ing to their capacity, weight and importance in the scale of being. These two kinds of love are essentially different from, and opposite to each other, in their nature and tendency. Now it is easy to perceive that every moral agent must always act either selfishly or benevolently in every instance of his conduct. This must have been the case in respect to Moses. His respect to the recompense of the reward must have flowed either from selfishness or benevolence. And, of course, if it can be shown that he was not selfish in his views and feelings, we must conclude that he was disinterested. But if we look into his conduct, we shall find abundant reason to think that he was not selfish and mercenary in the general course of his life. Here, then, I would observe,

1. He does not appear to have been selfish by his conduct. This was such as plainly manifested pure, disinterested love to God and man. The apostle says, that when he was come to years, he "refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt." This is a plain and beautiful description of a truly disinterested man. Had he been governed by selfish and mercenary motives, would he not have been fond of being esteemed the son of Pharaoh's daughter, and considered as one of the royal family? Would he not have chosen to avoid being known as related to, and connected with, a poor, despised people in bondage? Would he not have preferred living in a prince's court, to spending his days in a dreary wilderness, with an outcast nation? Is it possible to account for the general course of his conduct, from the time he entered upon the stage of life to his dying day, upon selfish principles? Certainly the whole series of his conduct discovers a pure, benevolent heart. But there are particular instances, in which his disinterested spirit was more illustriously displayed. One was, when he risked his life in defence of the life of one of his own nation. Another was, when God called him to take the direction of his people and lead them to Canaan. He was so far from desiring the office, that he begged to be excused, and entreated God to appoint some other person in his room. There was one other instance of his disinterestedness, still more striking. God proposed destroying his rebellious people for refusing to prosecute their journey through the wilderness, and making of him a great nation. But this flattering proposal, instead of exciting any selfish feelings, moved his compassion for his people, and filled his mouth with arguments in pleading for their forgiveness and preservation. He entreated God to spare them, though he

should blot him out of his book. I might mention his meekness and patience under his burdens and trials, and amidst the unjust murmurs and complaints of the discontented multitude. But enough has been said to show that he manifested, through the course of his long life, a spirit of pure, disinterested love. He had the fairest opportunities to discover true benevolence, and he improved those opportunities to act out his benevolent heart. And this affords a very strong presumptive evidence, that his respect to the recompense of reward flowed from the most pure and proper motives. We can hardly conceive that a selfish principle should so long and so uniformly put on such striking appearances of disinterested love.

2. If Moses had been selfish in having respect to the recompense of reward, his conduct would not have been virtuous and pleasing to God. There is no virtue in selfishness. God never required men to feel and express this spirit; but, in all his precepts and commands, has always required them to feel and express pure, disinterested love. His law, which was given by Moses, and which is called the law of Moses, requires nothing but disinterested love. So Moses explained his own law to the people, just before his death. He said, "Now these are the commandments, the statutes and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it." After this, he explains all these precepts as requiring pure, holy love. "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." According to this interpretation, all the precepts of the law are comprised in love. And our Saviour explained the law in the same sense, to one who wished to know its first and great commandment. "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." If the law of Moses required nothing but pure, disinterested love, then he did not in the least degree obey his own law, nor do any thing acceptable to God, if he had a selfish mercenary view to the recompense of reward. But we find by his history that he did obey and please God, and receive peculiar tokens of his favor. God hearkened to the voice of his supplications and intercessions from time to time. He spake to him face to face, as a man speaketh to his friend. In answer to his request, he showed him his glory. When he was opposed and reviled, God pleaded his cause and justified his conduct. "And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among

you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold; Wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?" And it is recorded of him after his death, that "there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face." Now, if Moses had been selfish in all his conduct, would he have met with such marks of the divine approbation, and been exhibited to all future ages as one of the greatest prophets and friends to God? This is altogether incredible. Hence we are constrained to believe that he had respect to the recompense of reward, from pure, benevolent motives, which were pleasing to God.

