hose hope and expectation is Messiah their | David his father." He prayed to God to teach King. They will suffer for his sake. In verses him what he ought to do, and through God's help , 10, the judgment of the oppressors is described. The last verse makes mention of the King. He all rejoice in God. The unction of superior ladness will rest on him for ever. (6 Every one at sweareth by bim shall glory." In principle, his is now realized by those who rejoice in Christ esus, and have no confidence in the flesh*. But is properly anticipative of millennial days (Isai. v. 16). The latter part of the verse has no fulIment in the present dispensation. The mouth of lsehood is still open to blaspheme the truth; nor ill it be closed until the earth be brought under e effectual sway of the King, whose girdle of ajesty is righteousness and truth, and who will ill the voice of evil with the iron sceptre of restless rule (Ps. ii. 9). Jubenile Reading. JOSIAH THE YOUNG KING. BY THE REV. W. W. CHAMPNEYS. Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord."-2 CHRON. xxxiv. 1, 2. ame. HREE hundred and fifty years before he was orn, Josiah, king of Judah, was spoken of by The wicked king Jeroboam had made two olden calves. He told the people that these ere images of the true God, and that they were o think of God while worshipping them (1 Kings iii. 1-5). He was standing by the altar in front f the golden image at Bethel: the people stood ound; a man came out of the crowd, dressed in rough dress: he walked up to the altar, but ok no notice of king Jeroboam, and said to the Itar, "O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord; Beold, a child shall be born unto the house of Daid, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer he priests of the high places that burn incense pon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon hee." And then, to prove that what he said hould be done (though so many years after), he old them that the altar should be torn in two, nd the ashes thrown off it. And the moment he aid this, the altar split violently in two, and the shes that were on it fell off. This happened three undred and fifty years before Josiah was born. Vho could tell a person's name so long before e was born but God? But he knows all things, nd all persons, both which are now and shall be ereafter. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who is God, alled Simon by name, though he had never seen im before. Josiah was the son of a very wicked king, Amon. He was only eight years old when his ather died, and he was made king. He had been ing eight years, and was therefore sixteen years ld when he began to seek after the God of Compare for the force of the expression itself, Isai. xlv. 3. For its complete realization in the person of Jesus, nd for its consequent application to Christian faith now, ee Phil. ii. 10; Rom. xiv. 11. From "Sunday Services at home for young Children." -ondon: Hughes. Á book we have already commended.-ED. | he did it. His poor wicked father, Amon, had | worshipped idols, and made high places with groves for the altars of the idols, in Jerusalem and all the country round. Josiah broke down these altars, cut to pieces the images of wood, broke into bits and then ground to powder the images of brass and iron, and sprinkled the dust of these images on the graves of the people who had worshipped them; and then he made them burn dead men's bones on the altars, that they might be made altogether unclean; and thus what God's prophet had spoken three hundred and fifty years before concerning him, was actually done by the "child, Josiah by name" (2 Kings xxiii. 15, 16). After he had taken away the idols, the altars, and the groves, he began to put in order the temple of God. Those who love God love his house. Josiah could not bear to see " that holy and beautiful house, in which his fathers had worshipped," neglected, and in decay; its floors broken through, its rafters fallen in, its courts full of dirt and filth; so he began to cleanse it, and put it into order. While they were looking through the house of God, the high priest Hilkiah found a copy of the law of God, written by Moses (2 Chron. xxxiv. 14-28). Perhaps it had been put into some secret place while wicked Amon, Josiah's father, was king, that it might be hidden from him, and not cut to pieces or burnt, as it would have been if he had found it. And Shaphan the scribe read this book before the young king Josiah; and he read, among other things in the book, how God's anger should be upon all those who did not do the things commanded by God, or who did what God told them in that book that they should not do. When the young king Josiah heard what dreadful punishment God said he would give to those who broke his laws, and remembered how his people had broken those laws, believing, and being sure that word written in it would come true because the the book was God's own book, and that every Lord had said it, the king laid hold of his beautiful robe with both his hands, and tore it down, to show his sorrow for the sin of his people, and them and himself. So he sent some of his great his fear that the heavy anger of God would fall on men to Huldah, a holy woman, a prophetess, to ask what they should do. And she told them to tell Josiah that all that God had threatened to do to his people if they broke his laws he would because he had