not caused the Hebrew Patriarch to repine, and call in question the goodness of God, so prosperity did not seduce him into a forgetfulness of his almighty Benefactor. His public dignity and his domestic enjoyments were alike attributed to their proper origin; as benefits, " which God had given him." As our sufferings cannot, generally speaking, be as intense as were those of Joseph, so neither can our blessings be great as his. Yet blessings we all of us enjoy; some in a greater, others in a less degree. The gifts of an exalted rank and of abundant riches are bestowed on few men; and such is the spirit with which they are too often received, so little thankfulness do they commonly excite towards him who hath bestowed them, and such and so little worthy are the purposes to which they are applied, that it was only a just observation of human nature that drew from Agur the prayer, to which I have just alluded, wherein he desired not riches, "lest he should be full, and deny God, and say, who is the Lord?" If however we do possess the good things of this world in a great degree, do we endeavour

to be grateful in proportion? If not, do we learn to be content with whatever blessings we do possess, and to be grateful to God for them? Whatever we have, we have no claim to it; but it is the free gift of a good and gracious Providence ; whether it be the necessaries, the comforts, the conveniences of this world, or the promise of eternal life, and the aid of divine grace for attaining it, in another; it is more, much more, than we deserve; and it is conferred upon us out of regard, not to any righteousness of our own, but to the abundant merits of our Saviour, and of the great and uncontrouled mercy of God. According to the freeness of the gift, so ought to be our sense of gratitude towards the Giver. From a debtor we may receive what he pays without thanking him: it is our due, and he cannot withhold it. But where the gift is free, great should be the thankfulness of the receiver; and it should rise, if possible, in proportion to the absolute freedom of him who bestows it. I will not ask whether our gratitude to God is in proportion to what, under the circumstances of the case, we receive; it is not, it cannot

be. But do we endeavour, as much as we can, to make it so? Do we cherish lively feelings of gratitude in our hearts? Do we express them with our lips and in our lives? Do we "give thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ t?"

5. Another proof of the love of God reigning in the heart of Joseph is that he feared him :—that is, he feared to do what might be displeasing in his sight; and was careful not to sin against him, but to "keep his commandments." Is this our fear of God? Is such our obedience? Do we avoid those things, which we know to be sinful, because God hath forbidden them? do we do those things, which we know to be “lawful and right," because God hath so commanded? When temptation assails us in the discharge of our duty, whether religious or moral, whether towards God or towards man, do we meet it on the ground of obedience to the divine law; do we re

ply to the suggestions of the tempter, "how can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" I rest upon this point the rather, both because a sense of duty to God is the principle laid down in scripture, from which all our actions should originate; and also because there is no other principle whatever, which can withstand the assaults of temptation at all times, and in all places, and under all circumstances; in the privacy of the most secret retirement, as well as in the presence and before the eyes of the world. Perfect obedience indeed to God's commandments is what we cannot pay; the sense of duty to him will sometimes give way to strong temptations enforced by convenient opportunities of sinning but a firm conviction, that we are constantly under the eye of an almighty, an all-wise, a just, a merciful, and a holy Being, to whom we are responsible for all we do, speak, of think, and who will hereafter "bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil "," must

Eccl. xii. 14.

operate with greater force than any earthly motive, to fill us with a salutary fear of God, and to prompt us to keep his commandments. Not, again, that by the partial and imperfect obedience, which we can show, it is in our power to make propitiation for our numerous imperfections, and to conciliate the favour of God; but it is our comfort and our blessing, that he himself has provided a propitiation for us in the blood of his only-begotten and wellbeloved Son, who will reconcile us to his Father, if by the succour of his grace we strive to "love him and to keep his commandments." They, who "keep the commandments of God," are described under the dispensation of the Law, as the persons who "love God *:" "He who keepeth my commandments," saith the ever blessed Angel of the new covenant, the Author of the dispensation of the Gospel, “he it is that loveth me"." Have we then this proof of the love of God abiding in us? Do we fear him, not with the fear of slaves and bond-men, but with the honour and reve

- Exod. xx. 6.

y John xiv. 21.

VOL. II.

D