Michael Bruce began preaching about 1656 to the Scottish settlers in Northern Ireland who were thrust out of their native land by the perils of the times. When the King's persecutors reached into Ulster, he was ejected from his church and living, but continued to preach in barns and in the woods and in the night. Though he was declared an outlaw, continued preaching from house to house and in conventicles, and this was back in Scotland. He was arrested in 1668 and wounded by the soldiers during the scuffle. He was eventually sentenced to banishment in Africa, and through the intervention of his wife, however, the king was persuaded to allow him to choose his place of banishment, and he immediately chose Kalinchy Woods in Ulster, where his where he first ministered. Though most of the ministers there defected to the encroachments of the crown upon the liberties of the Covenanted Church, he would not. A large influx of Roman Catholics and persecutions from false brethren caused him to return to Scotland, where he ministered until his death in 1693. This is a sermon by Michael Bruce. Our Old Testament scripture readings have been focusing on the story of Joseph, and the text, fittingly, then is from Genesis 42-25. The text is, Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way. And thus he did unto them. Many and various are the sharp and searching dispensations to flesh and blood, especially to the unrenewed part, whereith the Lord doth test and exercise his people, an emblem of which we have here concerning Joseph and his brethren. For here, in a very pinching strait, his brethren go down to Egypt to buy corn. Instead of selling them corn and dismissing them as he did others, he begins to quarrel with them for being spies. speaks very roughly to them and puts them three days in prison and then keeps Simeon and lets the rest go only upon condition that they would bring down the younger brother, Benjamin, to Egypt, that he might see him. A very sharp trial indeed, both unto them and to their father, Jacob. Now, while Joseph deals thus roughly with his brethren, the more they labor to vindicate themselves, the harder he fixes it upon them. At the same time, heart-humbling convictions of their former evil deed and unnatural usage of him are set home upon their consciences. And then they begin to say, all this trouble we have met with is the just dessert of our cruel and unnatural dealing towards our brother Joseph. For he was ill-used by us, and we have bought all this that has come upon us with our own money. Justly may this reprove Scotland this day and darken all our faces before the Lord for all the sins he hath written upon our judgments, as it were, in legible letters. And yet we never read our sins that we have wickedly and inhumanely committed against Christ and his interest, either our personal sins against the Lord or our public defections and backslidings from our covenant engagements. and national obligations to him. We may long travel through the land in many places, assemblies, congregations, and families before we hear much of the wrongs done to Joseph as what lies near our hearts. But here the wrongs done by Joseph's brethren lie nearer their heart than anything in the world. And likewise, it is observable that in the midst of this rough dealing with them, and the striving of their conscience thereupon, his carriage towards them is very remarkable. They are saying, we are guilty of our brother's blood, and he is weeping. They are mourning, and he is mourning also. He lets them not know of it. He lets them go, but in the meantime must have Simeon bound and left behind them, so they might have an errand back again. so that we may see that our Lord will never bring a stolen dint upon His people, but when He brings trouble upon them for their sins by which they have provoked Him to anger, then He will set it visibly before their eyes that they may be the more affected with it and convicted of it. Yet, He will not have His people frightened away by this trouble, that they should not come back again to Him But he must have a pledge of them in order to their return to relieve it. Thus Simeon must be bound before their eyes till they come back and loose him again. But we shall not insist any longer by way of introduction. In the words read, there are three things considerable. In the first part of the verse, there is an account of three particular enjoyments. And then there is a relation of Joseph's favorable dealing with them in the last part of the verse. The three particular enjoyments are, one, the sacks must be filled with corn, two, every man's money must be restored into his sack's mouth, and three, they must have provision by the way. Indeed, there never was such a favor bestowed as this which Joseph conferred on his brethren." Now, from the words, we shall observe two points of doctrine. And first, from the coherence of the whole matter, and the substance of what past betwixt Joseph and his brethren, from his rough carriage towards them and his favorable dealing with them, from the connection of the words of our text with what is set down and what follows we observe. Doctrine number one, that it is a part of our Lord's infinitely good and gracious way of dealing with his people, that in the day when he is about to confer mercies and singular expressions of His favor and goodwill upon them, that even then He will carry Himself very strange and unkind unto them, and will deal very roughly with them for the punishment and conviction of their sins, whereby they have dishonored Him and provoked Him to anger against themselves, and partly for the trial and exercise of His grace in them, that He may fit and prepare them for new manifestations of Himself, and for what he has to bestow further upon them