the great things of his kingdom. In this case, we see a covetous soothsayer, or enchanter, over-ruled to preach the truth to the princes of a heathen nation, who hated it Even as the wicked spirits in the days of our Lord were compelled to declare who he was." We know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God." In Balaam's conduct, we may perceive a struggle in his mind betwixt duty and inclination. The command of God was peremptory.Thou shalt not go-thou shalt not curse them: for they are blessed. Instead of giving the messengers this decisive answer, he softens it down to, The Lord refuseth to give me leave to go with you. These words being reported to Balak, he concluded the prophet wanted more respect, and greater promises. Accordingly he sent the se cond time more honourable princes, and offered any terms he chose to demand. It is said to have been customary with the heathen nations solemnly to curse their enemies in the name of their gods before they declared war against them, and it would seem Balak had such an opinion of Balaam's interest with some invişible power, or deity, that if he could possibly prevail with him to curse Israel, and bless Moab, he would then declare war against them, notwithstanding all the wonders of which he had heard, Perhaps also, he might have heard that the nations of Canaan were devoted to destruction by the God of Israel, and was determined to resist that denunciation.

But another view may be taken of this subject, and perhaps more agreeable to truth of this our readers may judge for themselves.

In

No doubt, Balak had heard to his sorrow, that none of the gods of the nations could resist in the least degree the victorious power of the God of Israel, and he, therefore, strains every nerve to induce if possible, the Most High to deny himself and become their enemy. In opposition to this, the Lord, by the mouth of Balaam, tells Balak, "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" this extraordinary contention, we may conceive Balak and Balaam as agents of Satan, and that even here his mode of warfare, is in some respects, similar to what it was at many other periods. The power and wealth of a great prince, as well as the influence of a famous prophet, assuming the appearance of a minister of righteousness, and servant of God, are made use of by the Evil one for the destruction of the chosen people, that they might be cursed who were pronounced blessed, and thus the word of God falsified. Vain was the attempt! The diabolical scheme was frustrated. In like manner, when Herod and the High Priests, conspired against Jesus and his disciples, the vengeance and curse they threatened, rebounded back upon their own devoted heads. Even in Eden, Satan tempted man by contradicting the word of God, in hopes, no doubt, if he should succeed, that the Lord would utterly destroy Adam and Eve. Very remarkable also, is the temptation of

Job. Satan observes to the Lord, (ch. i. 10.) "Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land: but put forth thine hand now and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face." Satan seems to have been very confi dent, that Job, in the depth of his misery and anguish, "would charge God foolishly," and if so, that his wish would be completed in Job's destruction. The voice from the excellent glory had pronounced Jesus to be the Son of God, and how anxiously Satan, taking advantage of his necessities, labours to insinuate into his mind a doubt of this truth, "If thou be the Son of God command these stones to be made bread." And, as usual in all ages, offers the pleasures of this world, "All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me." Does he not

to this day tempt men the same way, that they may disobey God, and yet live-that they may enjoy this world, and yet be happy? Honourable princes were sent-noble offers were made to Balaam, that he might curse Israel. Yea costly sacrifices upon altars, as if intended to purchase the favour of God by the observance of his own institutions. But the purpose of God was not to be counteracted, and to the confusion of his enemies, this very prophet is made a vehicle to confirm the blessings, and predict the downfal of those who hated them.

CHAP. XXIII. Continues the same subject. Were ever grander words uttered than those of Balaam, when he is blessing Israel? Wonderfully descriptive of the true church in all ages, are his memorable words, "Lo! the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations." This was a public mark, or badge of submission to the laws of him who appeared to Balaam as the Angel of the Covenant, and made even the ass on which he rode, to expose the wickedness and madness of the prophet. Whenever either Jews or Christians sought fellowship with the nations, they were departing from their King, and losing their relish for the truth. Dowell alone! Noble words! And yet whenever the church dwelt most alone, it stood on the firmest ground, because her god was in the midst of her. They shall not be numbered with the nations, cried Balaam, gracious promise? But mark the man. What did this vile prophet do, but directly, by his wiles, endeavoured to make the Jews mix with the Moabites-Why? That they might be cursed with the nations! Of all characters, none are more hateful than those who make fine professions, yet slacken the divine laws, and in short, do their utmost, under covert, to undermine them. Are not Christians warned of some, who like Balaam, were to be shunned and dreaded, Rev. ii. 14? The above prophecy of Balaam is also fulfilled in a literal sense, though spoken 3,000 years ago. The Jews, to this day, are kept distinct from the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob, says he, or the number of the fourth part of Israel? Look back to the sketch of their appearance as drawn under the 2d chapter of this book, and hear this, that

even not one of their four grand encampments could be numbered, much less the whole! Nothing could be more opposite to Balak's wish than this language from the mouth of Balaam. He had expressed his terror on account of the number of this people, (chap. xxii.) saying, "Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field." Balaam, however, in this and in all his parables, speaks not only of Israel, as they were encamped in the plains of Moab, but as they shall appear in the encampment spoken of in the last chapters of the Revelation, when Judah shall be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell safely; and then, "as the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured, so will I (Jehovah) multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me." As Balaam's mind seemed so enraptured with this view of the tribes in their beautiful position with each other, Balak tried another scheme, and took him to a place where he could only see a part of them at once; in hopes that he would surely be induced to curse that division. Far from it: He hath blessed, says Balaam, and I cannot reverse it. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel. No! How can this be? Why, as David says, "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered,”—or, as Ísaiah observes, in the conclusion of a beautiful description of Zion, (chap xxxiii. 20-24.) The people that dwell there shall be forgiven their iniquity.

