Commentary on Numbers

HItherto we have seen y ^e prosperous and happy success, which y ^e Israelites had against three mighty enemies, and the threefold triumph over them. But here ariseth a new enemy, with a new device, or rather a knotte and band of many enemies, to stop their passage, to lessen their multitude, and to weaken their strength. Moses therefore first declareth what lets and impediments they had, as blocks lying in their way, and what stopping of their quiet and peaceable proceeding. Thus they meet with many stays, and encounter with many dangers that will dwell in Canaan. They had already overpassed many perils, and overcome sundry enemies, now they might begin to look for rest, and to repose thenselves in peace and quietness. But see here in the example of the Israelites, as in a glass, the life of a Christian: here is no time long to sit still, here is no place of pleasure, when one danger is past, we must look for another. For when they had overcome some of their enemies, as the Canaanites and Amorites, now the very jaws of death, & the very gates of hell seem to be opened against them, and the devil to pour out, as it were at once, all the venom of his malice upon thē. These hindrances which here they meet withal, are set down in four chapters, whereof some are outward, & some inward, partly from others, and partly from themselves, so that they had missed of their inheritance, both through the counsels & plottings of their enemies, & through their own sins and wickedness, had not God in mercy defeated the one, and pardoned the other.

Touching these hindrances cast in their way; observe first of all the preparation of thē in this chapter: Secondly, the substance of them, and setting of them on work, in the two next chapters following. Lastly, the conclusion of those hindrances, both prepared & employed in the 25. chapter. Touching the preparing and providing of means to stop the Israelites, consider in the first place a seeking and trying to get them: secondly, the obtaining and procuring of them. But first, the occasions of seeking and sending abroad are noted. The Israelites possessed the plain of Moab. Balak had heard wha • the Israelites had done to his neighbors the Amorites, their victories bred in him fear, and fear ingendered a very wary proceeding. He saw an huge multitude of them encouraged with their late prosperous success, and lying as Grashoppers upon the earth, ready to eat up all that was round about them, as an Ox licketh up the grass of the field. He thus beholding his neighbors house on fire, nay consumed with the fire, and his own in imminent danger, thought it high time to look about him, and to seek new remedies for those new accidents. For fearing in himself what might be the event, fretting inwardly against his enemies, & doubting the loss of his own kingdom, he resolved not to be idle, but to procure means to work their confusion, knowing, that providing before is better then repenting after, and esteeming it an high point of wisdom, not at all to trust, rather then afterward vainly to accuse those whom thou hast foolishly trusted.

Now because nothing serveth so fitly to avoid rashness as counsel, and that two eyes see more then one, and three more then two, he associateth unto himself the Midianites his neighbors, bordering upon him, & therefore hopeth, that the nearness of the common danger would easily join them in the same cause. These entering into a confederacy, as brethren in evil, after long advisement and consultation had among themselves, in y ^e ende do resolve to join together against Israel, as against a common enemy, thereby to lessen his number, to weaken his strength, & to impair his greatness rising by degrees, who seemed able to eat up the Moabites, to consume their Towns, to possess their substance, & to take both their Cities & substance into their own hands. And because they thought it a great dishonor & disparagement unto themselves, to sue to Israel for peace, and yet find not themselves able to meet him openly in the field, they determine to send to a with & wizard, who for magic was renowned among the Infidels, that when they could not prevail by help of man, they might overcome by the help of the devil, like unto the desperate resolution of Juno in the Poet:

that is, Thus the wicked forsake God, and go for succor to the devil, and therefore, while they seek to avoid one mischief, they draw upon themselves many. Wherefore, messengers are directed, and great men are sent with great gifts from them of the league to Balaam, who in regard of his Citty was of Pethor, which Ptolemy calleth Pacor, lying on the River Euphrates; in regard of his Country, he was of Mesopotamia, a part of Syria, as appeareth in many places. In regard of his profession and practice, he was a Sorcerer and Soothsayer, as we shall see afterward: He was sent for to curse the people, that is, to bewitch them, to weaken them with his charms and spells, that so they might be able to match them, and to encounter with them, presuming upon him (as the Church of Rome do of the Pope) that he hath blessing and cursing in his own sleeve, to apply and use either of them at his own pleasure But we know indeed, that he is blessed whom the Lord our God shall bless, (though the devil and his instruments should throw and thunder out their curses against him) and he is accursed, whom our God shall curse (though all the world should pronounce him blessed.) As for the blessings & cursings of cunning men and women, they are nothing; neither the one helpeth, nor the other hindereth, nay the devils themselves, wholly set upon mischief, cannot hurt us any further then God permitteth. True it is, Satan, and consequently Sorcerers, his slaves and vassals, sometimes do effect great things, as we see in the history of Job chap 1, 12, and in the temptations of Christ, Mat. 4, 5, they exercise their power, not only over the goods, but over the bodies of men, even of the believers; yet without the sufferance of almighty God, they can do nothing. They could not enter into the Swine before they were allowed. The hairs of our head are numbered. Not a Sparrow falleth to the ground without the will of our heavenly Father.

When Bal • am saw the messengers, that they came not with their hands empty, but brought great gifts, and promised greater, which oftentimes blind the eyes of the wise, and paruert the words of the righteous; the covetous wretch thirsted after the wedges of gold. as the wages of unrighteousness, and his heart ran after filthy lucre to curse the people of God, that he might enrich himself, and so to become a cursed instrument to y ^e cursed counsels that were taken against the people of God: whereas the true Prophets are not beguiled with bribes and led away with gifts, 2 Kings 5, 16. Dan. 5, 17. He desireth of the messengers one nights respite to bring his business to good effect (not able at the present to resolve them) to see whether he could draw the Lord to favor his purposes and proceedings. God appeareth unto him, and asketh him what the men were that came to him; not that God was ignorant, and needed to be taught or in structed what those persons were, but to draw from him a voluntary confession of the matter, which being truly opened and declared, God forbiddeth him to go to the Moabites, because they had a mischievous purpose, and to curse the Israelites, because they were a blessed people. Whē he perceived to his great grief, that God had concluded and determined to continue his mercy and blessings upon his people, which no device of man could diminish, no works of the devil could abolish; the morning being come, he returned an answer to the messengers, and sent them back without their long-hoped desire, excusing himself, that he could not go with them, as himself desired, and as they had deserved at his hands; and having his mind wholly fixed on his reward, he saith, Return back to your Lord; as for me, I desired nothing more then to accompany you, but the Lord hath stopped and restrained my purpose, and will not suffer me to go with you, or to help you. Wherein observe how this covetous hireling, & false Prophet, being willing to undertake y ^e work, because of the wages, and to promise his best help, that he might finger the hire, behaveth himself fraudently and unfaithfully (as hyrelings do) mincing the matter, and revealing one part, but concealing another part of the revelation given him of God. For whereas God had said, Thou shalt not go, thou shalt not curse the people, because they are a blessed people, denying unto him, as well his purpose of going, as his promise of cursing, he declareth the former, but dissembleth the latter; he showeth to the Princes and Governors, that GOD restrained him from going, but hideth this, that the same GOD had forbidden him to curse the people, together with the reason of it, That they are blessed, lest the messengers should be offended, and his expected hire denied & detained.

This is the sum and substance of this division. But before we enter into the handling of the Doctrines offered herein to our considerations (to the end we may clearly see into the meaning of the whole history) it shall not be amiss for us to answer certain doubts and difficulties that arise, as well from the purpose of Balak, as from the person of Balaam. Some of reverent account in the Church, interpret this history otherwise then can stand with the circumstances of the Text, and the proportion of faith in other Scriptures. For they suppose that Balak sought help of the true God, reverenced his Prophet, and had the seed of religion remaining in his heart. If this were so, why doth he not himself fly to God by prayer? And why doth he not stir up his people to prayer? Why do they not all as one man, join in supplications and intercessions to be helped of God? Why did he require Balaam to come with cursings and bannings against Israel, if there were any spark of true piety left in his heart? Again, it is imagined, that Balaam was a Prophet of God, and endued with the spirit of Prophesy, to whom GOD used oftentimes, and ordinarily to appear, & so do make him as it were a mean between the true Prophets and the false Prophets, thereby God making himself known among the Infidels, and never leaving himself without witness. Such were the Sybils thought to be, living among the Gentiles, and giving testimony to the truth of God. But we know no such mean between true and false Prophets. For whosoever is not a true Prophet, is a false Prophet: and whosoever is a false Prophet, cannot be a true Prophet of God. He that is of God, is a true Prophet: he that is of the devil, is a false Prophet. Neither doth the delivery and utterance of some truth, make a true Prophet, for then the devil should be a true Prophet, who sometime speaketh the truth, albeit to a sinister end. For he confessed the Messiah to be the Son of God, thereby to darken the Doctrine of Christ, and to discredit the power of the Gospel, raising a suspicion that he hath some familiarity & friendship with Christ, & by drawing men to doubt of the truth of our redemption, inasmuch as the devil is a liar from the beginning, , & the father of lying. And touching the Sybils, they carry not any certain credit and authority, being all, or the most part, forged & foisted in, to win credit to the word of God, which needeth not the lies of any, to uphold the truth and authority thereof. For they are brought in, speaking more clearly and evidently, more plainly and particularly of Christ and his kingdom, then any of the Patriarchs or Prophets, then Moses, or any that lived after him. Isaiah is worthily accounted to be an Evangelical Prophet, prophesying distinctly and determinately of the passion & sufferings of Christ, yet it is as nothing in comparison of that the Sybils express, touching the name and nature of Christ, touching his original & offspring, touching his death and resurrection, touching Antichrist and other enemies of the Church. Now shall we think that God would reveal more to them then to his own Prophets, and the sons of the Prophets? to such as lived out of the Church, more then to all that were brought up in the Church, and sucked the sincere milk of the Scriptures, and had the most sureword of the Prophets, to the which they did take heed, as to a light that shineth in a dark place. Besides, we cannot hold this Balaam for any true Prophet, but for a false Prophet, such as Simon the Sorcerer mentioned in the Acts: Notwithstanding all the goodly glozes that he maketh, to win himself credit and estimation, whereof we shall speak more afterward. Furthermore, others think that Balaam meant his own false gods, when he saith, Tarry here this night, [Object.] and I will give you an answer as the Lord shall say unto me. And again, Return into your Land, for the Lord hath refused to give me leave to go with you, but that he was prevented of his purpose, by the true God appearing unto him. But this conjecture is overthrown by the express words in this place. For the word is Jehovah, [Answer.] a name always in Scripture given to the true God only, and never applied to any false gods; yea, the true God was known by his name among the Gentiles, and by it was discerned & distinguished from the Idols of the Nations, which indeed are no God's.

Now that we may attain to the true meaning of this Scripture, and resolve of the right interpretation thereof, I will set down certain rules and conclusions, which concern the matter in question, which being fully determined, and thoroughly descided, the truth will evidently appear to all men, how to carry this whole history, and make one part to agree with another. The first conclusion is, that Balaam was a lewd and wicked man. True it is, if we look into his bare and naked words without the matter, and examine his sayings without his practices, he may seem a very faithful and right religious man; yea, a most worthy and notable Prophet. He hath God always in his mouth, and at his fingers ends, he will not resolve the messengers before he have asked counsel at the mouth of y ^e Lord: if he might have an house full of silver and gold, he cannot go beyond the word of the Lord his God to do less or more: he telleth them he can deliver nothing unto them, but what he receiveth of the Lord. But if we consider the matter aright, and try his fair speeches by the touch-stone of his foul life, and measure his wretched acts with his wicked counsels, we shall easily discern in his smooth carriage, a deep dissembling, and the Lord to be sparingly in his heart, that was abundantly in the mouth. He had a profane mind, & evil meaning, loving the wages of unrighteousness, and being carried away with desire of money (which is the root of all evil) to curse the people of God, as the Apostle teacheth, & therefore he was rebuked by a dumb beast for his iniquity. He also was Balak’s school-master, and instilled the greatest mischief that might be into his heart, informing him how to subdue the people of God, and teaching him how to lay a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to draw them to spiritual and bodily fornication, when he saw that by his charms he could not prevail against them. And albeit the Israelites were increased as the Fish in the Sea, and as the Stars of Heaven, wherein were many thousand persons that could not discern between their right hand and their left hand, yet he was ready and willing to curse, where GOD had not cursed. And as a wretched death followeth a wicked life, so the justice of GOD found him out lurking among the Midianites, Numb. 31, 8, to verify the threatening of the Prophet; As he loved cursing, so it fell upon him, and as he loved not blessing, so was it far from him; as he clothed himself with cursing like a raiment, so it entered into his bowels like water, & like oil into his bones. Psal. 109, 17, 18.

Thus we see, as his life was, so was his death, a cursed beginning, a fearful ending; God swept him away by a violent & sudden death, together with those that set him on work, that as they conspired together, so they might be consumed together. If then he be a wicked man that intendeth to curse the people of God, that hath his heart possessed with covetousness, that loveth the wages of unrighteousness, that layeth a bait and snare to entangle men in evil, that seeketh to draw upon them the wrath of God, and after all is slain by the sword of those whom he intended to destroy, himself falling into the pit which he had digged for others: then the first conclusion holdeth as a certain truth, that this Balaam (whatsoever vizard of piety and holiness he pretend and put on in outward show) was indeed a very lewd and wicked man.

