LIB.V. Cfhe golden [alfe. A 1 redrdfed it.He knew ere Mofu came up,what IJ'ael would doe ere he came down: like"" he knew the twoTabks would be broken,ere he gave them. God mofl wifely permlts,and ordtnates fin to h1s ow? ends, wtth~m: our_excufe: ;:md though he could eafily by his own hands remedy evtls; yet he ~~ll doe." by memes_,l>oth ordinary, and fubordinate.Itis not for us to look forany1mmed1ate redrdfelrom God,when we have a '-"1ofes,by whom it may be wrought:SinceGod himfdfexpeers this from man, why 01ould maQexpeCl i•from God~ Now might '-"1of'es have found a time to have bin eaven with lfrael for all their unthank(ulneffe,andmutinous infurred:ions! Ltt me alone : I wiHcbnfttme them, and make thee amighty Nation.Mofis lhould not need tafollicite G~d for revenge; Gdd follicites him,in a fort,for leave to r•venge.Who would look for futh a word from Ji God t6 Man. Ltt m<n!ont ? As yet '-"1ofos had faid nothing; Before he Op<lhS his mouth,God prevents his importunity,as fore-feeing that holy violence, Which the requdls of M of is would offer to him. '-"1ofes flood trembling before theMajefly of his Maker;&yet heares him fay ,Ltt me a!ont. The mercyofourGod hath,as it were, obliged his power tathe faith ofmen:The fervent prayers ofthe faithfull,hold thl: hands ofthe Almighty. As I finde it faidafcerwards ofChrifl, That ht cot~ld dot no miracltsthmbtcallfe o{th<ir rmbtlitfi: Sonow, I heare God (asifhe could not doe execution upon lfrael,becaufe of '-"1ofts's faith)fay, Let mealone,that I 111ay conf•mt them. We all naturally affetl propriety, and like our owne fo much better, as'itis freer frompartners. Every one would be glad tofay,with that proud one, / am, and there C u none befideme: fo much the more fweedy.would this meffagehave founded to miture,I wilicDn[umtthem,andmAke a(thee a mighty Natitm:How many indeavour that (notwithoutdangerofcurfesani!'uproare) which was voluntarily tendred unto Mofi' !Wl\ence are our dc;populaiions,aild incloftires,bur for ihat men cannot abide eithq fellowesorrieigltftiours! BU'tf)bw graciou{ly doth '-"1ofes !hive with Ged, againfr hisowne prefertntbt ~ Jf Ood'!·ddtliteam'ed, i .,;!/ c.llfimJethet, and m•keof thtm • mtghry N.rilh; I dbubqvhe!h~r he'c6l;lld li~tve been more moved.The more amancan leave himfelfbe.hinde him,arfd afpiret<> a care ofcdmmur\ity, the more fpirituall he !s. N otbing' makes a man fo good a patiiot,as Reli~ion. · . Oh thdwett difpoliiion of Mofos, flt for him that lbould be familiar with God! He faw they could be content to bemertyand happy without him,he would not be 't) happy without them. Theyhadprofeffedto haveforgottenh!tn: heflacks not to fue forrhem. He tha,t_<Vill everhope for good hirrlfelfl', mull: returnegoodfor evil! unto others. Ye was it not lfraelfomuch that Nofts refpeCled,asGod in /yad.Hewas thrifty and jealous for his Maker;and would not have hiln lofe the glory ofhis mightydeliv<rances; nor would abide a pretence for any Algyptian doggetobarkaaainfl th~ powerfu\1 work of Goil;Whaiforefo•O the Egyp;ianJ foy? If IJml could have periffied without dilhonour to Cod,perhaps his hatred tdtheir Idolarry would h'a\•eO" vercome his natural! love,& he had letGod alone.Now'fo tender is he over theName ofGod, tliarhe would'rather nave ifriel fcapc wi~h a fin, then Gods gloty lbould be blemilhed irt the opinionsofmen, by~ jufl judgement. He faw that the eyes and E tonguesofall ihe world ,.;.~re intent upon lfratt ; a people fo mir>culoudy fe'teht from Algypt,whomrhe Seagaveway to;whom heaven ted;V!tllom theRock wate- <ed; whom the fire and cloud guard~d, which heard the audible voyce ofGod. He knew withall,how ready theworld'>vould beto laifconfirue, & ho'w the Heathens would be ready to cafl imputations oflevity '?'impotence updnGod;andtherefore fairs,Wh.r will the Egypri<qsfay ?Happy is'i:hat manWhich can mak~Gods glory the ·fcope ol all his atlions,a,nd'defir<'s;neithe'r cares for h!s6wn we! -fare, nor fears the miferies ofothers,but widuefp<d to G9d in both.IfGod had not' given MofisrhiS care ofhis glory, hecould not have had it: and now his goodneffe takes it fo kit\\!J ly,as ifhimfelfhad reteived a favour fi:qm his creatrut; &for a reward ofthe gf:ice he had wrought,promifes nbt to doethat which hethrcarned. But what needs God to care forrhe fpeechofthe Algyptians,nlci!,InfiMl~l And if they had beel)e gooa, Y~-- - --- -
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