as his Savior and hope. For Abraham saw the day of Jesus Christ, and was glad; and it cannot be doubted that he communicated this knowledge to his children, and they to theirs; and that thus Jacob and his family were in possession of it.

In the eleventh chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews, you will find that Joseph is numbered among those who were distinguished for their faith in God, and in his promises.

"By faith," it is said, "Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones."

He did this only because he had an unshaken confidence in the promise of God, that the Israelites should return to Canaan, and enjoy that delightful country as their own.

But if he had such a confidence in that promise of God to the Israelites, as to feel sure of its fulfillment, and to act accordingly; he had the same confidence in all the promises and declarations of God, and acted as if he believed that they also would receive their complete fulfillment.

This living and active faith was the foundation of all that was excellent in his character, of all his thoughts, and feelings, and conduct, which were right, and in accordance with the will of God

Just as the strong and heavy stones, which are laid deep in the ground, and put firmly together, and on which the whole house is built and rests,— form the foundation of the house.

The builders know this very well, and that, if they design to have the house stand, they must lay a strong and solid foundation.

Faith in God is the foundation of all real excellence of character. Without it, there may be an appearance of goodness, an outward propriety of conduct, but no right feelings in the heart.

Unless a child believes that his father is a good and just parent, that he governs his family well, and wishes to do all to make them good and happy, and that his commands are right; unless he believes that the threatenings of this parent will be executed, and his promises fulfilled; unless he thus has faith in the parent, he will have no true love and obedience to him. He may do things outwardly that look like love and obedience, but there will be no corresponding feelings in his heart. He will have no right to the character of a dutiful and affectionate child.

In the same way, unless, like Joseph, you have a strong and active faith in God, your Heavenly Father, you can have no true love and obedience to him; you can have no right thoughts, and feelings, and conduct; you can have no true excellence of

character; you cannot be prepared to go to heaven when you die.

Have you this faith in God? Do you believe all that he has taught you in the Bible, all his commands, and promises, and threatenings?

If Joseph had believed only the one promise of God, that the Israelites should return to Canaan, this would have been wholly insufficient to lead him to do as we have seen that he did, and to become a truly good man, and to be prepared to go to the heavenly Canaan.

If you believe all that God has taught you in the Bible, then you believe that unless you truly repent of your sins, and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, and show your faith to be sincere, by obeying the commands of God, you cannot be saved.

Do you indeed believe these truths; do you feel them; do you practise them?

CHAPTER XXXVI.

Joseph's affection and dutifulness to his father.-These traits of character, if real and permanent, must grow out of faith in God.-How does the reader treat his parents? -Joseph was kind and affectionate to his brethren.Faith in God and Christ produces love to others.-Has the reader this love?

ONE consequence of Joseph's faith in God, was his striking affection and dutifulness to his venerable parent; and this was another conspicuous trait In his character.

I know that some children, who have a pleasant and amiable disposition, and yet have no such faith in God as Joseph had, show a good deal of affection and dutifulness toward their parents.

But do they do this at all times? Do they do it where the parents are the friends of God, as Jacob was, and instruct their children what his commands are, and require them to obey these commands?

Ah! this makes a great difference. There are parents who have no faith in God themselves, and no trust in Christ; and who live and act as if there were no heaven and no hell; and who consider this world as their home; and bring up their children to

feel and to act as they do. Now it is not strange hat such children should love such parents, and sometimes be very affectionate and dutiful to them; though this is very far from always being the case.

But let parents be like Jacob. Let them fear and obey God, and strive to bring up their children in his fear; and then it will often happen that these children will have no true and lasting affection and dutifulness to such parents, unless they have also, as Joseph had, a strong and active faith in God.

It is the duty of children to love and obey their parents as well in their absence as when they are present; as well in little things as in great; as well, when to obey may be attended with inconvenience, or self-denial, or even suffering, as when it is pleasant and agreeable; as well, with regard to what relates to God and the Savior, to the soul, and to the future world, as with regard to the things of this life.

Children, too, must hold out in their affection and dutifulness to their parents. These must be permanent traits of character. They must last through life. They must lead the child at all times, and under all circumstances; in adversity as well as in prosperity, in sickness as well as in health, and especially amid the infirmities and feebleness of declining