The second conclusion is, that Balaam was no true servant of God, but an open Idolater. This confirmeth further, and giveth strength to the former point. As he was lewd in his life, so he was corrupt in his religion, one of the idolatrous Gentiles, an alliant from the Common-wealth of Israel, a stranger from the covenant of promise. For whether he were one of the Midianites, as some imagine, or whether he were one of the Aramites, as we declared before; whether he were sent for, nearer or further off, the conclusion holdeth, that he was none of the Israelites, Rom. 9, 4, to whom pertaineth the adoption of Sons, the Ark of the Covenant, the Tables of the Law, and the service of God. Moreover, when he was come into the presence of Balak, Numb. 22, 41, and 23, 1, 2, they both went up into the high places of Baal, where that abhominable Idol was worshipped, where no doubt they served Baal in the Idols Temple. Besides, it is apparent in the whole history following, that he joined with Balak in his idolatrous sacrifices. If then he had not been one of the Idolaters, he would not have gone to that Idol, nor have erected new Altars, contrary to the will of God, who would only be served in the place that himself had appointed.

The third conclusion is, that Balaam was a very witch and wizard, a false Prophet, but a true sorcerer, famous, or rather infamous for his devilish magic which he practiced among the wicked and idolatrous Nations. Such a one was Simon that sorcerer, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, chap. 8, 9, 10, 11, and 13, 6, 8, who used witch-craft, and bewitched the people of Samaria, saying, that he himself was some great man: to whom they gave heed from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is that great power of God; and they gave heed unto him, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. Such a one also was Elimas, who was likewise a Sorcerer, a false Prophet, the child of the devil, and an enemy of all righteousness, withstanding the preaching of the Gospel, hindering the hearing of the word, and perverting the straight ways of the Lord. So had this Balaam, through his enchantments and superstitious arts, obtained a great name far & near among the Infidels, so that they resorted to him as to an Oracle, and esteemed him as an Angel of God, being able to help or to hurt, to further or to hinder, to bless or to curse whomsoever he pleased. Such were wont to be in great favor and credit with Kings and Princes, as appeareth by the enchanters of Pharaoh, Exod. 7, 11, 22, and by the Sorcerers and Astrologians of Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 2, 2, who were oftentimes called into their presence, and brought before them, as men in whom their special delight was, & their confidence reposed. These men, howsoever they were magnified in Princes Courts, and had an honorable name among the Nations that knew not God, yet were profane Prophets of profane men, & the very chaplaines of the devil, practicing charms and conjuring, which by the judicial Law of God was death, Exod. 22, 18.

Thus the Scripture calleth him a Sorcerer in plain terms and express words, Josh. 13, 22. Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword, among them that were slain. The word which the holy Ghost there useth, is Chosem, which signifieth one that diuineth by divination, and fetcheth answers from the devil whom they took to be God; and it is one of those eight sorts of witches and practicers by devils, mentioned in the 18, chapter of Deuteronomy. And his very drift and purpose was to curse; that is, to bewitch them, and so to weaken them with his enchantments, that they might be a cursed and detested, a loathsome and forlorn people. So it is noted, that when the Ambassadors came first unto him to acquaint him with the purpose of Balak, they had the reward of the soothsaying in their hands, Numb. 22, 7. Yea, when the Lord opened the mouth of Balaam to utter his will against his own will, & the truth hath this wretch upon the rack, he confesseth, that all his sorcery and soothsaying could not prevail against God's people, saying; There is no sorcery against Jacob, nor soothsaying against Israel. Numb. 23, 23. This also sundry of the Fathers affirm, that he was famous in art-magic, and mighty in working by hurtful charms, and thereby grew in great estimation among all the people of the East. This likewise is the judgment of Origen, Gregory, Nissen, Basil, and others, reputing him as a Prophet of the devil, thinking he had been oftentimes hired for like purposes, & persuading themselves he had made many like experiments of his science in former times. Lastly, the manner of his whole proceeding, in going to fetch diuinations and answers from the devil, and in preparing seven Altars, seven Bullocks, seven Rams, seven sacrifices, is altogether correspondent and answerable to the ancient Discipline of the Magicians, who ascribed a certain kind of heavenly force and virtue unto uneven numbers, as appeareth by the Poet, Numero Deus impare gaudet, that is,

This devise proceeded at the first from the Pythagoreans, who made all things to be the resemblance & similitude of numbers, whom Aristotle and Galen in many places laughed to scorn. Wherefore seeing we have sufficiently proved by testimony of the Scripture, and authority of the ancient Fathers, that Balaam was no better then a Witch & Sorcerer, therefore he dealeth in all his actions according to the learning of the Augures and soothsaying, which we will unfold for our better understanding of this History in the last conclusion.

Hitherto we have spoken of the person of Balaam, and have discovered his wicked life, his wretched idolatry, his execrable sorcery: we have made it plain, that both Balak the King, and Balaam the false Prophet, were of the unbelieving Gentiles, without hope in God, without belief in Christ, without taste of religion, without spark or spice of godliness: so that in the next place we will lay down certain rules of the base or bastard religion of these Nations, and upon those conclusions as upon a sure and certain foundation we will build the interpretation of this place.

Therefore the fourth conclusion shall be, that the Gentiles had and held many gods, & only the people of Israel believed and worshipped one God, to whom Moses said; Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is Lord only. Deut 6, 4. When Solomon by marrying strange wives, embraced also a strange religion, it is noted that his wives turned his heart after other gods, So that he followed Ashtaroth the god of the Zidonians, Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites, and Chemosh the Idol of the Moabites. 1 Kings 11, 4, 5. This the Apostle Paul plainly teacheth, 1 Cor, 8, 4, 5, 6. We know that an Idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one: For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be many gods and many lords,) yet unto us there is but one God, which is that Father of whom are all things, and we by him. Where we see, the true religiō touching one God, is opposed against the superstition of the Infidels, touching the plurality and multitude of gods. Thus then we see, that in the corrupt opinion of corrupt men, they had many gods; some worshipping the Sun, the Moon, the Stars: some the Angels, others Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Diana, and many such of like sort. For being left to the vanity of their own mind, they gave divine worship wheresoever any divine gift appeared in any creature, And so while they professed themselves to be wise, they became fools. They turned the truth of God into a lie, & worshipped the creature instead of the Creator, which is blessed forever: so God gave them up to their hearts lusts, and delivered them up into a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.

The fifth conclusion is, that as they believed many gods, so they imagined that every people had his protecting god to be their patron and protection, to store them with blessings, and to preserve them from their enemies. In each Town and City one was chosen to be the Deus tutelaris, that is, the Patron of the place: (for every house is a little City, or rather every City a great house. Uiues his annot. on August. de Ciuit. Dei. lib. 1. cap. 3.) When he was well pleased then they prospered; when he was angry they were overcome & destroyed, as is testified by sundry writers of good credit. Thus do the Papists at this day. For as they call upon sundry Saints for sundry purposes; upon some for the plague, upon others for the safe deliverance of women, upon others for the tempests on the sea, upon others to obtain fair weather, and have a several Saint for every season; so they account them their Patrons, and call them by the name of their protecting gods, as appeareth by Paulus Iouius one of their own writers of histories. Thus we see, that the idolatry of our time is indeed and in truth the same with the ancient idolatry of the heathen: so that albeit the names of the Idols be changed, yet y ^e nature of the idolatry is still retained. Now the truth of our conclusion is evidently collected & gathered out of the Scriptures. Hereunto cometh the reason produced by Iephtah to avow the lawfulness of inheriting the Cities of the Amorites which Israel had conquered by the sword, & held by prescription for three hundred years, Judge. 11, 24. Wouldest not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the Lord our God driveth out before us, them will we possess. This also appeareth in the description of the wickedness of Ahaz, 2 Chron. 28, 23. In the time of his tribulation did he yet trespass more against the Lord, for he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which he falsely supposed had plagued him, and he said, Because the gods of the Kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice unto them, and they will help me; yet they were the ruin of him & of all Israel. It was the Lord that smote him, not the gods of the Aramites: so that he is deceived in thinking they were holpen by their protecting gods. For such was the wickedness of his profane heart, that he did not acknowledge the hand of God to be gone out against him, but ascribed it to the power of those false gods, and therefore sacrificed unto them to his own confusion, to the ruin of Israel, and to the dishonor of God. Therefore the Prophet before reproved Amaziah, 2 Chron. 25, 14, 15, who after the slaughter of the Edomites, brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and worshipped them, Why hast thou sought the gods of the people, which were not able to deliver their own people out of their hand? Hereunto also cometh the boasting of Saneherib over Jerusalem, 2 Chro. 32, 13, 14. 2 King. 18, 33, 34. Know you not what I and my father have done unto all the people of other countries? Were the gods of the nations of other Lands, able to deliver their land out of mine hand? &c. Thus in the heathenish Religion every wood and field had his local gods, without whose good favor no human action could in that place have any happy success, as appeareth in sundry Authors: when Cambyses and Cyrus departed out of Persia, they besought the gods protectors thereof, to send them forth favorably and with good speed. We see then that Idolaters held this as a certain ground and principle of their religion, that every place, every people, every Province and Kingdom, had a peculiar god to be their patron and protector, to defend their worshippers, to fight their battles, and to deliver them out of the hands of their enemies.

The sixth and last conclusion remaineth, (which is the chief point to be considered) that is, y ^t the Gentiles going to war against any nation, used ordinarily to conjure & call up the protecting god of that people, to forsake them and come on their part, promising to bestow either that place on him again, or else a more large and spacious place, so that he should be sure to lose nothing by the bargain. This is recorded at large by Pliny in his natural histories, where he saith; The first thing that the ancient Romans were wont to do when they laid siege to any City, was to bring forth their sorcerers, and by them to call forth the god or goddess which was the patron or patronnesse to protect that place: therefore it was never known and diuulged what god was y ^e protector or patron of Rome, lest some of our enemies should assay to conjure him forth, and so deal with us as we do by them. Hereupon Saint Agustine saith, that It was their predecessors manners, that long ago chased all their great multitude of little gods from the City Altars like so many flies. For where was all this nest of deities when the Gauls sacked the City long before the ancient manners were contaminate? Were they present and yet fast asleep? The whole City was a • l subdued at that time, only the Capitol remained: and that also had been surprised, if the Geese had not shown themselves better then the gods, and waked when they were all isleepe. And in lib. 1. cap. 3. de C •• it. Dei, he saith, Would any wiseman have commended the defense of Rome unto gods already proved to be unable to defend themselves? Notwithstanding, saith Macrobius (lib. 3. cap. 9.) the name of their protector is registered in the books of the ancients, albeit much disagreeing and diversely dissenting among themselves: some thought him to be Jupiter, some Luna, some the goddess Angerona: but others that thought it to be Ops, are of better credit. This is also avouched by Plutarch a learned Philosopher in his Roman questions; where demanding the question why it was accounted an heinous & horrible offense, either to ask or to utter the protecting god of Rome, whether it were mad or woman, he answered, That there are certain Charmes and Sorceries, whereby the gods are fetched up, which the ancient Romans using, and thereby prevailing in battle, and drawing the gods of their enemies to their side, they provided by this deep silence of their own Patron, that none should be able to deal with them as they had done to others, nor render unto them the measure that they had measured unto others. And therefore Valerius Soranus lost his life for being so bold as to name that name, as L. Uiues observeth in his Annotations upon the first book and the third chapter of S. Agustine de Ciuitate Dei. This is it which the Poet remembereth in setting down the destruction of Troy Virg. lib. 1. Aenead.

That is;

In these words it is observed by the interpreters ( Seruius in lib. 2. Aeneid ) that the gods of the Troyans were gone away, and departed from them, and turned Grecian, because to avoid sacrilege they were called forth by their enemies. And Viues in his Annotations, Lib. 2. Cap. 22. de Ciuitat. Dei, telleth, that Seruius and Macrobius think these verses of Virgil to belong unto this calling out of the gods, because when as a Citty was besieged, and the enemy had an intent to raze it to the ground, lest they should seem to fight against the gods, and to force them from their habitations and places of abode against their willes (which they held to be as a most wicked deed) they used to call them out of the besieged City by the General of the army that did besiedge it, that they would please to come and dwell amongst the Conquerors. So did Camillus at the Veij, so did Scipio at Carthage & Numance, and Mummius at Corinth, Hence it is, that Liuy the flower of the Roman Historiographers, bringeth in the same Camillus, going to the assault of Veij a City of Hetruria, praying thus, Tuo ductu Pythice Apollo, tuo{que} numine inductus pergo ad delendam vrbem Veios, tibi{que} hinc decimam partem praedae voueo: te simul Juno regina quae nunc Ueios colis, precor, vt nos victores in nostram tuam{que} mox futuram vrbem sequare, vbi te dignum amplitudine tua Templum accipiat: that is, As by thy conduct and divine power (O Apollo) I do enterprize the sacking of the Citty Ve • o, so I vow unto thee the tenth of all the booty: and thee I request Queen Juno, that sittest as Patron of this place, to accompany us as Conquerors into that City which now is ours, but by and by shall be thine, where thou shalt receive a Temple beseeming thy might and Majesty. And to conclude, if we would yet further understand the order and manner of this Magicall supe • stition, we may read the very form and fashion a • large (which those nations used) in Macrobius whom before we recited, Si Deus, si dea est &c. that is whether it be god or goddess that have undertaken the guidāce and gardianship of this City and people, we pray and beseech you to forsake this City and people, to relinquish their places, temples, & holy things, and to depart without them; strike ye a fear into the hearts of that people and City, betray them, and come to our side: defend our Armies protect our Cities, & safeguard our Temples &c. This was the charge that was used when they went to the siege and sacking of any City: and in this manner they prayed, which was made when the Romans as called out the gods of Carthage to come unto them. The like we read in Appian also, in his book of the Parthian wars.

