pay obeisance; let us go to him for the bread of life; let us be all true men and no fpies, that is, not mere obfervers of the misconduct of others, but careful for ourselves to live well, and to be approved of God. When in ftraits and difficulties and distress, let us examine and inquire what we have done to bring upon us the judgments of God, for affliction fpringeth not out of the duft, it is the chaflifement of the Lord; and if he chastise us, we may be fure, there is fomething in us that requires to be amended. Let us review our past life, fee wherein we have done amifs, and do fo no more; Let us confefs our unrighteoufness and be forry for our fin. Let us acknowledge our unworthy treatment of our bleffed Saviour, in having flighted the calls of his fpirit, and acted contrary

to the convictions of our better mind;

Let us own our guilt concerning this our brother; fo fhall we obtain forgiveness. But let us not wonder, if he put our fincerity to the proof, and caufe us to pafs through various trials: Itis by being tried that faith is ftrengthened, and love encreased. Jofeph's brethren, by being made fenfible of their entire dependance on the governor of Egypt, and experiencing his forgiving temper when under his power, will love him infinitely more hereafter, than if he had been discovered to them at the firft:And thus Jefus, the true Jofeph, firft makes known his power, in the convincing us of fin, before he reveals his love, in the pardoning of it. Myfterious are his proceed ings, but let us yield an implicit obedience to his will, and in due time we

fhall fee the wifdom of his conduct towards us; let us not fear to part with any thing for his fake, we fhall lofe nothing by ferving him. Simeon is bound and cannot be releafed t 113enjamin be fent; And thus our comfort, happiness, and peace of mind, depend on a full and unreferved compliance with the Divine Will.

SERMON V.

THE BRETHREN ENTERTAINED BY

JOSEPH.

GENESIS, xliii. 1, 2.

And the famine was fore in the land, and it came to pafs when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father faid unto them, go again buy us a little food.

STILL the famine rages in the land of Canaan. As the family of Jacob was numerous, the corn which his fons had brought with them from Egypt must be foon confumed: A fecond journey becomes neceffary: but on no other condition will the fons of Jacob go again to buy food, unless their fa

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