to meet them with and exercise them under. For there is a Simeon here to be bound hand and foot as a pledge to engage them back again in order to get new discoveries of Joseph and further tokens of his kindness to them. There are two pieces of our heavenly Lord and Master's wise dealing with his people in the day that he confers mercies upon them. First, he puts a counterbalance upon his people's enjoyments, so they may be kept sober and humble. Jacob must have a knee mark all his days to keep him halting. The apostle must have a thorn in the flesh and a messenger of Satan to buffet him, lest he should be exalted above measure. In the day when our Lord admits his people to the nearest enjoyments of communion and familiarity with himself, then he wisely binds on the most heavy back weight to keep them still in sight of that due distance that ought to be still kept between the infinite majesty of God and them, both as poor, finite, mortal, frail creatures and also as they are sinful creatures. How often does he call Ezekiel by the name of the son of man, which is the back weight he binds upon him to keep him humble under his enjoyments. You that are proud professors and airy in your religion, he will let loose your predominant corruptions to tread upon you and to drag you at the heels as he did with Peter in the matter of denying his master, and with David in the matter of his adultery and murder. To the end that ye may see what metal ye are of by nature and what is within you, and how little reason you have to be self-conceited or to have any confidence in the flesh. When the Lord's people begin to wax wanton or turn proud of their religion, then He will let some snare so far prevail as to turn up their tails in some piece of backsliding or defection from the truth and the right way of the Lord by some foul sin and personal transgression against the Lord, and He will suffer them to fall from their integrity and to become a scandal to religion and the gospel, and a greater discredit to the truth by their fall than ever their former profession was any way a credit to it. And all this, that they may see their own weakness, and that he that thinks he standeth may take heed, lest he fall. And to make them lean upon the strength of Christ and not upon anything of their own, Yea, when people begin to become self-conceited of their spiritual gifts and mere special endowments, their exercises, their parts, the growth and increase of their grace and their apprehended proficiency in godliness, and so begin to be puffed up with spiritual pride, then the Lord will lay on a heavy back weight upon their enjoyments because of their abuse of them. And this he does ordinarily by withdrawing from them as was the case with Samson when all the seven locks of his strength were cut off. And he knew not that the Lord was departed from him till he rose to shake himself as at other times. The Lord will obstruct and blast all their spiritual gifts, graces, exercises, increases and fruitfulness therein. and cause their progress in Christianity to be impeded by restraining the quickening, strengthening, and fructifying influences of the Holy Spirit, even by withholding the continual communication of life and strength, and the dew of heaven which should always lie upon their branches. whereby faith is both infused and increased. This seems to have been the ground of the church's complaint in the 62nd of Isaiah. It seems to be the ground of her prayer in the Canticle 416. It seems also to have been David's case in Psalm 32, 4. And thus, our Lord strains the beauty of his people's idols. and hedges up their way that they cannot find the paths of their lovers, even by intercepting the light of his countenance and drawing a cloud of desertion betwixt him and their souls. I confess indeed that this is a very sad lot. But yet, when the gracious result and event of it shall be to take away sin, when the believer shall have his graces and duties both purged from their dross, By this, therefore, shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his sin. When he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalk stones that are beaten and sundered, the groves and images shall not stand up. Then they have no reason to complain of the Lord's cross-like dispensations, or to entertain unbecoming thoughts of his love. Second, there is a piece of our Lord's dealing with his people, and that is that in the day when he confers mercies and enjoyments upon them, he gives them so that he may put an errand into their hands to come back again. For here are three enjoyments, their sacks full of corn, their silver in the mouth of them, and provision by the way. But Simeon must be bound and left as a pledge for an errand back again. There are some of you perhaps that have been wrestling for some time both of your own particular case and for the public case of the Church of God, which is now much broken and wasted. It may be ye think ye have come little speed. Why? because you see that the Lord has accepted a sacrifice off his poor persecuted people's hand both before at Pentland and since that time some have been prevailed with to make Moses' choice even to choose a lot of persecution and affliction with the people of God rather than keep their worldly wealth and ease in the way of complying with the enemy to ruin the work of God. Some have been determined to give obedience to Christ's command in Matthew 10, 28, 37, and in 19, 29. Yea, some have been so powerfully prevailed upon and graciously dealt with as to consecrate both life and fortune to God and to seal His covenanted work of reformation with their blood, not counting their lives dear unto the death, that they might hold fast the testimony of Jesus Christ and finish their course with joy Now, ye that