So

love. He may speak to an enemy; he speaks peace to none but his own. It is a vain brag, God hath spoken to me. may he do to reprobates or devils. But what said he? Did he say to my soul, I am thy salvation? Hath he indented with me that he will be my God, and I shall be his? I cannot hear this voice, and not live.

curse.

God heard all the consultation and message of these Moabites; these messengers could not have moved their foot or their tongue, but in him; and yet he which asked Adam where he was, asks Balaam, "What men are these?" I have ever seen that God loves to take occasion of proceeding with us from ourselves, rather than from his own immediate prescience. Hence it is, that we lay open our wants, and confess our sins to him that knows both better than our own hearts, because he will deal with us from our own mouths. The prevention of God forbids both his journey and his And what if he had been suffered to go and curse? What corn had this wind shaken, when God meant to bless them? How many bulls have bellowed out execrations against this church of God? What are we the worse? Yet I doubt if we had been so much blessed, had not those Balaamitish curses been spent upon us. He that knows what waste wind the causeless curses of wicked men are, yet will not have Balaam curse Israel; because he will not allow Balak so much encouragement in his opposition, as the conceit of this help. Or, perhaps, if Balak thought this sorcerer a true prophet, God would not have his name, so much as in the opinion of the heathen, scandalized, in usurping it to a purpose, which he meant not should succeed.

The hand of God is in the restraint of many evils, which we never knew to be towards us. The Israelites sat still in their tents; they little thought what mischief was brewing against them; without ever making them of counsel, God crosses the designs of their enemies. He that keepeth Israel, is both a sure and a secret friend. The reward of the divination had easily commanded the journey, and curse of the covetous prophet, if God had not stayed him. How oft are wicked men curbed by a divine hand, even in those sins which their heart stands to! It is no thank to lewd men that their wickedness is not prosperous. Whence is it that the world is not overrun with evil, but from this, that men cannot be so ill as they would?

The first entertainment of this message would make a stranger think Balaam wise and honest. He will not give a sudden answer, but craves leisure to consult with God, and promises to return the answer he shall receive. Who would not say, This man is free from rashness, from partiality? Dissimulation is crafty, and able to deceive thousands. The words are good; when he comes to action, the fraud bewrays itself; for both he insinuates his own forwardness, and casts the blame of the prohibition upon God, and, which is worse, delivers but half his answer. He says indeed, "God refuses to give me leave to go." He says not, as it was, "He charges me not to curse them, for they are blessed." So did Balaam deny, as one that wished to be sent for again. Perhaps a peremptory refusal had hindered his further solicitation. Concealment of some truths is sometimes as faulty as a denial. True fidelity is not niggardly in her relations.

Where wickedness meets with power, it thinks to command all the world, and takes great scorn of any repulse. So little is Balak discouraged with one refusal, that he sends so much the stronger message" More princes, and more honourable." O that we could be so importunate for our good, as wicked men are for the compassing of their own designs! A denial doth but whet the desires of vehement suitors. Why are we faint in spiritual things, when we are not denied, but delayed?

Those which are themselves transported with vanity and ambition, think that no heart hath power to resist these offers. Balak's princes thought they had struck it dead, when they had once mentioned promotion to great honour. Self-love makes them think they cannot be slaves, whilst others may be free; and that all the world would be glad to run on madding after their bait. Nature thinks it impossible to contemn honour and wealth; and, because too many souls are thus taken, cannot believe that any would escape. But let carnal hearts know, there are those can spit the world in the face, and say, "Thy gold and silver perish with thee;" and that, in comparison of a good conscience, can tread under foot his best proffers like shadows, as they are: and that can do as Balaam said.

How near truth and falsehood can lodge together! Here was piety in the lips, and covetousness in the heart. Who can any more regard good words, that hears Balaam speak so

like a saint? An house full of gold and silver may not pervert his tongue, his heart is won with less: for if he had not already swallowed the reward, and found it sweet, why did he again solicit God in that which was peremptorily denied him? If his mind had not been bribed already, why did he stay the messengers? Why did he expect a change in God? Why was he willing to feed them with hope of success, which had fed them with hope of recompense? One prohibition is enough for a good man. While the delay of God doth but hold us in suspense, importunity is holy and seasonable: but when once he gives a resolute denial, it is profane sauciness to solicit him. When we ask what we are bidden, our suits are not more vehement than welcome: but when we beg prohibited favours, our presumption is troublesome and abominable. No good heart will endure to be twice forbidden. Yet this opportunity had obtained a permission; but a permission worse than a denial. I heard God say before, "Go not, nor curse them :" now he says, Go, but curse not." Anon he is angry that he did not go. Why did he permit that which he forbade, if he be angry for doing that which he permitted? Some things God permits with an indignation; not for that he gives leave to the act, but that he gives a man over to his sin in the act. This sufferance implies not favour, but judgment, So did God bid Balaam to go, as Solomon bids the young man follow the ways of his own heart. It is one thing to like, another thing to suffer. Moses never approved those legal divorces, yet he tolerated them. God never liked Balaam's journey, yet he displeasedly gives way to it; as if he said, Well, since thou art so hot, set on this journey; begone. And thus Balaam took it; else, when God after professed his displeasure for the journey, it had been a ready answer, "Thou commandest me." But herein his confession argues his guilt. Balaam's suit, and Israel's quails, had both one fashion of grant-in anger. How much better is it to have gracious denials, than angry yieldings?

