THE KING'S MIRROR 283 



LI 



THE REASONS FOR THIS DIVERSITY IN 

 THE VERDICTS OF GOD 



Son. If earthly kings and other chiefs, who are ap- 

 pointed to act as judges, are to adapt their decisions 

 to the examples that you have now given, they must 

 find it very important to learn precisely what each suit 

 is based upon; for in many of these instances, it looks 

 as if the cases were somewhat alike in appearance. Still, 

 all the decisions in the earlier examples led to severe 

 punishments, while in the later ones they all led to 

 mercy and forgiveness. Therefore I now wish to ask you 

 why Pharaoh, Dathan, and Abiram, the people who 

 dwelt in Jericho, and those of Amalek, who were pun- 

 ished by King Saul, were all destroyed without mercy. 



Father. These things were all done at the command 

 of Justice and Truth, though Peace and Mercy con- 

 sented. For Moses daily performed many miracles be- 

 fore King Pharaoh and commanded him to release God's 

 people; and he might have released them, had he wished, 

 without suffering any injury thereby. He made con- 

 stant promises that it should be done, but he never 

 kept either word or promise. Now it was right that he 

 should perish in his stubborn wickedness and evil-doing, 

 since he would accept neither mercy nor pardon, though 

 he had the opportunity. Dathan and Abiram, when 

 Moses told them that they had done evil, became angry 

 and refused to repent; and they perished without mercy 

 because they sought no mercy. Those who dwelt in 

 Jericho and Amalek had heard for many days that they 