are the wrestling people of God, may think that ye have not come, little speed, at a throne of grace, and that your strength is not spent in vain, seeing this is the fruit of your pains, and the return of your prayers. But ye may say ye lacks not still a new errand to come again to Christ, both in behalf of the public concerns of the work of God and in behalf of your own souls, even as long as that bitter root of prelacy is planted and thrives so well in the Lord's vineyard. Truly, neither the well-being of the Church of God nor the spiritual edification of souls will prosper much by it. And had we been as faithful, careful, and diligent in cleansing the gardens of our hearts as we should have been from other evil and noxious weeds, the Lord would never have permitted that nauseous plant of prelacy and Eurasian supremacy to have been planted in his vineyard, to be a plague to his church and a scourge to us for our sins. Truly, I do not like those folk who want an errand to come back and back over again to God when there is such a broil betwixt the husband and wife, children and servant in the family. They are unnatural like children who have not an errand to the throne of grace in such a case to plead and wrestle with the Lord, who is the good husbandman, that he would root out that wicked plant from his vineyard by his power and almighty arm. So then this is one way whereby the Lord puts an errand into his people's hands to come back to him again upon the receipt of enjoyments. That they may plead and wrestle with him by prayer and supplication that he would purge his own house and root out of his church every unhallowed plant that his own heavenly hand never planted according to the promise. The Son of Man shall send forth his angels and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity. Another way whereby the Lord puts a new errand in his people's hand to come again to him is that when he gives his people mercies, he likewise lays on some sad cross along with them so that they do not enjoy these mercies with full satisfaction. And this is a new errand to him. that he would either remove the cross and those bitter ingredients in their lot, or else sanctify it to them, so it might be helpful and not hurtful to them. The Lord gives mercies and enjoyments, but then he, as it were, makes a hole in the bottom thereof, where at all their comfort drops through, and this puts a new errand into their hand to get this made up again. The poor creature gets a mercy, but it gets across with it, or else it is in a continual fear that it lacks grace to improve those mercies rightly. Oh, says the poor man or woman, I have got a mercy, but what will I do with it but abuse it and dishonor God, except I get grace to improve it aright and to honor him in the use thereof. This puts the person upon prayer again. This becomes a new errand to God to get grace and strength to manage its enjoyment aright. So our Lord gives an enjoyment, but He gives a cross above it. He gives water above their wine so that they might have a new errand to Him again. And what the worse are they for that? Our blessed Joseph loves his friends and brethren so well that he cannot want them long out of his presence. we are ready to undervalue our mercies because there is a cross with them, and to think little of our enjoyments because there is some want and we cannot get full contentment with them. But the Lord will learn us another way of it. He will make us know that it is the greatest piece of our mercy and the best ingredient in our enjoyment to have still a new errand put into our hands to bring us back again. If this were not the case, we would neither know God nor ourselves. We would forget our duty and our obligations to him. We would forget our continual dependence upon him. There are three pieces of his people's necessity that he loves to make them sensible of that may be still a new errand to them. First, gives them a proof of their own weakness and inability. Secondly, he gives them a proof of their own improficiency in grace. And thirdly, he gives them a proof of their own weakness and mortality. And he also loves to give them a proof of his own all-sufficiency. And that is a piece of the Lord's gracious dealing with his people. First, he makes them see their own weakness and inability. And that he may put the bottom out of their own self-conceitedness. and then secondly lets them see what he can do for them in their extremity when he hath brought their own vanity and emptiness into an open view. Christ asks Philip where they would get bread for such a multitude and when he had tried his reason by which he had, he and the rest were grounded, then He gives a proof of his Godhead in all sufficiency by which he feeds them miraculously so that there is not one hungry one amongst them all. Whatever mercies and enjoyments the people of God get conferred on them, as long as the church is in a militant state and condition here below, as long as the devil is in hell and the wicked upon the earth to disturb the believer, the true Christian believer shall not lack an errand to the throne of grace upon account of the church, the work, and the people of God. No, not so long as they are in a state of mortality in this sinful veil of misery, and as long as they have a body of sin and death about them. For although there were no more, Christ can make his people's predominant corruptions furnish them with work enough for a continual errand to seek grace and strength, to fight against it, and to long for the final victory over it. I like not the folks' case that have not an errand every day, an hour, yea, every minute to God on account of their predominant corruptions, to get them mortified and to get strength to resist them and to get the victory over