id,
that when he was in the tabernacle, and was bewailing with ears that
destruction which was coming upon them God put him in mind what things
he had done for them, and what benefits they had received from him,
and yet how ungrateful they had been to him that just now they had been
induced, through the timorousness of the spies, to think that their
words were truer than his own promise to them; and that on this account,
though he would not indeed destroy them all, nor utterly exterminate
their nation, which he had honored more than any other part of mankind,
yet he would not permit them to take possession of the land of Canaan,
nor enjoy its happiness; but would make them wander in the wilderness,
and live without a fixed habitation, and without a city, for forty years
together, as a punishment for this their transgression; but that he had
promised to give that land to our children, and that he would make them
the possessors of those good things which, by your ungoverned passions,
you have deprived yourselves of.

2. When Moses had discoursed thus to them according to the direction of
God, the multitude, grieved, and were in affliction; and entreated Most
to procure their reconciliation to God, and to permit them no longer to
wander in the wilderness, but bestow cities upon them. But he replied,
that God would not admit of any such trial, for that God was not moved
to this determination from any human levity or anger, but that he
had judicially condemned them to that punishment. Now we are not to
disbelieve that Moses, who was but a single person, pacified so many
ten thousands when they were in anger, and converted them to a mildness
temper; for God was with him, and prepared way to his persuasions of
the multitude; and as they had often been disobedient, they were now
sensible that such disobedience was disadvantageous to them and that
they had still thereby fallen into calamities.

3. But this man was admirable for his virtue, and powerful in making
men give credit to what he delivered, not only during the time of his
natural life, but even there is still no one of the Hebrews who does
not act even now as if Moses were present, and ready to punish him if
he should do any thing that is indecent; nay, there is no one but is
obedient to what laws he ordained, although they might be concealed in
their transgressions. There are also many other demonstrations that his
power was more than human, for still some there have