intercourse with God. The heathens had a ruling propensity of this sort; they affected divine honours, and wanted to be accounted deities; yet this was seldom conferred upon them till after they were dead. And the reason seems to have been, that there were so many affecting the same thing, that they could not endure a divinity they saw with their eyes in their own nature, because it so far destroyed every man's private opinion of selfdependence.

It will be found, upon strict inquiry into the human heart, that the same ambition that excited our first parents to seek to be as gods, makes all their posterity, while they are not governed by the influence of the gospel, to affect the same thing. "When the mind is once perverted, no man will seek to be virtuous of his own accord;"-and unless he be persuaded by arguments that are more powerful than his prejudices, he will continue in the same condition into which he was seduced.

I was observing, that the human mind is some way or other formed for religion. This is evident upon occasions; which shews, that whatever perversity there may be in it by seduction, its original form was quite the reverse. The infidelity of the mind does not arise from its nature, but from an evil seed, that was sown by an enemy, which, when it grows up, over-rules the springs of action, and causeth men to act unnaturally.

There is nothing more unnatural than atheism and infidelity: for both the works and word of God do teach us, that dependence upon the Almighty is the language of nature. Till the mind be rightly informed, she is incapable of forming right moral principles, and without the benefit of revelation will either fall into superstition or enthusiasm, if not into infidelity-but this is a perversion of nature, and not the original design of the mind. When men so far depart from the first principles of nature as to affect independency, the reason is, they are corrupted and perverted. Danger or affliction will produce feelings which will stagger men's notions of self-dependence; but unless they are set right by divine revelation, they will land in superstition and enthusiasm. The reason why the heathens fell so grossly into superstition was, they wanted a guide to reform their minds from that perversity of temper that all men are possessed of, till revelation discover to them the errors of their hearts.

At the same time that men are attempting to seduce others, and endeavouring to support superstition, they are often insensibly themselves infected with the same distemper. Balak, who no doubt attempted to impose upon the people of Moab the foolish superstition of these times, as a tool of state, and an engine of government, was himself infected with the same delusion. He applies to Balaam for his aid in the time of his distress. This Balaam seems to have been a man of great repute among the superstitious people of these parts. I have observed already, that most likely he was one of the Eastern Magi, one

who

who pretended intimacy with some divinity-who needed only some few compliments paid to him, and then would work wonders in favour of his friends. One would think that the eastern kings had not been very intimate with their deities, when they had so far to send for a mediator:-perhaps in these times kings had other business to mind than religion, unless upon very special occasions, and were therefore not so well acquainted with the manner of addressing the deities. Be this as it will, Balak sent messengers to Balaam, to come to him to curse a people he was much afraid of. The curse was perhaps some form of incantation, that was usual in these times, which ignorant people believed was powerful to hurt their enemies;-yet might, for all that, be innocent enough to every person whatsoever, except the persons who used it.

The king of Moab seems to have had some confidence in Balaam's abilities, and also knew what would be the best excitement for him to exercise them. He promises him honours, and very liberal rewards. If the king of Moab was not well acquainted with the disposition of the deity, he seems to have known mankind tolerably;-at least, he seems to have known Balaam's leading principle. Perhaps the prophet's character was well known, as a man that never chose to work for nothing; and Balak might learn this from report.

The prophet seemed well disposed at first to serve the king of Moab for the considerations proposed to him, but had one objection in his way,-that though he would, he could not get over it. It is likely, he had found by experience that there was a Supreme Agent, that upon occasions had interrupted the influence of his divinations; Him he wanted first to consult, lest upon trial he should come off with disgrace in the middle of his enterprise. He goes first to consult the Lord.