them. The person that hath not still a new errand to come to Christ upon that account, I am afraid, never knew what a right-hand lust or idol was, or what it was to be vexed with a predominant corruption. that person's case must be deplorable, who can let the devil run in and out through his heart and carry off his affections unobserved. That person looks judgment-like, that can conceive and bring forth a swarm of vain thoughts and vain imaginations, and yet never assays to crush the heads of these stinging vipers, nor yet struggles to suppress these swelling thoughts in their very bud and beginning by running to God with them to get vengeance taken upon them. A prayerless spirit in any person is a very bad symptom, and it looks like one of these two. Either a graceless soul, never brought out of the black nature, nor delivered from the power of Satan and dominion of sin, like those in Jeremiah 10.25, pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name. For they have eaten up Jacob and devoured him and consumed him and have made his habitation desolate. Or else it looks like one in a palpable or visible decay in the exercises and fruits and effects of graces. Similar to the case of those in Isaiah 43.22, But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob, but thou hast been very weary of me, O Israel. So that you see whatever enjoyments or mercies our heavenly Joseph confers upon his friends and brethren, he must have it so ordered that they may put a new errand in their hand to come back again. Certainly that benefit or enjoyment looks gloomy. It puts not a new errand in the receiver's hand to come back to Christ. First, to express their sense of the worth of his mercy. Secondly, their own unworthiness of it. Thirdly, their unthankfulness for it. And fourthly, to seek grace from his all-sufficiency, to honor him in the right use of it. There are many professors in Scotland, I think, like the lepers, of whom there came but one back. to give glory to God for the mercy they had received. I think I may say without a breach of charity, the strain and signification of many of the prayers of many professors in this generation are like those quoted, and the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord God. There shall be many dead bodies in every place. They shall call them forth with silence. Hear this. O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn, and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat, making the eppa small and the shekel great, falsifying the balances by deceit? We are ruined by these folks' religion, says the poor, profane, atheist, and covetous worldling. When will the Sabbath and its religion be gone? that we may go about our worldly business. Who will show us any good is their language, such as the language of most part of the professors in Scotland at this day. But the prayers of the true believer in Christ, whose mercies and enjoyments put a new errand into their hands to come back again to him, are of another nature and have another signification. give spiritual heavenly wisdom and a sanctified understanding, says Solomon, that I may behave myself in managing the employment the Lord hath put upon me. Lift up the light of thy countenance upon me, says the psalmist. But not to insist upon the connection that is betwixt the text and the rest of the history of what passed between Joseph and his brethren, we come to the words more particularly from which we shall give you the rest of the doctrinal observations. Doctrine number two, that it is a very promising mercy and a token of good to a person or people in the day of God's dealing roughly with them in pursuing his controversy with them because he hath been provoked by their sins. That even then he gives them something in hand to be provision unto them, by the way, until the full manifestation of himself come. Now, in speaking unto this point of doctrine, I shall show you first what that provision is that Christ gives his people, by the way. And it is to be feared that there are many unfaithful under-stewards in Scotland at this day who feed themselves better than the flock. Like those who sit down and eat and drink with the drunkards, when they should be giving out to everyone in Christ's family their portion of meat in due season. Second, I am to show you how sweet and comfortable an expression of His love it is to be getting your souls full of provision by the way. And third, I shall give you a short word of caution. Fourth, a short word of use. First, I am to show you what provision, what that provision is that Christ gives His people by the way. And there are twelve pieces of provision that he gives his people to bear their expenses by the way, and every one of them is good corn in their sacks. First, the first piece of provision that he gives his people is such a full discovery and proclamation of his name as may answer all the cavelings of unbelief and carnal reason, and may invite and encourage any poor distressed sinner to come to Christ if he will not abuse his grace. For here is not only a possibility, that a poor penitent sinner may be saved, but also a possibility that a humble and distressed sinner shall be saved by Christ, be his sin never so great. And is not this a parcel of good corn in a poor, weary, heavy laden sinner's sack? See what he says of his name. As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die, O house of Israel? Look unto me, all ye ends of the earth, and be ye saved. And is it not a good provision, by the way, for wearied travelers to have this portion of the finest of the wheat to carry them through the wilderness? And well is the poor man or woman that gets this noble piece of provision. Number two, a handful or quantity of good corn that our heavenly Joseph gives