Joseph's attention to his father continued to the very last. When Jacob's death drew nigh, he sent for his son Joseph, and obliged him to swear to carry his body to Canaan, the land of his fathers, to be buried. This was a very common and natural desire, and was readily granted by this dutiful son, with the utmost cheerfulness. And again, when Jacob was sick, one told Jaseph; and on Joseph's approach, it is said that the good old patriarch strengthened himself and sat upon the bed; and it was on this occasion that he blessed the two sons of Joseph, in words and manner the most solemn and affecting :God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, the Angel which redeem, ed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac ; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. And afterwards he blessed Joseph in the following words: Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts and of the womb the blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of thy progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

From this interesting narration, I am led to consider the character of Joseph, as an example and recommendation of filial duty in general.

The affection of virtuous children, delights the heart of every good parent: it is a prolongation of their lives, and an extension of their happiness. The duties of children are to administer to the comfort of parents, as far as in their power. If parents are in good circumstances, and need not the help of their children for their subsistence, there are many ways of administering to their comfort, independent of this. It can be done by a tender and kind attention to them in their different concerns, falling in with their different pursuits, assisting them with their advice, humouring them in their harmless prejudices, looking after their health, and relieving them, as far as it can be done, from their troubles. But this attention is further seen and is necessary, in bearing with their tempers and humour, as far as is possible, and consistent with other duties. They may be peevish-try to remove the cause by explanations; they may be full of complaints, they may be tedious and troublesome in their enquiries-try to remember how long and how much they bore your troublesome enquiries. They may experience some failure in their faculties, in their memories-never ridicule these. But the best consolation that children can give their parents, and which will yield them the most com

fort, is a regular and virtuous life. This is of the most precious value-to see them treading in the paths of righteousnes. The high rank, the honours and power of Joseph, could not give so much pleasure to Jacob, as his piety, wisdom, and discretion, and the readiness with which he forgave his brethren their trespasses, and the evils which they intended against him, and the pains he took to render them easy and happy. All these were the most undoubted tokens of one of the best of characters.

The history of Joseph exhibits one of the wonderful displays of the care and providence of God, watching over and raising up good men to be the instruments of diffusing extensive blessings and an instance of the rewards bestowed upon exalted virtues. And if they be so glorious and distinguished, what may we expect to be the rewards of eminent and exemplary goodness, in Christ's everlasting kingdom,

SERMON XIII.

PHILIPPIANS ii. 13.

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

ONE general rule should ever be observed in the interpretation of the scriptures, to resolve difficult and obscure passages by the general principles and spirit of the gospel, and not to make the whole of these principles to bend down to the sense of such detached passages. For instance, if we find any expressions that appear to stand in opposition to the justice of the Supreme Being, we should put such a construction upon them, as will reconcile these passages with that divine attribute. There are some first principles which we never can part with, nor the voice of an angel himself could oppose. Could any declaration, accompanied with the strongest evidence, ever persuade us, that God was not powerful, wise, nor good? for if we adopt sentiments contrary to these, we destroy every principle of religion, and remove the foundation of all our confidence, our hope, and our trust. To apply this rule to the words which I have read,-in what sense are we to

understand God's working in us? Certainly not in that sense which would reduce us to the condition of stocks or stones, as passive instruments, to be entirely acted upon and guided by the will and pleasure of another; and in this manner, to deaden all exertion, and to take away the principle of our being rational and accountable creatures: for unless we are capable of thinking and acting and determining for ourselves, we could not in reason and in practise, be accountable either for what we did, or what we neglected to do.

I propose then to state, in the first place, what we are to understand by God working in us, and to shew that we are so constructed, that we have powers and capacities conferred upon us by our Maker, to enable us to do what God requires of us.

God's working in us, does not imply that we are thereby incapable of ourselves to make any exertions; for the preceding words contain a command from the apostle, to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling; and the text is an argument and encouragement for us so to work; For it is God who worketh in us. If we go back to the origin of our powers and capacities, we may be truly said to do nothing without God; for he conferred upon us the powers both of body and mind. He gave us strength for our daily labours, and he gave us wisdom and under