THE FAITHFULNESS OF JOSEPH. Or the many very striking and beautiful traits in the character of Joseph, none perhaps is more remarkable, or more worthy of general personal application, than that of his strict and uncompromising faithfulness. See him in what circumstances we may, he is still the same gentle, patient, forbearing, courteous to all, even under the severest trials and provocations; but bold, resolute, and unflinching in the maintenance of his principles, and in the discharge of every duty-fearless of danger or ill-will, and without hope of favour or reward. Flattery, with its blandishments, and fair and specious promises, could not bend him; nor harsh and bitter taunts-the threat and infliction of torture and imprisonment-divert him from his purpose. No truckling to worldly policy; no double-dealing; no dissimulation for the sake of self-interest or popular applause; no acknowledgment, in word or in deed, of the dangerous principle of expediency in matters of private or public concern, or of the notion -repugnant alike to the laws of God and man of doing evil that good may come; nothing underhand or artificial-but all open, undisguised, honest, and clear as the day. Such as he was in his master's house, while yet the slave of Potiphar, withstanding and rebuking temptation, such we behold him in the prison his own keeper, and entrusted with the charge of others; and such he was in the midst of regal splendour, when occupying VOL. X.-NO. CCLXXV. PRICE 1d. the second place in the kingdom, and holding the keys of Egypt-upright and faithful in all his generations-"serving the Lord acceptably with godly fear." A circumstance which occurred while he was a prisoner, and which was ultimately the cause of his release, and the origin of his greatness-(from such apparently trifling incidents do great and important results often follow)-affords an instructive illustration of his conduct in this point of view; I refer to the case of his two fellow-prisoners, whom the captain of the guard had, among others, committed to his care-the chief butler and the chief baker of Pharoah's household. Each of these men, it appears, had a dream on the same night, which left a strong impression on their minds, and affected their spirits with fear and apprehension. In this state of uneasiness and despondency they were found by Joseph next morning, who, with the quick perception of one whose experience of sorrow enabled him, perhaps, more readily to detect it in others, saw that they were cast down, and with a feeling of sympathy and benevolence-evidently not from mere idle curiosity, but from a desire to assist and alleviate their distress-inquires "Wherefore look ye so sadly to-day There is always something in a real and sincere expression of tenderness and compassion which at once begets confidence, and even removes a load from the mourner's heart. Without hesitation, therefore, the two officers inform Joseph of the cause of their sadness-"We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it." Joseph imme [London: Joseph Rogersen, 24, Norfolk-street, Strand.] P diately proceeds to solve the difficulty, and tasteful to their self-love, and the natural to put an end to their suspense-carefully desires and dispositions of the unrenewed premising, however, that the power by which mind! To hear that every child of man is he was enabled to do this was not of himself, conceived and born in sin-by nature but derived from a far higher source-" Do" earthly, sensual, devilish"-at enmity with not interpretations belong to God?" Like Daniel, on a similar occasion, he was anxious that all the glory should be given to him to whom alone it was justly due, and that he should himself be regarded only as the humble instrument of unfolding the divine will. This premised, he faithfully relates to them what he foresaw was about to happen to each, viz., that the chief butler's dream was a presage of his re-advancement to his former station, while the chief baker's portended his ignominious death; both of which events took place within three days according as he had predicted. Now here we mark the faithfulness with which Joseph made known to each of these officers the fate which awaited him to both he spake the plain unvarnished truth. He does not rest satisfied with imparting the glad intelligence of pardon to the one, and then evade or gloss over the doom pronounced against his less fortunate companion. Here his office is painful, as in the former case it was agreeable; but he dared not hesitate: he had but one line of duty to follow, and from that no earthly motives could induce him to swerve. The same Spirit which gave him to discern the meaning of the vision, seemed to make it incumbent on him to declare it; and painful as it might be to his own feelings, and full of agony as he knew it must be to the wretched prisoner, to tell him that his death was decreed, and thus dash the cup of earthly happiness for ever from his lips-he had no alternative. He felt himself bound, as having received a commission from God, to declare the sentence of the one, no less than to