his people for provision, by the way, is a discovery of the covenant with all the promises and properties thereof. Of this, see Jeremiah 31, 32, and 33, 6. Abraham took many a weary step when traveling through the land of Canaan. And what got he then? Even this. I am the God Almighty. Walk before me and be thou perfect." And then he explains unto him the breadth and length of the land that he was well provided for when he got the covenant sealed. In his arms, they are not too small to get a large look, and their arms full of the covenant and the confirmation thereof. Oh, but that is a handful of gallant corn Although we were never so hungry and weary, a broad look of the covenant and the confirmation of it would still be a full meal in the wilderness, yea, upon the banks of Jordan. Our grandees intend to leave us nothing, and what can we help it? But we need never think ourselves poor so long as we have the covenant and what is contained therein. We can take it in our arms and sing over it, David thought himself no poor man when he got it into his arms to go to eternity with. This is all my salvation and all my desire. Our graceless gallants think no more of our covenants than to burn them at the market crosses. But it will be no wonder if they have empty sacks and little provision by the way. seeing they have cast out so much malice against the covenanted work of God in the land. They say, we shall not have liberty to keep these covenants, else our necks shall go for it as treason and rebellion. Well, although our necks and all that we have should go for it, it is no bad bargain. So long as we have God's covenant and all things comprehended therein, We may think ourselves as rich as the best of them, be who they will. Third, a quantity of handful, a handful of good corn our heavenly Joseph gives his people in their sacks as provision by the way is a lively discovery of glory, heaven, happiness of the king and his beauty and the land that is very far off with the pledge that was laid down to bring us there. Well, very good. As long as heaven and glory remain, and our Redeemer lives to bring us there, and His Spirit and grace to fit us for it, we shall not lack a meal in the wilderness. And provision, by the way, we have enough. Compare 2 Corinthians 4.17 with these words, For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God eternal in the heavens. We know well, says the worldling and blind atheists, we can see nothing that these poor creatures have to feed upon. But I know well the things that their blind eyes cannot see can feed us well. And no thanks to them for it. This is a part or portion of the good corn my brother Joseph has given me in my sack to bear my charges. By the way, Thinking not that I may feed upon it, but I fear many of us have lost sight of heaven and glory both. I mean the confirmed assurance of it. And then we indeed have lost some of this good corn out of our sacks, which it will cost us more pains to recover again than we are likely to be at. For there is a parcel or handful of this good corn that our blessed Joseph puts in our sacks, and that is the death and sufferings of Christ. With the whole purchase of his mediation flowing from the womb of these sufferings, the poor bleeding-hearted believer has many to accuse and condemn him. But here is refuge and remedy against them all. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect It is God that justifies it. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. What think ye now of me, says Paul? Here I stand upon my blessed, crucified Lord and Redeemer's grave, and I defy all the devils in hell and men upon earth, to twist me in this ground asunder. The poor persecuted believer in Christ may take his cross in his arms and go to Christ's grave. He will get as much there as will bear his expenses by the way and perfume his own cross. I mean, he will get Christ's strength perfected in his weakness, and as much of Christ's love as will sweeten his cross. And I defy the men of this world to get this portion of good corn taken from us. Do as they will, and oh for grace to improve it. For our Lord's death and sufferings are a piece of good provision to his followers by the way. It is reproach, shame, or contempt of the world, is it? Or is it death, persecution, or banishment? Then it is well for us. Our blessed Lord and Master has gone this way before us and trodden these paths and perfumed this lot unto us. Number five, a parcel or quantity of good corn which Christ uses to put into his brethren's sack is the new performance of the promises with new confirmations of the old ones and new remarks on old experiences of the Lord's goodness to his church and people. The enemy says, what will we get to boast of now for our God is now gone and our religion both? For they think the covenanted cause of the reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland is now dead and buried, and they are beginning to write epitaphs on her grave. But the Church will live longer than they. Zion will outlive all her enemies in spite of all that is deadly. I will tell you what our Master does to us. If there be a promise with more juice or sap in all the Bible, He keeps that for us against the day of the cross. This he gave Abraham. I am thy shield and exceeding great reward. But what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, says Abraham. Then he renews the promise and confirms the old one made in Genesis 12, 2-7. O sirs, knew ye ever what it was to go to the covenant where the treasure of the promise lies, and there search till you find out a new one to suit your cases and necessity in time of trial, until you put the power and faithfulness of God to the accomplishment of it, to you for comfort and relief. Truly, I think if ever we had anything of this Christian dexterity and spiritual skill of improving the promises for our relief in the day of our trouble, We have now lost it, or are gone out of the use of it. That heavenly work, we find that Jacob engaged in. Jacob puts the Lord to his old promise. Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which said unto me, return unto thy country and to thy kindred and I will deal well with thee. Until he got a new confirmation and he said, thy name shall be called. No more Jacob, but Israel, for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. Now he was made a victorious prince both with God and man. Here is a confirmation of old enjoyment, of the promises and performances of new ones from our loving Joseph, the improving of which is a piece of heavenly wisdom that our Lord labored to train up his disciples in, in the days of his flesh. Jesus saith unto them, have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, yea, Lord. And then he also exhorts them to improve it against the day of trial. David was also acquainted with his work and exercise. This is my comfort in my affliction, for thy word hath quickened me. If we had that divine skill, and searching out the marrow of the promises as they lie in the covenant, there would not be a case or condition that we could be in, but we would get something to answer it. Is there never a poor vexed person whose Christian work and business is like to grow so dark, confused, and difficult upon his hand that he knows not how to get it managed for want of spiritual wisdom, heavenly counsel, and advice? Then let him take David's way of it. Go to the law and to the testimony, to the instructions and directions in the Word of God. Oh, sirs, there are none. Are there none amongst you whose journey is like to grow wearisome and difficult to you so that you are like to succumb for want of rest and refreshing? Then do as David did. Go to the massive treasure of the promise. And there you will get an antidote against your fainting fits and fears. Is there no one amongst you this day that has this sad case to go to the covenant treasure of the promise with? That has dislocated backs, legs or arms by taking a shoulder lift of the broken and wasted cause of the church and work of God? Oh, is there not one amongst you that can stand no longer under the weight of the church's broken and wasted case and the guilt of his own sins? Then come, come to the covenant treasure of the promise and lay all the weight and burden of the business over upon the strong man, the mediator. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself. Compare with Psalm 89.19 and Isaiah 64.6. Sirs, I think it is not promising when there are so few that see what need they have of a physician. I fear the end of it will be a sad mortality if mercy prevent not. The parcel or handful of good corn our tender-hearted Joseph puts into his brethren's sack for provision, by the way, is the fresh and green impressions of the truth of the gospel that belong to the whole community of the mystical body of Christ, with grace to improve them rightly. This is clear in the case of Lazarus and his sisters. Their brother is dead and gone, and they are mourning for him, saying, Lord, if thou hadst been here, our brother had not died. if Christ had been here in Scotland and Ireland, and there had not been such a death among his friends as has been, and such a downfall of the work of God as there is, but how few are at this with it at this day. But, says our Lord, I am the resurrection and the life. Believest thou this? At last Martha came to this general truth. Yea, Lord, I believe thou art the Christ, the Son of God. Here is the ground for faith, and it is a parcel of good corn our Master gives us till we get a more particular promise relating to our case in particular. Thinking not that it is a piece of good provision, we can take the most general truth in all the Bible and draw consolation out of it. for our souls edification and advantage. As Samson did, out of the dead lion, out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. Even the most terrible threatening in the Bible, when rightly improved and seasonably applied, may sometimes be of singular use to the people of God. A parcel or quantity of good corn that our blessed Joseph puts into his brethren's sacks as provision by the way, is the gracious providence of our Heavenly Father in Christ Jesus. And oh, but the good providence of a reconciled, covenanted God in Christ is a piece of excellent provision by the way, wherein they are oft times tested with many straits and difficulties by the way in their desert case and condition. How often have the poor, destitute, and puzzled people of God been trusted with strange pieces of providence that they knew not what to make of or how to improve. Was not this a strange providence related here in the history wherein our text lies? Malignants think to make us both cold and hungry, but what the matter? We shall have the best of it yet, in spite of them all, so long as the gracious providence of our brother Joseph remains. Although Joseph's brethren were the most roughly handled of any that came to Egypt, they were the best dealt with of any, ere all that was done. How often has God's providence brought mercies to his people's bedside before they got on their clothes? How often have enjoyments been laid in their laps that they never dreamed of till they were there? Was it not a strange peace of providence the poor people of the Jews met with, as related in the book of Esther? There is a great Haman high in favor with the king, and there is a poor Mordecai, a godly Jew. And Haman will have him hanged. and all his people destroyed, root and branch. Haman gets his wicked design so far accomplished