882. [ontemplation.r. L lB. VI. Nothingcan be more pleafingtorhevulgar fort,then to heate rhdr Governdurs A raxed,and rhemfelves 1\attered.Aiith< CM?,'eg•tion i; holy ;Every oneofthem·W!Jtt<- fore bji J< ttp ye11r fiiws? Every word isa a\Owod.For Mojis dejected himfelf(who am I? ) God ltfttd him up,over lfrael:And fo was Ifrael holy,as Mojis was ambiti· ous.What hohneffe was there mfomuch >~fid:hry,feare,Idolatry,mutiny,difobe· d1ence ~ What could make them uncleane,1fth1s were holineffe ~ They had fcarce wip"t their mourhes, or wa!ht their hands, fince their \art obrtina<y: and yer thefe pick-thanks fay, <.AIL lfraei is holy. I would neverdefire abetter proofe ofa falfe tea.cher,then Aattef)'' true meaning netd not uphold 1t fdfby foothtng. There!S nothmgeafierrhen co perfwade inen wellofthemfelves;whena mans fe\f. love meets with anothersllarrery,itis an high pra1fe that w1ll nor be belee.ved. It w~smoreoutof oppofition, then beleefe, that B thefe men pl<ad the holinelfe of Ifrael. Violent adverfaries, to uphold a fide, will maintain thofe things they bdeeve not. uuofir argues not for himfdf, but appeales to God; neither fpeaks for his own righr,but his brother AarOJJs;Ht knew that Gods immediate fervice was wonhy to be more precious, then his government : That, his Princedome ferved bur to the glory ofhis Mafier.Good Magifirates aremoretender over Gods honorthen their own; and mor< fenlible ofthe wrongs offered to Religion,then ro rhemfelves. It is fafeft co truft God with his owncaufes. If t..A ArM had bin chofen by !fraol, l>!ofts would have fuelrred him under their authority: Nowrhar God did immediatelyappoint hhn,his patronage is fought,whofe the election was. We may eafily fault in the managingofdivine affaires;andfo our wantoffucceffe cannot wanr fin; c He knowes how to ufe, how to bldfe his owne meanes. As there was a difference betwixt the people and Levires,fo betwixt the Levires and Priefts.The God oforder lov<s to have our degrees kepr. Whiles the Levites would be looking up to the Priefis,M ofes fends down their eyes to the people. The way potto repine at rhofe above us, is to look at thofe below us. There is no better remedy for ambition,then to cafi upour former receits, and to comparethemwith our defervings,and to confer our own eftatewith inferiors; So !hall we finde caufe to be thankful\ that we are above any,ratherthenofenvy that any is above us. uuofes hath chid the fons of Levi, for mutining~ainrt Aaron; and fo much the more,be<aufe they were ofhis own Tribe:now he ends for the Reubenires,which rofe againfi himfelf. They come nor,and theirmelfageis worfe then their abfence. D Mofes is accufed ofinjufiice,cruelty,falfuood,trechery.ufurpation; and Egypt it felf muft be commended,ratherrhen l>fts fuall want reproach.Innocency is no fuelter from ill rongues;malice never regar showtrueany accuf.1tion is,bur howff,ightfull. Now it was time for Mo{ts tobe anBry.They durrt not have bin thus bo d,ifrhey had nor fecn his mildnelfe.Lenity is i I befiowed upon Ctubborn namres;It is an injurious fenllefneffe,not to feele the wounds ofour reputation.It well appeares he is ;mgry,when he praies aRainrt tbem.Hewas difgleafed before;but whenhewas moft bitter againft th<m, he ill prayed for them: ut now hebendshis very prayers againfi them. Look11ot t• their offering, There canbe nogrearerrevenge,then the unprecation ofthe righreous;there can be no greater judgement the!J.Gods rejection oftheir fervices.With us men,what more argues dillike ofthe perfon,then th< rur- E ning backof his prefent! What willGod accept from us, ifriot prayers~ The innocence of Mofjs calls for revenge on his Adverf.1ries. Ifhe had wronged t\lem in.his government,in vain fuould he have looked to Gods hand for right. Our fins exclude us from Gods protetiionl whereas uprighrneffe challenges, and findts his patronage. An Affeta_ken had made him uncapable offavour. Corrupt Cover· nours lofe the comfort ofrheir own breft, and the mirion of God. The fame tongue that prayed againrtthe Co~fpirarours,praies forrhe people.As ·Jewd men think to carry i~ with number ; Corah had fo farre prevailed, thlt he had drawnthemultitude to his fide.God,the avenger ofrreafons,would haveconfumed them al.\ at once;Mofts &: Aar•n pray forrheir.Re_bels.Aithough they t~ere worthy ofdeath & nothin~ but death could ftop the~r mouthes;yer rhe1r merciful\ Leaders ' " . will
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