Page:The Story of Joseph and His Brethren.djvu/32

Rh hearts, and, through the outward revelation, control our passions and order our lives in righteousness. We have, indeed, many and great advantages over those who lived in Joseph's times. Not only have we the Gospel, but we have the example, of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; and we have Him present with us always, to strengthen and lead us to do as He Himself did. If, then, Joseph was willing and able to resist a strong temptation to commit a great sin, how much more should we resist who have the sword of the Spirit of Jesus, and the shield of His faith! Such a lesson as this, by one who lived four thousand years ago, is much needed in our own times; and Christian and enlightened as these times are, we may well look back to the young Hebrew captive for one of the highest examples of religious morality—for the union, in this one instance, of piety, chastity, and conscientiousness.

But Joseph's temptation was not yet ended. His purity and constancy to principle had a further and severer trial. His mistress spoke to him, not once only, but day by day in the