that the decree was sealed and the day of execution appointed. But here Providence turns the chase upon him. The records are brought and Mordecai's good service found out, for which he is honorably rewarded. Haman assigns this piece of honor to him, thinking it would be done unto himself, but is disappointed and obliged to attend Mordecai through the city And then he got the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai, and his kindred and friends got the same cast that he intended for the people of the Jews. So if we had but faith to believe in God, patience to wait upon him, and grace to keep his ways faithfully with honesty, and humbly with submission to bear his indignation, because we have sinned against him. Until he arise and plead our cause, who knows how soon providence might make a fearful dissipation among the enemies of the work of God. But I fear there will be few of us that will prove so stout in the back to our prince. And he lost nothing by it, for Christ will not let any be losers at his hand. There was never one laid out two pence for him, but he received thrice double for it. See, such good corn as Providence puts in David's sack. When in all appearance he could scarcely have escaped Saul, a messenger comes and tells Saul that the Philistines had invaded the land. And so David escaped. How often hath the Lord put another work in his enemy's hands to divert them from their designs against his work and people. Was not that a parcel of good corn in Elijah's sack? The famine was sore in the land and left little for Elijah. Well, what is the matter? He must not want, the ravens must feed him. And when that is over, a poor widow woman in Zarephath must maintain him with a handful of meal and a cruise of oil until another relief come. And when he had more contentment Then he had more contentment than wicked Ahab and all the ten tribes of Israel had. Many times the poor people of God are so destitute that when they have got one meal, they know not where to get another. Yet the Lord hath covered a table for them, and to their contentment too. Number eight. A handful or quantity of good corn that our Lord puts in our sacks is a treasure of faith. and supporting experiences of the Lord's goodness. He gives them the church's experience. We will remember thy love more than wine. In Isaiah 13, 9, and 15, we see the Lord's gracious dealings with his church in former times. And, says he, thou didst terrible things that we looked not for. And shall we not get a share of these now in our extremity? Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength, Here was the experience. And I know well, says David, thy servant slew both the lion and the bear, and he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And, says he, I will remember the works of the Lord. He puts his people upon their own experience. Says the Apostle Paul, I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion, and the Lord shall deliver me. Says the poor believer, the Lord hath delivered me in six troubles. I hope he will deliver me in seven also. And if old experiences will not do, he will give a new one that they never knew before. The men of this world wonder how we fare, but we have rich provision to feed upon that they know not of. And we can feed upon our purchase as well as those can do upon their stated revenues. Number nine, a quantity or handful of good corn that our heavenly Joseph puts in our sacks for provision, by the way, is the counterbalance of comfort, an overbalancing recompense of the joys of the Holy Ghost and the sensible love of God resulting from the well-grounded assurance of an interest in Him and confirmed hopes of salvation through Christ and justification through His righteousness. This is a handful of good corn in the believer's sack, a piece of substantial provision, by the way, What was it that made Habakkuk sing so sweetly? Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat. The flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will join the God of my salvation. What was it that made the Apostle triumph, by whom also we have access by faith unto this grace, wherein we stand and rejoice. We commonly say they never had a bad day that knew of a good night. The solid persuasion, the well-grounded faith of this, that the poor wearied pilgrim shall get all his wet clothes dried at night, and all his tears, sighs, and sorrowings wiped away, may support his fainting spirits. and help to sustain his infirmities by the way. Number 10, a parcel or a quantity of good corn Joseph puts in his friend's sacks is the earnest of the spirit of adoption whereby the believer is made to know, take up and discover the things freely given him of God. This is the seal of the Holy Spirit of promise, even the testimony of a good conscience witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God. And this is nothing but the believer's earnest of the Redeemer's purchase for him and his getting possession or investment of his heavenly inheritance. It is God who hath given unto us the earnest of the spirit, but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father." It's not this a piece of good provision, by the way. not only to have a good expectation and well-grounded hope of good to come, but even something in hand, the earnest of the possession and investment of the inheritance. The malignant enemies of God's work say they will take possession of our houses and lands unless we abjure the covenants and renounce the work of reformation. But as long as this portion of good corn remains in our sacks, We shall be even and more with them. Number 11. A parcel, a quantity of good corn, our Joseph puts in our sacks is the downpouring of the Holy Spirit to conduct, instruct and direct us in our journey and