pronounce the absolution of the other; and therefore, neither by subterfuge nor equivocation, would he leave the unhappy victim in ignorance of his situation, or permit him to flatter himself with deceitful hopes of peace where there was no peace. At once, then, he chooses the part of a faithful minister of God, and of a sincere and faithful friend he tells him that his doom is sealed, and bids him to "set his house in order," for that he "shall die, and not live." "Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and hang thee on a tree, and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee." And now, may we not learn an important lesson from this part of Joseph's history? How often are the truths, which the minister of the gospel is charged to proclaim to those over whom he is placed as a watchman, dis God, and consequently, so long as he continues in this state, subject to death temporal and eternal; to hear that there is no hope of solid peace in this life, or of salvation hereafter, till, by the operation of God's Spirit, the evil heart has been subdued, and we have been "renewed in the spirit of our minds;" to be told that every man who would prove himself a true and faithful disciple of Christ, and look forward with hope to the time of his re-appearing, must "take up his cross and follow him," striving and struggling along the narrow path of Christian duty, undismayed by the obstacles that beset him, and proof against the gilded allurements by which the world, the flesh, and the devil, united together in unholy league, seek to captivate the souls of the unwary, and drown them in destruction and perdition; to be told that no compromise can be made with sin-that there is no such thing as a little sin-that every thing which opposes itself, in however small a degree, to the holy precepts and doctrines of the bible, must be effectually rooted out, though it require the resolution and courage of "plucking out a right eye, and cutting off a right hand;"-to hear all this is too humbling-too much opposed to the pride and self-will which rule within the human heart, to be listened to, by the great majority of professing Christians, with patient attention and eagerness to profit withal. Far more grateful would it be, to the generality of mankind, to be flattered, or left alone in their sins and follies; and did they give utterance to their thoughts, their language would be, "speak unto us smooth things, prophecy deceits." But how, then, should they who bear the divine commission, acquit themselves as "faithful ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God?" Theirs it is, to declare "the whole counsel of God". -neither to add to, nor diminish from it; "to speak the truth in love," as well in that which is unpalatable, as in things calculated to calm and refresh the troubled spirit; to dwell, indeed, fully and largely on the trea sures of grace, and God's love to man in Christ Jesus-on the bright hopes and glorious promises "to us-ward, who believe;" but, at the same time, to "preach the word in season and out of season"-"to reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine." Far be it from them to nar row the way of life, and to represent heaven and its joys as more difficult of attainment than the word of God has declared it to be. They know that, by the same standard they hold up to others, they must measure themselves; they are under an equally strong temptation to indulge in a loose and easy form of religion, in the vain hope that all may still be well at the last: but when, side by side in every page of scripture, they see, with the most blessed promises of God's mercy and love to the truly penitent believer, the most fearful and awakening denunciations against the impenitent, unbelieving, careless sinner, they dare not blind their eyes to the truth-they dare not leave him in ignorance of his danger-they feel as St. Paul felt, that "necessity is laid upon us; yea, woe is unto us, if we preach not the gospel!" strument of guiding his wandering feet into the paths of life! Yea, it is the word of an apostle-"Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know, that he who converteth the sinner from the error of his ways shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” THE ROCKY ISLAND*. I SAW in my dream a rough rocky island rising as dear to you as his temporal welfare, to go down to the tomb unwarned and unprepared. Break the awful intelligence to him as gently and carefully as you will; but leave him not in ignorance of his state: deal with him faithfully and affectionately-read with himpray with him- point out to him the victory achieved over death and the grave by Christ his Saviour, who waits to receive the repentant sinner with open arms, and to welcome him to those bright regions where care and sorrow are unknown. Thus may his last moments be the happiest of his life, upheld by the consolatory reflection" though my flesh and my heart faileth, God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever." Happy And as this necessity presses upon the minis- the man who thus finishes his course with ters of religion at all times, so are there occa-joy!