Commentary on Numbers

Hitherto we have heard the message and sending out to this cunning man, seeking to draw him to come to curse the people. Now followeth the second part of the Chapter, wherein is published, how Balak prevailed with him, by offering him present gifts, and promising to him future honors. And because in the former message, Balaam had rather cunningly delayed, then flatly denied them, and rather craftily allured them, by protracting the time, then withstood them by giving thē the repulse, to the end they should buy his cunning the dearer, as well became a man of his trade and occupation; therefore here the Spirit of God proceedeth to declare how the message is continued, the suite renewed, and their purpose obtained. Wherein we are to observe these three things. First, the departure of the Magician with the messengers. Secondly, the anger of God for his departure. Thirdly, the entertainment which Balaam sound at y ^e hands of Balak, when he was come unto him.

The first part touching the journey of Balaam (having obtained leave, or rather wrung it from God by his importunity) is contained in the words before remembered and recited; wherein behold how the desires of men are kindled & increased by delay, and give them no rest, until they enjoy the things hoped for. Balak the King, and Balaam the false Prophet, are here described, being pointed and painted out unto us in very lively colors. Balak proud in his Riches, ambitious in his honors, prodigal of his gifts, scorning to receive foil or repulse: On the other side, Balaam base in mind, covetous after money, thirsting after honor, as unwilling to give a denial, as the other to take it. Wherefore, as he sendeth a new ambassage, so he employeth more honorable men to credit and countenance the action the better, he furnisheth them with other gifts, he promiseth him in the word of a king to promote him to some place of dignity, and omitteth no human policy to draw him to his lure. The messengers mindful of their charge and commission, and considering the weightiness of the cause, do bend all their wits, and set on work all their cunning to effect the matter committed unto them; they stir him up to be forward, they add great promises of high honors, they allure him with great hope of rich rewards, which were effectual baits to entrap, and indeed the mightiest Rhetoric to persuade, and to prevail with a covetous man.

This was the Message of the King, thus was the employment of the Messengers: Now let us consider the answer of Balaam, wherein a man at the first sight would think he carried himself most uprightly toward men, and most religiously toward God, like a true-hearted man, and a faithful Prophet: he telleth them, If Balak would give him the Riches and revenues of his Kingdom, he cannot go beyond the will of the Lord his God. But all is not Gold that glistereth (as the Proverb teacheth) & sometimes a subtle Serpent lurketh in the green grass. A man would likewise conjecture, that when God bad him go with the Messengers, he was pleased with his journey: but the wrath of the Lord was kindled against him for his disobedience and presumption, which was no better then a tempting of God. So in this answer of the Wizard, we are not to consider the outward sound of the words, but the inward purpose and intent of the speaker. For his reply is thus much in effect, as if he had said unto them, Why do you thus solicit and importune me? Do you think it resteth in my will to come, or not to come? Or if I do come, that I can in this case do what I list? Or that the God of Israel is like the gods of the other Nations? He compelleth me to tarry here, he forbiddeth me to go with you, he is stronger then I, and I am constrained to obey him. You know my desire, but it lieth not in my power to curse your enemies, (unless I can charge and charm their God to leave & forsake them,) albeit the King would give me a great reward: What said I, a rich reward? Nay, if he would fill for me this Palace with silver and gold, replenish all his storehouses with treasures, I cannot accomplish mine own purpose, I cannot perform the desire of mine own heart. The God of the Israelites is too powerful and mighty for me, he it is that restraineth me, by whom notwithstanding I must only work in this my business, or else I cannot profit you nor pleasure myself, nor effect my purpose. Neuertheles be not discouraged and discomfited, I am yet in good hope to prevail, and I will yet try him the second time, although before he utterly denied me to go with you.

This is the sum and effect of Balaam's answer, which consisteth of two parts. First, he stayeth them to be advised what to do. Secondly, he granteth their request, to go with them. Touching the staying of them, when he hath excused his former refusal and denial, to go with the former messengers (inasmuch as he could not alter and change the decree of the Lord, whom he saw to over-rule him in all this business, he promiseth to try him again, whether he could draw him to stand with thē, and to withstand the Israelites. And here again (as before v. 8. ) observe how be worketh, not in the open day, and in the light of the Sun, which is the fittest season to work in, but as Coniurers use to do, he chooseth the night season for his purpose. For as Sorcery is one of the fruits of the flesh, and the work of darkness, and proceedeth from the Prince of darkness: so it fitteth best the children of darkness, & serveth to be practiced in the time of the night, according to the saying of him that is the author of life and light, Every man that evil doth, hateth the light, neither cometh to light, lest his deeds should be reproved: but he that doth truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds might be made manifest, that they are wrought • ccording to God. Well, God appeared unto • im, and made himself known unto him. whatsoever his purpose and intent were, not • y any force of his sorcery, but for diverse and sundry other reasons; first, because he would put an hook in his jaws, and a bridle in his mouth, to stop him from cursing Israel. For his whole drift and meaning was to curse thē, in the accomplishment whereof, he is hindered and stayed by the appearance of God unto him. Secondly, because he would hinder the devil from giving Balaam an answer, and so deluding him, as in former times he was wont to do, when he was hired and sent unto for such purposes. Thirdly, it serveth greatly for God's glory, to make his Name known even among the Infidels, when they should learn, that he is the God that ruleth and ordereth all things in heaven and earth, that disposeth the counsels of his enemies, and maketh them further the good of his people that depend upon him. Yea, when God saw his covetous humor and wicked heart, that he would not rest in his word, nor obey his commandment given unto him, first by way of an Ironicall concession, he biddeth him go, howbeit in his wrath & indignation, but yet reserveth to himself the rule of his tongue, the power of his speech, and the government of all his works, as seemed good in his heavenly wisdom. As if the Lord had said, Forsomuch as the messengers be so importunate with thee, and thou so earnest with me, that thou wilt take no denial, nor rest in my word, nor yield thyself to my charge; go to, go forward, follow thine own course, run on of thine own head: yet will I bridle thy tongue, thou shalt not speak what thou desirest, nor do what thou delightest in, but what pleaseth me. Balaam glad of this answer, and thinking this concession better then a denial, rejoiced in his heart that he had leave, as if there had been some change in God, and told it to the Ambassadors, he prepareth for the journey, sadleth his Ass, and consenteth to go with them, which is the second part of his answer. Here observe with me aga • ne a false finger, most wretchedly dissembling one part of the divine Revelation, imitating therein his master the devil, who in his temptation of Christ, and allegation of the Scripture, omitteth a principal part to pervert the meaning of the words, and to draw our Savior into wickedness. So whereas God had challenged as proper and peculiar to himself, the ordering and disposing of all his affairs, that albeit he had liberty to go, yet his going was with restraint and limitation, that he should speak no more then God should put in his heart: yet the wizard never declareth this to the messengers, which neither pleased him, nor would pleasure them, neither profit him or them. Only he feedeth his own foolish fancy in this, that he was bidden to go, which God before had denied unto him: Now he taketh hold presently on these words, and went with a joyful heart, hoping that in time the same God would suffer him to curse them also. For as God had said at the first, thou shalt not go, yet after said, Go with them: so he supposed, that albeit he had forbidden him to curse the people, yet afterward he hoped to find a change in this, as he thought he had gained in the other, and so conceived a strong imagination, that the Moabites should be fully satisfied, himself plentifully rewarded, and the Israelites miserably cursed and detested. This is the sum and effect of these words: Now let us come to the Doctrines arising out of the same.

[Verse 16. Be not stayed from coming unto me, for I will promote thee unto great honor.] Consider here the covetousness of this false Prophet. He had received a charge and commandment not to go; yet seeing new regards come with y ^e new messengers, he would not rest in God's former answer. He had beard the will of God, wherein he ought to have rested: but pricked forward with covetousness, and allured with the recompense of reward, he comforteth the men that were sent unto him, to attain their purpose. This the Apostle Peter noteth, describing the false Teachers, which privily brought in damnable heresies, he saith; They forsook the right way, and have gone astray, following the way of Balaam, the son of Bosor, &c. 2 Pet. 2, verse 15. And the Apostle Jude, speaking of such like Teachers as turn the grace of God into wantonness, and bring upon themselves swift damnation, saith, Woe be unto them, for they have followed the way of Cain, and are cast away by the deceit of Balaam's wages, and perish in the gainsaying of Core. See here the force and power of worldly wealth, it is able to set open the gates that are shut up with bars and bolts. And albeit this point hath in part been handled before: yet because it is offered to our considerations again in this place, it is not to be passed over without further meditation. From hence we learn, that the love of this world, and the hunting after honor and dignity, preferment and promotion, cause men to make shipwreck of a good conscience, and draw them from observing the laws of God, and from resting in the known will of God. Hereunto cometh the reproof of Reuben, who being called, came not to y ^e battle fought against the Canaanites, neither furthered the work of God that his people had in hand, but had their minds fastened to their riches, and dwelling in a fat and fruitful soil, they set their hearts upon the world; For the divisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart: Why abodest thou among the sheep-folds, to hear the • leatings of thy flocks? for the devisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart. Judge. 5, 15, 16. The like appeareth in the Prophesies of Haggai, where the people fell to build their own houses, and left the house of the Lord desolate, & therefore the Prophet saith, Is it time for yourselves to dwell in your seeled houses, and this house lie waste? What was it that prevailed with our first Parents in the Garden, to entice thē from God, and to hearken to the temptations of the devil, but hoping for honor and advancement in a better condition? This bait was laid before Moses in Pharaohs Court, he was tempted with dignities, allured with delights, provoked with profits: he had laid before him the glory of a kingdom, the pleasures of the Court, and the treasures of Egypt: yet he preferred the suffering of adversity, the shame of the Cross, the fellowship and communion of Saints, that so he might be received into the bosom of the Church. Thus we see, that the love of the world. & the things of this world, drew this Sorcerer away from upright & just dealing If honor had been offered unto him alone, or riches alone, if they had come severally unto him, they had been of great force; but coming jointly together, and rushing upon him as an armed man, they are more forcible and powerful to prevail with him.

The Reasons are to be wisely weighed of [Reason 1] us, to gain our affections to embrace the Doctrine before delivered. First, the setting of the heart upon the love of riches, is the beginning of all evils, and the fountain frō whence sundry mischiefs do proceed, & is available to draw from all good, into all evil. This the Apostle urgeth, 1 Tim. 6, 9, 10. They that will be rich, fall into temptations and snares, and into many foolish and noisome lusts, which drown men in perdition and destruction: for the desire of money is the root of all evil, which while some lusted after, they erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Where Paul teacheth, That there is no evil which covetousness cannot bring forth. It is a monster of many heads, and a fruitful mother of many bad children. From hence oftentimes come hatred, contention, envy, unthankfulness, treasons, treacheries, perjury, poisoning, deceit, cozenage, oppression, and what not? It bringeth in, as a violent stream, contempt of God, & it turneth God into an abhominable Idol. It worketh a wretched trust in earthly possessions & treasures, more then in the living God. It is a bottomless pit of all iniquity.

Secondly, there is a contrariety between [Reason 2] God and the world, and they draw contrary ways, there is no affinity or agreement between them. This Christ our S • ui • ur setteth down, No man can serve two masters, for either he shall hate the one, and love the other, or else he shall lean to the one, and despise the other, ye cannot serve God and riches. Mat. 6, 24. Hereunto cometh the exhortation of the Apostle John, 1 John 2, 15.

The uses are now to be thought and entered [Use 1] upon. First, consider from hence the dangerous estate of the men of this world how hard it is for them to enjoy eternal life and to enter into the kingdom of heaven See therefore, how riches are often reserved to the hurt of the possessors, & wrack of the owners thereof. Many seeking to enri • h themselves, and to scrape much together for th •• posterities, do lose the favor of GOD, the quiet peace of a good conscience, and heap to themselves wrath against the day of wrath. This the Apostle James leadeth us to consider, Chap. 5, 1.2, 3. Go too now ye rich men: Weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you: your riches are corrupt, and your Garments are moth-eaten, your gold and silver is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire: ye have heaped up treasures for the last days. If therefore outward things pull away from God, & hinder the duties of godliness, then assuredly men whose heart is glued unto them, and governed by them (they being made their chief treasures, and the god of their hope) cannot yield to the power of godliness, but by a special and extraordinary work of God in their hearts.

True it is, they may hold the profession, they may receive baptism, they may partake of the Lord's Supper, they may hear y word, they may hold salvation by Christ alone; yet unless they feel a peculiar sanctifying grace of God's Spirit, they shall find an hard entrance into life, and the way leading unto the kingdom of heaven, hedged & stopped up. This our Savior teacheth his disciples, upon the occasion of the young man's sorrowful departure from him, having great possessions, Matth. 19, 23, 24. Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of heaven: It is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a Needle, then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. Wherefore, it behooveth all rich men that have this worlds good to pray unto God (being compassed with such dangers, and clogged with such cares) to govern them by his Spirit, and to preserve thē, that they be not overcome with the temptations of the world, and to teach them what it is to abound, Phil. 4, 12. which is far harder to know and practice, then to learn what it is to want.

