presented, be considered as one sacrifice of the head and members, in union together and so may the united offering be received above, as an "offering and a sacrifice to God of a sweetsmelling "savour;" acceptable unto him, through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory henceforth for evermore. Amen.

SERMON XXXII.

The History and Character of Balaam.

NUMBERS XXii. 10, 11, 12.

And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,

Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.

And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.

THE

HE story of Balaam fills up three whole chapters in this Book of Numbers; and it is frequently referred to in several other places both of the Old and New Testament. Seeing then that it makes so considerable a figure in the sacred history, (though it comes in but occasionally,) I have thought it may well deserve a distinct consideration; and do therefore choose it for the subject of our present meditations.

The Israelites, in their passage through the wilderness, were to march through the land of the Moabites, a people descended of Lot, and over whom Balak was king at that time. The Moabites, Ammonites, and Midianites, near neighbours, were all alarmed at the march of the Israelites, and were afraid of them; knowing what great things God had so lately done for them;

and that neither Sihon king of the Amorites, nor Og the king of Basan had been able to stand before them. The Israelites had entirely routed and ruined those two potent princes, taking pos session of their lands: and they had done it with such despatch, and in so surprising a manner, that the nations round about had reason to suspect that there was something very extraordinary and supernatural in it. It seems to have been owing to some such apprehension as this, that none of them durst oppose the Hebrews, without endeavouring first to engage Heaven on their side, which they hoped to do by the help of enchantments.

There was a famous magician, or prophet, of that time, whose name was Balaam, mightily celebrated through all the east: him they resolved to court with high promises, and, if possible, to bribe him over to their interests in this exigency. The notion they had of him was, that he was so divine a man, so highly favoured by Heaven, that he could turn the fate of war which way he pleased, by his benedictions and imprecations: for thus said Balak in his message to him: "I wot that he whom "thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.” The Midianites and Moabites were both of them full of the same persuasion, as we learn from this chapter: and we find from other places of scripture that the Ammonites joined with them in the design of sending to Balaam. Dispatches were ordered to him, desiring him to come and take a survey of the camp of Israel, and to curse them in solemn form in order to their destruction.

It may look a little strange, that they should trust so little to their own gods at home, and should send as far as Mesopotamia for a prophet to assist them. Certainly Balaam's reputation must have run very high; or there must have been some very peculiar reason for that uncommon method of proceeding. Perhaps they imagined, that the gods of their own country were not able to defend them against the God of Israel; having so lately seen what the Israelites had done to the Amorites their neighbours: or they might fancy that Balaam had an interest with all kinds of gods, and might engage them all to come in to their assistance: or rather, I incline to think that they knew Balaam to be a prophet of the same God which the Israelites worshipped; and that therefore by his means they b Deut. xxiii. 3, 4.

a Numb. xxii. 6.

hoped to draw off the God of Israel (whom they were so much afraid of) from assisting the Israelites, and to incline him to favour the Moabites, and those who were joined with them.

The learned are not perfectly agreed as to Balaam's character, whether to call him a magician or a prophet: but it is very evident that he was well acquainted with the name of the God of Israel, and that he applied himself to him, and to him only in that affair. For when the elders of Moab and Midian came first to him, he desired them to lodge with him that night, promising them to bring them word in the morning, what the Lord (that is, what Jehovah the God of Israel) should say to him, in relation to their errand: which accordingly he did; and the answer he brought was what Jehovah the God of Israel had really put into his mouth. This circumstance plainly shews that he had been used to consult the true God in former times: for otherwise he could never have pretended now to promise beforehand to bring an answer from him, or to know for certain that it was his.

There is no absurdity in supposing that God might have some prophets (abroad in the heathen world) who were not of Israel. Job was undoubtedly such an one: and why might not Balaam be another? It is the more likely, because, from the time of Abraham, God had spread the knowledge of himself about the idolatrous world: and all Abraham's posterity were originally circumcised, and became worshippers of the true God; though in process of time they revolted, and fell into idolatry. The Moabites and Ammonites, whom we are now speaking of, were of distinct consideration from the rest of the heathen world, being the descendants of righteous Lot, who was of the same religion with Abraham. The Midianites too, of whom most probably Balaam was, were the posterity of Abraham, by Keturah; and who therefore certainly had, for some time, the knowledge of the true God amongst them: which makes it the more probable that God might plant some prophets amongst them in those early days, to preserve that true religion and worship which they had received from their progenitors.

Upon the whole then, I take the liberty to conclude, that Balaam was really a prophet; and so he is called by St. Peter d. And as he had an interest and correspondence with the true God,

so the meaning of the Moabites really was, that he should come and endeavour to draw off the God of Israel from assisting the Hebrews. He did make the attempt, (being hired and bribed so to do,) and without effect. Accordingly it is observed in Deuteronomy, that "the Lord would not hearken unto Ba"laame. And God himself says by the mouth of Joshua to the same purpose, "Balak sent and called Balaam the son of "Beor to curse you, but I would not hearken unto Balaam, "therefore he blessed you still f." These considerations shew that Balaam had addressed himself to the God of Israel, in hopes to have his license and authority for cursing the Israelites. From whence we may reasonably infer, that Balaam had been his prophet some time before, and that, in confidence of such his high relation to God, he presumed to consult him once and again upon that occasion. Having thus far cleared our way, we may now proceed,

I. To consider more distinctly the history of Balaam, as laid down in scripture.

II. To make some reflections upon it.

I.

The first mention which we have of this man is in this chapter of the Book of Numbers. The occasion of his being concerned with the children of Israel has been already intimated. Next, let us observe how he behaved himself upon that occasion, what the effect was, and what became of him in the end.

To do him justice, he behaved himself extremely well when the message was first brought him from king Balak. He consulted God upon the matter laid before him, made a faithful report of the errand which the ambassadors came upon, received God's answer, and submitted to it; acquainting the messengers that God would not give him leave to curse that people; no, nor so much as to go along with the ambassadors. Thus far he carried himself well and wisely, like an honest, pious, upright man. But afterwards came other messengers, more in number, and greater in dignity than the former: and they pressed him vehemently to comply with Balak's request; promising him rich presents and honourable preferments; in a word, any thing, or every thing, which he could ask or desire. To this again he made answer, that "if Balak would give him his house full of silver and gold, yet he could not go beyond the word of the Lord his God 5."

e Deut. xxiii. 5.

f Josh. xxiv. 10.

Numb. xxii. 18.