mifed inheritance in the heavenly Ca

naan.

AND here Jofeph____ of whom it was faid, when the old man feared to go down into Egypt, that he should put his hand upon his eyes-Jofeph fteps forward to accomplish the promifed duty-And he fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kiffed him. But cold and infenfible is the pale cheek of Jacob to this laft teftimony of filial affection; the breathlefs corpfe betrays no emotion; the tears of the fon fall unheeded on the countenance of the parent.

AFTER the days of mourning were ended, Joseph obtained permiffion of Pharaoh, to go and bury his father. It was to perform the oath he had fworn,

and to execute his father's laft dying request. We will accompany him to the cave of Machpelah : We will behold as folemn a proceffion as ever the world faw: It is the Lord of Egypt trafporting the remains of an aged parent to the fepulchre of his ancestors in the land of Canaan With him went all the fervants of Pharaoh, the elders of Pharaoh, the elders of his houfe, and all the elders of the land of Egypt. To teftify their gratitude to Jofeph, the Egyptians joined in this tribute of refpect to the memory of his father. There went up alfo, all the houfe of Jofeph, and his brethren, and his father's houfe, all who were able to travel, or could be fpared from their occupations. only their little ones, their flocks and their herds, left they in the land of Gofhen And there went with them both

chariots and horfemen not only for honour and grandeur, but as a guard to protect them from the bands of robbers, which infeft the countries through which they had to pafs. And it was a very great company.

It was not long ago, that we faw this venerable old man with his numerous family traveling towards Egypt, in the waggons which Jofeph had fent to carry him; and we now fee him brought back, a breathless corpse, with a far more numerous train, with all the honours of Egypt, and attended by his own countrymen and kindred. Thus is there no exemption from the grave, even to the moft favoured and elect fervants of God; they too muft defcend into the darkness of the tomb: But, as the prophet faith, when the righteous is taken away, he fhall enter

into peace; they shall reft in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.

Ar length the fons of Jacob arrive at the confines of the land of Canaan

they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan. About to enter the land of their forefathers, the promifed land of their inheritance,

the type of Heaven, they make a folemn pause. A thoufand religious, tender, and affecting recollections rise in prospect before them. Here it was, that God had fo often appeared to their favoured race; here he had entered into covenant with Abraham, renewed it with Ifaac, and confirmed it to their father Jacob; here they had passed their early years of childhood and innocence, happy under the protection of a fond parent, before ever ftrife and divifion had arifen among them,

or Jofeph became separated from his brethren; here was depofited all that was earthly of their venerable anceftors; here they were going to place the remains of Jacob; here they themselves expected to be one day laid, and being all of one blood, to mingle in one common duft; for even mere natural affection abhors the very idea of feparation, and would fain exprefs, far as her perifhable commodity will permit, the image and fimilitude of fpiritual and eternal love: Here it was that they united their kindred fympathies to mourn their father's death And they mourned with a great and very fore lamentation.

BUT why mourn the death of one who had died in faith, and was already received up into glory?

PP