far we beg of thee, O governor, that if thou condemnest our
brother to die, thou wilt punish us together with him, as partners of
his crime,--for we shall not think it reasonable to be reserved to kill
ourselves for grief of our brother's death, but so to die rather as
equally guilty with him of this crime. I will only leave with thee this
one consideration, and then will say no more, viz. that our brother
committed this fault when he was young, and not yet of confirmed wisdom
in his conduct; and that men naturally forgive such young persons. I
end here, without adding what more I have to say, that in case thou
condemnest us, that omission may be supposed to have hurt us, and
permitted thee to take the severer side. But in case thou settest us
free, that this may be ascribed to thy own goodness, of which thou art
inwardly conscious, that thou freest us from condemnation; and that not
by barely preserving us, but by granting us such a favor as will make us
appear more righteous than we really are, and by representing to thyself
more motives for our deliverance than we are able to produce ourselves.
If, therefore, thou resolvest to slay him, I desire thou wilt slay me
in his stead, and send him back to his father; or if thou pleasest to
retain him with thee as a slave, I am fitter to labor for thy advantage
in that capacity, and, as thou seest, am better prepared for either of
those sufferings." So Judas, being very willing to undergo any thing
whatever for the deliverance of his brother, cast himself down at
Joseph's feet, and earnestly labored to assuage and pacify his anger.
All his brethren also fell down before him, weeping and delivering
themselves up to destruction for the preservation of the life of
Benjamin.

10. But Joseph, as overcome now with his affections, and no longer able
to personate an angry man, commanded all that were present to depart,
that he might make himself known to his brethren when they were alone;
and when the rest were gone out, he made himself known to his brethren;
and said, "I commend you for your virtue, and your kindness to our
brother: I find you better men than I could have expected from what
you contrived about me. Indeed, I did all this to try your love to your
brother; so I believe you were not wicked by nature in what you did
in my case, but that all has happened according to God's will, who has
hereby procured our enjoyment of what good things we have; and, if he
continue in a fa