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Ifrael faid, it is enough, Jofeph my fon is yet alive, I will go and fee him before I die.

WHO can contemplate without emotion the transports of an aged parent at hearing that his favourite son, whom he has long mourned as dead,ftill lives; and at the fummit of worldly grandeur holds a fecure retreat to his father and his brethren, from the mifery and want which a famine had occafioned in their native country? Who but muft admire the courage and refolution of an old man, which could determine on fo long a journey, at fo advanced a period of life? With him, age and infirmity are no obftacles; no perfuafion is neceffary. To fee Joseph, to behold his glory, to live under his protecting arm, are fufficient motives to prevail with him to go

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down into Egypt-It is enough happinefs of ages feems crowded into fingle moment, to revive the fpirit of afflicted Jacob— Jofeph my fon is yet alive A discovery which infufes new joy to his heart, and ftrength to his feeble frame-I will go and fee him before I die.

THIS Jacob, is a type of HUMAN NATURE: Of itfelf feeble and infirm, it derives ftrength and confolation from the tidings, that its Jofeph, its Saviour, lives: In the perfon of Jefus Chrift, we behold the fon of Jacob, and at the fame time, Jacob's Lord_ the son of man, and yet the son of God born indeed in time, but exifting before the mountains were brought forth, or ever the earth and the world were formed. He who became an infant

of days in the manger at Bethlehem, is the Everlasting Father of men and angels: That Man of forrows, is the Mighty God Yes, though rejected by the Jews, betrayed by Judas, and crucified by Pilate He is exalted to the right hand of power, and feated on the throne of Heaven He is

governor not of Egypt only; but there is given unto him the heathen for his inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for his poffeffion_ It was he that fed our fouls in the dearth; and though he fpake roughly appeared to treat us with feverity, it was no more than we had merited; and was intended to awaken reflection, and bring us to repentance. For when thou makeft inquifition for blood, thou remembereft them, and forgettest not the complaint of the poor!

THOU remembereft thy brethren, O Jefus, when thou feeft them proftrate before thee thou loveft them for the fake of the nature they bear_as Men, they claim an intereft with thee, who for our fakes didft not abhor the virgin's womb, nor fhrink from the fufferings of calvary

kindred fympathy for

thou feeleft a

children of the

fame nature as thou; but thou doft not reveal thyfelf unto them, fo long as that which is nearest and dearest unto thee is kept back;-thou requireft the inmoft affection of our heart, like Benjamin, to be given up, or we must never see thy face- never behold thee, as thou art, a gracious and forgiving brother!

We are ready enough to ferve God with external rites and obfervances, to fend a little balm, and a little honey,

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fpices and myrrh, nuts and almonds; we would even take double money in our facks, and be glad to purchase Heaven by works of fuperarrogation; but

the furrender of the whole heart to God, is esteemed a painful facrifice: Yet, this is the way the lord of the country becomes reconciled, and makes himfelf known to us. Have we then

tafted that the Lord is gracious, and defireth not the death of a finner, but ́ rather that he may be converted and live; let go and place ourselves under his protection and government, like the family of Jacob under the rule of Jofeph. Let the flesh, that old man, that old nature which is of the earth earthly, be brought into fubje&ion to Him, who though with us he partook of the earthly nature, was at the fame time the Lord from Heaven, and is now glorified with the glory

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