in irons," and galled with heavy fetters0 ; so " sorely did the archers grieve him, and shoot at him, and hate him."]
And can we err in tracing here the sufferings of
our Lord ?
[Jesus was, infinitely above all others, the well-beloved of his Father1' ; and, while he faithfully reproved the sins of his brethren, declared to them his future exaltation and glory q. Filled with envy and wrath against him, they said, as it were in malignant triumph, "This is the heir; come, let us kill him1;" so cruelly " did they reward him evil for good, and hatred for his loves." When he was come to them from his Father with the most benevolent design, behold, one of his own disciples sold him, and that to strangers too, for thirty pieces of silver1. He was accused of blasphemy against God, and of rebellion against his king; and, without any one appearing to speak on his behalf u, was instantly condemned ; and thus, though " none could convince him of sin," " was numbered with the transgressors." Could there have been such a coincidence of circumstances between his lot and Joseph's, at least is it probable there would have been, if it had not been particularly ordained of God ?]
We may pursue the comparison yet further, in,
III. His unshaken constancy —
Joseph was marvellously upheld under all his trials —
[Though he besought his brethren with cries and tears, we read not of any reproachful language that he used : when he entreated Pharaoh's butler to intercede for him, he did not so much as mention either his brethren, who had sold him, or his mistress, who had falsely accused him* : nor, while he was enduring his hard lot, did he once murmur or repine at the providence of God: through the whole of his trial he possessed his soul in patience : nor, when he had it in his power to revenge himself, did he render any thing but love for hatred, and good for evil. The apparent unkindness of his deportment, which he adopted for a time, was a violence done to his own feelings, in order that he might discern the real state of their minds, and reveal himself to them afterwards to better effect7. When the proper season was arrived, he fully evinced the tenderness of his heart, and the delight he took in the exercise of mercy ; and, so far from upbraiding his brethren, he said all he could to extenuate their crime, and referred
0 Ps. cv. 18. p Matt. iii. 1 7. °- John vii. 7. and Matt. xxvi. (54.
r Matt. xxi. 38. s Ps. cix. 3 — 5. 4 Matt. xxvi. 15, 16.
u Isai. liii. 8. See Bp. Lowth's translation and note, and Ps. lxix. 20. x Gen. xl. 14, 15. y Gen. xlii. 7, 9, 12.