as he resisted revelation and conscience, instead of confessing his folly, and deploring it, and returning home, God permitted him in judgment to proceed.

3. Contemplate him with Balak. He avows, ver. 38, that he can only speak what God should order him to speak. He acts in agreement with this avowal; and in four beautiful pieces of poetry, Chap. xxiii. ver. 7—10, and ver. 18—24, and Chap. xxiv. ver. 3-9, and ver. 15-19, he describes the safety, happiness, excellence, and grandeur of the Israelites, in the full spirit of prophecy, and in a manner easily applicable to the true Israel in every age. Thus did God overrule his folly

and wickedness.

4. View him when the business was concluded: chap. xxiv. 25. Who can describe his mind! Who can tell his feelings of vexation, shame, and remorse! But his heart was evil; and though he could not use his sorcery against Israel, yet he could give the vilest and most fatal counsel, chap. xxxi. 16. Disappointed in his ambitious prospects, he gratifies his feelings of envy and malignity.

5. We may observe the end of the man, chap. xxxi. 8. He was slain in a battle between the the Israelites and the Midianites. What fine visions of elevation and grandeur filled his mind when he left his home! But the wrath of God is upon him, and a violent death is the consequence of his wicked proceedings.

Such is the history of Balaam. He had some knowledge of God, with which he had knowledge of a baser kind. His heart cleaved to the world: and he stands before us as a striking instance of religious views and wicked practices, of an enlightend mind and an unrenewed heart; of notions of God without any proper fear or love of him. But,

II. Let us notice some of the lessons that we are taught by this history. We may learn, then,

1. The inefficacy of mere knowledge. We may have much knowledge in religion, and yet not be truly re

ligious. Knowledge is good; it is essential: but we must not rest in knowledge. Read the beautiful poetry of Balaam, and see what he knew, and yet knew in vain.

2. The mercy of God in giving us line upon line, warning upon warning. God gave repeated instructions to Balaam: so he does to us: he bears with us, warns us, instructs us, invites us, again and again. He would not the death of a sinner. Here see God's goodness, and man's folly and guilt.

3. The necessity of following the plain declarations of God at once. Balaam did not regard that first prohibition as he ought, "Thou shalt not go with them." He reasoned; looked to Balak, wealth, and honour; and would not follow God simply. How many imitate him! God's word is known; reason and conscience are heard and felt; we know what is right: but we cannot give up our companions, gains, pleasures, sins: we cannot follow the plain word of God: thus we live in sin knowingly and wilfully. We obey our evil hearts, not God's holy word.

4. The obstinacy of the unrenewed heart. Balaam passes over the line of duty; then he goes on, and nothing hinders him. So it is with the sinners in every age. Trifle with God, with reason, with conscience for a time; then you hurry on in your evil ways with melancholy speed. Then the heart is bent on its objects, and all instructions are disregarded. Here is the deceitfulness of sin: it flatters, seduces, wins, triumphs, rules, and then ruins.

5. The end of the obstinate sinner. Balaam died by the sword. But what awaits us, if we disregard our knowledge of religion, and give up ourselves to the present world? The sword of Israel could only kill the body: the condemning sentence of God will destroy both body and soul in hell.

But to conclude our remarks; it is sufficient to meditate on what has been said, to obtain important instruc

G

tion from the history of Balaam. We very plainly learn the need we have of God's renewing and sustaining grace; without which it is evident, that we may be melancholy examples of impiety and wickedness, whatever our knowledge, privileges, and profession are. We also see here, how carefully we ought to beware of the world. Happy they who know God, and who faithfully endeavour to live according to their knowledge! Happy they who look with a noble contempt on the vanities of time, and whose first desire is, and whose constant aim is, to walk before God, according to the plain declarations of his holy word, in faith, fear, and love; in holiness and obedience!

THE PRAYER.

O merciful God, grant me the knowledge of thyself and of divine things; and grant me grace to live in agreement with my knowledge. Deliver me from the love of the present world. Let me not seek its wealth, honours, pleasures, and amusements. So renew and strengthen me by thy Holy Spirit, that I may not be led into sin by any of these things. Keep me from all inconsistency: let my views and principles be pious and solid: and let my practice be correct. Pardon my sins; purify my corrupt heart; and lead me on in the way everlasting: through the merits, and for the sake of thy dear Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

LECTURE XXXI.

PRIVILEGES AND DUTIES.

For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things

that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life; but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons. Deut. iv. 7-9.

IN this manner Moses taught the Israelites both to consider their blessings and to improve them. God was good to them; he heard their prayer, and answered them; he gave them statutes and ordinances; he revealed to them his will; and he appointed various rites and ceremonies which they were to use. They knew, therefore, how they were to act so as to please him and to obtain his favour. Such was the conduct of God towards them. But it was their duty to use their blessings aright; to be cautious and circumspect, being conscious of their depravity, their dangers, and their temptations; to look well to their souls; to remember the proceedings of God; and to bring up their children in the knowledge and fear of him, and in the observance of his laws.

This passage of holy writ reminded the Israelites of their Privileges and Duties: and it ought to remind us of ours. For this purpose we ought to apply it to our

selves.

I. We notice our Privileges. Let us impartially view our country; view the blessings we enjoy; and we shall be compelled to admit that we are highly favoured.

1. Our Nation is great. It is great in arms, in science, in wealth, in extent, in resources, in influence. God, in the ways of his providence, has made our little Island pre-eminent among the kingdoms of this world.

2. But, which is the more pleasing and important point, we are great in religious privileges. God is nigh What is the case of pagans, who have not the

to us.

Bible? What is the case of those Christians who have not the free use of the real Scriptures? We Christians and Protestants, have our Bibles and Churches: we may also worship the true God in the Gospel of his Son both in our families and closets. We know him as our reconciled God and Father: we know his adorable perfections, and we must consider him as a present God, as one who is nigh to us.

3. We may observe that God is especially known by us as one who hears our prayers. We have various wants, and we are dependent creatures. To whom shall we look, but to him who regards us "in all things that we call upon him for?" Whatever we want, let us seek it of God in earnest and persevering prayer: and if we are not answered, it is either because we do not pray aright, or because what we pray for is not proper for What a pleasing and consoling thought is this, that whatever is proper for us, if we pray for it in faith, in the name of the Lord Jesus, we know that we shall in due time receive it!

us.

The wise and

4. We have sound Government. humble will not fail to dwell upon this with real gratitude, as they will also retain a most strong conviction of it in their breasts, notwithstanding any clamour and discontent that they may hear. Our statutes and judgments, our civil laws and ordinances, are the fruit of wisdom and experience, and founded in justice and benevolence. We must be ignorant, or worse, if we do not admit that our civil blessings are innumerable, and more, we presume, than are enjoyed by any other nation on the face of the whole earth. But,

II. Let us consider our Duties.

1. Caution: "Only take heed to thyself." We are corrupt creatures in a world of temptation and danger, and therefore we have here a faithful warning. The cares of the world, the allurements of sin, the devices of Satan, the influence of vain company, may lead to an awful declension in religion, if we have begun to be