I confess I have stood ouerlong in handling and debating these points, which I have laid as the foundation of all that followeth, and serveth to clear such doubts as arise out of the text, and is nothing at all from the purpose of that which we have in hand. For these points, as certain Principles being thus concluded, may easily be applied to our present purpose, and comparing the fashions of the Gentiles with the fitness of the person that the King of Moab chose, and by whom he proceedeth in this practice, we may evidently gather the true sense of this history, and see how the whole matter was carried and conue • ed. For, as the manner of the vnbel • euing N • tions was to sue and seek to the gods of th •• r enemies to forsake them, & betake them selves to their side; so Balaam being a notable and notorious sorcerer (as we have proved before in the third Conclusion) worketh by the Principles of sorcery, and intendeth to begin his business and whole action, by calling up the protecting God of the Israelites, which indeed was the true Jehovah; as we see in the Chapters following by the words of Balaam himself. Besides, we may be the rather induced to receive and believe this truth if we consider that all this sorcery and superstition had his first original and beginning out of the East (from whence Balaam came) these were the manners of the men of the east, as appeareth in Pliny before remembered, and in others, who excelled all other people in the Art of Magicke: so that the manners and the man arose both of one place. Furthermore, as the sorcerers in Egypt being confounded by the mighty power of God in a base creature, confessed the miracles of Moses to be wrought by the finger of God; so when this soothsayer hath assayed at sundry times, and in diverse manners to work his will, in the end he witnesseth with his own mouth. Numb. 23, 23. that there was no sorcery effectual against Jacob, nor soothsaying against Israel.

Lastly, we may observe how he calleth the Lord his God, verse 18. I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God: because he knew if he should work anything against Israel, he must do it by their own God. For he doth not use these words as the faithful do in a special feeling of God's favor, and in the particular assurance and affiance of their own faith, inasmuch as he was a covetous wretch, and an old witch (as the Scriptures witness;) but his meaning is, he is the God whom in all this cause I have heed of, and by whō I must of necessity deal withal. He saith no more of him then he would have done of the Idol-god of any Idolatrous people, he would have called him his god, as being the god by whom he must work all his feats. Thus then Balaam intending to bewitch Israel, he must by the rules of his own profession conjure up the God of the Israelites, whereupon it was that he deferred the Messengers sent unto him. As if he should say unto them; If I work not by him, ye cannot prevail over his people, he must first be drawn to your side, and afterward ye shall easily obtain the other. Neither let any here object against these things, that Balaam was ignorant of the true God, or that it agreeth not to the nature of God to reveal himself to Magicians, and to attend upon their trumpery. For albeit he did not acknowledge him to be the Creator and Governor of the world, by whom all things stand or fall: yet he knew him to be the God of the Israelites, which was sufficient for his purpose: so that he meaneth not in speaking of the • ord, his own false gods, but he consulteth with the true God, as sundry places in this present Chapter make manifest, Numb. 22, 8, 18, 19. as when he saith, He would answer them as the Lord should say unto him, and that he cannot go beyond the word of the Lord. So that he asketh counsel of the true God, and receiveth his answer of the true God. And this he doth not as a Prophet of God, but as a Sorcerer. Neither may we think it strange that God should have ought to do with witches and wiz • rds, seeing he giveth answer not only to his own people that cleave unto him, and call upon his name, but to such as are out of the very bosom of the church for his people's sake, sometimes reproving them, sometimes instructing them, sometimes convincing them of evil, and always leaving them without excuse. As here he teacheth Balaam, that all his coniurations & enchantments were vain and void, seeing he hath decreed and determined so to continue his blessing unto the end toward the Israelites as that no device of man, or work of the devil, shall be able to hinder, or lessen, or abolish the same, as we shall see afterward.

[Verse 3. And the Moabites were sore afraid of the people. ] Having in the former words searched into the meaning of this history, and examined the several circumstances thereof: now let us come to the doctrines that arise out of this division. And first, see the occasion of the Moabites confederating themselves with the Midianites, and the project of them both, in sending out to a cunning man to help them; namely, a sudden fear arising in their hearts, danting all their courage, weakening all their strength, and driving them into despair. Israel was an innocent and harmless people, professing righteousness, abstaining from all wrongs, surceasing from all injuries, for conscience sake, as we saw before when they desired passage through the lands of the Edomits and the Amorites, Numb. 20, 19. Deut. 2, 25. they would not enter into their fields, they would not meddle with their vineyards, they would not drink of their water freely; yet see with what a terror and trembling they were stricken at the approach of the Israelites near their borders. And this was the heavy hand of God upon them, as Moses declareth, Deut. 2. This day will I begin to send thy fear and thy dread upon all people under the whole heaven, which shall hear thy fame, and shall tremble and quake before thee. Heereby we learn for our instruction, That the enemies of God and his people are many times afraid where no true cause of any fear is. Evil men are often afraid of the people of God, that fain would live in peace. So Saul lived in continual fear of David, 1 Sam. 18, 15, 29, he was vexed & disquieted in heart, and never in rest, although he we • e harmless, though he sought peace, and ensued after it; yea, the more David prospered, the more Saul feared him. So did Pharaoh and the Egyptians fear the Israelites, when they began to multiply and increase in abundance. Exod. 1.12. Thus Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, reverencing him greatly, hearing him gladly, & doing many things at his preaching, Mark 6, 20. Thus the high Priest feared the Apostles, and the officers of the people, Acts 5, 26. Whē Herod and the rest of Jerusalem heard of the birth of a new King, they were greatly troubled and perplexed in mind. Mat, 2.3. Al these things confirm the truth of this doctrine, & verify the saying of the wise man, The wicked fly when none pursueth, but the righteous are bold as a Lion, Prov. 28, 1.

[Reason 1] The Reasons are these: First, because an evil man carrieth in his own bosom a conscience for sin, which striketh and accuseth him, which citeth and summoneth him before the bar of God's judgment seat. Albeit no man can be deposed against him, albeit none can give sentence and judgment against him, yet he carrieth that about him which is instead of all, Mala men's, malus animus as the Poet saith; An evil mind, an evil meaning, an evil conscience arraigning him at the Tribunal of the eternal Judge, who shall give to everyone according to his works. It shall serve as plaintiff, witness, judge, and executioner against him. This is confirmed unto us by many examples in the word of God. When Cain had slain his own brother, & shed his innocent blood which cried for vengeance unto heaven, the revenging hand of God pursued him, Gen. 4, 10, 12, 17. living as a runagate and vagabond upon the earth, and fearing the sight of every creature to be armed against him: he began to build a City to hide his head, to yield him comfort, to provide for his safety, and to defend him from injury: but there also the justice of God overtook him the vengeance of his hand followd him, and he was driven from that enterprize. The like we see in Belteshazzer, Dan. 5.56. when there appeared fingers of a man's hand, which wrote over against the Candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the Kings Palace; albeit he knew not the substance and signification of the miracle, whether it fore-shown good or evil, yet he carried his witness with him, that could not be bribed or corrupted, so that his countenance was changed, his thoughts were troubled, the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against the other. This terror of conscience the Lord fortold as the punishment of sin, Leu. 26, 17, 36, 37. and Deuteronomy 28. verses 65, 66, 67.

Again, no marvel if the wicked be oftentimes [Reason 2] smitten with fear, as with the spirit of giddynesse, because they want the shielde of Faith and the helmet of Hope, which are as two strong Anchors to hold the ship that it be not shaken in pieces with the storms, or dashed on rocks, or drowned in the water, or swallowed in quick-sands. A lively faith in the Son of God is the mother of all true comfort, the peace of the soul, the life of good works, the key of heaven; for being justified by Faith, Rom. 5, 1. We have peace toward God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and rejoice under the hope of the glory of God. We have not received the spirit of bondage to fear again, but we have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father, Ro. 8, 15. We have boldness against the day of Judgment, there is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear, for fear hath painfulness and he that feareth is not perfect in love. 1 John 4, 17, 18. The stronger our faith is, the less is our fear, as one increaseth, the other decreaseth. If our faith be little, our fear is great: as our Savior showeth in the example of his disciples tossed with a tempest on the sea, crying unto Christ, & saying, Master, save us, we perish, Mat. 8, 25, 26. who said unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little Faith?

Now let us come to the Uses. If this be the [Use 1] nature of the wicked, that he carrieth about with him a troubled and trembling conscience, then a wicked man is a very coward & faint-hearted, being afraid of everything. True it is, there are many who neither fear God nor the devil, who seem to be valiant, to adventure their flesh, and to expose themselves to desperate dangers in fighting and quarrelling, as the manner of sundry Ruffians and swashbucklers is, who fear not to meet any man in the field at any weapon, and for every cross word are ready to give the stab: yet bring these venturous and fool hardy fellows to encounter hand to hand with the enemies of our souls, to wrestle against spiritual wickednesses in high places, and to strive as for life and death against pride & profaneness, against concupiscence of the flesh, and contempt of the word, against idle games of evil report, against our lusts and sins which fight against our own souls, we shall see no child so weak and willing to turn his heels as these Ruffian-like spirits; who albeit they walk with long blades by their sides, or long poles on their necks, and iet up and down as • ords of the earth, ready always to lay the hand upon the dagger, and to pick a quarrel at every word, yet they have not the hand or the heart to strike one stroke, to conquer sin, and the tyranny of the devil in themselves, but yield themselves like slaves and captives to do his will, and are led away to destruction as an Ox to the slaughter. Notwithstanding, this is true valor and manhood, to wound more and more the corruption of the old man. He is stronger that conquereth himself, then he that winneth a City, Prov. 16, 32. He is a better man of his hands that overcometh his own concupiscence, then he that hath the upper hand in battle. Let us everyone learn this use, and apply it to our hearts, that the wicked man, what face soever he set on the matter, can never have a good heart, but standeth in fear of every creature in heaven and earth. Genes. 4, 14. like Cain affrighted at the sight of everything, and thinking whosoever findeth them, will slay them. Do they look up to heaven? there they have God their enemy? Do they look down to hell? there they see Satan their tormenter, and his angelles their executioners? Would they take y ^e wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea? they shall find every creature to fight against them, and to conspire their death, and even to groan to be delivered from such an unprofitable burden. The heaven saith, Why do I cover him? The air saith, Why do I yield him life and breath? The water saith, Why do I not drown him as Pharaoh & his host? The fire saith, Why do I not consume him as Sodom and Gomorrhah, as the Captain and his fifty? The earth saith, Why do I bear him and sustain him? and not swallow him up, as Dathan and Abiram? His food saith, Why do I nourish & not choke him? His apparel saith, Why do I warm him? The ground saith, Why do I yield him increase, and bring forth any other crop then thorns and briars, then nettles and thistles? Death saith, Why do I spare him, & not strike him? Hell saith, Why do I not receive him? The sword crieth, Why do I not smite him? Famine, Why do I not pine him? The Pestilence, Why do I not waste him and make havoc of him? The Sun and Moon say, Why do I give him light? His bed saith, Why do I give him rest? Thus every creature is up in arms, and rebelleth against him that rebelleth against God: they sound defiance unto us, and proclaim open war against us, whē we are not at peace with our God. What then? Shall he look homeward, & turn his eyes toward himself? There he findeth and feeleth an accusing conscience as a thousand witnesses against him to whip & terrify him. Howsoever the evil man rejoiceth in his wickedness, and glorieth in his own shame, Deut. 29, 19. howsoever he put away the evil day far from him, and promise peace unto himself, yet a man would not have the heart of a wicked man for a thousand worlds, nor possess his pleasures to have his pains. Thou knowest not the torments of his conscience, when he feeleth the strength of the Law, the terrors of the Almighty, the temptations of the devil, the gripings of death, and the flashings of hell fire: howsoever he seemeth to make a mock of sin, and foolish men, as vain as himself, do flatter him in his sins, Yet in laughter the heart is sorrowful, and the end of that mirth is heaviness. There is a way that seemeth right to a man, but the issues thereof are the ways of death. Wherefore, seeing the evil man feareth oftentimes where no fear is, trembling at the fall of a leaf, starting at his own thought, and shaking at his own shadow: we conclude that he can have no true might and manhood in him, but is a dastard, and a coward, in regard of true manhood and fortitude, which are far from him.

Secon • y, it standeth us upon to be at peace with God, and learn to lead a godly life. For so long as we live in our sins, we are as a loathsome carcass and carrion, casting out a filthy favor, and stinking in the nostrils of God. A wretched and profane man, lying rotting and rioting in his sins, is more loathsome to God then any dead body is loathsome unto our senses. So long as we corrupt our ways before him, the Lord hath a controversy with us, and will commence an action against us. And we shall never have true peace with men, nor true peace with our selves, but shall feel the terrors of our own consciences, and be at deadly and dangerous war with our own hearts, until we be reconciled to God. But if we be truly godly and religious, and be indeed at peace with God, we shall be at peace with others, and with our selves, nothing shall be able to hurt us. For whom should we fear, or whereof should we be afraid? God is become our Father, Whom have we in heaven but him? and whom can we desire on earth with him? Psal. 73, 25. The Angels are our attendants, they pitch their Tents round about us to deliver us, they are charged to keep us in all our ways, and to bear us in their hands, that we dash not our foot against a stone. Psal. 34, 7, and 91, 11. For are they not all ministering spirits, set and sent out to minister for their sakes, which shall be heirs of salvation? Heb. 1, 14. The Saints in heaven and earth are our fellow-brethren, so that we are Citizens with • hem of the same kingdom, and of the household of God. Eph. 2, 19. The Lord Jesus, to whom all judgment is committed, (who shall judge the world with thousands of his Angels,) is become our Savior; So that we shall never come into condemation, but shall pass from death to life. John. 5, 24. The creatures are our friends, nay as our sworn servants, by the law of their creation to do us good, and not evil all their days: The stones of the field are in league with us, Hosea 2, 18: and the Beasts of the field shall be at peace with us, Job 5, 23. Death shall not be able to hinder or to hurt us (though it be a Scorpion or Serpent) the poison is dispersed, the sting is pulled out, 1 Cor. 15, 54, 55. The devils and all the powers of darkness shall not destroy us, Christ hath spoiled Principalities and Powers, and hath made a show of them openly, and hath triumphed over them upon the Cross, as a mighty conqueror in a chariot of triumph. Col. 2 15. He hath bruised his head, he hath crushed him at the heart, so that the Prince of the world is cast out, John 12, 31. What then? Shall tribulations and afflictions, or anguish, or persecution, or famine or nakedness, or peril, or the sword, separate us from the love of Christ, and peace with our God? Rom. 8, 28.35, 37. Nay, these proceed from a loving Father, and end at our own good, who sanctifieth all things, and maketh them work together for the best to them that love God: He will cover them under his wings, and they shall be sure under his feathers: they shall not be afraid of the fear of the night, nor of the arrow that flieth by day, nor of the pestilence that walketh in the darkness nor of the plague that destroyeth at noon-day: a thousand shall fall at their side, & ten thousand at their right hand but it shall not come near unto them. Psal. 91, 4.5, 6, 7. Lastly, as they shall fear no danger that can hurt them, so they shall not be afraid of themselves, their own hearts shall minister comfort unto them, for they shall be at peace with themselves; so that Howsoever all the days of the afflicted person are evil, yet a good conscience is a continual feast, Prov. 15, 15. Behold, what a blessed and comfortable thing it is to be a true Christian, in whose heart is no guile: O consider this, ye sons of men, that such as have a sound faith in Christ, and lead a godly life, are at peace with God! Wherefore let us conclude with the saying of the Prophet, Psal. 31, 11. Be glad ye righteous, and rejoice in the Lord, and be joyful all ye that are upright in heart, seeing that neither life, nor death, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8, 38, 39.