believed the word of God, and had do; but, that because Josiah's heart was tender, humbled himself before the Lord and wept, he should come to his grave in peace, and not see the evil that should come on the sinful people of Israel. And now see how Josiah died (2 Chron. xxxv. 20-24). He heard that Pharaoh, king of Egypt, was going to war, and he marched against him to battle. Pharaoh sent word that he did not come to fight with him, and told him to go back. Josiah would not, and put on a common soldier's dress, and went into the battle. This was wrong: the men with bows shot, and an arrow struck Josiah; and his servants brought him dreadfully wounded to Jerusalem, and he died of the wound. But God had said, "he should die in peace;" and so he did; for his soul was at peace with God; and, though his wound gave him pain, yet he felt that he was going to be with God in paradise, and that this would be far better than to live. It is not the kind of death we die that makes us die in peace, but the state of our soul when we die. Those who love God will die in peace, though they may die in pain. Those who do not love him cannot die in peace, even though they die without a groan. PRAYER. O Almighty God, who hast said in thy holy word, "I love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me," help us, like the good king Josiah, to seek thee early, and "with all our heart," that we may also find thee, know thee, and love thee as Josiah did, and give up ourselves while young to thy service. O Lord, make us to love thy holy word, as he loved it; to believe it to be the very book of God; make us sure that every word, both of promise and of threatening, shall come to pass; that "not one good thing shall fail of all the good things which thou hast promised" to them that love and fear thee; and also that thy dreadful wrath shall come down on all those who despise thy word, and break thy holy laws. Make our hearts" tender," as Josiah's was; make us truly sorry for sin, as he was; make us put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercy, through Jesus Christ our Saviour, that we may love thee as our best Friend; obey thee as our gracious Father; praise thee as the kind Giver of every good thing we have; and, when the time shall come for us to die, in whatever way it may please thee to take us out of this world, grant that we may die in peace, having our sins all forgiven, through thy mercy, O God, and thy precious blood, O Lord Jesus Christ, our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen. The Angel of the covenant, The blessed Son of God, Was present with the prophet, In the lions' dark abode. He shut their ravening mouths, And saved him from their jaws; Tho' wicked men desired To slay him without cause. And thus for all his chosen And, when the prince of darkness And the lions will not harm." Full oft this world of sorrow But thro' the fiercest terrors Miscellaneous. ARCHBISHOP LEIGHTON.-Having been acquainte with him some years, I recommended him as one the most pleasing, edifying, and savoury companion with whom you can form an intimacy. I have so times had occasion to break off the connexions I hav formed for myself, and to lament those that I have formed for others. This has made me somewhat ca tious in these matters. But it has not been thus in respect to that worthy prelate. He improves by se quaintance, and, what is not often the case, mai himself dearer by familiarity. I know none like him And I am persuaded, Christian reader, that you and shall reflect upon the opportunity of making Leight yours with pleasure.-(The rev. Henry Foster's pre face to the Expository Works and other remains archbishop Leighton. 2 vols. 8vo. London. 1777) London: Published for the Proprietors, by JOHN HUGHES, 12, Ave-Maria Lane, St. Paul's; and to be procured, by order, of all Booksellers in Town and Country. PRINTED BY ROGERSON AND TUXFORD, 246, STRAND, LONDON. DEATHS OF EMINENT CHRISTIANS. No. XXXIV. BISHOP JEREMY TAYLOR*. (Died 1667, aged 56.) IN zeal, devotion, eloquence, and learning, Dr. Jeremy Taylor was an ornament to the church. At the Restoration he succeeded bishop Lesley in the see of Down and Connor. Towards the close of life the bishop began a discourse on the beatitudes; but he, who with such moving accents had foreI warned the world of the incessant march of death by the uncertainty of life, was now to ratify his word by his own example. Thus engaged, whilst his mind was intent upon those gracious words of his Saviour," Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," he was summoned to practise his own advice: "Say no more, but, when God calls, lay aside thy papers, and first dress thy soul, and then dress thy hearse." On the 3rd of August, in the year 1667, at the age of fifty-six, he was attacked by a fever, which, after continuing ten days, put a period to his exemplary life, and deprived the world of one of the From "Last Hours of Christian Men; or an Account England;" by the rev. H. Clissold, M.A. London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. of the Deaths of some eminent Members of the Church of No. 970. brightest ornaments it then possessed. He died at Lisburn on the thirteenth of the same montht. The following are some of bishop Taylor's reflections on death, selected from his writings: 1. To a good man there are very many more reasons to be afraid of life than of death; this having less of evil, and more of advantage. 