-happy he who has been the blessed insions on which, not only upon them but upon "all who profess and call themselves Christians," it becomes equally, and, if possible, even more binding-to give plain and faithful counsel. It is no uncommon thing in the time of sickness-when, to all but the afflicted man himself, it is evident that the hand of death is upon him, and the Lord is shortening his days-to witness an anxious endeavour to conceal the real state of the case from him, and to cheer him with hopes of recovery, which they too well know to be delusive, and without foundation. But is this honest? Is it Christian-like? Is it the part of a true and faithful friend? Here is a fellow-creature, sinking step by step into the grave; daily and hourly he draws nearer to the dread tribunal of his Judge; he is on the brink of eternity; the thread of life is almost snapt; the night of death is fast E closing around- "that night in which no man can work ;"-but he knows not his danger; he thinks not he is so near the verge of the precipice: and has he no friend who will affectionately speak to him the word which might be the means of bringing back his life from destruction, and saving his soul alive? Wretched condition! false and mistaken charity-that will hazard the everlasting well-being of an immortal soul, through fear of bursting a bubble, and inflicting a momentary pain! What, though you do break the fatal repose into which his fancied security has lulled him, think you that, when the first moment of anxious alarm has passed away, and has been succeeded by calm and serious reflection, he will not overflow with thankfulness, and invoke blessings on the head of him who roused him from his slumbers, and led him to "make his peace with God?" Would you suffer him to sleep on and take his rest, were his dwelling surrounded by, the devouring flame? O, suffer not then one, whose spiritual happiness is, or ought to be, 1840. Peals of loud at the top of a furnace-chimney. children thus busy whilst the burning mountain lay ring. From the Rocky Island and other Parables. By Samuel Wilberforce, M.A., archdeacon of Surrey. London: Burns, Sometimes, indeed, when it shone out redder and fiercer than usual, or when the thunder seemed close over their heads, the children would be startled for a little while, and run together, and cry, and scream; but very soon it was all forgotten, and they were as full of their sports as ever. While I was musing upon this, I saw a man appear suddenly amongst the children. He was of a noble and kingly countenance, and yet so gentle withal that there was not a child of them all who seemed afraid to look in his face, or to listen to his kind voice when he opened his mouth, for soon I found that he was speaking to them. "My dear children," I heard him say, you will all be certainly killed, if you stay upon this rocky island. Here no one ever grows up happily. Here all play turns into death-the burning mountain, and the forked lightning, and the dreadful breath of the hill-storm-these sweep down over all that stay here, and slay them all; and if you stay here, for these childish pleasures of yours, you will all perish." Then the children grew very grave, and they gazed one upon another, and all looked up into the face of the man, to see if he spoke in earnest. They saw directly that he did, for that kind face looked full of care as well as of love; so from him they looked out upon the waves of the sea, and one whispered to another "Where shall we go? how shall we ever get over that sea? we can never swim across it; had we not better go back, and play and be happy, until the time comes for us to die?" "No," said the man, looking round kindly upon them all; " you cannot swim over; you never could get over of yourselves; but you need not stay here and die; for I have found a way of escape for you. Follow me, and you shall see it." So I saw that he led them round a high rough rock, to where the calm waves of the sea ran up into a little bay, upon the white sand of which only a gentle ripple broke with a very pleasant sound. This bay was full of boats, small painted boats, with just room in each for one person, with a small rudder to guide them at the stern, and a little sail as white as snow, and over all a flag, on which a bright red cross was flapping in the gentle sea-breeze. and mothers, and brothers, and sisters; and there am I, ever present to keep and to comfort you." Then all the children were for jumping into the boats, and he was kindly ready to help them, only he put each one in carefully and slowly; and as he put him in, he gave him his charge. He told them that they must never look round to this island they were leaving, but must be always setting their faces towards the happy land they sought for. He told them that they must leave behind them all the shells and the berries which had pleased them here, for if they tried to take these with them in their boats, some accident would certainly befal them. Then some of the children, when they heard all this, drew