for fear of death? Is there less hope from your enemies that shall be, when ye go under strong and expert leaders, than from the enemies that were, when ye shall return masterless? Can those cruel Egyptians so soon have forgotten the blood of their fathers, children, brothers, husbands, which perished in pursuing you? Would ye rather trust the mercy of known enemies, than the promise of a faithful God? Which way will ye return? Who shall divide the sea for you? Who shall fetch you water out of the rock? Or can ye hope that the manna of God will follow you, while ye run from him? Feeble minds, when they meet with crosses they looked not for, repent of their good beginnings, and wish any difficulty rather than that they find. How many have pulled back their foot from the narrow way, for the troubles of a good profession!

It had been time for the Israelites to have fallen down on their faces before Moses and Aaron, and to have said, "Ye led us through the sea, make way for us into Canaan. Those giants are strong, but not so strong as the rock of Rephidim: ye struck that, and it yielded. If they be tall, the pillar of God is higher than they when we look on ourselves, we see cause of fear; but when we consider the miraculous power of you our leaders, we cannot but contemn those men of measures. Leave us not therefore, but go before us in your directions; go to God for us in your prayers."

But now contrarily Moses and Aaron fall on their faces to them, and sue to them, that they would be content to be conducted. Had they been suffered to depart, they had perished; Moses and his few had been victorious and yet, as if he could not be happy without them, he falls on his face to them, that they would stay. We have never so much need to be importuned, as in those things whose benefit should make us most importunate. The sweetness of God's law and our promised glory is such, as should draw all hearts after it; and yet if we did not sue to men, as for life, that they would be reconciled to God and be saved, I doubt whether they would obey; yea, it were well, if our suit were sufficient to prevail.

prayers.

Though Moses and Aaron intreat upon their faces, and Joshua and Caleb persuade and rend their garments, yet they move nothing. The obstinate multitude, grown more violent with opposing, is ready to return them stones for their Such have been ever the thanks of fidelity and truth; crossed wickedness proves desperate, and instead of yielding, seeks for revenge, Nothing is so hateful to a resolute sinner, as good counsel; we are become enemies to the world, because we tell them truth.

That God, which was invisibly present while they sinned, when they have sinned shews himself glorious. They might have seen him before, that they should not sin; now they cannot chuse but see him, in the height of their sin. They saw before the pillar of his ordinary presence, now they see him unusually terrible;

that they may with shame and horror confess him able to defend, able to revenge. The help of God uses to shew itself in extremity. He, that can prevent evils, conceals his aid, till danger be ripe; and then he is as fearful, as before he seemed conniving.

CONTEMPLATION V.-CORAH'S CONSPIRACY.

NUMBERS XVI.

THE tears of Israel were scarce dry, since the smart of their last mutiny, and now they begin another. The multitude is like a raging sea, full of unquiet billows of discontent, whereof one rises in the fall of another. They saw God did but threaten, and therefore are they bold to sin: it was now high time they should know what it is for God to be angry. There was never such a revenge taken of Israel; never any better deserved. When lesser warnings will not serve, God looks into his quiver for deadly arrows.

In the mean time, what a weary life did Moses lead, in these continual successions of conspiracies! What did he gain by this troublesome government, but danger and despight? Who but he would not have wished himself rather with the sheep of Jethro, than with these wolves of Israel? But, as he durst not quit his hook, without the calling of God; so now he dare not his sceptre, except he be dismissed of him that called him; no troubles, no oppositions can drive him from his place we are too weak, if we suffer men to chase us from that station where God hath set us.

I see the Levites, not long since, drawing their swords for God and Moses, against the rest of Israel; and that fact wins them both praise and blessing. Now they are the forwardest in the rebellion against Moses and Aaron, men of their own tribe. There is no assurance of a man for one act: whom one sin cannot fasten upon, another may. Yea, the same sin may find a repulse one while from the same hand, which another time gives it entertainment; and that yielding loses the thank of all the former resistance. It is no praise to have done once well, unless we continue.

Outward privileges of blood can avail nothing, against a particular calling of God. These Reubenites had the right of the natural primogeniture; yet do they vainly challenge pre-eminence, where God hath subjected them. If all civil honour flow from the king, how much more from the God of kings! His hand exalts the poor, and casts down the mighty from their throne. The man, that will be lifting up himself, in the pride of his heart, from under the foot of God, is justly trodden in the dust. Moses is the prince of Israel, Aaron the priest; Moses

Both are

was mild, Aaron popular; yet both are conspired against their places are no less brothers, than their persons. opposed at once. traitor to the king.

He, that is a traitor to the church, is a

Any superiority is a mark of envy. Had Moses and Aaron been but fellows with the Israelites, none had been better beloved; their dispositions were such, as must needs have forced favour from the indifferent: now they were advanced, their malice is not inferior to their honour. High towers must look for lightnings; we offer not to undermine but those walls, which we cannot scale. Nature in every man is both envious and disdainful; and never loves to honour another, but where it may be an honour to itself.

There cannot be conceived an honour less worth emulation, than this principality of Israel; a people that could give nothing ; a people that had nothing, but in hope; a people whom their leader was fain to feed with bread and water; which paid him no tribute but of ill words; whose command was nothing but a burden; and yet this dignity was an eye-sore to these Levites and these Reubenites, Ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.

And this challenge, though thus unseasonable, hath drawn in two hundred and fifty captains of Israel. What wonder is it, that the ten rulers prevailed so much with the multitude to dissuade them from Canaan, when three traitors prevailed thus with two hundred and fifty rulers, famous in the congregation, and men of renown? One man may kindle such a fire, as all the world cannot quench. One plague-sore may infect a whole kingdom: the infection of evil is much worse than the act.