2. It is certain that he that is afraid of death, I mean with a violent and transporting fear, with a fear apt to discompose bis duty or his patience, that man either loves this world too much, or dares not trust God for the next. 3. It remains that we who are alive should so live, and by the actions of religion attend to the coming of the day of the Lord, that we neither be surprised, nor leave our duties imperfect, nor our sins uncancelled, nor our persons unreconciled, nor God unappeased; but that, when we descend to our graves, we may rest in the bosom of the Lord, till the mansions be prepared, "not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." A Prayer, by Jeremy Taylor, for submission to the will of God in the hour of sickness. O Thou, who art the God of patience and consolation, strengthen me in the inner man, that I may bear the yoke and burden of the Lord, without any uneasy and useless murmurs and in† Bonney's Life of Jeremy Taylor; Chalmers' Biog. Dict. THE text forms part of the blessing pronounced by Jacob, in the spirit of prophecy, on his children, in his last moments. It is a short and beautiful summing up of Joseph's course, and it will suggest the main outlines for our present subject, viz., Joseph as a type of Christ. May that blessing which alone can profit rest upon our consideration of it, for Jesus' sake. Amen. father Abraham rejoiced to see my day he saw it, and was glad." David was a prophet, and, "knowing that of the fruit of his loins according to the flesh God would raise up Christ to sit on his throne, he, knowing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither did his flesh see corruption." No sooner was Joseph recognized, than his brethren "conspired against him to slay him:" and, when "Jesus came to his own, his own received him not;" from his very cradle his life was sought after his first sermon, in his own city of Nazareth, they purposed to destroy him in the most summary manner; and, at the last over, when his hour was come, the "chief priests and elders took counsel against Jesus, to put him to death." pass. Instead of receiving and attending to his kind Joseph. "They said one to another, Behold, message, his brethren only mocked and derided this dreamer cometh." Ah, brethren, how bitterly was Jesus despised! how wickedly was reproached and rejected! Hear his own words, "Reproach hath broken my heart: I looked for neither found I any to comfort me.' some to have pity on me; but there was no man, "When Joseph was come unto his brethren, they stripped Joseph out of his coat, his coat of I. Let us consider the sufferings of Joseph. many colours that was on him ;" and we are tol He was his father's darling, the "son of his old that the soldiers "stripped Jesus, and put on him age.' "Israel loved Joseph more than all his the scarlet robe, and platted a crown of thorns, children." Visions of his future greatness were unfolded to him. He dreamed a dream: "Be-hand; and, after they had mocked him, they took and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf;" yea, he dreamed yet again, and the sun and moon and stars did homage to his sovereignty. And the Lord Jesus was God's beloved Son. "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand." "He received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came to him such a voice from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." How many prophecies are there of the universal dominion of Christ! when before him every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father;" and when the "kingdoms of this world shall be the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever." The patriarch sent his son Joseph to inquire after his brethren: "Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks, and bring me word again." And God sent his Son with a merciful message of peace and love to the Jews, his "brethren after the flesh." "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men." Joseph was "seen afar off, even before he came near unto his brethren;" and in type and prophecy was the Lord Jesus seen and believed on, before he was manifested to the world: "Your * From "Twelve Lectures on the History of Joseph;" by the rev. J. M. Randall, vicar of Langham, Norfolk. London: Nisbet and Co. 1852. We have before spoken favourably of this book: we now, according to our promise, present our readers with a specimen of it.-ED. the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him out to crucify him." the suggestion of Judah, to the Ishmaelites by Joseph was sold for twenty pieces of silver, at : one of the same name was our blessed Lord be trayed and sold to his enemies, for thirty pieces In the most humiliating manner is Joseph, as mies and say, "Which of you convicteth me of sin?" to whom even the Roman governor was obliged to give this testimony, "I find in him no fault at all," was condemned to be crucified, and confined in the prison of the grave. Whilst Joseph was in prison, he was associated with two accused persons, the chief of the butlers and the chief of the bakers; and Jesus, according to the sure word of prophecy, "made his grave with the wicked," and "was numbered with the transgressors;" for "with him they crucified two thieves, the one on his right hand, and the other on his left." Of the two who were imprisoned with Joseph, one was promoted