A discourse concerning meekness and quietness of spirit to which is added, A sermon…

The Meekness of Moses qualified him to be a Magistrate, especially to be King in Jeshurun, among a People so very provoking, that they gave him occasion to use all the Meekness he had, and all little enough to bear their Manners in the Wilderness. When they murmured against him, quarrelled with him, arraigned his Authority, and were sometimes ready to stone him; he resented these Provocations with very little of personal Application or Concern, but instead of using his Interest in Heaven, to summon Plagues upon them, he made it his Business to stand in the Gap, and by his Intercession for them, to ⟨p. 102⟩turn away the Wrath of God from them, and this not once nor twice, but many times.

The Meekness of Moses qualified him to be a Magistrate, especially to be King in Ieshurun, among a People so very provoking, that they gave him occasion to use all the Meekness he had, and all little enough to bear their Manners in the Wilderness. When they murmured against him, quarrel'd with him, arraigned his Authority, and were sometimes ready to stone him; he resented these Provocations with very little of personal Application or Concern, but instead of using his Interest in Heaven, to summon Plagues upon them, he made it his Business to stand in the Gap, and by his Intercession for them, to ⟨p. 102⟩turn away the Wrath of God from them, and this not once nor twice, but many times.

And yet we must observe, that tho' Moses was the meekest Man in the World, yet when God's Honour & Glory were concerned, none more warm and zealous; witness his resentment of the golden Calf, when in a Holy Indignation at that abominable Iniquity, he deliberately broke the Tables. And when Korah and his Crew invaded the Priests Office, Moses, in a pious Wrath, said unto the Lord, Respect not thou their Offering, Numb. 16. 15. He that was a Lamb in his own Cause, was a Lion in the Cause of God; Anger at Sin, as Sin, is very well consistent with Reigning Meekness. Nor can it be forgotten, that tho' Moses was so eminent for Meekness, yet he once transgressed the Laws of it; when he was old, and his Spirit was provoked, he spake unadvisedly with his Lips, and it went ill with him for it,