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SERMON VII:

Upon the Character of Balaam.

Preached the fecond Sunday after Eafter.

NUMB. Xxiii. 10.

Let me die the Death of the Righteous, and let my last End be like his.

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THESE Words, taken alone, and Ser.VII without respect to him who spoke them, lead our Thoughts immediately to the different Ends of good and bad Men. For though the Comparison is not express'd, yet it is manifeftly implied; as is alfo the Preference of one of these Characters to the other in that laft Circumstance, Death. And fince dying the Death of the Righteous or of the Wicked, neceffarily implies Men's being righteous or wicked,

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Ser. VII. wicked, i. e. having lived righteously or

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wickedly; a Comparison of them in their Lives alfo might come into Confideration from fuch a fingle View of the Words themfelves. But my prefent Defign is, to confider them with a particular Reference or Respect to him who spoke them; which Reference, if you please to attend, you will fee. And if what fhall be offered to your Confideration at this Time be thought a Difcourfe upon the whole Hiftory of this Man, rather than upon the particular Words I have read, this is of no Confequence; it is fufficient, if it afford Reflection of Use and Service to ourselves.

But in order to avoid Cavils respecting this remarkable Relation in Scripture, either that Part of it which you have heard in the firft Leffon for the Day, or any other; let me juft obferve, that as this is not a Place for anfwering them, fo they no way affect the following Difcourfe, fince the Character there given is plainly a real one in Life, and fuch as there are Parallels to.

The Occafion of Balaam's coming out of his own Country into the Land of Moab, where he pronounced this folemn Prayer or Wish, he himself relates in the

firft Parable or prophetick Speech, of which Ser. VII. it is the Conclufion. In which is a Custom referr❜d to, proper to be taken Notice of: That of devoting Enemies to Destruction, before the Entrance upon a War with them. This Custom appears to have prevailed over a great Part of the World, for we find it amongst the most diftant Nations. The Romans had publick Officers, to whom it belonged as a stated Part of their Office. But there was fomewhat more particular in the Cafe now before us; Balaam being looked upon as an extraordinary Perfon, whose Bleffing or Curse was thought to be always effectual.

In order to engage the Readers Attention to this Paffage, the facred Historian has enumerated the preparatory Circumstances, which are these. Balaam requires the King of Moab to build him seven Altars, and to prepare him the fame Number of Oxen and of Rams. The Sacrifice being over, he retires alone to a Solitude facred to these Occafions, there to wait the divine Inspiration or Answer, for which the foregoing Rites were the Preparation. *And God met

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* Ver 4, 5

Balaam

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Ser. VII. Balaam, and put a Word in his Mouth, upon receiving which, he returns back to the Altars, where was the King, who had all this while attended the Sacrifice, as appointed; he and all the Princes of Moab ftanding big with Expectation of the Prophet's Reply. And he took up his Parable and faid, Balak the King of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the Mountains of the East; faying, come, Curfe me Jacob, and come, defie Ifrael. How fhall I curse, whom God hath not curfed? Or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied? For from the top of the Rocks I fee him, and from the Hills I behold him: Lo, the People shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the Nations. Who can count the Duft of Jacob, and the Number of the fourth Part of Ifrael? Let me die the Death of the Righteous, and let my last End be like his.

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It is neceffary, as you will fee in the Progrefs of this Difcourfe, particularly to observe what he understood by Righteous. And he himself is introduced in the Book of Micah explaining it; if by Righteous is

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