When men go to ask the mind of the Almighty, with their hearts fully bent upon their own purposes, it is no great wonder if they receive an answer not quite favourable to their inclinations. God, who knows all things, well knew with what intention his supplicant at this time did address him ;-not with a full resolution to submit to his will, but with a desire that God would favour his designs at all events. He was forbidden to go with Balak's messengers; which was not a pleasing answer to a man that loved the wages of unrighteousness. Balak behaved towards the prophet as the prophet did towards his Maker-he tried him again. The king of Moab had indeed better reason to urge Balaam, than the prophet had to be instant with the Almighty. This covetous prophet had shewed his good inclination to serve him, but told him he could not:-and what did Balak know but the Deity might change his mind, and by importunity yield to Balaam's entreaties. The heathen notions of God differed but little from their notions of men. But Balaam knew that he had received an express answer in the negative, and behaved presumptuously in importuning his Maker. It would seem that he wanted to insult

his

his Maker into his design. He tries him again. Ah! what impiety to ask what God had peremptorily refused! But there was money and honour in the case, which to a mind like Balaam's were strong reasons of conduct.

But it is wonderful that any man, not quite metamorphosed into a devil, could ask the Almighty for liberty to curse his own creatures. Such an address to God could not well be expected to receive any other answer but a refusal. Will a good, gracious, and merciful God hear the prayers of a man that breathes nothing but curses and ruin to a people that had never injured him? Had this prophet been bishop of Rome, or a member of some modern associations, we might perhaps have concluded that he meant to save their souls by giving their flesh to the devil: but church authority was not likely then known in that eastern part of the world. Perhaps the church rulers in after-times took the hint from Balaam, in their excommunicating people they did not like, or were afraid of. The prophet's method of cursing would no doubt be pretended to be clothed with divine authority, and accounted a religious act among these eastern superstitious nations.

The prophet was at last permitted to go with the messengers of the king of Moab, but with a restraint upon him that did not well suit his temper. Like all people who are vicious, if you once humour them, they aspire after more indulgence. Balaam expected, that as God had permitted him to go with Balak's messengers, that he would also allow him to do what he desired, when he came to the appointed place of exercise. But as he was not disposed to be obedient to the commandment of the Almighty, his Maker intended to teach him better behaviour by a severe reproof and disappointment. He sent his angel to resist him, who stood in his way, and intercepted his march.

No doubt our prophet's heart was full of the hopes of the rewards and honours that the king of Moab would advance him to, should he succeed in his enterprise. Perhaps he was telling over in his mind the large sums of money he should bring back with him, and the particular honours that all the princes of Moab should confer upon him; and how all the men of the East should reverence him, as one of the greatest intimates of the Divinity. No bishop that ever sat in convocation, perhaps had greater expectations than father Balaam; when, on a sudden, his ass started aside, and almost laid her rider in the dirt. The ass was frighted; and it was no wonder, for she saw what was invisible to her master-“ An angel stood in the way."

What this angel was clothed with, or what visive faculty was conferred upon the ass, I shall leave to the critics:-but she saw something, which could not be a spirit, for divines say that they are invisible. But that's not all, she started again, and went quite off her tract into the field. To interrupt a man in his journey, who was bent upon it, in hopes of coming back laden with riches and honour, was highly provoking. The offence was the greater, as

the

the prophet was in haste: we cannot suppose him otherwise, for he loved the wages of unrighteousness. Again! there is no accounting for asses when they turn giddy;-she rushed against the wall; and as the prophet seems to have ridden after the usual manner of prophets, we may easily suppose that one of his legs was in no good condition: " She crushed his foot against the wall. Truly this is no good omen; there is some reason to fear the issue of this affair. The ass is made to pay soundly for being so giddy. The prophet had a staff, which the ass would no doubt have remembered as long as she lived, had she not been an ass:-he laboured her with it to bring her to a sense of her duty. The prophet seems to have been old, that he rode with a staff, otherwise he ought to have had a whip. The prophet grows serious, but the ass more so; she opened her mouth, as she had no doubt many times done before, but in a very different manner; she spoke by the immediate agency of heaven. It is said, "the Lord opened the mouth of the ass." The language of asses is very ready to surprise them that are not acquainted with it, as their dialect is none of the finest; but to speak in human style was enough to have frightened any man out of his senses. Perhaps any man but Balaam would have fainted; but his mind was too full of riches and honour to be easily affected.

