Page:The Story of Joseph and His Brethren.djvu/31

pointed out how very criminal it would be in him, trusted as he was, to be guilty of such a crime. "Behold," he says, "my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath into my hands; there is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife; how then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" Here was faithfulness at once to his master and to his God. This is the perfection of religion. It is the union of love to God and love to the neighbour. Upon these two hang all the law and the prophets. The law and the prophets, as we possess them, had not yet been revealed when Joseph made this memorable answer to one who tried to allure him to sin, nor had that Gospel been given which so greatly exalts Moses' law. But God had revealed the law in Joseph's mind, and impressed it upon his heart. And this must still be done with every one before there can be true religious virtue. We have now the outward law and the Gospel; but the Spirit of the Lord must dwell in our