rgiveness. They are his brethren still--his own flesh and blood. And
he "fears God." He dare not do anything but forgive them. He forgives
them utterly, and welcomes them with an agony of happy tears. He will
even put out of their minds the very memory of their baseness. "Now,
therefore, be not grieved nor angry with yourselves that ye sold me
hither, he says; for God sent me before you, to save your lives with a
great deliverance."

Is not that Divine? Is not that the Spirit of God and of Christ? I say
it is. For what is it but the likeness of Christ, who says for ever, out
of heaven, to all mankind, "Be not grieved nor angry with yourselves that
ye crucified me. For God, my Father, sent me to save your souls by a
great salvation."

My friends, learn from this story of Joseph, and the prominent place in
the Bible which it occupies--learn, I say, how hateful to God are family
quarrels; how pleasant to God are family unity and peace, and mutual
trust, and duty, and helpfulness. And if you think that I speak too
strongly on this point, recollect that I do no more than St. Paul does,
when he sums up the most lofty and mystical of all his Epistles, the
Epistle to the Ephesians, by simple commands to husbands and wives,
parents and children, masters and servants, as if he should say,--You
wish to be holy? you wish to be spiritual? Then fulfil these plain
family duties, for they, too, are sacred and divine, and he who despises
them, despises the ordinances of God. And if you despise the laws of
God, they will surely avenge themselves on you. If you are bad husbands
or bad wives, bad parents or bad children, bad brothers or sisters, bad
masters or servants, you will smart for it, according to the eternal laws
of God, which are at work around you all day long, making the sinner
punish himself whether he likes or not.

Examine yourselves--ask yourselves, each of you, Have I been a good
brother? have I been a good son? have I been a good husband? have I been
a good father? have I been a good servant? If not, all professions of
religion will avail me nothing. If not, let me confess my sins to God,
and repent and amend at once, whatever it may cost me. The fulfilling
these plain duties is the true test of my faith, the true sign and test
whether I really believe in God and in Jesus Christ our Lord. Do I
believe that the world is Christ's making? and that Christ is governing
it? Do I believe that these plain fam