[Use 2] Secondly, seeing honors and riches choke good things, follow not them that walk that way, and be not drawn away by the evil examples of others, but follow the examples of the godly, according to the exhortation of the Apostle Phil. 3, 17, 18, 19. Many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is damnation, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is their shame, which mind earthly things. Hereupon followeth the use before remembered; Brethren, be followers of me, and look on them which walk so, as ye have us for an ensample. How many be there in the Church, that live of the Gospel, and therefore in reason s • old preach the Gospel, who cor • upt their own consciences, and wound their own souls by hunting after promotion and • ignity, who for money sell their master with Judas and are carried away af • er the wages of iniquity with Balaam, and gape after gain only like hyrelings, who join Living to living, as it were, house to house, and field to field; eating the fat, and clothing themselves with the wool, But they strengthen not the weak, they heal not the sick, they bind not up the broken, they seek not that which is lost, they raise not such as are fallen. Woe be unto such idle shepherds that feed themselves: Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ezek. 34, 2, 3, 4. Let not us walk after such examples, which in the just judgment of God, are reserved to death & shame: who albeit they regard their pleasures above all, yet as they walk inordinately, so the things they rejoice in, shall be their confusion: but let us propound to our selves the examples of the godly, for our instruction and imitation in well-doing, Heb. 6, 12. That we be not slothful, but followers of them which through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Lastly, let us not be immoderately careful [Use] for them. The more careful we are for these things, the more careless we are in better things. The more our affections are set on the earth, the less care we have of heaven & immortality. It is no profit to win the whole world with the loss of our own souls. It is an incomparable loss, greater then the loss of a kingdom. Job had a great loss, when he lost his Sheep and Asses, his Oxen and Camels, his Servants and his Children, Job 1, 14.15. But all this is scarce to be mentioned or spoken of, being compared and laid in the balance with the loss of the soul. Let us therefore be contented, and rest satisfied with the estate wherein God hath set us. A little with a good conscience, and with peace, is better then a stalled Ox, Prov. 15, 17. Godliness is great gain with contentation, 1 Tim. 6, 6. Let us use this world as though we used it not, 1. Cor. 7, 31. All is vanity, nay misery, if we depart not hence in the fear and favor of God. Let us so live, that in life and death we may be the Lord's. Affect not only or chiefly the things of this life, but let us have before us the example of Lots wife, made unto us as a fearful spectacle and terrible monument of carnal and careful thoughts, whose heart was wholly set upon those things which she left behind, and therefore was turned into a pillar of salt. We are borne again unto a better life. If a Princes children should give themselves to base courses, to follow Fairs and Markets, pitching up their standings, and selling pins and points like Pedlers and petty Chapmen, would not all men think it a great reproach and h • gh disgrace to their estate, being royally descended, and borne to a Kingdom? We are the sons and daughters of almighty God, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, and it is his pleasure to appoint us heirs unto a Kingdom. Luke 12, 32. We are a chosen generation, a royal Priesthood Reu. 1, 6. an holy nation, 1 Pet. 2, 9. a people set at liberty, that we should show forth the virtues of him that hath called us out of darkness into this marvelous light. Shall we then being Kings children, and borne to inherit a kingdom not of this world, but of the world to come, so much debase our selves as always to look downward, and go poring and stooping to the earth like brute beasts, and not cast our eyes upward like men, made after the likeness and similitude of God? Let us seek those things which are above, Col. 3, ver. 1, 2. where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God; let us set our affections on things which are altogether above, and not on things which are here beneath upon the earth. It is unfit for our calling and holy profession, evermore to have our hand on our half-penny, making gain to be godliness, and our belly our god, wholly minding earthly & transitory things. Let our conversation be in heaven, Phil. 3, 20 and from thence look for a Savior, to change our frail and mortal bodies, and to make them like to his glorious body: we are free denizens of that City made without hands, whose builder and maker is God, & therefore let us not spend all our days in vanity, and waste our years in folly, Math. 6, 25, 33. nor be excessively careful what to eat, or what to put on: but have our conversation without covetousness, and first of all seek y ^e kingdom of God and his righteousness.

Verse 20. [Forasmuch as men are come to call thee, rise up and go with them.] These words contain an ironicall concession, not a plain approbation: a figurative tanting, not a simple allowing of his journey, or a giving of him liberty to depart. As if the Lord should have said: If being warned of me thou wilt take no warning, but art resolved what to do, and standest firm in thine heart to be gone; go too, proceed in thy purpose, and walk in the ways of thine heart, but know, that thou makest hast to thine own confusion, and that all thine endeavors shall turn to thy destruction. Thus we see God reproveth him by a taunt, because he rested not in the will of God before delivered unto him, and uttered in a plain manner. Thus, when as men receive not the love of the truth that they may be saved, God sendeth them strong delusions that they might be seduced and deceived. Heereby we learn, That all reproving of sin and of sinners by way of tanting, is not unlawful, and unbeseeming the profession of godliness. All jest • ng and mocking are not forbidden to be used & practiced of the godly. This we see by the example of the Lord himself, Judge. 10, 14. Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen, let them save you in the time of your tribulation. Thus Moses speaketh to the people, Deut. 32, 37, 38. Where are their gods, their mighty gods in whom they trusted? Let them rise up and help you, let them be your refuge. The like we see in Job, vexed unjustly, and censured rashly by his friends, when he saith, Job 12, 12. Indeed because that ye are the people only, wisdom must die with you. So the Prophet Isaiah speaketh to the enemies of the Church, Isaiah. 8, 9. Gather together on heaps O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces, g • rd yourselves, take counsel together, pronounce a decree yet it shall not stand. Thus the Prophet dealeth with Amaziah, 2 Chron. 25, 7, 8. Let not the army of Israel go with thee, for the Lord is not with Israel: if not, go thou out, make thyself strong to the battle, but God shall make thee fall down before the enemy, for GOD hath power to help, and to cast down. And if we would farther see the warrant of this practice in reproving, we have examples of it in Christ our Savior, when he said to Judas, That thou doest, do quickly, John 13, 27. And when he spake to his disciples, Sleep henceforth & take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the son of man is given into the hands of sinners. Al which examples, in the old and New Testament, of God, of the Prophets, of Christ, and other holy men, serve to teach us, that all reproving of sin by sharp tants, is not unlawful and unwarrantable.

The Reasons justifying this practice, are: [Reason 1] First, to make Idolaters and wicked men, to see their sins, and the greatness of them, to move them to repentance, and to come out of them, to bring them to be ashamed of their offenses, and so to move them to turn unto God. This the Prophet Isaiah urgeth, chap. 46, 6, 7. They draw gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a Goldsmith to make a god of it, and they bow down and worship it: they bear it upon their shoulders, they carry & set him in his place, so doth he stand and cannot remove from his place, though one cry unto him, yet he cannot answer, nor deliver him out of his tribulation: Remember this, and be ashamed, bring it again to mind, O you transgressors. This then is one reason why the holy Ghost reproveth and reproacheth in a deriding manner, to bring offenders to true wisdom and to open their eyes which are blinded, that they see nothing.

Secondly, an holy deriding may be used [Reason 2] to disgrace and discountenance sin, and to set it out in his colors. For, when it is magnified among the sons of men, & followed with all greediness, the servants of God must uncover, and uncase it and lay it open, that others may eschew it. Thus we see the prophet Elijah dealeth with the Priests of Baal, he scoffeth at their simplicity, he derideth their folly, and in an holy manner triumpheth over their vanity, when he saith, 1 Kings 18, 28. Crie a loud, for he is a god; either he talketh, or pursueth his enemies, or is in his journey, or it may be that he sleepeth, and must be awaked. Where he doth not stir them up to their Idolatry and idolatrous worship of Baal, nor allow their superstitious prayers, but mocketh at their madness, to disgrace their wickedness, and to reproach their falling from the true God.

The Uses are to be considered in the next [Use 1] place. First, this teacheth, that the Minister: of the word, may in their teaching use this figure when they deal with an obstinate people, and reprove obstinate offenders. True it is, the man of God should be patient toward all men, 2 Tim. 2, 25: suffering the evil, instructing the ignorant, and waiting for the repentance of such as are fallen: but when they refuse to hearken or pull away their shoulder, and stop their ears, and make their harts as an Adamant stone, it is both lawful & requisite after a sort to insult over them, not that their persons should be scorned and contemned, but that their profaneness should be corrected and amended.

Thus doth Solomon deal, Eccl. 11, 9, when he hath to deal with proud and insolent young men, that think themselves privileged by their age, to run riot with all greediness, and without all controllment, Rejoice O young man in thy youth, and let thy heart cheare thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know that for all these things God will bring thee to judgment. This we see practiced by the Apostle, 1 Cor. 24, 38. If any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. And the Apostle John speaketh after the same manner, Revel. 22, 11. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still. Whereby we see, that the Spirit of God doeth not give leave, neither doth encourage, or command men to be filthy or unjust; but seeing them in a settled rage and willful course, obstinately bent and resolved to go forward, that they will not be hindered, nor hearken unto any wholesome counsel, he telleth them they may proceed, but they shall smart for it in the end. If the Ministers in the zeal of God's Spirit, tread in these steps, & follow the example of God, of Christ, of the Prophets and Apostles, they have a fair warrant set before them, & cannot be reproved for this imitation. They may say unto the stubborn and stiff-necked contemners of the word, If ye will needs be ignorant, be ignorant still, but God will find you out in your blindness and ignorance. If ye have the light, and yet will willingly and willfully shut your eyes, go forward, yet God will open them in the day of his visitation, that ye shall see your own misery. If ye have the bread of life, and food of salvation brought unto you, and yet ye will needs starve and famish, what remedy? Pine away your souls, and starve them: but know, that it will be bitter in the l • tter end.

[Use 2] Secondly, seeing this scoffing at evil is lawful, let men take heed they deserve not thus to be dealt withal. When we have the word of God in all meekness and gentleness, with all patience and long suffering offered unto us, let us rest in it, and not reject it from us, let us believe it, and obey it, and grow every day from faith to faith. When Micaiah the Prophet saw Ahab addicted to flatterers and false informers (two very dangerous plagues to Princes) he judged him not worthy to have the truth revealed unto him, and therefore in derision he saith unto him, Go up and prosper, and the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the King, 2 Kings 22, 15. It is a grievous thing to be scorned and derided, and we hardly brook that indignity. If then, we would not be so roughly and tantingly handled in the ministry of the world, let us hear the voice of God while it is called today, lest being hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, the Lord be compelled so to deal with us. It is used for our benefit and salvation, albeit it be bitter and sharp. But many times bitter things be most wholesome and healthful. And this answereth the objection of carnal men, when they are admonished to turn to the Lord with all their hearts, to attend to the ministry of the word, and to walk before the Lord with a perfect mind; they answer, If I shall come to be a professor, and make profession of the word, I shall be mocked, everyone will deride and flout at me; I shall be a laughing stock to the world, I shall become a Proverb unto them, and the drunkards will sing songs against me. But choose whether thou wilt endure a reproach here for a season, or be mocked of the Lord forever. It is better for thee here to suffer affliction with the people of God, then to have the Lord scorn thy folly forever. Therefore, the wise man teacheth us this doctrine, Prov. 1, 25, 26. Because ye refused my counsel, and would none of my correction, I will also laugh at your destruction, and mock when your fear cometh. And the Prophet David declareth, that when the wicked band themselves against the Lord, and against Christ, He that dwelleth in the Heavens shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision, Psal. 2, 3, 4.

True it is, this is spoken according to our capacity and understanding: not that there is any disposition of laughing, or affection of scorning in God, but he leaveth men in their miseries, and maketh them oftentimes a mocking stock to the world. They shall have no comfort from his presence, he shall rejoice in the day of their calamity, which shall be to them as bitter as death, and as hard to be born as hell it self.

Lastly, hereby a door is not set open to fleering and flouting one of another, which proceedeth from the scum and froth of many men's wits. For, as all deriding is not unlawful, so all taunting is not lawful. Wherefore, whatsoever mocking proceedeth from the gall of our hearts, from the contempt of our brethren, from pride, disdain, lightness, bitterness, biting, disgracing, and reproaching of others, cannot stand with our holy profession, but is a fruit of the flesh, & a corruption of the old man, which must be pulled up. Therefore the Apostle writing to the Ephesians, and instructing them to walk in love, as Christ hath loved us, saith, Fornication and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let them not be once named among you as it becometh Saints, neither filthiness, neither foolish talking; neither jesting, which are things not comely, but rather giving of thanks. Where he doth not simply forbid all mirth and jesting, but the peevish humor of many men that delight in jesting and gibing against others, who regard not what jests they break upon their brethren, so they may revenge their own malice, and disgorge the venom of their own hearts. These men seek to build up their own names by the ruin of others, and desire to grace themselves by the disgrace of others. Such persons may well be in love with their own wits, but all discreet men may espy the want of much wisdom in them. This biting and bitterness one toward another cannot stand with our calling, to the truth and profession of the faith. We have not so learned Jesus Christ. We must account the good name of our brethren, as their chiefest Jewel. The credit and reputation of many men is as their chiefest Jewel. Therefore the wise man saith, Prov. 22, 1. A good name is to be chosen above great riches, and loving favor is above Silver and Gold. Eccles. 7, 4. Wherefore, let no man think to raise himself by the fall of others, or to gain estimation to himself by the discredit and defamation of other men.

