overturn the footstool, and so will allay their pain, and quench their rage. In some such way
as this did God also deal with them, when He allowed them to strike out “Eye for eye, and
tooth for tooth,” and destroyed the Egyptians and the Amalekites that had grieved them.
And He promised such things; as if to one who said, “Father, such and such an one has
beaten me,” the father should then reply, “Such and such an one is a bad man, and let us
hate him.” So also doth God say, “I will be their enemy that are thine enemies, and I will
hate them that hate thee.” (Ex. xxiii. 22.) And again, when Balaam prayed, the condescension
which was used towards them was childish. For as with children, when having been frightened
at anything not frightful, such as either a lock of wool, or any other thing of like sort, they
are suddenly alarmed; that their fear may not continue in them, we bring the thing up to
their hands, and make their nurses show it them: so also did God; seeing that the Prophet
was a terror to them, he turned the terror of him into confidence. And as children who are
under weaning have all manner of things in little baskets, so also did He give them everything,
and dainties in abundance. Still the child longs for the breast; so did these also for Egypt
and the flesh that was there.
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So that one would not be wrong in calling Moses both a teacher, and a nursing-father,
and a conductor (Ex. xvi. 3; Num. xi. 4, 5.); the man’s wisdom was great. Howbeit it is not
the same thing to guide men who are already philosophers, and to rule unreasoning children.
And, if you are inclined to hear yet another particular; as the nurse says to the child, When
thou easest thyself, take up thy garments, and for as long as thou sittest, so also did Moses.
(Deut. xxiii. 13.) For all the passions are tyrannous in children (for as yet they have not that
which is to bridle them), vainglory, desire, irrationality, anger, envy; just as in children, so
they prevailed; they spat upon, they beat, Moses. And as a child takes up a stone, and we all
exclaim, O do not throw it; so did they also take up stones against their father; and he fled
from them. And as, if a father have any ornament, the child, being fond of ornament, asks
him for it, in like manner, truly, did the party of Dathan and Abiram act, when they rebelled
for the priesthood. (Num. xvi.) And besides, they were of all people the most envious, and
little-minded, and in all respects imperfect.
Ought then Christ, tell me, to have appeared at that time, at that time to have given
them these teachings of true wisdom, when they were raging with lust, when they were as
horses mad for the mare, when they were the slaves of money, of the belly? Nay, He would
but have wasted his lessons of wisdom in discoursing with those of no understanding; and
they would have neither learnt one thing nor the other. And as he who teaches to read before
he has taught the alphabet, will never teach even so much as the alphabet; so indeed would
it then have been also. But not so now, for by the grace of God much forbearance, much
virtue, hath been planted everywhere. Let us give thanks then for all things, and not be over
curious. For it is not we that know the due time, but He, The Maker of the time, and The
Creator of the ages.
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Colossians 1:21,22