the whole event to the overruling providence of Godz. So effectually were " his hands strengthened by the mighty God of Jacob," that in no instance was he " overcome of evil, but at all times overcame evil with good."]
Our blessed Lord also shone like him,* only with infinitely brighter lustre —
[Never did an inadvertent word drop from the lips of Jesus under all his persecutions : " When he was reviled, he reviled not again ; when he suffered, threatened not ; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously a." "As a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so opened he not his mouth b " either in menaces, or complaints. His meekness was uniform, his fortitude undaunted, his patience invincible. He sought nothing but the good of those who were daily conspiring against his life : he wept over them, when they resisted all his overtures of mercy c : he even prayed for them, and apologized for their crimes, when they were in the very act of putting him to death d: and, after his resurrection, commanded that the offers of salvation through his blood should be made first to the very people who had so lately shed ite.]
There is yet one more feature of resemblance to be noticed, in,
IV. His glorious advancement —
After all his trials Joseph was exalted to a throne —
[Through the good providence of God, Joseph was enabled to interpret the dreams of Pharaoh, and was, on that account, brought from the dungeon, and made, next to Pharaoh, the supreme governor of the Egyptian kingdom f : all were ordered to bow the knee to Joseph8 ; and all, who came for a supply of corn, received this direction, Go to Joseph11. Thus did God exalt him to be both " the shepherd and the stone of Israel," that he might not only provide for Egypt and the neighbouring kingdoms, but be an effectual support to all his kindred, and preserve the lives of those very persons who had sought his destruction.]
Can we reasonably doubt but that in this he was a
type of Jesus ?
[Jesus was raised from the prison of the grave by the effectual working of God's power : " he was highly exalted; and had a name given him above every name, that at the
* Gen. xlv. 5. a 1 Pet. ii. 23. b Isai. liii. 7.
c Luke xix. 41. d Luke xxiii. 34. e Luke xxiv. 47.
f Gen. xli. 14, 15, 41. b Gen. xli. 43.