at fuch power and profperity as to have. any dominion over them: the event, notwithstanding was, we fhall fee, directly oppofite to what they had expected, as the ftate of fervitude to which Jofeph's brethren reduced him, proved the foundation of all his happiness. Thus doth the providence of God always work in fecret for the prefervation, and for the reward of the inno

cent.

There paffed by, fays the fcripture, Midianites, merchant-men; and they drew and lift up Jofeph out of the pit, and fold Jofeph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of filver.

There were, it feems, at that time upon earth, men as void of feeling and humanity as in our own times; men who made no fcruple, for the fake of worldly profit, to buy and fell their fellow-creatures; and these merchants thought, no doubt, that a young and beautiful flave (for fuch Jofeph was) would prove no difagreeable or unprofitable commodity in Egypt, whither they were going.

The practice of vending flaves, continued to this day, hath, we fee, at least the plea of antiquity; and perhaps this is the only plea which it can boaft in its favour. In those days of darkness and ignorance, we cannot be fo much furprised to find this horrid custom established amongst the idolators of Egypt: but furely to confider that it is ftill prevalent, even among those who profefs them

felves the followers of Chrift, must be matter of admiration and aftonishment; and we cannot but lament, that this fhocking remnant of barbarifm and inhumanity could ever take place, and fill more, remain in a Chrif tian community. The practice, however, doth ftill fubfift, to the fhame of our holy religion, and the difgrace of our nature.

But to proceed:

When Jofeph's brethren had thus fold him into Egypt, it became neceffary for them to conceal it from their father, who they knew would not fail on their return to enquire after him; they made no fcruple, therefore, of adding falfehood and deceit to injuftice and inhumanity. When men once deviate into the paths of fin, there is no going backwards; every step they take plunges them deeper into guilt, and fwells the measure of their iniquity; it was eafy for them to invent a tale, which, from its probability, would be readily believed. They took Jofeph's coat, and killed a kid, and dipped the coat in the blood, and brought it to their father, and faid, This have we found; know now whether it be thy fon's coat or no. This fable bore with it all the marks of truth, and was received as fuch by the unfortunate Jacob; and he faid, It is my fon's coat: an evil beaft hath devoured him. His heart was fo pierced with this fudden and dreadful calamity, that he rent his cloaths, and put fackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his fon. A darling child torn from

him in a manner fo fhocking, was more than his age could fupport: he would admit of no confolation, but gave himfelf up to his forrows; and all his fons and all his daughters rofe up to comfort him, but he refufed to be comforted; and he faid, For I will go down into the grave unto my fon mourning.Thus his father wept for him, whom we must now leave in his affliction, to accompany the unfortunate captive Joseph, now fold into Egypt, unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of his guard.

The flattering dream that had promised Jofeph fuch extraordinary good fortune feemed now but ill accomplished; a state of penury and fervitude in a foreign land was, to all outward appearance, but an indifferent omen of future power and profperity; very different, however, was the fate he met with, from that which he had reafon to expect.

The hiftory delivered down to us hath to the account of Jofeph's extraordinary goodfortune, fubjoined alfo the reafon and caufe of it. The Lord was with Jofeph; and therefore, no doubt, he was a profperous man.God must be the fountain and foundation of every good little would all his induftry and integrity have availed, if the Lord had not been with him, to difcover and to reward, to incline the heart of his master, and fecure his favour and protection. Except the Lord build the houfe, the labour is but vain of him that buildeth. But Jofeph gained the love and regard of the Almighty, because he de

ferved it: no fooner was he fettled in the fervice of Potiphar, than he refolved to perform punctually and diligently all the duties of his ftation; fuch was his honefty, truth, and affiduity, that he recommended himfelf in the ftrongeft manner to his mafter, fo as to gain his entire confidence and esteem; and his mafter faw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to profper in his hand; infomuch that he made him overfeer over his houfe, and all that he had he put into his hand.

So agreeable was Jofeph's conduct and behaviour to the Divine Being, that we find the Almighty extending his mercy not only to Jofeph himself, but to his mafter alfo: the Lord bleffed the Egyptian's houfe for Jofeph's fake; and the bleffing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the houfe, and in the field. Of fo great price and effimation are honour and integrity in the eyes of God, that he frequently even fpareth the wicked for the fake of the righteous; how noble an incitement is this to the practice of virtue! with what pleafure muft her followers reflect, that it may be in their power, by a steady and right conduct, to fave not themselves only, but their fellow-creatures alfo; their relations, friends, kindred, country, all that have any affinity or connection with them! Thus may the good and faithful fervant, like Jofeph, preferve a whole family; thus may the pious and religious fon plead with his almighty Creator for his profane, negligent,

up

or

or irreligious prent; and thus, on the other hand, may the juft and confcientious parent atone, in fome measure, for the folly or im-" piety of a profligate and rebellious child: thus, to rife ftill higher, may private virtue infure public happiness; and the fingle unbiaffed honour and integrity of one upright counsellor contribute to the fafety, and secure the prosperity, of a whole corrupted

nation.

Here then let us ftop, as it were before the palace of Pharaoh, and contemplate with an eye of aftonishment the extraordinary fate of the happy Jofeph; raised from the lowest and most abject condition, to a ftate of affluence, honour, fplendor, and profperity; courted, beloved, and refpected; the darling of an affectionate master, the favourite of a powerful monarch, the envy and admiration of all beholders.

Can we pass over an incident fo striking and fo remarkable without many a grateful, many a ferious reflection, on the gracious providence of God, which thus calleth good out of evil? May we not, and ought we not, when we confider the hiftory before us, to call to mind fome parallel inftances of his beneficence towards us; fome circumftance of our life wherein that accident or misfortune, which feemed big with ruin and deftruction, hath turned out in the end to our benefit and advantage? This fhould teach us to remember, that we are all in the hands of a kind and beneficent Creator, who watch

eth