It is not like, these leaders of Israel could err without followers: he is a mean man that draws not some clients after him. It hath been ever a dangerous policy of Satan, to assault the best: he knows, that the multitude, as we say of bees, will follow their master.

Nothing can be more pleasing to the vulgar sort, than to hear their governors taxed and themselves flattered. All the congregation is holy, every one of them: Wherefore lift ye up yourselves? Every word is a falsehood. For Moses dejected himself, Who am I? God lifted him up over Israel; and so was Israel holy, as Moses was ambitious. What holiness was there in so much infidelity, fear, idolatry, mutiny, disobedience? What could make them unclean, if this were holiness? They had scarce wiped their mouths, or washed their hands, since their last obstinacy; and yet these pick-thanks say, All Israel is holy.

I would never desire a better proof of a false teacher, than flattery; true meaning need not uphold itself by soothing. There is nothing easier than to persuade men well of themselves : when a man's self-love meets with another's flattery, it is a high praise that will not be believed. It was more out of opposition

than belief, that these men plead the holiness of Israel. Violent adversaries, to uphold a side, will maintain those things they believe not.

Moses argues not for himself, but appeals to God; neither speaks for his own right, but his brother Aaron's. He knew that God's immediate service was worthy to be more precious than his government; that his princedom served but to the glory of his Master. Good magistrates are more tender over God's honour than their own; and more sensible of the wrongs offered to religion than to themselves.

It is safest to trust God with his own causes. If Aaron had been chosen by Israel, Moses would have sheltered him under their authority; now, that God did immediately appoint him, his patronage is sought, whose the election was. We may easily fault in the managing of divine affairs, and so our want of success cannot want sin; he knows how to use, how to bless his

own means.

As there was a difference betwixt the people and Levites, so betwixt the Levites and priests. The God of order loves to have our degrees kept. While the Levites would be looking up to the priests, Moses sends down their eyes to the people. The way not to repine at those above us, is to look at those below us. There is no better remedy for ambition, than to cast up our former receipts, and to compare them with our deservings, and to confer our own estate with inferiors; so shall we find cause to be thankful that we are above any, rather than of envy that any above us.

is

Moses hath chid the sons of Levi, for mutinying against Aaron; and so much the more, because they were of his own tribe now he sends for the Reubenites, which rose against himself. They come not, and their message is worse than their absence. Moses is accused of injustice, cruelty, falsehood, treachery, usurpation; and Egypt itself must be commended, rather than Moses shall want reproach. Innocency is no shelter from ill tongues: malice never regards how true any accusation is, but how spiteful.

Now it was time for Moses to be angry. They durst not have been thus bold, if they had not seen his mildness. Lenity is ill bestowed upon stubborn natures: it is an injurious senselessness, not to feel the wounds of our reputation. It well appears he is angry, when he prays against them. He was displeased before; but when he was most bitter against them, he still prayed for them but now he bends his very prayers against them; Look not to their offering. There can be no greater revenge, than the imprecation of the righteous; there can be no greater judgment, than God's rejection of their services. With us men, what more argues dislike of the person, than the turning back of his present? What will God accept from us, if not prayers?

The innocence of Moses calls for revenge on his adversaries. If he had wronged them in his government, in vain should he have looked to God's hand for right. Our sins exclude us from God's protection; whereas uprightness challenges and finds his patronage. An ass taken had made him incapable of favour. Corrupt governors lose the comfort of their own breast, and the tuition of God.

The same tongue that prayed against the conspirators, prays for the people. As lewd men think to carry it with number, Corah had so far prevailed, that he had drawn the multitude to his side. God the avenger of treasons, would have consumed them all at once; Moses and Aaron pray for their rebels. Although they were worthy of death, and nothing but death could stop their mouths; yet their merciful leaders will not buy their own peace, with the loss of such enemies. O rare and imitable mercy! The people rise up against their governors; their governors fall on their faces to God for the people; so far are they from plotting revenge, that they will not endure God should revenge for them.

Moses knew well enough that all those Israelites must perish in the wilderness; God had vowed it for their former insurrection; yet how earnestly doth he sue to God, not to consume them at once! The very respite of evils is a favour next to the removal.

Corah kindled the fire; the two hundred and fifty captains brought sticks to it; all Israel warmed themselves by it; only the incendiaries perish. Now do the Israelites owe their life to them, whose death they intended. God and Moses knew to distinguish betwixt the heads of the faction and the train: though neither be faultless, yet the one is plagued, the other forgiven. God's vengeance, when it is at the hottest, makes differences of men; Get you away from about the tabernacles of Corah. Ever before common judgment there is a separation. In the universal judgment of all the earth, the Judge himself will separate; in these particular executions, we must separate ourselves. The society of wicked men, especially in their sins, is mortally dangerous; while we will not be parted, how can we complain, if we be enwrapped in their condemnation? Our very company sins with them, why should we not smart with them also?

Moses had well hoped, that when these rebels should see all the Israelites run from them as from monsters, and looking affrightedly upon their tents, and should hear that fearful proclamation of vengeance against them, howsoever they did before set a face on their conspiracy, yet now their hearts would have misgiven: but lo, these bold traitors stand impudently staring in the door of their tents, as if they would out-face the revenge of God; as if Moses had never wrought miracle before them; as if no one Israelite had ever bled for rebelling. Those that