here, An innocent man labours under the imputation of guilt, for refufing to commit a crime When repeatedly folicited to betray a facred truft,

and violate the honour of his master's bed; his anfwer was, How can I aft fo vile and base a part, how can I do this great wickednefs and fin against God! Folly may treat with levity the conduct of Jofeph, but Wifdom is juf tified of her children. The fequel of the hiftory fhews, that had Jofeph yielded to the force of temptation, Egypt would not have been preferved in the time of famine, the brethren of Jofeph would not have found corn there, nor the dim eyes of hoary headed Jacob have been gladdened with the fight of his favourite fon exalted to the right hand of Pharaoh, and difpenfing life and blessings on all around him. Refides fin will be fin

to the tafte, though it appear as pleafure to the eye; fhe may approach us under the garb of allurement, but vengeance is in her train. Let not thine heart decline to her ways, faith Solomon, go not aftray in her paths: for fhe hath caft down many wounded, yea many ftrong men have been flain by her: Her houfe is the way to Hell, going down to the chambers of death. Confider further, how fin debafes man's nature, and degrades the noble faculties of his mind to an

unworthy fubjection to the tyranny of brutal appetite How it deftroys the confidence of focial intercourse, ruins the peace and honour of families, the characters, health, and fouls of individuals. How it difunites the moft facred bonds; wounds the parental bofom in the tendereft part, and brings fhame and irretrievable dif grace on its fondeft hopes. Say then

with Jofeph in Temptation's darkest hour; "How can I do this great “wickedness and fin against God.”

WHERE fafety is in flight, it is folly to provoke a conteft with an enemy. There are certain fituations dangerous to virtue. It is faid of Joseph that he cared not to be with her, that is, avoided her company who had already put his integrity to the proof. Temptations are much better declined than combatted. As our nature is corrupt; we have a treacherous foe within, ever ready to betray us, against whom there can be no fecurity but by keeping the ftricteft watch. We are taught to pray, that God would not lead us into temptation; how culpable then muft we be, if we run into it of our own accord, and expofe ourselves to unneceffary danger. Inftead of which,

Be it our wisdom to avoid as far as poffible, thofe temptations which we are leaft able to refift; and then we may truft that we fhall have grace to refift to the utmost, thofe temptations which we cannot poffibly avoid.

THE Unfuccefsful tempter of Jofeph becomes afterwards his accufer; the fpecious tale is credited, and Jofeph is caft into prifon. This was indeed a moft fevere trial to an upright mind; but the reproach of guilt, which is unmerited, is much easier to be borne, than the secret stings of a selfcondemning confcience: It is better, faith the Apostle, that we fuffer for welldoing, than for evil-doing. The afflictions of the righteous are accompanied with confolations that the world knoweth not of. The Lord is ftill with Jofeph though in prifon, no lefs than

F

when in the house of Potiphar; and as He profpered him with his Egyptian mafter, fo He now gave him favour with the keeper of the prifon. And the keeper of the prifon committed to Jofeph's hand all the prifoners that were in the prifon: He looked not to any thing that was under his hand, becaufe the Lord was with him; and that which he did the Lord made it to profper.

It happened while he was in prifon that two fervants of Pharaoh fell under his care. In the fame night these perfons dreamed each of them his dream; which caufed them much uneafinefs, because they knew not where to apply for the interpretation of them. Jofeph is made acquainted with the circumftance, and after reminding them that interpretations belong unto God, he defires to hear their dreams.