phane history as it is called, treats only of perfons and things relating to this world; but facred history, befides its literal meaning, has alfo an hidden fenfe, which points to Chrift, and defcribes the character and work of the great Redeemer of men. In proof of this, we need only refer you to the words of Chrift himself, where he exhorts the Jews to fearch the Scriptures, for, fays he, they are they which testify of memeaning thereby the Scriptures of the Old Testament, which do but very obfcurely teftify of Chrift, to them who look no further than the bare letter, especially the Books of Mofes, though Christ says concerning them, that Mofes wrote of him and that If the Jews had believed Mofes, they would have believed himBut, fays he, if yo believe not his writings, how fhall ye bewords.

lieve

my

THE reason why the Jews fee nothing of Chrift in their own Scriptures is because their eyes are blinded by carnal prejudice. There is a vail of unbelief upon their hearts which hinders them from beholding any fpiritual truth; this vail can only be removed by the converfion of that people unto Chrift. They will then be aftonifhed to find that the Meffiah has been fo long time with them, and that they have not known him; they will fee that their favourite heroes and worthies did all forefhew a greater deliverer; and that Jofeph, the faviour of his brethren, is but the type of Jefus the Saviour of mankind.

It is remarkable that the fame perfon in this hiftory, is fometimes called Jacob, and fometimes Ifrael, and that too in the fame fentence, as in the

text-The fons of Ifrael carried Jacob their father. Both these names were given him from his ftrivings; the one at his birth, when he ftrove to be the first-born, the other after his ftruggle with the angel. Jacob, his first name fignifies a fupplanter; Ifrael, a prince with God Is he not rightly named Jacob, faid his brother Efau, for he hath fupplanted me two times. But this Jacob afterwards becomes an Ifrael; and then he is told-Thy name fhall be called no more Jacob, but Ifrael, for as a prince haft thou power with God, and with men, and haft prevailed.

THE holy Patriarch with his family proceed onward in their journey towards Egypt. A goodly company. His fons, and his fons fons with him, his daughters, and his fons daughters, and all his feed brought he with him into Egypt

in all three fcore and fix fouls. Contemplating thefe illuftrious perfonages travelling with their flocks and herds through the wilderness, may we not take up the parable of Balaam the fon of Peor, which he uttered when he faw the defcendants of these fons of Ifrael returning back to the land of their forefathers, and overfpreading the fertile plains of Syria with their fightly numbers, and fay with the illuminated prophet_ How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Ifrael, as the vallies are they fpread forth, as gardens by the river fide, as the trees of lign aloes which the Lord hath planted, and as cedar trees befide the waters. An aged parent is going to blefs his eyes with the fight of a long loft fon His fons are going to be fed and nourished by a brother whom they had bafely fold and rejectedTheir wives and

little ones are going to behold the glory of Jofeph, the lord of the country, but their kinfman after the flesh. The God who in after times brought them out of Egypt, is He who now brings them in. The vine that he brought out of Egypt, he first planted there; to be again transplanted back to the inheritance promised to their fathers Thou, O God, fhalt bring them in and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance; in the place, O Lord, which thou haft made for thee to dwell in, the fanctuary which thy hands have eftablifhed The Lord is among them, as in the holy place of Sinai, for he faid, I will down with thee into Egypt.

go

JUDAH is fent before them to acquaint Jofeph of their approach, and to direct his steps to the land of Gofhen, the place fixed upon for their