SERMON VIII.

GENESIS XLVII. 7-10.'

AND JOSEPH BROUGHT IN JACOB HIS FATHER AND SET HIM BEFORE PHARAOH: AND JACOB BLESSED PHARAOH. AND PHARAOH SAID UNTO JACOB, HOW OLD ART THOU? AND JACOB SAID UNTO PHARAOH, THE DAYS OF THE YEARS OF MY PILGRIMAGE ARE AN HUNDRED

AND THIRTY YEARS:

FEW AND EVIL HAVE THE DAYS OF THE YEARS OF MY LIFE BEEN, AND HAVE NOT ATTAINED UNTO THE DAYS OF THE YEARS OF THE LIFE OF MY FATHERS IN THE DAYS OF THEIR PILGRIMAGE. AND JACOB BLESSED PHARAOH, AND WENT OUT FROM BEFORE PHARAOH.

I THINK We may venture to say, that if we were to search all the books that were ever written in ancient or in modern times, we should scarcely find any thing equal for tenderness, simplicity, and beauty, to the narrative of Joseph, of which the text forms a part. My time will not allow me to enter upon it, but I would recommend it to your repeated perusal, and I can hardly conceive that any one will not admire and feel it more and more every time that he reads it ;-its equal is no where to be found but in the Bible. For this sacred

1 Preached the last Sunday of the year.

volume, written under the inspiration of the Almighty, not only contains matters infinitely more important than all other books, but it abounds also with the most admirable specimens of fine writing; the most interesting histories and the most sublime poetry so that were not the subjects of which the Bible treats, uncongenial to the depraved heart of man, it would be held up to admiration by all persons of elegant and refined taste.

Jacob having discovered his favourite and long lost Joseph, who had by a wonderful combination of circumstances risen to great wealth and honour in Egypt, is now brought down into that country with all his family, in order that they may be preserved from the dreadful seven years' famine that was desolating Canaan and the neighbouring nations. Lands having been assigned by the king to all the brethren of Joseph, Jacob is brought before Pharaoh. Abraham the grandfather of Jacob had been very wealthy and very powerful ; the people of Canaan called him a mighty prince among them. Isaac, too, had great possessions, and lived in a style of splendour peculiar to those countries; but Jacob had, partly in consequence of his improper conduct, to encounter many difficulties, and with his large family was reduced far below the rank and opulence of his father and grandfather. And had not Joseph brought them down into Egypt, he, and all his, would through the famine, have come to poverty. We are not,

therefore, to consider the interview between Pharaoh and Jacob as a meeting between two persons nearly equal in rank; it was the introduction of an apparently very aged, and in some respects, poor man, to the mighty monarch of one of the then most celebrated kingdoms upon earth. From this prince, Jacob had already received much kindness, and on his power and bounty he depended for the future protection and support of himself and his family.

Yet there is one point in which Jacob assumes a superiority over Pharaoh, when he enters into his presence; and again when he leaves it, he solemnly gives Pharaoh his blessing-"Now," saith the Apostle, "without all doubt the less is blessed of the greater." Jacob had the God of Abraham for his God. He was surnamed Israel, because as a prince he had power with God and prevailed. Jacob was conscious of the high privilege he possessed;-Pharaoh amidst all the splendour of royalty had nothing like this; and it is therefore deeply interesting to see the poor old man standing before his royal benefactor; and repaying him for all his kindness, by pronouncing a blessing on him-by offering up his prayers to God-the God of Israel on behalf of the king of Egypt.

Has God made any of you, my dear brethren, in his providence to be poor? and has he in his infinite mercy made you to know him as your God, reconciled to you through Christ Jesus? think not

that you have no way in which you can reward your benefactors. You have, you can bless them; you can pray for them; "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much;" Kings and their senators, are not above your prayers; the request of your ministers to you is, "brethren, pray for us;" neglect not this gift of God that is in you; pray for us-for all that seek your good, that we may obtain mercy of the Lord in that day."

But my main object at present is to call your attention to the other part of the text; " and Pharaoh said unto Jacob, how old art thou? and Jacob said unto Pharaoh, the days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years; few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage." This passage contains

I. A VERY COMMON QUESTION. And

II. A VERY UNCOMMON ANSWER.

I shall call your attention to each, and I trust we may be able to deduce from them some useful instruction suited to the present season, when we are bringing one year to a close, and entering upon

a new one.

I. We have A VERY COMMON How old art thou?

QUESTION,

Often has this question been put to us, and

often have we put it to others; yet common as it is, it often causes pain to those of whom it is asked; some indeed are not a little offended when inquiries are made respecting their age and time of life; while now and then we find one by whom such inquiries are met with cheerfulness and pleasure, and apparently without exciting the least uneasiness of feeling ;-perhaps we may be able to discover some reasons for this difference as we proceed. We can conceive of two men travelling along the same road toward the same place,-the one views each mile-stone as he passes it with cheerfulness and satisfaction; he reflects with pleasure upon the decrease of the distance he has to travel; he is going to his home from which he has been long absent-and he anticipates the enjoyments which he shall possess when once more he finds himself in the bosom of his beloved family. The other too counts the miles as he passes over them the rapidity of his motion distresses himthe shortness of the journey fills him with uneasiness; he has left all he loves behind him; the journey he is taking is the last remainder of his liberty and pleasure; he is a criminal and is going to prison; or to perpetual banishment and slavery. Such a difference of feeling may be excited by the question-How old art thou? as addressed to various persons according to the state of their minds, and the difference of their prospects.

:

We meet with a person who has, during the