now having said all that he had to say to his children, and finished all the directions and commands he intended to give; he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people. Jacob' sat on the side of his bed to bless his children, and when he had finished his blessing and his charge, "he gathered up his feet," that is, he lay down in the bed in a composed frame of mind, and in a dying posture, not as one patiently waiting for the time of his departure from the present world, but he composed himself as one lying down to rest, and cheerfully resigned his spirit into the hands of him who gave it; he died in peace, and his soul ascended to mingle with the spirits of the just made perfect, whose faith is turned to sight. Thus died Jacob, (says Mr. Fuller) a man whose conduct on some occasions was blameable, whose life was filled up with numerous changes, but whose latter end was peace. His was indeed the death of a righteous man. His children might have uttered Balaam's wish, when they saw their father's end. "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his." O! happy Jacob!

1. NOTICE THE PREPARATIONS MADE BY JOSEPH FOR HIS FATHER'S FUNERAL.

upon his eyes.

Jacob was told at Beersheba, that Joseph should put his hand He not only did this, but in the fulness of his affection and sorrow, "He fell upon his father's face, after he was dead, and wept upon him, and kissed him." Thus he pays his last respects to his departed father. With tears and kisses, and all the tender expressions of filial affection, he takes leave of the deserted body. Though Jacob was old and poor, and according to the course of nature and decay of age, Joseph had no reason to expect his father's continuance any longer in a present life; yet he was so sensible of the loss of a prudent; pious, praying father, that he could not part with him without floods of tears. The departed soul is out of the reach of our tears and kisses. Thus it is that we must take a long and sad farewell of all those whom we dearly love, by kissing their pale and cold lips, and whom we again hope to see at the resurrection of the just.

Having done this, Joseph orders his body to be embalmed with sweet spices, which

was

was accordingly done; this art was carried to great perfection in Egypt, and by it bodies are preserved from putrefaction, and it is per formed in such a manner as to preserve the very features of the face entire. This was the custom among the Egyptians. It was not only an honour to such a great and good man, but he was to be carried to Canaan, which was so far distant from Egypt, that it was necessary that the body should be preserved. A solemn mourn ing was observed, by his families and the Egyptians also, of forty days. Forty days were taken up in embalming the body, and to this was added another month, so that they mourned for him seventy days. This was not only intended Jacob, but also to shew their respect for Joseph; the Egyptians, the Court and the Nobility went into mourning, All this time they confined themselves to their houses and sat solitary, and when they went out appeared in the habit of close mourning, according to the custom of the country. About ten weeks the Court of Egypt was in

as an honour to

mourning for Jacob, to shew their sympathy and respect.

Joseph

Joseph requests leave of Pharaoh to go and bury his father. For this purpose re desired leave of absence from business for a short time, and requested Pharaoh to grant him permission: this was respectful to the King" and necessary to himself, because he was a man of dignity and importance, filling a high station which required all his time. Joseph applies to some of the royal attendants of Pharaoh to obtain this request for him, thereby he honored the King and gained the esteem of those around, or perhaps it was not proper for him, being a mourner, to appear in the King's presence. "Modesty is a great ornament to dignity." The plea he made use of was, that his father made him swear by a solemn oath, that he would bury him in Canaan. was not pride, but duty, that induced him to make this request; he promised to return again, and therefore Pharaoh granted his petition and said, "Go up and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear."

II. THE FUNERAL OF JACOB.

It

"And Joseph went up to bury his father."

R

This was a stately funeral. The whole family except their little ones, all the elders of the court, and the elders of the country, all the respectable persons and great men of the kingdom, with chariots and horsemen in their train. It was a very great company, not only in number, but in rank and quality. It is said to be the most grand and magnificent funeral that was ever recorded in history. This universal esteem and honor was shown to the Patriarch in token of gratitude for Joseph, and it shows us the high esteem which the Egyptians had for him, and that they considered him as one of the greatest benefactors of their country. Thus will God houor those, both living and after death, who honor him.

This was a sorrowful funeral; nothing remarkable happened till they came to the thrashingfloor of Atad, which was beyond Jordan in the land of Canaan, and not many miles from the Cave of Machpelah, the place of interment. Here they stayed seven days to perform some funeral solemnities; here they mourned with great and sore lamentation. It was so great as to attract the attention of the Canaanites,

who