Page:The Story of Joseph and His Brethren.djvu/91

wish to be understood to say, or try to shew, that there is a strict similarity between the two histories; I only wish to point out such similarities as do exist. Joseph was, indeed, like many others, a type of Jesus; but the similarity between their two histories is an internal one. Outward resemblances are only occasional; but they do occur, and, when they appear, some of the inward analogies are seen cropping out on the surface, and shewing something of what lies below. The purely internal sense lies too deep for young minds clearly to understand it, and therefore only so much is attempted to be given here as seems adequate to the apprehension and the wants of young members of the Church. There is, however, even here, a nearer resemblance between the histories of Joseph and of Jesus than at first sight appears. The Ishmaelites, and also the Midianites who are mentioned in connexion with them, were Gentiles, and represented the Gentiles who existed at the time our Lord came into the world. But the Gentiles are spoken of as enemies to the Lord as well as the Jews, and were equally concerned