consummation of their sinful hopes, was the first foundation of Joseph's greatness and good fortune. God, who had chosen him as a vessel of peculiar honour, had laid the scene of all his future activity and usefulness in a distant land, and made these sinful men the instruments by which his gracious purposes were effected. Yet, when Joseph was drawn out of the pit, naked and bruised, and in the anguish of his soul pleaded to deaf ears and stony hearts, it is probable that he would willingly have put the bitter cup from him, little foreseeing that such positive evils as slavery and exile were the first steps to power, and almost to a throne. The first favourable change in his fortunes begins immediately upon his arrival in Egypt. An officer of the guard of Pharaoh becomes his purchaser, and is very soon so much impressed by the diligence, prudence, and good sense of his Hebrew captive, that he attracts his especial notice, and is soon convinced that the Lord was with himthat he was a person peculiarly under the protection and in the favour of Heaven. Under these convictions he makes him overseer of his house, and places such complete confidence in him, that "he knew not aught he had, save the bread that he did eat." And now it may be, that Joseph might think with the psalmist, "in this prosperity that he should never be removed." But God had yet more important business for his servant; and again he must pass through the purifying fires of affliction. His troubles arose out of those gifts of Heaven which so frequently prove fatal to their possessors. The sacred historian tells us, that "Joseph was a goodly person, and well-favoured," and these natural endowments laid the foundation of one of the severest trials to which human virtue can be exposed. His master's wife conceives a criminal passion for him; and, in the hope of gratifying her illicit love, abandons all the natural delicacy of her sex, forgets the disparity of their rank, and " "day by day" solicits him to comply with her desires. Joseph, although young, and therefore the more exposed to this peculiar temptation, steadily resists her importunities, and, by recalling to her mind his master's great kindness, his own confidential situation, her condition as a wife, the consequent load of ingratitude and treachery which such conduct would lay upon him, and, above all, the authority and majesty of an offended God,

endeavours in vain to persuade her to do better things. The event, however, does not answer his good intentions. He rouses against him the vengeance of an enraged and disappointed woman; and is by her false and malicious accusation, and the anger of his deceived master, plunged into a dungeon, "a place where the king's prisoners were bound." Slight as this circumstance may appear, yet matters of the highest importance to Joseph's future life were connected with it; and undoubtedly the very prison into which he was thrown was especially provided for by him who was with Joseph. Here the Lord extended to him his accustomed kindness, and gave him favour with the keeper of the prison, who committed to his hand "all the prisoners who were in it." In consequence of this he had the care of two of the chief of Pharaoh's household servants, his chief butler and baker. To each of these he interpreted a remarkable dream. And the remote consequence of this was his release from the dungeon, although not till after two full years; when the chief butler, whose gratitude had slept during so long a period, spoke of him to Pharaoh as one who was skilful in the interpretation of dreams. Pharaoh having dreamed a remarkable dream, and finding none of his magicians or wise men able to interpret it, receives the interpretation from Joseph, after that faithful servant of God had ascribed the whole honour of such interpetation to the Lord. He afterwards ventures to offer such advice as the approaching circumstances, which he has foretold, renders peculiarly necessary. Pharaoh, struck with his discretion and divine wisdom, appoints him ruler over his house, and over all his people, and invests him with such power as no minister of a sovereign had perhaps ever before possessed.

And now, let us observe, how marvellously does this whole history illustrate God's care over those who put their trust in him, and his power in bringing good out of evil, even according to his own gracious promise, "that all things shall work together for good to those who love him." In this recapitulation the following points seem to stand the most obviously prominent. Jacob's fondness for Joseph, although perhaps not justifiable in itself, and the first source of the hatred of his brethren, was yet, in one sense, necessary to produce those events which led to

the advancement of Joseph's power, and the preservation of the lives of multitudes, and especially of the patriarchs from whom the whole Jewish economy was to spring, and from whom our blessed Lord descended after the flesh. In like manner, the envy of his brethren, their violence, and their unjust sale of him to the Ishmaelites, were all essentially evils in themselves, and all overruled to Joseph's good. The same may be said of his disgrace with his master-the hard thoughts which he must have laboured under, of ingratitude and wickedness—the confinement for years in a loathsome dungeon,-all these things were grievous to endure at the time, and yet every one of these evils was directly instrumental in producing the good which had been designed for Joseph by him whose counsels shall stand. Had he been the slave in any other house in Egypt, he might possibly have escaped the grievous trial and temptation to which he was exposed by an abandoned woman; but then not only would he have missed the glory of one of the greatest conquests that virtue has ever obtained over vice, but he would also have never been sent to the prison for the king's prisoners. Pharaoh might not, and probably never would, have heard of him.