A small persuasion heartens the willing. It booted not to bid the covetous prophet hasten to his way. Now he makes himself sure of success. His corrupt heart tells him, that as God had relented in his licence to go, so he might perhaps in his licence to curse; and he saw how this curse might bless him with abundance of wealth: he rose up early therefore and saddled his ass. The night seemed long to his forward

ness.

Covetous men need neither clock nor bell to awaken them their desires make them restless. O that we could, with as much eagerness, seek the true riches, which only can make us happy!

We, that see only the outside of Balaam, may marvel why he that permitted him to go, afterward opposes his going; but God, that saw his heart, perceived what corrupt affections carried him: he saw that his covetous desires and wicked hopes grew the stronger the nearer he came to his end. An angel is therefore sent to withhold the hasty sorcerer. Our inward disposition is the life of our actions; according to that doth the God of spirits judge us, while men censure according to our external motions. To go at all, when God had commanded to stay, was presumptuous: but to go, with a desire to curse, made the act doubly sinful, and fetched an angel to resist it. It is one of the worthy employments of good angels, to make secret opposition to evil designs. Many a wicked act have they hindered, without the knowledge of the agent. It is all one with the Almighty to work by spirits and men. It is therefore our glory to be thus set on work. To stop the course of evil, either by dissuasion or violence, is an angelical service.

In what danger are wicked men that have God's angels their opposites? The devil moved him to go; a good angel resists him. If an heavenly spirit stand in the way of a sorcerer's sin, how much more ready are all those spiritual powers to stop the miscarriages of God's dear children? How oft had we fallen yet more, if these guardians had not upheld us, whether by removing occasions, or by casting in good instincts? As our good endeavours are oft hindered by Satan, so are our evil by good angels; else were not our protection equal to our danger, and we could neither stand nor rise.

It had been as easy for the angel to strike Balaam, as to stand in his way; and to have followed him in his starting aside, as to stop him in a narrow path. But even the good angels have their stints in their executions. God had somewhat more to do with the tongue of Balaam, and therefore he will not have him slain, but withstood; and so withstood, that he shall pass. It is not so much glory to God to take away wicked men, as to use their evil to his own holy purposes. How soon could the commander of heaven and earth rid the

world of bad members! But so should he lose the praise of working good by evil instruments. It sufficeth that the angels of God resist their actions, while their persons continue.

That no man may marvel to see Balaam have visions from God, and utter prophecies from him, his very ass hath his eyes opened to see the angel, which his master could not; and his mouth opened to speak more reasonably than his master. There is no beast deserves so much wonder as this of Balaam, whose common sense is advanced above the reason of his rider; so as for the time the prophet is brutish, and the beast prophetical. Who can but stand amazed at the eye, at the tongue of this silly creature! For so dull a sight, it was much to see a bodily object that were not too apparent; but to see that spirit, which his rider discerned not, was far beyond nature. To hear a voice come from that mouth, which was used only to bray, it was strange and uncouth; but to hear a beast, whose nature is noted for incapacity, to outreason his master, a professed prophet, is in the very height of miracles. Yet can no heart stick at these, that considers the dispensation of the Almighty in both. Our eye could no more see a beast, than a beast can see an angel, if he had not given this power to it. How easy is it for him, that made the eye of man and beast, to dim or enlighten it at his pleasure! And if his power can make the very stones to speak, how much more a creature of sense! That evil spirit spake in the serpent to our first parents; why is it more, that a spirit should speak in the mouth of a beast? How ordinarily did the heathen receive their oracles out of stones and trees? Do not we ourselves teach birds to speak those sentences they understand not? We may wonder, we cannot distrust, when we compare the act with the author, which can as easily create a voice without a body, as a body without a voice. Who now can hereafter plead his simplicity and dulness of apprehending spiritual things, when he sees how God exalts the eyes of a beast to see a spirit? Who can be proud of seeing visions, since an angel appeared to a beast? -neither was his skin better after it than others of his kind. Who can complain of his own rudeness and inability to reply in a good cause, when the very beast is enabled by God to convince his master? There is no mouth into which God cannot put words; and how oft doth he choose the weak and unwise, to confound the learned and mighty!