the communications of grace and strength continually to enable us to do our duty and to bear us up under our crosses. This is the spirit of God. and glory resting on us. This is to do all things through Christ that strengthens us. This is to run and not be weary and walk and not faint and go on from strength to strength till everyone appear in Zion before God. And may we not be supplied with this piece of provision by the way that our brother Joseph gives us. Number 12. There is yet another handful of good corn and piece of good provision that Christ gives his friends and followers. That is the sanctified discipline and correction of his rod. That by it we may be kept from sinful straying from him in his ways and truths. Christ will not give his children food without correction and that is their mercy. For we have as much need of the one as the other. We have so much corruption, the ill nature, that if we were not brought under the rod, we would, in a little, not know ourselves. Woe to that person to whom he ceases to be a reprover. If ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, says the Apostle, then are ye bastards and not sons. It is one of the Articles of the Covenant that the Lord's people shall not escape correction for their souls, If his children forsake my law and walk not in my judgments, if they break my statutes and keep not my commandments, then will I visit their transgressions with rods and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless, my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. And in another place, the Lord says, you have I known of all the families of the earth. Therefore, will I punish you for your iniquities so that if any go free, it will be the wicked upon whom he will not bestow the rod of correction. As for his own people, he will correct them. Many folk have ill bred children and make little conscience of their obligations to train them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. But Christ will not do so with us, with his. This is also a part of the good corn that he gives them, as provision by the way. But ye say, how will that hold true? For we see some of the wicked made spectacles in respect of crosses and afflictions laid upon them, both in their bodies and consciences. I answer that as Christ has a school of heavenly discipline and correction, for the nurture of his own children, to learn grace and godliness. So he has a correction house and stocks wherein he puts the wicked, to discourage them, to make them bear the mark of his spotless and vindictive justice as a token of his wrath and hatred of them, so that he gives the wicked, as it were, two hells, one here and another hereafter. His school of discipline is a token of love to his children, but his correction house and stocks are a token of his wrath and indignation to the wicked. These are to be put into the stocks, but the children into the school, to be trained up in their duty both to God and man. But say ye, how shall I know whether my strokes be in love or in Christ's school or for my discipline, or the correction and stocks as the effect of his hatred? To this I answer, if thou art made a partaker of his holiness, and art more conformed to the image of God, but he for our prophet that we might be partakers of his holiness, then thou hast been in the school and not in the correction house. To clear this, I shall point out some things as distinguishing marks betwixt the one and the other. And that will be the next part of this sermon. This Reformation audio track is a production of Stillwater's Revival Books. You are welcome to make copies and give them to those in need. SWRB makes thousands of classic Reformation resources available, free and for sale, in audio, video, and printed formats. It is likely that the sermon or book that you just listened to is also available on cassette or video, or as a printed book or booklet. Our many free resources, as well as our complete mail-order catalog, containing thousands of classic and contemporary Puritan and Reformed books, tapes, and videos at great discounts is on the web at www.swrb.com. We can also be reached by email at swrb at swrb.com, by phone at 780-450-4255, 3730 by fax at 780-468-1096 or by mail at 4710-37A Edmonton Alberta Canada T6L 3T5 You may also request a free printed catalog and remember that John Kelvin in defending the Reformation's regulative principle of worship, or what is sometimes called the scriptural law of worship, commenting on the words of God, which I commanded them not, neither came into my heart. From his commentary on Jeremiah 731, writes, God here cuts off from men every occasion for making evasions, since he condemns by this one phrase, I have not commanded them, whatever the Jews devise. There is then no other argument needed to condemn superstitions than that they are not commanded by God. For when men allow themselves to worship God according to their own fancies, and attend not to His commands, they pervert true religion. And if this principle was adopted by the Papists, all those fictitious modes of worship in which they absurdly exercise themselves would fall to the ground. It is indeed a horrible thing for the Papists to seek to discharge their duties towards God, by performing their own superstitions. There is an immense number of them, as it is well known, and as it manifestly appears. Were they to admit this principle, that we cannot rightly worship God except by obeying His word, they would be delivered from their deep abyss of error. The Prophet's words, then, are very important, when he says that God had commanded no such thing, and that it never came to his mind. As though he had said, That men assume too much wisdom, When they devise what he never required, Nay, what he never knew.