L1a.VI. A CoR A H. s [onj}iracy. ---------------- Corah•s [onj}iracy . .. He teares of Ifrael were fcc.rce dry,lince the finm oftheirlaft mutiny, and now they begin another. Themultitude is like a raging Sea, full of unquiet billowes ofdifcomentmenr,whereof one rifes in the fJ!l ofanother. They faw God did butthrearen, and therefore are they bold ro - !in: It was now high rime they 010uld know what it is for God to be angry.There was never fuch a revenge taken of Jfrad; never any better deferved. When ldfer wacnings will not ferve,God looks into his Q.t.iver for deadly arrowes. In the meane time what a we2ry life didMofcs lead in thefeconrinuall fucceflion~ of B confpiracies ! What did he gaine by this troublefome government,bur danger and defpighr!Who but hewould nor have wi01t himfelfratherwith the 01eel' oflethro, then with rhefeWolves of Ifrael ~ Bur,as hedurft nor quit h1s hook, without the callingofGod ; fo now he dare not his Sceprer, except he be difmilfed ofhim that called him; no troubles, no oppolitions can drive him from his place : weare too weak, ifwe fuffer men to chafe us from that flation where God bath fer us. I feetbe Levites,norlong lince,drawing their [words forGodand Mofis,againfl the refl ofIfrael1and that facr wins them both praifeand blefling:Now they are the fonvardefl in the r<bellion againfl Mofts and .Aaron,men oftheir own Tribe, There isnoaffuranceofa m:mforone aa: whom onefincannor: fallen upon, another may. Yea, the f.1melin may findea repulfeone while from the fame hand, which C another rime gives it entertainment: and that yeeldance lofes the thank of all the former reliflance.Ir is no praife to have done once well,unlelfe wecominue. Outward prlviledges ofbloud canavail norhing,againfl aparticular callingofGod. Thefe Reubenires had the right ofrhenaturall primogeniture; yet doe they vainly challenge preeminence,whereGod hath fubje&ed rhem.Ifall civil honorflow froni theKing, how much more from the God ofKings! his hand exalrs the poore, and calls down rhe mighty from their throne. The ITI!\n th3t will be lifting up himfdf, in the pride ofhis heart,from under the foot ofGod,is juftly trodden in the dull. t.Mo[tsis the Prince of!frael,.Aarm the Priefl;Mo(is was milde,Aaron popular; yet both are confpired againft: their places are no ldtebrorhers,rhen their perfons. Both are oppofed at once; he that is a miror to the Church,isa traitor to the King. D Any fuperioriry is a markofEnvy. Had M•fo• and .Aaronbin bur fel!owes with the Ifraelires,none hadbeen better beloved; their difpofirions were fuch,as mull needs have forced favour from the indifferent ; nowthey were advanced,their malice is norinferiourro their honour.High rowers mull look for lightnings;we offer nor to undermineBut rhofe walls,which we cannot fcale.Nature in every man is both envious, and difdainfull ; and nererlovesto h<inour another, bur wherdt may be an honour to it fclfe. There cannot be conceived an hooor lelfe worth emularion,rhen this principality afifrael; apeople that could give norhing;a people that hadnorhing,butin hope;a people whom their leaderwas faine to feed with bread and water ; which paid him norribure,but ofill words;whofe command was nothing but a burden: and yetthis E dignity was an eye-fore to rhefeLevires and rhefe Reubenires, re take too much t~pon J'"•J' fonncsof Levi. And this challenge(rhough rhus unfeaforiable) harh drawn in two hundred and fifty Capraines oflfrael. What won9eris it,that the tenRulers prevailed fo much with the: mulrirudeto dilfwade them from Canaan ; when three traitors prc:vailed rhus with >5o Rulers, famous in the Congregarion,and men of renown~ one man may kindle fuch a fire,as all the world cannot quench. One plague-fore may inf~d: a whole Kingdome: The infe&ion ofevill is much worfe then the a&. · Iris not like,rhefe Leaders of Jfrad could erre without followers; He is ameane man that draw« nor fome Clients after him.lt harh bin ever a dangerous policyof Satan,roalfaulr the belt: he knQwes,thatthe multitude (as we fay ofBees) will follow their Maller. FfH Nothin
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