Also, "Let not conscience make you linger; And, Nor of fitness fondly dream. All the fitness He requireth Is, to feel your need of Him: 'Tis the Spirit's rising beam." "Come, ye weary, heavy laden, Bruis'd and mangled by the fall; If you tarry ill you're better, Sinners Jesus came to call." “And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender. And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon for they heard that they should eat bread there. And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth. And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive ?" Reader, does it not seem strange that as yet there appears not to be the slightest suspicion upon the part of Joseph's brethren, as to some special and peculiar interest prompting all these inquiries? The fact was, that there was guilt upon their mind. They were self-condemned, and in this condition they could not comprehend, much less estimate, such dealings. So it is with poor sinners under legal bondage, and whilst yet in a state of doubt and apprehension. They cannot as yet appreciate the Lord's tender words and gracious works in relation to them. They must know who He is, and be admitted to a knowledge of their blessed relationship, before they can becomingly estimate His doings. "And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son. And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there." Reader, as we have before asked you, substitute Jesus for Joseph here! and contemplate a precious Christ weeping from veriest love and tenderest interest over His erring, anxious, but as yet nonrecognizing brethren. Longing to declare Himself, yet delaying, for a wise and gracious purpose, so to do. When the whole case was opened out, how profound does the wisdom of Joseph appear in regard to his policy in hiding the relation in which he stood to his brethren; and so, when the Lord's purposes are more fully revealed, what infinite wisdom, and kindness, and mercy will be seen as inseparably connected with His every movement, both in providence and grace. Perfection will be stamped upon the whole, and with it the greatest possible amount of tenderest sympathy and loving compassion. There shall not be the veriest semblance of a failure or a flaw, but the every feature and the every aspect connected with all the minute details of the way by which He has led shall magnify His wisdom, and love, and grace; and minister to the wondering, and admiring, and adoring contemplations of His redeemed. CHAPTER XXXII. JOSEPH'S SELF-RESTRAINT-HIS SEEMINGLY-UNACCOUNTABLE DELAY IN THE DECLARATION OF HIMSELF AS THE LONG-LOST BROTHER -THE AFFECTING INTERVIEW BETWEEN JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN JOSEPH'S GRATEFUL REVIEW OF ALL THE TRYING CIRCUMSTANCES THROUGH WHICH HE HAD BEEN CALLED TO PASSA QUESTION NATURALLY ARISING AS TO HOW IT WAS THAT JOSEPH, IN HIS EXALTATION, HAD NOT SOONER INQUIRED AFTER HIS FATHER AND HIS BRETHREN-JOSEPH A TYPE OF CHRIST IN SEEKING TO BRING CONVICTION UPON THE MINDS OF HIS BRETHREN-CONCEALED SINS-NO FORGIVENESS WITHOUT CONVICTION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT-ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE SORROWING SUPPLIANT. We never read the touching account of Joseph and his brethren, without being struck with the amount of self-restraint he exercised, in that he so long and so resolutely withheld the declaration of who he was. The scene must have been of the most affecting character, when "he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son," and then, from the depths of his emotions, exclaimed, "God be gracious unto thee, my son." How much he felt the interview is evident from the fact, that he was compelled to "make haste, for his bowels did yearn upon his brother; and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there." What a vast train of circumstances must have then sprung up before his astounded and admiring view. What a contrast his present position with that when, in his simplicity, he stood before his father and his brethren and told out his dreams; or when, at a somewhat later period, he besought them to pity him, and restore him to his father. By what a strange-seemingly contradictory-but yet most merciful and gracious way had he since been conducted; and now, satisfied that his venerable father was still alive, and that his brethren, and Benjamin too, were near at hand, he gladly sought in secret to pour out his heart in tears of gratitude and holy admiration before Him to whom he was indebted for all the mercy, and all the grace and favour which had been so richly bestowed upon him. Considering his exaltation, and the means which he must necessarily have had at command, we have often wondered how it was that Joseph had not earlier sought to ascertain how it fared with his kindred. It is possible that he had heard, by some means, of their welfare; or he may have taken for granted, that the pressure produced by the far-spread famine would, in common with others, soon bring them to him in quest of corn. Be this as it may, we must not lose sight of the typical character in which Joseph stood to Christ; and, in his dealings with his brethren, is clearly foreshown also that |