have done; and ought to be a warning to all parents, not to distinguish one child from the rest by "a coat of many

colors."

52. Let us now follow Jofeph into Egypt, and observe the virtues which rendered him beloved and refpected even in the humble ftate of fervitude, and gradually prepared the way for his advancement.

53. Having been purchased from the Ifhmaelites by Potiphar, an officer in Praraoh's guards, his amiable manners foon attracted his mafter's notice, and gained him the station of a menial fervant in Potiphar's family. Here he experienced the value of thofe virtuous and religious principles, which had been early fown, and had taken deep root, in his heart.

54. From his father's houfe he had brought treasures, which, even in a state of flavery, he could call his own, and which procured for him, what gold and filver could not have purchased, the favor of heaven. "The Lord was

with Jofeph, and he was a profperous man."

The fidelity with which he conftantly difcharged his duty, and the attention which he always discovered to his master's intereft, obtained, by degrees, fuch a fhare of his esteem, that at last he promoted him to offices of the higheft honor in his family, and placed an unlimited confidence in his judgment and integrity, entrusted him with the fole management of his domeftic affairs.

56. "He made him overfeer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand; and he knew not aught he had fave the bread which he did eat." And, that he had no reason to repent of his confidence in this upright youth, the fequel fufficiently fhows.

57. Can we conceive a character more truly refpectable, and worthy of imitation, than that which is here, prefented to our view? What are the principal qualities in moral ac tions, from which we determine their value, and the degree of refpect which they deferve? Are they not chiefly thefe two, the design with which they are performed, and the vigor and strength of mind which is exerted in performing them?

58. If a man acts from the moft elevated views, and purfues the nobleft ends with a steadiness and firmness of ref

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olution which nothing can fhake, our moral feelings lead us to pronounce him in the highest degree worthy of refpect. Such was the character of Jofeph.

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59. Examined by this teft, what share of refoc will be due to the characters of those, who, while they of their honor and courage, accuftom themselves to ridicule and def pife fuch virtue as that of Jofeph's?

60. Is it not their avowed principle, that pleasure, in their fenfe of the term, is the fupreme good, and that every thing else ought to be purfued only in fubordination to this great object;

61.

That is, in other words, that every man fhould at all events procure for himself the highest degree of animal gratification in his power, how much foever it may interfere with the happiness of others, the obligations of religion, or even the fuperioriterests of his own nature.

62. These men can therefore certainly have no claim to refpect, on account of their principles and motives of action. Nor are they more refpectable for the vigor and firmness of their minds:

63. For their whole life is nothing more than a continu. ed courfe of weak compliances with the impulfes of appe tite; by which their powers are gradually enervated, till at length they become incapable of thofe mental exertions which higher purfuits would require.

64. Let us not, then, fuffer ourfelves to be feduced by falfe appearances, or the influence of custom, into an opin ion that there is any thing worthy of admiration or refpect in the character of a man of pleasure, or any thing deferv ing of ridicule or contempt in that of a man of virtue.

65. If we judge of actions by their motives and tendencies, we mult fee, that to invade the property of another, or deftroy his happinefs, is as much a violation of the laws of morality and religion, when the immediate end is to procure ourselves pleafure, as when it is to put ourselves in poffeffion of wealth;

66. Let us then abftain from licentious pleasure with determined refolution, regardless of the contempt which its deluded votaries may caft on us; and let us adhere to the path of virtue as the only road to real respect and substantial honor.

67. Nor let us entertain the moft diftant fufpicion that virtue fhall ever go without its reward. If in any particular inftances it fhould fubject us to ridicule and reproach; if, through the malice of thofe whom our virtue has offended, it fhould for a time involve us in difficulties; let us not defpond.

68. Though Jofeph was caft into prifon by the artifices and falfhoods of his difappointed and enraged feducer, through the prifon (as the fequel will fhew) lay the road to his future advancement. And the general tendencies of things, as well as the doctrine of revelation, authorise us to fay, "Verily there is a reward for the righteous; there is a God who judgeth the earth."

FILIAL AND BROTHERLY DUTY EXEMPLIFIED.

1. THE principal reafon why men are fo frequently diffatisfied with their condition, and difpofed to complain of the ways of Providence, is, that they judge from present appearances and immediate effects, without being at the pains to confider the remoter tendencies, or having the patience to wait for the final iffues, of events.

