or out of regard to God, and to his laws,
I had not passed by myself, and given it to another, as being nearer
of kin to myself than to my brother, and having a closer intimacy with
myself than I have with him; for surely it would not be a wise thing for
me to expose myself to the dangers of offending, and to bestow the
happy employment on this account upon another. But I am above such base
practices: nor would God have overlooked this matter, and seen himself
thus despised; nor would he have suffered you to be ignorant of what you
were to do, in order to please him; but he hath himself chosen one that
is to perform that sacred office to him, and thereby freed us from
that care. So that it was not a thing that I pretend to give, but only
according to the determination of God; I therefore propose it still to
be contended for by such as please to put in for it, only desiring that
he who has been already preferred, and has already obtained it, may
be allowed now also to offer himself for a candidate. He prefers your
peace, and your living without sedition, to this honorable employment,
although in truth it was with your approbation that he obtained it; for
though God were the donor, yet do we not offend when we think fit to
accept it with your good-will; yet would it have been an instance of
impiety not to have taken that honorable employment when he offered it;
nay, it had been exceedingly unreasonable, when God had thought fit any
one should have it for all time to come, and had made it secure and firm
to him, to have refused it. However, he himself will judge again who it
shall be whom he would have to offer sacrifices to him, and to have the
direction of matters of religion; for it is absurd that Corah, who is
ambitious of this honor, should deprive God of the power of giving it to
whom he pleases. Put an end, therefore, to your sedition and disturbance
on this account; and tomorrow morning do every one of you that desire
the priesthood bring a censer from home, and come hither with incense
and fire: and do thou, O Corah, leave the judgment to God, and await to
see on which side he will give his determination upon this occasion, but
do not thou make thyself greater than God. Do thou also come, that this
contest about this honorable employment may receive determination. And
I suppose we may admit Aaron without offense, to offer himself to this
scrutiny, since he is of the same lineage with thyself, and has done
nothing in