Chap. 2. An Expofition uponthe Bookof ] O B. Verf. 5 . 247 not defpair ofprevailing byanother ; He gives not his caufe over for loft, becaufe; he cannot carry it at firfl, he will try and try again. As it was with Balak, Num.23. when he fent for B2laam to curfe the people,and faw the bufinefs did not profper,orfuccced accord- ing to his malice, Balaam could not curie them, he brought him to Numb ;23.27. another places Come (faith he) Ipray thee, Iwill bring thee toano- the,' place, peradventure it willpleafe God that thou mayefi curfème themfrom thence; though you could not do it in one place, you may in another. So Satan, ifhe cannot work his will one way, he will try a fecond or a third. Satans unweariednefs in a bad caufe when it fucceeded not, re- proves thole whoare fo loon weary of a good one , if it fucceed not ; Many are ready to give up, if one means will not do it, they can offhope and faÿ,the caufe is defperate. If one, or two,or three, or manymeans we ufe, fail, we ought to try fiill, never defpair of theend while the work is good, and themeans are fair , In the morningfow thyfeed (faith the Preacher) and in the eveningwith- hold not thyhand : for thou knoweff not whether (hall profper, this or Ecclef. ai. 6. that. I may add,with-hold not thy hand in the evening, though thou feeft the morning feed doth not profper ; this may have a bleffing, though that hadnot. Secondly obferve,Satan trieth another wayandhe trieth a way more probable and efficacious for his ends then the former; when a weaker will not do it, he provides flronger means. As God in punifhing or chaflening finners, when a leffer judgment will not humble them, he fends a greater ; Gad cotneth not onely with . another, but with forer judgement ; Ifye will not, yet for all this hearken unto me , then Iwill punijh you feven times m,re foryour Lev. z6. fins : So Satan, when by one temptation he cannot overcome, prepares not onelyanother, but a ftrongcr ; he affaults their more and more ; he not onely mutters new forces, but more compleat, to foil the foul. This fhould teach us when we cannot fiabdue . a corruption in our own hearts by one means, then to leek a bet- ter : And when by one prayer we cannot obtain a bldTing, then to pray again, and to pray better, to pray with more life; with more faith, withmorehumility : then mix more fire with prayer, more zeal and fervency of fpirit : mix more water with prayer. As Jacob, Hof. I2. wept and made fupplication ; above all mix . more ofChrifi in prayer, go out in his name and ftrength. When B"alaks firft mef gingers could not obtaine Balaam to come with
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