2. If storms arife, or any of the more terrible operations of nature take place, the merchant whofe property finks beneath the troubled waves, or the husbandman, the produce of whofe field is confumed by the fires of heaven, murmurs at his ill fortune, and thinks it hard that industry should be unable to command fuccefs.

3. Under the anguifh of acute diseases the restless fufferer, alike unmindful of paft enjoyments and future prospects, and judging of the condition of human nature wholly from his prefent feelings, pronounces life a grievous burden, and wifhes for leave to lay it down.

4. The fudden lofs of fome valued poffeffion or fome beloved friend, or a disappointment in the execution of some favorite scheme, fhall spread fuch a gloom over every object around us, that we fhall become incapable of relishing the bleffings which yet remain, and shall be ready in the fretful

nefs of defpondency to adopt the language of Jacob, "All these things are against me."

5. Whereas, if we would fuffer ourfelves to view the events which befal us in the calm light of philosophy and religion, we fhould foon be convinced, that the most dreadful appearances in the natural world, are a neceffary part of that general plan, by which the order and beauty of the universe, are preserved;

6. That fome degree of fuffering is requifite to give us a higher relifh of happiness; and that our best affections and nobleft virtues are cultivated and strengthened in the school of adverfity.

7. If we confult our own experience, or obferve that of others, we shall find that events which had at first the most unfavorable afpect, and seemed to give juft occafion for dif content and complaint, have in the iffue been productive of most important advantages.

8. That which happened in the history of Jofeph is by no means fo unusual, as the gloomy philofopher or the dif appointed man of the world may imagine, that "what we think to be evil, God means for good.

9. It was from fuch juft and enlarged views of nature and providence, and from a confcioufnefs of his innocence and integrity, that Jofeph derived his chief fupport, while he was confined in the king's prison in Egypt. He had the fatisfaction to reflect, that neither in the land of Canaan, nor in the house of Potiphar, had he committed any offence which merited the treatment he had received:

10. He therefore hoped, that the Almighty Guardian of innocence would at length refcue him out of the hands of his oppreffors. Being in the same prison with one of the king's fervants who was foon to be released, he hoped to be able through his intereft to obtain his enlargement:

11. He therefore said to him, "Think on me when it fhall be well with thee, and fhew kindnefs I pray thee unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this houfe; for indeed I was ftolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here alfo have I done nothing that they fhould put me into the dungeon."

12. Reafonable, however, as Jofeph's requeft was, and notwithstanding all the kindness he had fhewn to the king's

fervant in prifon, he had the mortification to find, that on his advancement he no longer remembered the afflictions of his fellow prifoner: "Yet did not the chief butler remember Jofeph, but forgat him."

13. Deferted by all the world, Jofeph had now no refource but in the God of his fathers. In him he still cheerfully confided; and he foon found, that "it is better to truft in the Lord than to put confidence in man."

14. The fupernatural power of interpreting dreams with which he was endued, and which he had discovered in pris on, introduced him to the presence and notice of Pharaoh: and on account of the extraordinary fagacity which he dif played, he was on a fudden raised from the difgraceful abode of malefactors to the first place of honor and truft under Pharaoh.

15. Thus in one profperous moment all his afflictions were ended, and his virtues received an ample reward.

16. The fame virtues which had guided and fupported this young man while he was in the humble condition of a fhepherd and a fervant, adorned and elevated his character when he was called to fill a superior station in the court of Egypt, and to act as prime minifter to the abfolute monarch of an extensive empire.

17. But, waving the confideration of his actions as a ftatesman, as lefs adapted to fuggeft moral inftruction, let us view him in the relations of a brother and a fon, and follow him through the interesting and pathetic scenes which the remaining part of his history exhibits.

18. The famine which Jofeph had foretold reaching the country in which Jacob dwelt, and the wife precautions which the king of Egypt had taken to prevent its destructive effects having been reported abroad, Jacob determined to fend his fons into Egypt to buy corn.

19. On this errand all, except Benjamin, went up to the court of Pharaoh. They foon gained accefs to the prime minifter, who himself fuperintended the fale of corn from the public granaries.

20. The appearance of Zaph-Nath-Paaneah, the principal officer under the king of Egypt, was fo entirely differ ent from that of the afflicted and injured youth whom they

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