Thirdly, see the difference between the [Use 3] godly and ungodly, between a good and an evil man. Nothing can make the faithful man wretched and miserable, nothing shall be able to daunt him or dismay him: He shall not be afraid of evil tidings, for his heart is fixed, and believeth in the Lord, who in his good time will deliver him, Psal. 112, 7. He reposeth himself on the heavenly providence of God, and casteth all his care upon him that careth for him, being bold as a Lyon, like the child that in danger runneth to the lap of his father. This the wise man further declareth, Prov. 3, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26. This is the condition of the godly, both at home and abroad, with themselves and with others, in the day time, and in the night season, when terrors most trouble the heart, and enemies most practice mischief, & conceive malice, they shall be safe and secure without trouble and perplexity of spirit. But the wicked man is never at rest, he knoweth not what the peace of conscience meaneth, which indeed passeth all understanding, he feareth where no fear is, every creature helpeth to increase his misery; yea, the things that are not, trouble him no less then things that are, and the greatest terror that he can never shake off, is his own conscience. Whē Felix only heard the Apostle reasoning and disputing of the judgment to come, he trembled, and commanded him to depart out of his sight. Acts 24, 25. When they take themselves to be most sure, and speak peace unto their own souls, then they shall be taken with fear Psal. 14.5, and 53, 5, because God is in the generation and assembly of the just. This the Prophet Isaiah teacheth, chap. 57, 20, 21. The wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt: there is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked: I create the fruit of the lips to be peace peace unto them that be far off, and to them that are near, saith the Lord, for I will heal him. Where the Prophet maketh a flat opposition between the faithful and unfaithful, he calleth the elect by the preaching of the Gospel, which is the power of God to salvation, 2 Cor. 5, 20. So that they break out into this admiration of the mercy of God, and into a joyful embracing of the Messengers sent unto them, How beautiful are the feet of them whish bring glad tidings of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! Rom. 10, 15. Contrarywise, the unfaithful and impenitent are never at rest and quiet, but as a troubled sea tossed with the violence of the winds. And howsoever they seem to them selves and to others, to be happy, and sleep securely in sin, yet the terrors of the night, and the troubles of their own Conscience shall awake them, and rouse them out of this security, Prov. 23, 34. So that they shall be as one that sleepeth in the midst of the sea, and as he that sleepeth in the top of the Mast, that is always in danger.

Thus we see, that the fears of profane persons are not rightly ordered, but evilly placed. For what do they fear? Not God, not his heavy displeasure, who is able to destroy soul and body in hell, and cast them into utter darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, Matth. 10, 28. nor to commit sin, for that is their delight: So that they eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. The things that they chiefly fear, are afflictions, troubles, crosses, losses, and temporal calamities, like those that dread their friends and familiars. They are more troubled for outward damages of this life, then for the loss of God's favor: like profane Esau, who preferred a mess of pott • ge before the blessing, and like the carnal Gadarenes, who preferred their filthy Swine before Christ the Lord of life. The Lord Jesus compareth the Jews to children sitting in the Market place, Luke 7, • 2. so are wicked men in the bestowing their fear like unto little children: Tell them of bugs or beggars, of goblins or shadows, that are nothing and cannot hurt, they are greatly afraid: but of fire and water, of candle or knife, & such like edge-tools which are hurtful and dangerous, they are bold, fearing no harm or peril. Thus it is with all the ungodly. Tell them of sin, of hell, of death, of damnation, of eternal separation from the most sweet and comfortable presence of God, and of the fellowship with the devil and his angelles, they are not moved at all, but dally with their own souls. But if they hear of afflictions, & fear any losses to come upon them, which cannot hurt or hinder our salvation, if we be in Christ: they are oftentimes brought to their wits end, and break out into all impatiency of spirit. But the godly fear nothing more then to offend God their merciful Father: nothing is more bitter unto them then to feel his anger, and the turning of his loving countenance from them: and therefore there is as great a difference between the fear of the one, and the fear of the other, as between heaven and earth, as between good and evil, as between light and darkness.

[Use 4] Lastly, seeing evil men fear whereas no fear is, this overthroweth all Atheists, Epicures, Libertines, and loose livers, which do think there is no God at all, teaching every man to do what seemeth best in his own eyes, and hold Religion to be nothing else but a policy and invention of man to keep the people in order and obedience. This profaneness and Atheism is a grievous sin; it is the very top and height of all impiety and iniquity, committed of those that a • e forsaken of God, and given over to work all uncleanness with greedynesse. The Apostle speaking of one only part of religion, saith, If there be no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen: and if Christ be not raised, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins. 1 Cor. 15, 13, 14, 17. So if there be no belief in Christ, nor truth in religion, nor knowledge of God, nor salvation of souls, y ^e foundation of all go • lines is shaken, and the word of God is made of none effect. Wherefore those Atheists and godless persons, which hold in judgment, affirm in words & avouch in disputation, contrary to Scripture, Nature, Laws, and common reason, that there is no God at all, ought worthily according to their deserts to die the death. Murderers and malefactors, thieves and robbers, for their own offenses have the reward of death, & are carried to the place of execution: of how much sorer punishment suppose you shall they be worthy that commit high treason against God, murder the souls of men, tread under foot the Son of God, and count the blood of the Testament as an unholy thing, and do despite the Spirit of Grace? Of which sort there are too many that find greater favor then such as better deserve it.

And first, the universality of Religion, dispersed over all places, entertained of all persons, embraced & acknowledged at all times, proveth it to be no device of man. We have read and heard of diverse and sundry Nations and people, that have lived without Laws, without Magistrates, without Mariages, without Garments, without Houses, without civility and common honesty, wandering nakedly up and down in holes and caves of the earth; but never of any Nation or people so barbarous and beastly, from East to West, or from North to South, which were without God, without Religion, without worship, without prayers, or without sacrifices. Albeit there be indeed diversities and differences in their Religion, being destitute of the knowledge of the true God; but there hath been no Region without some Religion; which proveth it could be at the first entertained, and afterwards retained by no compact or conspiracy amongst men. Besides, we may reason from the spiritual Natures that reason and experience teach: namely, that there is a devil and his angels set upon mischief, and going about seeking whom they may devour, Contraries compared together, do receive light and luster one from another, as black laid to white, and virtue matched with vice, are better seen and manifested what they are. All laws divine and human, all Nations both Jews & Gentiles, ( Cicero de legib. lib. 1.) even the twelve Tables of the Romans, decreed against witches and sorcerers, which have familiarity with devils, and work by evil spirits. And we see by Witches and Coniurers, that Satan is stronger and mightier then we. If then, the devil have a spiritual nature, and be our enemy, he would have brought desolation and destruction upon us, had there not been a Sovereign and superior power above him to restrain his will, and to keep him short. But this superior power can be nothing else but God himself: otherwise, how is it that we are not all destroyed? Why do we not perish and come to confusion, if we stood at the mercy of this our great adversary? Whereas this is our comfort, that his power is limited, and that he can do nothing farther then he is licensed and allowed. All the hairs of our head are numbered. He cannot hurt a Sparrow or a Fly, without the will of God. He could not touch the body of Job before he was permitted, Job 2. verse 6. He could not enter into the Swine before he was suffered, Matth. 8, verses 31, 32. He cannot run out at his own liberty, but is restrained and reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day, Jude 6.

Thirdly, men in all dangers by sea & land, in time of sickness, and in extremity of their distress, by the very light and instinct of nature call upon God: which showeth that we have naturally a common notion that there is a God. We see it not only in the Children of God, 1 Kings 22. verse 32: as Jehoshaphat, when by his confederacy and friendship with Ahab, he was in danger of sudden death, he cried unto the Lord for help in the battle, but in the very Infidelles, when a mighty Tempest threatened to overwhelm them in the Sea, the Mariners being sore afraid, they cried every man of them unto his God, Jonah 1. verse 5. These principles written in Nature, engraven in the heart, and sealed up in the conscience of man, remain to give light as a flash of lightning in the dark night, and teach a difference between good and evil; between right and wrong, to those that never knew the law of God, and to such as thorough profaneness regard not his ways. Ham and Canaan being both evil men, and scoffers at godliness, Genesis 9. verses 22, 25. and 23. verse 42, saw it was uncomely and indecent for their father to lie with his shame uncovered, being overcome with wine. Esau, though a wild and wicked man, yet he would not kill his brother Jacob, till the days of mourning should come for the death of their father. Absalom, though he wrought wickedness in the sight of God, and rebelled • gainst David his Father, yet rebuked unkindness and unthankfulness in Hushai toward his friend, 2 Sam. 16. verse 17. These general notions, as sparkles kindled in our hearts by the gift of Nature, serve to set forth the difference between righteousness and unrighteousness, and to make men altogether without excuse, Because when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, Rom. 1, 20, 21.

Lastly, not to use in an vndoubtfull point unnecessary proofs, nor to prove that the Sun shineth at noon day, (which were to make a question of that which is without question) every man carrieth a witness about him, to wit, his own Conscience. He that hath committed any sin, as blasphemy, rebellion, murder, adultery, fornication, robbery, and such like; albeit he can so smother and conceal it, that no man living know it, or can accuse him of it: yet oftentimes he hath a grief and griping in his Conscience, and feeleth the very flashings of hell fire; the which proveth invincibly that use which now we urge against all Atheists whatsoever, that there is a God, before whose judgment seat he must one day stand and answer for his fact and fault which he hath so heinously committed. Neither let any say, that this cometh thorough the guiltiness of the Law, shame of the world, and fear of punishment: for, let them have security given them from all Law, a discharge from all reproach, and freedom from all punishment, yet a murderer should never be quiet, his Conscience would ever beat and whip him, trouble and torment him, affright and follow him up and down in all places, and open his own mouth to betray and bewray himself. For GOD hath many ways to discover most secret sins, and most close dissembling sinners: he maketh them either in their sleep to dream of it, or in frenzy to rave upon it, or in sickness to confess it, or unawares to disclose it, or in anguish of the mind to void it and vomit it up, verifying the words of the Prophet Isaiah, chap. 66, 24. Their worm shall not die, but always gnaw upon them with continual torment. As also Mark 9, 44. Thus is God's judgment upon them, that they should fear all things, who will not fear him that made all things. If a man had all the pleasures & treasures that heart could desire or delight in, yet can they give him no true comfort and contentment, when the conscience is guilty of horrible sins.

These terrors, are those Furies which the Poets fain, Cicer. pro. Ros. Amori. & Orat. in Pisonem; which never suffer offenders to be at rest, as we have seen in the examples of Cain, Belteshazzer, Saul, Absalom, Judas, and others. The noise of the Thunder-claps, Psal. 29, 3, 4, 5, 7. which is the voice of God, hath so daunted the vildest Atheists, that they have covered their heads, hidden them selves under their beds, and been ready to creep into every hole. Thus we see, how the ungodly are punished in this life, how they are arraigned as Malefactors at the bar, how they lie confounded in themselves, and how the testimony of every man's conscience proclaimeth and crieth out, Psalm 58, 11. Verily there is fruit for the righteous, doubtless there is a God that judgeth in the earth. So that they shall sooner pull their hearts out of their breasts, then God out of their minds. And albeit the conscience of carnal men, that never truly repented of their sins, seemeth to be at rest, yet it is as a wild and savage beast, which lieth asleep, seemeth tame and gentle; but being raised and roused up, flieth in a man's face, and snarleth at him. Joseph's brethren were not much troubled for their vice and villainy, in selling their brother, at the present time: but long afterward, when they were afflicted with extreme famine, and distressed in Egypt, they remember the iniquity which they had committed, and the cruelty which they had shown, and not truly repented of, Genesis chap. 42. verse 21. Let us therefore strive by all means, & always endeavor to keep a good conscience toward God and man, and take heed how we break out into open sins, provoking God unto anger, wounding our own souls, offending our brethren, diminishing the graces of God, lessening our assurance of his favor, and grieving the Spirit of God, by whom we are sealed unto the day of our redemption.

