896 [ontemplt~tionr. L1a.Vn. ---- plead his fimplicity and dulneffe of ap(erehending fpiriruall things, when he fees how God exalts the eyes ofa be:ill, to ee afp•nt ~ who_canbeproudoffceing viliA ons, fince an Angelappeared to abeafl: ~ - nenher was Ius skm betteraficr it than 0 . thers ofhis kind. Who can complain ofhis own rudeneffe and inability to reply in a good caufe,when the very beafl: is inabkd by God toconvince his Mafl:er ~There is no mouth into which God cannot put words: and how oft doth he choofe the weak,and unwife,to confound the learned and mighty ! . What had itbeenbetter forthe Affero fee the Angell ,ifhe had rufhed flill upon his fword~J?.vils were :is good not feen,.s no~avoided;but_ nowhe declines the way and faves his hurthen. It were happy for perverfe finners,tfthey could learnpfthis beafl:,to run away from forc-feen judgements. The revenging Angel fl:ands before us;a_nd though we kn~w we fi1all as fure die,as fin,yet we have not thewit or grace B to giVe back ; though 1t beWith.the hurt ofafoot .to fave the body; With the paine of the body to fave the foule. · I fee,wlm fury and fl:ripes the impatient Prophetbefl:ows upon this poore beafl:, becaufe he will not goon;yet if he had gone on,himfelfhad perifhed.Howoft doe wewifi1 thofe things,the not obtaining whereofis mercy~We grudge tobe fiaid in the way to death,andAy upon thofe which oppofe ourperdition. I doe not (as whowould notexpect)fee Balaams haire fiand upright,nor himfelf alighting, and appaled atrhls monfl:er ofmiracles: But, as ifno new thin~ haqhapp<;ned,he returnes words to the beafi,fullofanger,void ofadmiration;W etherhis trade offorcering had fo inuredhimto receive voices from his Familiars, in fhape &fbeafts,thatthis event feemed not fl:rangeto him;Or,whether his rage,andcovet- c oufnelfe had fo tranfported him, that he had no leafure to obferve the unnatural! unufualnefs ofthe event.Some menmakenothing ofthofethings,which overcome others with horror and afl:onifhment. · I heare the Angel of God takingnoticeofthe cruel!f of Balaam to his beail : his firfi words to the unmercifull Prophet,are in exhofl:ulating ofhis wronr,·We little think it,but God /hall call us to an accolll\t fort e Mnkind and cruel! u ages ofhjs poore mute.creatures:He bath made us Lords,nottyrants; owners,nottormenters; he that hath given us leave to kill them,for opr ufe,hath not givenus leave to abufe them at our pleafure;they are fo our drudges,that they are our fellows tcf. creation. It was a f~ne the Magician would eafily wifh to ftrike Ifraelwith a cur e, whenhe wilhed a wordto fl:rike his harmlelfe beafi.It is ill falling into thofe hands, whom D beafl:s finde unmercifull. Notwithfiandingthefc rubs Balaam gocson,and is !lOtafraid ro rideon that beafi, whofe voyce he had heard :And now,Pofts are fped to Balac with the newes offo welcome a guefl:: He that fent Princes to fetch him, comes himfdfeon the way to meet him;Althou~h he can fay( Am ,.t I ahle to promotethee!)yet hegives this high refpect to him as his better,from whomhe expected the promotion ofhimfdf, and his people.Oh the honour that hath been formerly done by heathens, to them that haveborne but the face ofProphets! I fhame,and grieve to compare the times and men: Onely,O God,bethoumercifull tothe contempt ofthy fervants. As ifnothing needed but the prefeoce of Balaam,the fuperfl:itious King (out ofthe joyofhis hope;feafl:s his gods,his Prophet 0 his Princes; and on the morrowcarries E him up to the high places ofhis Idol. Who candoubt whether Balaam werea falfe prophet,that fees him facrificing in the mount of Baal! Had he beenefrom thetrue God hewould rather have faid,P11/l me downeth~ altar I of Baal, then B11ildme here [<ve;others. The very place convinces.himoffal ood and Idolatty;And whyfeven Altars~ What needs all this pomp~ WhenJhe true God never required but one at once,as himfelfe is one;why doth the falfe prophet call for no lell'ethen fcvrn~aSif God fl:ood upon numbers~ as ifthe Almighty would have his power eitherdivided or limited ~ Here is nothing but a glorious and magnificenrpretenceofdevotion. It hath been ever feen , that the falfe worfhippers ofGod havemademore pompous !bews,and fairer flourifhes oftheir piety,and refioion,then the true. • Now whenBalaam fees his feven bullocksand feven rams fmoking upon his feven . Alrars,
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