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give. We must not expect that God will always acquit us, as he did the brethren of Jofeph, who were fpared, not for their own fakes, but for his, (to be fummoned, no doubt, after that, to a higher tribunal, where their behaviour will be strictly enquired into, and defervedly rewarded.) — When the brethren made the reflection now before us, little, we may imagine, did they fufpect that the object of it was fo near them. Jofeph, who had purposely spoken by an interpreter to conceal himself, over-heard, and was fo moved by it, that he was obliged to withdraw for a time, and vent the anguish of his mind in a flood of tears: He turned about, fays the fcripture, from them and wept. Nothing can be more tender and affecting than this circumftance: indeed, in fuch a fituation, it was impoffible to act in any other manner. We are verily guilty, faid they, concerning our brother. This was the very acknowledgment which he wished them to make but it was, at the fame time, an acknowledgment which, from fuch brethren, he could hardly have expected; his tears, therefore, were tears of joy. Nature, that roufed the emotion, did, herfelf, quickly releafe him from the diftrefs of it: he turned about from them and wept. This unburthened his full heart, and gave him the opportunity, in a few moments, to return and acquaint them with his final refolution; which was,

that

that Simeon must remain an hoftage till they came back, and brought Benjamin with them; he took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes. Reuben had, we may remember, protested strongly against the murder of Jofeph, and probably contributed to the pre. fervation of his life: Simeon, therefore, as the eldeft of those who threw him into the pit, was the most proper object of Joseph's Thort-lived refentment, and accordingly remained a prisoner in Egypt. We must now accompany the brethren back to their native land, and remark the reception which they met with from their anxious father, which will bring on the affecting catastrophe of this whole pathetic and interefting relation; whence I fhall take occafion to draw fuch ufeful and inftructive inferences as, I flatter myself, will deeply engage your attention, and at once fortify and improve those refolutions which may be of the utmost service to us in our future conduct.

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ON THE HISTORY OF JOSEPH.

SERMON IV.

GENESIS XXXIX. 2.

The Lord was with Jofeph.

IN the conclufion of my last discourse we left Jofeph's brethren on their return to the land of Canaan, whither they were haftening, with all poffible expedition, to fetch Benjamin, and redeem Simeon, who was left as an hostage in Egypt, when a circumftance happened which greatly terrified and alarmed them. As they stopped to bait on their journey, behold, the money which they had carried with them to buy corn was reftored to them; and every man's money was found in the mouth of his fack, where it had been fecretly and purpofely conveyed by order of Jofeph, who, we may imagine, thought it would have been an agreeable furprize to them: but they confidered it in another light, as a premeditated defign of the governor to accufe them of fraudulent practices, and take the opportunity of making them bondsmen and flaves; a groundless fufpicion, which they had no reafon to entertain. But guilt is always timid, jealous,

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and alarmed; it is the curfe of the wicked to be afraid where no fear is: they were fearful of punishment, because they knew that they had deserved it; and their frightened imagination fuggefted to them the worst that could poffibly happen. The conduct of Jofeph was indeed fomething ftrange and myfterious, for which they could not easily account. Uncertain, however, and anxious for the event, they proceeded on their journey, and foon arrived fafely at the house of their fa ther, acquainted him with every thing that had happened, and concluded, by requesting him to fend their brother Benjamin back with them to Egypt. This was a fevere ftroke, which the afflicted Jacob little expected; he could not bear, at this time of life, thus to be deprived of every remaining comfort, and left childlefs and forlorn, in the extremity of old age. He expoftulates with them in the tendereft manner: Me, fays he, have ye bereaved of my children: Jofeph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away. It was in vain to represent to him the neceffity of returning with the younger to free the elder brother. When the mind is oppreffed by a greater calamity, the less is scarce felt or regarded. Reuben, however, who was the leaft culpable, was, probably, on that very account, the most bold and confident amongst them; he promises his father, in the most folemn manner to restore Benjamin fafely to him, and even offers up his own two fons to be C 2 flain,

flain, if he did not perform it. Judah enforceth the arguments of Reuben, and generously yields himself up as a furety; If I bring him not unto thee, says he, let me bear the blame for ever. The old man at length, prevailed on by their importunities, delivers his darling Benjamin into their hands, gives them more money for corn, together with feveral valuable prefents for Jofeph, and, with a heavy heart, takes his fecond leave of them, little hoping, perhaps, that he fhould ever meet them all again: but the Lord, ever watchful over his chofen fervants, had only funk him to this state of mifery and despair, to give him the more exquifite joy and pleafure at their return. Thus doth our gracious Creator often try the patience, and deprefs the hearts, of his faithful fervants, by the most bitter afflictions, which are afterwards turned unto good, and rendered productive of greater and more perfect happiness.

Again, then, let us attend Jofeph's brethren to the court of Pharaoh, where the favourite of the Almighty no fooner beheld his beloved Benjamin accompanying them, than he immediately gave orders for their reception, in fuch a manner, as fufficiently thewed how welcome a gueft they had brought along with them. As foon as they came into his prefence, he enquires with moft folicitous tendernefs after their aged father, and then, turning towards Benjamin, falutes him in fuch terms, as, no doubt, greatly

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