[Verse 4. Therefore Moab said unto the Elders of Midian, Now shall this multitude lick up all round about us, as an Ox licketh up the grass of the field, &c. ] Hitherto of the occasion of the proceedings of the Moabites: now we are come to the plottings and conspiracies of the enemies of the Church, the Moabites joining and combining themselves with the Midianites, men as wicked as themselves. See here how the adversaries of Israel associate themselves to destroy the Church, though differing in Nation, in Religion, in Tongues, in gods and Idolles, among themselves, not because Israel had offended, but because they thirst after blood. Heereby we learn this Doctrine, y ^t the enemies of the true Church, howsoever they differ in judgment and affection, yet they are ready to join and jump together against the children of God. Notwithstanding the differences and divisions amongst the enemies of God and his truth, they can join hand in hand together, to oppress the Church. This is noted in diverse and sundry practices of the wicked in all ages of the Church. The wicked Midianites & Amalekites with those of the East, not inhabiting in the land of Canaan, but both Nations dwelling beyond the River, differing much in their courses and conversations, and serving vain gods and Idolles, assaulted Israel, came into their land to destroy it, as is witnessed in the book of Judges, chapt. 6, 3. So against Jehoshaphat, a godly King, that sought the Lord God of his father, and walked in his Commandments, Came the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir to battle, 2 Chron. 20.1, 2, 23. This likewise the Prophet David teacheth & declareth, Psal. 83, 5, 6, 7, 8. They have consulted together in heart, and have made a league against thee, the Tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelits, Moab, and the Agarims, Gebal and Ammon, &c. Where he noteth out the multitudes of the enemies which the Church had, albeit at jars among themselves, and fighting sundry battles one against another, yet notwithstanding consent & conspire together to destroy God's chosen. This also is plentifully taught by many examples in the New Testament. As Mat. 22, 15, 16. when the Pharisees had taken counsel against Christ how they might entangle him in his talk, they sent unto him their disciples with the Herodians. So Herod and Pilate, Luk. 23, 12. agreeing like Cats and Dogs, were made friends together, and pleasure one another, which had been enemies one to the other, to the end they might make a mock of Christ. Thus the hatred of godliness, joineth the wicked together. This is it which the Apostles confessed in their prayer, Acts 4, 25, 26. & 6, 9, 10, Why did the Gentiles rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth assembled, and the rulers came together against the Lord, and against his Christ: for doubtless against thine holy son Jesus whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, gathered themselves together. Moreover, when the Apostle disputed against the idolatry of the Athenians, Act. 17, 18. then certain Philosophers of the Epicures and of the Stoics banded themselves together against him, albeit they were two contrary sects that never agreed and consented: one strict in opinion, the other loose in conversation; one placed their happiness in virtue, the other in pleasure; making a mock of all Religion. We see this true by common & continual experience. Look upon the enemies of the truth, there is no love or liking among them one of another: they dare not trust or believe one another, yet they strike hands & join together against the faithful, like to Samson's Foxes, Judge. 15, 4. who albeit they look several ways with their heads yet they join tail to tail, to burn up the harvest & vineyard of the Lord.

The Reasons are evident. For albeit they be [Reason 1] separated one from another, and often spoil each other, yet they unite thenselves in league together, because they fear the faithful, and the decay of their own kingdom. They persuade themselves, that the rising up and flourishing of the Church, will be the pressing down and frustrating of all their hope & expectation. This appeareth in the book of Ester, when Mordecai was honored of the king for his faithful service, in detecting and disclosing the conspiracy intended against him, Haman's wife and his wise-men said unto him, Ester chap. 6. verse 13. If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shall surely fall before him. And hereunto also come the words of the Moabites & Midianites to Balaam, Numb. 22. verses 5, 6. Behold there is a people come out of Egypt, which cover the face of the earth, they are stronger then we. So that they joined together, because they feared the multitudes of Israel, lest they should lose their Dominions and their ancient glory through their conquest.

[Reason 2] Again, they hate the people of God and their Religion. Although the Church be weak, and want human strength, so that the enemies need not fear it: yet still they plot and bring forth new devices, & the children of Belial are always packing and contriving mischief against the Church. For as true faith and love of religion, uniteth hearts together, that we may with one mouth glorify God the Father: so contrariwise, where hatred of the true Religion reigneth, there can be no love to the Professors thereof. No marvel therefore, if such join in league against God's people. As we see, when the Rulers and Governors could not find any fault in Daniel, in regard of his faithfulness concerning the kingdom, envying his honor and promotion, They picked a quarrel against him in matters of the pure worship of the true God. So then, whether we consider that the wicked fear their own fall, and hate the faithful with a deadly hatred: in both respects we may conclude this as a most certain truth, that notwithstanding the bandings and brawlings of the wicked and ungodly among themselves, yet they can consent and consort themselves together, to impugn and slander the Church of God, and the doctrine of Christ.

[Use 1] The Uses now remaining to be handled, are these. First, this teacheth, that seeing sundry sects dissenting and varying greatly one from another, do many times join together in one: unity is not always a note of the Church, except it be conjoined with verity. For as dissention is sometimes in the church, so agreement is oftentimes out of the Church among the enemies of Christ. There was an unity between the Moabites and the Midianites: between the builders of Babel, between the Priests of Baal, between y ^e Scribes and Pharisees, between the Rulers and the people. There is an unity between thieves, conspirators, murderers, and malefactors: there is an unity between the Turks against the Christians: between Antichrist and his adherents, between Satan and his members; yea, between the devils themselves, all using the same means, all aiming at one end, all conspiring & consenting against the kingdom of Christ. Howbeit the agreement of evil men is not truly to be termed an unity, but rather rightly to be called a conspiracy. Wherefore, they are greatly deceived, that make all agreement and unity an essential and inseperable note of the Church. If we would know what are the proper marks and evident notes of the Church, agreeing to every Church, always and only, they are the powerful preaching of sound doctrine, the right administration of the holy Sacraments, the spiritual worship of the true God, and holiness of life and conversation. Where these are not found, it cannot be that there should be the true Church.

This the Evangelist Saint Luke testifieth in the second of the Acts, verses 41, 42, 46, 47, They that gladly received the word were baptized, and the same day there were added to the Church about three thousand souls: and they continued in the Apostles Doctrine, and fellowship, and breaking of bread, and prayers. So Christ calleth and accounteth those as his Brethren, Mother, and Sisters, that hear his word and keep it: and those his Disciples that abide in his word, and his Friends if they do whatsoever he commādeath them. as Luke chap. 8. verse 21. and chap, 11. verse 28. John chap. 8. v •• se; 31, and ch. 15. ver. 14. These are the notes that are peculiar and proper to the Church: by these we shall find the true Church, and learn to join our selves unto it wh • n we have found it, and descry the false signs of the Romish Synagogue, where neither the gospel is truly preached, nor the Sacraments rightly administered, nor the pure worship of God is spiritually instituted, nor holiness of life is sincerely practiced. As for unity, universality, antiquity, succession of Bishops, multitude of believers, the title of Catholic, the working of miracles, the glory of victories, obedience to the Pope, and such like, which the adversaries of the grace of GOD make notes of the Church, (which is an assembly of Antichrist) they are not proper only, nor always, nor unto all Churches (for this is indeed to be proper, as all know that have tasted the first rudiments of Logic.) Besides, these supposed signs are subject unto the outward senses, are open and visible unto the eyes, not matters of faith which are to be believed. They are as obscure, dark, and hard to be known, as to know which is the the Church; they may be claimed and challenged by every heretical congregation. Wherefore as Hilary in one place teacheth. The name of peace is beautiful, & the opinion of unity is f • ire. Notwithstanding far better is a dive • s • ty in judgment, then an unity in falsehood, The Apostle Paul commending concord and consent to the Church, addeth that all our unity must be in Christ, Ro. 15, 5.6. The God of patience and consolation give you that ye be like-minded one toward another, according to Jesus Christ: that ye with one mind, and one mouth may praise God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us therefore seek for unity in verity, and honor it as the greatest comfort of our hearts: otherwise a just war is far better then an unjust and an dishonest peace. The true and Christian unity is, when the sheep of Christ hear the voice of the shepherd, and follow him: and that our Sheepheard is Jesus Christ, by whom alone we enter into the sheepfold.

[Use 2] Secondly, seeing diverse men at great variance within themselves, yet are content to join together in wicked amity and unity against the Church of Christ; we must confess that the salvation and safe keeping of the Church is only of God. If men of all lewd devices, & of different opinions, men at mortal hatred and deadly war amongst themselves, cloase together and plot against the Church: how shall they be able to stand of themselves, being few in number, weak in strength, destitute of friends, and lying open to so many and mighty enemies? For the Church albeit it be the house of God, the mother of the faithful, the body of Christ, and the pillar of the truth, yet it is as a flock of Sheep in the jaws of the Woolfe, and as a prey in the teeth of the Lion: so that the Church standeth, and the truth prevaileth, albeit the power of men, the malice of the devil, and the gates of hell be set wide open against it.

Wherefore, in this distressed estate of the Church, being as a Citty battred on many sides, besieged of many enemies, smitten with many weapons, and assaulted with many Engines; let us not boast of our own power, nor glory in our own greatness, as though we stood by our own strength, held out by our own might, and overcame by our own multitude. For if the Lord should leave us, yea, but a little, and suffer these enemies to rise up against us, they would soon devour us with open mouth, and we quickly see our own weakness. This then is our duty, in the deep consideration of this unity of the enemies, in such great diversity of hearts, to ascribe all the glory of our safety, to God and to acknowledge his only power in our standing: least if we presume of our selves, the Lord in justice leave us unto our selves.

This is it that the Prophet David confesseth and practiseth in many places, as Psalm 3, verses 1, 2, 6. Lord, how are mine adversaries increased? How many rise against me? Many say to my soul, There is no help for him in God at all. Hereupon he concludeth, Salvation belongeth unto the Lord, and thy blessing is upon the people most of all. And Psalm 124. verses 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. If the Lord had not been on our side, may Israel now say: if God had not been on our side when men rose up against us, they had quickly swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us: then the waters had drowned us, and the stream had gone over our soul: Praised be the Lord, which hath not given us as a prey unto their teeth. Our soul is escaped, even as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler: the snare is broken and we are delivered: Our help is in the Name of the Lord, which hath made heaven, and earth.

Thirdly, seeing so many of so diverse dispositions [Use 3] plot against the Church, it is required of us to be the Lord's Solliciters and Remembrancers, calling upon him night and day, to be merciful to his Church, to be a buckler about them, to be a Rock of refuge, and a Tower of defense to those that be his. Wherefore, as at all times we ought to be mindful of the flourishing estate and welfare of the Church, so especially when we see enemies of such nature & disposition to increase, it standeth us upon to be mindful of the Lord, and to give him no rest, Till he repair, and until he set up Jerusalem the praise of the world, Isaiah 62, 6, 7.

This we see to be practiced by the Prophet David, in the 64. Psalm, verses 1, 2. where he prayeth against the fury of his enemies: Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer, preserve my life from fear of the enemy: hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, and from the rage of the worker of iniquity. This also was put in practice by Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 20, verse 3. and chap. 32. verses 7, 8. seeing the multitude of their enemies, and acknowledging their own weakness, not able to deliver or help themselves, or to save others; the Children being come to the birth, and there was no strength to bring forth; they called upon the Lord, set themselves to seek him with all their hearts, and proclaimed a solemn Fast to be kept throughout the land. So when we see the enemies consult and talk together, and take crafty counsel against the servants of God, and against his truth, then it s high time to join with pure hearts in prayer to Almighty God, to protect his people, to turn the wisdom of his enemies into foolishness, Psalm 83. verses 13, 14, 15, 16. O my God, make them like unto a wheel, and as the stubble before the wind: as the fire burneth the Forest, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire, so persecute them with thy Tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm: Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek thy name, O Lord. Let them be confounded and troubled forever, yea, let them be put to shame, and perish.

Lastly, seeing there is a league and confederacy [Use 4] amongst the wicked conspiring together, notwithstanding their own contentions at home, let us not stand in their ways, let us not walk in their paths, let us not be partakers of their counsels, lest we be partakers also with them in their punishments. Albeit they agree as brethren in evil, we must take heed we have no fellowship and familiarity with them. This is it which Solomon teacheth, Prov. 1, 10, 11, 15. My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not: if they shall say, Come unto us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us freely hide our selves against the innocent: My son, walk not in the same way with them, draw back thy foot from their path. We are by the corruption of our own nature prone to evil: Now if beside the inward inclination of the heart, there be an outward temptation and alluremēt, we are carried unto evil as a violent stream, or as the horse that rusheth into the battle. Many have dashed themselves into pieces against this rock of offense. Wherefore, although we hear their words, we must not follow their deeds. Let us not have our ears open to such seducers, but stop them (as the Adder) when they seek to draw us into their counsels and practices. This is that which Jacob speaketh, Genes. 49, 5, 6. Simeon and Levi Brethren in evil, the instruments of cruelty are in their habitations, into their counsel let not my soul come, my glory be not thou joined with their assembly, for in their wrath they slew a man, & in their self will they digged down a wall.

[Verse 5. He sent Messengers to Balaam the son of Beor to call him, saying, Behold there is a people come out of Egypt. ] Mark here the resolution and determination of the Moabites, confederate with the Midianites in their distress, fearing Israel, and perceiving themselves not able to meet them in y ^e field. They do not seek the Lord in their trouble, but they send out to an old witch, & to a notable Sorcerer. Hereby we see, that it hath been the usual practice and custom of the wicked in their crosses, troubles, and perplexities (seeing no other help) to repair and resort to witches and sorcerers. I say, evil men in dangers and distresses amongst other unlawful means, use to go to conjurers and cunning men, which are very witches and wizards. This we see in the example of Saul, when the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Vrim, nor yet by the Prophets; and when the Philistines assembled themselves, & pressed sore upon him, he sought to the witch at Endor, which had a familiar Spirit, & raised up the devil in the likeness of Samuel. The like is approved unto us by the practice of Amaziah King of Israel, in the second book of the Kings, the first chapter and the second verse: When he was fallen thorough the Lattice window in his upper Chamber which was in Samaria, and thereof grew sick unto the death, he directed Messengers to go and inquire of Baallzebub the god of Ekron, whether he should recover of this his disease.