secretly away, and ran round the point, and gave up the boats and the sea, and began their old idle play again. And some of them, I thought, hid the shells and the berries they had got, and then jumped into the boat, pretending they had left all behind them. Then I saw that the man gave different presents to each of them, as they seated themselves in the boat. One was a little compass in a wooden box. “This,” he said, "will always show you which way to steer; you are to follow me, for I shall always be before you on the waters; but often when the darkness of the night comes on, or the thick mist seethes up from the wave's brim, or the calm has fallen upon you so that your boat has stood still-often, at such times as these, you may not be able even to mark my track before you; then you must look at the compass, and its finger will always point true and straight to where I am; and if you will follow me there, you will be safe." He gave them, too, a musical instrument, which made a soft murmuring sound when they breathed earnestly into it; "and this," he said, you must use when there is a calm round you so that you cannot get on, or when the waves swell into a storm around you and threaten to swallow you up." He gave them, too, bread and water for many days. 66 So I saw that they all set out upon their voyage, and a beautiful sight it was to see. Their snow-white sails upon the deep sea shone like stars upon the blue of the firmament; and now they all followed close upon the leader's ship, and their little boats danced lightly and joyfully over the trackless waves, which lifted up their breasts to waft them over: and so they started. But I looked again in a little while, and they were beginning to be scattered very widely asunder: here and there three or four of the boats kept well together, and followed steadily in the track of the leader's vessel: then there was a long space of the sea with no boat upon it at all: then came a straggler or two; and then another company; and then, far off on the right and on the left, were other boats, which seemed to be wandering quite away from the Then, when the children saw these beautiful boats, they clapped their little hands together for very joy of heart. But the man spoke to them again and said"You will all have a deep, and dangerous, and stormy sea to pass over in these little boats. They will carry you quite safely, if you are careful to do just as I bid you for then neither the wind nor the sea can harm them; but they will bear you safely over the foaming waves to a bright and beautiful land-to a country where there is no burning mountain, and no angry lightning, and no bare rocks, and no blasting hill-leader's path. storm; but where there are trees bearing golden fruits by the side of beautiful rivers, into which they sweep their green boughs. There the trees are always green, and the leaves ever fresh. There the fruit ripens every month (Rev. xxii. 2), and the very leaves upon the trees are healing. There is always glad and joyful light. There are happy children who have passed this sea; and there are others who have grown old full of happiness; there are some of your fathers, Now, as I watched them closer, I saw that there were many different things which drew them away: one I saw, soon after they started, who turned back to look at the rocky island, forgetting the man's command. He saw the other children playing on the beach-he heard their merry voices-and then looking round again towards the sea, it looked rough and dark before him; and he forgot the burning mountain, and the terrible thunder, and the bright happy land for which he was bound, and the goodly | gloom would lift itself quite up again, or melt away company he was in, and the kind face of the kingly into the softest light: and lo! he had got on far on man; and he was like one in a dream, before whose his voyage, even in this time of darkness, so that someeyes all sorts of shapes and colours fly, and in whose times he could see the beloved form just before him; `ears all sounds are ringing; and he thought no more and at times even the wooded shore of the happy land of the helm, nor watched the sails; and so the driving would lift itself up, and shine on his glad eyes, over swell carried his boat idly along with its long roll; the level brim of the silver sca. and in a few minutes more I saw it at the top of a white foaming breaker, and then he and it were dashed down upon the rocks which girdled the sandy beach, and he was seen again no more. Then I turned my eyes to two other boats, which were going fast away from the true course, for no reason which I could see; but when I looked at them more closely, I saw that they were in a sort of angry race; each wished to get to the wind-side of the other; and they were so busy thinking about this, and looking at one another with angry glances, and calling out to one another with angry words, that they forgot to look for the leader's ship, or to watch the finger of the compass; and so they were going altogether wide of the track along which they should have passed. Then I looked closely