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ister for the dynasty of Pharaoh. And therefore, this king not only did not appreciate the pure patriotism and lofty morality of Joseph, but he positively disapproved of a Christian altogether as either a candidate for, or an occupant of the office of prime-minister of Egypt.

But this expression "knew not" implies also hate, as well as disapproval. "If the world hate you," says our Lord, "ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." Now it seems strange that the world should hate the Christian; and yet it is explained in that Book which explains all the perplexities and incongruities of human nature. It tells us distinctly that the carnal heart, that is, the natural heart, that with which we are born, is enmity against God. Therefore, if the world be now what it was, though very much, I admit, improved in its general tone; and if the Christian be what he once was, then the same antipathy must exist still. It may be differently developed, but it must still exist. The world is not radically changed; it is improved - there is no doubt of that, but still it is the world; and the Christian is not radically different from what he was in St. John's days. If he be what he was, he is a man born again, the Christian whom the world knoweth not. If this be the case, these two are opposites light and darkness, truth and error, the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of Satan - and therefore, a world that not only cannot appreciate the traits of your character, but that also disapproves of them, as far as it knows them, will proceed a step further, and hate you, and a step further, and show that hatred by trying to exterminate and extinguish you; but as it cannot kill in the present day, at least, in this country, it will misrepresent you. Are you earnest? It will say, you have a heated imagination. Are you strict and consistent? It will say, you are a hypocrite.

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Are you a professor of a purer and a nobler creed? It will be said, it is because you seek applause, or reward of men. Every thing you do will be misconstrued; every thing that you are will be misrepresented. But when the world has

the power, as it has in Tuscany, then it assumes another and a sterner feature, it puts you in prison, and would, if it could, renew the massacres of St. Bartholomew, and reproduce the scenes of an age that some thought had passed away, but that seems in some parts of Europe to be coming on again. Thus, the world cannot appreciate our principles; it disapproves of them; it hates those who are the exponents of them.

Well, what are we to infer from all this? First, be comforted, it has been so from the beginning; and therefore, the world was and is the world still; and the Christian, whether in Joseph's days, or our own, was and is the Christian still. And let us recollect this, that if the world thus treats the Christian, it so treated Christ. If they have done so to the Master, we may expect they will do so to the servant. And if we are not so treated, we should examine ourselves to see what is the reason. Has the world about us become Christian? or are we become worldly? Why has the contrast failed? why has the antagonism ceased? Are we faithful, true, steadfast, firm exponents of Christianity, living epistles, the lights of the world, the salt of the earth? I speak as unto reasonable men: judge ye. But let us recollect also for our comfort that, if we are thus treated, the world passeth away; it does not last for ever. And let us recollect that one day we shall be manifest, for the sons of God shall be made manifest. The world will then have passed away, and we alone shall inherit the kingdom. Above all rejoice in this, that whoever hates us, God does not. Whoever condemns, God acquits. "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of God!"

The world will be this year what it has been last; let us not fear it, or be alarmed on account of what man feels, but see that in the world we are not of it, but superior to it in life, in aim, in character, in hope. And let us go forth into the years which are before us, just as Joseph left the palace of Pharaoh, and went into obscurity, his heart remaining the same, his love to God and his allegiance to his law remaining unchanged. Let the world change, let us abide. Let it alter its treatment of us, if it so be; but let our position in reference to it be held fast, the position of protest against its evil, and of usefulness in efforts to do it good, and awaken it to a sense of the need, the value, and preciousness of the Gospel of Christ. And in going into the world, whether into its ups or its downs, its shadow or its sunshine, let us seek to have more and more manifested in ourselves the character of Him who is our Great Example, and run the race set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith. When he was reviled, he reviled not again. "He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth." "Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." "If you be reproached for the Name of Christ, happy are you; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you." Let us never forget that there is a distinction, not mechanical, nor visible, but real, spiritual, and inner, between the Church and the world, between one who is born again and one who is not. It is very important that that difference, that mighty chasm, should not be in imagination filled up, in fact it never can be. Either we must go over to the world and be of it, or the world must come over to us and be one of us; but as long as the world and the Church exist, so long it is light and darkness, truth and error, and there will be opposition, there must not be compromise. Let us be thankful when that opposition is mild, let us be patient, when it becomes

severe; and let us in the world remember that the world passeth away, but that they who fear God shall endure for ever, and they that by death or life turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars and the brightness of the sun for evermore. Weep as though ye wept not, rejoice as though ye rejoiced not. Use the world as not abusing it, for the fashion of it passeth away.

We must never take office anywhere, or under any circumstances, at the expense of concealing our distinctive principles, or compromising the higher service of our Master in heaven. Allegiance to Him is first and last. Duty to Him is the supreme and governing consideration. All must give way to this, and this must give way to nothing. Our light must shine in the world as in the sanctuary. Our character must be distinct and definite in the outward as in the inward circle. The world must come to us, we cannot go to the world. We need not be sour, exclusive, bigoted; but we must be firm, steadfast, immovable. Great decision may be combined with great gentleness. The firmness of the rock and the flexibility of the wave are not contradictions. For this purpose let us study the Great Example, imbibe His spirit, and draw inspiration from that ever accessible but never exhaustible fountain. We are in an alien country our quietest retreats are bivouacs, not homes. Let us walk as pilgrims and strangers, looking for a city and a better country. So patriarchs sojourned — so martyrs lived of whom the world was not worthy. In due time we shall reap if we faint not.

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You remember that, at the close of the previous chapter, Moses had again expressed his doubts of success, by alleging his conscious deficiency of eloquence or the power of utterance; and therefore that he was not fit to go in to Pharaoh, and try to persuade him to let the people go. God replies to that objection in his own majestic and impressive terms, which we may thus paraphrase: "The Lord said unto Moses, this is the answer to all your difficulties; this is to be your encouragement; I have made thee to be a god to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet." In the Hebrew Scriptures, magistrates, as representing a portion of the jurisdiction of God, are called gods. The expression was very commonly applied to those who were possessed of dignity or official power, "ye are gods;" and in this sense Moses is said to have been made a god unto Pharaoh; and Aaron his brother was to be his prophet. You are already aware of the reason of this distinction between the two brethren. Moses complained that he had no power of eloquence, or was uncircumcised of lip; and God's reply to that was, "You, Moses, shall be the oracle or depository of truth; and Aaron, who has the gift of eloquence, shall unfold and express it." God did not alter their constitutional characteristics; but he made use of their existing constitutional peculiarities to do his great work.

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