[But only what thing I say unto thee, that shalt thou do.] In the • e words, God before hand instructeth and informeth Balaam what shall be the event and issue of all his desires, namely, that howsoever he coveted to curse the people of God, and so to earn his wages and hire by the practice of wickedness; yet he should be compelled and constrained against his will, to wish the flourishing estate of the Church, and to pronounce the blessing with his own mouth. Howsoever therefore he were maliciously bent, and carried with extreme fury and frenzy against the godly, yet God declareth that all his rage should turn to the good of the Church, and his tongue should vary from his heart. Hereby we learn, That the malice of the wicked, how great soever it be, is limited and restrained. Albeit the enemies of the Church be oftentimes suffered to proceed and prevail, and to lay very great afflictions on the servants of God, yet all their power is stinted and determined, & they can proceed no further then God suffereth and permitteth. This truth is taught us in sundry Scriptures for our instruction. When Laban intended evil against Jacob, God appeared unto him, and said, Gen. 31, 24 Take heed that thou speak not unto Jacob ought save good: and Jacob telleth him, that except the God of his father, the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac had been with him, he would have sent him away empty; but God beheld his tribulation, and the labor of his hands, and rebuked him yesternight. When Pharaoh and the Egyptians pursued after Israel with horses and Chariots, and sought their utter destruction, God fought for his people while they stood still and held their peace, Exod. 14, 25. This is it which our Savior signified when y ^e Pharisees said unto him, Luke 13, 32, 33. Depart and go hence, for Herod will kill thee, Then he said unto them, Go ye and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and will heal still today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected: nevertheless, I must walk today, and tomorrow, for it cannot be that a Prophet should perish out of Jerusalem. So Isaiah comforteth the messengers of Hezekiah against the blasphemies of Sancherib, against the dangers of the city, and against his railing on and reproaching the living God, 2 Kin. 19, 6, 7. So shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the Lord, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, Behold I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a noise, and return to his own land, because he hath raged against me, and his tumult is come up into my ears, therefore I will put my hook in his nostrils & my bridle in his lips, and I will bring him back again the same way he came. All these things teach us the truth of that doctrine which we have in hand, namely, that howsoever the ungodly rage and fret against the church of God, yet their malice and madness is limited, and the time of the continuance thereof appointed of God.

The reasons to confirm our faith farther [Reason 1] in this point are these. First, the providence of God ruleth all things in heaven and earth, the least and smallest things are ordained and ordered by him, nothing falleth out by chance, neither is whirled about in the wheel of fortune. The Birds fall not to the ground, the hairs fall not from our heads without the will of our heavenly Father, Matth. 10, verse 30. Howsoever therefore the enemies of the Church do take crafty counsels, and make bloody decrees against the peace and prosperity thereof, yet they can do no more then God hath concluded, and then he hath in his purpose determined. This the Apostles acknowledge, Acts 4. verse 2 • , in their prayer to God: Doubtless against thine holy Son Jesus, whom thou hast anno • nted, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered thenselves together, to do whatsoever thine hand and thy counsel hath determined before to be done. They cannot satisfy th • ir own lusts, nor accomplish the desseignes of their own hearts, their rage is restrained as with a bit and bridle, that it should not hurt the people of God.

Again, marvel not that the course of wicked [Reason 2] men is stopped by the hand of God, for the devils are limited, and all the power of darkness is curbed, so as the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church. We see this in Job 1, 12. & 2, 6. he could not slay his servants with the sword, burn up his sheep with fire, spoil him of his Camels by Robbers, destroy his children with winds, and touch his person with boils, before the Lord had said unto him, Loe all that he hath is in thine hand, but save his life. Likewise when the Lord Jesus dispossessed the two possessed with devils which came out of the graves very fierce, so that no man might go by that way, Matth. 8, 31: the devils could not enter into the heard of Swine, before they had besought him to suffer them to enter into them: so that we may be assured, that howsoever they be bloody spirits, and greedy to hurt, yet their tyranny is bound up, being compassed within the listes and limites of the power of God, and enclosed within the circle of his jurisdiction, that they cannot annoy such as are created after the image of God, and redeemed with the blood of Christ, without the divine permission. For, the Prince of this world is judged, and cast out, John 12, 31. and 16, 11. his weapons are taken from him, & the spoils divided, his works are dissolved and loosed, his head is bruised and broken.

[Use 1] The uses of this Doctrine minister great comfort and instruction unto us. First, we learn from hence to acknowledge the infinite power of God above all earthly power that is in flesh and blood. True it is, the rage of the enemies is great, and the gates of hell are set wide open against y ^e church of God, yet they cannot prevail or have the upper hand, for God is with us, his power is manifested, and his malice is abridged. It hath always been an hard matter for men to stay in dangers and fear; the remnants of infidelity and the dregs of distrust, do rest and remain in the best men. The truth and omnipotency of God is hardly yielded and consented unto, as appeareth in the example of Moses & Aaron, Num. 20, 12. They believed not God to sanctify him in the presence of the children of Israel, but spake unadvisedly with their lips. The like we see in the siege of Samaria, when the Lord promised, that tomorrow that time should be great plenty of Barley and fine flower to be sold, a Prince answered and said, 2 Kings 7, 2. Though the Lord would make windows in the heaven, could this thing come to pass? This appeareth in Zacharias, Luke 1, 18. when God promised him a son in his old age, he said, How can this thing be? And whereby shall I know this? When the Israelites were pursued & overtaken by the host of the Egyptians, and were in present danger of death, they wer so • e afraid, and forgot the power of God, able to deliver them. So the experience of our own hearts in all dangers and difficulties, that ordinarily fall upon us, doth tell us how hard it is to rest upon God, as an all-sufficient helper in time of need. We distrust God's promises, and fear in every evil that he will not or cannot succor us. Forasmuch therefore as we are privy to our own corruptions, being ready to think our help and deliverance to be impossible, let us in all troubles build on God's power, as on a firm rock and sure foundation, that can never be removed.

Secondly, hereby we have a great comfort in our troubles and sufferings, to consider the strong hand of God prevailing over them that do insult and triumph over the Church. The years and days, the very hours & moments of time touching the Churches afflictions are determined of God, so that the ungodly shall rage but their time. This is it which God speaketh to Abraham, Gene. 15, 13. That his seed should be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs, four hundred years, and shall serve them. Thus when the people of Israel were carried into Babylon, The days of their captivity are determined to be seventy years, Ier. 25, 11, 12, & 29, 10. When Pilate the Lieutenant of the Romans, and Judge of Judea had said unto Christ, John 19, 10, 11. Knowst thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to loose thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above. Let us therefore go constantly forward in our vocation, to do our duties, to speak freely in the midst of the enemies, though they do hear us & sit among us. This we see to have been the behavior of Christ, John 8, 20, 21. These things spake Jesus in the treasury as he taught in the Temple, and no man laid hands on him, for his hour was not yet come. Where we see, the place, the persons, the time, seemed to favor his enemies: yet he taught boldly, and preached openly amongst them. This example must be our imitation. Though we live among many dangers, & are enclosed with a thousand deaths, yet we must know that we are protected, regarded, & defended of God, we are by his right hand made able to stand, when so many devices of the ungodly assault us, and so many horns of the wicked push at us to overthrow us. It is an admirable and marvelous thing, considering the enemies of the Church and Gospel (both open and secret, professed and close, known adversaries, and close brethren, all mischeeuous, having also such men and means to work their malice) that any Church continueth in the world, being as a little flock among many wolves. Wherefore, if there be any light of the Spirit of God in us, the consideration of this, that their rage is determined, must give courage and constancy both to us that be teachers, and to you that be hearers, and work in us all assurance of help and assistance, to come from the highest heavens.

Thirdly, this doctrine is a great terror to [Use] the wicked persecutors and malicious enemies, to consider their estate, and to remember their condition, that they cannot do what they list, but what God will, they cannot execute wh •• they please, but what pleaseth God. This limitation of their rage & abridgement of their doings, is sufficient to dane their hearts, and to pull them back from fighting against God. If they could prolong their days and double their strength, as they can increase their malice, and double their devices, they might have some cause to insult and triumph over the faithful. But seeing they are stinted as the hireling that hath his task shared out unto him, it serveth notably to abate their pride, to asswage their malice, & to confound their devices and enterprises against the servants of God. They are not their own men, they are not free and at their own liberty, God holdeth them in, and tieth them short, that they cannot rage and reign at their own pleasure. Herod and Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles and the Jews, could do no more then God had determined. Let all the ungodly remember this doctrine, and consider it in their hearts, it will be a notable bridle to restrain them from all evil practices, and to stop the course of their corrupt purposes. They cannot prevail over the Saints of God, albeit for a time they have the upper hand. The time shall come when they must give an account of all their works.

Lastly, seeing the times of the enemies [Use 4] prevailing be set, let us not fear the faces of men, they can but run the race that God hath set them, albeit they rush forward like blind men, and think themselves able to do great things, yet their power is subject to an higher power, and their malice shall quickly have an end • . If a Prince should encourage any of his poor subjects against the might and oppression of any of his Nobles, and say • unto him; Fear not his fear, I will be thy defense and protection, I will stand between thee & danger, he shall do thee no harm: would not this make him joyful, and banish all fear from him of being over-borne and over-matched by his might? But this is our case and condition lying under the cross, afflicted of enemies, and persecuted for our profession: the Lord hath promised to bear us out, and to be a buckler round about us. If then the Lord be our light, and our salvation, whom shall we fear? If the Lord be the strength of our life, of whom shall we be afraid? Psal. 27, 1. Therefore, Christ Jesus comforting and imboldning his disciples against dangers to come, Matth. 10, 25, 26, 28, 31. & forewarning them that they should be delivered up to the Councils, be scourged in the Synagogues, be brought before Governors, and be hated of all men for his names sake, exhorteth them to patience & courage; I care them not, for there is nothing covered that shall not be disclosed; nor hid, that shall not be known: Fear ye not them that kill the body, & are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. We are safe under God's shield, they cannot cut off one hour of our life, they cannot shorten one moment of our time. But God will cut them off when it pleaseth him, & will stop them at a sudden, that they shall proceed no further. This is that which was laid before the Church of the Smyrnians, to asswage their sorrow, Revelation. 2, 10, Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: Behold it shall come to pass, that the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried, &c.

In the words going before, we have seen the departure of Balaam with the Princes: Now, we are to consider what befell him in the way in these words, and what entertainment he had at the kings hands, when he came to his journeys end, in the words following, to the end of the Chapter. Touching the former point, we see the wrath of God breaketh out and proceedeth against him for his going. For this journey being undertaken with a resolute purpose to curse the people, as Moses testifieth, Deut. 23, 5. hoping to prevail with God to have his consent; we see how God setteth himself against him, and reproveth him two ways: first, by the Ass, and afterwards by the Angel: and yet in the end sendeth him away to those his masters that had hired him.

[Object.] But here the question may be asked, Why God was angry? and wherefor his wrath was kindled against him, seeing he had granted him leave before, saying; Rise up, and go with them? if then God consented to his departing, why is he offended with his going? [Answer.] I answer, God did never simply allow and approve of his journey, but Balaam through ambition & covetousness rushing into evil, & not hearkening to the voice of God restraining him, he permitteth many things which he doeth not approve, and granteth the petitions of men, sometimes in wrath and indignation, as when he gave the people flesh in the wilderness, and set over them a King after the manner of the Nations round about them, Numb. 11, 12. So we have shown before, how God ironically taunteth and derideth the importunity of this sorcerer, but never gave his consent and approbation unto his wicked intent; and therefore the judgment of God attended upon him as a Sergeant to arrest him as he sat on his beast, and as his two servants waited upon him. For to the end he might be the better accepted of the King, and respected in his divination, the cunning man goeth with his two men to attend upon his worship. The true Prophets of God (as we read in the holy history) had but one man, as Gehazi served Elisha, 2 Kin. 3, 11. & Elisha poured water on the hands of Elijah, 2 King, 5, 20. & 6, 17. so Baruch was y ^e servant of Jeremiah, & Joshua of Moses. Exod. 24, 23. Nu. 11, 28. Deut. 1, • 8. But this false Prophet is attēded with his two servants, whose praise and estimation was from men, & not of God.

