Genesis 41

Set a glass under a still or alembic, and it receives water from the alembic drop by drop: so the saints have the drops and influences of Christ's grace distilling upon them. What a rich consolation is this to those who either have no grace, or their stock is but low; they may g…

When no pain or grief, no aching head or unbelieving heart, you shall see Christ's face, and lie forever in his arms. You shall be as Joseph (Genesis 41:14). They brought him hastily out of the dungeon; and he shaved himself, and changed his clothing, and came in to Pharaoh. Lon…

God will give temporal blessings to his children, wisdom, riches, honor; he will give them spiritual blessings, he will give them grace, he will give them his love, he will give them heaven, but his essential glory he will not give to another. King Pharaoh parted with a ring off…

Lifeless prayer is no more prayer than the picture of a man is a man. One may say as Pharaoh (Genesis 41): I have dreamed a dream — it is dreaming not praying. Affectus operi nomen imponit. Ambr.

Answer. God commanded Adam not to eat of the tree of knowledge; God gave Adam leave to eat of all the other trees of the garden. God did not envy him any happiness, only, meddle not with this tree of knowledge, because God would try Adam's obedience: As King Pharaoh made Joseph…

Earthly princes may bestow great gifts and donatives upon their subjects, but they keep the kingdom to themselves. Though King Pharaoh advanced Joseph to honor, and took the ring off his finger and gave him, yet he would keep the kingdom to himself (Genesis 41:40), but God enthr…

Nor need we flee to that exposition ever and anon, that Christ died for all, that is, all ranks of men. For "all" is put in Scripture ordinarily for many; as (Deuteronomy 1:21; Psalm 71:18; Jeremiah 15:10; Jeremiah 19:9; Jeremiah 20:7; Jeremiah 23:30; Jeremiah 49:17; Ezekiel 16:…

To destroy him. The word "destroy" signifies to swallow up or to devour: you have it (Genesis 41:4), where it is said, that the seven lean ears and seven lean kine did devour or eat up the seven full ears and the seven fat kine. And (Exodus 7:12) the text says, that Moses his ro…

And yet we must not here imagine that Christ condemnes the glorie of Salomon, though he thus debase it below the flower of the field: for it was the gift of God in extraordinarie fauour, 1. king. 3. 13. So that ho[]soe[]es the word of God condemne pride and curiositie in attire,…

This Scripture clearly holds forth that he had laid up what he now lays out. Joseph lays up abundance of corn in the seven years of plenty, else there could not have been supply in time of scarcity (Genesis 41:47-49). This only for a hint in general; for more clear explication a…

'Tis the violence and wrestling of the affections that makes it a prayer, else it is no prayer. But a man may say as Pharaoh, I have dreamed a dream (Genesis 41:15). The zeal and violence of the affections in prayer best suits with God's nature.

Thus Levi said to his father and mother, I have not seen him: for they observed the word, and kept the covenant of Christ (Deuteronomy 33:9). This then is our duty, that we suffer not any natural affection and dotage on our parents to swallow up that love we owe to Christ, as Ph…

1. He will move masters to respect such servants, as he moved [reconstructed: Ahasuerus] to recompense the fidelity of Mordecai (Esther 6:3). 2. If masters fail therein, he will move strangers to recompense them: as he moved the jailer to favor Joseph when his master had cast hi…

So of God (Psalm 106:26): Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness; that is, swore they should not enter into his rest. 4. For setting about any action, especially of weight (Genesis 41:22): Without you shall no man lift up his hand, that…

What is the matter? As those that ran before Joseph cried Abeck, bow the knee (Genesis 41:43), to show some eminent person was at hand; so this [Behold] calls for reverence and admiration; there is some strange truth to ensue and follow. Happiness in the lowest notion, it includ…

2. See here the mercy and bounty of God, that has prepared a kingdom for his people; it is a favor that we poor worms, and no men, should be suffered to live; but that worms should be made kings, this is divine bounty; it is mercy to pardon us, but it is rich mercy to crown us:…

Lord, I am blind — you have eye salve to heal me; I am defiled — you have water to cleanse me; my heart is hard — you have blood to soften it; I am empty of grace — bring your fullness to my emptiness. In all our spiritual needs we should come to Christ, as Jacob's sons went to…