[olltemplationr. LIB. VII. _The firft entertainment ofthismelf.ge would make a ftrangerthink Balaam wife A and honeft;he wil not give a fuddenanfwer,but craves leafure to confultwith God and promifes to return tbe anfwer h< !hall receiv~. Who would not fay, This m a~ is-free from raflmelfe,from partiality~ Diflimnlation is crafty~ and able todeceive thoufands.Thewords are good;when he comes to adion, thefraud bewrays it felf; For,both he inflnuarrs hiS own forwardndle,and cafts the blame ofthe prohibition 'lJ'On God,and.(which is worfe)ddivers but halfhis anfwer:he faies indeed,G•d re~ Jt~fts ttJ giveme Lea1Je togoe:he faies not)a'S ir was,He chttrges me not to turfo thtm for they •re hltffid,Sodid Bala•m deny, asone that wilht to be fent fot again. Perh;ps a pereptory rofufall had hindre.d his further folicitarion.Concealmcnt offome truths is fom<dmes as f.tulty as a denyall.True fidelity is not niggardly in her relations. Wherewickednelfe meets with power,it thinks to command all the world, and .41 takes great fcorrr ofany repulfe.So little i• Ba/Ac difcouraged withone refufall,that he fends fo mu~h thefironger me!f.1ge; Mo Prinm,andmorehonourable. Oh thatwe could be fo imponunateforourgood,as wicked men are forthecompaflingoftheir own defign~s ! A demall dothbut whet the defires ofvehement fuitors. Why are 1 we faint in fpirinmll thing< when -We are nor denyed,but delayed ~ Thofewhichare themfefves tdnfported with vanity,and ambition,think that no hearrhath power to refill thefeoffi:rs.BalaesPrinces thought they had firuckit dead, when they had once 111enrioned promotion to gr01t honour.Self-love makes them thinli they cannot be llaves,whiles others may be free;and that all the world fiould be glad to run on madding after their bait. Nature thinks it impoflibl< to contemn honour and wealth;and becauferoo many fouls are thus taken, cannot beleeve that c any would efcape.Bur let carnal! hearts know, there :ire thofe can fpit the world in the face, and fay, ThJ gold andjilve>' perijh with thte : andthat irrcomparifon ofa good confcience, can tread under foot his bell: proffers, like (hadowes, ~s they are; and that can doe as Bal••m faid. How neer iruth and f'al!hood can lodgetogether! Here was piety in the lips,and C'ovetoufnelfe in the heart.Who cananymore regard good words, that heares B•- !AAm fpeakfo like a Saint~ An houfeful ofgold and filver may not pervert his tongue, his heart is won with lelfe;for ifhe had nor already fwallowed the reward,& fou~d it fweet,why did he again{olicit God,in thatwhich was peremptorily denied him~ ffhi~ 11,1ind had not been bribedalready,why did he fiay themelfengers ~ why did he expe\51 achange inGod~why was he willing to feed them with hope offucceffe, D which had fed him with hopeofrecompence(Qneprohibitionis enough fora good man.Whiles the delay ofGod doth but hold us in fufpence,importonity is holy& feafonable;but when once he gives arefolute denial!, it is profan~ faucinelfetofolicite him. When we askewhat we are bidden, ourfuits are not more vehement then w'elcome ; bur whenwe beg prohibited favours, our prefumption is troublefome, andabominable: No good heart will endure to betwice forbidden. Yet this importunity harhobtained apermiffion;but a permiffionworfethen adenia.U.I heard God!lly before,6oe Not,nortNrfe them; Now he [ayes,Go,but c~~rfe "'t; Anon,he is angry that he didgo.Whydid he permit that which he forbade,if he be angry for doing that which he permitted~ Some thingsGod permits with an indignation; nor for that he gi~es leave to the ad, but that he gives a man over to his lin E iil the atl;this fuflerance implyes not favour, but j'udgment: fodid God bid B•l••m to goe,as Solomon bids the young man follow thewayes ofhis owne heart. It is one thing rolike,anothe'tthingro futfer;Mo(ts never approved thofe legal! dtvorces,yer he tolerated them:God never liked BAfa•ms journey, yet he difpleafedly gives way to lt·~A~ ·ifhefaid Wdl,lince thou art fo hot,fer on this journey,be gone. !\ndthus Ba!tla!n roolt it:elf~,when God after profelfed his difpleafure for the journey,it ~ad b~~nra.ready an[wer,7houcomma11dedjlme; but herein his confeflion argueshis gudt. Birla.ims fuit and Ifraels O!!_ails had both one falhion ofgr:mt; inanger. How much 'berrerisit,to have gracious denials,ihen angry yeeldings ~ • ·A fit1all perfwafion llanens thewilling:ltbooted not to bid t'he covetous Prop~et ' haften t'o hisw<Iy..Ndwhe makes himfelffure offuccelfe;His corrupthearttels'him, · that
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