the preservation of all his brethren, in spite of their many unfaithful designs. And Pharaoh said unto them, "Regard not your stuff,”- those things you have brought with you, which indicates that they were very poor. He says, "Regard not those paltry things that you have brought with you." Fling away the old rags, the tattered shoes, and the little provision you have made for your journey; and take what I will give you as more suitable for me to give, and more useful for you to receive. "And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she-asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way." So Joseph, we are told, "sent his brethren away." To each man he gave changes of raiment, which would indicate that their raiment was torn and worn out, and that they needed new apparel for their journey.

Joseph gave them this seasonable advice, "See that ye fall not out by the way." Joseph anticipated that the first thing that they would do after conversing upon the extraordinary revelation would be to upbraid one another. Judah would say, "I told you it was wrong; " and Simeon would say, "You recollect I was against this;" and another would say, "I opposed it." One would say, "If you had not done this," and another, "If you had not done that, we had not been in such a state, and then this strange scene would not have taken place;" and thus they would have quarrelled by the way, and it would have taken weeks to carry the glad tidings to the old man's heart. And, therefore, he said very appositely, "See that ye fall not out by the way." There is no time for quarrelling; there is only time for action. And so, when Christians and missionaries convey the glad tidings of the gospel to those that need to know them, they may depend upon it the same advice is needed still. It is our waywe need counsel. There is no time for quarrel

ling; they must not expend their energies in internal fever, 'but in external carefulness and usefulness.

When they arrived they told Jacob all the words of Joseph. He was at first doubtful, but then he was satisfied, and at last said, "I will go and see him before I die." The word is changed from Jacob into Israel, which means, of course, the same person.

The thoughts of that little band it is not easy to imagine: self-upbraidings, shame, sorrow, repentance, yet not unmixed with joy and gladness, alternately coursed their hearts. It was a sad yet joyous story to the aged Jacob- sons so guilty, and a son so generous. - events so wondrous, and providential leadings so gracious. It was proof that truth is more startling than romance.

CHAPTER XLVI.

OLD JACOB SETS OUT TO SEE JOSEPH HIS PIETY DIVINE ENCOURAGEMENT.

AFTER the news, so unexpected to Jacob, that Joseph was alive, to the nature of which I directed your attention last Lord's-day morning, when Israel exclaimed in the joy and excitement of his heart, "It is enough: I will go and see Joseph before I die," we read, in this chapter, that the patriarch in fulfilment of his purpose "took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer-sheba ;" and the very first thing that he did, partly as the expression of a glad heart, partly as the expression of a thankful heart, and partly as his daily offering of adoration and praise and worship never withheld to the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, was to offer "sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac." In ancient days, by the institution of Levi, the sacrifices were figures, types, or foreshadows of the one Sacrifice that was to be; and the Israelite looked through the shadow to form some apprehension of the glorious substance. Now that the substance has come, the shadows have departed, just as the shadows disappear when the sun mounts his meridian throne, or as blossom withers when fruit is ripe; and we now look back upon a sacrifice finished and complete, and that has been, just as Jacob looked forward to a sacrifice no less finished and complete that was to be. His faith was prospective, resting on an atonement which was to be, which his sacrifices helped him to see from afar and comprehend. Our

faith is retrospective, and rests on a sacrifice that has been, and on which we lean or trust, it having been clearly brought to light in the gospel of Christ Jesus.

We read, next, that "God spake unto Israel, and said, Jacob, Jacob." He did not call him Israel, which was his covenant name, but, finding him a wanderer in the desert, he called him by his former name, more significant of need, "Jacob, Jacob." And he instantly replied, "Here am I." Then God manifested himself, and said, "I am God;" literally, "I am El," the Almighty God. No danger need affright you. No foe need alarm you; omnipotence is in my arm; love is in my heart. What shall separate you from my love, which is in Jesus Christ the Lord? "Fear not to go down into Egypt." Do not be alarmed to go into a land of darkness; for the promise is, "I am with you, and I will there make of thee a great nation."

The aged patriarch had heard of Egypt only as a land of idolatry; and he shrank in horror from going where that name which was so dear to him might be profaned, and that worship which he loved would seem impossible. He needed, therefore, God to make this special manifestation to him, and to say, "So far from fearing that you will fall there, remember that you are the seed that I am sowing over all the land of Egypt to form a mighty host, which shall march forth amid miracles, victories, and mercies, until they or theirs are settled in the land of Canaan, the type of that rest that remaineth for the people of God."

How interesting is this fact, we find so often in the Bible, that God's people never are placed in special trials without God manifesting to them a special grace! It is a fulfilment of the old promise, which is ever new, for it is never old or obsolete, "I will be with you; I will never leave thee, I will never forsake thee," or, as I have told you these words ought literally to be translated, "I will not ever leave thee: no,

never will I forsake thee." It is the strongest and the most condensed expression that can be employed, and denotes the fulness and faithfulness of the promise of God to be with his people always. In all time of their tribulation, in all time. of their wealth, in the hour of death, and in the day of judg ment, He who addressed, Jacob in this chapter, addresses them, and says, “Fear not; I am with you. When thou goest into the valley of the shadow of death, my rod and my staff shall comfort thee. I will never leave thee, I will

never forsake thee."

Then God says, "I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes." What a beautiful expression or image is that! It is, "Do not be afraid that you shall die in a strange land, where a stranger's hand shall compose you to your last sleep; but be sure that that very Joseph, on whom your heart has so long and so warmly rested, will yet close your eyelids, and see to your burial, when you shall be borne to the rest that remaineth for the people of God."

Next there is a list of all the family of Jacob. I have often thought that it is a pity the Hebrew proper names are rendered as we do. Whenever in our translation a name begins with J, it begins in the Hebrew with the letter Yod, or Y; and the names thus spelt in the Hebrew are most musical, whilst in our translation they are extremely rugged. Thus Jacob is in the original Yacob; and Jeremiah, Yeremiah; and Joseph, Yoseph. All these words lose their music in our translation, and the ruggedness of what is not the proper echo is all that we retain.

When Jacob arrived in Egypt, "he sent Judah," or Yudah, "before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen." That was a lovely and fertile spot, where it was expected that he and his sons would settle.