3. If Moses had not sought a recompense of reward from pure and holy motives, he would not have been admitted to heaven. Though God might have spoken of him according to his external conduct, and directed his character to be exhibited to future ages as an example worthy of imitation, if he had been inwardly selfish, yet we know he could not have been admitted to heaven with an unholy, selfish heart. But we find that God actually received him into the mansions of the blessed at his death. This we learn from the account of Christ's transfiguration on Mount Tabor. "Jesus taketh Peter, James and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them; - And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias, talking with him." It is apparent from this, that Moses not only had respect to the recompense of reward, but actually obtained it. God not only approved of his character and conduct while living, but amply rewarded him after his death, by admitting him into his immediate presence, and employing him to attend the divine Redeemer on a most solemn and glorious occasion. But who can suppose that God, who looketh on the heart and not on the outward appearance, would thus approve and reward Moses by distinguishing marks of his favor among the spirits of just men made perfect, if he had not been truly virtuous and holy in seeking a future reward? Had Moses been as selfish as the Israelites were at the side of the Red Sea, and when they refused to go to Canaan, would he not have perished with them in the wilderness? His admission into heaven, therefore, puts it beyond a possibility of doubt, that he was habitually governed by supreme love to God, in both his private and public conduct. I must add,

4. That holy love, or true benevolence, would naturally lead

Moses to have respect to such a reward as God set before him. He must desire, in the exercise of pure, disinterested, and universal benevolence, that God should be glorified; that his nation should be happy; and that he himself should be blessed in the everlasting enjoyment of God. These were the things contained in the reward set before him; and these were the things which were set before all other sincere servants of God.

And

we find that such men have always had respect to such a recompense of reward. God told Abraham that, if he would walk before him and be perfect, he would be his shield and exceeding great reward. And it appears that he and other patriarchs did, in the view of such a reward, walk before God with a perfect heart. For we are told, "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things, declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned; but now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly. Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city." As all these saints were disinterested in having respect to the recompense of reward, so was Moses. Besides, we find in the next chapter, the same account of Christ's conduct, which the apostle exhibits as an example to all his followers. "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Christ, we know, always acted from disinterested love. He came not to do his own will, but the will of his Father. And in his most trying situation he said to his Father, "Not my will, but thine be done." Yet we see that, in all his obedience and sufferings, he had respect to the joy set before him, which was his reward. Accordingly he prayed for the bestowment of his reward. "I have glorified thee on earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." If Christ and saints could seek a divine reward in the exercise of pure, disinterested love, why could not Moses have respect to a recompense of reward in the exercise of pure, disinterested love? It is certain that true love to God and man must have produced such a respect. So far as the reward consisted in the glory of God and the good of his. people, it is easy to see that nothing but disinterested love could have disposed him to seek it. And so far as it consisted in his 17

VOL. VI.

own enjoyment of God, it is not less evident that nothing but disinterested love could dispose him to seek it. No selfish man ever desired the enjoyment of God for its own sake, as a source of real happiness. But those who have disinterested love to God, do desire the enjoyment of him, and esteem it as the best reward of all their labors and sufferings. We may justly conclude, therefore, that Moses was entirely disinterested in having respect to such a reward as God had set before him, because no other than disinterested love would or could lead him to desire, and prepare him to enjoy, such a recompense of reward.

IMPROVEMENT.

1. If Moses was really disinterested in having respect to the recompense of reward, then real saints may be as disinterested in 'seeking their own good, as in seeking the good of others. Many appear to be greatly prejudiced against the doctrine of disinterested benevolence, because they suppose that it implies a total disregard to personal good. They suppose that while a man is seeking the good of others, he must all that time entirely disregard his own good; and they cannot conceive it to be right for any man to disregard his own good, any more than to disregard the good of others. This is undoubtedly true; and therefore the doctrine of disinterested love does not require any person to disregard his own interest or happiness. You will now ask, What is the difference between selfishness and disinterested benevolence? If disinterested benevolence allows and disposes a man to seek his own good, as really as selfishness, wherein lies the great and essential difference between a selfish man and a benevolent man; which is represented of such great importance? The character and conduct of Moses will very plainly illustrate this subject, and clear up this difficulty. Moses had respect to the recompense of reward; that is, he really sought his own future and eternal happiness; and he had a right to seek this great and important object. But this object, great and important as it was, was as light as the dust on the balance, in comparison to other objects which he ought to seek, and did seek; and therefore, though he regarded his own good, yet he was willing to give it up for the sake of promoting the greater good of others. Accordingly, he chose to relinquish the treasures of Egypt, for the sake of promoting the temporal good of his nation; and, from the same disinterested benevolence, he was willing that God should blot his name out of the book of life, if that might be the means of the temporal and eternal salvation of three millions of people. Though Paul regarded his own everlasting good, yet he solemnly declares,