ion of my kindness to you, and of God's
providence, as impudently to do thus to your benefactor, who in such
an hospitable manner had entertained you?" Whereupon they gave up
themselves to be punished, in order to save Benjamin; and called to mind
what a wicked enterprise they had been guilty of against Joseph. They
also pronounced him more happy than themselves, if he were dead, in
being freed from the miseries of this life; and if he were alive, that
he enjoyed the pleasure of seeing God's vengeance upon them. They said
further; that they were the plague of their father, since they should
now add to his former affliction for Joseph, this other affliction for
Benjamin. Reubel also was large in cutting them upon this occasion. But
Joseph dismissed them; for he said they had been guilty of no offense,
and that he would content himself with the lad's punishment; for he said
it was not a fit thing to let him go free, for the sake of those who had
not offended; nor was it a fit thing to punish them together with him
who had been guilty of stealing. And when he promised to give them leave
to go away in safety, the rest of them were under great consternation,
and were able to say nothing on this sad occasion. But Judas, who had
persuaded their father to send the lad from him, being otherwise also
a very bold and active man, determined to hazard himself for the
preservation of his brother. "It is true," [9] said he, "O governor,
that we have been very wicked with regard to thee, and on that account
deserved punishment; even all of us may justly be punished, although
the theft were not committed by all, but only by one of us, and he the
youngest also; but yet there remains some hope for us, who otherwise
must be under despair on his account, and this from thy goodness, which
promises us a deliverance out of our present 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 passion those that
otherwise are of lower character indulge, as they do their strength, and
that not only on great, but also on very trifling occasions. Overcome,
sir, that passion, and be not subdued by it, nor suffer it to slay those
that do not otherwise presume upon their own safety, but are desirous
to accept of it from thee; for this is not the first time that thou wilt
bestow it on us, but before,