sovereign dominion shall exist to all eternity; " Thy tin-one, O God, is for ever and ever; of thy kingdom there shall be no endr." Rejoice then, believers, in your Lord; "let the children of Zion be joyful in their king." Cherish his attrac- tive influences: gather yourselves around him yet daily and hourly : spread before him your every want : commune with him on every occasion: consult him; listen to him; obey him: cleave to him with full purpose of heart : so will he keep you steadfast unto the end, and admit you to the richer fruition of his presence in his kingdom above.]
r Isai. ix. 7. Dan. ii. 44. Heb. i. 8.
Gen. xlix. 22 — 24. Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well ; whose branches run over the wall. The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him. But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands ivere made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob : from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel.
PECULIAR care is to be used in unfolding the types, lest, by indulging our own imagination, we bring the very truth of God itself into contempt. Where the Scriptures themselves have marked the typical reference, we may proceed without fear ; but when once they cease to guide us, we should not venture one step but with fear and trembling. This observation is peculiarly applicable to the subject before us. It does not appear that Joseph is any- where declared to be a type of Christ, notwithstand- ing the circumstances wherein they resemble each other are as numerous and remarkable, as in almost any other instance whatever. We forbear therefore to assert any thing on this subject with confidence; while, in compliance with the opinion of the most judicious commentators, and indeed with the almost irresistible conviction of our own mind, we proceed to trace the resemblance of Joseph to Christ, in,
I. His distinguishing character —
Joseph is represented as "a fruitful bough" —
[Every tribe is distinguished by something characteristic, either of the patriarchs themselves, or of their descendants.