ANd Joseph fell upon his face] All the brethren of Joseph it is like (unlesse Simeon and Levi through offence at their fathers reproofe and imprecation were more disposed to anger then griefe) shewed themselves mournfull for the death of Jacob, but if they did, Joseph as in other commendable endowments, so in this exceeded them all: every word of the Text importeth a sad weight of sorrow, whereby we may observe him a better sonne to his father as before, and after this a better brother to his brethren then they were to him; Religion doth not reject naturall affection but rule and governe it, sometimes intending, sometimes abating the force of it, that it may be proportionable to the cause, and the person; and here we see in Joseph the combination of piety and charity in an eminent degree. None of all the sonnes of Jacob more devout towards God, or more kind to his kindred, whether in direct or collaterall line; if then parents would have their children to be good children to themselves, let them by prayer, and precept, and example, doe what they can to make them good children to God. See Deut. 6. 7, 8. Ephesians 6:4. wept upon him] Some men account weeping an argument of womanish weaknesse, but we find, that men of an excellent spirit have beene noted for their weeping, as David, 1 Sam. 30 4. 2 Samuel 3:32. & Chap. 12. 22. & 13. 16. & 18. 33. the man of God, 2 Kings 8:11. Hezekiah, 2 Kings 20:3. Nehemiah, Chap. 1. vers. 4. yea Christ himselfe, who was never knowne to laugh, is recorded twice to have wept, once over dead Lazarus, John 11:3. another time over the foreseene desolation of Jerusalem, Luke 19:41. and Joseph is recorded to have wept seven times; the first time we read of, is Genesis 42:24. the second, Genesis 43:30. the third, Chap. 45. 2. the fourth, Chap. 46. vers. 29. the fifth, in this vers. the sixth, vers. 10. and the seventh, vers. 17. of this Chapter. Jacob mourned much for Joseph when he thought he was dead, Chap. 37. vers. 34. now Joseph repaies those tender teares; and notwithstanding his Courtly dignity, his naturall piety seriously laments the losse of the Arch Patriarch, his father: and this affection of sorrow, and expression of teares is lawfull, if it neither be produced from distrust, nor proceed to excesse; yea the want of it is a fault, Isaiah 57:1. See Acts 8:2. and kissed him] Though many things were in use with the Patriarchs, before they were put into precept in the Leviticall Law, that which made men uncleane by touching of the dead, Numbers 19:11. was none of them; yet some take it that the touch of the dead was not forbidden, but if a man did touch he was ceremonially uncleane seven dayes, and was to purifie himselfe by precept in a ceremoniall manner there prescribed, 5: 12. which if he did not performe, he was an offender, but not by touching simply, of which there was no expresse prohibition. Howsoever it were then, now there was none; and Joseph expressing his deare affection to his dead father, yet on the earth, and not long after to be laid within it, broke no part of his due obedience to his heavenly father. And here we see that though there be great difference betwixt a living and a dead body, and that difference cause a perpetuall separation of the dead from the living, (how kind soever they have beene in communion of life) yet filiall affection in a good sonne towards a good father dieth not when he dieth, but surviveth, and sheweth it selfe by offices of love afterward, and there are the like workings of good will in other relations both of kindred, and of friendship, which sometimes are manifested by the lips when they are closed to kisse, as well as when they are opened to professe a dearenesse of respect: so was it with Joseph towards Jacob in this place; wherein there might be (and some say there was) somewhat of ceremonie, as a funerall usage in former times; which hath descended to latter ages, and is used in some places among Christians to this day; though not alwaies with such sinceritie as in this act of Joseph, for sometimes it is done with so much hypocrisie, betweene such as have beene unequally yoked, (as where personall liking is not reciprocall) that they have kissed those when they were dead, whom they could have found in their hearts to have killed, while they were alive.