Now the wrath of God appeareth against him two ways, and both miraculous and extraordinary. For first, he is convinced by the dumb beast that bare him, who had more wit then the wizard that rod upon her. Therefore the Apostle teacheth us, 2 Pet. 2, 15, 16. That because he loved the wages of unrighteousness, he was rebuked for his iniquity, for the dumb beast speaking with man's voice forbad the foolishness of the Prophet. Secondly, he is reproved of y ^e Angel of God, who was ready to smite him, & to destroy him for his iniquity. Touching the first point, the Spirit of God setteth down three marvelous things to be thought upon of us; the quickness of her sight, the speech of her tongue, and the discourse of reason, or y ^e communication between her and her master. The sharpness of her eye is first of all noted as strange in that beast, who saw that which Balaam could not see. The Ass by nature is dull and heavy, slow and sluggish by kind above every beast of the field, both slow paced, and dim sighted: therefore where as she saw the Angel, her eyes must of necessity be opened of God, and endued with force above the course of hir nature; so that when the Angel stood armed in the way three times with his drawn sword to smite Balaam, she three times avoided the stroke by declining out of the way, & at y ^e third time saved her master by sinking down under the burden: and yet for hir good service was three times smitten with the staff in his hand. And as God opened her eyes, so also he opened her mouth, which is a wonderful miracle above nature; and gave her power to speak, which is a peculiar preeminence of mankind. True it is, God hath given many gifts to the unreasonable creatures, wherein also they excel man; yet to none hath he given the use of speech and benefit of language but unto man only, among all the works of his hands. And as he gave her the use of the tongue to speak with man's voice, so he gave her the benefit of reason, to speak with understanding. For she discourseth as a reasonable creature, and showeth forth the Art of concluding from many particulars, clearing her self of present blame by her by-past actions, and appealing to him as a witness and judge in that matter. Where she reasoneth after this manner:

The assumption is proved and confirmed by an human testimony, for she appealeth to Balaam to speak his conscience what he had ever found in her. And albeit God stirred up the Ass to be his schoolemistris, & wrought a wonder to check him to his face, yet the wretch is not moved at the matter, nor stirred up at the miracle to lay his hand on his mouth and give glory to God, but bursteth with anger, threateneth with words, and striketh her with a staff, & recompenceth evil for good. He chafeth and fretteth that the asse had mocked him: he considereth the fact of the asse, but marketh not his own fault, which was far worse, who had mocked with God. For y ^e authority of God is greater over man, then of man over his beast: and there is a greater difference and disproportion between the Creator and the creature, then is between creature and creature. There is greater equality between man & beast, between the work & the workman, between the potter and the clay between the saw and him that moveth it, between the Axe and him that heweth with it: then is between man whose breath is in his nostrils, and the eternal God, who is even a consuming fire. For every creature is finite, God is infinite, between which is no equality or proportion: so that the asse deserved not to be smitten of the man, but the man deserved to be stricken of God, as the Angel witnesseth.

But how could the Ass speak? or how could a brute beast, which is without reason, as the Apostle teacheth, discourse and conclude? Or where learned she the art of Logic, which is nothing else but the art of using reason, teaching to invent arguments, and then dispose them in order with good judgment? This seemeth to minister matter to Atheists and Libertines to deride all Religion, and to scoff at the Scriptures, taking occasion at this and other like places. For when they hear that an Ass could speak and reason the case with her master, they believe it no more then one of Esopes Fables, or a strange tale out of Ouids Metamorphosis, where trees, and birds, and beasts are made to speak. I answer, touching our selves that are nourished in the bosom of the Church, and been instructed in the Gospel of Christ, and trained up in the school of the Prophets, it is sufficient for our faith and staying up our consciences in the truth, to know that which Moses mentioneth verse 28. the Lord opened the mouth of the Ass, the which was as easy for him to do, as to give us reason and reasonable souls at the first. For when thou hearest that GOD opened the Asses mouth, it is as much as if it had been said, He that is almighty, powerful, and all-sufficient did it, that is without want or weakness, with whom nothing is impossible, who sitteth in heaven and doth whatsoever he will above the course and order of nature. And albeit we have not any like example in former times, nor in the generations afterward of the like work of God, yet whence hath mankind the use of speech and understanding, but that God gave it in the creation? We see sometimes he denieth it to some men that are borne deaf and dumb, and cannot speak, to the end we should acknowledge speech to be the gift of God, rather then of Nature. Sometimes also the Lord hath taken away the use of the tongue for a time, as we see in Zachariah, and peradventure also of his ear that he could not hear, inasmuch as the people spake not to him when they came together to be present at the circumcision of his son, but made signs to him how he would have him called. As then the Lord denieth the gift of speaking, and depriveth of it where he once hath given it: who can limit the holy One from bestowing speech, & framing the tongue of a beast to utter a voice and communication, as with the tongue of a man? or to give to the creature inferior in nature, that which is proper to the superior? For albeit God hath set, & settled an order in nature, yet himself is not ever bound unto it. Neither is this miracle in this dumb beast more marvelous, then that of Nebucadnezzar, he was driven from the society of men, he did dwell with beasts, he did eat grass l • ke the Ox and the Ass, his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till the hair of his head did grow as Eagles feathers, and the nails of his fingers like birds claws, and to conclude, he wanted all use of reason and understanding. Now the Ass did no more in this place resemble man, then this man did resemble a beast: as the Ass had reason given her, so had the King his understanding taken from him, being stricken by the hand of God with madness, and bereft of common reason and judgment, for it is said afterward, that his understanding was restored. Besides, we see the devil in the beginning used the tongue of the serpent to speak to our first parents. If Satan did this in the serpent, shall not the author of Nature be able to do it in the tongue of the Ass? for as the serpent by nature can do no more but hiss, so the Ass can do no more but bray. Shall we not ascribe so much to God, as to the devil? Could the devil use the serpents tongue as his instrument, and cannot God open the mouth of the Ass to teach a false and ignorant Prophet? Or if we confess that God can work miracles, why not this among others? If not this, then neither others. Now touching Atheists and Infidels that believe not the Scriptures, nor the power of God; to convince them that are patrons of Nature, but enemies of the God of Nature, we see how in Pies and Popin-iayes, he hath left a certain resemblance of speech, and thereby showeth forth what he is able to do in the rest when it pleaseth him. We know by experience in all ages, and learn by relation and report of all histories, that the devil hath spoken in the mouth of other creatures: what impiety then is this, to yield that to the devils which they deny to God, and detract from the most High?

Hitherto of the reproof of the Ass reprehending his master, now of the reproof of the Angel. True it is, he was unworthy of any other teacher then his own Ass, being a fit master for such a scholar: for such as refuse to hear the Lord speaking, are worthy to be sent to learn of brute beasts and senseless creatures. Notwithstanding, because this proud Prophet scorned so base a teacher, and disdained to learn wisdom in y ^e Asses school, to y ^e end he should not be exalted out of measure, nor insult with contempt over his beast, the Angel of God appeareth unto him, represseth his folly, and giveth light and sight to his blind eyes. This showeth that his eyes were first of all closed and shut up, whereby he was withholden from discerning the Angel. And this restraint was rather miraculous then natural. For if it had been natural, it would have failed in the discerning of other objects, as well as of this one. But his eyes being opened, then he began to behold the Angel, to cast himself down before him, to confess his own wickedness and ignorance, & to submit himself wholly to his pleasure, after that the Angel had reproved his cruelty, and testified the Asses innocence; who, if she had not been warier and wiser then her master, had procured the speedy death and destruction of the Sorcerer. Lastly, Balaam having acknowledged his sin and confessed his ignorance, the Angel giveth him leave to go his journey: so he goeth merrily with the messengers, hoping that as he had obtained liberty to resort & repair to the Moabites, (which before was denied unto him) so he should in time likewise draw the Lord to give his consent that he might curse the people. But here the question may be asked, who, or what this Angel of God was, that had this conference & communication with Balaam? whether it were one of the created Angels, or not? Some suppose it was Michael the Archangel that was appointed ruler over that people. Some, that it was another of the elect Angals and invisible spirits. Others affirm, that it was Christ Jesus the Angel of the covenant, the Prince of the Angels of God, and the head both of men & Angels. And this I rather assent & subscribe unto, for these causes and considerations. First, because so often as Moses doth make mention of the Angel of God, for the most part, or always he understandeth Christ the leader and conducter of his people in the wilderness; and therefore the Apostle saith, They tempted Christ in the wilderness, and were destroyed of serpents. Whosoever shall diligently read the books of Moses, & carefully observe his manner of speaking, shall easily find, that when he speaketh of the Angel of God, and the Angel of the Lord, he meaneth Christ Jesus, & calleth him sometimes the Lord, as Gen. 16, 7, 13, & 22, 20, 12, 16, & 31, 11, 13. Exod 4, 19. So in this place, he calls him sometimes the Angel, sometimes the Angel of the Lord, sometimes the Lord, understanding by them all, one & the same Christ. Secondly, it is said, verse 31. that Balaam fell down and worshipped him, which no one of the elect Angels and blessed spirits (albeit excelcellent and glorious creatures) would ever have accepted, but all of them would with one consent have refused and rejected the same. For when John, ravished with the glory of the Angel, fell at his feet to worship him, he forbad him, and shown the reason thereof, Revel. 19, 10. & 22.8. See thou do it not, I am thy fellow-servant, and one of thy brethren the Prophets, & of them which keep the words of the prophecy of this book worship thou God. Now the Angel of God in this place doth not forbid divine worship to be exhibited unto him: but if he had been a creature, and had usurped the honor of God, he should be an angel of the devil not of God, Neither let any say, that he bowed himself upon his face, adoring God, when he saw his Angel ready to take vengeance of him, which doth doth not appear by any circumstance of • he Text, but rather that he understood this Angel to be the same Lord y ^t had before appeared and spoken unto him. This Angel of the Lord talketh with him as God himself, Ver. 32. saying, I came out to withstand thee, because thy way is not straight before me: he doth not say, his way was perverted before the Lord, as Peter speaketh to Simon the Sorcerer, Acts 8, 21. Lastly, Balaam speaketh to him, as to that God which had before appeared unto him, restraining him from cursing the people, and the Angel repeateth the same words, verse 35. which the Lord himself had uttered before, verse 20. For the Lord Jehovah had said unto him, Forasmuch as the men are come to call thee, Rise up, and go with them; but only what thing I say unto thee, that shalt thou do: so here the Angel is brought in, speaking in the same manner, Go with the men, but what I say unto thee, that only shalt thou speak. He saith not, what the Lord saith unto thee, but what I say unto thee. Now then, if it were the Lord that said before unto him, What thing I say unto thee, that only shalt thou do: then the same words being also pronounced by this Angel, making himself equal with the Lord, must needs be accounted to be uttered by God himself. Neither let any think it unfit or unlikely, that Christ should appear to a Sorcerer, for we heard before, how the Lord oftentimes appeared unto him; and we see, that when Agar was fled from Abrahamt house, the Lord spake unto her from heaven. Thus much touching the order of the History, the interpretation of the words, and the clearing of the Objections that arise out of the same. Now, let us come to the doctrines, which the Spirit of God offereth to our considerations, to be marked and remembered of us.

Verse 22. But the wrath of the Lord was kindled because he went, and the Angel of the Lord stood in the way to be against him.

Here we have to weigh and ponder in our hearts, in these words, the care of the Lord watching over the godly. The Israelites, after the fresh discomfiture of their enemies, do think themselves out of all danger, and imagine not, either Balak to be consulting, and the Midianites to be assisting, or Balaam to be practicing, and all of them joining and confederating against them, they know not that a pit is digged, and a snare to entrap them. But behold, how the Angel withstandeth, reproveth, and forbiddeth him again to attempt anything against his people. We learn hereby, that God delivereth those that are his, from dangers unknown to them, and when they have no power to deliver themselves. This the Prophet David testifieth, Thou didst draw me out of the womb, thou gavest me hope, even at my mothers breasts, I was cast upon thee, even from the womb, thou art my God from my mothers belly. He provided for his Church, by selling & sending Joseph into the land of Egypt, when they knew not • ing of the famine that was to come, whereby he saved much people alive, neither were they any way able to save themselves.

Herod the King invented great mischief against the Messiah, whereby also Joseph and Mary were in danger, he disclosed the secrer counsel of his heart to none, but pretended worship tow •• d him: yet we see how God preserved them all from the imminent dangers, which Christ through his tender age, and his parents thorough ignorance of his bloody purpose could not prevent, by sending them out of the reach of Herod, and commanding them to fly into Egypt. The like we see in the Acts of the Apostles, Chap. 12. where we read of another Herod, that slew James with the sword, and put Peter in prison, intending the next day to bring him forth to execution: no doubt he kept his in • ent secret to himself, yet by the earnest Prayers of the Church he was delivered from the imminent peril, and the Church comforted. In the dangerous voyage and shipwreck mentioned in the same book, wherein Paul was, who had deserved well of all the Passengers, had comforted them in their distresses, and had assured them of safety: yea, they were all saved for his sake: yet the unmerciful & unthankful Soldiers consulted to kill him, while he suspected nothing, but the Lord delivered him out of their hands, and moved the heart of the Centurion to save him. Whereby we se • , that the afflictions of the righteous are many some known to them, and some unknown, but the Lord in mercy is mindful of them, and bringeth them out of them all, as he did the Israelites in this place, from the cursing and conjuring of this Sorcerer.

