake of thofe who had not offended; nor was it a fit thing to punish them together with him, who had been guiltyof stealing. And when he promised to give them leave to go away in fafety, the rest of them were under great confternation, and were able to fay nothing on this fad occafion. But Judas, who had perfuaded their father to fend the lad from him, being otherwife alfo a very bold and active man, determined to hazard himself for the prefervation of his brother. "It is true, faid he, O Governor, that we have been very wicked with regard to thee, and on that account deferve punishment; even all of us may juftly be punifhed, although the theft were not committed by all, but only by one of

us,

*This oration feems to me too large, and too unusual a digreffion, to have been composed by Judas on this occafion. It seems to me a fpeech or declama..on compofed formerly, in the perfon of Judas, and in the way of oratory, that lay by him, and which he thought fit to infert on this occafion. See two more fuch fpeeches or declamations, Antiq. B, VI. ch. xiv. § 4. Vol, II.

us, and he the youngeft alfo : But yet, there remains fome hope for us, who otherwise must be under defpair on his account, and this from thy goodness, which promises us a deliverance out of our prefent danger. And now, I beg thou wilt not look at us, or at that great crime we have been guilty of, but at thy own excellent nature, and take advice of thine own virtue, instead of that wrath thou hast against us. Which paffion, those that otherwise are of a low character indulge, as they do their ftrength, and that not only on great, but also on very trifling occafions. Overcome, Šir, that paffion, and be not fubdued by it, nor suffer it to flay thofe that do not otherwife prefume upon their own fafety, but are defirous to accept of it from thee; for this is not the first time that thou wilt bestow it on us, but before, when we came to buy corn, thou affordedst us great plenty of food, and gaveft us leave to carry fo much home to our family, as has preferved them from perifhing by famine. Nor is there any difference between not overlooking men that were perishing for want of neceffaries, and not punishing those that feem to be offenders, and have been fo unfortunate as to lose the advantage of that glorious benefaction. which they received from thee. This will be an inftance of equal favour, though beftowed after a different manner; for thou wilt fave thofe this way whom thou didst feed the other; and thou wilt hereby preferve alive, by thy own bounty, thofe fouls which thou didft not fuffer to be diftreffed by famine, it being indeed at once a wonderful and a great thing to fuftain. our lives by corn, and to bestow on us that pardon, whereby, now we are diftreffed, we may continue thofe lives. And I am ready to fuppofe, that God is willing to afford thee this opportunity of fhewing thy virtuous difpofition, by bringing us into this calamity, that it may appear thou canft forgive the injuries that are done to thyfelf; and mayst be efteemed kind to others, befides those who, on other accounts, ftand in need of thy affiftance, fince it is indeed a right thing to do well to thofe who are in distress for want of food, but ftill a more glorious thing to fave those who deferve to be punished, when it is on account of Heinous offences against thyfelf; for if it be a thing deferving commen-.

dation:

dation to forgive fuch as have been guilty of fmall offences, that tend to a perfon's lofs, and this be praifeworthy in him that overlooks fuch offences, to restrain a man's paffion, as to crimes which are capital to the guilty, is to be like the most excellent nature of God himself. And truly, as for myfelf, had it not been that we had a father, who had difcovered, on occafion of the death of Jofeph, how miferably he is always afflicted at the lofs of his fons, I had not made any words on account of the faving of our own lives; I mean, any farther than as that would be an excellent character for thyself, to preserve even those that would have no body to lament them when they were dead, but we would have yielded ourselves up to fuffer whatsoever thos pleafedft: But now, (for we do not plead for mercy to ourselves, though indeed, if we die, it will be while we are young, and before we have had the enjoyment of life) have regard to our father, and take pity of his old age, on whofe account it is that we make thefe fupplications to thee. We beg thou wilt give us thofe lives, which this wickedness of ours has rendered obnoxious to thy punishment; and this for his fake who is not himself wicked, nor does his being our fa ther make us wicked. He is a good man, and not worthy to have fuch trials of his patience; and now we are absent, is he afflicted with care for us. But if he hear of our deaths, and what was the cause of it, he will on that account die an immature death; and the reproachful manner of our ruin will haften his end, and will directly kill him, nay, will bring him to a miferable death, while he will make hafte to rid himself out of the world, and bring himself to a ftate of infenfibility, before the fad ftory of our end come abroad into the rest of the world. Confider things in this manner, although our wickednefs does now provoke thee with a juft defire of punishing that wickedness, and forgive it for our father's fake; and let thy commiferation of him weigh more with thee than our wickedness. Have regard to the old age of our father, who, if we perish, will be very lonely while he lives, and will foon die himfelf alfo. Grant this boon to the name of fathers, for thereby thou wilt honour him that begat thee, and will grant it to thyfelf alfo, who enjoy.

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