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to Murder.

He first beat the Afs

cruelly, and then because fhe complained and reproved him, he would have killed her. But the LORD, obferving the malicious rage of the man, blinded with fury, and hardened in his wickedness, instead of being reformed by the miracle, was pleafed at length, as he had before opened the mouth of the Afs, now to open the eyes of Balaam, who fees an ANGEL of the Lord ftanding in the way. He had wifhed for a fword in his own hand to kill the Afs, and now he beholds the Angel of the Lord with a drawn fword in his hand ready to He called for a fword,

kill him. and a sword immediately appears. And the man, who had cruelly treated

treated his beast for starting and ftumbling to avoid the fword of the avenger, now boweth down his own head, and falls flat on his face. The cafe of the man and the brute is now the fame in point of fear the appearance of the Angel was no less terrifying to the mafter, than to the Beast that carried him; and juftly might the Angel have requited Balaam in kind for his cruelty. But as GOD is more merciful to finful men, than men are to unfinning brutes; the Angel of the Lord was pleased to fheath his fword: and though he came to Balaam with a meffage from the LORD. of very great importance, yet he poftpones the delivery of his errand, till he had first reproved

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and convinced Balaam of his wickedness and cruelty in smiting the Afs, which was a SIN deferving his notice and reproof. that the reproof might be more ftriking to Balaam, the Angel makes use of the very words which the Afs had spoken before: What have I done unto thee, faid the Afs, that thou hast SMITTEN me THESE THREE TIMES? and the Angel faid unto Balaam, Wherefore haft thou SMITTEN thine ASS THESE THREE TIMES? To the question of the Afs Balaam had replied, Because thou hast mocked me, and, I would there were a fword in my hand, for now would I kill thee. But when the Angel afked him the very fame question, his tone was changed; and we е hear

hear not a word about mocking, or wishing for a fword to kill her; but a confeffion of fin, and an apology of ignorance. His ftout and ftubborn heart trembled; the confcioufnefs of his guilt, and the fenfe of his folly and injustice in fmiting the innocent Beast, touched him to the quick; and, in fpite of his pride, paffion, and cruelty, extorted from him this frank confeffion, I HAVE SINNed. (ver. 34.) and Balaam said unto the Angel of the Lord, I HAVE SINNED.

But perhaps it will be objected, that this confeffion, I have finned, alludes to his going on the wicked defign to curse the Ifraelites, unless restrained by the overruling power

power of GOD. I grant that Curfing and Cruelty are kindred fins. Experience tells us they frequently go together. And I acknowlege that the first intent of Balaam to undertake this journey was wicked and finful, though he had a permiffion to go; and he might well say on that account, I have finned. But it does not appear to me, that he had that in view, when he made this confeffion. His Sin confifted in fmiting the Afs; for the confeffion is the refponse to the Angel's queftion. The Angel did not fay, Why doft thou proceed in thy curfed defign? but, Why haft thou fmitten thine ASS these three times? It was to this question that Balaam replied, I have finned. And though the Angel

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