The Reasons serving to confirm this doctrine are many. First, consider for this purpose, the titles of God whereby he is called, for our comfort. God is named a Father. Will a father save his son only from the perils that he seeth before his eyes, or will he suffer him to run into unknown dangers of fire or water, which the child could not understand, or understanding, could not pre • ent, but the father in his wisdom and prou •• ence knoweth? If we then that are evil know how to help our children, how much more shall our heavenly Father, that knoweth all things, give good things unto h • s children? God is called a shepherd; will the Shepherd see the silly sheep run ignorantly into places of danger, and not with his staff bring them back again? So the Lord watcheth over us, He will make us rest in green pasture, and lead us by the still wa • ers, so that his mercy and kindness shall follow us all the days of our life.

[Reason 2] Again, we are guarded by the Angels, so that there are more with us, then are against us. They are sent out to be ministering spirits, they incampe themselves about the Church for their protection. Wherefore, albeit we be simple & ignorant, & know not oftentimes the plots & policies of our enemies, yet seeing we have such mighty helpers, & such safekeepers, • e must know that we shall not fail to be delivered. This the Prophet teacheth, Psal. 3 • .7. & 91.11.12.

Thirdly, God would stir us up to be [Reason 3] thankful, and teach us wholly to depend upon him in all our dangers. Now what is able more effectually to work this in our hearts, and to open our mouths to the praise of our God, then to have a blessed experience of the comfortable presence of God for our deliverance, when we neither know our own miseries, nor find any means in our selves, • o rid our selves? Therefore the Prophet promiseth, being delivered from the mouth of the Lyon, to declare the Name of God unto his brethren, and to praise him in the midst of the congregation. Again, what may teach us better to trust in him, and to wait upon him for our salvation, then to consider his knowledge of our estate in the ignorance of our own dangers? Thus did David behave himself, thus he did dwell in the secret of the most High, and thus did he abide in the shadow of the Almighty, and being assured of his protection, he resteth in him. I will say unto the Lord. O mine hope, and my fortress, he is my God in him will I trust, he will deliver me from the hunter, and from the noisome pestilence.

The uses follow. First, this doctrine should [Use 1] direct us, and instruct us, to whom to go when we lie under the cross. For if God fore-see the dangers which we over-see, and keepeth us from those perils that we know not, whither can we go for help, but unto him? Shall we go to Saints or Angels? Doubtless thou art our Father: though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel know us not, Yet thou O Lord art our • ather and our Redeemer, thy Name is forever. Shall we trust in chariots or in horses? An horse is a vain thing to save a man, and shall not deliver any by his great strength: hope in the Lord, be strong, a • d he shall comfort thine heart & trust in the Lord. We cannot honor him more then when we depend upon him, and rest upon his mercy. This doth Ezra notably declare at the retu • ne of the Jews from captivity, saying, I was ashamed to require of the King an army, and horsemen to help us against the enemy, because we had •• oken to the King, saying. The hard of God is upon all them that seek him in goodness, but his power & h •• wrath is against all them that forsake him. e thought it fi •• er & far better, to commit himself to the protection of God, then by craving these ordinary means, to give any occasion, either to the weak brethren, to doubt of God's power, or to obstinate enemies to blaspheme God, and to say, What? is not the God whom ye serve able to defend you? he hath brought them out maliciously to slay them, & was not able to bring them again into their land, without our strength & help! Wherefore, to stop the mouths of the Gentiles, to avoid all offenses, & to strengthen those y ^t were weak in faith, (albeit it were not in it self unlawful to ask aide, and to crave help of the higher power, but only in respect of circumstances) he proclaimeth a Fast, he humbleth himself before God, and looketh for all help to come from him.

Secondly, let us not stand in fear of them, but fear him before whom all things are naked and open, who discloseth the hidden things of the heart, who hath said, There is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed: neither hid, that shall not be known. Hell and destruction are before him, how much more the hearts of the sons of men? Indeed the heart of man is an hidden thing, and an unsearchable thing: howbeit, God not only searcheth the heart and trieth the reins, but understandeth the deepest things of the earth, he knoweth the state of the dead and damned souls that are in hell, which things of all other are most hidden from the eyes of man. Albeit therefore the ungodly conspire against the Church never so closely, and albeit they conspire never so deeply to hide their counsels from God's all-seeing Spirit, yet he shall find them out in their sins, and bring them unto judgment; he shall bring to light their privy devices, and scatter them in their own imaginations in his good time. This serveth to put life and courage into us, to lift up our hands which hang down, and strengthen our weak knees. Let us not fear them that fear not God; but fear God, and comfort our selves in him.

[Use 3] Thirdly, seeing God breaketh the snare of the Fowler that is hidden, and setteth his servants at liberty, that want the knowledge of the danger, and means of escaping: let us seek betimes to be parts of his family, to be citizens of his Kingdom, to be members of his body, and to be children of the true Church, that we may be under the protection of this mighty God, whose presence is every-where, whose Throne is the heaven, whose footstool is the earth, whose Dominion is infinite. If a man abounded in wealth, lived in honor, bathed himself in pleasures, yet if he be not in the number of the faithful, he cannot take any sound comfort in all these, For all outward blessings in an unsanctified man are unsavory; To them that are defiled and unbelieving, is nothing pure, but even their minds and consciences are defiled. To the pure are all things pure, but the unfaithful defile all things that they touch and handle. Their sweet savors and pleasant smells are stench. Their good meats and strong drinks are gall and worm-wood. Their delicious fare is as poison. Their costly apparel is as a menstruous clothe. Their beds of ease are sinks of sin. Their life is a death. The best things they do are foul and filthy. So long as we continue in this estate, and have not our hearts purified by faith, we cannot please God; (For without faith it is impossible to please him) neither can we be under the wings of his defense. This therefore shall be our comfort, to be sheep of his fold, that he may be our Sheepheard to seek us when we are lost, & to bring us home when we are gone astray, to feed us in his green Pastures, & to pull us with his right hand out of dangers, when we are falling into them. Otherwise, if we content our selves to be in the Church, and labor not to be of the Church, we can look for no defense or deliverance from him, but rather destruction of soul and body, and calamity upon calamity, to fall upon us.

Fourthly, this doctrine teacheth, that seeing [Use] God bringeth us out of unknown and desperate dangers that we think not of: how much more can he, and will he deliver us, when we knowing them, do call and cry unto him for help, that we may escape them? If he be not far from us when we do not pray unto him, but be found of them that sought him not, and answer them that asked not for him: how much more may we assure our selves, that he will preserve us from dangers, when we crave his aide and assistance? seeing his hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, neither is his eye dim and dark, that he cannot see and behold our miseries that are upon us.

This doctrine therefore serveth greatly to comfort and encourage us to pray unto him in all our afflictions, and to increase a double care in us, to pour out our Meditations before him. How many in their troubles and crosses into the which they are fallen, begin to sink down under the burden, and to cast off their confidence, which notwithstanding hath great recompense of reward? Surely, if we did wisely consider the watchful eye of God's providence over us, who fore-seeth our dangers before they come, and preserveth from the troubles which we through our blindness and ignorance cannot understand; we may assure our selves of the presence of his hand when we know our selves to be in trouble, and pray unto him for deliverance out of trouble. When a son hath had experience of the loving kindness of his father, in pulling him out of danger, as it were out of the fire, which he saw not to be kindled against him: can he doubt or despair of the care of his father over him, or think he will leave him, when he calleth unto him for help out of dangers that are seen and felt? Doubtless, he that hath an eye to fore-see dangers, will have an ear to hear in the time of danger. Let this comfort us greatly, and cheare up our hearts, while we lie under the cross; let us persuade our own souls, that he which performeth the greater, will always be ready to accomplish the less: he that delivereth from the pit that was hidden, will help us to escape from that which lieth open • and he that discovereth a secret snare laid to entrap us, will not leave us, nor forsake us when we entreat for succor in the midst of our greatest afflictions that we find and feel to be upon us.

Lastly, we are admonished by this favor [Use 5] of God towards us, to give him the praise and glory of his own works. True it is, when we have used all holy means for our delivery, yet the praise is due to the Lord. How much more therefore ought we to render all thanksgiving to God, when he hath done it without our means? and confess that he hath done great things for us?

Thus did the people when they returned out of Babylon, as the Prophet declareth, Psal. 126. Vhen the Lord brought again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream: then was our mouth filled with laughter, & our tongue with joy; then said they among the heathen. The Lord hath done great things for them: the Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we rejoice. He watcheth for us, when we rest: he waketh for us when we sleep: he heareth, when we are deaf: he riseth up for us, when we lie down: he is a buckler about us, when we are assaulted: he is the God of knowledge, when we are ignorant. And if ever there were people under the heaven that hath experience of God's watchfulness in this kind, it is this Nation of great Britain. O unthankfulness, if we do not acknowledge it! O wretchedness, if we do not ever remember it! O wickedness, if we do not teach it to our posterities! For hath not God delivered us from the most cursed and execrable plot of desperate enemies that ever was contrived, against the King, the Queen, the Prince, and the rest of their progeny? against the Lord's, the Commons, the whole Church & kingdom, determining suddenly to have blown up the whole house of Parliament with gun-powder. Now as this was an invention bloody, an intention barbarous and inhumane, so by what means were we delivered? was it by our fasting and prayer? was it by humbling our selves before our God, and crying strongly in the ears of the Lord of hosts? was it by our tears and weeping for our sins; saying, spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine inheritance into reproach, that the Priests and Jesuits should rule over them? Nay, we used none of all these, we suspected no danger, we feared no enemies, we dreamed of no devilish devices against the land: so that to detect and disclose the fore-named cursed conspiracy was the Lord's doing only, and it is marvelous in our eyes. When an invasion in the year 88. was intended by the supposed invincible Armado, glorying in their strength, munition, ships, preparations, & confederates, it was indeed the Lord's mercy toward us, to cross and curse their attempt, and to raise the winds and seas against them; howbeit this was not without using of means, as rigging of ships, arming of men, mustering of soldiers, yea it was not without sanctifying of fasts, calling solemn assemblies, and crying unto the Lord. If then we did sing songs of thanksgiving for that deliverance, how should our hearts be kindled and inflamed with joyfulness, and with what praises should we express our thankfulness, but even vow unto the Lord, our selves, our souls and bodies, to offer them up a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto him? For, as many have been the practices of the malicious and bloody Papists, yet this surmounteth them all: so many have been the deliverances of our Princes, of our Rulers, of our Magistrates, of our Ministers, of our people; but this surmounteth and surpasseth them all. Let us therefore rejoice unto the Lord, let us sing aloud to the rock of our salvation: let us come before his face with praise, let us sing loud unto him with Psalms: for the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. He sitteth in heaven, and laugheth to scorn the devices of the wicked. He ruleth in earth, and maketh all his enemies his footstool.

Verse 28. [Then the Lord opened the mouth of the Ass.] When Balaam had smitten his Ass three times y ^t had saved his life, it pleased God to work a wonder, to alter the course of nature, to give speech to the Ass, & to make her able to reprove her master. God indeed could otherwise have set his sin in order before him, but a dumb beast is teacher fit enough for the falls Prophet. We see hereby, that God so often as it pleaseth him, worketh above nature & ordinary means. Hereunto come all the miracles w ^c God hath shown from the beginning of the world. He gave unto Abraham & Sarah a son in their old age, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not, as though they were. He stayed the course of the Sun, divided y ^e red sea, fed his people with Manna, stopped the mouths of Lions, quenched the violence of fire, opened the earth to swallow his enemies, brought water out of the hard rock. He sent signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, unto this day, & in Israel, and among all men, & hath made him a name, as appeareth this day. He brought his people out of the hand of Pharaoh with signs & with wonders, & with a strong hand, with a stretched out arm, and with a great terror. He gave power to a virgin to conceive & bear a son, y ^t he might save his people from their sins.

The reasons remain to be considered and [Reason 1] handled, to confirm us farther. First, mark the nature of God, he is great in counsel, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, mighty in his works, and in his enterprises. Who made the heaven? who framed the earth? and laid the foundation thereof upon the depth? who brought light out of darkness? Is it not the Lord that doth whatsoever he will, in heaven, in earth, in the depth, and in all the world? This the Prophet Jeremiah teacheth, chap. 32. Ah Lord God, behold thou hast made the heaven, and the earth by thy great power, & by thy stretched out arm, and there is nothing hard unto thee he maketh the barren fruitful, he brought all things out of nothing, who only doth great wonders, for his mercy endureth forever; who by his wisdom made the heavens, and hath stretched out the earth upon the waters, for his mercy endureth forever.