So did Haman likewise, an enemy of the Jews, and one of the race of the Amalekites, thirsting after the blood of Mordecai, and the destruction of the whole Church, dealt by Sorcerie for to effect his intended purpose, Ester chap. 3, verse 7. And cast Pur, that is, a Lot; to know when he might have a lucky and prosperous time to enterprize this business.

Moreover, it is noted by the Prophet, that when Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel was come out of his kingdom with a mighty host, and stood at the parting of the way, doubting unto what place he should go, whether against the Ammonites, or against the Tribe of Judah, as in the one and twentieth chapter of Ezekiel, and the eleventh verse, He consulted by Diuination, and made his Arrows bright, he consulted with Idolles, and looked in the Liver. Hereunto cometh the threatening denounced against the Egyptians by the Prophet Isaiah, in chapt. 19. verses 3, 4. The spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst of her, and I will destroy their counsel, and they shall seek at the Idolles, and at the Sorcerers, and of them that have spirits of Diuination, and at the Soothsayers, And I will deliver the Egyptians into the hand of cruel Lord's, and a mighty King shall rule over them, saith the Lord God of hoastes. Thus we see it was very usual with the wicked, when they saw no other help at hand, to seek unto witches, and to resort unto enchanters.

The Reasons hereof are these: first, because they want Faith and belief in God, they trust not in him, they look not for salvation from him, they dare not repose their confidence in him. This we see in Saul, when he had once forsaken God in breaking his commandment by sparing the Amalekites, in offering sacrifice, in killing the Priests, in persecuting the Saints, in refusing to consult with God as a needless thing, and proceeding from one degree of wickedness to another; in the end he said unto his servants, 1. Sam. chap. 28. verse 3. Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and ask of her. This is that reason which the Spirit of God poynteth out in the first book of the Chronicles, and the tenth chapter, Saul died for his transgression that he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord which he kept not, and in that he sought and asked counsel of a familiar spirit, and asked not of the Lord, therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.

True it is, we read in the first of Samuel, chapter 28. verse 6. that he asked counsel of the Lord: and here we hear he asked not counsel of the Lord: these are not repugnant and contrary one to another, no more then these words, in the eleventh Chapter of S. Matthew, and the fourteenth verse, John the Baptist is Elias, and John the Baptist is not Elias. Christ said of John the Baptist, This is Elias. John the Baptist said of himself, I am not Elias, John 1, 21. Notwithstanding, here is no contradiction: for Christ understood it one way, & John another. Christ meant he was Elias in spirit, Luke 1, 17. as coming in the spirit and power of Elias. John meant he was not Elias in person, which the Pharisees thought and imagined. So these words seem contrary in show, but are not in substance, and in deed: In deed he asked of the Lord, but not in faith, nor with a purpose to cast himself upon God but in hypocrisy, and with resolution to go to the witch. As Ahab consulted with y ^e Prophet of the Lord, but he was before determined what he would do, whatsoever the Prophet should say. Wherefore, that which was not done rightly and religiously, is as it were not done at all, as the Apostle, speaking of irreverent coming to the Lord's Table, saith, This is not to eat the Lord's Supper, 1 Cor. 11, 20. Where he denieth that absolutely, which many did corruptly.

Again, no marvel if the wicked forsake God in their troubles, betake themselves to Sorcerers and Wizards, which are the enemies of God, seeing sorcery is the invention of the devil, and a manifest work of the flesh. If then it came from the father of lies, and be a fruit of our own corrupt nature, it is not strange or to be wondered at, that carnal and corrupt men give themselves over to this practice. This the Apostle teacheth, Gal. 5, 19, 20. The works of the flesh are manifest, which are, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, wantonness, idolatry, witchcraft, and such like. Seeing therefore evil men want faith, joining to God, purifying the heart, working by love, & making up the marriage between God & our souls; and seeing witchcraft is a work of the flesh, it is natural to natural men, in their distresses to use unlawful means, as charming, figure-casting, and such curious acts and arts as are wrought by the device of the devil.

Now let us make use of this Doctrine. First, [Use 1] this condemneth the common custom and practice of the people in our days, who when the hand of God is any way on them or theirs, when they be strangely visited, or their children grievously afflicted, or their Cattle either lost or languish with any extraordinary disease (at which time especially they should acknowledge God's over-ruling and over-swaying providence, that not a silly Sparrow falleth to the ground without the will of our heavenly Father) by and by they send out to that cunning man, or that cunning woman, & so forget God that made them. These men will not tarry the Lord's leisure, nor wait upon his mercy for ease and comfort, they will have present help, or else they will run to the devil, resort to witches, and fetch health out of hell it self. This is the folly and vanity of such as know not God, neither acknowledge that all things are disposed according to his purpose and good pleasure. Let us beware of this sin which is a forsaking of the true God, a renouncing of help from his holy place, and an entertainment of familiarity with the devil, which is the very height and top of all iniquity. This the Lord himself teacheth, Levite. 20, 6, 7. If any turn after such as work with spirits, and after soothsayers, to go a whoring after them, then will I set my face against that person, and will cut him off from among his people: Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. Now what a foul shame and reproach is it for those who profess Jesus Christ, & have solemnly vowed in baptism to renounce the devil, and the works of the devil, yet in their trials and temptations to consult with the devil, to abjure the Lord of life, and to resort to witches and wizards, the very instruments of the devil, then which, nothing can be imagined more horrible? Let us therefore all take heed of this practice; let us beware of all compact and society with the devil: let such as hate it, learn yet more to hate it, and fly further from it; and such as have followed this way, and followed after these abominations, crave pardon of God, and confess their own wickedness.

Secondly, acknowledge hereby the difference [Use 2] between the godly and the ungodly. So soon as the sons and daughters of God are smitten, they cast their care on God, and quiet their hearts in his will. They turn unto God by true and unfeigned repentance, and bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life. They believe in God, and trust in him for help: they say unto him, Thou art my salvation. As for the ungodly, when they are visited with any judgment, & are punished in soul, or body, or goods, or children, or servants, or cattle, they do imagine that they are hurt by witches, and presently challenge and charge someone or other of witchcraft: then by and by they send out without delay, for fear lest they should come too late, to some cunning man, in whom they repose all their confidence, and so they make the devil their God.

Furthermore, this is their common practice, to foretell things to come, by chattring of Birds, by crying of R • uens, by turning down of Salt, by having a Hare cross him in y ^e way, by sudden bleeding, and such like, which are accounted unlucky and ominous signs. Thus doth the devil craftily creep, and cunningly convey himself into the ignorant minds of unbelieving people, by making them retain the remnants of the old superstition, when he cannot prevail to bring in the devilish divination, practiced in former times. Therefore the Lord saith by Moses, Deut. 18, 10, 11.12. Let none be found among you that useth witchcraft, &c. This also the Prophet reproveth, Isaiah 8, 19, 20. The children of God must in all their afflictions ask counsel of God by his word, and by his Ministers. They do not wait upon lying vanity, nor forsake the mercy of God. They say, Though the Lord would kill me, yet will I trust in him, Job 13, 15. Though they be brought to the gates of hell, they will not cease to depend upon him.

Thirdly, we learn in all our dangers to [Use 3] seek comfort at God's hand, while he may be found. This is the use that we ought to make of all our troubles and tribulations, thereby to be drawn and driven nearer unto God, & unto his word, and to stoop down under his mighty hand. This humiliation we see in Job, he did not seek to God's sworn enemies for help, he sought not to cunning men and women, he did not ask counsel of Coniurers, he knew he must seek to the Lord, and lift his eyes to him that had made the wound, saying; The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken, blessed be the Name of the Lord. Job 1, 21. We must not therefore renounce the Lord in the day of our calamities, but cleave unto him with full purpose of heart. Let us say with the Prophet, Why art thou cast down my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Waite on God, for I will yet give him thanks: he is my present help, and my God. Psalm. 42, 5, 11, and 43, 5. Wherefore, if it be the practice of the wicked in their troubles to seek to the devil; let us on the other side go unto God, Who killeth & maketh alive, who woundeth and maketh whole, who bringeth low, and exalteth: neither is there any that can deliver out of his hand. Deut. 32, 39. 1 Sam. 2, 6. Let us make the word of God our chief stay and comfort. This was the practice of the Prophet David, Psal. 119; 29. Except thy Law had been my delight, I should now have perished in mine affliction. And this is the end for which the Scriptures were penned by the Prophets and Apostles, that in our distresses we should not be left destitute, as the Apostle declareth, Roman. 15, 4. Whatsoever things are written afore time, are written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of Scriptures might have hope. Though God for a small season bring troubles upon his dearest servants, yet he will not always keep them in heaviness, he will return again in compassion at his appointed time. For he endureth but a while in his anger, but in his favor is life: weeping may abide at Euening, but joy cometh in the Morning. Psalm. 30, 5. So then, afflictions shall not always clasp and compass y ^e loins of the godly; the days and years, the hours and months of their sorrows are numbered and determined. And albeit we, as evil measurers of times & seasons, do judge every hour a day, and every day be reckoned with us a year of affliction; yet if we had wise hearts to number our days aright, either in respect of God's eternity, or in respect of the due desert of our sins, or in respect of the glory of immortality reserved for us in the heavens, it would make us rest in God, and to possess our souls with patience, & to consider whatsoever our crosses and losses are, yet he is able to recompense them another way, and render them an hundred sold into our bosoms. This we see in the example of Job, before remembered, upon whom the Apostle James willeth us to look, saying; Take my brethren, the Prophets for an example of suffering adversity, and of long patience, which have spoken in the Name of the Lord: Ye have heard of the patience of Job, & have known what end the Lord made: For the Lord is very pitiful and merciful. For albeit he did drink deeply of the cup of afflictions, & God for a season did hide his face from him; yet with everlasting mercy he had compassion upon him, his substance was increased, his cattle were doubled, other sons & daughters were granted, his honor was augmented, and his days were prolonged upon the earth. The like mercy of God we see in the words of the Prophet to Amaziah; he had hired Israelitish soldiers for an hundred Talents of silver, he was commanded to dismiss and cashire them, 2 Chron. 25, 9. Because the Lord was not with Israel, nor with all the house of Ephraim. Then the King said to the man of God, What shall we do then for the hundredth Talents which I have given to the host of Israel? Then the man of God answered, The Lord is able to give thee more then this. This is that which Christ assureth, when he saith to his Disciples, Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath forsaken house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my sake and the Gospels, but he shall receive an hundred fold now at this present; houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions, & in the world to come, eternal life. Let us then be patient in our troubles and losses that are sent upon us: let us not seek to restore them and recover out of them by unlawful means, and running to witches: if we depend upon God, we shall not need to be troubled with these worldly respects, he will give us all things necessary, and is able to restore more then he hath taken from us.

Lastly, this Doctrine teacheth us the reason why wicked men do not prosper, but seeking comfort from conjurers and cunning men, are more tormented, even because they forsake the Lord, and seek help where no help is to be had. This appeareth in the examples of Saul and Amaziah, they sought to witches, but they found not that which they sought for. The devil was a murderer from the beginning, is he now become an helper? He was an enemy to mankind, is he now made a welwiller unto them? He was an adversary, is he now reconciled unto us? Nay, he is to be feared, not only whē he ladeth us with sorrows, and laboreth to draw us to despair, but much more when he offereth us his gifts, and pretendeth friendship toward us. And albeit he sometimes speak the truth, and reach out his hand to help us, it is but to deceive and delude us, and to clasp us the faster in both his arms. For as God hath his word & sacraments instituted for the comfort and consolation of his Church; so the devil hath also his means and ways to train up his disciples: he useth certain charms and characters, certain spells and enchantments, which are as it were Satan's sacraments. All these have no power or force at all, unless we believe strongly and steadfastly that they can do us good. As then God requireth faith toward him, so doth the devil require a sound belief in these toys and trumpery, otherwise they are not available. This the very heathen confess, as appeareth in Pliny, that no charms or enchantments can work any cure without belief. But this faith is a false faith, and no better thē the service of the devil; as the believing in God, is a principal part of the worship of God. For we must believe nothing, we must trust in nothing, we must depend upon nothing, against the direct and express word of God: if we do, we enter into a covenant with the devil, and offer sacrifice unto him, which is an abomination against God.

[Verse 6. For I know that he whom thou blessest, is blessed, and he whom thou cursest, shall be cursed.] These words show the great confidence they have in him. It doth not appear that they were spoken to flatter him, or uttered to him otherwise then they thought of him, as Origen supposeth; but are as a reason rendered to induce him to come unto them, because their trust & affiance was set upon him, and they had made him their only refuge in their trouble. Indeed this is peculiar and proper to God alone to be able to bless & curse, to save and to condemn, to bind & to loose, as we have the like speech of the Lord to Abraham, Gen 12, 3. I will bless them that bless thee and curse them that curse thee, and thou shalt be a blessing. This is most truly spoken of God, which they vainly boast of Balaam, who could do nothing against his people, yet they rest and rely upon him. This was a weak and devilish means, thinking to curse the Israelites, and so to prevail against them: yet see what hope they had in him, and how they repose themselves upon this frail and foolish, this wicked and unlawful means. Heereby we learn the vanity and folly of evil men, resting upon most vain things which cannot help them, they trust to a broken Reed, they stay upon an arm of flesh. The wicked enter into lewd and licentious practices, grounding themselves upon weak and vain means that will deceive them. Thus God upbraideth oftentimes the confidence of the Jews in their vain Idols, Let them rise up and help you, let them be your refuge: Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen, let them save you in the time of your tribulation. Deut. 32, 37, 38. Judge. 10, 14. So the Philistines gloried and boasted in their great Captain and Champion Goliath, 1 Sam. 17, 10, triumphing upon his strength, insulting over the servants of Saul, reproaching the childhood of David, and defying the host of Israel So the Aramites were proud & confident in their army, resting upon weak means, glorying that the dust of Samaria should not be enough for his host to take every man an handful, and blaspheming with open mouth, that God was the God of the Mountains and not of the Uallies. 1 King. 20, 10, 23. All these examples teach the vanity of proud flesh, resting on weak and deceiveable means, that cannot profit or prosper.

