future; and, enlightened from above, declares, that in three days the chief butler should be restored to his office, and the chief baker undergo an ignominious death. Happy for the latter, if he improved this timely warning, and prepared for that death which he so soon experienced! Of the chief butler, Joseph asks his good offices after his liberation : "Think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house. For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews; and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.” Nothing can exceed the tenderness of this address. He recounts his afflictions, but he reviles not his enemies; he vindicates his conduct, but instead of loading with passionate reproaches, he does not even mention his brethren, and the wife of Potiphar.

The butler, in the first transports of his joy, probably sincerely intended to interest himself for Joseph; but on his restoration, either the cares of his office, or the fear of incurring the displeasure of Potiphar, made him silent. "Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him." A new proof was given to Joseph of the instability of human friendship-of the necessity of trusting only in the Lord; and he remained, for two years longer, a neglected and oppressed prisoner.

You view with abhorrence this conduct of the chief butler. But in blaming him, do you not condemn yourselves? If you have not displayed equal ingratitude towards men, have you not shown far greater towards God and that Redeemer who died for you? Little did this butler think that his ingratitude would be recorded in a book that would hold

up his memory to contempt to the end of the world. We need not fear that our ingratitude will be thus recorded. But let us remember that there is another book, the book of remembrance, the contents of which will be displayed to the assembled universe. Wo, wo to us, if on its pages it be recorded, "We remembered not our God and our Saviour, but forgat them!"

Here we pause in the history of Joseph; we have viewed him in his afflictions. In another discourse we shall consider his conduct in prosperity.

SERMON XII.

LIFE OF JOSEPH.

No. II.

GENESIS xli. xlvii. 13-26.

CHILDREN of God, relinquish not your confidence in your heavenly Father, however severe or protracted may be your sorrows. When they shall have accomplished the merciful ends for which they were designed, the sunshine of joy shall succeed to the dark clouds which have lowered over your heads, and the storm shall gently die away. Though "many are the afflictions of the righteous," yet "the Lord," in that mode and in that season which is best,

will" deliver him from them all." If tempted by the long continuance of your woes, to murmur or repine, remember Joseph, whose life, for thirteen years, was marked with misery; but who still confided in the declarations of God, and found that he was faithful to his promises.

In consequence of the restoration of the chief butler to his office, Joseph probably entertained hopes of deliverance from his unjust servitude. But these hopes were frustrated. Two long years, at that period of life which is most pleasant to those in health and at ease, rolled away, and he was yet in prison. Thus God caused him to renounce all confidence in men, and to trust solely and simply in him. He remained in confinement, not desponding, but " ly waiting for the salvation of God." And he was not disappointed. The selfish and ungrateful butler, in the midst of his prosperity, might forget him who had ministered to him in prison, and by his tenderness and supernatural gift of interpretation, cheered the gloom of his dungeon; but the Lord forgot not his faithful servant, but prepared to raise him to dignity and honour.

quiet.

In the earlier ages of the world, when there was no written revelation, God frequently declared his purposes and will by prophetic dreams. Of these we have already met with several instances in the course of this history. Pharaoh had two dreams, by which he was agitated and disquieted. He was convinced that they came from God, and that they prognosticated things to come. He in vain sought an interpretation of them from his assembled wise men and magicians. Who were these magicians? The word, in after ages, signified those who pretended to supernatural revelations; but it is uncertain whe

ther, thus early, it had this meaning, or denoted those who undertook to interpret dreams from natural observations, from astrology, or in some other mode. Whatever was their character, they were now confounded, unable to answer, and by the overruling influence of God upon their minds, constrained to acknowledge their ignorance.

The butler, supposing that his own interest might now be promoted by recommending Joseph, speaks of the poor captive, whose suit he ought to have urged two years before. How wise is the administration of Providence! Had the butler complied with his duty, and spoken of Joseph immediately after his liberation, the king might have brought the patriarch from prison, but not to elevate him to the high dignity to which he was raised. Probably the greatest honour which he would have attained, would have been to be numbered among the wise men and interpreters of the land.

Joseph was immediately brought into the presence of the king, and interests us by his piety, his modesty, and humility. He was not ashamed to declare that he was the servant of God, and, in the midst of an idolatrous court, to express his dependence upon him, and to point to him as the only Author of true wisdom, and as the God whose providence managed all events. When the king speaks to him, as one that is able to interpret prophetic dreams, he replies, "It is not in me; God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace." It was with the same spirit that Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar, on a similar occasion, "The secret which the king hath demanded, cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; but there is a God in heaven, who revealeth secrets, and maketh known to

the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living.” Beautiful example for all who are endued with any spiritual gifts! Let them arrogate nothing to themselves, but give the glory unto God. Let them ever cry, with the apostle Paul," Not I, but the grace of God that was with me." Those who, like Herod of old, are filled with self-elation and boast in themselves, deserve like him to be eaten up by worms.

"God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace." This is an expression of the desires and expectations of Joseph. He could not but regard the intimations of the divine will as sent in mercy. Not that he was afraid to declare the counsels of God, however awful they might be; but he delighted more in messages of peace. And such is still the disposition of the ministers of Christ. Though they are obliged, in the discharge of their duty, to proclaim indignation and wrath against the impenitent, and " by the terrors of the Lord to persuade men,"-yet it would be far more grateful to their hearts, far more accordant with the feelings of their souls, to utter only the words of consolation. But they dare not, like Michaiah," prophesy smooth things," without authority from the Lord.

On the relation of the dreams, Joseph declares to Pharaoh that, under two different emblems, God had shown him that, after seven years of extraordinary plenty, should come seven years of extraordinary famine; and recommends that a fit person should be appointed, who, during the plenty, should provide for the season of scarcity. He proposes that a fifth of the produce should be reserved. It is probable that one tenth was the due of the king: Joseph re