obtain the advancement which was offered him.*. Hereupon God was pleased to correct his intention by two miracles; by one of which he evidenced to him, that he could so control him, that it should not really be in his power to falsify if he would, what God had designed to direct him to say. By the other, he threatened him not to attempt it upon pain of death. The ass he rode on was made to speak to him a convincing demonstration, that it would be a vain thing in him to endeavour to speak otherwise, than Gon should order him; since the same power, which here caused even a dumb animal to move its tongue very differently from what it was naturally capable of; could certainly over-rule even his tongue, and make him say just what, and no more than what was dictated to him, whether he was willing, or designed to speak it or not. Some writers, Philo in particular, and Josephus, represent Balaam as actually overruled in the use of his tongue, when he blessed the Israelites; and that he would have cursed instead of blessing them, if he could have made his tongue speak what he designed. But I see no reason to go into this opinion: GoD abundantly apprized Balaam by the miracle of the ass's speaking, that he could thus over-rule him, if he pleased; but I believe he still left him the liberty of a free-agent, after having as sured him by the angel, that, if he abused his liberty in this particular, he would destroy him. And, I C с think, both these miracles appear to have affected the Prophet. He seemed after this to bear in mind a due sense of his inability to speak otherwise than GOD should permit; and though he used endeavours, and had it at heart, if he could any ways do it, to gratify Balak; yet at last he did not dare to venture, but told the king without reserve all that GOD, and nothing but what God had been pleased to reveal to him. 4. But though the miracle of the ass's speaking was not superfluous, and insignificant to Balaam; yet if it had not been a real fact, Moses could have no inducement to relate it; nor any pur pose to serve by it. The Israelites would have appeared under the special protection of God's providence as well without it. And Moses as a wise and prudent man, if he had no other restraint, would not have invented such an unheard-of, needless prodigy; for it would have been to no purpose, if it had been his invention, because he could have no scheme or end to serve by it. Balaam's behaviour after he came to Balak; how he endeavoured to find enchantments to curse the Israelites, but could not succeed in them; and therefore instead of cursing them, blessed them three times, and gave thereby great offence to Balak; what he prophesied to Balak, and how Balak dismissed him, are points related at large in the xxiiid and xxivth chapters of Numbers. And I may add, what may be d Numb. xxii. 38. xxiii. 26. -9. 17, - 24. • xxiii, 23. xxiv, 1, remarked upon them, if I enquire who Balaam was, and what character we ought to give him. I have beføre mentioned where he lived, when Balak sent to him. It does not seem as if he lived there in great circumstances of wealth and dignity; for if he had been in so easy a situation, Balak's offers of advancement would not have been so tempting to him. Or, when he could not obtain the advancement which had been proposed to him; he would have returned home again, and not have thought it worth his while to have stayed in Midian. But when Balak dismissed him, he be haved like a man in narrow circumstances, and of an ambitious spirit; was willing to ingratiate himself with the Midianites, and gave thent the most wicked advice. to ensnare the Israelites into ruin; and was found and slain in this country when the Israelites warred against it. h Pethor in Mesopotamia, was most probably situate near or in Chaldea, under the government of the kings of Assyria; and as these nations had been long infected with idolatry,' and were under a government which established and supported the idolatrous worship; it is not probable that Balaam, if he was a Prophet of the true God, could have any prospects of advancement in his own country. The ancestors of Abraham and his family were expelled this land for worshipping the Gon of heaven; and if Balaam pursued the worship of this true God, whatever re Numb. xxxi. 16. Rev. ii. 14. 'See Vol. i, b. v. k Numb. xxxi. 8. Josh. xxiv. 2. Judith v. 6, 7, 8. putation he might have as to his private character, no public advantages in his own country were likely to accrue to him from it; which might make him so desirous to accept an invitation into another land. It is disputed by some, whether Balaam was indeed a prophet and a worshipper of the true Gon. They suppose that he was a mere magician or enchanter; one who prophesied by the rules of vaticination in use in these days among the worshippers of false gods. If this opinion be true, then the revelations which were made to him from the true GoD, must have been made to him in a manner to which he had not been accustomed, and beyond his expectation; in like manner as the Egyptian magicians were enabled to work real miracles. But I think this notion of Balaam is not consistent with what Moses relates concerning him, When the messengers of Balak came first to him, he immediately applied to Gon for direction;" and the god he applied to was not Baal, nor any of the gods of the idolatrous nations, but JEHOVAH; the true and living God was his GoD. And he does not appear to have been at any time surprised at the answers which Gon was pleased to give him; or at the angel's appearing to him; or at the word of prophesy put into his mouth; being well apprized of and acquainted with God's communicating his will to his servants in these several ways. The only dubious appearance m See vol. ii. b. ix. " Numb. xxii. 8. Ibid. ver. 8, 13, 18, 19, &c. Ibid. 9, 10, 12, 20, 31, 34. xxiii. 4, 5, 16. t in his behaviour is, his having sought for enchantments. If he was a prophet and servant of the true GOD, why should he seek for enchantments? or what service could he think to receive from them? I answer: the arts of magicians, and their enchantments to procure prodigies and oracles, though the vulgar people did not understand the foundation on which they were built, were to the wise men and philosophers the produce of learning and natural science; falsely indeed so called, but really esteemed by them to be true." And as Moses was learned in all the learning of the Egyptians, though he did not practise any of the arts, which were the basis and support of false religion; so Balaam, though he had hitherto virtuously adhered to the true Gon, might, as a learned man," not be entirely a stranger to the theory of what human science, and the then reputed natural knowledge had advanced upon these subjects. And as Saul, though he had before put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards out of the land; was yet induced, when the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets, to go to a woman that had a familiar spirit, and enquire of her. Balaam, finding nothing but a full disappointment of all his views, in the several revelations which Gop was pleased to make to him; and being warmly inclined to purchase, if he might with any colour be See vol. ii. book ix, * Ver, 6, 7. So |