The prophet's ass spake like herself in all things but the style. “Am not Ï thine ass ?" Poor humble creature! she had served him long enough for such a reward; he beat her, and told her if he had a sword he would kill her. Had she got the exercise of reason with the use of language, she would have undoubtedly changed her master, and left his service. The use of language, without a right exercise of reason, is not a very high attainment. An ass may speak, but is still an ass. Our ass's master was like many since his time, who forget good services for a very small offence:-nay, if strictly examined, it was a piece of faithful service, for it saved the prophet's life. How many have served their country faithfully for many years, that have been served like the prophet's ass-got blows and threatening for their service, instead of any reward or preferment? Many invisible agents are watching the motions of the wicked and ungodly man; when he is riding post-haste to dishonour his Maker, though he does not see the invisible agent that withstands him, the animal that carries him may, by signatures we cannot account for. It is easy for one of these heavenly messengers to dismount the best rider that ever mounted a steed. When some merciless wretch is posting to fulfil the ends of his cruelty; when some ambitious covetous usurer is riding full speed to receive the wages of unrighteousness, and to distress the widow and the fatherless, and is found dead at his horse's feet; who knows but some of these invisible agents, out of pity to mankind, are the instruments of vengeance upon these incorrigible sinners.

The prophet's punishment as yet is not equal to his crime. He

went

went with a full purpose to curse a people whom the Almighty had blessed, if he would be so unmerciful as to let him. It was a mercy his neck was not in place of his foot; for he richly deserved to be punished for disobedience to his Maker, and his bad designs against his people.

Such as are acquainted with the political reasons of the several prophets and teachers of mankind in some churches, do perhaps know, that when they took upon them to anathematize their brethren, they had the same reasons for their conduct that Father Balaam had to get all the gain and honour by it they could. When men, for difference of opinion, denounce the curse of heaven against their brethren, there is some reason to suppose that there is something else at the bottom than a desire for the good of their souls. It is more likely that their own importance, and pri vate interest and honour, are the reasons of their conduct. It has often cost nations considerable sums of money to get clear of the curse of the prophets. It seldom happens that such prophets as Balaam either bless or curse for nothing. The least thing that can be expected from such as take upon them to curse their brethren is, that they shew their commission from the Lord for so doing; otherwise we must hold them under the same predicament with Balaam, and call them false prophets.

Balaam's conduct towards his ass is something like the conduct of religious and civil ministers towards the people they rule over; and the language of the ass, like the fruitless complaint of an enslaved people. Balaam had his ass saddled, and prepared for mounting, before he got on to ride. It requires some pains to prepare a people to bear a yoke of slavery and servitude.

In matters of religious concern, it is necessary to have mankind well persuaded of the rights and importance of the clergy, and the. divinity of the canons and creeds of churches, before they will submit to be used like asses. The jure divino of episcopacy and presbytery are pieces of trapping that the prophets of the church prepare for those asses they intend to ride upon. If once they can persuade mankind that the clergy have power to make laws to bind the consciences of the whole community, they may turn them as they please.

If it would not give offence to some who have more zeal than understanding, I should compare the Articles of the church of England, and the Confession of Faith of the church of Scotland, to the trapping of Balaam's ass; for it is by means of these that the clergy ride upon the backs of the people. The excommunications of those churches I would compare to the prophet's staff, with which he belaboured his ass; for it is evident, when common Christians start aside, and begin to think for themselves, and are not tractable enough to serve their devote masters, that they curse them for heretics and schismatics. And though these common believers should be never so well convinced in their own mind of the truth of their own opinion, or conscience, like the angel in the

case