Again, thereby he maketh his name known, [Reason. 2] and his power to be acknowledged in the world. This is declared by Nehemiah in the prayer of the Levites, chap. 9. Thou hast considered the afflictiō of our fathers in Egypt, & heard their cry by the red Sea: and shown tokens and 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of the land: for thou knowest that they dealt proudly against them, therefore thou madest thee a Name, as appeareth this day. Wherefore, to the end the power and presence of God may be known both to the Church and the enemies of the Church, he breaketh and interrupteth the natural order and course of things. Hereupon it is, that Joshua calleth the children of Israel, and telleth them, that by the miracle of dividing the waters of Jordan, they should know that the living GOD was among them, and would cast out the Canaanites before them.

[Use 1] The use of this doctrine may be made in this manner. First, it serveth fitly to condemn all Atheists and earth-worms, that advance nature to throw down the power of God. Indeed if GOD only wrought by ordinary means, and according to the strength of second causes, some pretence might be alleged, and some color of reason produced to doubt of the divine power. But seeing GOD worketh not only by nature and by means, but sometimes above nature, and without all means, and sometimes against all means; the evidence of this truth is cleared, the power of GOD is manifested, and the mouths of all Infidels, and of iniquity it self is stopped. Our faith must go beyond reason, if we will profess our selves scholars in the school of Christ. In the schools of the Philosophers, reason goeth before assent; but in the school of GOD, first we have use of faith, and after followeth discourse of reason. Let us therefore learn to magnify the Scriptures, and by the authority of them tread and trample upon all Atheism and Prophanenesse. As many miracles as we find expressed and wrought by the finger of God, so many testimonies and evidences we have against these patrons of Nature, who being wholly carnal & corrupt, know nothing that is spiritual. These deny the resurrection of the body, and the immortality of the soul, that so they might escape the sentence of the eternal ludge, by whom they shall be judged in the last day, and shall know to their confusion that there is a GOD whose power is infinite, who will not make the wicked innocent, but visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon children's children to the third and fourth generation, and reward everyone according to his works. He is able to be revenged on all his enemies, who shall sooner pul their hearts out of their breasts, then God out of their minds. This Moses setteth down Deut. • 2. Behold now, for I, I am he, and there is no gods with me, I kill and give life: I wound and I make whole: neither is there any that can deliver out of mine hand: If I whet my glittering sword, and my hand take hold on judgment, I will execute vengeance on mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me, I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall eat flesh, for the blood of the slain, and of the captives, when I begin to take vengeance of the enemy. This is God's arrow against all Atheists: this is a fearful thunder-bolt thrown down upon their heads, which shall crush them in pieces, & testify their destruction, which shall come upon them when there is none to help. Let such therefore betimes acknowledge a God of Nature, that he may be to them a GOD of grace: let them confess him to work when he will, by extraordinary means, that he may direct them in the ordinary paths that lead to salvation and eternal life: let them reverence him as the ruler of the world, that he may rule in their hearts by his Word and Spirit, and Sacraments, whereby he applieth to us his heavenly gifts.

Secondly, let us learn by this miraculous [Use 2] manner of working, to trust in him when all means fail us: and tie not him to the ordinary course of second causes, that is able to make the Sun and Moon to stand still, as in the pursuit of Joshua: and to bring the Sun back again many degrees in the Diall of Ahaz, as in the comforting of Hezekiah: and to turn the Sun into darkness, as we see in the time of the passion of Christ. He is able to do whatsoever he will, and more then he will do. It is an easy matter for every man to say he trusteth in God, and boast of his faith, when no means fail him, when he hath abundance and store of all things, when he is fed to the full with his hid Treasure, that they leave the rest of their substance for their children: when God compasseth them about with his mercies, That they wash their paths in Butter; and have the Rocks to pour them out Rivers of Oil, as Job speaketh, it is quickly said and spoken, that we will rely upon God, and acknowledge his providence. But if GOD blow upon our means, they shall do us no good: he can take us from them, as he dealt with the unfaithful rich man: or he can take them from us, as he dealt with his faithful servant Job▪ We must therefore depend upon him in time of war, as well as of peace: in want, as well as in time of wealth: in sickness, as in health: when he shall make the heaven as iron, and the earth as brass; when he shall take away the staff of bread: when he shall cause thee to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, thou must then cal on him for thy daily bread, and say with Job: Loe, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. Commit thy ways and works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be directed. Cast all your care on him, for he careth for you. Such we are indeed, as we are in adversity. Such is our faith, as it is found in the day of temptation. Wherefore, let us lift up our eyes to him that sitteth in the heavens, and swayeth all things by his providence, and say with the Prophet, Psal. 28. The Lord is my strength, and my shield, mine heart trusted in him, and I was helped; therefore mine heart shall rejoice, and with my Song will I praise him. The Salvation of the righteous men shall be of the Lord, he shall be their strength in the time of trouble. For the Lord shall help them and deliver them, he shall deliver them from the wicked, and shall save them, because they trust in him.

Thirdly, let us not doubt of the promises, [Use 3] or providence of G G D, who is able to make good the words of his own mouth, how incredible or impossible soever they seem in our eyes. Therefore, the faith of Abraham the Father of the faithful is commended by the Apostle, that above hope he believed under hope, that he should be the Father of many Nations, and he not weak in faith, considered not his own body which was now dead, neither the deadness of Sarah's womb, neither did he doubt of God thorough unbelief; but was strengthened in the Faith, and gave glory to God, being fully assured, that he which had promised was able to do it. This is a great comfort, if at any time we see the miseries and ruins of the Church, if we behold the desolation & havoc that is made of it, that God is able to restore the flourishing estate thereof again. God can work above means without; so that albeit we can see with an eye of flesh no way to work the safety of the Church, let us not despair or cast away our confidence and hope, which hath great recompense of reward. We read how God saved Israel, when there appeared no means of deliverance in the eyes of men, the rocks and mountains hemmed them in on both sides, the red Sea was before them, the host of the Egyptians marched behind them, no way was left them to escape the dangers in man's judgment. But as the Church in this world, is ever subject to affliction, and to lie under the cross; so God doth not incontinently deliver it out of danger, but many times continueth their troubles, and augmenteth their calamities, to exercise their faith, to try their patience, and to prove their obedience; notwithstanding, in the end, God maketh an happy issue, and showeth that the gates of hell shall never prevail against the Church. Therefore, when the Israelites began to murmur, and not so much against Moses, as against God, and looked more to the danger of death before them, then to the power of GOD above them, and considered more what they did want, then what they should believe; Moses said unto them, Fear ye not, stand still, and behold the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to thee this day; for the Egyptians, whom ye have seen this day, ye shall never see them again: the Lord shall fight for you, therefore hold you your peace. When there was a great persecution raised against the Church at Jerusalem, so that the sheep of Christ were scattered abroad, and nothing but threatenings and slaughter breathed out against the Disciples of the Lord, Authority being given by the High Priest to imprison all such as called on his Name: rather then the Church should be rooted out, the Lord Jesus appeared in the Heavens to Paul, as he was in the way, being now come near to Damascus, called him to the knowledge of the truth, and appointed him to be a teacher of the Gospel that before he destroyed, so that we may renew the ancient Proverb, Is Saul also among the Prophets? So when we see the dangerous times, and perilous seasons of the Church, let us not hang down our heads, but rather lift up our hearts, and cry unto God, saying; Help Lord in the time of need, forsake not thine inheritance, which thou hast purchased, nor the Vine-yard which thy right hand hath planted. And let us assure our selves, that when the cause thereof seemeth most desperate, and help appeareth to us to be farthest off, then is his mercy greatest, and his presence nearest; then is his power made perfect through our weakness. This is that which the Prophet Zacharias witnesseth, chap. 8. speaking of the return of the people from captivity unto Jerusalem, and of the loving kindness of GOD to be extended toward them. For albeit the residue that were left, were reproached, the Citty ruinated, the gates burned, and the wall broken down, yet he prophesieth. That old Men, and old Women shall dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and the streets of the City shall be full of Boys and Girls, playing in the streets thereof. For thus saith the Lord of hosts, Though it seem impossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it therefore be impossible in my sight, saith the Lord of hosts? [Use 4]

Lastly, as this Doctrine teacheth us to believe the promises of God, so it teacheth us not to doubt or despair of the saluatiō & conversion of our brethren; for God is able to cal and convert them to the saving knowledge of the Gospel. This the Apostle urgeth, entreating of the calling of the Jews, to embrace the faith of the Gentiles, And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. Likewise when the Disciples saw and heard the difficulty of entering into heaven for those that trust in their riches, that they have need of a singular gift of God, to escape out of the snares & subtleties of Satan; Christ Jesus beheld them and said unto them, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. He calleth at all hours of the day, at the dawning of the day, at the third hour, at the sixth, at the ninth, and at the eleventh hour. For as he is bound to no person, so he is bound to no time: he calleth whom he will, he teacheth and toucheth the heart when he will. This we see in the example of the Apostle Paul (which we spake of before,) he was at the first a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an oppressor, yet he was received of God to mercy, to the encouragement of them which shall in time to come believe in him unto eternal life. So was Mary Magdalene a grievous sinner, an unclean liver, out of whom he had cast seven devils, yet many sins were forgiven her, inasmuch as she loved much; & was the first to whom the Lord appeared after his resurrection. Wherefore, albeit we s • e men run on in their wickedness, and shut their ears against the wholesome admonitions of the word of God, albeit their whole life be a continual practice of sin, and that they drink in iniquity, as the fish doth the water, yet we must judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will lighten things that are hid in darkness, and make the counsels of the hearts manifest, and then shall every man have praise of God. God is not tied to ordinary causes, but as he fed the people with Quails in the wilderness, so he can inwardly instruct the conscience, he can make the least means powerful and effectual to salvation: so that as many which are first shall be last, so sometimes the last shall be first. He called John the Baptist, as it were in the dawning of the day, whom he sanctified from his mothers womb. He called Timothy and Titus, & some others as it were at the third hour of the day, Who were brought up in the knowledge of the Scriptures of children, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through the faith which is in Christ Jesus; and honored the Lord with the first fruits of their life, He called Paul to be an Apostle, Mary Magdalene to be a believer, as it were at the sixth hour, who after their conversion redeemed the time; and though they were inferior to other in respect of time, yet they were equal unto them, or before them in regard of zeal, & other graces of God's Spirit. He called the thief upon the cross, as it were at the eleventh hour, to be partaker of his kingdom, to whom Christ said, This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Let us not therefore enter into judgment against our brethren, let us commit them to God, Seeing it is not for us to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his own power. Let us pray for their conversion to God, that he would give them repentance to know him, and to come out of the snares of the devil, of whom they are holden captives. In the mean time, until this wonderful work of grace be wrought in thē, Who art thou that condemnest another man's servant? he standeth or falleth to his own master, yea he shall be established, for God is able to make him stand.

Verse 31. [Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with his sword drawn.] The Lord that before opened the mouth of the asse, now openeth the eyes of Balaam, who is here called, the Lord, and the Angel of the Lord. Not that his eyes were shut or closed before, or that he was blind; but his senses were holden, that he saw not the Angel of God who appeared in a visible and bodily shape, otherwise he could not be seen of the Ass. And the Lord Jesus did often appear in the Old Testament in a bodily shape, to teach the Church, that when the fullness of time should come, he would take upon him the nature of man, made of a woman, & made under the Law. Thus he appeared to Abraham, accompanied with two of his Angels, Genesis 18, For we do not read that God the Father ever took upon him the shape of man, or God the Holy-Ghost: to show that the second person in Trinity only, should be incarnate, & neither the Father, nor the Holy-Ghost. The senses of this Sorcerer were so astonied, that before his eyes were opened, he discerned not the Angel standing by him with a drawn sword ready to strike him: now he perceiveth the presence of the Angel. We learn from hence, that we can have no use of the senses further then God enableth and blesseth. True it is, nothing can be more natural, and nothing seemeth more in our own power, then for the ey to see, the ear to hear, the heart to understand, the hand to handle, the foot to walk; yet all our senses, gestures, and motions of the body, are ordered at the will & pleasure of God. We cannot open our eyes to see, further then he will: and when they are open, we shall discern no more then blind men that grope in the dark, without his direction. Hereunto cometh the example of the Sodomites, Gen. 19. who pressing upon Lot with threatening words, and unclean thoughts, and running with rage to break open his doors, The Angels smote them all both small and great with blindness. They could have stricken them with sudden death, but they are reserved to a greater judgment: and this work of God is the greater, in that their eyes are open, & they are not utterly deprived of sight, and yet they see or discern nothing at all. Thus they stand amazed, going up & down, & yet not knowing whither they went. That which was one, seemed double: the thing near at hand seemed far off: that on the right hand seemed to be on the left: that before them, seemed to be behind them. Thus they see the door, & seek to break it up, but know not where it standeth, or which way to find it. The like we see afterward, Chap. 21. when Hagar the bondwoman with her Ishmael were cast out of Abraham's house, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba, God opened her eyes, & then she saw a Well of water. Hereunto also come the prayers of Elisha, both touching his servants, and the Aramites. For when the King of Aram sent horses and chariots, and a mighty host to take the Prophet (who had discovered his secret counsels) and his servant beholding the Army, cried out, Alas Master, how shall we do? he answered, Fear not for they that be with us, are moe then they that be with them: and he prayed, saying, Lord I beseech thee open his eyes, that he may see; and the Lord opened the eyes of the servant, and he looked, and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. Again, when the Aramites came about him, and thought themselves sure of him, he prayed unto the Lord to smite this people with blindness: He did not pray unto GOD, to kill and destroy them, that they might fall into the pit which they had digged for his life: neither did he pray to GOD to take away wholly the use of their sight, and put out their eyes. They saw their way, they saw the Prophet, they saw the towns and cities as they took their journey; but they discerned not the way, they knew not the cities, they perceived not the Prophet who he was. So then, howsoever we have eyes to see, and ears to hear, & want neither wisdom nor counsel, yet we can see, hear, mark, and perceive no more then God will have us: our sight is confused, as at the building of Babel, their language was confounded.

