24 Nlofes'r Choice of afilided Piety, Vol. I. But before I proceed any farther, I cannot but take notice of an Obje&ion, which may feem to reflet greatly upon the Integrity of Mofes. Can we think him fo very confciencious a Man, who perfwaded the Peopleof Ifrael, and pre- tended God'sDiretion in the cafe, to cheat the Egyptians,of their Jewels, under a fraudulent Pretence of borrowing them ? There is fome difficulty in the thing, as at firft Sight it appears : And yet I doubt not, with your favourable Attention, and free from Prejudice, to vindicate Mofes clearly in this Matter. And I (hall not infft upon that which is commonly and truly faid in this Cafe ; That God, who is the Supream Lord of all things, may transfer the Rights of Men from one to another : becaufe the ObjedionBoth not lie againft God's Right to take away from any\Man what he hath given him ; but againft the fraudulent manner of doing it, which feems unworthy of God to command or encourage. Now this Matter, I think, is capable of another and much clearer Anfwer ; which, in fhort, is this, and grounded upon the Hiftory, as we find it related, &od. I z. The Providence of God did, it teems, defign bythis way to make fome Repa- ration to the fraelites, for the tyrannical Ufagewhich they had received from the Egyptians ; and that firft (as the Text exprefly tells us) in giving themfavour with theEgyptians ; who, in truth, for their own 'Ends, and to get rid of facia troublefome Guefts, were difpofed to lend them any thing they had. Thus far all is right ; here is nothing but fair borrowing and lending : And if the Ifraelites acquir'd a Right to thofe Things afterwards, these was then no Obli- gation to Reftitutinn. Let us fee then how the Providence of God brought this about : Namely, by permitting the Egyptians afterwards, without caufe, and after leave given them to depart, to purfue them, with a defign to have cleftroyed them ; by which Hofti- lity and Perfidioufnefs they plainly forfeited their Right to what they had only lent before. For this hoftile Attempt, which wouldhave warranted the Ifra-elites to have fpoiled them oftheir Jewels, if they had been in the poffeffion of the Egypti- ans, did certainly warrant them to keep them when they had them ; and by this means they became rightful Poffeffors of what they had only by Loan before, and could not have detained without Fraud and Injuftice, if this Hoftility of the Egyptians had not given them a new Title and clear Right to them. But I proceed to the third thing I propofed, which was to vindicate the Pru- dence and Reafonablenefs of this Choice. And in fpeaking to this, I Mall abftrad from the particular Cafe of Mofes, and thew in general, That it is a prudent and reafonable thing, to prefer even an affliied State of Piety and Virtue, before the greateft Pleafures and Profperity of a finful Courfe : And 'this will appear, if we confider thefe two things. I. The Sufferings of Good Men upon account of Religion, together with the Reward ofthem. Il. The Temporary Enjoyment of Sin, with the Mifchiefs and Inconveniencies confequent upon them. I. The Sufferings of Good Men, upon the account of Religion, together with. the Reward of them. This Mofes had in his Eye, when lie made this Choice ; for therefore he chofe to fuffer afflillion with the people of God, rather than to enjoy thepleafures offin, which are but for a feafon, becaufe be had refpeE tò the recompence of reward. And tho' he had but a very imperfe& Difcovery, in comparifon of the future State ; yet, it feems, he had fo much Affurance of the Goodnefs of God, as firmly to believe that lae should be no Lofer at the fait, by any thing that he fuffered for God andReligion. Indeed, if there were no Life after this, and we had no Expectation beyond this World, the wifeft thing we could do, would be to enjoy as muchof the pre- fent Contentment of this World, aswe could make our felves Mafters of. But if we be deigned for Immortality, and (hall be unfpeakably happy, or intolerably miferable, in another World, according as we have demeaned our felves in this Life ; then certainly it is reafonable that we fhould take the greateft care of the longeft Duration, and be content to difpenfe with forne prefent Inconveniencies for an
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