SERMON III,

45

GENESIS XXXIX. 2.

The Lord was with Jofeph.

OSEPH, whom in my two last dif- SERM.

Jos

courses we have accompanied thro'

a variety of diftreffes and temptations, was now, by the gracious providence of God, delivered from all his forrows and misfortunes, and exalted to the highest ftate of happiness which his ambition could wish for or defire; the favourite of a grateful fovereign, the admiration of a powerful, obliged, and united people: his honours and preferments, gained not by the fervile arts of adulation, fraud, or chicanery, but acquired by real merit, and

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SERM. and conferred on him with univerfal approbation. Happy was the king that had fuch a minifter, and ftill happier that nation which had fuch a guide and protector,

Jofeph, who did not, as minifters too often do, think himself at liberty to facrifice every thing to his own interest and advantage, was thoroughly fenfible. of the weight and importance of the truft reposed in him. He acted like an honest and an upright patriot, faithful to the mafter who employed him, and anxious for the preservation of the people committed to his care. In the feven years of plenty, when the corn was gathered as the fand of the fea, he laid it up in the ftorehoufes which he had prepared for that purpose. He would not, as I before observed to you, fuffer it to be exported, as it probably had formerly

been

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been, into foreign countries, but kept it SERM. at home, well-knowing that when the famine which he had foretold should come, there would be a great and preffing demand for it. At the end of the feven years, that dreadful calamity which he had predicted did actually fucceed, and the dearth was in all lands. Then did the Egyptians fully experience the judgment and prudence of Jofeph, who poured balm into their wounds, and foftened all their calamities. Whilft every nation. around them was finking under the miffortune, they were fatisfied with abundance, and in the land of Egypt, fays the fcripture, there was bread. They had not only enough for themselves, but were able also to supply their indigent neighbours. Thus may the wisdom and integrity of one truly great man restore a finking nation: thus may he even convert misfortunes into bleffings, and

SERM. render that evil, which threatened ruin

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and deftruction, productive of benefit and advantage to them. All countries, fays the history, came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; a circumftance which we fhall fee was of more confequence to Jofeph than every thing which had gone before it. For after all that can be faid in favour of public fplendor, honours, fame, affluence, and every external mark of felicity, true happiness is perhaps only to be found within the narrow circle of private life, and the fweet endearments of domestic affection. Raised as Joseph was to fo fuperior an eminence, God had yet in ftore for him a bleffing far preferable to any which he had ever bestowed on him. The fight of his aged father was a nobler fpectacle than the most gorgeous palace could furnish; and the dinner with which he entertained his brethren, was doubtless, to

him, a more exquifite feast than all the SERM. dainties which Pharaoh's court could

ever have afforded him.

Let us then turn back our eyes on the poor, aged, unhappy Jacob, who had now, for the space of thirteen years, lamented in anguish and despair the fupposed death of his beloved Joseph; when behold a public calamity arose to increase and embitter private diftrefs. The famine was fore in the land of Canaan: even that land which had flowed with milk and honey, was now poor and deftitute. This, no doubt, greatly afflicted the aged Patriarch; for those who have been used to affluence and profperity, are always the most impatient under penury and forrow; and nothing fo embitters present distress, as this grating remembrance of paft felicity. Little, doubtless, did Jacob think that fo fevere a judgment VOL. I. E would

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