CHAP. XXIV. Balaam still thwarts the wishes of Balak, speaking of the beautiful order of the tribes of Israel, and that with his eyes open to the complete state of bliss in which all the ransomed hosts shall hereafter appear, "How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob! thy tabernacles, O Israel!--Not only so, but to mortify Balak still farther, and with Balak all who should endeavour to curse the Israel of God, Balaam predicts the exaltation of Israel with their glorious King above all the kings of the earth, eating up the nations, his enemies, breaking their bones, and piercing them through with his arrows.— In the 9th verse Balaam also speaks of this The Prince of the kings of the earth, under his character of the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

On the 17th verse, Holloway observes, "Jesus not only had the sceptre, but properly was all the sceptre did represent. This Balaam knew, and gave him jointly the names of the Star or light, and the Sceptre. The heathens appear to have had a tradition, that salvation was to be held out, or extended from one that either had, or was the sceptre. Hence the custom of the Persian kings to hold out the golden sceptre to those whom they would favour, or save. Otherwise it was death to approach them; as it is to approach God without the assurance of grace, held forth to us by the true sceptre, Christ."--The war with Amalek is particularly noticed in the observations on Exodus xvii. (p. 103.) but we must refer such of our readers as wish to trace the literal fulfilment, &c. of Balaam's prophecies, to Bishop Newton's Dissertations.

CHAP. XXV. Gives an account of the whoredom and idolatry of the Jews with the Moabites, which is supposed to have been the effect of Balaam's counsel. In endeavouring to seduce Israel to bring a curse upon themselves by their wickedness, we see the vileness and hypocrisy of his character; and the church of Pergamos, Rev. ii. 14. are particularly warned against such conduct. Paul says, neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day 23,000! 1 Cor. x. 8. Psalm cvi. 28. See also the notes on Exodus xxxii.

CHAP. XXVI. Preparatory to the division of the promised land, the people are again numbered, (which seems to be the third time,) but among these there was not a man, saye Caleb and Joshua, who had been reckoned in the first enumeration. They had all died in the wilderness, according to the word of the Lord. Comparing the sums here mentioned with those in the first chapter of this book, we shall note down the increase, or decrease of each tribe,

Of the family of Reuben, above 20 years old, decreased, 2,770

From this statement it appears that the total decrease was 1,820. The division of Canaan was to be made according to the rigister now formed; and the quantity of land was to be proportioned to the numbers of each tribe, and the situation determined by lot. Thus the decreasing of any tribe in the wilderness, proved the decrease of their future importance, and affluence. Joshua xiv.-xix. As to the prophetic intention of these precise numberings, the reader may turn back to the hints on chap. i. of this book.

CHAP. XXVII. The first subject in this chapter, is the petition of the five daughters of Zelophehad for an inheritance in Canaan, as heirs to their father, who had died in the wilderness, leaving no The Lord approved their demand, only restricting them to marry such as were of their own tribe. See page 270.

sons.

In verse 12, the Lord says to Moses, "Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and SEE the land which I have given unto the children of Israel; and when thou hast SBEN it, thou shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered," &c.

M m

Of this we have a more particular account in Deut. xxxiv. What a similarity between Moses and the law he taught Israel!-He could get no more but a sight of the promised land,—and all the doctrine of his law only held up an extended picture of that whereby Abraham and his seed should inherit the land. It required a greater than Moses, even Joshua, (Jesus,) the captain of salvation, and the fulfiller of all the statutes and ordinances of Moses, to bring Israel in to the promised inheritance. As Moses died to give place to Joshua, his law died when all power was committed into the hand of Jesus. To see the promised land was, however, an importtant sight to Moses, and has proved an important sight to the eyes of many in leaving this world since his day.

In reading verse 21, the illustration of Urim and Thummim, on Exod. xxviii. may be returned to.

CHAP. XXVIII. Contains a repetition of instructions respecting offerings and sacrifices, which have been so frequently noticed in the remarks on Exodus and Leviticus, that we think it unnecessary to particularize them.

CHAP. XXIX. On the first verse we shall only refer to the observations on Lev. xxiii. (p. 221.)—on the 7th verse, to those on Exod. xii. (p. 91-96.)-and on the 12th verse, to what is said on Exod. xxiii. (p. 124.)

The decrease of the number of bullocks to be sacrificed, one less each succeeding day, during this feast, is the most noticeable circumstance in this law. It was probably intended to intimate that the Mosaic institutions would gradually vanish away, and end when the Messiah came, who, "after offering one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God," as having perfected his people.

CHAP. XXX. The subject of this chapter respects Vows, on which we would request our readers to turn to the notes on Leviticus xxvii. and Numbers vi.-only observing that, the loosing of the young woman from her vow, by her father, and of the wife from her vow, by her husband, seems to point out a very important part of that command, spoken of by God, when he says of Abraham, Gen. xviii. 19. "I know him, that he will command his children, and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord." To this also, (though in Christ Jesus male and female are all one,) perhaps, the prohibition against women speaking in the church may have some respect.

CHAP. XXXI. Is a narrative of the war of Israel with Midian, in which Balaam, &c. is killed. There is something remarkable in the command of the Lord to Moses on this occasion," Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people ;" and that compared with the words