and the other was executed" the chief butler was restored to his butlership again; and the chief baker was hanged." Of the two thieves, one was accepted as a penitent believer, and entered paradise; the other "was driven away in his wickedness," and died the second death. He died in sight of the cross, and by the side of the Saviour. The new name which Pharaoh conferred upon Joseph was very significant: Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-Paaneah." The margin explains this a "Revealer of secrets ;" and this, undoubtedly, the Lord Jesus eminently was; for "life and immortality have been brought to light by the gospel." But there are others* who render this name, "Saviour of the world," as applicable to Joseph when he opened the treasuries of Egypt, and supplied all countries with corn. And, if this rendering be correct, it seems to point out, as completely as possible, Joseph as a type of Christ, who in the highest sense is the " Saviour of all men ;" the "Propitiation, not for our sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world." The Lord Jesus is "highly exalted," and God hath "given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." There is only One to whom he was second+: "All power is his, in heaven and earth ;" and, "at the end, he shall de Father, having put down all rule, and authority, and power; and, when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that did put all things under him, that God may be all in all.” A foreshadowing all this of the realities of the last judgment, when Jesus shall again occupy the centre between the pardoned and the impenitent, not on a cross however, but on a throne of sur-liver up his mediatorial kingdom to God, even the passing lustre; when we shall learn, in deed and in truth, how glorious is the issue of faith, how awful the result of impenitence and unbelief. Joseph, when in prison, was made the keeper of all there: "all the prisoners were committed to Joseph's hand." The Lord Jesus by death destroyed death: the grave might have been proud of such a tenant, but he went there, not as a subject, but as a conqueror; and now he is "alive for evermore," and "holds the keys of hell and of death in his hand." The whole of the unseen world is under his dominion: life and death are under his control. He fixes how long we have to live, and when we are to die. May he teach us 80" to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." Early in the third year after his imprisonment was Joseph liberated; and early in the morning of the third day after his crucifixion did the Lord Jesus rise triumphant from the grave. How completely, dear brethren, is Joseph in his sufferings a type of our Lord Jesus Christ! "The archers sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him." May we be enabled to enter into the fellowship of Christ's sufferings! may we feel his bruises as our own! May we learn how grievous sin must be, when we see what it cost the Saviour! May we weep over ourselves and over him, and trace the atrocity of our sins in the severity of his sorrows! II. Let us proceed now to consider the promotion of Joseph. "His bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob." He was suddenly translated from a dungeon to a palace; and was made the governor over all the land of Egypt, and second only to Pharaoh. "Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; and he made him to ride in the second chariot that he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee; and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt." Do we inquire, Why was Joseph thus exalted and promoted? It was to preserve life among the nations in the coming famine. "The famine was over all the face of the earth." "All countries came into Egypt to Joseph to buy corn, because that the famine was so sore in all lands." The need was pressing and urgent: there was but one method of relief: Pharaoh's command to one and all was the same-" Go unto Joseph: what he saith unto you, do” (Gen. xli. 55). Brethren, the Lord Jesus is indeed a great Saviour. His power enables him, his compassion inclines him, his covenant-promise binds him, to "save even to the uttermost all that come to God by him." "The Father hath sent him to be the Saviour of the world." "He, by the grace of God, has tasted death for every man." His blood is able to cleanse us from all sin: his righteousness is given unto and put upon all them that believe his Holy Spirit is freely promised to all who ask for it. O, what pressing need is there for this Saviour! Egypt and the neighbouring countries would have perished through famine, had it not been for Joseph. Mankind would have perished, had it not been for Jesus. He is the "bread of life," given for the "life of the world." Brethren, let me entreat you to come to the Saviour. Seek an interest in him by faith. Whatever may be your spiritual circumstances, "Go unto Joseph: what he saith to you, do." Without Jesus you can do nothing: without him you perish. And, just as all countries went to Egypt for corn before the tidings of the supply there had reached Canaan, Jacob did not send into Egypt, nor did his sons go down thither till some time after other countries * Gesenius informs us that Jerome thus renders it. †This is a somewhat incautious expression. "Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father, as touching his manhood."-ED. |