it all. In the morning, Joseph was in the dungeon, and before the sun went down he had a royal chariot of his own; and wherever he drove, all whom he passed must bow the knee before him. Joseph's name went through all the land, and wherever he came, every eye was turned to look upon him, to look upon and bless him, because God had made him to be the people's deliverer from the coming famine. The Lord's delight is in them that fear him, and put their trust in His mercy.

Joseph had been the favourite with his father, with his master, with his jailor, and now he was the king's favourite. A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold: but Joseph also found that by humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honour, and life. Light had sprung up for the righteous, and joyful gladness for the true of heart.

The spirit of many a little child who loved and obeyed the Lord, has been called from a bed of suffering, sometimes from a bed of straw, to stand before the King of kings. And the little

child has felt no fear, because the love of God is stronger than death, and His loving-kindness better than life. And the little child has made haste away, to dwell in the presence of the Lord of Hosts, to walk with Christ in white, to see the face of its Father in Heaven, and to receive the crown of everlasting life.

He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips, the king shall be his friend. PROV. Xxii. 11.

XVIII.-JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN.

Now Joseph had power to send to the land of Canaan, where Israel his beloved father dwelt, to find out whether his father was still alive, and to let him know where his lost Joseph was. But Joseph did not do this. It was not the will of God; and we never hear that Joseph was disobedient to the will of either his earthly or his Heavenly Father. Joseph must have longed if only he might know whether his aged father were alive: but he did not send; he waited God's time and way: and blessed are all they that wait for Him! When Jacob was a young man, he did not wait God's time for the Blessing; and the sinful haste he made brought him trouble and sorrow all his life. Jacob's troubles were like his sin, and they must have all reminded him of it. But

Joseph always waited patiently for the Lord, therefore his griefs did not grow out of his own sin; they were like his Saviour's holy sorrows; and when we read of Joseph, we always think of the Lord Jesus. The Bible says, "He that believeth will not make haste." Joseph believed, and therefore he always waited patiently for the Lord.

What did Joseph do, now that he was made so rich a man! Did he live in pleasure, after so many years of toil and suffering? No, Joseph was never idle: he looked for his rest in Heaven. He was his father's beloved child, and yet he fed his father's flocks. When he was a servant, he had everything under his hand. When he was a prisoner, he had the charge of all the prisoners, and whatever was done in the prison he was the doer of it. And now that he was lord of all Egypt, he went throughout all the land, and gathered up all the food through the seven years of plenty, and laid up in every city the food of the fields that lay round it. Joseph was always diligent in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord,

L

The seven years of plenty passed away one after another; and before they were gone, God gave Joseph two sons; the name of one was Manasseh, and the name of the other Ephraim; and the blessing of God came down upon them both, and they both lived to be their father's blessing; nor were they ever taken from him, until he left them to enter into the rest that remaineth for the people of God.

And

The seven years of plenty passed away, and the seven years of famine began. When no corn grew in the fields, the hungry people came to the king, and cried to him for bread. And Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, "Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you do." Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold corn unto all the people of the land: and all countries came into Egypt to Joseph to buy corn, for the famine was over all the face of the earth. Do you know why this dreadful famine was sent into all lands? No doubt one reason was, to punish unthankful men. God had sent them fruitful seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladness, and yet they