VIII. LECT. the offerings of the law, and fulfilling the facrifice and figurative refurrection of Ifaac. The 11th chapter of the epiftle to the Hebrews, in which the history of Ifaac is treated of, would afford us many other examples of illuftrious perfons whose actions and fufferings were conformed to the character of that Saviour in whom they believed. But of all the perfonal histories which have a prophetic relation to the sufferings and exaltation of Jesus Christ, none are fo full to the purpose as those two characters of Jofeph and Mofes, which were selected by the blessed martyr St. Stephen in his apology against the Jews: which apology, when rightly confidered, opens a wonderful scene, and carries us very far into the prophetical imagery of the scripture. St. Stephen, in his dif putes with the adverfaries of the gospel, had argued in fuch a manner from the figures of the Old Teftament, to vindicate A learned Dignitary of this Church, who is mighty in the fcriptures, hath composed a series of difcourfes, equally excellent and edifying, upon the feveral characters of the faithful in this chapter; which I hope he will not forget to publish in due time. the VIII. the fufferings and demonftrate the verity LECT. of the miffion of Jesus Christ, that none could refift the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spake*. And at length, in his fpeech before the high priest at his trial, we have the method and fubftance of his reafoning of which I am now to make my use, so far as it relates to the present part of our fubject. The defign of this difcourfe, and the drift of the argument may be collected by comparing fome paffages of it together. Having reminded the Jews, in the first place, that the promifes of God, and the hopes of the fathers, did not reft in a temporal or worldly inheritance, as they had falfely flattered themselves; he lays down the hiftories of Jofeph and Mofes, with the perfecutions they underwent from their people, and the interpofition of God for their exaltation: and then, to fhew his meaning in all this, he makes the following application, for the conviction of his *See Acts chap. vi, 7. See the beginning of the 7th chapter of the As, VIII. LECT. hearers, who had been the perfecutors of Jefus Chrift. "Ye ftiff necked, and un"circumcifed in heart and ears (who from "your disobedience are not able to hear " and understand what the law has declar"ed to you) ye do always refift the Holy "Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. "Which of the prophets have not your "fathers perfecuted? And they have "flain them which fhewed before of the "coming of the Juft one, of whom ye have been now the betrayers and mur. "derers."* This application fhews with what defign he had reminded them of the reception which Jofeph and Mofes, those two eminent characters of the law, had met with. He meant to fhew them, that as these favourites of heaven, whom God had commiffioned to be the Saviours of their people, were oppofed and perfecuted; so had they now, in like form and manner, oppofed and perfecuted the Juft one Jefus Chrift; and in fo doing had fulfilled the fcripture, and done all that was wanting to confirm the truth of his divine miffion; * Acts vii, 51. inasmuch VIII. inasmuch as none could be the true Saviour, LECT according to the fcriptures, but a perfon rejected by them, as thefe holy prophets had been rejected by their forefathers. Who Such is the purport of St. Stephen's apology; and, with this key, we are prepared to examine the particulars. He enters on the character of Jofeph with these remarkable words: the patriarchs moved with envy fold fofeph into Egypt. were the enemies of Jofeph? The Patriarchs; his own brethren, all against him to a man. Having first plotted together to take away his life, they fold him, and then fhewed the marks of his blood, that his father might be affured he was dead, The ftrangers, to whom he was given up, carried him far from his family, and placed him among heathens in the land of Egypt. All these particulars were exactly verified in the perfon of Christ: his brethren moved with envy fold him for money, and delivered him to the Gentiles. The brother who advised the felling of VIII.. LECT. Jofeph, that some profit might be made of him was Judah, who answers even in his name to the traitor that fold Jesus Christ: but the guilt which attends his name extends to the whole nation of the Jews, of whom Judah among the twelve patriarchs, and Judas among the twelve apostles, were the representatives. Envy was the motive on which the patriarchs fold Jofeph; and Christ was accufed and condemned on the fame principle, according to the opinion of his judge; of whom two of the evangelifts relate, that Pilate knew the chief priests had delivered him for envy. When Jofeph declared his dreams which fignified his future fuperiority over his whole family; his brethren hated him yet the more for his dreams and for his words; and perfuaded themselves they should prevent his advancement by felling him for a flave: but this was the circumftance without which his advancement could not have happened: he had never been a ruler and a prince, if he had not been fent into Egypt as a flave, and to prifon as a malefactor. So when Chrift afferted his own dignity, his brethren |