changed into the joy of the morning;" how the clouds of affliction may be changed into the sunshine of hope, *“how the precious seed which is sown with weeping, may produce a joyful harvest, "+for though no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."

We are told that the " Lord doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men." "He is himself touched with the feelings of our infirmities," and is ever ready to heal the wounds, which his love to the soul of a sinner, has induced him to inflict. As he declares by the mouth, of his Prophet Isaiah. "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn in Zion; to give

* Psalms, cxxvi. 6.

Hebrews, xii. 11.

Lamentations of Jeremiah, iii. 33.

§ Hebrews, iv. 15.

Isaiah, lxi. 1--3.

unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."

It is highly probable that we have all experienced affliction, more or less, in the course of our lives. It is probable also, that some of us have received no spiritual benefit from it; we may perhaps have been checked for a moment in our career of guilt and folly, and have even made many resolutions of amendment; but when a few weeks, or a few months have passed over our heads, and the violence of our grief has abated, we have fallen back into our former state of forgetfulness of God, and perhaps may continue to forget him, until he is recalled to our recollection, by some heavier affliction, or by the near approach of death.

Yet, I would hope that there are some among us upon whom the chastisements of the Lord have not been thrown away; some who have perceived the love of Christ, in rebuking and chastising them, and are endeavouring in the strength of the Lord, to fulfil his merciful precept, *"be zealous therefore and repent." Their

* Revelations, iii. 19.

mourning shall be turned into joy; eternal joy, in the kingdom of heaven; then they shall look back on their days of sorrow, as their days of mercy, and regard them as the brightest links in that golden chain of merciful events, which worked together for their good. Which led them from a state of sin and wrath, to a state of favour and holiness; from the brink of the bottomless pit, to an unfading crown of life and glory.

May the Lord, my brethren, make all things work together for the eternal good of our immortal souls, that our *“light affliction which is but for a moment, may work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." That we may join that glorious and triumphant host of the redeemed in heaven, "who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." Amen.

*2 Corinthians, iv. 17.

Revelations, vii. 14.

SERMON IV.

"And Israel said unto Joseph, do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come and I will send thee unto them."-GENESIS, Xxxvii. 13.

Perhaps there is no portion of Scripture history more interesting than the life of Joseph; the variety of situations in which he was placed, and the variety of events which occurred to him, *(all of which were made to work together for good) render his history both instructive and entertaining; and this interest which we naturally feel in such an eventful life is heightened by the shining and amiable character of him who is the subject of it. For, we can scarcely imagine a more interesting human being than Joseph was, on the morning he departed from his father's dwelling. He was then only seventeen years of age; adorned with a fine and prepossessing personal appearance; for we are told "that Joseph was a goodly

* Romans, viii. 28.

person, and well favored;" he was also gifted with the most splendid abilities: as appeared afterwards in the skill with which he conducted the government of a mighty nation, when the king of Egypt made him Lord also of his house, and ruler of all his substance. That he might inform his princes after his will, and teach his senators wisdom." But above all, he was blessed with sincere and fervent piety towards God; as evidently appeared in the whole course of his life.

Indeed the gifts both of nature and of grace seem to have been showered downin the most ample abundance upon this highly favored servant of God: he walked in the light of God's countenance, in that path of the just which is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." In him was verified, that description of the character, and privileges of a true worshipper of God; which we find in the first Psalm. "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly; nor standeth in the way of sinners; nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful." But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall

* Psalms, cv. 21, 22. † Prov. iv. 18. ‡ Psalms, i. 1–3.