Secondly, Let us come to the actions about which his faith was con- versant it is said —
First, ' He blessed both the sons of Joseph.' In the original it is €KaaTov Tcov vmv, every one of the sons of Joseph, though Ave read but of two, therefore it is well translated, ' both.' Here I shall show (1.) The reasons of the blessing ; (2.) The manner ; (3.) How it was done by faith.
1. For the reasons ; why were Joseph's children blessed rather than others ? Why doth the apostle only mention them ?
[1.] Because they were born in Egypt, in a foreign land, out of Jacob's family, and now they were to be incorporated and taken into the body of the holy seed, the people of God. For mark, when Jacob blesseth them, what doth he say ? Gen. xlviii. 16, ' Let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac ; and let them grow into a mtdtitude in the midst of the earth.' He doth
VeR. 21.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 397
not say, The Lord make you great in Egypt ; the Lord preserve j^ou in your honour and happiness, for they had powerful alliance and great respect in the country. No, but the name of Abraham and Isaac be on them ; that is, be you reckoned among the people of God. As for those other nations that were not taken into the church, the name of Abraham was not named among them ; the name of the patriarclis was quickly extinguished in Ishmael's and Esau's family. But let the name of Abraham and Isaac be upon them; that is, keep there, join yourselves there. He seeks by this blessing to withdraw them from Egypt, and from their kindred there, that they might have a name among the rest of the tribes, and remain annexed to the church, and take the common share and lot with the people of God.
[2.] Because of Jacob's special affection to Joseph, and God's special providence in and about Joseph. He makes Joseph's two sons to be two distinct tribes ; as he did not the sons of his other children, but they were called after the name of their father, the children of Eeuben, and the children of Simeon, no notice of their sons, but Manasseh and Ephraim are made distinct tribes. Now the reason of this is, Joseph had the privilege of the first-born, and the first-born was to have a double portion. Now that Joseph might have a double portion,. Ephraim and Manasseh had both a share in the land of Canaan. That it was the right of the first-born to have a double portion appeareth by Deut. xxi. 17, 'He shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the first-born by giving him a double portion of all that he hath, for he is the beginning of his strength, the right of the first-born is his.' Reuben was the first-born, but he forfeited his right, and then it was vested in Joseph : 1 Chron. v. 1, 2, 'Reuben was the first-born, but for- asmuch as he defiled his father s bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birth-right. For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the first ruler, but the birth-right was Joseph's.' And indeed of rightit belonged to him, if Laban had not deceived Jacob by substituting Leah in Rachel's place, and Joseph was her first-born, and now by the providence of God the primogeniture is restored to him. Indeed when Israel was branched into twelve tribes, the right of the first-born was thus divided ; the priesthood, that was one right of primogeniture, was bestowed upon Levi ; the sovereignty, another right of primogeniture, was bestowed upon Judah ; there was Davids throne,, from whom the Messiah came ; and then the third right was the double portion ; that is clearly settled upon Joseph ; therefore his two sons are made two distinct tribes.
2. In what manner was this blessing bestowed ? Here again the younger, by the special providence of God, was preferred before the elder : Gen. xlviii. 14, 'And Israel stretched forth his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head.' Jacob, though blind, guided his hands wittingly it was not a thing of chance, but there was much of the providence of God. In the Hebrew it is, He made his hand understand, God was with him, to take this son and leave that ; to settle the supremacy upon Ephraim, and the^ children that sprang out of him ; for in the light of prophecy he foresaw tlie kingdom should be in the race of
398 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. LV.
Ephraim, Num. i. 32 ; compared with ver. 34 ; there it is said, first, ' The children of Joseph, to wit, hy Ephraim were forty thousand and five hundred ; ' afterwards, ' The children of lilanasseh were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.' So when the tribes were sealed, Rev. vii. the tribe of Manasseh is mentioned, ver. 6, and the tribe of Ephraim is called the tribe of Joseph, ver. 8. Ephraim had tlie pre- eminence, and had Joseph's right devolved upon him.