And no marvel if vain men rest upon [Reason 1] vain things, and build upon a sandy foundation, because the GOD of this world hath blinded their minds, that the glorious Gospel of Christ, which is the Image of GOD, should not shine unto thē. 2 Cor. 4, 4. Thogh the Sun shine never so bright and clearly, yet if the eyes be closed, a man cannot see the light thereof. So when Satan worketh strongly in y ^e children of disobedience, he prevaileth so far with them, that they glory in their own shame, fortify themselves with weakness, and build their house upon the sand.

Again, they want true faith in God's promises, [Reason 2] to make him their stay & staff to lean upon: for all have not faith (as the Apostle teacheth, 2 Thess. 3, 2.) to rely and rest with confidence upon him. Hence it is, that some trust in Horses and Chariots, some in the strength and multitude of men, some in Princes and Potentates of the world, but never look to the Holy one of Israel. So then, whether we consider the illusion of the devil in blinding, or the want of faith in staying men, we may conclude the former Doctrine, offered to our considerations in the vain confidence of the Moabites and Midianites, that vanity is exalted among the sons of men, that they rest upon a broken hope, and trust in vain things, to their own confusion and destruction.

The uses of this Doctrine are many. First, observe the difference between the stay of [Use 1] the godly, and the hope of the ungodly. The righteous man resteth on God, he maketh him his refuge, he fasteneth his heart on things that the eye seeth not, and trusteth not in any carnal means which are deceitful: but the ungodly (being of the world) rely on worldly means, and put their confidence in an arm of flesh. This difference David acknowledgeth and setteth down, Psal. 20, 7, 8. Some trust in Chariots, and some in Horses, but we will remember the Name of God our Lord: They are brought down and fallen, but we are risen & stand upright. Where the Prophet declareth the diverse practices of the men of this world, & the children of God which are not of this world, and showeth the issue of them both. The godly shall stand upright, and abide unmovable as a Rock, but the other shall fall to the ground, and vanish as a shadow. The godly grow strong, and their defense is sure: albeit many oppose themselves against them, and intend mischief to overthrow them, yet still they rest in God, and remain undaunted, and therefore shall prevail in the end: whereas worldlings that put not their trust in God, but in the things which they behold with a fleshly eye (which are temporal) deceive thenselves, and all their hope shall perish.

Secondly, let us mark the certainty of the [Use 2] destruction of carnal men, concluded with God. For if their confidence be weak, and all their hope and expectation vain wherein they trust, then let them not think to escape, whē they promise unto themselves peace and security; suddenly the day of vengeance cometh, and shall light upon them, and all their trust shall be as the Spiders web, which albeit today it be built aloft, yet tomorrow it is swept away. For they lean on a broken staff of wood, which not only cannot help, but the shiuers run into their hand, and wound it. 2 Kings 18, 21. Ier. 17, 5, and 49, 16.

[Use 3] Lastly, let us learn this duty, not to depend on vain things, as riches, friends, honors, and policies, but on God, which is unchangeable & unmovable, and let us resign up ourselves into his hands. This the Prophet urgeth and exhorteth unto in many places, Psal. 62, 8, 9, 10, & 118, 8, 9, and 146, 3, 4. True it is, we are not to refuse good means offered and afforded of God unto us, but are bound to use them as blessings and instruments by which he will help us; for then we trust not in the creature, but in the Creator himself, in whom only we must confess, is the power to help. It is a great cause why God oftentimes blesseth not good means when we trust in them, rob God of his glory, and do not wait for a blessing at his hands. This causeth the Lord to cross us, & to curse his own benefits, because we seek not him, but sacrifice to our own Nets, Hab. 1, 15, 16, & burn Incense to our own yarne, we put our confidence in the outward means, sometimes in Princes, sometimes in policies, sometimes in men, sometimes in Mountains, forsaking God; and therefore when we hope for help by them, God bloweth upon them, and turneth them to our hurt and destruction. Asa King of Judah, Being diseased in his feet, sought not the Lord in his disease, but trusted in the Physicians, 2 Chron. 16, 12, & therefore they could do him no good. The rich man in the Gospel, that said to his soul, Luke 12, 19, 20, 21. Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, live at ease, eat, drink, and take thy pastime, received this answer, O fool, this nigh • will they fetch away thy soul from thee: then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? So is he that gathereth riches to himself, and is not rich in God. Wherefore it standeth us upon, to call upon God, to give a blessing upon his own helps and means given unto us: otherwise, though we have all helps in our own hands to defend our selves, and offend the enemy, fenced by the Sea, fortified by Ships, blessed by Princes, backed with friends, stored with munitions, aided with confederates, and armed with multitudes of men; yet must our comfort, affiance, and confidence be in the Lord alone. Hereunto cometh that which the Prophet Isaiah saith, chap. 31, 3. The Egyptians are men, and not God: and their horses, flesh, and not spirit: and when the Lord shall stretch out his hand, the helper shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall, and they shall altogether fail.

[Verse 7. And the Elders of Moab and of Midian departed, having the reward of the soothsaying in their hand. ] In these words note the policy of the wicked, they lay a bait before him to catch him, and carry not their hands empty, which was a great trial and temptation to a man of his humor, and one of the devils hungry Chaplains. For albeit Wizards and Coniurers, and such as are counted cunning men and women, offer to help others to money, and to enrich them with treasures; yet live most commonly basely and beggarly themselves. Take a view of Witches and Coniurers, that sell their souls to the devil, and receive his mark as the badge of their profession, and behold how wretchedly and miserably they live above all others, in a poor and simple estate, glorying to be able to stand others instead, but not enabled to help themselves. Wherefore, these leaguers knowing the disposition of Balaam, carry their reward and his wages with them, to make him to assent to them, and to grant their petition. This teacheth, That gain and rewards are a great temptation to attempt evil actions. Man (I say) is of himself prone to wickedness, but when gain is offered, and gifts are given, they are a powerful means to deceive and corrupt the conscience. The devil being by long experience privy to our corruption, and knowing how effectual bribes and rewards are to draw men to sin, laid his bait before Christ, and offered all the Kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them if he would fall down and worship him. Mat. 4, 8, 9. So when he entered into Judas, and filled him full of all iniquity, he prevailed this way with him, to sell his Master for money, & to betray him into y ^e hands of sinners, saying; What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? This prevailed in Lot; he forsook Abraham, dwelt in Sodom, was carried away with earthly commodities, and smarted for it. This the Apostle noteth to have been the cause that Demas fell from the truth, Because he embraced this present world, forgetting y ^t the amity of the world, is the enmity of God, insomuch that whosoever will be a friend of the world, maketh himself the enemy of God. 2 Tim. 4, 10. I am. 4, 4. This also our Savior declareth by the Parable of the rich man, Luke 14, 16. who sent out his messengers and bad his guests, who refused to come, pretending sundry excuses; one said, I have bought five yoke of Oxen, and I go to prove them, I pray thee have me excused: another said, I have bought a Farm, and I must needs go out and see it, I pray thee have me excused: showing hereby, that the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the commodities of this life are lets and pull-backs from embracing the Gospel.

The Reasons of this truth are very apparent. First, the profits and pleasures of this present life, are as rank thorns that choke the precious and immortal seed of the word of God, that it cannot grow up in our harts. For when once they are received into the soul, they choke the truth of God, and give a check to the Spirit of God. These two can never lodge together, so fast as one springs, the other withereth. This our Savior teacheth in the Parable of the Sower, where he saith, The seed is of the word of God; that which fell among thorns, are they which have heard, and after their departure, are choked with cares, and with riches, and voluptuous living, and bring forth no fruit, Lu. 8, 11, 14. This caused the Prophet to pray unto God, to incline his heart unto his Testimonies, and not to covetousness. Psal. 119, 39.

Secondly, gifts and rewards put out the eyes of those that saw clearly before, and stop the ears of those that could hear before, and shutteth up the mouth of those that could speak before. If then the receiving of bribes, and taking of gifts, be a setting of justice to sale, if they have force to pervert and corrupt, not only such as are lewd and lime-fingered to draw presents unto themselves, but the wise and righteous: then we must acknowledge them to be dangerous temptations, laid before us of Satan to surprise us by his wiliness. This Moses teacheth the Judges and Officers which were to be chosen in the • r Cities: Thou shalt not wrest the Law, nor have regard of persons: Thou shalt not take any reward: for gifts blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. Deut. 16, 19. Neither let them say, though I take rewards, I will never swerve from Justice, for that is to presume vainly of thine own strength, and to give the Spirit of God the lie, that speaketh the contrary.

Let us proceed to the uses of this Doctrine. [Use 1] First, this teacheth us, not to love the world, nor the things of the world, but to beware we be not deluded by the glittering show of this earthly vanity. Take heed of cares and covetousness, which is an immoderate desire of getting & enjoying the wealth of this world. For it stealeth away the heart of man from God and godliness, and maketh him bend the whole course of his life on earthly pleasures. This is the common sickness and disease of this age wherein we live. For give me one among many, that is not overcome with the pleasures of sin, and the profits of the world? It stealeth on such as have sanctified affections, and have escaped out of the filthiness of the world, through the acknowledging of the Lord, and seeketh to overcome them. It is so deceitful and dangerous a sin, that it hath greatly assaulted, and fearfully overcome them after their calling to the truth, and profession of the glorious Gospel of Christ our Savior, and after they have begun to make some conscience of their life and conversation. Nay, such as before their calling and conversation felt no such desires and cares, now begin to be pressed, combred, and tempted with them. For as Satan by all means seeketh whom he may devour, and how he may hinder the repentance of sinners, so when he cannot any longer hold men in horrible sins of Idolatry, Blasphemy, Adultery, and contempt of GOD, then like a wily and subtle serpent, he creepeth in another way before we can espy him: then he suffereth us to hate evil company, surfeiting, drunkenness, riot, and excess, but he driveth to another extremity, and possesseth us with distrustful cares, and immoderate thoughts of this world, to desire greedily, to seek continually, to keep wretchedly, and to depart heavily from the vain and momentary things that perish with the use. And as this is a secret and subtle sin (albeit deeply rooted, yet hardly espied) so is it seldom cured and recovered, because men do not much consider of it & regard it, but please and flatter themselves in it. If we would willingly attain to our former estate, and see the danger of this disease, consider the vanity and uncertainty of all worldly things; compare them with spiritual blessings, and they are as dung and dirt matched with gold and silver: acknowledge that nothing is more unseemly for those whose conversation should be in heaven, then to be plodding upon the earth, & wallowing in the puddle of profane pleasures. Therefore the Apostle John saith, Love not the world, neither the things that are in this world, &c. John. 2, 15, 16, 17. Hereunto cometh the counsel of Paul, 1 Tim. 6.17, 18, 19.

Secondly, seeing gifts and rewards offered, [Use 2] be as a bait laid up to entrap the soul, let us refuse them, and not hunt after them as the manner of some is. Therefore the Prophet said to his servant, detesting his covetous mind, Is this a time to take money, and to receive garments, and Olives, and Vineyards, and Sheep, and Oxen, and men servants, and maid-servants? The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee and to thy seed forever. So when Simon the Sorcerer offered to the Apostles money, to have power to bestow the gifts of the holy Ghost, Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou thinkest that the gift of God may be obtained with money. Acts 8, 20. Likewise when the King of Babylon offered unto Daniel, garments of purple, and a chain of gold, for the interpretation of his dream, he would not sell the gift of God, but said, Keep thy rewards to thyself, and give thy gifts to another, to one of thy enchanters, that set to sale their superstitions. Dan. 5, 17. So then the servants of God must always aim at, and seek the glory of God, and their daily prayer must be, That he would give them clean hands and a pure heart Psal. 24, 4. They must not rashly gape after gain, but follow the duties of their calling, with a single and sincere affection, knowing That their labors shall not be in vain in the Lord, and that they have a reward laid up for thē in the heavens. This was it that Moses looked after when he was come to age, refusing the alliance of the King, partaking with the adversity of the Church, and esteeming the rebuke of Christ, greater riches then the treasures of Egypt, for he had respect to y ^e recompense of the reward. It is enough for us that we shall be glorified, albeit we be not rewarded at the hands of men.

[Use 3] Thirdly, let us follow after the best gifts which may further the salvation of the soul. Those indeed are good gifts, that make the possessors of them better. This duty the Apostle declareth, 1 Tim. 6, 9, 11. They that will be rich, fall into temptations and snares, and into many foolish and noisome lusts, which drown men in perdition and destruction: But thou, O man of God, fly these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness faith, love, patience and meekness. The things of this life are common to y ^e godly and ungodly, nay, oftentimes the ungodly have the greater share and portion in them: let us therefore labor after those graces that accompany salvation. Let us lay up our treasure in heaven, Where neither the Moth nor Canker corrupteth, and where thieves neither dig through, nor steal. Mat. 6, 20. These gifts in the day of trouble, and in the hour of temptation shall minister more comfort and more true peace unto us, then all earthly and transitory things, which end in corruption. But a lasse, if it were possible for us to gain the whole world, what should it avail or advantage us, and afterward lose our own souls? Or what comfort can we take in our riches and possessions, when it shall be said, Thou fool, this night shall they fetch away thy soul from thee, then whose shall all these be that thou hast gathered? For so shall it fall out to all those that are rich, but not in God. Luk. 12, 20, 21. So then, let us learn to trust in the living God, and not in uncertain riches: let us cast all our care upon him that hath cared for us: And let us first of all seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all other things shall be cast upon us. Mat 6, 32.