[Reason 1] The Reasons are: First, because nothing can prosper or be blessed unto us without his special guidance and direction. We cannot perform and accomplish anything, except the Lord's blessing concur with the same. This the Prophet David teacheth, Psal. 127. Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the keeper watcheth in vain. Whereby we see, that all the labor and industry of men, in governing a family, or in upholding a Commonwealth, shall prove vain and unprofitable, unless God guide them, and give good success unto them.

True it is, the providence of God ruleth ouerall, and nothing is impossible to him to bring to pass, he is able to change Nature, and to alter the course of natural things. For shall anything be hard to him who worketh miracles and wonders at his own pleasure? And we must not neglect the means, but use them to his glory, and our comfort: and yet no means can do us any good any farther then they receive strength and virtue from him.

[Reason 2] Secondly, if we consider who made all things, and gave them unto man, we shall not greatly marvel that God hath the sovereignty and dominion over all that we have. For, who made the eye of man? who fashioned the ear? who created the heart? who gave to men wisdom and understanding? Is it not God who maketh all things in all men? If then he made the eye, how can we doubt but he hath power and authority to open and to shut, to lighten and to darken, to give sight, or to strike with blindness? If he planted the ear, and fashioned the heart, it is certain he can bore the ear, and open the heart, or he can harden the heart, and make the ear heavy. For as he knoweth what is in the heart, so he hath the ordering and disposing of it at his pleasure.

[Use 1] This doctrine offereth to our considerations, very good uses. First, seeing we can neither see, nor hear, nor use the means open before us, except God open our eyes; let us pray to God to guide us in the right use of our senses, as he hath given the senses themselves. Let us use all the means that God hath put into our hands, always with prayer to God, to bless them to us, and our comfort. Especially, when we come to hear his Word, let us crave of him to open our hearts, as he did the heart of Lydia, that she attended unto the things which Paul spake: so he that hath ears to hear, shall hear. For by nature we have uncircumcised hearts and ears: and through our corruption, we are as closed vessels unfit to receive the wholesome liquor, and pure waters of the Word of God, which is oftentimes preached to the condemnation of those that hear it. Therefore the Lord speaketh by the Prophet, Ye shall hear indeed, but ye shall not understand, ye shall plainly see, and not perceive; make the heart of this people fat, make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they s • e with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and convert, and he heal them, even until their cities be without Inhabitants, their houses without possessors, their fields without tillers of them. He doth not always take away his Word, for the sins of men, but causeth it to be preached to their condemnation that will not obey it, nor express the power of it in their conversations. And surely, if we would know the cause of the ignorance & contempt of the Word, of the want of profiting and regarding of the preaching of the Gospel, which is the high ordinance of God in his heavenly wisdom, sanctified for the salvation of his Elect: we shall find this to be the chiefest: we rest and trust in our selves, we think it sufficient to bring our natural eyes, and carnal ears with us: whereas we should earnestly desire of God, the true use and comfortable fruit of them, otherwise we may see and hear to our further condemnation. This we see in the same sort practiced by the Prophet Elisha, when he was compassed with his enemies, he prayeth God to open the eyes of his servant, to see the help that God had sent him: he prayed likewise to God touching his enemies, first, to strike them with blindness, y ^t they might run into danger, then to open their eyes to see themselves in danger. Let us also continually give him thanks so often as we find his hand to be with us, and feel him with his gifts, to bestow upon us the use of his gifts, whether natural, or spiritual; to bless our senses, to direct our judgments, to sanctify our understandings, to soften our hearts, and to circumcise our ears. Now, if we must be fain to beg of God the proper functions, and right uses of our outward senses (which we have by nature) as if we had them not, and render praise unto God for them: how much more are we to ask of God a pure and clean heart, an humble and contrite spirit, the gift of repentance, and the grace of regeneration, which we have not by nature, but are contrary to nature? For the Apostle teacheth truly, that the wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God, because it is not subject to y ^e Law of God, neither indeed can be. And again, The natural man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. It is God that must reveal unto us by his Spirit the mysteries of his kingdom, which none of the Princes of this world have known: the spirit searcheth all things, even the deep things of God. This we see noted unto us in the communication and conference of Christ with the two disciples that went to Emmaus; he drew near to them to hear their reasoning together, of the things that happened at Jerusalem, touching the passion of Christ, but their eyes were holden that they could not know him. His body indeed was not in • isible, the change was not in him, but in their eyes which after a sort were dim'd & holden back, that they should not discern him for a season, & afterward their eyes were opened, that they knew him, as likewise Mary Magdalene, albeit she were neither blind nor deaf, yet discerned him neither by seeing, nor hearing of bim. Wherefore, we have not an absolute power over our senses, it is God that giveth the eye, y ^t must open it: much less have we power over our understanding, will, judgment, memory, & affections: & least of all concerning heavenly things, in which we are wholly blind, as we have already declared: so that it behooveth all of us to acknowledge all these to be in the power & disposition of God, either to diminish or restrain them, or utterly to bereave us of them, & take them away from us at his pleasure y ^t is the giver, & consequently we are always to entreat him to give us grace and power, that we may carefully use them as we ought to the glory of his Name, the profit of our brethren, and the comfort of our souls and bodies.

[Use 2] Secondly, let us take heed how we abuse them to our own hurt that have received thē, & to the dishonor of God that gave them, frō whō every good giving, & every perfect gift proceedeth. If we see not but at the pleasure of God, who is able to strike us with blindness & mists, that we shall grope in darkness, & seek some to lead us by the hand; or if we have our eyes open, we shall discern & distinguish nothing, but have the outward & inward senses dazzled, until he take away the scales from our eyes that cover them. The Apostle Peter complaineth in his time of corrupt men, led with sensuality, having eyes full of adultery, & that cannot cease to sin. We must beware how we turn our sight to a contrary end, then for which God hath lent it unto us, but rather with Job, We should make a covenant with our eyes, that they wander not after folly: and pray with the Prophet David, Psal. 119. Turn away mine eyes from regarding va • ity, & that they be not carried away after covetous affections. If we have ears by nature, yet hear at y ^e pleasure of God, how shall we thē give over our ears, & hearing to hearken to hateful slanders, lewd surmises, evil backbitings: flying tales, false accusations, & hurtful reproaches, raised and forged to the hurt of our brethren? He is able to try and touch us with dumbness, as he did Zacharias; with lameness, as he did Jacob; with blindness, as he did Elymas; with crookedness & deformity, as the woman in the Gospel; with foolishness, as he did Achitophel; with want of reason & understanding, as he did Nebucadnezzar; to teach us to take heed to our selves and our senses, lest we abuse them to our destruction.

Lastly, seeing God can blind the eyes, and [Use 3] bind up the senses when it pleaseth him, let us go forward & walk boldly in the duties of our calling, let us not fear any enemies, seeing the Lord hath so many ways to help his chosen people, to succor them, & to save them harmless Let us commit & commend our selves to his providence, who albeit he suffer us to fall into many dangers, yet he can smite his enemies with many & sudden judgments. He can visit them oftentimes & in sundry manners. Every thing serveth to his wll, & therefore, if we serve God, let us be assured he will make it serve to our benefit. They shall not stir a foot, or move any member, or lift up an hand, but at his beck and appointment. Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the Altar to lay hold on the Prophet, but immediately it dried up, and he could not pull it in again unto him. Ananias & Sapphira his wife, were among the Apostles, and seemed to be in perfect health & far from death: yet suddenly they fell down, & were carried out. Olde Eli, whose sons walked not in the steps of their father, sat upon a seat by the way side, waiting for the success of the battle fought against the Philistines. A man would have thought he sat safely and surely at his own pleasure, and no doubt he judged no less himself of himself; but when he heard that the Ark was taken, suddenly he fell from his seat backward, and his neck was broken. When Uzziah King of Judah presumed to burn incense upon the Altar of incense, & lift up his heart, to his own destruction, while he waxed wroth against y ^e Priests of the Lord, & had the incense in his hand to burn it, suddenly the leprosy arose in his forehead, & he was compelled to depant out of the Temple. We are able to do nothing of our selves, as of our selves, seeing that in him we live, & move, and have our being. Let us in all our sufferings comfort our selves herein, that the Lord holdeth the wicked in his own hand, & turneth their wisdom into foolishness. Absalom rebelled against his father, and was assisted by Achitophel. David's companion, and chief counselor: (for the counsel which he counseled in those days was like as one had asked counsel at the oracle of God) David prayed unto God to turn his counsel into foolishness, God heard his prayer, and confounded the deep wisdom of this great Politician so that he set his house in order & hanged himself. He catcheth the wise in their own craftiness, for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God: the Lord knoweth that the thoughts of the wise be vain: If any therefore seem to be wise in this world, let him be a fool, that he may be wise. All human wisdom in the unregenerate is oftentimes turned into extreme folly. Jezebel enemy against the Church, hated Elijah unto the death, but sending him this word by a messenger, The God's do so to me, and more also, if I make not thy life like one of theirs (whom thou hast slain) by tomorrow this time. 1 Kings 19, 2.3. hereby he had fit occasion and opportunity to fly away and to shift for himself, receiving warning, and learning wisdom by his enemy. Herod, a subtle Fox, and withal a bloody Lyon, and wise in his generation, might have sent one of his Courtiers with the wise men for his greater assurance, yet he sendeth them alone, and appointeth not one to go with them. Mat. 2, 8. Thus the Lord striketh his enemies with the spirit of giddiness, and turneth all their devices into sottishness: he circumuenteth the wise in their own policies, and the counsel of the wicked is made foolish: They meet with darkness in the day time, and grope at noon day as in the night: but he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the violent man, so that the poor hath his hope, but iniquity shall stop her mouth. Job 5, 12, 13, 14, 15. Indeed they seek ways & imagine means to destroy the godly, but they cannot find them out: they are endued with wisdom, judgment, & counsel, they are very subtle and deceitful, but that which happened to the eyes of the Sodomites, falleth upon their minds, They are smitten with blindness and madness, & are smitten with astonying of heart, &c. Deut. 28, 28, 29.

[Verse 34. Then Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, I have sinned. ] Here is offered to our considerations, the corrupt conscience of an evil man. So soon as the Lord charged him with his sin, by and by his heart smote him, and he confessed his offense. Here was no true sanctificatiō of the conscience, which indeed did check and condemn him for his disobedience and covetousness, but did not bridle & suppress the inclination of his heart unto evil, neither could testify that his transgression was pardoned. We learn in this example, that evil men are oftentimes compelled to confess their own sins. God wanteth not many ways and sundry means to draw from men a confession of their own iniquities. This we see in Pharaoh, when the hand of God was heavy upon him, and his plagues pressed sore against him, he called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have now sinned, the Lord is righteous, but I & my people are wicked. Exod. 9, 27. Albeit he could not believe to obtain remission, yet he confessed his sins to his condemnation. The like we see in Saul, who persecuted David, and sinned against his own conscience; yet when he saw that David had saved his life, when some willed and cried to kill him, he said, Thou art more righteous then I, for thou hast rendered me good, and I have rendered thee evil: I have sinned, come again my son David; for I will do thee no more harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes, &c. 1 Sa. 24, 18. and 26, 21. So then, howsoever the ungodly delight in sin, and regard not to provoke God to wrath, yet their own mouths are made witnesses against thenselves and they publish their own shame as with the blast of a Trumpet.

The Reasons are these: First, the wrath of [Reason 1] God is gone out against them, and their own consciences summon them unto judgment, to answer for their sins, before the high Judge of heaven and earth; so that the more they seek to cover and smother them in the ashes of their own corruptions, that the flame of them break not out, the more do the sparks fly out & are scattered abroad, to the shame and confusion of their own faces. This is it which the Prophet noteth in the people of Israel, whom God of his mercy had chosen to be his Church above other Nations, When the wrath of God came even upon them, and slew the strongest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel, then they returned to him and sought him early, then they remembered that God was their strength, and the most high God their redeemer: but they flattered him with their lips, and dissembled with him with their tongue, for their heart was not upright with him, neither were they faithful in his couenat. Psal. 78, 31, 34, 35, 36. Where we see, that howsoever hypocrisy were in their secret souls, and deep dissimulation in their secret parts, yet a counterfeit repentance is in their mouths, & their own harts had taught their tongues to lie against God.