Upon the whole, then, as this part of Joseph's history affords, as we have already said, a striking illustration, both of the care with which God is pleased to watch over those who faithfully and devoutly put their trust in him, and of his power in making the most untoward accidents, or the most serious calamities, work out that which is good in the end; so does it also afford great matter of comfort and encouragement to every one who is a faithful disciple of our Saviour. The God of Joseph is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. He has promised to be ever present with all them that call upon him faithfully. And although enemies from without, and evil passions from within, may assail us; although the bondage of our own. sins may weigh us down, and the unkindness of our brethren fill our hearts with sorrow, we may rely upon his assurance, when he tells us by the mouth of one of his most favoured servants, that "these light afflictions, which are (comparatively) but for a moment," shall work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

408

ENCOURAGEMENTS TO PRAYER.

"When one man," says Paley, "desires to obtain any thing of another, he betakes himself to entreaty; and this may be observed of mankind in all ages and countries of the world. Now what is universal may be called natural; and it seems probable that God, as our supreme governor, should expect that towards himself, which, by natural impulse, or by irresistible order of our consitution, he has prompted us to pay to every other being on whom we depend. The same may be said of thanksgiving."

This is the conclusion to which our unassisted reason brings us, the proof of which is fully confirmed by the repeated exhortations to prayer, which revelation has afforded us in the Scriptures, such as the following, with many others of the same kind:

66

Pray without ceasing." 1 Thess. v. 17.

"In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God." Phil. iv. 8. Moreover, besides these plain and positive commands relating to the duty of prayer, we have the greatest encouragement to offer up our petitions at the throne of grace. "Ask," says our Saviour," and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened;" Matt. vii.; with many passages of a similar description. But above all, we have the parable of the unjust judge, in which our blessed Lord clearly and pointedly encourages us" always to pray and not to faint, saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man; and there was a widow in that city, and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of my adversary, and he would not for a while; but afterwards he said within himself, Though I fear not God nor regard man; yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith; and shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you he will avenge them

speedily." Luke xviii. 1-8. Again, our Saviour has not only given us such plain directions on this matter, and also a form of words in which we may address our heavenly Father, but he has left us his own illustrious example. We read of his frequent retirement from the crowd of men, and of his spending the solitude of the night in a devout intercourse with God. Amidst every danger and difficulty, he never failed to address himself to the great Ruler of all things, who alone could protect and console him. No duty therefore can be more necessary and useful than a just confidence in the Most High, who will never forsake those who rely on his mercy; and our Saviour's example, in the duty of prayer, claims peculiar attention. He was always ready to call upon God the Father, as the great object of his trust. In his deepest distress, when void of all visible means of relief, without even the common aid of human friendship, and when his very disciples forsook him fled, he still maintained the vigour of his mind, and was able to console himself by prayer! Amidst all the torment of the cross, his hope was vigorous and strong, founded upon a lively sense of the divine presence and support. When just expiring, he cheerfully committed his spirit to the tender care of his Father in heaven, being well assured that he was neither forgotten nor forsaken. (To be continued.)

us to

O MOST gracious and merciful Lord God, who hast encouraged pray and not to faint, and who hast assured us that constant and fervent prayer shall prevail at the throne of thy grace: listen, I do humbly beseech Thee, to those petitions which from time to time I have offered in the name of Jesus Christ, and grant that through his intercession they may in the end succeed. I know, however, that thy judgments, O Lord, are true and righteous altogether, and that from the kindest of motives, thou dost sometimes think fit to withhold thy power and favour. Teach me then, if thou thinkest fit to try me further, meekly to acquiesce in thy decision, and to endeavour to qualify myself for thy grace and mercy. O give me the aid of thy Holy

VOL. I.

3 G