Lastly, let us learn to bear the yoke of poverty with patience. If we want this worlds goods, let us not be discouraged. God oftentimes recompenceth the want of earthly blessings, with great abundance of heavenly graces, Making the poor of this world, rich in faith, and such as have nothing to inherit, to be heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him. I am. 2, 5. This Christ declareth in the Epistle which he commanded John to write to the Church of the Smyrnians, I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, but thou art rich. Revel 2.9. He maketh them rich in knowledge, in faith, in obedience, and joy in the holy Ghost. He blesseth them with inward comfort, and with peace of conscience that passeth all understanding. He giveth them patience in troubles, meekness of spirit, and an holy contentation, to sustain the weight of their affliction. And albeit they bear a grievous burden, yet he hath eased them of a greater, (to wit) the burden of their sin, which in Christ they feel to be lightened and remitted. This the Apostle testifieth, 2 Cor. 6, 10. We are as dying, and yet behold we live, &c. Hereunto acords the witness of Peter, who albeit he said, Silver and Gold have I none, yet he confesseth, that the Divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the acknowledgement of him that hath called us unto glory and virtue. This is that Jacob persuaded his own heart, and told to his brother, Gen. 33, 11 God hath shown mercy unto me, and therefore I have all things. Seeing therefore riches are as thorns to choke us, and as snares to deceive us, let us learn to be content with our estate, and not greedily desire that which may turn to our destruction.

[Verse 9. Then God came to Balaam, saying, &c. ] We shown before, that the purpose of Balaam the sorcerer, was to raise up the God of the Hebrews to consult with him, and to entice him to leave the protection of the Israelites, according to the guise and fashion of Coniurers, as we declared before in the sixth conclusion. For when the unbelievers began to lay siege to their enemies, they called forth the god or goddess of that place, to forsake that people, and come unto themselves. Thus did the devil seduce the world, and set up the kingdom of darkness in the children of disobedience. The Infidels indeed thought they dealt with their god, but they had to do with the devil. We see in all histories, how carefully they resorted to the Oracle of Apollo, as it were to know the will and pleasure of God in things to come; but a lasse (poor souls) they were deluded by the voice of the devil: so that whilst they supposed they asked counsel of one, they received answer of another. Therefore the Apostle Paul saith, These things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not unto God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with the devils. 1 Corinth. 10, 19, 20. Wherefore, when the sorcerers and soothsayers used to call up the protecting god of their enemies, the devils ordinarily used to return them their answer. But in this place, whilst this enchanter goeth about his superstitious practice, (supposing the true God to be like their false gods of other Nations) & so thinketh to bring up the God of the Israelites, God suffereth not the devil to give him answer, but himself preventeth his apparition, & appeareth unto him, both to procure the good of his own people, and to make known his power: to convince the rage and madness of the enemies, and to declare to all the world, the blessed estate of the Church. Heereby then we learn, in that God came unto him, and shown him what to do, that God sometimes speaketh to wicked men, and revealeth his will unto them. God (say I) not only teacheth and instructeth his own people, and hath appeared to them by visions and dreams, but hath appeared and made known his will, even to his utter enemies, and to open Idolaters that know him not. Thus he spake to Cain, Gen. 4, 6, 7, and reproved him for his malice against his brother, exhorting to repentance toward God, and reconciliation toward his brother, and threatening him with destruction if he continued. So he dealt with Abimelech, when he had taken away Sarah from Abraham; God came unto him in a dream by night, and said unto him, Thou art but dead, because of the woman which thou hast taken, for she is a man's wife. Gen. 20, 3. So he did to Laban the Aramite, speaking unto him in a dream by night, and saying; Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob, ought save good. Gen. 31, 24. Thus he dealt with Pharaoh King of Egypt, God shown him in a dream what he was about to do, which was a means used of God to deliver Joseph out of prison, where the iron entered into his soul; and to provide for his Church in time of famine that was to come Thus he revealed his will to Necho, King of Egypt, God willed him to make war against the Assyrians, and commanded him to make haste: but Josiah would have stopped his journey, and hearkened not to the words of Necho which were of the mouth of God. The like we may consider oftentimes in the book of Daniel, when Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed a dream which was not human, but divine, neither of a natural cause, but of a supernatural, wherewith his spirit was troubled, Daniel said unto him, Dan. 2, 28. There is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and showeth the King what shall be in the latter days.

The Reasons are evident. First, to set down his great love and favor to his Children. For as God did show himself in sundry manners, and speak by lively voice to the ungodly, so in all the manifestations of himself unto thē, he had respect and reference to his Church, as appeareth in the former examples. Herein therefore appeareth the wonderful love of God to his chosen people, who hath the harts of all men in his own hands, and turneth thē about as pleaseth him. This is that reason which the Prophet pointeth unto, Psal. 105, 13, 14, 15, where speaking of Abraham & his posterity, he saith, Albeit they were few in number, yea very few, and strangers in the Land, and walked about from Nation to Nation, from one Kingdom to another people, yet suffered he no man to do them wrong, but reproved Kings for their sakes; saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my Prophets no harm.

Secondly, it pleaseth God to make himself and his great Name known out of the limits and circuit of the Church, to contstrain even the wicked to clear him in his proceedings, to acknowledge his judgments to be just and righteous, & to give sentence against themselves. For God is holy in all his ways, and pure in all his works: he causeth their own consciences to be witnesses against thē, to accuse and to convince them, inasmuch as they become unthankful, and do not glorify him as God, who is worthy of all glory, and never leaveth himself without witness, no not among the Infidels.

Thirdly, he declareth and revealeth himself [Reason 3] to Infidels, not because they be worthy, but because by the mouth of the very Infidels, he will strengthen and confirm his children. True it is, the chief and principal means which he useth, is to teach them by his servants the Prophets and Apostles, by Pastors and Teachers, which he hath set in his church: but he will also use the tongues of profane men to his own glory & comfort of his children. This we see evidently shown, Judge. 7, 13. When Gideon came to the outside of the host of the enemies. Behold, a man told a dream unto his neighbor, and said, Behold I dreamed a dream, and loe, a cake of Barly-bread tumbled from above into the host of Midian, and came unto a Tent, and smote it that it fell down & was overturned: and his fellow answered, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon, for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all his host: When Gideon heard the dream delivered, and the interpretation opened, he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Up, for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian. Whereby we see, that God made known his purpose to these unbelievers, for y ^e strengthening of Gideon's weak faith, and the enabling of him to the work whereunto he was appointed

The uses follow. First, confess from this [Use 1] dealing of God, not only that he is great in • ion, and high above all the people, but • hat his Name is great & glorious among his enemies. He reigneth as King, not only over his Church, but over all creatures, and he maketh them to acknowledge his greatness, & stoop down under his hand. • his we see in the Prophet Daniel, chap. 6, 26, 27, by the decree that Darius wrote unto all the people, nations, and languages that dwell in all the world I make a decree, that in all the Dominions of my kingdom, men tremble and fear the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, and remaineth forever, and his kingdom shall not perish, and his Dominion shall be everlasting: he refuseth and he delivereth he worketh signs and wonders in Heaven and in Earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the Lions. The like confession Nebuchadnezzar maketh before, chap. 3, 32, 33. I thought it good to declare the signs & wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me: How great are his signs, and how mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his Dominion is from generation to generation.

Secondly, we see that God leaveth not men [Use 2] without excuse, because he maketh known his truth unto them: they have some means or other offered unto them, to teach them to acknowledge God, and to glorify him whom they have acknowledged, Rom. 1.20.24. So Christ our Savior speaketh to the obstinate Jews, John, chapter fifteen. verse 22. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they should not have had sin, but now have they no cloke nor color for their sin. Thus was Pilate the Judge of Jewry convinced in his own conscience of wrongful judgment against Christ, being warned of his wife, to whom God had revealed his innocence, that he was a just man as a Lamb unspotted and undefiled. For the Evangelist Matthew testifieth, that when Pilate was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying; Have thou nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream, by reason of him. Mat. 27, 19. This was no mere human or natural dream, arising from multitude of business, or proceeding frō an evil constitution of the body, or evil digestion of meat, or such like ordinary causes as daily befall us; but it was divine from the special instinct of God, and the inspiration of the Almighty. For as God the Father diverse ways approved the innocence of Christ, that it might appear he died not for his own offenses, but for ours, & for our redemption: so did God send terror and trouble upon the Judges wife in the night season, to discover his hypocrisy, & make him without excuse altogether, in condemning the Innocent, that all the water in the wide sea was not able to wash away the guilt of his sin, much less the water he called for to wash his hands before the multitude, when he said, I am innocent of the blood of this just man, look you to it. Math. 27, 24. The stain of sin soyleth the soul, and defileth the conscience, & cannot be washed away with water, which only putteth away the filth of the flesh, and cleanseth the body, but cannot enter any further.

Thirdly, seeing God hath shown and manifested [Use 3] himself to wicked men unworthy of his favor, we may be certain and well assured, that he will never leave his own children destitute of instruction, that call upon his Name. If he deliver his will to his enemies, he will show himself to his friends. If he vouchsafe to instruct such as be strangers, doubtless he will open himself and reveal his secrets to those that be Citizens of his kingdom. If the servant be taught by him, who doth not know what his master doth: he will not pass over his own sons, who shall be heirs of his inheritance that he hath prepared for them that desire the knowledge of his ways. For he will fulfill the desires of them that fear him, he also will hear their cry and will save them, Psalm. 145, 19. Thus did David assure his son Solomon, standing by him when he was going the way of all flesh, If thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever. 1 Chron. 28, 2. & 2 Chron. 15, 2, 3. So when the noble Eunuch repaired to Jerusalem, and gave himself to read the Scriptures, that his knowledge might be increased, & the word of God dwell plentifully in him, the Lord sent Philip unto him, who joined himself to his Chariot, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. Likewise when Cornelius the captain, a devout mā and one that feared God, had prayed to God for further knowledge, that God who had begun his good work in him, would bring him to perfection: he is directed to send for Peter, who should tell him what he ought to do, verifying the saying of Christ, Math 13, 12, and 25, 29. Unto every man that hath, it shall be givē, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Would we then know why we are ignorant in the ways of God, weak in faith, bare and barren in the gifts of God? We do not believe the promises of God, offering himself to those that seek him, and opening to those that knock at his gate, neither hunger and thirst after his graces, nor know the want of them in our selves or others.

Fourthly, let us follow the example of God, and do good to those that are evil. He maketh the Sun to rise upon the evil and the good, he sendeth rain on the just and unjust: so should we do good to all, although especially to the household of faith. Math. 5, 45. Gal. 6, 10. Let not their unworthiness hinder our goodness, but labor that our light may so shine before them, that we may gain them to the faith, & heap coals of fire upon their head. Let us admonish and exhort them with all patience and longsuffering, that they may come out of the snare of the devil, of whom they are holden. Let us preach the Gospel in season and out of season, and 1 Cor. 9.22, take all occasions to win those that are without, that by all means we may save some. What though they be not turned and converted to God by the preaching of the Gospel, & we seem to bestow our labor in vain? Many are enlightened of God, that are not saved; they attain to knowledge, that never grow to faith. We are the sweet savor of God, as well in them that perish, as in them that are saved, to the one we are the savor of life to life, and to the other, the savor of death to death. 2. Cor. 2, 15, 16. And this must serve and suffice to comfort us, and strengthen us, to bear out the heat of the day, & the weight of the burden that lieth upon our shoulders; to consider that howsoever our persons be entertained, & our doctrine received, and our strength be wasted and consumed in vain, yet our judgment is with the Lord, and our work with our God, who will reward us according to our labor.

Lastly, seeing GOD maketh known his will and word to wicked and profane men, who are sundry ways enlightened with many gifts of the Spirit: let us not rest in seeking after common gifts, but labor to be partakers of such as are proper to the elect, and do always accompany salvation and eternal life. This is it that the Apostle exhorteth unto, 1. Cor. 14, where mentioning diverse gifts of the Spirit, as the gift of knowledge, y ^e working of miracles, the word of wisdom, the power of healing, y ^e discerning of spirits, the diversity of toongs, the interpretation of tongues; all wh • ch are common to all sorts of men both good & bad: he addeth as the use that now we teach & persuade, But desire you the best gifts, and I will show you a more excellent way. 1 Cor. 14, 30, 31. Let us not therefore content our selves with such knowledge and illumination as the reprobate and ungodly have: but let us covet such as are peculiar and proper to the elect, that we may be the Temples of the holy Ghost, that the Spirit of God may dwell in us, not for a time, but forever; and dispose our hearts as the owner of the house, and govern it wholly after his own will. Let us labor to feel a certain knowledge of our reconciliation to God in Christ, the gifts of regeneration, a dying unto sin, arising up to newness of life, the grace of hearty prayer, comfort in distress, and such like, which y ^e elect of God find in some measure wrought in them. These are infallible notes of election: these are the best gifts that y ^e Apostle urgeth: these are such fruits of the Spirit, as we must delight in, and follow after. If these be in us, & do abound, we shall have that peace of conscience through them that passeth all understanding; if these be not in us, whatsoever knowledge we have beside, though we have tasted of the heavenly gift, been enlightened by the Spirit, been partakers of the holy Ghost, tasted of the good word of God, and received the Gospel with joy: we shall find no more sound comfort in them, then Balaam did in this place by the revelation which he had received from God.

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.