61.]
name of Jesus every knee should bow1 : " " all power was com- mitted to him in heaven and in earth ; and all things were put under him, he only excepted, who did put all things under himk." Whatever we want for our souls, we must receive it all out of his fulness1: the direction given to every living creature is, Go to Jesus, Look to Jesus"1. And how does he exercise his power ? Behold, he calls his sinful brethren from a land of want and misery, and brings them to his own land of peace and plenty. There he nourishes them with the bread of life, and " reigns over the house of Jacob for ever and ever." Thus, as " the great Shepherd of the sheep," he both feeds and rules his flock, while as " the foundation " and " corner- stone " he supports and connects, confirms and dignifies, all the " Israel" of God11.]
By way of improvement we observe,
1 . The purposes of God, whatever may be done to frustrate them, shall surely be accomplished —
[We are amazed at the variety of incidents, that seemed to put the elevation of Joseph, and of Christ, almost beyond the reach of Omnipotence itself. Yet God's purposes were accomplished by the very means used to defeat them. Thus shall it be with us also, if we confide in the word of God. Whatever means Satan, or the world, may use to " separate us from God," they shall not prevail. " What God has pro- mised, he is able also to perform." Let us therefore trust in him ; for He will work, and who shall let it ? He hath pur- posed, and who shall disannul it ? His counsel shall stand ; and he will do all his pleasure0.]
2. God's dearest children must expect many trials in their way to glory —
[Joseph, and Christ, endured much before their exalta- tion. And we also " through much tribulation shall enter into the kingdom." The number and weight of our trials are no grounds of concluding ourselves to be objects of God's dis- pleasure : they should rather, especially if they be sanctified to us, be considered as tokens of his lovep. As the Captain of our salvation was, so also must we be, made perfect through sufferings'1. J^et us then "arm ourselves with the mind that was in Christ." We shall surely have no reason to regret the difficulties of the way, when we have attained the rest prepared for us.]
1 Phil. ii. 9—11. Ps.lxxii. 8,9, 11. MCor.xv.27. ' John i. 16. m Isai. xlv. 22. John vii. 37. " Heb. xiii. 20. 1 Pet. ii. 6.
0 Isai. xliii. 13. and xiv. 27. and xlvi. 10. P Heb. xii. 6.
<i Heb. ii. 10.