Secondly, they would be like the children [Reason 2] of God in their afflictions, whom they regard not to follow, in their conversations. They hate them with a deadly hatred, and cannot abide them in their life, so long as themselves live in peace and sleep in security: but when the hand of God is heavy upon them, thē they would follow their example, and would give a world that they were like unto them. That they might die the death of the righteous, Numb. 23, 10. yet is their confession no true confession, because it proceedeth not from a feeling of the filthiness of sin, but ariseth from a fear of punishment; and therefore it is without conversion to God, without hope of mercy, without prayer for pardon, without hatred of sin, and without purpose to amend.

The uses of this doctrine are these. First, [Use 1] this overthroweth the doctrine of the Church of Rome, which teacheth that confession is a part of true repentance, which is a turning of the heart, and a right reformation of the life. For they make three parts of repentance, cont • ition of the heart, confession of the tongue, satisfaction of the work. But these are not to be holden of us as essential parts of a right repentance, inasmuch as they may agree to the Reprobate and unregenerate, and are all of them found in Judas that betrayed his Master, Math. 27, 34. For when he saw that Christ was condemned, he sorrowed, & was stricken with grief for the treachery he had committed: again, he confessed his sin before the high Priests, in betraying innocent blood. Lastly, he made satisfaction and restitution of the money which he had received. Besides, if we mark their own doctrine, who teach that contrition is an act of a man's free will proceeding from it, not an act of the Holy-Ghost: and, that satisfaction may be performed by another, one satisfying for another, as well as for himself; we may truly and soundly conclude from their false and unsound doctrine, that the reprobate may have sorrow of heart; yea, make confession and satisfaction, and consequently, their confession is no true member of repentance. This therefore cannot be the true Religion which faileth and faultereth in the chief points and foundations thereof. The like we might say of the faith of the Roman Church, which a reprobate may attain. For they define it to be a gift of God, and a certain light of the mind, whereby a man giveth a sure and a certain assent to those things that are revealed in the Word of God. And therefore our English Rhemists write, that we may know and feel whether we have faith, but cannot know whether we be in the state of grace. So Bellarmine in his first book of Justification avoucheth, that whereas we are taught in the Creed to believe the forgiveness of sins, The meaning of that Article is not, I believe or trust that my sins are forgiven, but I believe and confess that the gift of forgiving sins is found in the Catholic Church, which is received by Baptism, and other Sacraments. All this is but an historical and general faith, which the devil himself hath, who believeth and trembleth (as the Apostle teacheth, and therefore also the reprobates, whose minds are so far enlightened to know the truth. This is to believe as the Church believeth, albeit they know nothing how the Church believeth. If then the reprobate may be made partakers of the faith and repentance of the Church of Rome, which are the two chief parts of Religion, it confuteth those Politicians (wise in their own eyes) who neither shame, nor fear to maintain that the Romish Religion differeth not in substance from the doctrine of the reformed Churches, and consequently that they may be united & reconciled. If they can make a fellowship between righteousness and unrighteousness, a communion between light and darkness, & concord between Christ and Belial, then they may make an harmony and hotch-potch between these two, so contrary the one to the other. But they shall as soon bring the North and South pole together, and cause heaven & earth to join in one, as these two; the one grounded upon the infallible rock of the Scriptures only, the other built upon the traditions of their fathers.

[Use 2] Secondly, we must learn that they are further from the Kingdom of heaven that deny their sin, that hide it, that excuse and justify it; the reprobate shall rise up in judgment, and condemn this generation. It is one step toward the Kingdom of Heaven, to tremble at the judgments of God, to fear to commit sin, to sorrow and weep for it when a man hath committed it, to humble himself, and acknowledge his particular sins before men's, and to pray to God in his distresses; yet the reprobate may go thus far in his profession, and afterward fall away. This we see in Ahab, when Elijah had reproved him for his bloody oppression and Idolatry, and had denounced the wrath of God to fall upon him and his posterity, He rent his clothes put on sackcloth upon him, fasted, and went softly in token of mourning. Thus he humbled himself for some sins which he had committed, yet not for all his sins, neither did he ask pardon for them. So the Israelites murmuring against God, & desiring flesh for their lusts in the wilderness, had their prayers granted. If then the ungodly may go thus far in Religion, then they are hereby condemned, that justify themselves in their iniquities, and cannot be brought to a free confession of them, but hide them as Adam, or excuse them as Saul, or deny them as Achan, or defend them as Cain. Therefore, if we would find pardon at the hands of God, we must confess unto him as David did, weep for them as Peter did. If we uncover them, he will cover them; if we condemn our selves, he will justify us. Therefore the Wiseman saith, He that hideth his sins shall not prosper, but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Lastly, we see hereby that sin endeth [Use] not as it beginneth. Albeit the fool maketh a mock of sin, yet when the soul is tormented, and the conscience oppressed with desperation, and can find no ease, then a man ceaseth not to utter his secret filthiness, to the shaming of himself, and to the astonishment of the hearers. Let us not look for Pharaoh, or Saul, or Judas to come out of hell to warn us. These things are written for our learning, we have Moses and the Prophets, let us hearken to them. When as terrors take hold upon the soul, we cannot cover sin any longer. Howsoever therefore sin to the carnal man be sweet unto the taste, and Satan baiteth his hook with profit on the one side, and with pleasure on the other, yet afterward it shall prove more bitter then gall and worm-wood, it shall wound the conscience, as with a deadly dart, and pierce the soul through with many sorrows. For albeit it begin in sport, it shall end in horror and despair. This we see in the example of Cain, My punishment is greater then I can bear. So Judas, when he saw Christ condemned, felt an hell in his conscience. The money was pleasant, and the gain was sweet unto him, but it was as a two edged sword, that woundeth incurably, and as the teeth of a Lyon that biteth mortally. It seemed unreasonable to Gehazi, that Naaman the Syrian should depa • t with so great a benefit, by so little a consideration, 2 King. 5, 23, 27. And therefore followeth after him for a bribe and reward, but with the reward he gained the leprosy, that did cleave unto him and to his seed. This is the deep subtlety of Satan; before sin be committed he hideth the deformity of it from the eyes of men, he maketh as if it were no sin, or a little and venial sin, or a little punishment due unto it; or that there shall be time enough hereafter to repent of it; he be cometh a preacher of God's mercy and pardon, he telleth the sinner that God is gracious and merciful. Thus he covereth the greatness of sin, and hideth the grievousness of the punishment, and concealeth the wrath of God that is drawn upon us. But when he hath once prevailed and ensnared the poor soul that hath swallowed the bait, he openeth the eyes which before he had darkened, he rouzeth up the conscience which before he had seduced, he striketh the heart which before he had hardened, he vncouereth the fire of God's indignation and jealousy, which before he had smothered. Then he maketh sin appear as vile and ugly as he can, then he layeth it open in his colors, then he will make a small sin appear the greatest; then he setteth forth the justice of God due to the least sin, and all to bring the person that hath sinned to desperation. Wherefore let us fly from sin, as from the biting of a Serpent, that we be not stung therewith to eternal death, Knowing that the wages of sin is death, Rom, 6, 23.

In these words, being the shutting up of this Chapter, is contained the last branch of Balaam's going to curse the people. We heard before of the wrath of God against this Wizard, who would not be stopped from his desired journey, and therefore the Lord opened the mouth of the dumb beast to reprove her master; and afterward the Angel of God, further to discover the hollowness and hypocrisy of his heart. Here we are to consider the meeting and coming together of the King, and the false Prophet, together with the entertainment he findeth at Balak’s hands. Herein we are to observe two things: First, their talk and communication; secondly, the actions of them both. In the first part containing the speech that passed between them, we are to mark, that the King to honor him the more, so soon as he is advertised of his approach near to the borders of his kingdom, he goeth out to meet him. For no doubt he sent the Princes and messengers of the Moabites back, to go before to give some notice and bring joyful tidings of his coming to their Lord. Therefore the King hearing the message, and conceyuing (no doubt) in his mind, the utter overthrow of the Israelites, stayed not until he came within his dominion, but met him in the bounds and limites thereof, and brought him home with him to go about his business. When they are met, note in their talk first the question moved by Balak, then the answer of Balaam. In the question we see, that albeit he had basely dejected himself, and crept lowly into the favor of the false Prophet, honoring him to his own dishonor, going out, to bring him in, and after a sort casting his crown and dignity under his feet; yet on the other side he glorieth in his own power, and boasteth of his high dignity, as if he had all the riches and honor in his own hand. Balaam doth not deny the favor of the king, placing him with his Princes, rewarding him with his presents honoring him with his own presence, and sending for him from far, but maketh a short answer unto him truly, albeit unwillingly, that albeit he were come at the kings desire, and brought by his deserts, yet it was not in his own power what to do: he could go no farther then the Rules and Principles of his Art would suffer him: he had called up the God of the Hebrews to forsake them, and he must of necessity speak that which God should put into his mouth. As if he should say, I cannot speak what I would, but shall be constrained to speak that only which he willeth me.

After the communication of these parties, followeth a description of their actions; when the king had brought him into the City, he spareth for no cost and charges, he feasteth him with his Princes, as if they were his Companions, and laboreth by all means possibl • to give him contentment in his abode. Having now refreshed himself after his journey, and having had experience of the kings good estimation of him, he is employed in the business for which he was sent for, and carried up to the high place of Baal, where no doubt was a solemn Temple consecrated and dedicated to that Idol, and from thence he beholdeth the whole host of Israel. Thus much of the order of the words: Now let us come to the doctrines arising out of the same.

[Verse 36. When Balakheard that Balaam came, he went out to meet him. ] The chief point offered to our considerations in this division is, to mark the honor done unto Balaam by the King. Himself goeth out to meet him, as if he had been some great Prince or Potentate, he bringeth him honourably into the City, he setteth him among his Princes, and maketh him inherit the seat of glory: he killeth bullocks and sheep to prepare a royal feast for him. From this example we learn, that Idolaters and Infidels were wont greatly to honor their Priests and Prophets. Howsoever they were destitute of the, knowledge of the true God, and served the creature instead of the Creator, which is blessed forever, Amen: yet they accounted it a special duty to honor the Priests of their Groues and Altars, and persuaded themselves they should never receive any blessing at the hands of their gods, unless they honored those that were esteemed as the servants of their gods, and greatly in their favor. This is taught us in many places of the word of God. Hereunto cometh that which Moses witnesseth, touching the Egyptians, during the dearth and famine that was in Egypt, when the king had received all the money, bought all the cattle, and purchased all the land of the people to supply their necessity, and to save their lives, Genes. 47, 22. yet he would not buy their Priests lands, but sustained them for their office sake. He removed the people unto the Cities from one side of Egypt, even to the other: only the land of the Priests bought he not, for the Priests had an ordinary of Pharaoh, & they did eat the ordinary which Pharaoh gave them, wherefore they sold not their ground. This also further appeareth in the book of Exodus, chapt. 7, 11, 22. and is confirmed in the Prophesies of Daniel: where we see, when Moses and Aaron wrought miracles, Pharaoh sent for his sorcerers that came into y ^e kings presence. So when Nebucadnezar had dreamed a dream, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep disquieted. Dan. 2, 2. and 4, 3, 4. & 5, 7. be commanded to call the enchanters, the Astrologians, the soothsayers, and the Chaldeans who were about him, and near unto him, and in credit with him. The like we read in Samuel, 1 Sam. 6, 1, 2. when the Ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines, they called their Priests, and consulted with their soothsayers what they should do with it; and without their counsel and advice, without their direction and commandment, the Princes would do nothing. So when Ahab purposed to go to battle against Ramoth Gilead, he assembled the Prophets of his idol groves, whom he used familiarly, who were in credit and authority with him; insomuch, that one dareth smite Micaiah in the Kings presence, 1 Kin. 22.4, 6, 24.

The Reasons follow in order: First, naturally [Reason] all men are extremely given to superstition, and even dote in corrupting the worship of God, being destitute of the true knowledge of the true God, and the right manner of his service, who will be worshipped according to his own will and word, not after the inventions and devices of the wisest men. Christ Jesus teacheth in the Gospel, John 15, 19. that the world will always magnify and make much of his own, If ye were of the world, the world would love his own. And likewise the same Apostle saith elsewhere, They are of this world, therefore speak they of this world, and this world heareth them. If then men naturally turn the glory of the incorruptible God, into the similitude of corruptible creatures, and so change the truth of God into a lie, no marvel if they be greatly beloved and befriended, w ^c further their idolatry, and help forward that worship of God which they have framed and fashioned to themselves.