NUMBERS XXII. I4.ß ofinn, worketh not the rieRioufnef of God, Zam. I . zo. I the creatures depart from their kinde, and cafto- but a prints man aboundeth in tranf reffian, Prov. 29. wed obedience unto us , we fhould looke for the 22. Balsam learned no good by this firange car canfè thereof in our ièlvcs : for our fìancs against riage of his beaft , but is more imaged, and fini- God, occafion the creatures to rebell against u; tech it , not knowing that by meanes of ic his Levit.26.zo,ai,zz. owne life was faved, coif. 33. This fool ifline fe of VerCe 31. uneoveredthe eyes] opened them to fee the Prophet the dumbe beaft reprovcth, vert. 28. the Angell as the Aire did before him , reef. 23. &c. and ;n him God would let us fee thenature fignifyingg, that as men cannot fee the marvellous of wicked men, which make no good tile of his things oflüs Law ,unleffehe uncover their eyes, works neither fee his proJidence in the crea- Pf.119,i8, fo neither can they behold the deaths tures, the fervicc whereof he lendeth unto them. and dangers that are to come on them for the 28 VerCe 2.8. opened the mouth of the Age ] that the tranfgreffion of his Law onleffe he reveale them, dumbe affpakemid want vyrc,2Pet.2.i6.bywhich Efay47. is The tray (phi wicked isasdárlpter,they miracle the Prophet had not onely a rebuke,'but know not at what they flumbk , Prov. 4.19. bowed a caufe of feare and aftonifhment, yet hardned he bimfelfe donne on hit face]or, to hisface; as the Greeke himlelfe againft it alfo, and pleaded for to main- tranflateth, bee bowed dome to hit face, that is, woe. taro his folly,ver.29. fo no workes,Iigties or ms- (hipped the face or perfon of the Angell. racles, are able to change the hardue(fe of mans VerCe 32. Wherefore haft thou fmitten, &e.] The heart, but grace from God onely, lobo 12.37i38. Angell rebuketh the mifitf ige of his beaft, which And here we may obferve how the devill,todraw ought not to be Smitten without caufe ; how into Clone , chofe the Serpent for his inftrument, much leffe then night he finite innocent men, the moll fubtill beaft of the field , Gen. 3.1. but with the curie of his tongue? AndGod,who fa- God to rebuke and convince the wicked,ufeththe veth man andbeafl,Pfal.36.7. and commanded that Afe,the moll filly of all beafts : (hewing as in a fi- the heaps alCo (hould tell from their toile on the gure, howSatanscontiuuallpra &ifeistocorrupt Sabbath day, Dear. 5. 14. and defendeth their mens mindes from the fîmplicitie that is in innoceticie againft their cruell ma(ters,will much thrift, bydeceitfdll workers , by the fleight of men , and more defend the caufe of his people again[} their canning croftinefe, wherby thy lie in wait to deceive, wrongful' oppreffors, Exod. 22.23. thy way SCor.11.3.13. Ephef.4.14. whiles Chrift fendeth is perverfe ] or, the way which thou god' is per- men to preach the Gofpell , not with wifedome of verfe, that is,thy purpofe and intent in going this words, but with the,plaine demonftration of the journey , ja contrary to my will which I bru re- truth , and chufeth the f abfh things of the world to vealed unto thee,v. a a.The Chaldee paraphrafeth confiund the wife , the weake things of the world to thus , becaufe it is manif fl before me that thou moul- confeaud the mightie and bajee things of the world, and deft goe in a way againft me.The Apoi le openeth and things deffifed, yea andthings which are not , to bring to applieth it againft the Balaamites of his time, nought things that are, I Cor. i .17.27,28. For the rhil- in thefe words ; an heart they bave exercifed with ca- dres of this world are in their generation miler than the vetoer pralli fees , children of the cserfe , which have for - children of light, Luke 16.8. fake?: the right way and are gone affray, fillowing 9 Verfe z9. I wouldkill thee] The Prophet is nei- the way of Balaam (the finne ) of Bof r, who loved ther difmaied with the (peaking of his dumbe the wages of raerigbteoufn , z Pet. z. 14i15. The beaft,nor abated from his wrath, bat increafeth Apoftle lude (in verf. r I. ) calleth it the errour of in evill , who before bee knew or in9uired of Balaam. the caufe,would prelently kill the Affe that faved Verfe 33. turned afide before me ] or , at my face his life. A righteous man regardeth the lift of his erprefnue: fo after, turnedajìde fromme, or, from beaft but the bowels of the wickedare trued , Prov. i 2. my face or pretence. I had flair e thee] or, killed so. IfBalaam looked for fuch good fervice of the thee : in the Angels former words the juftice of bruit beat}, and would not be mocked or abu- his judgement is implied;for if Balaam did fmitè fed thereby, he being areafonablecreature,and his Affe, for turning a fide out of the way,verf.23. wirer than many, lhould much leffe have mocked and would have killed her for falling down un- with God , and refitted his counfell : but by his der him, though thereby his life was faved, verf owne words againft his Affe , he condemneth 29. how moth more deferved he himfelfe to be himfelfe being guiltie of death for his finne (mitten & killed for departing out of the Lords agaitift God, as the Angeli flseweth in verf.3z.33. way,and following his own crooked wayes,w it h 30 VerCe 3o. ever fine I was thine] or, fence thou, a purpofe to defiroy the lives of his people Ifrael. to wit,haft had me: the Greeke tranflateth it, from Therefore a woe is pronounced on chofe that tbyyoutb : theChaldee, force thou haft Beene : and the runny greedily after Balsams errour for reward, Hebrew phrafe fometime fo meaneth, as in Gen. lude verf n. faved her alive] as we have an ex- 48.15. fnco I was;where the Greeke alto expoun- ample in the Prophet, who being difobedient deth it, from myyoutb. was lever roont]or,have unto the month of the Lord, a lion met him by the 1- accufloming beene accdlomed ? By this demand, way and flew him , but the Are whereon bee rode the. bent convinceth the Prophets foolineffe, was náotorne, 1 King. 13.23,24,26,28. who (hould have gathered that tome extraordi- VerCe 3,4. I have finned ] this feemeth to nary caufe moved it thus to doe, feeing it had bee acknowledged for his Inuring of the never done fo before:aid teacheth us ,that when Ali, and his reafon following fo fheweth: Nunn 2 but 31 32 33 34 ,or ORI1 ., --
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=