2 2 Moles's Choice of afflic`/ed Piety, hol. I. be accepted for Heir of that Kingdom, unlefs he would violate his Confcience, either by abandoning or diffembling his Religion. And how unlikely it was that he Should prevail with thein to change their Religion, he might eafily judge by the Example of fofeph, who tho' he had fò much Authority and Efteem amongfl them, by having been fo great a Benefactor to their Nation ; yet he could never move them in the ,leaft, in that matter. Now feting he had no hòpès of attaining, or enjoying that Dignity, without finning grievoufly againft God, he would not purchafe a Kingdom at fo uncon- fcionable a Price. And as for the deliverance of his People, he was content to truft the Providence and Prómife of Godfor that and in themean time was refolved ra- ther to take a Part in theAfflictions ofGod's People, than toenjoy the pleafureiofSin for a feafon. From the Words thus explained, I Shall take occafion to confider thefe Four' things. I. Mofes's Self -denial, in perferring and chuffing a State of affliaed Piety, before any finful Enjoyments whatfoever, befòre the greateft earthly Happinefs and Profpe- rity, when it was not to be attained and enjoyed upon other terms than of finning againft God. II. I Shall confider thofe Circumftances of this Self-denial of Mofes, which do very much commend and fet off the Virtue of it. III. The prudence and reafonablenefs of this Choice, in preferring a State of afllided Piety and Virtue, before the greateft Profperity and Pleafure of a finful Courfe. IV. Suppofing this Choice to be reafonable, I (hall enquire how it comes to pafs that fo many make another Choice. I. We will confider Mofes his Self-denial, in preferring a State of Aided Piety, before the greateft earthly Happinefs and Profperity, when it is not to be enjoyed upon ocher terms, thanoffinning againft God. He was adopted Heir ofthe Kingdom of Eygpt, (one of thegreateft and molt flourifhing Kingdoms then in the World;.) Buthe could not hope to attain to this Dignity, and to fecure himfelf in the poffe Pi- onof it, upon other terms than ofcomplying with that Nation, in their Idolatrous Religion and Worship. Now beingbrought up in the Beliefof the true God, the God of Ifrael, by his Mother, to whom Pharaoh's Daughter had committed him, he could not with- out great violence to his Confcienee, and the Principles of his Education, renounce the true God, and fall off to the Idolatry of the Egyptians : And for this Reafon he refufed to he called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter, chuffing rather to fuffer a(fliîrion with theWorfhippers of the true God, than to have the Temporary En- joyment of any thing that was not to be had without fin; for fo theWord ought to be render'd, sreks meyv ixHV cétraprias áíró?auçn, than to have the temporary enjoyment of fan. So here was Mofes his Self denial, that he chofe rather to fuffer Affliction with the Worfhippers of the true God, than to gain a Kingdom, by the renouncing ofGod and Religion. II. We will confider thofe Circumítances of his Self - denial, which do very much commend and fet off the Virtue of it. r. What it was he refufed to be called; the Son ofPharaoh's Daughter } that is, to be Heir of one of the greateft and moll flourifhing Kingdoms in theWorld : A Temptation fo great, that the Devil himfelf could not find out onemuch greater, when he fet upon the Son of God to tempt him to fall down and worfhip him. And when we confider for what inconfiderable things force Men fell their Re, ligion and their Confciences, we Shall think it no final' Temptation which Mofes here refifted. Si violandum e/l jus; regnandi caufa violandum eft ; If aMan would doany stnjufl thing, and violate his Religion and Confcienee, he would not do it for left than a Kingdom ; and if would be a very hard Bargain, even upon thofe terms. 2. ,Confider not only what he refufed, but what he chofe in the place of it ; a State of great AfTidion and fuffering. Had he refufed a Kingdom, and chufen the quiet condition of a Subject ofmiddle rank (beneath envy and above contempt,) his
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