SERM. would prepare the way for his future III. happiness. Very often doth it happen unto us, as it did unto Jacob; we arraign and condemn the providence of God, even at the very time when it is fecretly working for our good. We are told, that as foon as Jacob heard the welcome news that there was corn in Egypt, he immediately called his fons together, and dispatched them with money to purchase, as foon as poffible, that neceffary and much-wanted commodity, keeping behind only his youngest fon Benjamin, to commune with and comfort him in their abfence. They obeyed the orders of their father, and fet out upon the journey. Jofeph, we muft here call to mind, had, with his new dignity, affumed the new name also of Zaphnath Paa-nêah`; a name III. name given him by Pharaoh, and figni- SER M. ficant of his important office, meaning, according to the received interpretation, his prime minifter. To Zaphnath Paanêah then, a name utterly unknown to them (and which accounts, amongst other reasons, for their not remembering him) Jacob's fons were directed to apply, as to the only perfon who could relieve them, the administration of affairs being entirely in his hands. And Jofeph's brethren came, fays the fcripture, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth. How vifible is the finger of God in this whole tranfaction! how doth it verify the obfervation of the inspired writer in the words of my text, that the Lord was with Jofeph, directing every incident, and guiding every event towards the increase of his honour, and the advancement of his happiness. Those who had fo cruelly and defpitefully used him, E 2 SERM. him, are now intreating his favour, and fuing for his protection (they bowed themfelves down before him.) Thus, by a train of extraordinary circumstances, fufficiently pointing out the interpofition of Divine Providence, was the prophetic dream of Jofeph miraculously fulfilled : His brethren bowed down before him ; those cruel and unnatural brethren, who imagined they had reduced him to the loweft ftate of fervitude, were now fuppliant at his feet, relying entirely on his will, and totally dependent on his bounty. And this, my brethren, is a triumph which frequently awaits, even in this world, on the good and virtuous. Those who have perfecuted and oppreffed others, are, by the providence of God, which fo ordains it, obliged, by a reverse of fortune, to repent of their ill treatment, and to bow down before those they have injured. Such may ever be the fate of III. the proud and cruel, who perfecute and SERM. opprefs; and fuch it undoubtedly will be, either in this life, or in that which is to come. We are told, Jofeph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. It is, indeed, fcarce probable, that after fo long an absence, his perfon, circumstances, name, every thing fo altered, they could have recollected him; and it is almost as improbable, all things confidered, that he fhould not remember them. He who inflicts the wound, may never think of it after it is given; but he who receives, will generally carry with him fuch impreffions of it, as cannot eafily be forgotten. At fuch a time, what must have been the emotions, the tender feelings, and fituation of fuch a heart as Jofeph's! Love and fear, furprize and aftonishment; all thofe mingled paffions at once furrounding him, how wonderful was his prefence of mind on the occafion! SERM. III. He was refolved to delay the discovery of himself to a more proper opportunity; he affumes fufpicions therefore which he had not, the better to conceal those which he had; and told them that they were fpies, come to fee the nakedness of the land; a fuppofition which, if we confider the fituation of the country, might be admitted with the utmoft propriety, as that part of Egypt, which bordered on Canaan, and that only, laid open to invafion, fo that they might have taken this opportunity of feeing whether famine had fo reduced Egypt, as to render her an eafy prey to an ambitious neighbour. This fufpicion naturally produced that explanation which Jofeph wanted; when they replied to it, that they were all fons of one father; a circumftance sufficient to convince him that they came on no bad defign, as it would have been highly abfurd to imagine that any one man |