at another, which was shooting quite away in another direction; and I saw that the poor child had left the rudder, and was playing with something in the bottom of the boat; and, as I looked nearer into it, I saw that it was with some of the bright berries of the rocky island, which he had brought with him, that he was so foolishly busy. Foolish, indeed, he was; and kind had been the warning of the man, who bade them leave all these behind: for, whilst I was watching him, and wondering what would be the end of such a careless voyage, I saw his little boat strike suddenly upon a hidden rock, which broke a hole in its wooden sides, and the water rushed in, and the boat began to sink, and there was no help near, and the poor boy was soon drowned in the midst of the waves. Then I turned sadly away to watch the boats which were following their leader; and here, too, I saw strange things: for though the sea, when looked at from afar, seemed just alike to all, yet when I watched any one, I saw that he had some difficulties, and some frights, and some helps of his own, which I did not see the others have. Sometimes it would fall all at once quite dark, like a thick night, all round a boat; and, if he that was in it could hear the voice of a companion near him for a little while, that gladdened him greatly; and then oftentimes all sound of voices died away, and all was dark, still, deep night, and he knew not where to steer. Now if, when this fell upon him, the child went straight to his compass, and looked quite close upon it in spite of the darkness, there came always a faint flashing light out of the darkness, playing always just over the compass, so as to show him its straight blue finger, if he saw no more; and then, if he took up his musical instrument and blew into it, though the thickness of the heavy air seemed at first to drown its sound, yet, after a while, if he was but earnest, I could hear its sweet murmuring sound begin ; and then directly the child lost his fears, and did not want company; sweet echoes of his music talked with his spirit out of the darkness, and within a little time the From another boat it would seem that the very air of the heaven died away. There it lay, like a painted sail in a picture-the snow-white canvass drooping lazily, or flapping to and fro, as the long dull swell heaved up the boat, and let it sink again into the trough of the waves; other boats but a little way off would sail by with a full breeze; but he could not move; his very flag showed no sign of life. Now, if the little sailor took to amusing himself when this happened, it seemed to me that there he lay, and would lie till the dark night overtook him, and parted him from all his company. But if, instead of this, he took up his musical instrument, and played upon with all his earnestness, its soft breath, as it whispered to the wind, soon woke up its gentle sighing the long flag lifted itself up-the blood-red cross waved over the water; the snowy sails swelled out, and the little boat danced on along its joyful way. I noticed also, that, before those boats which were passing on the fastest, the sea would every now and then look very dark and threatening. Great waves would seem to lift their white heads just before them; whilst everywhere else the sea looked calm and enticing. Then the little sailor would strain his eye after his master's course, or look down at the faithful compass; and by both of these sure signs he saw that his way lay straight through these threatening waves. Well was it for him, if, with a bold heart and a faithful hand, he steered right into them. For always did I see, that, just as he got where it seemed to be most dangerous, the tossing waves sank, as if to yield him an easy passage; the wind favoured him more than at any part of his voyage; and he got on in the right way faster than ever before. Especially was this so, if at first he was somewhat tossed, and yet held straight on; for then he shot into a glassy calm, where tide and wind bore him steadily along unto the desired haven. But sad was it for him, if, instead of then trusting to the compass, he steered for the smoother water. One or two such trembling sailors I noted especially. One of them had long been sailing with the foremost boats; he had met with less darkness, fewer mists or troubled places, than the boats around him; and, when he saw the white crests of the threatening waves lift up their strength before him, his heart began to sink; and, after wavering for a moment, he turned his little boat aside to seek the calmer water. Through it he seemed to be gliding on most happily, when all at once his little boat struck upon a hidden sand-bank, and was fixed so firmly on its side, that it could not get afloat again. I saw not his end; but I sadly feared that when next the sea wrought with a troubled motion, and the surf broke upon that bank, his little boat must soon be shivered, and he perish in the waves. The other who turned aside followed closely after him; for this was one thing which I noted through all the voyage-whenever one boat went astray, som |